Chapter 31
As soon as they stepped inside, Theodore and Peter were met with the chaotic sight of the living room.
Confused, they listened as Lilian vented her frustrations.
Peter’s irritation flared instantly. “Adora, Mom has a migraine, and you’ve been hammering away all afternoon? That’s too
much.”
Adora didn’t even look up. “So, it’s perfectly fine for Ruby to chase away the workers?”
“I did it for their own good!” Ruby snapped, completely unfazed.
“You’re sick, Adora! Walking around like this, intentionally spreading HIV. You do realize that’s a crime, right?”
Adora let out a slow chuckle. “Oh? So, you do know the law? Then why don’t you tell me–what’s the penalty for aiding and
abetting human trafficking?”
Her words hit like a slap.
Ruby’s expression twisted.
She stammered for a comeback but couldn’t form a coherent sentence.
In the end, she turned to their mother for help. “Mom! Look at her! She’s falsely accusing me again!”
Before Lilian could jump in, the sound of an approaching engine rumbled from the driveway.
A few moments later, Eugene stepped into the living room.
Ruby, still annoyed at him from earlier, rolled her eyes and stormed upstairs without a word.
Eugene frowned and quickly followed, but the moment he stepped forward, his foot landed on a loose wooden board.
With a loud thud, he slipped and crashed onto the floor.
Everyone in the room froze.
“Are you okay?” Lilian rushed forward, startled.
Seeing him fall, Ruby’s annoyance evaporated.
She hurried back down the stairs, concern filling her voice. “Did you get hurt? Where does it hurt?”
Eugene groaned, wincing as he sat up, rubbing his hip.
He glanced around at the mess, then looked toward Adora, who was still sitting on the floor, steadily assembling her furniture.
He asked with a frown, “Did you order this online? Why are you putting it together yourself?”
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Adora didn’t bother explaining.
Instead, she lazily gestured toward Ruby. “Ask your fiancée.”
Eugene turned to Ruby, who huffed and crossed her arms. “Hmph! She has that disease! What worker would be willing to touch
her things?
“Obviously, she had to do it herself! And she’s been banging away all afternoon, making it impossible for Mom and me to get any
rest.”
Eugene looked back at Adora, watching as she carefully held the wooden planks in place with her slim hands, her movements slightly clumsy but persistent.
He could tell she was struggling.
Without thinking, he bent down and reached out to steady the panel for her. “Let me help.”
Adora tilted her head up, flashing a bright, almost teasing smile. “Eugene, you really are the best.”
Ruby’s jaw dropped.
Her eyes widened in disbelief, her lips parting in sheer outrage.
“Eugene Turner!” she shrieked, her voice sharp with jealousy. “Are you here for me or her?!”
“Of course, I’m here for you, Ruby. But the living room is a mess. If you trip over something and get hurt, that’d be even worse. If
I help her finish this quickly, it’ll all be out of the way sooner.”
His words were smooth, perfectly logical.
He even made it sound like he was doing this for the family’s sake.
But Ruby wasn’t having it.
She stomped her foot in rage. “Get out of my sight! I don’t want to see you!”
With that, she spun around and stormed back upstairs.
Eugene sighed but didn’t chase after her this time.
Instead, he turned back to Adora and helped her even more efficiently.
Before long, they finished assembling the wardrobe and desk.
Adora flashed him a radiant smile, her voice deliberately loud enough to carry upstairs. “Eugene, you’re amazing. I don’t know
what I would’ve done without you today.”
Upstairs, Ruby definitely heard that.
She yanked the blanket over her head, fuming, jealousy bubbling over.
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Chapter 31
With the furniture finally in place inside the maid’s quarters, Adora looked around, pleased.
That night, her dinner was unceremoniously left outside her door–all vegetarian.
+15 Bonus
She barely spared the bland spread a glance before turning back into her room, grabbing her phone, and ordering a lavish meat
buffet.
Meanwhile, in the dining room, the Matthews family and Eugene sat around the table, quietly eating their meal.
Then, an unmistakable aroma began wafting in from the living room.
The rich, savory aroma of slow–cooked stew, accompanied by the mouthwatering scent of perfectly seasoned roast meat, only
grew stronger, saturating the entire house–even reaching the bedrooms upstairs.
Back in the dining room, the four members of the Matthews family sat stiffly, their utensils trembling in their hands.
