Samantha had changed into a comfy set of home clothes, ready to order food, only to find out her sister's phone didn't even have a delivery app.

Her stomach growled louder by the second. Even if she started downloading the app now, by the time the food arrived, she'd probably be crawling from hunger.

Everyone downstairs was still waiting to watch her crash and burn. She muttered a curse under her breath. But starving herself? Not in a million years. With a sigh, she turned and headed for the kitchen.

Without sparing anyone a glance, Samantha walked in like she owned the place. She dug through the fridge and found two eggs, some lettuce, a few slices of ham, and a bottle of salad dressing.

After a bit of messing around, she whipped up a giant burger. She bit into it like she hadn't eaten in days, grabbed an ice-cold bottle of cola, and strolled toward the stairs-all casual and chill.

"Wait, that was... Mrs. Perkins?" Lucas Bennett, standing beside Alexander, scratched his head, looking like he'd just seen a ghost. "Boss, did she get possessed or something?"

Caitlin had always been the picture of grace around the house-flawless makeup, elegant dresses, and so sweet it made your teeth hurt.

But that woman just now? Hair in a messy bun, cotton pajamas that screamed 'I'm staying in,' chugging cola and munching on a burger like it was no big deal? Really?

Alexander didn't even bother replying. He dropped back onto the couch, flipped open his laptop, and forced himself to ignore the odd feeling creeping up inside.

This woman... she wasn't who she used to be. And for once, he couldn't just pretend she didn't exist.

It was a weird feeling.

For the first time, Samantha actually felt... intriguing.

-

After scarfing down the food, Samantha crashed on the bed and dozed off for a bit. But the buzzing sound of a vacuum jolted her awake.

The noise kept starting and stopping, on and off, peppered with whispers outside the door.

"Think this'll wake her?" one voice murmured. "She's acting different lately. I don't wanna mess with her."

"Scared of what? Seriously? She's got no weight in this house. Remember what Mrs. Perkins said about her? No way she's got any real backbone."

"Exactly. She didn't speak up before, she won't now..."

Before the sentence was even finished, Samantha yanked the door open. She leaned lazily against the frame, eyes cool, lips tugging into a sardonic smile.

"Turn it off. That noise? Drives me nuts."

One of the younger maids, Eliza, clearly feeling bold, crossed her arms with a sneer. "Wow, a little fussy, aren't we? Can't handle a bit of sound? If you're so tough, why not yell at Mr. Perkins instead?"

Samantha sighed and brushed her hair back, looking downright amused. Kids these days really had nerve.

"What's your name again?"

"Eliza. Why? Gonna go cry to the boss now? Go ahead, he won't-"

Eliza wasn't scared of this 'lady of the house.' Back then, even if she got sassy, the other one would just smile awkwardly and back off.

People trample the timid and bow to the tough-always have, always will. Nice doesn't protect you from being stepped on.

Samantha had learned that lesson well.

A faint scorn curled her lips. Caitlin's sweet nature had made her an easy target for these two-faced brats.

She lazily raised a finger and wagged it slightly. "Nah, I don't run to people. That's not my style. If I've got a problem, I deal with it then and there."

Her eyes sharpened. She walked forward, planting her foot squarely on the vacuum head. Locking eyes with Eliza, she said each word slow and cool, "Learn this: I treat people how they treat me. Act like trash, and I'll show you exactly what that looks like."Without another word, she yanked the vacuum hose off and slammed it onto Eliza's mouth, pushing her hard against the wall while lifting one leg to press down on her shoulder.

"Mmm! Mmm!" Eliza freaked out, thrashing wildly, clawing at the hose trying to get it off her face.

The other two maids were stunned for half a second, then panicked and rushed over to pull Samantha off. But before they got close, she kicked one left and the other right-both went flying.

Samantha yanked the hose out of Eliza's mouth and grabbed her by the neck. Her flawless face was ice-cold, eyes glinting with a ruthless edge. She leaned in, voice chilling. "I said-no vacuums. Use a broom and sweep every corner. Get it?"

Eliza was in total shock, her mouth raw and burning.

