Chapter 6

• Liza's POV
• Leaning casually against the railing, I watched Gavin Stone walked away with a glint of amusement on my face.
• He seemed rattled by my actions but I didn't care.
• All I could think of were my retaliation plans towards the Sinclairs and the unexpected kiss Gavin and I had shared in the car.
• I couldn't stop myself from having a taste of those succulent, tasty lips again when he mentioned sharing a room since we were now married.
• Now that we were bound by marriage, I saw no reason to hold back. Why pretend when I could seek out the mystery behind that fleeting sensation?
• Still, I couldn't stop my mind from reeling back to Serena’s alleged miscarriage. It was an absurd allegation and the very thought of it was laughable.
• Someone as cunning as Serena would never leave something so important to chance. I was so certain that her so-called pregnancy was nothing more than a fabrication. It was another piece of her manipulative scheme, which I needed to figure out how to ruin.
• I needed to find evidence to tackle her claims about being pregnant. That should be the first thing I needed to do.
• I kept making my plans in detail till the clock struck 5 and my stomach growled, reminding me that it was time to eat. I realized I hadn't seen Gavin ever since he left me here and I wonder if he was intentionally avoiding me holed up in that study or if he was busy due to actual work.
• I waved the thought away as I descended the staircase. As soon as I was down, the sound of the villa’s front door unlocking broke the silence.
• Whirling around, I saw a middle-aged woman entered, her demeanor sharp and commanding. She was dressed impeccably in a tailored black suit and she exuded authority.
• Her piercing gaze immediately zeroed on me and she assessed me with an air of disdain.
• “Who are you and what are you doing here?” The woman demanded, her tone icy. Without waiting for a response from me, she added. “I don't know how you managed to get in but you have three seconds to leave. Don't make me repeat myself.”
• I raised an eyebrow at her audacity. This was yet another person assuming I didn't belong. It reminded me of Serena and Victoria and I smirked.
• There were whispers behind me and I turned slightly to catch a view of the maids in the villa exchanging uncertain glances and whispers.
• “What are you all standing for?” The woman barked at the maids. “A stranger waltzes in here and none of you act? Is this the kind of incompetence Mr. Stone tolerates?”
• My lips curled into a small, amused smile. It seemed trouble had a way of finding me no matter where I went but I wasn't one to be intimidated.
• Crossing my arms casually, I regarded the woman with an air of quiet confidence. “Stranger, you say?”
• My voice was calm yet laced with a subtle challenge. “How interesting. Perhaps you should ask Mr. Stone himself who this supposed stranger is.”
• The woman narrowed her eyes just as a servant moved forward towards us and said. “Housekeeper Jane, it's not that we don't care but the Young Master brought this woman back himself. He even addressed her as the “Young Madam.”
• “Young Madam?” Jane gave out a mocking laugh, her voice full of skepticism. “Who does she think she is? I’m giving you guys an order, throw this woman out right away!”
• I fixed her a calm and calculated look. “If I am not mistaken, this villa is protected by the third-generation Skynet Security System, isn't it? Its level of security matches that of the Pentagon. The chances of an outsider breaking in are almost non-existent. The technology uses facial recognition to provide access to only individuals who have registered. None of you has the authority to invite guests but only one person who has the power over the system.”
• I strolled to the table, grabbed a glass of water and sipped slowly to quench my thirst. “The only person who has that power is Gavin and that means no one has the authority to admit a stranger into this home but him.”
• Taking another sip of the water, I placed the glass down and spun round to face Jane squarely, my voice crisp. “Your demeanor and the way you command the servants indicates that you are in a position of authority in this home. You've been here for a long time and appreciate the benefits of your employment. When someone has so much control, it is easy for them to become posssessive. This villa has never had a mistress before. You've obviously been the one in charge of everything, ranging from selecting flowers for the dinning room vase, incense for the study and meal planning. You have fooled yourself that you are the mistress here because things will change henceforth!”
• The room fell into silence as my words hung in the air.
• I had noticed everything as soon as I stepped into the villa. The design which was extremely deliberate and the areas which were precisely arranged, except for Gavin’s private quarters, everything else indicated a carefully groomed show of someone's obsessive desire for control.
• “You know better than anyone else that without Gavin’s personal authorization, no one can visit this villa. My presence challenges the authority you've grown accustomed to, therefore your instincts is to have me thrown out, right?”
• Rage filled her expression and I chuckled. I had hit the nail on the point.
• “That is rubbish!” Jane's snapped, her face twisted as if her secrets had been exposed. Her voice sounded desperate as she shouted. “You talk too much, arrogant woman. Let's see if you can still speak when I rip that mouth of yours off!”
• She surged forward without notice, her nails aiming for my face in a savage swipe.
• I sighed, displeased by the fact that I have to exert force now that she was aiming for me. Before her hands could hit me, I whirled past her in one fluid motion.
• Suddenly, Jane was on her knees with my powerful grip twisting her arm painfully behind her back.
• She grimaced in agony, her face pale but I maintained my composure, my tone still calm. “Didn't your mother teach you not to aim at people's faces? That's plain disrespectful!”
• A loud chuckle resonated from the second floor. Before I could turn, I heard his amused voice.
• “What I heard was that Miss Liza was so weak that a stronge breeze could knock her over. Clearly, rumors aren't to be trusted.”
• I let go of Jane’s arm, turned around to lock eyes with Gavin. His expression was unreadable and I replied him. “You've just said it for yourself, rumors aren't facts!”