Chapter 525


    Monique rolled her eyes, her voice dripping with a mix of defiance and pride. "Well, of course. My


    grandpa always said, ''To run this ce, you''ve gotta know it like the back of your hand, down to thest


    mouse hole!''"


    "That''s a quote from your grandpa? Know every mouse hole and how to exploit it? You''re impressing


    me now," I said in a tone blending amusement and irritation so that Monique took it for apliment


    and let out a snort ofughter.


    But as herughter faded, she seemed to realize she might have let her guard down too much. She


    straightened up, trying to regain herposure.


    As the others shot her displeased nces, she added defensively, "Well, it''s true. I know anything


    about the Wood Manor you don''t know."


    Her words almost left me breathless with shock. Galen''s words were like the gospel to her! But she


    was certainly taking it to the extreme, wasn''t she? The little girl was too sharp-tongued for her own


    good.


    I was trying to keep my temper in check. After all, Cami was here, and I couldn''t embarrass Monique


    too much. Thus, I silently vowed to deal with the situation once Cami had left.


    It was clear to me that this was all Monique''s doing.


    As if reading my thoughts, Monique blurted out without considering the consequences, "Don''t be mad,


    Mom. It wasn''t my idea. I was just joking around when I discovered a hole behind the Wood Manor


    during my patrol of Oldtown Avenue. I thought, ''If one day we need to slip away unnoticed, we could


    just squeeze through here and follow the bamboo-lined path right into the back study. That little trail is


    so well-hidden, not even the security cameras can catch it.''"


    Her excitement was palpable. For a moment, I could see shades of the Dawson family in her. But this


    girl was leagues ahead of the Dawsons in cunning, with her imagination unhinged by my father''s


    influence.


    I wasn''t sure whether to be proud or concerned. What a bittersweet feeling indeed!


    "The day Hannah showed us the attic, I told them we''d call it our ''Hideaway Loft.'' If we ever wanted to


    disappear, no one would be able to find us!" She was unyielding in her determination and thought


    herself quite clever.


    My anger began to simmer. So, this was all her idea, her grand scheme. My daughter was too clever by


    half!


    This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org.


    No wonder she had asked earlier with too much curiosity, "If Fidelia had run off on her own? Why?"


    She was inciting a rebellion against me!


    And that exined why they hadn''t eaten much for breakfast, but the whole te of pastries had


    vanished.


    They were sneaky little thieves! This was a direct challenge to my authority. How could I let it pass?


    There was a saying, "Teach your children in his presence."


    It seemed I could no longer hold back.


    "Monique, you''re too smart for your own good! So why are you here now? Don''t you think no one could


    find you? But you''ve been caught out," I crashed her confidence.


    Sure enough, she pouted and shot back, "It''s all because Hannah yed dirty!"


    "Hannah, take her upstairs to the bathroom and let her reflect on her actions!" Imanded sharply.


    Monique, still quite pleased with herself, started to protest as she heard mymand. "Why? Why


    should I be the one to reflect? I didn''t run off!..."


    "I''m not going to the bathroom! Why the bathroom?" Monique protested, standing her ground. "With all


    this space, why pick the bathroom?" New chapter avаble o? Drаmаnovels


    I was serious, but she still dared to fight back and argued, "It was Fidelia who ran off, she should be


    punished too! Otherwise, it''s not fair!"