Spoiled Young Man Humiliates Poor Housemaid, She Teaches Him an Important Lesson – Story of the Day

When she refused the harassing advances of her employer's son, Beverly was accused of stealing from Mr. Van Hoff's safe. Soon, she realized Franz had done it as punishment for her rejection, but she had a plan for him. Unfortunately for her, revenge is a dish best served cold.

"That's the sexiest thing I've ever seen," the leering voice said to Beverly. She had been cleaning the coffee table but straightened and turned, startled.

The voice had come from Franz, the son of her employers, Mr. and Mrs. Van Hoff, the prominent couple she worked for in Upstate New York. Beverly had been their maid for several years without an issue, except for a few comments from their spoiled brat.

However, things have changed lately. Franz had gotten a lot more crass and daring with his advances. Beverly was starting to get tired of the greedy look in his eyes and the disgusting twist of his tongue on his lips every time she was doing her work.

"Please, sir," she mumbled, swallowing her bile. "I'm trying to do my job."

"I love the sound of 'sir' on your lips," he said in what he probably thought was a smooth voice. It only made her skin crawl further. "I would like to see what else you can do with your lips."

"Franz, I'm not interested in that," Beverly said slowly. "I need to get back to work." She walked, intent on leaving the entertainment room, but Franz moved too quickly, placing his body against hers. She recoiled quickly, but he was still blocking her exit.

"Oh, Beverly," Franz tutted, smirking. "I could give you anything you wanted if you just let me have a taste."

She was losing her calm facade, and the instinct to yell or slap him made her palm twitch. But another voice joined them. "Beverly!" Mrs. Van Hoff rushed into the room, grabbing her arm. "I need you to help me arrange the dining room table. My husband is bringing all his business partners tonight with their wives! He just told me! We need to hurry!"

Usually, that would be bad news because it meant Beverly would have to work late into the night, but this time, it was a welcome occurrence. "Yes, Mrs. Van Hoff," she nodded and followed dutifully.

"How many times have I asked you to call me Augustine?" Franz's mom chuckled. "Now, what do you think? Should we pull out the fancy china with the matching setting plates and glasses, or will the modern stuff work, too?"

"Hmmm," Beverly hesitated, feeling a chill down her back. A quick look told her that Franz was still staring with that hungry look. But she was safe for the moment. "I think it'll depend on the flowers."

"Flowers! Oh my God!" Mrs. Van Hoff exclaimed, hitting her forehead. "I'm so glad I have you here. I need to call my florist!"

***

"When are you going to stop playing hard to get?" Franz asked unexpectedly, startling Beverly and making her drop the pot she had been scrubbing vigorously over the sink.

"Excuse me?" she asked, rinsing her hands.

"This little game you're playing is getting old," the spoiled brat continued. Beverly would roll her eyes if she weren't so wary of him. "I can change your life, you know."

"Change my life?"

"You start spending time with me, and soon, you won't have to be a maid anymore," Franz shrugged, walking across the kitchen slowly. His pace was predatory.

"What does that mean?" Beverly asked, finally showing frustration.

"Exactly what it means. I could pay you," he responded.

"Franz, I work for your parents. I'm not interested in that with you. Please," she stated slowly and carefully. "Let me get back to work."

"I don't think so," he retorted, reaching her side and grabbing her arm. Beverly recoiled, but he didn't let go. His face was in her neck immediately. "I'm not a man that takes rejection well."

"Please, let go," she said, a tremor in her voice.

"Ahh, finally. A nice little reaction," Franz drawled. His nose ran through her jaw, making her skin crawl. "See? All women are drawn to me. Now, give in and let me put you across this counter like I've wanted since you arrived."

"No, I don't want that," Beverly said, dispelling the disgust she felt to move her hands and push him away.

"I said I was tired of your games," Franz growled as he stared into her face. His eyes were blazing with lust and anger. Beverly didn't know how in the world he thought this display aroused her, but some men were like that.

"Let me go," she insisted, putting more strength into her shaking voice. "Now."

"Fine," he relented. He used his hold on her arm to push her away, and Beverly flew back, hitting her hip with the counter corner. It was painful, but it was a relief to be free of him. "You're gonna regret this."

Franz called her a slur and stomped out of the kitchen. She could only hold on to the counter as her breaths came rapidly. A few tears escaped, but she had to compose herself.

"Is everything alright, Beverly?" Mrs. Van Hoff appeared.

