Georgia had always been a favored maid under Shelia’s care, rarely facing real hardship. Now, caked in muck, she shivered with disgust, vocalizing her complaints about the foul stench.

Shelia watched coldly, her expression hardening as Georgia’s disheveled state marred the otherwise pristine setting. Alicia’s half-smirk only deepened Shelia’s irritation, causing her to silently curse Alicia’s manipulative ways.

Struggling to her feet, Georgia made her way toward the living room to clean up. Alicia, feigning surprise, asked, “Georgia, where are you headed?”

“To take a shower, of course!” Georgia snapped back.

“Isn’t your room past the living room?” Alicia reminded her, pretending to be helpful. “And Mrs. Yates is in there. Won’t you bring the smell with you?” she added, making Georgia pause and glance at Shelia. The displeasure from Shelia was palpable from a distance.

Shelia’s annoyance was clear, a mix of disdain and frustration over Georgia’s mishap. Georgia had failed to teach Alicia a lesson and, instead, had fallen flat on her face.

Alicia subtly suggested, “Why not wash at the fountain? It might lessen the stench a bit.”

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Seeing the logic in Alicia’s suggestion, Georgia headed toward the fountain without further thought. Alicia followed, offering, “Let me help you.”

“You should help. This mess is your doing. You’ll assist me in cleaning up later!” Georgia retorted, accustomed to bossing Alicia around.

Alicia nodded in agreement, offering no protest.

As Georgia began to wash, the foul mess repelled the nearby fish in the pond, which quickly swam away. The tension was palpable, but the calm was short-lived as Georgia confronted Alicia.

“You deliberately called me over, didn’t you?”

Alicia blinked, her face an innocent mask. “Georgia, how can you say that?”

Georgia, unfazed and visibly annoyed, shot back, “You claim you were picking flowers? That’s a flimsy excuse. You staged a fall near two piles of dog mess to lure me there, didn’t you?”

Alicia feigned hurt. “You know we’re not friends, Georgia. When I hurt my ankle, I never called for you. You came without being asked. Remember?”

“You—” Georgia faltered, struggling for words, before bursting out, “Why did you move when I pushed you?”

“You would’ve stayed put, I wouldn’t have ended up on the ground!” Georgia’s voice was tinged with anger. Alicia’s eyes widened in disbelief.

“Really, Georgia? You pushed me. Why would I just stand there? Do you think I’m a fool?” Alicia shot back, leaving Georgia speechless once again.

She was taken aback by Alicia’s defiance. After the divorce, Alicia had become increasingly bold. In the past, no matter how harshly she treated her, Alicia had always stayed quiet.

As Georgia’s face flushed with anger, Alicia offered a sly smile. “Relax, Georgia. It’s only a bit of dog mess. Thankfully, it didn’t get in your mouth.”

Alicia then gestured toward the pond. “Let’s get you cleaned up.”

The moment Alicia’s hand touched the water, she gasped. Before Georgia could react, Alicia seized her arm and tossed her into the pond.

At nearly forty, Georgia’s lack of agility and inability to swim made her panic. She thrashed about in the water, struggling to stay afloat.

Alicia, feigning concern, called out, “Are you alright, Georgia? Can you manage?”

Though she sounded worried, Alicia stood there, arms crossed, watching with cold indifference as Georgia floundered.

It wasn’t until Shelia and a few others arrived that they managed to pull Georgia out of the water.

Terrified, Georgia scrambled to the shore, still screaming for help. “Help, Mrs. Yates, help!”

Shelia reprimanded her sharply, “Stop being such a crybaby!”

Stunned by Shelia’s harsh response, Georgia regained her composure, wiped her face, and shuddered. “Mrs. Yates, I can’t swim! I almost drowned.”

Shelia looked at her coldly. “That little pond almost drowned you? Why didn’t you just stay in there?”

Georgia, still panicked, insisted, “Mr. Yates, I mean it!”

Georgia gestured toward the pond, about to voice her complaint, but stopped when she noticed Alicia standing calmly in the water, which barely reached her knees.

Georgia was left speechless.

Someone chuckled from behind.

Shelia whirled around, her fury escalating. “Is that funny?”

And then Shelia stopped in her tracks. Standing just a short distance away, Caden had been observing the entire spectacle, amused by the scene.

Shelia quickly softened upon recognizing him. “Oh, it’s you, Caden. I mistook you for a servant and spoke too harshly. Please, don’t take it to heart.”

Caden, uninterested in her apology, turned his attention back to Alicia. She had just climbed out of the pond.

His gaze was intense, a subtle smile playing on his lips. Feeling his stare, Alicia looked down and noticed her wet dress clinging to her figure. She awkwardly tried to adjust the hem of her dress.

Though the fabric wasn’t see-through, after a few shakes, her dress loosened slightly, only to cling back to her body. Dark clouds gathered overhead, and strong winds made Alicia shiver and sneeze, but no one seemed to notice her discomfort.

Georgia, still upset, lamented, “I don’t understand what I did to upset Ms. Bennett. I asked her for help, and she pushed me into the pond and mocked me. Mrs. Yates, you have to defend me.”

Shelia waved her off. “Enough. You know how Alicia is. Why bother? You’re much older than she is.”

Alicia, realizing that Shelia was indirectly validating Georgia’s words, spoke gently, “Mrs. Yates, I was only trying to help. I didn’t push Georgia.”

Georgia, seething with anger at Alicia’s feigned innocence, glared at her. “You’re lying! Don’t you worry about karma?”

As she finished speaking, the sky suddenly split with a bolt of lightning, quickly followed by a thunderous clap.