He hesitated, then sighed. "Floyd, I don’t know if I should say this… but you need to keep a closer eye on things at home."

I pressed him for answers, and he finally told me everything.

"That housekeeper of yours? She’s a thief. I’ve caught her sneaking things out to sell more than once. She even hikes up prices on groceries and pockets the difference. When I confronted her, she threatened to break my legs if I ever spoke up."

His face darkened. "And the driver… He’s no better. I said something once, and the housekeeper called him over. He threatened to kill me if I didn’t shut up. If it weren't for you, I would have left long ago."

"And Astrid?" I asked, dreading the answer.

"Spoiled rotten. I once saw her pouring fresh milk down the drain just to wash her feet and face. When I told her to stop wasting food, she called me a ‘worthless old farmer’ and said I had no right to tell her what to do."

Uncle Carter’s eyes filled with regret. "I’ve also always seen her push Zera around. Yell at her. Even hit her."

My hands clenched into fists as rage surged through me. Immediately, I instructed someone to look up the trip histories of the drivers and vegetable merchants the nanny often works with.

Then, I found Zera and gently asked her if Astrid had been bullying her. But she hesitated, eyes darting nervously, and only shook her head.

Left with no choice, I just checked her phone, only to find a video that made my blood run cold. Only then did she confess everything with a terrified look.

In the video, a group of girls shoved Zera into a corner, kicking and punching her. One girl even jammed a filthy mop into her mouth and jabbed the handle into her back repeatedly.

Floyd's POV

The person behind all this... was none other than Astrid — the girl I’d taken in and supported for years.

I couldn’t take it anymore. Fury surged through me as I stormed into Astrid’s room.

"What is this?! Explain yourself!" I demanded, shoving the phone in her face.

Her eyes widened in shock as she saw the video. "Dad, i-it wasn’t me! I... was forced to do it!" she stammered, her face pale.

But her lies only made my blood boil. Letting out a bitter laugh, I turned away and took Zera’s hand in mine. We were going to the hospital — I needed to make sure she was okay.

On the way, we stopped by the police station. I filed a report and handed over every piece of evidence I had.