"Yes, of course, Augustine," she responded, standing straighter and fixing her hair.

"Are you sure?"

"Well," Beverly thought for a second. "Ma'am, I'm so sorry to say, but I think Franz has a crush on me."

"What?" Mrs. Van Hoff asked, surprised.

"He was just here. I rejected him, and he got angry," she explained. Her tongue wet her lips nervously.

"That's impossible," Mrs. Van Hoff scoffed and laughed awkwardly. "My son has many girlfriends, but he would get with the he-I mean, he's just not interested, Beverly. You must've misunderstood his intentions."

Beverly wanted to say more, to explain that he had been harassing her for a while and had actually touched her this time. But one look into her employer's face told her that it wasn't a good idea. She would side with her son no matter what.

"You're right," the maid said and went back to the sink to finish her duties.

"Of course I am," the older woman said haughtily and left the kitchen.

***

A few days later, Beverly set the table for the Van Hoff's dinner, as she did every night. The meal was almost done, and Mrs. Van Hoff usually called everyone at 8 o'clock for the last meal of the day.

"That smells great, Beverly," the older woman said as she entered the kitchen.

"Thank you, Mrs. Van Hoff," Beverly responded, putting the last knife and fork down.

Beverly had begun to call her employer, Mrs. Van Hoff, again after the encounter with Franz. The older woman had dismissed her concerns so easily that it didn't sit right to become too close, even after years of working for her.

And surprisingly, Mrs. Van Hoff no longer asked the maid to call her by her name. Their relationship had cooled and became more professional since that day, which was okay with Beverly. The people you work for aren't your friends, she would often remind herself.

"Dinner should be ready soon," the maid said, indicating that Mrs. Van Hoff should call everyone else down.

The older woman and Franz walked in. Fortunately, he had steadily ignored her since that day, and Beverly couldn't be happier.

"AUGUSTINE!" Mr. Van Hoff bellowed as he ran toward his wife.

"Why are you yelling in my house?" Mrs. Van Hoff questioned, putting her hands on her hips.

"Augustine! Did you touch the safe?" the older man asked. His hands went to his wife's shoulders, shaking her slightly.

"What? Of course not."

"Franz?" Mr. Van Hoff turned to his son, who barely looked up from his phone.

"I don't even know your password," the brat scoffed and continued scrolling.

"Johann, nobody here ever touches your safe," Mrs. Van Hoff added. "What are you so agitated?"

"It's gone!" her husband breathed. "Franz, are you sure you didn't touch anything?"

Franz rolled his eyes, stood from the dining room chair, and left the kitchen. Beverly got busy, putting the food into family-style plates to place on the table.

"What's gone?" Mrs. Van Hoff demanded.

"THE MONEY! For God's sake, woman. Keep up!" he shouted as he lost his usually stoic demeanor.

"My God! Someone must have broken in," his wife said. "I'm calling the police!"

"ARE YOU INSANE?"

"What?"

"We can't call the police about that money! You told you that a million times!" Mr. Van Hoff exclaimed, gritting his teeth. His eyes went to Beverly for a second and back to his wife. "This is...money from the other business."

The maid could faintly hear his whispers, but she ignored them and continued her work as if it were an ordinary evening.

"Alright. Alright. But then, what can we do?" Mrs. Van Hoff asked. One hand flew to her mouth while the other touched her husband's chest. "Are you sure we can't just tell the cops that it's extra savings?"

"NO! We can't have the cops here, Augustine. At all," Mr. Van Hoff exhaled angrily.

"Excuse me," Beverly interrupted them carefully. "Dinner's ready, Mrs. Van Hoff. I'll retire to my room for now. Just call when you're done."

"Yes," Mrs. Van Hoff nodded, distracted. "Thank you."

Mr. Van Hoff watched their maid walk away with an inquisitive expression on their faces, but Beverly didn't notice. She went straight to her room, closed the door, and leaned back. Shutting her eyes, she let out a breath. Over the years, she had heard many things about her employers.

But they were mostly secrets about their friends. For rich people, their lives seemed pretty dull. However, missing money and being unable to call the cops told Beverly a different story. She thought they had generational wealth. Perhaps not.

Is it wise to keep working for shady people? Beverly wondered absentmindedly and walked further into her room, intent on plopping onto her bed. But a black bag sat right in the middle. Frowning, she reached for it and was shocked at the heaviness.

