The Housekeeper's Daughter Stole My Life

The housekeeper Levitt's daughter Lavinia stays at my place every weekend during school breaks. Out of respect for her mother's years of service to my family, I never said anything.

Until one day I came home to find the door code had been changed, with a note stuck on the door:

Freeloaders who mooch off other people's homes are forbidden entry.

I tore down the note and knocked on the door, asking Levitt: "What's this about?"

Lavinia sat on the sofa with her legs crossed, saying:

"Can't you read? Living in my house every dayhave you no shame? If you have nowhere to live, go sleep on the streets. I hate freeloaders like you the most!"

I looked at her in confusion. Levitt immediately came forward to explain in a low voice:

"Miss Alice, I'm sorry. My daughter doesn't know I'm a housekeeper. She's been spoiled and doesn't like living with outsiders."

"By the way, don't you have another house in the suburbs? When my daughter comes to stay on weekends, you can go live in the suburban house."

With that, Levitt shut the door right in my face.

Standing outside, I calmly dialed the police:

"Hello, someone has illegally entered and occupied my house. Please come as soon as possible."

I never imagined that as the daughter of the wealthiest person in the city, I would be called a freeloader to my face.

The key point beingthis villa was mine.

Twenty minutes after calling the police, a patrol car pulled up in front of my villa.

The two officers had just gotten out and hadn't even asked about the illegal entry situation when Levitt frantically opened the door.

She rushed over to me, her face pale:

"Miss Alice, what's going on? Why did you call the police?"

I glanced at her without speaking.

The officer looked her up and down and asked:

"Are you the person Miss Alice mentionedthe one who illegally entered and occupied her house?"

Hearing this, Levitt panicked instantly:

"No, no, officers, this is all a misunderstanding."

"I'm Miss Alice's housekeeper, responsible for taking care of her daily needs."

"My daughter's school is on break, so she came to stay for a couple days. The door lock just broke, and when we had someone fix it, they changed the code. There's no occupation of the house."

She pointed at the villa door and smiled apologetically:

"Look, I opened the door right away, didn't I?"

The officer looked at me, then at her, and asked:

"Miss Alice, do you still want to pursue this?"

I was about to speak when Levitt suddenly lowered her voice, pleading humbly in my ear:

"Miss Alice, Lavinia's father died young. I've raised her aloneit hasn't been easy. She just started college, when vanity is strongest, and having lacked affection since childhood, her personality is a bit extreme. If she finds out I'm just a housekeeper, she definitely won't be able to accept it."

"I did this just to make her feel better."

"Please, for the sake of the twelve years I've served your parents, forgive me this once."

Hearing Levitt mention my parents, my heart did soften a bit.

Levitt had been with my family for twelve years.

My mother's health was poor before she died, and Levitt was the one who personally cared for her, serving tea, attending to every detail.

The day my mother passed, Levitt cried harder than anyone, kneeling by the hospital bed holding my mother's hand, saying she would definitely take care of me.

After that, she did exactly that.

After my mother died, she kept the house in perfect order and looked after me like her own daughter.

Whenever I tried to give her tips in the past, she would always decline repeatedly before accepting.

Three months ago, her daughter Lavinia got into the same university as me. Levitt was both happy and worried.

She was glad Lavinia was doing well, but stressed that university tuition was too expensive for her to afford.

Understanding how hard it was for her to raise a child alone, I offered to cover Lavinia's four years of university tuition.

Levitt was so moved she cried.

She clutched my hand, thanking me over and over, saying she would definitely repay my kindness.

But starting last month, things changed.

That day I came home and suddenly saw Lavinia at my house.

I looked confused, but Levitt pulled me aside to quietly explain:

"Miss Alice, Lavinia has nowhere to go on weekends during break. I haven't seen her in so long, so I let her stay for a couple days."

I nodded without saying anything.

The house had plenty of rooms anyway. Letting the mother and daughter reunite wasn't a big deal.

But later, I gradually noticed something was wrong.

The so-called "couple days" turned into a fixed arrangement every single weekend.

Every Friday night, Lavinia would show up at my house right on schedule and only leave Monday morning.

At first, Lavinia just liked taking photos in the living room and posting on Twitter to show off to her classmates that she lived in a big house.

I could understand thateveryone wants to look glamorous in front of others.

But what I couldn't understand was how Lavinia always looked at me with disgust and disdain, as if I owed her millions.

Several times, when I was sitting on the sofa watching TV, she deliberately covered her nose and complained loudly:

"So annoying! How can such a luxurious villa have this constant stench of poverty?"

I thought she genuinely smelled something odd, so I specifically asked Levitt to give the house a thorough cleaning.

But Lavinia only got more exaggeratedeither spraying disinfectant everywhere I sat, or putting disposable covers on the sofa for me to sit on.

A few times I even saw her throw things I'd used straight into the trash.

When I questioned her, Levitt would always sheepishly explain in private:

"Lavinia is just worried those things aren't clean and might affect your hygiene and safety, so she's being extra careful."

I didn't think much of it.

After all, besides attending classes, I had to handle various company matters large and small. I was swamped every day and didn't have the energy to argue with her over these things.

