Lorelei twirled a strand of hair and said casually,
“Lucinda, your bracelet’s worth maybe twenty or thirty thousand at best. Tell you what—how about I write off the hundred thousand you owe the company, and we call it even?”
Samuel shot me an impatient look.
“Lucinda, let’s just end it here. Lorelei’s being generous. I’ll waive your debt, so stop making trouble.”
My fists clenched so hard they ached. I shot to my feet and kicked Samuel.
A nearby officer stepped in immediately, holding me back, but I couldn’t stop myself from roaring,
“Samuel, you knew this bracelet was the only thing my mother left me, and you let Lorelei take it—destroy it! Is this how you honor the promise I made at my mother’s bedside?”
Samuel’s gaze went icy.
“It’s a dead woman’s belonging. Lorelei’s already doing you a favor not to think it’s bad luck. So what if it broke? I’ll pay you whatever it’s worth.”
I was trembling—not from fear, but from rage. I turned to the police and stated, voice hard as steel,
“I will pursue this to the very end. No withdrawals. No settlements.”
—
Back home, I sat staring at the shattered jade in my hands until the tears came, hot and unrelenting.
When I’d cried myself empty, I picked up my phone.
“Francis, I’ll report to your company tomorrow.”
He sounded surprised, ready to ask questions, but I hung up.
—
The next day, I walked into his office with a stack of contracts.
“These are Samuel’s corporate partners. The CEOs are longtime friends of mine—I spoke to them yesterday. Just have your project department sign them.”
Francis’s eyes widened.
“Lucinda… with this many projects, you’ll bleed Samuel’s company dry. What’s your plan?”
I met his gaze evenly.
“You want Samuel gone, right? Then take them.”
He didn’t hesitate. “What’s there to be afraid of?”
“Good,” I continued. “Samuel’s competing with you for this year’s IPO. In two weeks, the Westhaven bidding project will be critical. I’ll need full cooperation from your project team until then.”
“No problem. Whatever you need, just say it.”
I let the silence stretch before adding,
“One more thing—your company offers free air conditioning for overtime, right?”
Francis blinked, then burst out laughing.
“Free? Not only free—I’ll give you a raise.”
I nodded. “That’ll do.”
—
Two weeks later, at the bidding conference, Samuel spotted me sitting beside Francis and shot to his feet.
“Lucinda, you actually betrayed me for Francis?”
Lorelei’s voice dripped with mockery.
“Lucinda, how could you do something so cruel to Brother Samuel?”
I smiled coldly.
“One more word, and I’ll release the footage of you two in my bedroom.”
Samuel froze, then forced a sneer.
“You’ll regret this. I’m determined to win today’s project.”
I ignored him. Moments later, the results were announced.
“The Westhaven project goes to Grant Corporation for $85.61 million.”
Francis’s expression darkened, and my eyes went wide. Samuel’s bid had beaten ours by only $1,500—clear proof that the base price had been leaked.
Lorelei’s lips curled into a smug smile.
“Thanks for the help, Lucinda.”
Around us, whispers rose. Everyone now believed I was the leak.
The rest of the Alden family erupted.
“I knew this woman was trouble from the start! President Alden, call the police and have her arrested!”
Francis’s gaze found mine.
“Lucinda… did you do this?”
I shook my head. Before I could speak, a police officer walked in.
Francis immediately stepped in front of me, his voice cold as ice.
“Who called the police?”
I stepped out from behind him, meeting Samuel’s and Lorelei’s eyes with a smile.
“I did. I’m reporting Samuel for tax evasion—and for stealing Alden Corporation’s trade secrets.”