With a strange feeling in her stomach, Beverly grabbed the zipper and pulled it. Her eyes bulged as she uncovered stacks over stacks of hundred-dollar bills. "What is this doing here?" the maid asked into the empty room.

But she knew it was Mr. Van Hoff's missing money, so her hands grabbed the handle and heaved the heavy bag up. Her uniform heels clicked on the linoleum as she returned to the kitchen. Mr. and Mrs. Van Hoff were sat at the table, but they hadn't touched the food.

"Sorry to interrupt," Beverly said, breathless. "I found this in my room."

"What is that?" Mrs. Van Hoff wondered, rising from the table.

Mr. Van Hoff leaned forward before jumping from his seat. "IT'S MY MONEY!" he bellowed and snatched the bag from her hands.

"I didn't take it. I swear!" Beverly expressed vehemently. "This bag wasn't in my room earlier. Please."

"YOU LITTLE THIEF! HOW DARE YOU? AFTER EVERYTHING WE HAVE OFFERED YOU!" Mr. Van Hoff growled, sauntering toward Beverly to put his face before hers. She felt his heady breath and tried not to flinch.

"Johann, wait a second," Mrs. Van Hoff grabbed his arm. "Beverly has been with us for years, and nothing has ever gone missing."

"How do you know?" the rich man demanded. "She must have stolen little things, maybe jewelry you don't use often, artwork we don't notice, or our china patterns. But she got cocky."

"I don't believe that," his wife shook her head, staring at Beverly with sympathy.

"You made a mistake this time. Didn't you?" Mr. Van Hoff continued. "You thought I wouldn't notice that money gone for a long time, right? I want you out of my house for good!"

"No, Johann. That's—"

"SHE'S GONE, AUGUSTINE!" he yelled at his wife but forced himself to calm down. "We can't have someone here we don't trust."

"Sir, I didn't take it, or I wouldn't have told you about this bag," Beverly said, trying to plead her case.

"I don't want to hear it. Pack your bags and leave now! Before I change my mind about calling the police!" Mr. Van Hoff threatened.

Somehow, Beverly knew he was just bluffing about the police. His earlier words rang in her mind. Her employer didn't want the cops to have him on their radar for a reason. Their "other business" must be illegal. Still, she wasn't going to beg for a job somewhere she wasn't trusted.

Therefore, she turned and stalked to her room. Her hands flew around, opening drawers and packing as quickly as possible. Then, Beverly touched her uniform, unbuttoning and pulling the top part over her shoulders.

"Hmmm… finally, some skin," a creepy voice said. Beverly turned, putting her uniform back on quickly. Franz was at her door, looking smug and more dangerous than ever.

"Get out!" She didn't work for his family anymore, so she had nothing to fear from him. Right?

"See what happens when you aren't smart?" Franz continued as if he hadn't heard her. Beverly heard him clicking the lock on her door, and her body went cold.

"Smart?"

"I offered you much better than being a maid, and you rejected me," Franz shrugged, stalking toward her. "So, I had to teach you a little lesson. I control your place here, and it was so easy to take it away."

"Great," Beverly said, clearing throat. "You won. Now, let me leave."

"Huh, huh," he said, shaking his finger. "Don't you want to beg for your job back? Or…I could offer you a solution."

Staring into his beady, creepy eyes, Beverly knew Franz wouldn't listen at all. She didn't want to get hurt, so she had to be even smarter than him. Stealing herself from the bile that rose in her throat, she changed tactics.

"Solution?" Beverly asked.

"Yes, I know you put off college to work here and pay off your father's gambling debts," Franz said as his hand reached for her waist. "You're almost done, but things will get complicated if you don't have a job. You'll have to pay rent, utilities, and food. My father will make sure you never work as a maid in this town again."

"What do you suggest?" she continued.

Franz nodded winningly. "I see you've finally wised up. You can be mine, and I can pay you. It wouldn't be much different than being a maid, except it'll be way more pleasurable and sweaty and mind-blowing," he crowned, closing his eyes and putting his face on her neck.

Although her hands itched to slap him as they always did, Beverly contained herself. She reached for his shoulders and caressed up to his neck. "Well, since you put it so nicely," she said, hoping it was believable.

"Really?"

"I rejected you before to avoid trouble with your mother, but she's not my concern anymore," Beverly continued. "You're right. I probably won't get another job. So, I accept your offer."

