The Girl Who Chose the Maid Over Her Father

CHAPTER 2 — What the Rabbit Recorded

Julian took Sophie and Anna into the library.

Vanessa followed, demanding that Anna be dismissed immediately.

Julian locked the door.

"Play the recording."

Sophie pressed the rabbit's paw.

At first, they heard only a child's breathing.

Then Vanessa's voice entered the recording.

Stop crying. Your father has an important meeting.

I want Anna.

Anna will be gone after the wedding.

Where will I go?

Wherever your father and I decide. Big girls don't need to be held.

The recording ended with Sophie crying beneath her blankets.

Julian turned toward Vanessa.

"You entered her room?"

"I was trying to help her become independent."

"You threatened to send away the only person comforting her."

Vanessa blamed Anna for encouraging Sophie's attachment.

Then she accused Anna of stealing a diamond necklace from the family vault.

Security searched Anna's room.

The necklace was discovered inside her uniform drawer.

Anna stared at it.

"I have never seen that before."

Vanessa folded her arms.

"How convenient."

Julian did not call the police.

The vault required a private access code. Only Julian, Vanessa and the estate manager possessed it.

Security records showed the necklace was removed using Vanessa's code.

She claimed Anna must have watched her enter it.

But the hallway camera outside Anna's room had been disabled for exactly six minutes the previous evening.

The deactivation request came from Vanessa's phone.

Vanessa began crying.

"You're taking a maid's word over your future wife?"

"No. I'm looking at evidence."

Anna finally revealed why she had accepted domestic work.

She had once been a pediatric nurse at Laurent Children's Clinic, a hospital funded by Vanessa's family.

Anna reported missing medication and charity money.

The clinic dismissed her and accused her of misconduct. No other hospital would hire her.

Vanessa stared at Anna with sudden recognition.

"You were the whistleblower."

Julian opened the rabbit's recording history.

One file had been created while Sophie slept inside Vanessa's private sitting room.

A man's voice discussed overseas accounts.

Vanessa answered him.

"Once I marry Julian, the Ashford Foundation will replace every dollar we took."