From Maid to Heiress,His Secret Vengeance

Back then, I was still the untouchable heiress of the Graves family.

I paid off his father's gambling debts, and he became my most obedient dog.

In the three years we were together, his eyes were always dark and unreadable.

Then my true origins came to light. I was thrown out of the family overnight and became the laughingstock of the entire city.

And he knelt before the real daughter, pledging his loyalty.

Now I made my living changing hotel sheets. He was the soon-to-be son-in-law of the wealthiest family in the city.

He asked me, "Accepted your fate?"

"What else would I do?"

"...I won't allow it."

——

Won't allow it?

How laughable.

I stopped what I was doing and looked up at him.

The boy who used to stand in the rain in his school uniform, waiting for me to come pick him up, now wore a tailored suit and looked down at me from above.

"Mr. Henson, I'm Employee Number 0932 at this hotel."

I tossed the rag into the bucket. Dirty water splashed up and speckled the hem of his trousers.

"My job is scrubbing toilets and making beds. I've finished cleaning this carpet for you. Is there anything else you need?"

Howard Henson's hand shot out and seized my chin, fingers digging in hard.

"Stella Graves, who taught you to talk to me like that?"

"Life did."

My head was forced back, my eyes locked with his.

"Life taught me that if you don't have money, you get on your knees."

"You'd know that better than anyone, Mr. Henson. When your father owed half a million in gambling debts and they were cutting off his fingers, you knelt in front of me and begged just like this."

For those three years, I didn't just pay off his debts. I kept him by my side.

Everyone in our circle laughed at him, called him my well-trained dog.

One look from me, and Howard would dive into freezing water in the dead of winter to fish out my earring.

But now the tables had turned.

I was the fake. Vivienne Graves was the real one.

Howard Henson was now Vivienne's fiance, about to take over the Graves Group.

"Shut up."

His fingers traced along my jaw.

"Stella, that mouth of yours is still as vicious as ever."

"That's vicious?"

I let out a cold laugh.

"I'm just stating facts. All I'm good for now is making the bed and cleaning the room for you and your fiancee. Isn't that right?"

Just then, the suite door swung open.

"Well, well. If it isn't my dear sister."

Vivienne Graves sauntered in with a mocking smile, a handful of socialites trailing behind her.

The moment she spotted Howard gripping my chin, she pouted and hurried over to loop her arm through his.

"Howard, why are you touching that filthy thing? She was just scrubbing the toilet. I bet she didn't even wash her hands."

Howard released me. He took the handkerchief Vivienne offered and wiped each finger, one by one, the fingers that had just touched me.

Then he tossed the handkerchief in my face.

"Just teaching her some manners."

His voice was flat, indifferent.

Vivienne doubled over laughing. She nudged my knee with the toe of her shoe.

"You know, sis, you really brought this on yourself. Didn't have the blood of an heiress but played the part anyway. And now look at you, polishing shoes for real royalty like us."

She lifted her foot and waggled her stiletto in front of my face.

"I stepped in gum. Disgusting."

"Since you're the professional here, sis, why don't you clean it off for me?"

A ripple of laughter passed through the socialites.

Howard stood to the side, one hand in his pocket, watching with cold detachment.

"What's the matter? Don't want to?"

Vivienne's smile vanished. She snatched the glass of water from the table and flicked her wrist.

Water streamed down my hair and into the collar of my uniform.

"Stella Graves, do you still think you're some high-and-mighty princess?"

"This is a Graves hotel. I'm your boss. Try me, and I'll have someone strip you naked and throw you out on the street."