Chapter 141
Panicked voices came through the line, fragmented and stammering—clearly trying to explain something.
Manuel didn't let him finish. He hung up.
Pearl completely collapsed.
Her entire body sagged. Only the guards' grip kept her from hitting the ground.
Tears poured from her swollen, slit-like eyes, mixing with the blood on her face and streaming down in dirty trails.
"Mr. Douglas… Mr. Douglas, I was wrong… Please give me another chance…"
Her voice came out broken, gasping between sobs.
Manuel didn't look at her. He turned to the security guards. "Get her out of here. I don't want to see her again."
The guards acknowledged and began dragging Pearl toward the alley entrance.
Her wails grew fainter and fainter, finally disappearing around the corner.
The alley fell silent.
Gaia stood in place. Her fingers still trembled, but her back was straight.
She looked at Manuel, took a deep breath, and bowed deeply. "Mr. Douglas, thank you."
Manuel glanced at her. His mouth curved slightly. "I've seen your data. Solid work. You're talented. And your character checks out."
He paused, then continued. "Keep working hard under Cindy. I'm raising your salary to ten thousand a month."
Gaia's head snapped up. Her eyes went wide.
Ten thousand?
Her mouth opened, but she was too shocked to speak. All she could do was nod hard, eyes red, mouth curved in a smile she couldn't suppress. "Thank you, Mr. Douglas… thank you, Ms. Wipere…"
Her voice trembled, but every word carried gratitude.
Manuel waved his hand dismissively and turned to Lucinda. His tone softened. "Let's go. Time to head home. Mom and Dad have been waiting."
Lucinda nodded and followed him toward the alley entrance.
After a couple of steps, she stopped and glanced back at Gaia. "Take tomorrow off. No need to come in."
Gaia froze, then nodded vigorously.
She stood there, watching the two figures disappear into the light at the alley entrance. The business card in her hand was crumpled from her grip, but the smile on her face refused to fade.
Soon, the car pulled through the gates of the Douglas Estate. The lights blazed.
Valencia was already waiting at the door. When she saw Lucinda step out of the car, she hurried forward, grabbed her hand, and looked her over from head to toe several times. Only when she was satisfied that Lucinda was fine did she let out a breath of relief. "Cindy, are you tired? Are you hungry? I had Uma make soup for you—"
"Mom, I'm fine." Lucinda cut her off gently. Her mouth curved slightly.
Wesley emerged from the living room, a smile on his face. His gaze lingered on his daughter for a moment, then shifted to Manuel behind her. He nodded in satisfaction.
Dahlia stood on the staircase landing, a polite smile on her face. But her fingers gripped the banister so tightly her knuckles turned white.
She watched Manuel follow Lucinda inside. She watched Valencia hold Lucinda's hand and refuse to let go. She watched the way Wesley looked at Lucinda.
She'd spent twenty years in the Douglas family and had never experienced any of it.
At dinnertime, the table was laden with dishes.
The moment Lucinda sat down, her bowl was piled high.
Valencia forked over grilled steak. Wesley added garlic butter shrimp. Uma brought out creamy broccoli cheese soup. Dish after dish landed in front of her.
"Cindy, eat more. Look how thin you are."
"This shrimp is so tender. Try it."
Lucinda looked at the mountain of food in her bowl. Her mouth twitched. "That's enough. Really, that's enough."
"Not enough." Manuel sat across from her, holding a large shrimp. His long fingers deftly peeled the shell.
Once finished, he placed the meat in Lucinda's bowl. Then he cut a small piece of steak, carefully slicing it into bite-sized portions, and added it to her bowl. "Eat more. Girls shouldn't be too thin."
Dahlia sat at the far end of the table. Her knife and fork hovered in midair.
She watched Manuel peel shrimp for Lucinda. She watched him cut steak into small pieces and place it in Lucinda's bowl. Her chest felt like it had been struck hard.
She'd spent twenty years in the Douglas family. Manuel had never once peeled a shrimp for her.
She used to think he was just the type who wasn't good at expressing affection—that he treated everyone the same.
Now she realized it wasn't that he wasn't good at it. It was just that he chose who to express it to.
Her fingers tightened around her utensils, but the smile on her face didn't waver. She lowered her head, speared a piece of lettuce, and chewed it for a long time before swallowing.
"Our Cindy is so outstanding." Valencia set down her utensils and looked at Lucinda, pride radiating from her eyes. "I heard about the conference today. All those experts gathered around our Cindy. She's truly a Douglas."
Wesley nodded, a smile playing at his lips. "She's my daughter, after all."
Manuel lifted his wine glass and took a sip. His gaze rested on Lucinda's face. His mouth curved. "More than that. Cindy's going to be even more impressive in the future."
Lucinda listened to the family's praise. The tips of her ears turned faintly red.
All her life, all she'd heard from the Wipere family was abuse.
In just a few days at the Douglas family, she'd heard more praise than in twenty years at the Wipere family combined.
The Douglas family members continued their effusive compliments, each one finding new ways to praise her without repeating a single phrase.
Lucinda's face grew redder.
After dinner, Lucinda headed upstairs. Just as she reached her door, footsteps sounded behind her.
"Cindy."
Manuel approached, holding a black card. He held it out to her.
The card had no markings—only a string of numbers.
"What's this?" Lucinda took the card and turned it over.
"A bank card. There's a billion in it. No spending limit." Manuel's tone was casual. "Use it. If it's not enough, let me know."
Lucinda looked up at him and handed the card back. "Manuel, I can make my own money."
Manuel didn't take it. He slipped both hands into his pockets and leaned against the hallway wall, looking at his sister's calm face. His mouth curved slightly. "I know you can. But the money I make is for my family to spend."
His voice was serious. "You suffered so much out there before. I wasn't able to protect you. Now that you're back, I want you to live well. Buy whatever you want. Go wherever you want. Don't hold back. Don't worry about money. When you run out, I'll give you more."
He paused. His voice softened. "I'll take care of you for the rest of your life. Even after you get married, I'll still take care of you."
Lucinda looked into his earnest eyes. She was silent for a moment. Then she slipped the card into her pocket and nodded. "Okay."
A smile spread from Manuel's eyes. He reached out and gently ruffled the top of her head.
Then he withdrew his hand, turned, and walked toward the other end of the hallway.
"Get some rest. You don't have to wake up so early tomorrow. The company's not going anywhere."
His footsteps gradually faded.
Lucinda stood at the door, looking down at the card in her pocket. Her mouth curved slightly. She pushed open the door and entered her room.