Lucia wrote down what would happen in the future based on future memories from her previous life. One thing is sure and she must do in the near future; cut ties with Ethan as soon as possible.
However, she knew very well how Ethan was, it would not be easy to get away from him even though she himself didn't have any strength at this time. That man was the most cunning man she had ever known in her entire life, even to the point of being completely deceived in her previous life.
She got up from her seat and headed to her study. She had been silent for too long and was lulled by false love to the extent that she had wasted many things before she knew it.
She re-examined the current structure of the maids. It's not without reason, the existing servant structure is all Ethan who manages it and it's not impossible that he did it on purpose to control himself—Lucia thought.
"Ah… no, definitely not because of that," she muttered. "He must have done it on purpose so that those who don't have loyalty to me hate me and spread bad rumors about me."
She looked back, remembering very well what made her power collapse in the end and the end it all turned on Ethan. The man drains her money without her knowing it, then acts like a savior by taking over the power that nearly collapses and in the end it all belongs to Ethan in the future.
However, now she did not want her future in her current life to experience the same thing again. If necessary she will fight that such fate and turn it into victory. If she had been known as a bad woman and an antagonist in her previous life, she would have changed all that and acted the other way around, even though she knew it wouldn't be easy, considering her current image is already very bad in the eyes of her subordinates.
She sighed heavily, to start all this war she needed a servant who sincerely served her and she had already chosen that servant. Yes, she was the same maid in her previous life—Maria. Only the servant was loyal to her until her death.
Come to think of it, she chose Maria in her previous life because she was the only boy who still wanted to work for her even though the wages she gave were low. She didn't know the young woman's reason, but she was clearly very grateful to Maria because it was thanks to her in her previous life that she didn't die of starvation.
She tried to find Maria's name from the list, then found the girl working in the laundry and had just entered the residence a while ago. It would definitely be suspicious if she suddenly appointed that young lady as her personal maid, especially since she had just joined as a maid. She needed a plan to form her own power, not to become a master who was feared because of her temper, but to become a respected leader.
She tore off one of her clothes, then immediately took it to the maid's room. Suddenly her sudden arrival caused a commotion among the waiters who were resting and eating their food.
"M-Miss, what's wrong with you stepping into this despicable place?" asked the butler of the residence.
Lucia showed her torn clothes. "Who is in charge of this?"
The woman stared at the torn clothes. "Th-that… let me ask the laundry, Miss--"
"Show me the way, let me finish it myself."
"L-let me, Miss--"
"Since when do subordinates regulate the employer?"
Hearing that, the old butler choked up. "S-sorry Miss, I was just worried that you were tired."
"Don't talk nonsense and just take me there."
The woman nodded slowly. "W-well, Miss."
The woman led Lucia to go to the laundry room, their arrival suddenly surprised the waiters who were busy relaxing when there was one person who was busy washing all the clothes with sweat pouring down her body.
"Miss!"
Lucia smiled sadly, she didn't know that her incompetence in managing the residence and being a good boss and leader made such actions happen behind her back. The maid who had been talking while enjoying the snack immediately knelt on her feet, while Maria with difficulty also kneeled down.
Her hands and feet were already very pale from the soap and water all day long, even the skin on her hands was shriveling up, a sign that she had worked really hard since morning.
"Oh… so your work every day is like this, huh?" asked Lucia with her hands on her hips.
"N-not like that, Miss. We've been working hard since morning, so now it's the turn of the other maids to do it—"
Lucia immediately pulled the maidservant up, then examined her still soft and warm hands. "You think I'm stupid, huh? Since morning, people who have worked washing their hands won't be as smooth and warm as this," her hiss frightened the maid.
"Forgive us, Miss. We're just educating a new laundry maid."
The three of them immediately asked for forgiveness at Lucia's feet, but Lucia quickly kicked them away from her. "Head butler Yu, please take care of them."
"W-well, Miss."
Lucia looked at Maria who was still on her knees without daring to raise her face. Faintly, she saw an Energy Bar from inside the woman's pocket, and instantly Lucia reminisced about the bitter past of her previous life. The moment where that little thing could fill her hungry stomach was when Ethan and Rose.
"You! Come with me. You must be responsible for my torn clothes."
"W-well, Miss."
She walked away, while behind her Maria followed with trembling legs from being too afraid of being punished.