A wave of shock ran through the grand mansion lobby. Guests whispered frantically behind their hands, taking out their phones and staring at the pregnant woman standing beside the billionaire heir.
Victoria: Your... your wife?! That's impossible! You're engaged to me!
Evelyn: Julian, this joke has gone way too far! The Sterling family cannot be tied to a homeless orphan who cleans your toilets!
Julian: It's not a joke, Evelyn. Alice and I were legally married seven months ago in a private civil court.
Victoria: No! No, that's a lie! You signed our marriage arrangement papers last month!
Julian: My father signed those merger papers, Victoria. I never touched them. And as of midnight yesterday, my father no longer controls the family trust fund or this estate.
Victoria's face turned completely white. She took a step backward, almost tripping on the heavy hem of her designer gown.
Victoria: What are you talking about? Your father owns Sterling Global Corp!
Julian: Not anymore. The board removed him yesterday afternoon after discovering he embezzled twenty million dollars from the charity foundation. My personal holdings now control eighty percent of the company voting shares.
Alice looked up at Julian, clutching his jacket sleeve with her small, fragile hands.
Alice: Julian... you don't have to do this here... people are watching...
Julian: Let them watch, sweetheart. They need to see who the real mistress of this house is.
Evelyn pushed her way through the crowd, her face twisted with fury as she glared at Alice.
Evelyn: You little scheming rat! You tricked him, didn't you?! You knew he was worth billions, so you got yourself pregnant to trap him!
Julian stepped forward, putting his body between Evelyn and Alice. His voice lowered to a dangerous, icy tone that sent a shiver through the room.
Julian: Speak to my wife like that again, Evelyn, and I will have your family's firm bankrupt by tomorrow morning.
Evelyn: You wouldn't dare! My husband is your father's chief legal adviser!
Julian: Was his legal adviser. I fired him two hours ago.
Victoria shook her head frantically, tears finally smearing her heavy makeup as her arrogant composure shattered into pieces.
Victoria: Julian, please! Think about our reputation! Think about the media! You can't replace me with a servant!
Julian: Alice was never a servant in this house, Victoria. She was living in the master suite until three days ago when I had to leave for the emergency board meeting in Chicago.
Victoria: Then why was she wearing a maid uniform?! Why was she carrying serving trays?!
Julian turned his head slowly, looking at the house butler, Thomas, who was standing near the grand staircase with a tray of empty glasses.
Julian: That is a very good question, Victoria. Thomas, step forward.
The old butler froze, his hands trembling so hard that the crystal glasses on his tray began to clink together softly.
Thomas: Mr. Julian... sir... I can explain...
Julian: Explain why my pregnant wife was forced to wear a staff uniform and clean the lobby while I was out of the country, Thomas.
Thomas: Miss Victoria... she came in yesterday with your father... they told me Alice was a liar trying to steal from the family. They ordered me to put her to work or lose my job!
Alice: He threatened to throw me out on the street while you were gone, Julian... I didn't have my phone, and I couldn't reach your security team...
Julian: Thomas, you have served this family for twenty years. Pack your bags and leave this property before I file charges for endangerment.
Thomas: Sir, please! I was just following orders from your father!
Julian: You knew who she was to me. Get out.