The Contract Said No Strings Attached (Charlotte) novel Chapter 114

The maid kept her head bowed, apologizing over and over. “Ma’am, I’m so sorry. I really didn’t notice.”

“A useless bunch, the lot of you. Take this dog out—now!” Mrs. Austin spat the words through clenched teeth, her anger barely contained.

“Yes, ma’am.” The butler was the first to react, quickly taking the golden retriever by the collar and leading it out of the dining room.

The rest of the staff stood frozen, eyes lowered, too afraid to utter a word for fear of making Mrs. Austin even angrier.

The mood at dinner was ruined; no one had any appetite left.

Garcia dabbed her hands with a napkin, her face drained of color. “Ma’am, I’ve had enough to eat,” she said quietly.

Mrs. Austin forced herself to soften her tone. “Garcia, I’m sorry you had to go through this. I’ve asked the staff to get your room ready. Go and rest for a while.”

Garcia bit down hard on her lip, a sharp discomfort twisting inside her. But she didn’t dare show it. She managed a stiff, polite smile. “Thank you, ma’am.”

Meanwhile, upstairs, Aiden had wandered absentmindedly into Mrs. Austin’s bedroom. Once inside, curiosity got the better of him and he began to look around.

Suddenly, something on the vanity caught his eye—a framed photograph. It was a picture of his dad.

Aiden’s eyes lit up. He was determined to take the photo with him.

He crept over as quietly as he could, slipped the picture from its frame, and tucked it into his pocket.

But just then, Mrs. Austin stormed into the room.

“And then there’s Dylan,” she went on, voice rising. “I don’t know what’s gotten into him. He’s always working, never home. Asking him to visit is like pulling teeth!” She slammed the brush down on the vanity in frustration.

Jacob’s patience was wearing thin. He frowned. “Enough, Margaret. What’s done is done. Complaining won’t change anything.”

Mrs. Austin shot him a glare, unwilling to let it go. “This was Garcia’s first time visiting our home. She didn’t even get to see Dylan, and on top of that, had to eat dog food. Do you think that’s acceptable?”

Jacob let out a long sigh and didn’t reply. He leaned back against the headboard, closing his eyes as if lost in thought.

Mrs. Austin, annoyed by his silence, nudged him. “Say something, will you? Don’t you think Garcia deserves better?”

Jacob opened his eyes and looked at her. “She’ll be fine. And Dylan is old enough to make his own decisions. We shouldn’t meddle so much.”