Patricia’s face hardened slightly, though her smile remained fixed. “Your mother is no longer here, Martina. And soon, I will be the one managing this household officially. Things are going to change around here, starting with who is permitted to work under this roof. Your father agrees with me, by the way. Why do you think he left so suddenly today? He is tired of the drama in this house.”

In the security room, Emiliano felt a sudden chill sweep through him. He had never authorized Patricia to speak to his children in such a manner, nor had he ever suggested that he was tired of his family. He gripped the edge of the desk, his knuckles turning white as he watched his daughters shrink under the weight of Patricia’s words.

The camera in the upper hallway showed Rosa walking toward the master suite. But instead of entering immediately, she paused near the entrance of Patricia’s private dressing room. The camera caught Patricia’s open safe tucked behind the mirror—a detail Patricia had carelessly left unlatched. Emiliano watched closely, holding his breath. This was the moment Patricia had predicted. If Rosa was a thief, the temptation was right in front of her.

Rosa reached out toward the heavy iron door of the safe. But rather than reaching inside to take anything, she simply pushed the heavy door closed until the electronic lock clicked securely into place. She then set Patricia’s shopping bags neatly on the armchair beside the wardrobe, picked up a dusting cloth, and turned to leave. As she walked back toward the hallway, she noticed a small silver bracelet lying on the floor under the vanity table—the exact bracelet Patricia had accused her of stealing days prior.

Rosa picked up the bracelet, placed it prominently on top of the main vanity mirror where it could not be missed, and stepped back into the hallway without taking a single item.

Emiliano froze. The narrative that had been carefully constructed over the past few weeks dissolved completely in a matter of seconds. Rosa wasn’t stealing. She wasn’t manipulating anyone. She was protecting his home, while Patricia was actively attempting to dismantle his family from the inside out.

Below in the kitchen, Patricia was still speaking to the girls, her voice dripping with artificial concern. “When your father returns from Europe, we will be making several structural changes to the household staff. It’s time for a fresh start for all of us.”

Daniela stood up from her chair, her voice trembling slightly with bravery. “Dad would never fire Rosa. She is part of this family.”

“Family?” Patricia laughed softly, a sharp, cold sound. “My dear, staff are never family. They are expenses. And expenses can be cut at any time. You would do well to learn how the real world operates before your father hands over control of his estate.”

Emiliano turned to Mateo, his voice absolute and devoid of any remaining hesitation. “Turn off the monitors. We are going upstairs.”

The heavy doors of the kitchen opened moments later. Patricia turned around, expecting to see a servant returning from her duties. Instead, her eyes widened in complete shock as Emiliano stepped into the light, dressed in the exact suit he had worn when he left hours earlier, his face stoic and unreadable.

“Emiliano?” Patricia stammered, her voice losing its composure instantly. “What… what are you doing here? Your flight to Europe—”

“Never took off,” Emiliano said softly, stepping closer into the center of the room. His eyes swept across his daughters, who were watching him with a mixture of confusion and sudden hope. “Because I never had a meeting in Europe, Patricia.”