Chapter 3 - Whispers in the Water
As Ethan regained his breath, the head housekeeper, Diane Mercer, rushed forward with a towel, attempting to shield her employer not just from the cold, but from the reality of his own vulnerability. When Diane turned her fury onto Maggie, accusing her of recklessness and protocol violations, Ethan silenced the courtyard with a single, quiet command. His gaze swept over the staff, demanding to know who had wished for his death.
Silence answered him. The cook stared at her shoes; the gardener fixed his eyes on the dirt. Diane folded her arms, attempting to protect the collective guilt of the household. But Ethan’s eyes were sharper than they had ever been. Realizing that the twelve-day maid possessed more loyalty and courage than a staff that had served him for over a decade, Ethan made a sweeping, uncompromising decision. One by one, he dismissed every single employee standing on the deck, offering full severance but demanding they clear the property by six that evening. Diane hissed a venomous warning as she walked past Maggie, planting the seed of doubt: “You think he will reward you for this?”
