She Tried to Kick the Maid in Front of 300 Guests—Then Discovered Who She Really Was

Naomi lowered Vanessa's foot carefully and stepped away.

“Give her space,” she told the security chief.

Vanessa grabbed his sleeve.

“Get her out of here. She hurt me.”

“I saw the kick,” said the woman at the nearest table.

Vanessa spun toward her.

“You saw her grab me.”

The photographer lowered his camera.

“I was recording the room. I have the whole thing.”

Ethan reached them. He looked first at the broken cup, then at Naomi.

“Are you hurt?”

“No.”

“Ethan,” Vanessa said, her voice suddenly soft. “You know I would never—”

“I watched you.”

Marcus approached with Victor beside him.

“We should take this somewhere private,” Marcus said.

“No,” Ethan answered.

“Think about your mother.”

The security chief asked the photographer to preserve the recording. A staff member called the police about the assault. Guests moved away from the broken porcelain.

Vanessa leaned toward Naomi.

“You could have taken the money.”

“And said Helen was confused?”

“You have no idea what she was going to destroy.”

Ethan heard that. So did Audrey.

Naomi kept her voice low.

“Why did your company bill for the route change?”

Vanessa's eyes widened.

“Why did your account override Daniel's objection?”

“It was supposed to scare her into giving the files back.”

Victor gripped his daughter's arm.

“Don't say another word.”

For Naomi, the room seemed to recede.

Daniel had died with his hand in hers. Helen had died asking whether her documents were safe. And this woman had called it a scare.

Naomi wanted to close the distance between them.

Instead, she opened her hands.

“Tell the detectives,” she said.

Marcus turned toward the terrace, but the new security chief directed him toward the front entrance, away from the restricted staff corridor.

Ethan went to the microphone.

“There will be no engagement announcement,” he said. “There will be no donations collected tonight. Our accounts are under independent review, and we are cooperating with investigators.”

Someone began asking a question.

Then the ballroom doors opened.