Until this afternoon, when I saw that note on the door, it finally dawned on me.

Lavinia thought I was living in her house.

Originally I planned to teach Levitt and Lavinia a lesson.

But now, Levitt kept pleading with me:

"Miss Alice, I promise there won't be a next time."

"I'll explain the situation to Lavinia today and won't let her come stay anymore."

"Please, for the sake of all the years I've served your parents, forgive me this once."

Seeing Levitt's humble expression, I sighed: "Fine."

"I won't pursue it."

After the officers left, Levitt let out a huge sigh of relief, thanking me repeatedly with an excellent attitude.

After that day, Lavinia indeed never came to my house again.

Levitt remained as diligent as ever, keeping the house spotlessly clean.

The only thing she didn't do well was that things kept going missing from the house.

Today a bottle of wine, tomorrow a set of dishes, the day after a set of expensive clothes.

Every time I asked, Levitt had excuses and reasons:

"Miss Alice, I'm so sorry. I accidentally broke that bottle of wine while cleaning."

"Miss Alice, that set of dishes was used for too long. When I was washing them I noticed cracks and worried they might cut you, so I threw them away."

"Miss Alice, I took those clothes to the dry cleaner and they lost them."

Although the reasons sounded far-fetched each time, given her decent attitude, I didn't make a big deal of it.

I thought that was the end of it.

Until that day, after paying respects to my parents, I decided to go thoroughly clean their suburban villa where they'd lived for half their lives.

That was my parents' favorite place.

The yard was filled with my mother's most beloved flowers, and the house was full of souvenirs my father had brought back from around the world.

Before my mother died, she held my hand and said that house was her and my father's life's work, telling me to take good care of it.

I treasured that villa deeply. Even though I was afraid of the painful memories and moved out to live alone, I would still personally go clean it regularly, carefully wiping every piece of furniture and trimming the flowers in the yard.

But this time, when I arrived at the villa entrance, I froze.

The villa's gate, which was always kept closed, was wide open.

From inside the villa came faint sounds of deafening music and noisy laughter.

I immediately went forward and pushed open the half-closed door.

After seeing what was inside, I was completely stunned.

The villa living room was a complete mess.

Empty bottles, snack bags, fruit peels, and cigarette butts were scattered all over the coffee table, sofa, and floor.

The genuine leather sofa worth hundreds of thousands had cigarette burn holes all over it.

My mother's beloved Persian rug was covered in footprints and several wine stains.

The souvenirs hanging on the wallssome had been taken down to use as photo props, others were smashed and thrown in corners.

Seeing this scene, I instantly clenched my fists.

This villa was where my parents had lived for half their lives. Every piece of furniture, every decoration inside was carefully chosen by them.

I was always so careful when walking around, afraid of bumping into anything, yet now it had been ruined beyond recognition.

I scanned the room and found Lavinia sitting on the sofa directly facing the door.

Around her were college classmates from our class:

"Lavinia, your family is so rich! Even a random suburban villa is this luxurious."

"Right? I just looked it upany random painting on this wall is worth millions!"

"Oh my god, your mom is so powerful. She truly deserves to be the billionaire female CEO!"

"For the sake of being classmates, after you graduate and inherit the family business, can you let us work at your company?"

Lavinia's lips curled up high from the praise: "No problem. Stick with me and you'll never lack money."

Hearing this, the classmates were thrilled, frantically flattering Lavinia.

Just then, Lavinia saw me standing at the door.

Her smile vanished as she walked over arrogantly.

Slap! Without a word, she viciously struck my face:

"You bitch, you even followed me here?"

The sudden slap left me stunned in place.

The classmates present all widened their eyes:

"Lavinia, what's going on?"

Lavinia pointed at me with utter contempt and disgust:

"This Alice is the freeloader I just told you about!"

"Living in my city house isn't enoughnow she wants to stay in the villa my mom specially bought for me!"

I looked at Lavinia in disbelief:

"Who told you this is a house your mom bought you?"

Lavinia sneered:

"My mom told me herself, of course."

"You bitch, you're just after my mom because she's a company CEO, so you live at my house every day trying to get her attention, aren't you?"

"Living at my house and deliberately creating opportunities to be alone with my mom isn't enoughnow you want to defile my villa too?"

"Let me tell you, my mom said she lets you live at my house because you're a pitiful orphan and she kindly took you in. Don't even think about taking my place!"

So this is what Levitt told Lavinia?

No wonder Lavinia treated me so badly before.

In her understanding, Levitt was the CEO who lived in a villa.

And I was the poor orphan Levitt took in?

So Lavinia always believed I was living in her house and trying to steal her position as the only daughter.

How absurd!

As Lavinia spoke, she turned to shout at the classmates:

"Do you know how shameless Alice is?"

"She stays at my house every day and won't leave no matter what."

"I specifically put up a note telling her not to live in my house anymore, but she got so angry she called the police claiming my mom was bullying her."

"My mom was worried she'd make a scene that would damage the company's reputation, so she made peace and bought me this separate villa to live in."

