Chapter 257: Now get moving...

Meanwhile, Gen arrived at the grocery store and began picking up the items on the list Silvia had given her. She was busy checking the quantities when a loud voice caught her attention.

"You fool! How many times do I have to tell you not to put the packets on the wrong shelves? Is it really that difficult to understand?"

Gen stopped in her tracks and turned towards the commotion.

The store manager was standing near one of the shelves, furiously scolding an employee. However, the moment Gen recognized the woman being reprimanded, her eyes widened in disbelief.

It was Julianna.

The once-proud daughter of Vincent Hayes stood with her head lowered, silently enduring the manager’s harsh words.

Julianna’s fingers curled into fists at her sides. Every instinct urged her to snap back at the woman who dared to speak to her so disrespectfully. There had been a time when nobody would have dared to raise their voice at her.

But those days were gone.

She was no longer Vincent Hayes’s privileged daughter, accustomed to getting everything she wanted. Now, she was merely an employee trying to hold on to her job.

Swallowing her anger, Julianna forced herself to respond.

"I’ll be more careful next time."

The manager let out an exasperated sigh.

"You’d better be. If I catch you making the same mistake again, don’t expect to keep this job!"

With that warning, she turned and walked away.

Gen remained rooted to the spot, still struggling to process what she had witnessed.

Julianna Hayes, who had once carried herself with such arrogance, was now working in a grocery store and being scolded over misplaced packets.

How the tables have turned, Gen thought, shaking her head.

She had never imagined she would see Julianna in such a situation. Yet life had a way of bringing even the proudest people down to earth.

Gen eventually gathered the remaining items, paid for her purchases, and left the store.

However, the encounter stayed with her long after she had walked away.

***

Back at the Kensington Mansion, Clara stood before Maria as the latter gestured for Clint to step forward. Her assistant approached with a document in hand and presented it to Clara.

"We’ve made a slight adjustment to the salary we discussed earlier," Clint explained. "Since Master Zane has chosen you as his tutor, Madam has decided to increase your pay."

Clara blinked in surprise before accepting the document.

But the moment she read the revised amount, her eyes widened.

What the hell? She’s increasing my salary just for handling her son? What happens if he actually tops his class? Will she hand over some of her shares as a bonus?

She looked up at Maria, trying to keep her expression composed.

"Madam, we didn’t agree on this amount. I’d be perfectly happy with the salary we discussed earlier."

Maria regarded her calmly.

"Consider the additional amount a bonus for taking on this job. However, there’s one condition."

Clara’s smile stiffened slightly.

"If you fail to improve Zane’s academic performance, you’ll lose your job. And you’ll have to pay back twice the salary you’ve received."

"..."

Clara stared at her.

Is she threatening me already?

For a moment, she wondered whether Maria had mistaken a tutoring position for some kind of high-risk business contract.

Nevertheless, Clara straightened her shoulders and met the older woman’s gaze.

"Then allow me to assure you, Madam. Master Zane won’t continue neglecting his studies under my watch."

The confidence in her voice made Maria raise an eyebrow.

Ever since Clara had entered the mansion, Maria had been curious about what made her different from the other candidates. After watching one tutor after another fail to earn Zane’s approval, she had begun to wonder whether this seemingly ordinary woman possessed something the others lacked.

Now, she was even more intrigued.

Maria studied Clara for a few seconds before rising from her seat.

"Let’s wait and see. I’ll believe your words when I see an improvement in his grades. Until then, remember what I’ve told you, Miss Clara. I never go back on my word."

Clara returned her gaze with a polite smile.

"Of course, Madam."

Maria offered no further response. She turned and walked away, with Clint following close behind.

Only after the two had disappeared from sight did Clara release the breath she had been holding.

"Goodness, what a frightening woman," she muttered under her breath.

Her gaze soon drifted towards Zane’s room.

She might have managed to get the young master to accept her as his tutor, but she knew better than to assume he would let the matter rest. Knowing his temperament, he was probably already plotting his next move.

"Well, at least I’ve managed to get inside the mansion," she murmured, trying to look on the bright side.

