Chapter 226
The color drained completely from Allegra's lips.
She opened her mouth, wanting to say something, but all her words were stuck in her throat. She couldn't squeeze out a single syllable.
Seeing this, Gemma panicked. She grabbed Preston's sleeve and tugged.
Preston gritted his teeth. Then, in the next second, his legs bent—
He dropped to his knees in front of Lucinda!
His kneecaps struck the hard concrete floor of the parking garage with a dull, heavy sound.
Lucinda's pupils constricted. She quickly regained her composure and instinctively took half a step back.
What are these people trying to pull?
Preston lifted his head. His eyes were already red, his voice trembling. "Cindy! I'm begging you! I'm kneeling before you! For the sake of raising you all these years—drop the lawsuit! If you drop it, the Wipere family still has a chance! I'll repay you for the rest of my life—I'll work like a dog for you—"
Gemma also dropped to her knees, tears streaming down her face. "Cindy! I'm kneeling too! Please drop the lawsuit! Whatever you want, I'll give it to you! If you don't want to see us, I'll never appear in front of you again! Just spare the Wipere family—"
The two of them knelt on the cold floor of the parking garage, their backs bent low, foreheads nearly touching the ground.
Allegra stood off to the side, her face pale, lips trembling.
Even though she was extremely unwilling, she slowly bent her knees as well, as if to put on a show of solidarity.
Lucinda looked down at the three people kneeling before her and remained silent for several seconds.
Moral blackmail?
Too bad. She didn't buy it.
She didn't bother giving them another glance. She turned around, pulled open the car door, bent down, and got in.
The hum of the engine starting echoed softly in the empty parking garage.
She shifted into gear, released the handbrake, and the car slowly rolled forward a few feet.
Preston was still kneeling on the ground. He reached out toward the front of her car. "Cindy! Cindy, listen to me—"
Lucinda drove right past him.
The car wasn't moving fast. The moment Preston's hand touched the hood, a steady push of force nudged it to the side. He instinctively pulled his hand back, stumbled two steps sideways, and fell to the ground.
Gemma cried out and rushed to help him. The tires rolled over the spot where they'd been kneeling moments ago, kicking up dust that swirled in the light.
The car didn't pause. It exited the parking garage and merged onto the main road.
The taillights grew fainter in the night, disappearing completely at the end of the street.
Preston sat slumped on the ground. His elbow was scraped, beads of blood seeping through.
Gemma knelt beside him, supporting his arm. Tears still streamed down her face, but no sound came from her throat anymore.
Allegra stood in place. She didn't help anyone.
She stared in the direction where the car had disappeared, her fists clenched tight.
Her nails dug into her palms. The pain made her entire arm tremble.
Her lips pressed into a thin line. Her gaze darkened bit by bit.
Lucinda.
One day, she would make that woman taste what it felt like to be trampled underfoot.
She took a deep breath, turned around, walked over to her parents still sitting on the ground, bent down, and helped Preston to his feet. "Dad, get up."
Preston looked up at her, his voice hoarse. "Allegra… your sister…"
"She's not going to help us." Allegra cut him off. "No matter how many times we kneel, it won't work. We have to rely on ourselves."
Gemma wiped the tears from her face and looked up at her daughter. "Then… then what can we do? Your father's company—that hole in the finances is about to blow wide open…"
Allegra straightened up. Her gaze fell on the brightly lit streets in the distance. After a few seconds of silence, she spoke. "I scored 98 on the recent research exam. That score—in Starlight City circles—is something worth showing off."
Gemma froze. "You mean…"
"We throw a banquet." Allegra's voice was firm. "We invite everyone who's anyone in Starlight City. Let them see that the Wipere family's daughter has real talent and skill. As long as someone's willing to lend a hand, the Wipere family can pull through."
Preston slowly got up from the ground, dusted off his knees, his brow still furrowed. "…Will that work?"
"How will we know if we don't try?" Allegra turned to face him. "Dad, we don't have any other options."
Preston was silent for a long time. Finally, he nodded.
Gemma also bit down hard, as if steeling herself. "Fine! I'll go book a hotel right now. The best hotel in Starlight City—The Velvet Fork! This time, no matter what, we're going to put on a show. Let those people see that the Wipere family's daughter is second to none."
The next morning, Gemma called and reserved the largest private dining room at The Velvet Fork.
The deposit was scraped together from every corner—it nearly drained the Wipere family's last bit of savings.
The customer service rep on the phone was polite but distant. After quoting the price, there was a pause, as if waiting for hesitation on the other end. But Gemma gritted her teeth and agreed.
The invitations were written by Allegra herself. Each one was embossed with gold foil, the wording elegant and restrained.
The content read roughly: The Wipere family's daughter, Allegra, has achieved outstanding results in the National Academy of Sciences of Astoria's research selection exam. We cordially invite friends and family to gather at The Velvet Fork to celebrate. Our sincere gratitude.
But unexpectedly, after the invitations went out, there was complete silence.
Those business associates who'd had some dealings with the Wipere family either didn't respond or sent back perfunctory replies like, "Busy lately. Let's meet another time."
Gemma refused to give up. She called them one by one. On the other end, people either made excuses or hung up directly, skipping pleasantries altogether.
Gemma gripped her phone, her face growing paler and paler.
"They… they're all refusing to come."
She let out a long sigh, her face ashen.
Preston sat on the sofa, head lowered, saying nothing.
The air in the entire living room felt frozen, oppressively heavy.
Allegra stood by the window, looking out at the overcast sky. Suddenly, she spoke. "Tell them Lucinda will be there too."
Gemma's head snapped up. "What?"
"Say she heard about my good results and wants to come celebrate with me." Allegra turned around, her face expressionless. "Those people—they're all shrewd. They're not coming because they look down on the Wipere family. But Lucinda is different. What's her status now? Ms. L. The nation's top scorer. If you say she'll be there, those people will come naturally."
Gemma hesitated. "But what if she doesn't show up…"
"She won't come." Allegra cut her off. "But it doesn't matter. Just spread the word first. Once people arrive and the scene is set, does it really matter whether she shows up or not?"
Gemma looked at her daughter's calm face. She opened her mouth, but in the end, said nothing more.
She picked up her phone and started dialing again.