His Mother Worked the Maid Until She Collapsed, but the Billionaire Came Home Early and Chose Her in Front of Everyone

The grand dining hall of Briar Glen was filled with tension. Elizabeth Blackwell sat at the head of the table, dressed in her finest silk dress, trying desperately to maintain an air of aristocratic composure despite knowing that Ethan had frozen her bank cards that morning.

Victoria Sterling sat beside her, nervous, clutching her designer bag, while Richard stood near the fireplace, looking thoroughly defeated.

Standing around the perimeter of the room were five senior partners of Blackwell Group's legal counsel, along with several high-ranking board members whom Ethan had summoned under urgent notice.

"This is ridiculous!" Elizabeth hissed, slamming her silverware against the mahogany table. "Ethan, calling our board members to our private home for a personal matter? You are making an absolute spectacle of this family!"

The double doors of the dining room swung open.

Ethan walked in. He was dressed in a tailored charcoal suit, immaculate and imposing. But he wasn't alone.

Walking beside him, supported gently by his arm, was Lily Carter.

She wore an elegant, simple navy-blue silk dress that highlighted her delicate beauty. Though still pale and fragile from her stay in the hospital, her head was held high, her spine straight, and her eyes clear and unwavering. Beside her walked Jaden, dressed sharply in a suit Ethan had purchased for him.

Elizabeth’s face twisted in pure disgust. "You dare bring that thief back into my home? In front of our distinguished guests?!"

"Watch your tongue, Elizabeth," Richard suddenly snapped from the fireplace, his voice booming with a strength no one had heard from him in decades. "You have spoken enough in this house!"

"What did you say to me?!" Elizabeth gasped.

Ethan stepped forward to the head of the table, standing directly opposite his mother. He gestured to Marcus, who activated the giant presentation screen built into the dining room wall.

The video played.

The room went dead silent as high-definition footage projected across the screen: Elizabeth placing the brooch under Lily's mattress, followed by clear audio recordings captured by house staff of Elizabeth explicitly stating her intention to "drive the maid until she collapses or commits a crime."

The board members gasped in visible shock. Victoria Sterling turned ghostly white and shrank back into her chair.

"This... this is an invasion of privacy!" Elizabeth stammered, her regal composure shattering into frantic panic. "It's doctored! It's a fake!"

"It's verified by three independent forensic agencies, Mother," Ethan said coldly. "And it has already been delivered to the District Attorney's office."

Victoria Sterling panicked, turning on Elizabeth immediately. "It was her idea! Elizabeth told me she would guarantee my father's loan if I helped her get rid of Lily! I had nothing to do with the framing!"

"You ungrateful little brat!" Elizabeth shrieked, turning on Victoria.

"Enough!" Ethan’s voice cut through the chaos like a scythe.

The room instantly fell silent.

"Victoria," Ethan said, looking down at the shaking girl. "Your family's firm is bankrupt as of four o'clock today. Your father has already been notified. Leave this house before I have you escorted out in handcuffs."