How... how could that timid lady be acting like this? Eliza froze up, completely blank.

Smack.

A loud slap echoed. Samantha sneered, her smile sharp. "I don't repeat myself. I asked-do you understand?"

"Y-yes! Yes! I get it, I get it!" Eliza clutched her cheek, totally terrified.

"Perfect. Then throw that vacuum off the second floor," Samantha said coolly, her gaze sweeping across all three terrified maids like a blade.

"Huh? Y-you want us to toss it?" Eliza was stunned. Another maid hesitated. "But... Mr. Perkins is downstairs..."

"Well, that's your problem," Samantha shrugged with mock innocence, taking slow steps toward them. "If you won't do it, I guess I'll have to teach you another lesson."

This woman... was like a demon!

"Y-yes, ma'am!" All three of them went pale. Shivering, they wheeled the vacuum to the upstairs railing, shut their eyes tight, and shoved it over.

Bang-

A loud crash followed. Pieces of the vacuum smashed apart on the floor below. It didn't hit Alexander, but some fragments flew dangerously close to his feet.

Everyone in the living room looked up, stunned. None of them expected 'Mrs. Perkins' to be casually enjoying the show from upstairs.

"Caitlin, are you out of your mind?" Alexander glanced upward, his tone icy.

"Just throwing out some trash," Samantha said with a smirk, arms crossed as she leaned over the railing, eyes on fire with arrogance. "You've got way too much junk lying around."

The atmosphere froze. Everyone downstairs felt the pressure explode, anxiously waiting for Alexander to flip.

"Go clean it up. Now." His voice was so cold it sent shivers through the room.

But Samantha didn't flinch. She let out a small snort and looked completely unfazed. "Why should I? Wasn't me who threw it."

Alexander frowned, clearly thrown off. Caitlin used to be a doormat-timid, quiet, always agreeable. Now, she was flat-out brushing him off. Like she didn't care.

"I won't repeat myself," he said, tone low, eyes sharper than knives.

Upstairs, the three maids all wore weird expressions. Were Mr. and Mrs. Perkins competing on who could be more intimidating? Even their lines were perfectly in sync...

"No need to repeat it-'cause I'm not listening anyway," Samantha fired back with a raised chin and a defiant flick of her hair before turning and strutting away, leaving nothing but an arrogant back view for Alexander to stare at.

Something inside him twisted. Why was he suddenly this irritated? Her reaction wasn't just bold-it was straight-up dare-you-to-punish-me energy.

No one had ever spoken to him like that.

But she? She'd done it multiple times, like it was a game.

Had she lost her mind?

"Caitlin!"

It was the first time Alexander actually raised his voice at a woman, his tone sharp, clearly out of patience.

Lucas, standing awkwardly in the corner, couldn't help but sweat for her. He'd never really liked that timid, forgettable Caitlin, but right now, even he felt nervous on her behalf.

Because last time Alexander used that tone, a manager from the company who messed with a few female employees ended up practically begging the gods to take him early...

Unless she apologized fast, maybe Alexander would at least go easy on her for being a woman. Lucas stared at the woman upstairs, silently praying she'd get a clue.

Ma'am, please don't ask to die today.

But very quickly, Lucas realized he'd overestimated her. That woman-cold as stone-not only didn't apologize, didn't plead, she didn't even bother to respond. Just shot a look down, turned around and left like she couldn't care less.

The silence was brutal.

It was the first time a woman had outright ignored Alexander. His face didn't twitch a muscle, but anyone watching could feel that strange, uncomfortable shift in the air.

"Ma'am! You're savage!" Lucas blurted, giving a thumbs-up in genuine admiration.

A glare sharp enough to kill shot at him, and Lucas zipped his mouth shut, quickly fake-laughing as he ran over to boss around the housekeeping team-trying to look busy and avoid death.

The reflection of Alexander in his laptop screen turned dark and stormy.

Still, that woman who just walked all over him like it was nothing... he was starting to find her kind of interesting.

Five days ago, Caitlin was barely a shadow in the house. Meek, forgettable-housemaids could talk down to her and she wouldn't say a word. Whenever she saw him, that forced smile was basically her default setting. She was boring to the core.