Then her expression grew thoughtful as she glanced around, searching for Gloria Kensington.

Clara hadn’t come here merely to tutor Zane. Her real purpose was to help mend the relationship between the Kensington’s and the Sterling’s.

After Laila’s death, Gloria had been devastated. And with Maria constantly feeding her lies, the elderly matriarch had gradually lost faith in the people she had once considered family.

Maria had done more than destroy relationships. She had ensured that Gloria continued to believe she had been right to distrust Grace, even when that distrust had cost everyone involved years of happiness.

Clara’s expression softened.

Mrs. Kensington, you’ve been carrying those misunderstandings for far too long.

She had no intention of confronting Gloria with accusations or forcing her to change her mind overnight.

First, Clara needed to understand the older woman’s heart. Only then could she find a way to help Gloria see Grace for who she truly was, rather than through the lies she had been told.

And for that, she needed an opportunity to meet the matriarch herself.

Getting into the Kensington Mansion had been the first step. Now, Clara had to find a way into Gloria’s heart and made her see for the lies Maria had been feeding her with all these years.

Taking a deep breath, Clara pushed all her distracting thoughts aside and made her way toward Zane’s room, intending to handle it later. However, the moment she stepped inside, the sight that greeted her made her pinch the bridge of her nose in frustration.

She had expected this.

Dealing with Zane was never going to be easy. The boy was stubborn, rebellious, and seemingly determined to test her patience at every opportunity. Still, Clara refused to let her frustration cloud her judgment. If she wanted to get through to him, losing her temper wasn’t going to help.

At least, that was what she kept telling herself.

"What exactly do you think you’re doing, Zane?" Clara asked, deliberately ignoring the mess scattered across the room as she approached him.

The boy was sprawled comfortably in front of his gaming screen, his fingers moving rapidly across the controller. He didn’t even spare her a glance, behaving as though she didn’t exist.

Clara waited a few seconds, hoping he would acknowledge her presence.

Nothing.

Her lips twitched in annoyance.

"Zane, I’m talking to you."

Still, the boy continued playing, completely absorbed in his game.

"..."

That was the last straw. With a swift movement, Clara reached over and switched off the screen.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" Zane snapped, immediately turning toward her with a furious glare. "Why would you do that? I was in the middle of something!"

"And I was in the middle of talking to you," Clara retorted calmly.

Zane’s expression darkened. He had never gotten over the humiliation of being locked inside a cupboard, and having Clara stand in his room, ordering him around as though she owned the place, only made his resentment worse.

"Who do you think you are to come into my room and tell me what to do?" he demanded.

Clara folded her arms across her chest, unimpressed by his outburst.

"Your tutor, in case you’ve forgotten. And right now, your first task is to clean up this mess."

Zane glanced around the room before letting out a mocking laugh.

"Seriously? You expect me to clean all this up? That’s what the maids are here for." He tossed the controller onto the bed and leaned back in his chair. "And as for studying, I’m not in the mood. Come back some other time."

He reached for the controller again, intending to resume his game.

"Mood?" Clara repeated, raising an eyebrow. "You think I care whether you’re in the mood or not?"

Zane paused, shooting her an incredulous look.

Clara stepped closer, her expression turning serious.

"Listen carefully, Zane. I’m your tutor, which means you’re going to follow my instructions. You don’t have to like me, and I certainly don’t expect you to. But if you think throwing tantrums will make me back down, you’re in for a disappointment."

She cracked her knuckles, watching as his confident expression faltered ever so slightly.

"Because if you refuse to cooperate, I’ll have no choice but to remind you what happened the last time you decided to test my patience."

Zane swallowed, his gaze instinctively darting toward the door.

Clara leaned forward, offering him a smile that did absolutely nothing to reassure him.

"And this time," she added sweetly, "you might want to think twice before picking a fight with me."

For the first time since she had entered the room, Zane had nothing to say.

Clara straightened and pointed toward the scattered clothes and books.

"Now, get moving. You have ten minutes to clean this room. After that, we’re starting your lessons."

Zane stared at her in disbelief.

"Ten minutes? Are you insane?"

Clara tilted her head.

"Would you prefer five?"