“You have everything,” I snapped. “You could give me enough money to start over tomorrow.”
“And if I did, what would you learn?”
“That you weren’t a cruel woman?”
She regarded me quietly.
“No. You would learn that anger is a useful way to obtain what you want.”
I pushed my chair back.
“I hate this house.”
“Then perhaps you should spend less time thinking about what belongs to it and more time thinking about what belongs to you.”
I left before she could say anything else.
Over the next several weeks, my life became a nightmare.
Margaret’s staff treated me with courtesy, but I could feel their curiosity. Some had worked in the mansion for decades. They knew the history of the family, understood the financial arrangements, and had watched other people attempt to gain Margaret’s favor.
I was the newest curiosity.
At formal dinners, I sat beside Margaret while her business associates discussed investments, property acquisitions, and charitable projects. I understood very little of what they were saying.
