Chapter 4
Camille hired a lawyer.
Her first formal response arrived that afternoon.
She denied abusing Mia.
She called the chain “a harmless party prop.”
She described the coat-carrying as “playful participation in family hospitality.”
Then she accused Nora.
Not subtly.
The letter alleged that Nora had become “overly attached” to Mia after Caroline’s death and had increasingly blurred the boundary between housekeeper and parent.
Lorenzo read the paragraph twice.
Rachel read it once.
“There it is.”
“What?”
“The reason the apron matters.”
Camille’s attorney continued.
Nora allegedly encouraged Mia to perform household tasks.
Nora allegedly resisted Camille’s attempts to establish normal parental authority.
Nora allegedly told Mia that “new women never last.”
Nora denied every serious allegation.
The last one made her laugh.
“I would never say that to a child.”
Lorenzo asked:
“Did you ever say it to an adult?”
Nora stopped.
“Yes.”
Rachel looked at her.
“To whom?”
“One of the kitchen staff. Years ago. Before Camille.”
“What exactly?”
Nora sighed.
“I said Mr. Bellini’s relationships after Caroline had never lasted long.”
Lorenzo stared at her.
Nora shrugged.
“It was true.”
Rachel almost smiled.
Then returned to the point.
“Camille’s people are mixing true details with false conclusions.”
That was harder to fight than pure invention.
Nora did ask Mia to help with ordinary chores.
Nora was emotionally close to her.
Nora had criticized Lorenzo’s prior relationships privately.
Now those facts were being reorganized into a narrative.
Possessive employee.
Overstepping caregiver.
Child performing staff duties.
Camille supposedly attempting to set healthy boundaries.
Lorenzo looked toward the closed study door.
“Why does she need Nora discredited?”
Rachel answered:
“That is the right question.”
The obvious answer was jealousy.
Camille wanted to become Mia’s stepmother.
Nora occupied emotional territory Camille could not control.
That motive made sense.
It still felt incomplete.
Then the estate manager, Samuel Greene, brought in another document.
A revised household manual.
Camille had drafted it four weeks earlier.
Nora had refused to sign acknowledgment.
Lorenzo flipped through.
Most changes were boring.
Guest protocol.
Uniform standards.
Private-floor access.
Then one section:
Upon marriage, domestic staff report administratively to Mrs. Bellini or her designated household director.
Lorenzo looked up.
“I never approved this.”
Samuel nodded.
“I told Ms. Arden that.”
“What did she say?”
“That marriage made formal approval unnecessary.”
Rachel stared at Lorenzo.
“That is not how employment works.”
“I’m aware.”
But apparently Camille was not merely trying to become wife.
She intended to become manager of the house.
Nora had blocked the transition because she insisted on written authority from Lorenzo.
Clue number two.
May you like
Nora was not simply competing for Mia’s affection.
She was the employee preventing Camille from turning marital status into operational control.
