Chapter 49
Before leaving work, William asked me to have dinner with him that evening, saying he had the official employment contract and some project details to confirm with me in person.
I also wanted something to take my mind off things, so I agreed.
The restaurant had a quiet, elegant atmosphere. William handed me a neatly bound document.
"This is your official employment contract, along with a draft partnership agreement for the project. Take a look."
I took it and opened it to the first page. My eyes scanned the salary section, and my pupils suddenly contracted.
Monthly salary: one hundred and twenty thousand dollars.
And that wasn't all. The profit-sharing terms that followed had an astonishingly high percentage, far exceeding what ordinary technical staff or even middle management would get.
I looked at William in shock, my voice tight. "William, is there a mistake in this contract? A hundred and twenty thousand a month? And such high profit sharing? How could I possibly qualify for profit sharing?"
William looked at me with serious, honest eyes. "There's no mistake, Grace. Your abilities are worth this price. In fact, I think it's still less than you deserve. When I brought you here, from the very beginning, I didn't just want you as an ordinary employee. The Star Trails Project has huge potential, but also high technical barriers. I need someone I can absolutely trust who has the ability to lead the team through tough challenges. Having you invest your technical expertise and share in the project's success is both recognition of your abilities and the best way to deeply connect you with Star Tech and this project."
I held that heavy contract, feeling very conflicted.
A hundred and twenty thousand a month, plus substantial profit sharing. This meant I could quickly pay back the rent I owed William, cover Mr. Lucas's legal fees, and give Milly and Luna a more stable and comfortable life.
For me, this was undoubtedly helpful, and even more, an enormous recognition of my value.
But...
"William, I really appreciate your trust and generosity," I said carefully. "But I just joined the company recently. Although I solved that satellite code problem, I haven't made many other substantial contributions yet. Won't this kind of contract be unfair to Ember, Daniel, and the other longtime employees? I'm afraid it might cause unnecessary conflict."
Before William could answer, a clear, laughing voice interrupted from the side. "What's unfair about it? Merit comes first; those who work more get more! That's always been Star Tech's principle!"
Emily sat down right next to me, picked up the contract in front of me, and flipped through it, nodding as she read. "Mm, not bad. Mr. Jones finally got generous for once."
I felt a bit helpless. "Emily, don't you start too..."
"Who's starting anything?" Emily put down the contract and looked at me seriously. "Grace, let me tell you, this contract draft was proposed by William at a core project team meeting, discussed by everyone, and passed unanimously. Ember was the first to raise her hand in favor, and Daniel and the others had no objections either."
Passed unanimously? Even Ember, who was most biased against me, agreed?
I looked at William. He nodded with a smile to confirm. "Emily's right. So there's no unfairness. This is everyone's recognition of your abilities, and the team's collective decision."
Emily poked my arm, deliberately putting on a stern face. "If you keep refusing, don't tell me you're still thinking about going back to being a housewife?"
"Of course not," I immediately protested.
That identity, that marriage. It was a swamp I was fighting with everything I had to escape from.
William and Emily looked at each other and said in unison, "Then sign it! You absolutely deserve it!"
Looking at the two of them, my eyes suddenly stung.
Besides Luna and Milly, how long had it been since anyone cared about me like this?
When I was being put down by the Smith family, it was William who gave me a job opportunity, and Emily who kept supporting me.
This friendship, this trust, I kept it in my heart.
"Okay, I'll sign."
Emily high-fived William across the table.
William put away the contract and said to me, "Welcome officially. In the future, we'll send Star Trails into space together."
My eyes stung, and I nodded hard.
The meal was especially relaxed and pleasant.
After dinner, I drove to Luna's place to pick up Milly.
On the way, I checked my phone again.
No missed calls, no messages.
George must have seen my call, but just didn't think it was worth responding to, or maybe he simply didn't care enough to bother.
My eyes darkened slightly. I couldn't just let the pocket watch matter go.
That was my grandfather's keepsake. I couldn't let it hang around Sarah's neck.
