Chapter 178
With each sentence Lucinda spoke, Uma's face grew paler, and sweat even began to bead on her forehead.
Manuel's eyes darkened slightly. Wesley and Valencia caught on as well.
Yes. There were many things here that didn't add up.
Uma frantically clenched her fingers, her lips pale, unable to get a single word out.
Lucinda looked at her quietly. "Who put you up to this?"
The air froze instantly. Dahlia's breathing stopped. Her nails dug hard into her palms.
Every trace of color drained from Uma's face. Cold sweat streamed down her forehead.
But she bit down hard and refused to relent. "No one put me up to it. I did it on my own."
Lucinda narrowed her eyes. "Is that so?"
Uma kept her head down, her voice trembling. "Yes. It was all my idea. No one else."
The living room fell into deathly silence once more.
Dahlia's suspended heart finally settled back into her chest. But tears still streamed down endlessly, making her look utterly wronged.
Valencia closed her eyes. Finally, she spoke coldly. "Starting today, you're dismissed. Pack your things and leave the Douglas Estate."
Uma's body swayed. She knocked her head heavily against the floor. "Yes."
Valencia's gaze was devoid of warmth. "The Douglas family will never hire you again. And I don't want to see you again."
Uma's face was deathly pale, but she didn't dare argue. She could only nod in a daze.
The butler quickly stepped forward and escorted her out.
The living room fell quiet once more.
Dahlia knelt in place, tears still streaking her face, but relief finally washed over her heart.
The biggest threat had been dealt with—for now.
However, just as she thought the matter was over, Lucinda slowly lifted her gaze from across the room. Those cool, beautiful eyes landed lightly on her.
A chill shot up Dahlia's spine. Her heart clenched sharply.
She lowered her lashes, hiding the turmoil churning beneath.
In just one day, she'd lost two people in succession.
One was the newly planted maid. The other was Uma, who'd been with her for years.
Especially Uma—she knew far too many of Dahlia's secrets.
Now that she'd been driven out of the Douglas Estate, it was like losing an arm.
At the thought, the hatred in Dahlia's heart nearly boiled over. But she didn't show it on her face. Instead, she cried even harder.
"Mom..." Her voice trembled, tears sliding endlessly down her cheeks. "It's all my fault. If it weren't for me, Uma wouldn't have done something so foolish. I was too slow to notice her intentions. I didn't stop her in time."
At this point, she looked at Lucinda with red-rimmed eyes, her face full of guilt. "Lucinda just came home not long ago. I wanted to take good care of her, but instead I let her suffer because of me. If Lucinda had really been hurt today..."
Her voice choked. As if she couldn't continue, her tears fell even harder. "I would never forgive myself for the rest of my life."
Valencia looked at her, her expression complicated.
If this had been before, she would have softened immediately.
But now, the surveillance footage replayed endlessly in her mind.
Even though Uma had taken all the blame, doubt still lingered in her heart.
And it wasn't just her. Wesley and Manuel felt the same way.
Could a mere servant really have arranged everything so meticulously?
From deleting the surveillance ahead of time, to bribing the new hire, to luring the dog to attack—every step was calculated with extreme precision. It didn't look like something done on impulse.
Dahlia sensed the silence around her. Her heart tightened slightly, but she continued crying. "From now on, I'll stay far away from Lucinda. I'll also keep the people around me in check. I won't let something like today happen again. Please don't make me leave. I really know I was wrong."
With that, she knocked her head heavily against the floor again.
Her forehead had already been red and swollen. This strike made it even more pronounced.
Manuel looked at her, but his eyes held no emotion.
After a long moment, he suddenly spoke. "Dahlia."
Dahlia's body trembled. She looked up at him.
Manuel's expression was cold. "I'm saying it again. Move out."
The living room went silent. Dahlia's face turned deathly pale. "Manuel..."
But Manuel cut her off directly. "I don't care whether you did this or not. The fact is, because of you, Cindy has been put in danger again and again. I don't want there to be a next time."
Tears burst forth from Dahlia's eyes. She shook her head repeatedly, her words humble to the extreme. "No! Please!"
As her words fell, she practically lunged forward and clutched desperately at Manuel's sleeve. "Please! I won't move! This is my home! I've lived here for over twenty years! I don't have any family left! If even you don't want me, where else can I go?"
She sobbed until her voice was hoarse, utterly disheveled.
Valencia couldn't help but feel a pang of sympathy. She was about to speak when urgent footsteps suddenly sounded from outside.
A servant hurried in. "Mr. Douglas, Mrs. Douglas, Mr. Borgia is here."
Wesley was slightly taken aback. "The one from the Borgia family?"
"Yes." The servant nodded quickly. "He said he knew Mr. Manuel Douglas had returned, so he came specifically to visit."
Manuel's brow furrowed instantly, clear irritation flashing in his eyes.
Oliver Borgia. His college classmate. Also one of the heirs of the Borgia family.
The two families had collaborated over the years, with plenty of business dealings. But Manuel didn't particularly like Oliver.
The man was capable, sure. But his private life was a mess. He was notoriously promiscuous in their circles.
Today had already been exhausting because of family matters. He had no desire to entertain guests.
Moreover, thinking that Lucinda still hadn't eaten, Manuel's frown deepened. "Tell him I'm not available today."
The servant looked troubled.
"Mr. Borgia has already arrived at the gate. His car's already driven in. He's in the front courtyard now. He says he brought gifts and came specifically to visit Mr. Douglas and Mrs. Douglas."
Manuel's face darkened further. Wesley glanced at him. "Forget it. He's already at the door. We can't just throw him out."
Valencia sighed softly as well. "Let's put the family matters aside for now. We have a guest."
With that, she looked down at Dahlia, still kneeling on the ground, her expression weary. "Get up first."
Dahlia's eyes were red and swollen. She looked at her cautiously. "Mom..."
Valencia was silent for a moment, then finally said, "I'm not letting this matter go. But right now, we have a guest. Get up and pull yourself together. From now on, conduct yourself properly. Don't do anything that harms others without benefiting yourself."
The words weren't harsh, but to Dahlia, they felt like a dull blade.
Because she heard it clearly—Valencia still didn't believe her.
Dahlia clenched her fingers tightly. No matter how unwilling she felt inside, she didn't dare show it on her face. She simply nodded, eyes red. "I understand, Mom. It won't happen again."
Valencia said nothing more. Wesley only gave her a faint glance. Manuel outright looked away, clearly unwilling to continue the topic.
Dahlia slowly stood up. Her legs were numb from kneeling too long. Her body swayed, and she nearly fell.
A nearby servant quickly steadied her. She kept her head down, tears still falling, looking utterly wronged. But no one saw.
Beneath her lowered gaze, deep in her eyes, a cold, venomous hatred churned.
Lucinda.
It was Lucinda again.
Ever since she'd come back, everything had changed.
Her parents had started doubting her. Her brother had started guarding against her. Even the network she'd painstakingly built over the years was being dismantled piece by piece.
At the thought, an ice-cold hatred flashed through Dahlia's eyes.