"Sometimes I really don't understandI'm my mom's biological daughter, a legitimate heiress, and I often stay on campus. But she, a poor orphan, stays at my house all day long, acting like it's her own home.

Now if I want to wear my own clothes or drink my favorite wine, my mom has to secretly bring them from the city villa, just to avoid her saying we're bullying her."

"I've never seen such a shameless bitch in my life!"

My eyes widened.

No wonder things kept disappearing from my villa recentlyLevitt had been secretly taking them for Lavinia to use?

What a Levitt.

Since you're treating me like a fool, don't blame me for being ruthless!

I immediately took out my phone and called the legal department:

"Come to my parents' suburban villa right away with your people..."

Before I could finish, Lavinia snatched my phone and smashed it hard on the ground:

"You bitch, why are you so good at acting?"

"'Your parents' villa'? This is the fucking villa my mom bought for me!"

The classmates also hurled contemptuous insults at me:

"No wonder everyone stays on campus but she's always making excuses not to. I thought she was busy with important stuff, turns out she was being a parasite at Lavinia's house, stealing someone else's mom. Disgusting."

"Exactly. Her own parents died, so she goes looking for other people's rich parents. If her parents knew how shameless she is, they'd probably come back to life from anger."

"Some people are just that low. The moment they see rich people, they do everything to get attention, trying to climb their way to success through a benefactor."

"Lavinia, you're still too nice. If someone tried to steal my parents, I'd tear them apart!"

I ignored everyone's mockery and looked at Lavinia, saying sternly:

"I advise you to call your mother and ask her properly whose villa this actually is."

Hearing this, Lavinia's expression darkened. She immediately grabbed my collar:

"You bitch, don't think I don't knowyou're just taking advantage of my mom's soft heart, trying to trick her again to benefit yourself!"

Suddenly, she looked at my neck, her eyes lighting up:

"That jade necklace looks expensive. Did you trick my mom into buying it for you too?"

With that, she yanked hard, viciously tearing the necklace from my neck.

Lavinia's movement was so fast and fierce I couldn't reactthe necklace was in her hand.

Seeing this, my face changed drastically: "Give the necklace back!"

Seeing my sudden panic, Lavinia looked at me with vicious eyes:

"So nervous? Looks like this necklace cost my mom quite a bit, huh?"

I panicked and quickly said: "It was from my mother. It's not valuable, but it's very important to me. Give it back."

I reached out to grab it.

This jade necklace was a protective charm my mother obtained for me with her life.

I was sickly as a child. At ten years old, I was critically ill and comatose in the hospital.

The doctors told my parents to prepare for the worst.

My mother couldn't accept it and went to a temple to pray for me.

To show sincerity, on a sweltering summer day with temperatures over 100 degrees, she prostrated herself step by step from the foot of the mountain to the summit.

She kowtowed until her knees were bloody, exposing white bone, banging her head until it bled and she became delirious, finally obtaining this jade necklace.

Perhaps even heaven was moved by my mother.

I, who had been comatose, miraculously woke up, but my mother fell gravely ill as a result.

Before dying, my mother placed the necklace in my hand, instructing me to keep it safe.

I treasured this necklace immensely and carried it with me from childhood.

It was something my mother traded her life for, and my forbidden treasure.

I absolutely would not allow anyone to damage it!

"The more you want it, the more I want to destroy it."

Before I could touch it, Lavinia threw the necklace hard on the ground.

Accompanied by a crisp sound, the necklace shattered into pieces.

Fragments scattered everywhere.

"No!"

Watching the jade necklace my mother traded her life for break like this, my heart felt like it was being cut by knives. I couldn't breathe.

"You bastard!"

Unable to bear it any longer, I slapped Lavinia across the face.

"You bitch, how dare you hit me?"

Lavinia covered her face and shrieked: "Teach this bitch a lesson!"

"Whoever does the best job gets a million dollars from my mom!"

Hearing this, the classmates' eyes lit up as they punched and kicked me.

"How dare you hit Lavinia? Her mom is the richest person in our citywho do you think you are?"

"Exactly. What kind of necklace could a poor person like you afford? That was obviously something you conned from Lavinia's mom. She's destroying her own propertywhy are you so worked up?"

"Shameless bitch. Not only do you steal someone else's mom, but you dare hit Lavinia. You're asking for it."

"How dare you mention your own mother. Your parents deserved to die early for raising a shameless bitch like you!"

I was beaten to the ground, trembling with rage, and said through gritted teeth:

"You'll regret this!"

Hearing this, everyone present burst into laughter as if they'd heard the biggest joke.

"Hilarious! Lavinia's mom is the richest woman in the city. What are you to make us regret anything?"

"Exactly. You're at most a lowly orphan who lives in other people's houses. You already depend on finding parents everywhere to survive, and you dare threaten us?"

"A bottom-tier poor person without even her own house can only rage impotently like this."

Those people held me down on the ground, mocking and humiliating me without restraint.

Lavinia, supported by the crowd, grabbed my hair and said arrogantly:

"Regret? I've never regretted anything in my life. I'll just wait and see how a poor person like you can make me regret it!"

As soon as she finished speaking, luxury cars sped over and stopped at the villa entrance...