I couldn't swallow this insult.
When I got to Luna's house, Milly had already bathed and was listening to Luna tell her a story.
When she saw me, she happily rushed over. "Mommy!"
I picked her up and kissed her, then said to Luna, "Mom, I have something to do tonight and might be back late. Could Milly stay with you one more night?"
Luna looked at my face and seemed to guess something. "Go ahead, be safe. Leave Milly with me, don't worry."
Milly was very understanding and waved at me. "Come back soon, Mommy."
I answered, "Okay, be good, sweetie."
After leaving Luna's house, I took a cab straight to the Smith Mansion.
That house, where I'd lived for six years, now felt incredibly strange.
Standing outside the iron gate, I rang the doorbell.
After a while, the door opened. It was Linda.
When she saw me, her face immediately filled with a delighted smile. "Mrs. Smith, you're finally back! Come in, come in!"
I didn't move. Standing at the door, I said calmly, "Linda, please call George out. I have something to tell him."
Linda's smile froze, looking somewhat at a loss. "Mrs. Smith, since you're already here, why not come in and talk? This is still your home."
From the moment Sarah moved in, from when my things were cleared out, this stopped being my home.
"No need," I repeated. "Just call him out."
Linda looked even more troubled, wringing her hands. "Mr. Smith isn't back yet. Why don't you come in and wait?"
Just then, Jack came out in his pajamas, rubbing his eyes.
When he saw me, he was obviously startled, then his eyes lit up. "Are you here to see Dad? Dad's with Aunt Sarah. Sarah has a really amazing friend who threw a huge party, and Dad took her there."
I laughed bitterly.
He had time to accompany Sarah to social events, but no time to answer my calls or return my messages.
I didn't bother asking more and turned to leave.
"Mommy!" But Jack suddenly ran down the steps and hugged my leg from behind, acting cute. "Mommy, can you put me to bed tonight? I haven't heard your stories in so long. Sarah tells me stories too, but they're not as good as yours."
My body stiffened slightly.
This well-behaved Jack was so much like the child I'd carefully raised in my past life.
In my past life, I spent six years gradually correcting his bad habits, teaching him right from wrong, telling him stories, putting him to sleep.
It wasn't until after my rebirth, after I left the Smith family, that Sarah took over and he became spoiled and bratty.
I had six years of raising Jack, after all.
To say I felt nothing would be a lie.
But every single time, as soon as Sarah appeared, Jack would immediately side with her just like George did, speaking harshly to me, trampling on my efforts and care.
My heart had long been broken.
I pushed Jack away and said coldly, "I'm not your mother."
Jack stumbled back from my push, tears in his eyes. "You are! You are my mother! Dad said I could call Sarah mommy! You can't blame me! Mommy, you raised me! You can't abandon me!"
Looking at his sincere eyes, my emotions were incredibly complicated.
There was a moment of softness, but more than that, absurdity and sadness.
I'd been deceived by George, raised his and Sarah's child without knowing it, and never received an explanation or apology.
He even allowed Jack to call Sarah mommy, putting me in such a ridiculous and pitiful position.
In their eyes, I was probably just a fool.
I could never go back.
I looked at him and answered clearly, word by word, "Jack, you abandoned me first. So now, I'm abandoning you too."
Jack covered his ears and screamed, crying, "I'm not listening! I'm not listening! You're lying! If you keep lying, I really won't want you anymore! Just like Dad, I'll never let you come back!"
As he cried and screamed, he turned and ran back into the villa without looking back.
Linda stood there, looking at me, then at Jack running away, her face full of embarrassment and confusion.
I reined in all my exposed emotions and said to Linda flatly, "When George gets back, please tell him to call me back."
With that, I turned around, ready to leave this suffocating place.
Just as I lifted my foot, a black car pulled up smoothly in front of the villa.
The car door opened, and I saw George lean down, his lips seeming to brush Sarah's forehead or cheek in an intimate gesture.
He murmured something low, and that sound drifted clearly into my ears on the night breeze. "Darling..."