"Excellent," Franz pulled back, smiling like he had won a poker game by cheating. "Tomorrow, we'll meet in the city, and I'll give you a taste of what saying yes to me means."

"Tomorrow?" Beverly interrupted. "What am I going to do until then? I have no home and no money. I need an advance."

"No," Franz shook his head and stepped further back. "No advance. Tomorrow."

"Then, I'm sorry. I'll have to find another rich man to help me," she shrugged and went back to packing.

"Wait. Wait," he said, grabbing the maid's arm. "Okay. Hmmm. Finish packing, and I'll get you something before you leave."

"You are so sweet," Beverly said. "I don't know why I resisted for so long."

Franz grinned. "I'm not sweet at all, babe," he drawled. "I'll show you that tomorrow."

With those words hanging in the air, Franz left her room. All the adrenaline left her body, and Beverly's legs gave out as she crumbled to the floor. Tremors overtook her body. He's disgusting! But she had to stand up.

The hallway to the kitchen was empty, so Beverly tiptoed and saw Mrs. Van Hoff holding her head up as she leaned on the countertop. "Augustine," the ex-maid said.

"What? Oh, are you ready? I'll call you a cab," Mrs. Van Hoff stood, looking tired.

"Augustine, you know I didn't do it. That's why you're being so nice to me," Beverly started.

"I don't know anything. But my husband wants you to leave. Please, don't make things difficult."

"It was Franz," Beverly blurted. "He did it because I rejected his advances. Augustine, you have to believe me. He had been touching me and harassing me for a while, but I thought I made myself clear. He backed up for a while, and he just admitted he did it."

Mrs. Van Hoff shook her head sadly. "Beverly, let it go."

"No! He's going to steal again from Mr. Van Hoff. Please, Augustine. Please. I'm not a thief."

"He's stealing from his father?" Mrs. Van Hoff asked, confused.

"Yes. I don't know if he's done it before, but he did it this time."

"What is she still doing here?" Mr. Van Hoff demanded, returning to the kitchen.

Mrs. Van Hoff stopped her husband from getting close to their ex-maid and spoke to him in whispers Beverly couldn't hear. He shook his head several times before squinting his eyes. He looked at Beverly briefly but then grabbed his wife's hand.

"Let's go see."

They ran up the stairs, and Beverly followed but remained several paces behind them.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!"

The maid flinched at yet another scream from Mr. Van Hoff. The man had always been serious and quiet. He must have bellowed more in one evening than in the last couple of years. But Beverly couldn't be angry. She saw her employers standing at the entrance of Mr. Van Hoff's office.

"Honey, wait. Calm down," Mrs. Van Hoff pleaded, trying to hold her husband back, but her husband was intent on something. They both walked further into the room, and Beverly had the slight satisfaction of seeing Franz knelt before the safe with a stack of money.

"Dad! Wait. It's not what you think!" the spoiled brat stood, and his eyes blazed at Beverly before turning fearful as they stared at his dad again.

"Not what I think, huh? You just told me you didn't know my password!" Mr. Van Hoff continued yelling and looked behind him. "Did you try to frame Beverly?"

"Tell me that isn't true, Franz! How could you?" Mrs. Van Hoff added, desperate.

"It wasn't like that," their son said and hesitated. Beverly could almost see the light bulb in his mind turn on as he came up with a lie. "It was just a joke. She knows it was a joke!"

Mr. Van Hoff shook his head. "I just fired her for nothing!"

Mrs. Van Hoff began to weep into his hands. Beverly thought being vindicated would feel better, but she remained fearful.

"Dad! It's a misunderstanding, I swear."

"Get out of my house," Mr. Van Hoff stated after a long pause. His voice was normal now, but that only made everything seem much scarier.

Franz scoffed and shook his head. "You're not serious."

"Get out before I decide to call the police," his dad continued.

"You wouldn't. You're too scared."

"Try me," Mr. Van Hoff said. Beverly couldn't see from her vantage point, but Franz recoiled at the expression on his father's face.

With a trembling hand, he returned the stack of money and stalked out of the room. Mrs. Van Hoff's weeps only got louder. Her husband knelt, put the money into the safe, and shut it. It made an electronic sound.

Mr. Van Hoff stood and took a deep breath. "Beverly, is there any way you can stay with us? After all that? I apologize for my outburst and what my son did," the rich man asked, tired. All the energy had left his body.

