Chapter 5 - The Staff Ledger
Leah brought the mansion’s household ledger from the service office.
Daniel tried to stop her.
“That contains confidential payroll information.”
Arthur looked at him.
“Then it belongs in this conversation.”
The ledger showed Daniel had dismissed seven employees during Claire’s confinement.
A night housekeeper who heard crying inside the walls.
A maintenance worker who questioned the ventilation system.
A cook who found untouched meals being carried toward the private study.
Each employee signed a separation agreement stating Claire had left the country voluntarily.
None received severance.
Their final wages were marked as forfeited for misconduct.
Claire looked horrified.
“You punished them for noticing me.”
Daniel answered:
“They violated household privacy.”
Leah opened another section.
Staff retirement contributions had been redirected into the Claire Ashford Memorial Foundation.
Money taken from cooks, cleaners and drivers had paid for the flowers, champagne and portrait celebrating the false death of the woman they had tried to save.
Arthur stared at the chandelier.
“This memorial was funded by employees?”
Leah nodded.
One server near the wall began crying silently.
Her husband had been dismissed after reporting the private meals.
Daniel looked around the ballroom.
“This is an accounting issue.”
Leah’s voice hardened.
“When rich people take wages, it becomes accounting.”
“When workers take food, it becomes theft.”
No one defended him.
Then Claire noticed a name in the ledger.
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One employee still received weekly payments despite being declared dead twelve years earlier.
Her mother, Eleanor Ashford.
