Chapter 6 - The Sabotage
By the second week of the thirty-day trial, the atmosphere in the Whitmore estate had grown toxic. The five candidates were no longer just trying to impress Daniel; they were actively trying to undermine each other and eliminate any influence Emily had over Ethan.
It was a Tuesday afternoon, and Olivia Pierce had arranged an elaborate outdoor painting session in the estate’s rose garden. She had imported professional canvasses, oil paints, and easels, hoping to showcase her artistic background and bond with Ethan over a creative project.
Daniel was observing from the terrace above, working on his laptop while keeping an eye on the garden below.
“Ethan, darling,” Olivia said, holding a paintbrush with dramatic flourish. “We are going to paint the horizon. Expressing your emotions through art is vital for young minds.”
Ethan sat on a wooden stool, holding a brush dripping with blue paint. He looked bored and miserable. “I don't know how to paint the horizon.”
“Just follow my lead,” Olivia insisted, dabbing red paint onto her canvas.
Nearby, Emily was pushing a heavy utility cart along the stone garden path, trimming dead blooms off the rose bushes as part of her exterior maintenance duties. Her hand was nearly healed, but she kept her distance, mindful of Katherine’s threat from days prior.
Vanessa, who was sitting under a garden umbrella sipping iced tea, watched Emily with a calculating eye. She saw an opportunity to discredit both Emily and Olivia in a single move.
When Olivia stepped away from her easel to take an urgent phone call from her gallery manager, Vanessa quietly stood up. She walked over to Olivia’s supply table, grabbed a jar of heavy black oil enamel, and subtly nudged it toward the edge of the table right as Emily wheeled her maintenance cart past.
The cart’s back wheel clipped the table leg—a slight collision caused by the tight path.
Clatter!
The open jar of black paint tipped over, splashing across Olivia’s pristine, white cashmere coat that was draped over a nearby chair, as well as spilling onto Ethan’s canvas.
“My coat!” Olivia shrieked, dropping her phone as she rushed back to the garden setup. “My custom Chanel coat!”
Emily stopped the cart instantly, her face draining of color. “I’m so sorry! The table was right in the path—”
“You clumsy, useless fool!” Olivia yelled, her voice losing all its refined poise as she grabbed the ruined coat. “You did that on purpose! You’re jealous because you know you don't belong here!”
Ethan stood up from his stool, stepping between Olivia and Emily. “She didn't do it on purpose! I saw the table wobble!”
“Stay out of this, Ethan!” Olivia snapped, her composure completely shattered. “This woman is a hazard! She breaks crystal, she ruins clothes—she’s a disaster!”
Daniel came down the terrace steps at a rapid pace. “What is going on down here?”
Vanessa immediately stepped forward, placing a hand on her chest with an expression of performative shock. “Oh, Daniel, it was terrible. Emily was pushing her heavy cart far too fast along the walkway. Olivia tried to move her things, but Emily just ran right into the table.”
Emily looked at Vanessa in disbelief. “That isn't true. The jar was placed right on the edge—”
“Are you calling me a liar?” Vanessa interjected smoothly, looking at Daniel. “Daniel, your staff is completely out of control. First my imported crystal, now Olivia’s designer coat. It’s clear this woman is completely unqualified to work in a home of this standard.”
Daniel looked at the spilled black paint, then at Olivia’s ruined coat, and finally at Emily, whose hands were trembling as she held her garden shears.
“Emily,” Daniel said, his voice flat and unreadable. “Go inside.”
“Mr. Whitmore, please—”
“Go inside, Emily. Now.”
Ethan grabbed his father’s sleeve. “Dad, no! It wasn't Em’s fault!”
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“Ethan, go to your room,” Daniel commanded, his tone leaving no room for argument.
Emily lowered her head, the humiliation burning like fire behind her eyes. She pulled her utility cart away, feeling the triumphant glares of Vanessa and Olivia fixed on her back as she walked away.
