My husbands family mocked me for being poor, unaware I was the granddaughter of a billionaireand they were part of an experiment.
“Henry, for goodness sake, look at her dress!” Edith Harringtons voice dripped with false sweetness. “That looks like something from a charity shop. I swear I saw one just like it last weekcouldnt have cost more than ten pounds.”
I adjusted the collar of my plain blue dress, simple and unassuming, as required by the agreement with my grandfather.
Henry, my husband, coughed awkwardly and glanced away.
“Mum, leave her be. Its just a dress.”
“Just a dress?” his sister Margaret scoffed. “Henry, your wife has the fashion sense of a well, what can you expect from an orphan from the countryside?”
She eyed me with disdain, lingering on my slender wrists. A smug grin twisted her lips.
“You could at least wear a bracelet. Oh, waityou dont own any, do you?”
I met her gaze calmly, as if studying a curious specimen.
In my mind, I noted: *Subject No. 2Margaret. Aggression: high. Motivation: envy, dominance.*
They were like a pack of wolves, predictable in their cruelty.
Edith sighed dramatically and sat beside me, her hand heavy on my shoulder. She smelled of hairspray and greasy chips.
“Eleanor, were not against you. We only want whats best for Henry. Hes a man of standing, a manager, respected. And you well, you know what you are.”
She waited for tears, for me to crumble. I gave her nothing.
Where was the Henry Id married? The clever, confident man? Now he was a shadow, controlled by his mother and sister.
“Ive an idea!” Edith brightened. “You still have your mothers earrings, dont you? The ones with the little stones? You never wear them. Lets sell them.”
Henry choked.
“Mum, thats her keepsake!”
“What goods a keepsake?” Edith waved a hand. “A reminder of poverty? At least we could buy her a proper dress. And a new barbecue for the garden. Everyone wins.”
Margaret smirked.
“Exactly. Those earrings look ridiculous on her anyway.”
They didnt realise they werent humiliating methey were exposing themselves.
“Fine,” I said softly.
Silence fell. Even Henry stared.
“What do you mean, fine?” Edith demanded.
“Ill sell them,” I said, smiling slightly. “If its for the family.”
They exchanged glances, doubt flickering before greed won. They mistook my strategy for surrender.
To me, they were chess piecesand theyd just moved into checkmate.
The next day, Edith dragged me to a pawnbrokers. Margaret tagged along, gleeful. Henry drove in silence, defeated.
The appraisera weary manexamined the earrings under a loupe.
“Gold, 14 karat. Stones are paste. Thirty quid, best offer.”
Ediths face fell. Margaret groaned.
“Thirty? That wont even buy boots!”
I feigned hesitation. “Maybe we shouldnt? Theyre sentimental”
“Quiet, Eleanor!” Edith snapped. “Take the money!”
They split ittwenty for Edith, ten for Margaret.
“And my new dress?” I asked meekly.
Margaret laughed. “With that? Try a jumble sale.”
They left, smug. Henry mumbled an apology.
That evening, my laptop was gone.
“Margaret took it,” Henry admitted. “Hers broke.”
I turned to her. “Return it. Now.”
She sneered. “Or what?”
I dialled a number.
“Mr. Andrews, proceed with Phase Three. Start with the sister.”
Margaret paled. “Youre bluffing!”
Her phone rang. Her boss.
“Sir? Whatno, I didnt!” She scrambled to return the laptop.
“Too late,” I said.
Henry begged forgiveness. I ignored him.
The door opened. Mr. Andrews entered, handing them envelopes.
“Margarettermination for misconduct. Edithloan recall. Henryeviction notice. This flat belongs to Orion Holdings. Youve 24 hours to leave.”
I took my things and left without looking back.
Six months later, in my office atop Orion Tower, my grandfather sipped tea.
“You were harsh,” he said.
“I was fair.”
Their fates were predictable. Margaret, jobless, works in a corner shop. Edith lost her garden. Henry, broken, returned to his hometown.
“Do you regret it?” he asked.
“I regret believing people were better.”
He nodded. “Knowing the differencethats true wealth.”
Power isnt in money, but in seeing truth behind masks.
The city stretched below me. My world now. My rules.
Next, Id change the system itself.
