Chapter 77
"Especially his daughter. She's about my age."
Gaia's voice dropped lower. "Ever since she came back, she's tried to take everything I had. Clothes, toys, schools, friends. I didn't fight her for any of it, so she just got bolder. After taking everything, she still wasn't satisfied. She'd come back to slander me, saying I didn't deserve to have anything."
"Later, when I got into college, she went to my dad and told him not to pay my tuition. She wanted me to drop out and work in a factory. From college onward, I've been working to pay my own tuition and living expenses. I haven't used a single cent from the Fisher family since."
She paused, then lifted her head. Her eyes were so red they looked ready to bleed. "Now she wants to take the old house my grandfather left to my mom. The Fisher family already took every other property. She doesn't need that one. But she just won't let us go."
"That's our last place to live. She said she's giving us a month to move out. Otherwise, she won't be nice to my mom and me anymore. I don't know what to do… Reporting it to the police won't help. They know too many people. I can't afford a lawsuit, and even if I could, by the time the first and second hearings are over, my mom and I will probably already be out on the street."
She spoke in broken fragments, finally getting it all out.
She sobbed quietly, head bowed. "Ms. Wipere, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have brought all this to the company. I'll go back to work right away. I won't let it affect—"
"Gaia." Lucinda stopped her. Her voice was gentler than usual. "I can't intervene in your family matters. That's something you have to handle yourself."
She paused. "But since you're working at my company, I'll make sure you have the confidence to handle it."
She pulled out her phone, opened Fiona's chat, typed a few lines, and sent them. "I'm assigning you a new project. You'll be in charge of the development zone for next season's hardware configuration. The project bonus is at the highest standard—what only top-tier engineers usually receive. I'm giving you a chance. If you can pull it off, the bonus will be enough for you and your mother to move somewhere safer."
Gaia froze for a few seconds. Then she bent at the waist and bowed deeply to Lucinda. "Ms. Wipere, thank you so much."
Lucinda reached out and steadied her shoulders. "Get back to work."
Lucinda had just sat down in her office when Fiona knocked and entered, holding a freshly printed cooperation proposal. "Ms. Wipere, the CEO of Innova Tech just called. He wants to hand over a batch of hardware orders on Maple Avenue to us—design to production, full authority. The order volume is substantial. If we can close this deal, it'll be a huge boost to Ridgeway Tech's capacity utilization and market reputation."
Lucinda took the proposal, flipped through it, and stood up. "Arrange the car. Let's go to Maple Avenue and take a look in person."
Fiona nodded and went to make arrangements. Lucinda grabbed her coat, pushed open the office door, and headed out.
She'd just reached the elevator when she saw Gaia running toward her from the far end of the hallway, her face pale.
She clutched her phone in her hand, stumbling slightly as she ran, nearly tripping at the corner.
Lucinda reached out and steadied her. "What's wrong?"
Gaia looked up. Her eyes were already red, her voice trembling. "Ms. Wipere, something happened at home… A neighbor called and said that woman's daughter brought a group of people to my mom's place. My mom's alone. I have to go back right now."
She moved to rush into the elevator, then suddenly realized she was still on the clock. She turned back to Lucinda. "Ms. Wipere, can I take half a day off—"
"Where do you live?"
Gaia froze. "Maple Avenue…"
Lucinda glanced at Fiona. Fiona nodded.
That was the exact street they were heading to for the site visit.
Lucinda pressed the elevator button, her tone measured. "Take my car. It's on the way."
Gaia quickly waved her hands. "No, no, Ms. Wipere. I can just take a taxi. I don't want to trouble you—"
"It's not trouble." Lucinda stepped into the elevator and held the door open, her gaze leaving no room for refusal.
Gaia bit her lip and quickly followed her in.
The car left the Ridgeway Tech building, crossed half the city, and turned onto Maple Avenue.
This area was already on the outskirts. It was Lucinda's first time here. Her gaze swept over both sides of the street, her brow furrowing slightly.
Narrow alleys. Old, decrepit apartment blocks. Peeling paint. Potholed roads still pooled with rainwater from a few days ago.
A few shirtless men squatted by the roadside, cigarettes dangling from their mouths, their gazes brazenly sweeping over the car.
She glanced at Gaia. She sat in the corner of the backseat, her fingers twisting the hem of her shirt.
She was afraid. But she didn't say a word.
The car stopped in front of an old residential building.
Gaia thanked them, pushed open the door, and ran inside.
Her figure disappeared into the shadows of the entrance. The door hung half-open. Chaotic noises drifted out from inside.
"Ms. Wipere, should we head straight to the factory?" Fiona turned around and asked.
Lucinda didn't answer. Her gaze was still fixed on that half-open door.
Just then, a sharp crash echoed from inside the building, followed by a woman's muffled scream and a young woman's shrill, mocking curse.
"You old hag, why don't you just die already? Once you're dead, everything your family has will be ours. Are you gonna die or not? Are you?"
Gaia's face turned white. She shoved open the car door and bolted up to the second floor.
The door to the apartment was wide open. Her mother, Qiana, was being held down on her knees by two thugs, one on each side. Someone had grabbed her hair from behind, forcing her face upward. A fresh wound ran along her temple, blood trickling down her cheek.
Shards of broken porcelain littered the floor—the antique bowl her grandfather had left behind. Qiana used to polish it over and over, never letting anyone even touch it.
A young woman stood in front of Qiana. She wore a tight magenta dress that barely covered the tops of her thighs and a pair of over-the-knee boots with sharp, thin heels. She tapped the heel against the floor rhythmically.
Seeing the young woman's arrogant posture, Gaia's eyes turned crimson with rage, nearly bleeding.
That was Pearl Fisher. The mistress's daughter. The person who'd taken everything from her since childhood.
She was just the mistress's daughter, yet outside she paraded herself as the young lady of the Fisher family, trampling Gaia—the true Fisher bloodline—into the dirt.
She'd stolen everything and still it wasn't enough. She had to come back and stomp on her again, determined not to let her draw even one last breath.
Right now, Pearl was bending down, one hand yanking Qiana's hair, the other slapping Qiana's face lightly.
"Old hag, I'm talking to you. When are you gonna vacate that old house of yours? My friends are all waiting to throw a party. You're hogging such a big place—don't you think that's wasteful?"