Chapter: 76: clear as day
Elena
A sharp cry followed, then another grunt. I followed the noise, my heart pounding as I rounded the corner.
The sight before me sent a chill down my spine. My eyes landed on Cassandra standing over the nanny, her hand raised then followed by a sounding slap to Helen's cheek. While Lily cowered behind her, her small hands clutching the fabric of the nanny's dress.
Rage surged through me as I stormed closer.
What the hell do you think you're doing?!" My voice sliced through the tension like a blade.
Cassandra flinched at the sound of my voice but regained her composure immediately. "I'm only disciplining this mischievous brat of yours," she said boldly looking at Lily and then at me.
"Mmommyyy," Lily sobbed as she came running to me, her face covered in snot.
I took her into my arms cradling her to calm down. It took every ounce of me not to pounce on Cassandra at this very moment.
"What gave you the idea that YOU had the right to discipline my daughter? Or even lay a hand on her nanny? Huh," my voice filled the air.
"Just because she's your daughter doesn't mean she can get away with anything," she snorted.
"Cassandra!"
"She would have kissed my palm if not for this stupid nanny that got in the way," she said boldly looking at me.
Her words aggravated me. Not caring to know whatever it was Lily had done, I raised my hand and gave her a sounding slap.
I don't care what happened," I said, my voice low and steady. "You don't lay a hand on my daughter's nanny. And you sure as hell don't yell at my child."
Cassandra stood staring at me like she would strangle me if left to her will. "Do you even know what she did?" She screamed.
I yelled back. "I don't care—"
She ruined my necklace," Cassandra cut in, practically shaking with anger. "A limited-edition piece from Lucas! It takes a year to even be considered for purchase, and that was the last piece from the collection available."
Cassandra had started working at Harrington Enterprise's main branch a while back. She made sure to ring it in my ears the moment she started dating Lucas Harrington the Harrington successor. Lucas has always been mysterious, his face no one even knew so how Cassandra wound up dating him still came as a surprise to me
"It's just a necklace, Cassandra. It doesn't call for you to get violent over it."
Her face twisted with fury. "Just a—?!" She let out a harsh, humorless laugh. "That necklace is part of Mary Ann's collection, worth more than that bastard's entire existence! I should—"
"Don't you dare finish that statement," I warned, cutting her off.
Mary Ann was a world famous jeweler. Pieces from her were extremely hard to come by. And the number of pieces she made in a year could be counted on my finger.
I felt Lily's body flinch. I turned my head slightly, softening my tone. "Lily, sweetie, what happened?"
She sniffled, "I—I didn't mean to touch Auntie's necklace." She started sobbing again. "It looked beautiful so I came closer to look at it and—and it fell and broke." Her voice trembled as she spoke.
"It's alright sweetie," I said cleaning her face. " Mommy will handle everything."
I turned back to Cassandra, barely containing my irritation. "Fine. The best I can do is compensate you."
Cassandra laughed. "Compensate, you think your lousy money can afford something this rare?"
"What then do you wh—" I said before Ethan cut me off.
"Rear is too much of an exaggeration for a fake," he said picking the broken jewelry off the floor.
"WHAT?" Both Cassandra and I exclaimed in unison.
Ethan knew more about fashion than I did, so if he said it was fake then it probably was.
"What rubbish are you saying?" Cassandra hissed.
Ethan straightened, cocking an eyebrow. "The necklace you're throwing a tantrum over? It's a replica." He dangled the necklace in the air.
Cassandra's face paled. "Stop spewing nonsense. Lucas—Harrington bought it for me. There's no way it's a fake." She made sure to echo Lucas's name.
Ethan tilted his head, his smirk deepening. "The original limited-edition necklaces from this collection are personally marked by the designer, Mary Ann. She engraves a tiny colored fleur-de-lis on the clasp, a signature of authenticity. It's subtle, almost invisible to the untrained eye—"
"But mine has it. It's yellow." She interjects him.
He paused, lifting his gaze to hers, "—Exactly. This collection has only 7 pieces, each one having the fleur-de-lis in one of the rainbow colors."
"That proves nothi—" Cassandra tried to speak but was cut off by Ethan who continued with his explanation.
"The heiress of the Parker family Rose, already owns the piece with the yellow fleur-de-lis which was personally given to her by Mary Ann, which only means yours isn't the original."
The video of Mary Ann gifting Rose the necklace went viral so there was no denying it.
"How are you sure she didn't sell it to Lucas?" Cassandra tried to rebut but the odds were stacked against her.
"Rose was live this morning and she had the necklace on. If you're still in denial, you can go on her page. The video is saved there."
Cassandra grabbed her phone to confirm Ethan's words. The look on her face minutes into tapping on her screen said all I needed to know.
I folded my arms, raising an eyebrow. "let me get this straight—you attacked my nanny and terrified my daughter over a fake necklace?"
Cassandra opened her mouth to speak, then snapped it shut, her face turning red with anger.
"Shouldn't you be questioning your LOVER why he bought you a fake necklace," Ethan said in a mocking tone.
Cassandra's jaw clenched, her hands balling into fists. "This isn't over," she said before snatching the necklace off Ethan's hand and storming off.
The moment she was gone, I let out a slow breath, turning toward Lily, her wide eyes shimmered with unshed tears. "Mommy… is Auntie going to be mad at me forever?"
"Don't call her that. She is no auntie of yours."
"Mmm," she nodded.
"Am—I— still in trouble?" She mumbled out, her round eyes looking at me.
My heart ached. I pulled her into a tight embrace. "No, sweetie. Mommy is here now."
She clung to me, burying her face in my shoulder, and in that moment, I made a silent vow—no one would ever make my daughter feel this way again.
I looked up to Ethan. "Thanks for helping. I don't know what I'd have done if you weren't—"
"It's fine Elena," he said reassuringly.
I turned to Helen whose face had swollen. "I'm so sorry for Cassandra's actions."
"I'm fine ma'am."
I took her hand in mine. "You don't have to say that— I can see your cheek."
"It's j—"
"Thank you," I cut her off. "Thank you for protecting my daughter. Call the family doctor. I want him to attend to your injuries."
"Thank you Ma'a—"
"You don't have to thank me." I placed my hand on her shoulder. "Helen, would you want to work for me?"
"But I'm already working for yo—"
"No, Right now you're working under my family. I meant for me personally. Soo?"
"Yes ma'am," she smiled.
"Great, Since that's settled, " I said to her before turning to Ethan.
"Ethan, how soon can you arrange a new apartment? I want to leave this house as soon as possible.