Who'd have thought, barely a week later, her eyes now held this fierce, untouchable fire. Her attitude? Blunt, chaotic, borderline reckless. She didn't give a damn about anything.

To Alexander, sure-it looked like she'd completely lost her mind. But for a woman to dare act like this in front of him? Caitlin was one of a kind.

"Sir, it was Mrs. Perkins who told us to throw away the vacuum! None of this was our fault!" one of the maids said, clearly anxious.

"That vacuum's a brand-new model-it's super quiet! We tried explaining but she wouldn't hear it. Just lashed out at us!" the other added, barely hiding her attempts to throw Samantha under the bus.

"Mrs. Perkins?" Alexander repeated, lips twitching into something that almost looked like a smile.

Before, the staff at the mansion would only ever say "she" when talking about Caitlin. They wouldn't bother attaching a title unless it was formal.

He wasn't clueless. The swelling on one maid's face, the red mark on her neck, the other two clutching their stomachs like they'd been punched in the gut-Caitlin wasn't just losing her temper. She was making a statement.

As his gaze turned to rest on them, Eliza's eyes lit up with a spark of hope-finally, he was paying attention to her!

"Sir, I don't know what got into her," Eliza said, stepping closer and unbuttoning her shirt ever so slightly to show off her collarbones. "She said the vacuum noise was driving her crazy, and when I mentioned you were downstairs trying to rest, she completely snapped and tried to strangle me! Look-"

Her voice soft, innocent, she even pushed her chest forward a little.

The other two housemaids quickly nodded, moaning and doubling over more dramatically, retelling Samantha's earlier outburst with an exaggerated flair, throwing in every detail they could remember, real or not. Especially when Samantha lifted one leg to press down on the maid's shoulder, her hand gripping her throat hard, saying, "I don't like repeating myself," the smirk on Alexander's lips grew colder.

"Pfft..."

Lucas couldn't hold it in and burst out laughing. Realizing he'd gone too far, he quickly cleared his throat and chuckled awkwardly, "Sorry, sorry... Are you guys seriously talking about Caitlin? Hahaha..."

"Madam's eyes were seriously scary back then, like a wolf ready to bite! Mr. Perkins, you have to stand up for us!" The young maid clutched her face and started sobbing hysterically, tears streaming down like someone had turned on a faucet.

"Oh? Ratting people out behind their backs now? Didn't anyone at the great Perkins estate teach you that's bad manners?" Samantha stood at the top of the stairs, looking down with a calm yet commanding air.

The reappearance of Caitlin made everyone turn their heads-almost like a spotlight had just hit the stage.

She had on a slightly worn off-shoulder dress that hugged her frame perfectly. The neckline revealed her subtle collarbones, and beneath her full chest was a tiny waist wrapped neatly by a stylish belt. The slit in the skirt flashed a glimpse of fair skin that was hard to look away from.

Her makeup was light and natural, the nude lipstick highlighting her flawless complexion. Her bright eyes sparkled as she spoke, the slight tilt of her lips giving off a sense of effortless charm.

Alexander was momentarily stunned. He remembered her wearing this same blue denim dress before-plain, unremarkable. But right now? She looked... stunning.

Even though he'd never liked her, maybe even straight-up disliked her before... he couldn't deny-Caitlin was beautiful.

He used to see her as weak and pale, with a detached look in her eyes, like she couldn't care less about the world. Always dressed plainly, she gave off a sense of lifelessness. Honestly, he'd never had the curiosity to try and get to know her.

But this Caitlin-subtle makeup, sharp features, a killer figure, and an energy that pulled people in-was a whole different force. Like someone had flipped the switch.

"Whoa...Mrs. Perkins looks absolutely stunning ..."

Before Lucas could finish that sentence, a sharp glare shut him right up.

Samantha casually strolled over to Eliza, and right in front of Alexander, she lifted the girl's chin with a finger and smiled faintly. "Guess I didn't hit hard enough. Some people still don't know their place."

"Mr. Perkins..." Eliza trembled, clearly frightened, and quickly turned to him with pleading eyes, hoping he'd step in.

