‘He likes my dad!‘ I exclaimed inwardly.
My dad jerked in shock, shattering the bowl he was holding
‘What’s with him tonight? It’s like he suddenly developed Parkinson’s,‘ I thought to myself, bemused.
I abandoned my meal and dove into a deep rabbit hole of gossip. ‘The butler has been in our family for ten years now. From the moment he applied for the job, he was utterly smitten with my dad’s refined charm and striking looks. The more time they spent together, the deeper his feelings grew, to the point of complete obsession.‘
‘And! He’s got a foot fetish!‘ I added inwardly with growing disgust. ‘Every single one of my dad’s shoes, he’s licked them inside out with his tongue. Worse still, he cuddles them to sleep at night. The reason he’s siding with Alicia is because she discovered his secret crush on Dad ages ago! Instead of exposing him, she helped him steal shoes and keep his secret. Compared to her, I, his actual daughter, must be a huge thorn in his side!‘
‘Ugh, this is one scandal I could’ve lived without knowing. Ugh—‘
I looked up, puzzled, only to find everyone around the table looking like they were about to throw up. ‘Wait, what? Are they all pregnant?‘ I quipped internally before returning to the subject at hand.
I continued, lowering my head, ‘In the end, he even helped Alicia frame the Stone Family. His plan was simple: once my dad was left destitute and heartbroken, he himself would finally have his chance. And if that wasn’t sick enough, he was plotting to kidnap Dad and lock him up in his hometown! The only thing
that stopped him was Dad’s fatal car accident while he was too distracted to think straight.‘
‘Seriously, this butler may look decent on the surface, but deep down, he’s just a creepy, manipulative old man still playing the deranged lover trope. Disgusting! Pervert!”
Thomas, looking as though a storm was brewing inside him, gave a fierce nod. Then, without warning, he jumped to his feet and roared, “Butler!”
The butler hurried in, his face lit with excitement and his old eyes brimming with sticky, syrupy affection.
I shuddered when I saw that look in his eyes.
Thomas kicked off his slippers with a forceful motion. “You’re fired! Get out of my sight!”
The butler turned pale and dropped to his knees with a loud thud. “Master, what have I done wrong? I’ve been nothing but loyal to this family!”
Thomas gave him a disgusted glare, his face twisted as if he had just swallowed a dozen flies. “I know all about your habit of stealing shoes. We don’t need thieves in this house.”
The butler collapsed onto the floor, his face drained of all color.
‘Wait, when did Dad figure out the butler’s true nature? Turns out my dad’s sharper than I thought. Not like those other dimwits in the family. Clearly, my wit comes from him,‘ I questioned internally.
My brothers let out faint scoffs through their noses.
‘What are they scoffing at? Reincarnated kings of arrogance, the lot of them,‘ I said internally.
