Cora sat frozen on the sofa, the milk dripping from her hair down to her legs.


    "Ahhh!" she shrieked, jumping to her feet and roaring at Hannah''s retreating back. "What are you doing? Are you crazy? How dare you do this to me! I''m telling my


    mom!"


    Hannah didn''t stop, simply raising a hand and giving a dismissive wave over her shoulder.


    Seeing her arrogant gesture, Cora let out a guttural scream of rage.


    "You''re finished! I''m calling my mom right now! My mom is Mrs. Rosenberg''s favorite! You''re dead, you hear me? You are so dead!"


    Ignoring her disheveled state, Cora grabbed her phone. Before the call even connected, she noticed the other maids standing nearby, snickering at her.


    She pointed a trembling finger at them. "What are youughing at? I''ll have my mom fire all of you, too! You dogs! Do you have any idea who I am? How dare youugh at me!"


    The moment the call connected, Coraunched into an exaggerated version of the morning''s events. Hearing that her precious daughter had been treated this way, her mother, Lily, burst into tears. She hung up and immediately called Mrs. Mary Rosenberg toin.


    After receiving assurances from Mrs. Rosenberg that the matter would be handled, Lily called her daughter back to console her.


    "Don''t worry, sweetie, I''ve already told the madam everything. That bitch is going to get what''sing to her! She''ll probablye over today. When she does, you be on your best behavior. Remember, you need to win over Mr. Rosenberg. Be gentle, sweet, act like a properdy, you understand?"


    Cora pouted, her face grim. "I''ve been trying," she sobbed, "but he''s like a block of wood. He never looks at me. All he sees is that heartless bitch!"


    "Oh, just be patient. My daughter is amazing; you''ll win him over eventually," Lily said. ncing at the door, she crept over, shut it, and retreated to a corner, whispering, "Now listen to me, sweetie. Here''s what you need to do next..."


    As she listened to her mother''s n, Cora''s eyes widened in disbelief.


    covered her mouth, her voice a


    She


    hushed whisper. "You


    I do that?


    Okay, okay, I''ll remember!"


    Hannah drove to a cafe for breakfast. She had just ced her order and sat down


    when Lionel called.


    "What did you do to Cora?"


    Hannah picked up the teapot and calmly poured herself a cup of coffee.


    Lionel had just arrived at his office when his mother called. The conversation had left him with a pounding headache. He''d hung up and immediately called Hannah but the woman on the other end of the line seemed to be ignoring him.


    He took a deep breath, trying to keep his voice gentle. "Hannah, can you please not be so hostile to every woman your age who happens to be around me?"


    "It''s been one thing after anothertely. Can''t you just give it a rest? Are you going


    to keep causing trouble just because I won''t divorce you?"


    Hannah nodded a thank you to the server who brought her food. "What did Cora tell you?" she asked.


    "She didn''t tell me anything. Lily did."


    "Oh. And what did she tell you?"


    Hannah was rather curious to see what story the mother-daughter duo had concocted. Lily had been sent by Mary to spy on her and acted if she were thedy of the house, treating Hannah with insufferable arrogance.


    ...