"Three months' pay. Then get out of the estate," Alexander waved her off, then turned to Samantha. "Happy with that, Mrs. Perkins?"

"Hey, don't look at me. I'm just an innocent bystander here. Don't go blaming me. Your staff, your rules-you deal with them," Samantha clapped her hands and walked off nonchalantly.

The corner of Alexander's mouth twitched up slightly. That over-the-top attitude of hers? Weirdly enough, he didn't find it annoying.

Actually, it was kind of... intriguing.

Because of his height, Alexander easily caught sight of her phone screen-it was a map, and the destination? A trendy hotspot in downtown Lichester.

"Where are you going?"

Samantha rolled her eyes and replied curtly, "Out for food."

"I don't permit that," The word left Alexander like steel. His brows furrowed, his patience clearly at its end. She was out of line, and he would put a stop to it-now.

Disappeared for five days and now she couldn't wait to run off again? What-was something outside really that tempting?

"For real?"

Samantha lifted her head and stared at him, voice laced with annoyance. "No lunch, so I had to just deal with it. And now it's dinnertime, and no one mentions food? Am I supposed to starve here?"

Huh? Lucas, who was standing off to the side, nearly choked on air.

Just "dealt with it"?

That massive burger and the whole bottle of soda-who exactly was she "dealing" that to?

Watching Alexander's face turn darker by the second, Lucas felt his scalp tingling. Afraid they'd explode in another argument, he jumped in quickly, "Mrs. Perkins, did you forget? Madam Henrietta's supposed to join you both for dinner tonight. It's about time to start prepping."

Samantha's eyes widened, disbelief written all over her face as she pointed to herself. "You want me to make dinner? Is this a joke? Doesn't the great Perkins family have chefs on payroll?"

Lucas blinked. "Ma'am, you haven't forgotten, right? Every month, Madam Henrietta comes over to dine with Mr. Perkins and you. She likes to catch up, but after dinner, she'll also keep an eye..."

"Lucas, that's enough."

Alexander frowned. The last thing he wanted was Lucas blabbing the real reason Henrietta came over-so she could micromanage their marriage and rush them into having a baby. That way, Caitlin could pop one out soon and carry on the Perkins bloodline.

But Samantha wasn't letting it go. Her eyes locked on Lucas, teasing out the rest of his words. "Keep an eye on what?"

"Uh..." Lucas scratched the back of his neck nervously. "Mrs. Perkins, it's getting late. You should really head to the kitchen. Otherwise, there's no way to explain things to Madam Henrietta when she arrives."

"Ugh, half-said stuff is so lame," Samantha huffed, turning her head aside, though thoughts were already spinning in her mind.

This dinner wasn't just a family meal-it was a performance for her dear mother-in-law.

She remembered what Ethan told her: Henrietta only agreed to let Caitlin marry into the Perkins family because some so-called fortune teller claimed Caitlin's birth chart was a golden ticket-tied to wealth, kids, and bringing prosperity to her husband.

But Caitlin had been here over a year and not a single sign of a baby.

Alexander barely even came back to this house. Henrietta hadn't gotten her grandchild and was fuming. Now she came monthly, under the pretense of family dinner, but really just to micromanage things and pressure them into sharing a bed.

Tonight's visit? Probably more of the same.

A cold smirk tugged at Samantha's lips. If they dared push her to sleep with Alexander... she'd make sure that smug bastard regretted ever breathing.

A pang of sorrow hit her all of a sudden. Her sister-married into a rich family, sure-but stuck with a husband colder than winter and a mother-in-law who wouldn't back off.

What kind of life was that supposed to be?

Henrietta, matriarch of the empire that was the Perkins Group in Lichester, was no joke. But Samantha was ready now-time to play this little dinner game her way.

Without realizing, she clenched her fists, that flicker of ice in her eyes sharp and deadly. Unfortunately-or perhaps not-she didn't notice Alexander was watching, picking up on every tiny shift.

He narrowed his eyes slightly. That glance just now... was that hate?

