The Billionaire’s Mother Tried To Fire The Maid For Being Poor, Only To Find Out She Was The Secret Owner Of The Family’s Entire Empire.
Chapter 1: The Shattered Porcelain of Pride
The dining room of the Hawthorne Manor was a monument to old money and cold hearts. The mahogany table, imported from Italy, spanned thirty feet, yet the distance between Eleanor Hawthorne—the family matriarch—and Sarah, the young woman standing in a simple apron, felt like a canyon.
Eleanor’s hand trembled with rage as she withdrew a checkbook from her clutch. She didn't just write a check; she tore it out as if she were gutting an animal.
"Twenty thousand dollars," Eleanor spat, flicking the slip of paper across the table. It fluttered in the air, landing amidst the fine china. "That is more than your father made in a year. Take it, leave your uniform on the floor, and disappear. My son, Julian, is meant for a woman of breeding, not a servant who scrubbed the floors he walks upon."
Sarah stood still, her head bowed, though her jaw was set tight. She had taken this job to be close to Julian, a man she had secretly married at a courthouse six months prior, keeping it hidden until the timing was right. She hadn't expected Eleanor to discover their relationship so soon.
"I won't take the money, Mrs. Hawthorne," Sarah said, her voice barely a whisper.
"You will," Eleanor barked, standing up. "Or I will make sure you never find work in this city again. You are nothing."
Suddenly, the heavy oak doors at the end of the hall creaked open. Julian Hawthorne walked in. He looked tired, his tie loosened, but his eyes were like flint. He stopped beside Sarah, his presence commanding the room instantly.
"Mother," Julian said, his voice terrifyingly calm. "I suggest you pick up that check. And then I suggest you sit down."
May you like
Eleanor laughed, a sharp, brittle sound. "Julian, thank God. Tell this girl to leave. I’m firing her."
Julian didn't blink. "Mother, you can’t fire her. Because my legal wife is now the main shareholder of Hawthorne Enterprises."
