At the Eaton Mansion, Gand grumbled, "I''ve already told you. I can''t go out. You have no idea what kind of man my dad is. If you can bust me out, I''ll give you all the credit in the world. Hello? Juan, are you still there?"


    He nced down at his phone screen and found that Juan had already hung up. Frustrated, he threw the phone onto his bed.


    He''d been stuck at home for days now, yet all Juan ever cared about was Debra. If it hadn''t been for helping Juan get close to Debra, he wouldn''t be under house arrest now.


    He poked his head out of his bedroom. Verna noticed and mmed the door shut, not caring if it might hurt his head.


    Gand reacted quickly and blocked the door with his hand. He shed a cheeky grin and said, "Verna, let me tell you a joke."


    "Not interested."


    "Do you know why I''m smiling at you? Because you don''t hit someone who''s smiling at you."


    Verna rolled her eyes and turned her head away, unimpressed.


    Gand didn''t give up. "Come on, we''re best buds. If I want to step out for a bit, you won''t go snitch to my dad, right?"


    Verna, instead of answering, shouted toward the end of the hallway, "Mr. Gand Eaton is trying to sneak out again."


    Bert heard it and thundered, "Try it, and I''ll break your legs."


    Gand''s head drooped. "Verna, how could you do this to me? I opened my heart to you, and you yed me. Just wait. Once I take over, you''ll be first one I fire."


    Verna rolled her eyes. ''Fire me? By a guy who lounges around in SpongeBob pajamas and hugs a Doraemon plushie?''


    She didn''t believe for a second that he would be put in charge.


    "Listen," Gand said, shifting tactics, "Seamar City''s in chaos right now. I have to


    go and help my friend. Without me, she''s as good as dead. Dead."


    "I don''t care if the whole world falls apart. My only job is to make sure you stay here," Verna replied.


    "Besides, Mr. Eaton Sr. promised me triple pay for this. Triple."


    "Triple? Fine. If you let me out, I''ll pay you five times your sry."


    "I earn 30 thousand dors a month. Five times that is 150 thousand. Do you even have that much allowance?"


    "Wait, 30 thousand? Being a maid here pays that much?" Gand was floored. "Are we hiring male servants? I''ll dly apply."


    "Stop joking around. Why can''t you just stay home and enjoy yourself? If you run off again and expose your identity, it''ll bring nothing but trouble for the family."


    "We grew up together. Do you want me to pose as Fermin too?"


    Verna froze, and he pressed on. "Fermin was better than me at everything, but I''ve always been the one closest to you. I never thought of you as just a maid. You''re my friend, and we''ve yed together for years. I thought you understood me better than anyone else."