"Hmmm…"

"Please, Beverly," Mrs. Van Hoff said hoarsely. "Please, stay. I'm sorry I dismissed your concerns. This is our fault. We'll raise your salary and give you a paid vacation this year."

"I don't know," Beverly said, wrapping her arms around her body.

It was tempting to lecture them about the type of son they raised and how easily they had blamed "the help" for a robbery. But Beverly thought about her debt, which was almost paid off, and her dreams of nursing school.

Working for the Van Hoffs had many advantages. She didn't have to pay for food or rent and received a good salary. She had saved everything else that didn't go toward the debt. In this current economy, Beverly wouldn't be able to increase her savings if she had her own apartment.

"Please," Mr. Van Hoff begged, and Beverly nodded.

"Okay, I'll stay."

"Oh, thank you, dear," Mrs. Van Hoff sniffled, hugged her, and left the office.

The maid followed slowly, worried about running into Franz. But she heard a loud bang at the front door and a few seconds later, the roar of a sports car flying down the driveway… The spoiled brat was gone.

***

Several years passed, and Beverly stayed in the Van Hoff house. After paying her father's gambling debts, she started nursing and thought about quitting. But Mr. and Mrs. Van Hoff wanted her to stay, so they offered her much more freedom to go to classes and have enough time to herself at night to study.

After much consideration, she stayed. It was still much more convenient. She was saving a ton of money, which she used to pay for her classes and supplies. Cleaning their big house and cooking every day wasn't easy, but Beverly was used to it.

She had not seen Franz since that fateful day, and as far as she knew, neither had her employers. Mrs. Van Hoff sometimes got a strange wistful look in her eyes. Beverly knew she missed her son and felt terrible, but at the end of the day, he had gotten himself kicked out by stealing and lying.

So, it was a complete surprise when Mrs. Van Hoff came to her with an announcement. "Beverly, my son is coming to dinner tonight," she said proudly.

"Really? I didn't know you and Mr. Van Hoff were in contact with him," Beverly said as she dried her hands on a towel.

"We weren't. But he called a few days ago and told us so many things. He had a business now. Did you know that?" Mrs. Van Hoff added, excited.

Beverly merely shook her head.

"Apparently, he's doing really well, but most of all, he wants to introduce his girlfriend to us before he proposes to her. Can you believe it? Franz is getting engaged! He was such a playboy!" the older woman chuckled, shaking her head as her son's actions had been harmless.

But Beverly didn't want to bring up any unpleasant memories. Mrs. Van Hoff had gotten fragile in the last few years. "You must be so proud," the maid commented and faked a grin.

"I am, and my husband is too, of course. He didn't think Franz would ever get serious. But he proved him wrong," Mrs. Van Hoff continued. "Anyway, this dinner was totally last minute. Do you think we can do something special? Do we have enough food?"

"Well..." Beverly gave it a thought and went to the pantry. "If I remember correctly, Franz's favorite food is beef stroganoff. We have everything for that. I could start it right now."

"OH! That's perfect!" Mrs. Van Hoff gushed and clapped her hands. "I hope his girlfriend likes it, too. I'm getting her flowers and maybe a gift.

Beverly nodded, getting ingredients out and beginning the meal as the older woman kept making plans. The kitchen was abuzz. The florist came, and she and Mrs. Van Hoff set the table together. The occasion was fancier than anything they'd hosted in years.

She had to admit that it was nice to see her boss being too animated. Although Beverly thought Mr. Van Hoff had been justified in kicking Franz out, she never took any satisfaction in Mrs. Van Hoff's pain. A mother would always miss her child.

Therefore, Beverly decided to let bygones be bygones and act like nothing ever happened with Franz. He had a girlfriend and was bringing her over, so she was sure his creepy stalker days were gone.

***

"I was walking to my boat when I saw this vision in a white dress with yellow flowers and a yellow hat. But she tripped on something on the dock—"

"My heels caught on the wooden board!"

"Yeah, exactly, and I was there in time to catch her before she fell off into the water!" Franz laughed as he finished the story of meeting his girlfriend, Marina.

Mr. and Mrs. Van Hoff were enthralled with all the details and laughed with the younger couple.

"It was a total meet-cute, but it was perfect," Marina added. "He invited me sailing, and we've been together ever since."

"Franz said you're working with him," Mr. Van Hoff probed.

"Yes, it turns out his company needed a marketing consultant, and we immediately partnered. The results were better than even my team expected," Marina answered, touching her boyfriend's shoulder.

