If you go hunting a tiger...

- 4 -

Ajax, thanks for the preliminary reading!

My frightened squeal was probably heard by the whole house.

One of the convoyer dragged me to the corner of the living room and pressed me to the floor, so quickly that I didn't have time to understand anything.

"It's not blood, it's red paint," Marco said after a few moments. "Everything in the dressing room is broken and smashed. And in the bedroom too."

"I will bring thinner, alcohol and butter," said Raoul, "to remove the paint from the mistress."

"Hey!" I yelled, lying, judging by the light scent of the lotion with the smell of cedar and leather, under Helmut. "Why the laundering? You will destroy all traces. Call the police!"

"That's impossible, Herrin Alex." Helmut got up and put me on my feet. "This is a scandal and discrediting of TGS, a fall in shares."

"Put my shit on TGS!" I was outraged. "There was an attempt on my life. What if it was sulfuric acid or poisonous gas?!"

"Fräulein Eleanor isn't very smart, Herrin, but even she won't do anything that will cause effects harmful to TGS. She just wanted to scare you, make you give up your status, and leave Terr Court and TGS."

"And has Dave," I was amazed, "already decided to transfer half of the shares and trust funds to me, give me a position on the board of directors? And all without the approval of the shareholders' meeting?"

"Summer," James intervened, "is not the season of high life, but there are three events that you cannot miss. There's a benefit evening at City Hall in a week, and that's where you'll make your debut as Lady Terrent. The official introduction of the successor to TGS. You don't have much time to practice, ma'am."

"Maybe, I do not have much time to live!" I was outraged. "If you don't want to call the police, call Dave!"

"The chairman will only laugh and punish us." Helmut looked seriously frightened.

"Now you understand, milady," James said, "why Miss Eleanor should not get TGS under any circumstances? She will ruin everything!"

"And do you understand that this world is full of other work besides washing other people's toilets?"

"That's not up to you, milady!" James was instantly furious. Even the eyes of this sleepy fish sparkled, what a handsome man he has become!

"Yes, to your pleasure!" I said. "There are plenty of cleaning companies. Not Joyterr, but Joyfresh."

Helmut looked at me with teasing and asked:

"Do you want to lose a fight to a pampered half-smart hat rack?"

"For the last few days, this is all I want!" I cut off.

And Marco said:

"This isn't only about TGS as an expensive property. There is also Terre Court. More than a hundred people have been working here for five generations. All of them had never left the estate for more than a couple of hours a week since birth. Terre Court is their only world. And this world should not be in the hands of a scoundrel. And even more so, Joyterr should not suffer. This is the heart of Terr Court."

"That is, «never left»?" I did not understand. "What about schools, professional courses and universities, vacations and all that?"

"Terre Court kids are homeschooled. And they learn the profession from their parents. Or, like me, they are found in bad foster families and given to one of the Terr Court families. I grew up in Terr Cliff, the southern villa of Terr Cort, Donna Alex, and then was awarded a place in the central residence. Helmut was born here. James would have ended up in juvenile detention if Dave Terrent didn't vouch for him and was given a job at the north villa. James was sixteen at the time."