Alexander had barely stayed at the house since the wedding, but he made sure fifty grand landed in her account every month. She didn't lack for anything. Didn't care what she did as long as she stayed out of trouble.

By all accounts, Caitlin lived a life of privilege. Although the two of them were little more than strangers-he didn't care for her, their relationship hadn't descended into hatred.

But then why did she come back from that five-day disappearance, glaring at everyone here like they personally betrayed her?

Watching her retreat toward the kitchen, Alexander's gaze darkened. Something was up.

He crooked a finger at Lucas and muttered by his ear, "Find out where she's been the last few days. Who she's met." Samantha walked into the kitchen, obviously not in the mood. Her sister had been bullied badly by this family-she wasn't here to cook for them, she was here for payback!

But then she thought things through. Coming back all alone and picking a fight with those jerks who messed with Caitlin might be tough. Since Alexander was filthy rich, there was definitely something in it she could use. So, for now, she'd suck it up and play the daughter-in-law role, whipping up a meal to greet that annoying "grandmother-in-law."

She took a lap around the kitchen and quickly hit a wall-when it came to Calverian food, she could barely get past boxed mac and cheese or microwaveable pancakes.

Samantha had grown up in Farsenia with her dad. After he passed away, she ended up in an orphanage until a Calverian family living abroad adopted her. But by then, they'd fully embraced the local cuisine, so classic Calverian dishes? Not something she ever really learned.

Farsenian cuisine, though? That was a whole different story.

And it was all thanks to this Farsenian boy who had a crush on her back in school. His dad happened to be a Michelin-starred chef who owned a top-tier restaurant. Every time they went out to eat, the dad would personally cook for them. The food was so good, she practically became a foodie overnight-and begged to learn. Turns out, her appetite came with a hidden talent that was about to come in handy.

Samantha rolled up her sleeves and got to work in the oversized, near-professional kitchen. Even the kitchen screamed luxury.

The massive fridge was fully stocked-ingredients neatly arranged in labeled containers, spices and condiments lined up like they belonged in a gourmet catalog. As she rummaged through the shelves, her eyes lit up-there were tons of Farsenian sauces, herbs, and specialty items. She'd been worried about the ingredients, but now? Jackpot.

Then she remembered something Lucas had told her: no matter how good Caitlin's cooking was, Alexander never cared. Cold, as always.

So... he didn't like Calverian food?

She frowned slightly, then looked around at all the Farsenian ingredients and suddenly snapped her fingers.

Bingo. So he didn't appreciate her sister's home cooking, huh? Well then-watch me blow your mind with some real-deal Farsenian cuisine.

After a whirlwind of chopping, grilling, and plating, the table was covered with tempting Farsenian classics. Chocolate glazed pancakes, seared duck breast with balsamic glaze, hearty seafood stew, roasted lamb and potatoes, mussels in white wine, slow-braised beef in red wine sauce, and soft-boiled goose egg with truffle sauce.

As the help carried the dishes to the dining room, Samantha calmly tossed together the final one back in the kitchen-her signature mixed veggie salad.

She'd made the vinaigrette herself, and it was perfect-sweet with just the right tang, super refreshing. She grabbed a handful wearing disposable gloves and couldn't resist popping some into her mouth.

"Mmm, not bad at all," she mumbled to herself, the tangy dressing dripping down her lips. With one arm still holding the salad bowl and the other too messy to wipe her mouth, she leaned in, tongue out, trying to lick the dressing off the corner of her lip.

A pale, slender hand suddenly came into view, gently wiping her mouth.

Startled, Samantha froze mid-move, clutching the salad bowl and backing away as her wide eyes scanned the kitchen.

Seriously? Who shows up like that out of nowhere?

Alexander took a tissue from Lucas and calmly wiped his fingers clean, that usual poker face not showing the slightest reaction.

"You're insane!" she huffed, rolling her eyes hard. "You scared the hell outta me! What, worried I poisoned the food or something?"

Alexander didn't say a word, his face unreadable, but there was definitely a glint of amusement in his deep eyes.

That incredible smell from the dining room... it had actually made him hungry.

Just what else was this woman hiding from him?