"That's fantastic!" Mrs. Van Hoff beamed with pride.

"And things have only been going up," Franz added. "We're the best team, so I had to call and introduce her."

Mr. Van Hoff wiped his mouth with a cloth napkin. "That's right, son. When you find the perfect woman, you never let her go."

"Well, he hasn't put a ring on it," Marina joked, flashing her empty fingers.

Franz chuckled and kissed her cheek lovingly while everyone else laughed. The dinner continued in that pleasant mood with ample conversation and merriment. Beverly was relaxed, serving and replenishing drinks. She even felt happy for Franz, too.

It was nice to let things go.

"Let's retire to the living room for some drinks," Mrs. Van Hoff said after the meal and escorted everyone out.

Beverly cleared the table and started loading the dishwasher quickly. She had an exam to study for, but she had already read ahead. Still, it was better to get things done rapidly and retire to her room.

"Beverly," a soft male voice called, and she jumped. After all that time, the maid had forgotten that Franz could walk into a room without a sound. "I'm sorry I've startled you."

"No worries," she said, breathless. "Do you need anything?"

"I would like to apologize."

"You already did," Beverly frowned.

"No, not about startling you. About my actions years ago," Franz continued. He placed his hands in his pockets and inhaled. "I was a horrible idiot back then. I thought I was entitled to the world around me… including people."

The maid frowned as he continued.

"The way I touched you without your consent was reprehensible. Being kicked out helped me understand how hard the world is and how horrible people will treat you if you don't have money," he explained. "Falling for Marina showed me that the way I behaved with women was even worse. I'm truly sorry."

Beverly was surprised and oddly touched by the gesture. Not many people had the guts to apologize for their mistakes. Making excuses was much easier, but she felt almost proud of Franz for being so brave, honest, and grown-up.

"Thank you," she said, grinning genuinely. "I'm glad you found happiness and success on your own."

Franz nodded and finally looked into her eyes. He grinned slightly. "Hmm, right. My mother would like more ice."

"Coming right up!" Beverly said happily, and Franz left her.

The rest of the evening was perfect, in her opinion. She finished cleaning and left for her room. Mrs. Van Hoff was laughing with Marina in the living room while they browsed through photo albums, and the men were smoking cigars in the office — she knew because the smell permeated the entire house.

Beverly studied and went to bed.

Over the next few days, Mrs. Van Hoff acted like Mary Poppins — all sunshine and songs and happiness — and Beverly couldn't object. There was an airiness in the house that hadn't been felt in a while.

A week after the dinner, Franz called and announced that he had officially proposed, so Mrs. Van Hoff threw herself into a wedding planning frenzy. Beverly tried to calm her, explaining that Marina may have other opinions, but she still obsessed over magazines, websites, flowers, and more.

Their house was a wedding planning, and Beverly was elbow-deep in samples that florists, caterers, designers, and more had sent. Marina hadn't even visited their home yet, and the maid feared that Mrs. Van Hoff would torpedo the wedding and cause another rift in her family. But the maid wouldn't need to worry about that.

Mr. Van Hoff came home one night after work in a mood. After kicking out Franz, the rich man returned to his stoic, silent, and severe behavior. He barely said a couple of words to Beverly at a time. But something was off that evening.

"Beverly, make me a scotch," he demanded, slamming his briefcase on the kitchen island.

"Yes, sir," she replied, running to the bar area.

"What is this stuff?" Mr. Van Hoff questioned. His frown got more profound as he perused the disaster in the kitchen. His hand reached for a magazine from the dining table and threw it back quickly in frustration. Beverly had to admit the kitchen was a disaster, but Mrs. Van Hoff didn't let her arrange anything.

"Aren't you supposed to keep the kitchen tidy, Beverly?" he snarled, snatching the scotch the maid had prepared.

"Sir, I—"

"Those are wedding magazines, Johann. I told Beverly not to touch it. I'm helping Marina plan her day," Mrs. Van Hoff said. "Why are you drinking hard liquor on a random Wednesday?"

"I can drink whatever I want, woman," Mr. Van Hoff growled and downed the entire glass. "How much have you spent on this?"

"Not a lot," Mrs. Van Hoff shrugged. Her hands touched some of the samples absentmindedly. She knew her husband was acting oddly.

"How much is a lot?" he asked again, barely disguising his impatience.

"What do you care?" Mrs. Van Hoff chuckled. "It's our son's wedding. We shouldn't spare any expense."

"Now it's not the time to be recklessly spending money!" Mr. Van Hoff exclaimed. Beverly started walking away to give them privacy, but he snapped his fingers at her. "ANOTHER SCOTCH, BEVERLY!"

The maid hid her flinch and took the glass from his hands to serve him another.

"Hey! Stop yelling," Mrs. Van Hoff scolded and crossed her arms. "What's with you? You should be happy. Our son is successful, and he's getting married."

"I have other things to worry about!" he barked. "WHAT'S TAKING SO LONG?" This time, that scream was for Beverly.

"Sorry, sir."

Mrs. Van Hoff threw her hands in the air. "Stop it! You're being a jerk!"

The expression on Mr. Van Hoff's face made Beverly recoil. She ambled backward, intent on really leaving them alone. But several flashes of red and blue bounced into the house, stopping her in her tracks.

"What's that?" Mrs. Van Hoff turned to the window. "Johann!"

A loud crash echoed as Mr. Van Hoff's scotch fell from his hands. "Augustine, run to my office, take money, and hide it!"

"What?" she asked, confused.

"DO IT!"

"NO!"

"VAN HOFF!" a voice could be heard outside before three sharp knocks echoed on the big wooden front door. "WE HAVE A WARRANT FOR YOUR ARREST! COME OUT NOW!"

"Augustine, go upstairs and do as you're told!" Mr. Van Hoff turned to Beverly. "HELP HER!"

Beverly could only stand there, frozen. She wanted to shake her head, but her body didn't move at all.

"DON'T MAKE THIS DIFFICULT, MR. VAN HOFF!" the voice came again. Finally, a horrible banging began, loud and forceful.

"What are you two doing? MOVE!" Mr. Van Hoff demanded again, but Beverly finally shook her head.

Mrs. Van Hoff seemed to have regained her composure and moved a few feet, but the front door burst open, and Beverly saw several men in black uniforms entering with their guns out.

Mrs. Van Hoff screamed, but Beverly just put her hands up.

"Mr. Van Hoff, you're under arrest. You have the right to remain silent…." Several men surrounded her employer and cuffed him. Mr. Van Hoff didn't put up a fight. He just sported an indignant expression as they escorted him away.

Mrs. Van Hoff was crying as more men entered the house. A detective explained that they had another warrant to search. Beverly just stood there, not knowing what to do, until another man came to her.

"Hello, miss. I'm Detective Matthews," he introduced himself. "Can you tell me your name and how long you've worked in this house?"

"Hmmm," Beverly cleared her throat before answering.

"Have you noticed anything strange in the years you've been here?" the detective continued after writing down some things.

"No," she replied carefully. "Why did you arrest Mr. Van Hoff?"

"He's being charged with money laundering and tax evasion," the man explained. "I can't say much more. But I've been on the case for a long time, and we finally have evidence to charge him."

"Evidence?" Beverly mumbled.

"Yeah. We received a key piece of evidence about two weeks ago," the detective. "Thank you for your time. Oh, wait. I'm sorry to say that this house is probably going to be ceased by the government. If you live here, it's time to find other accommodations. And a new job."

Beverly nodded, feeling numb. She asked the detective about packing her things. A policeman followed her into her room and watched.

When she finished, she walked out, escorted by the same cop. Mrs. Van Hoff was still wailing as the detective and other uniformed men took things from her home. Beverly waved at the woman and left the house.

She had to walk toward the gated entrance and through an empty road to the bus stop, but it wasn't a problem. During her trek, she wondered about finding student housing and how her future would look since she didn't work for the Van Hoffs anymore.

"It's time to focus on nursing school," Beverly whispered as she reached the bus stop and sat on the bench to wait. It had been a strange night, and the numbness had yet to leave her body. She hadn't expected Mr. Van Hoff to get in trouble, although he had insinuated some illegal stuff over the years.

Still, it was surreal. Her eyes squinted as the bright lights of a car illuminated the dark road… a sports car that stopped right before her. Beverly remembered that vehicle well. The window rolled down, and she stared straight into Franz's eyes. But then, she noticed his smirk.

We received a key piece of evidence about two weeks ago… the night Franz came to the house with his fiancee.

"Do you need a ride?" he asked mockingly.

"You did this to your parents?" Beverly asked, shocked.

He shrugged. "They had it coming."

"You're vile," she breathed.

"And you're next," he countered ominously and sped off into the night.

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