Rena stepped out of the car and took a deep breath before walking toward the towering building of An’s Group. She knew what was at stake—the pendant, the truth, everything connected to her family’s past. But nothing could have prepared her for what awaited inside.
As she entered the lobby, a loud voice echoed through the space. A middle-aged woman in formal wear, clearly a superior, was berating a young cleaning staff member in front of everyone.
“I told you this stain should’ve been removed by now! Are you deaf or just lazy?”
The frightened girl kept her head low. “Ma’am, I cleaned it. Someone spilled coffee again just now—”
Before she could finish, the woman raised her hand.
“Stop!” Rena’s voice rang out sharply.
Everyone turned. Rena walked forward and stepped between the two women.
“You’re about to hit her for something that wasn’t even her fault,” she said coldly. “Do you even know what happened? Or do you just enjoy yelling at people who can’t talk back?”
The older woman flushed with embarrassment. “Who are you to interfere?!”
“Someone who won’t stand by and watch people be bullied,” Rena said calmly.
The situation grew tense. A few employees whispered on the sidelines, watching the scene unfold.
Suddenly, a strong male voice cut through the crowd.
“What’s going on here?”
Everyone turned as a tall man in a sleek dark suit walked over. His presence commanded attention—Mr. An Yi Chen, the CEO of An’s Group himself.
The staff immediately straightened up, and the woman who was yelling moments ago bowed slightly. “Sir, it’s nothing. Just a staff issue—”
Rena stepped forward. “No, it wasn’t nothing. That lady was about to hit a worker for a mistake she didn’t make.”
Mr. An’s sharp eyes glanced at both women. He looked at the cleaner, who trembled slightly.
“Is this true?” he asked gently.
The girl nodded. “Yes, sir.”
He turned to the angry staff member—who was none other than Ms. Zhao, the Manager.
“You’re Manager Ms. Zhao,” he said, his voice calm but firm. “You know better than anyone that we don’t tolerate harassment or assault. This is a warning. Next time, you’ll be facing disciplinary action.”
Ms. Zhao’s face turned red, but she swallowed her words. “Understood, sir.”
Mr. An gave a short nod and turned to Rena. “Thank you for speaking up. Do you work here?”
“No,” Rena said. “But I came for an interview.”
Mr. An smiled politely. “Then I hope justice today didn’t cost you an opportunity. Good luck.”
He walked away, and the crowd slowly dispersed.
When Rena walked into the interview room shortly after, her stomach dropped.
There, sitting behind the desk with a tight-lipped smile, was Ms. Zhao—the same Manager woman from earlier.
“Well, if it isn’t the heroine,” she said icily. “Let’s not pretend we like each other.”
Rena kept her tone respectful. “I only did what was right. I didn’t mean to disrespect you.”
“I don’t need your apology,” Ms. Zhao snapped. “But since you want a job so badly… there’s an opening on the janitorial team. Cleaning duty.”
Rena clenched her fists. She wanted to scream. But she remembered the news—the pendant they were looking for was somehow connected to the An family or their archives. If she wanted answers, she had to stay close.
“I’ll take it,” she said quietly.
Back Home That Evening
Rena stepped through the door, her body aching from the day’s humiliation. Riya was already there, sitting silently on the couch, her expression hollow.
“So... did you get to apologize to Mr. Lu?” Rena asked carefully.
Riya looked up, bitterness clouding her eyes. “No. His... fiancée came. Blocked me before I could even speak. And the receptionist refused to let me through.”
“So? How did it go? Did you get the job?”
Rena hesitated, then nodded slowly. “Yes… but not the one I hoped for. I’m a cleaner now.”
Riya’s eyes widened. “What?
Rena explained everything to Riya
Riya clenched her fists. “This is nonsense! Why are we doing this to ourselves? Begging. Getting humiliated. For what? Let’s just quit. Let’s leave all this behind!”
But Rena looked at her firmly, eyes burning with quiet resolve. “We can’t. We have to find the pendant. No matter what it takes. That’s why we came here, remember?” We need that for our glory.
Riya stared at her sister’s worn expression and the faint trace of dirt on her sleeve—realizing what she must have gone through that day.
“But you’re cleaning toilets, Rena. That’s not right,” she said, voice trembling.
“I don’t care,” Rena replied. “If it gets us closer to the truth—to getting back what they took from us—then I’ll endure it.”
The room fell silent, both sisters weighed down by fate. But between them, a quiet strength began to bloom—one that neither Wei Wei nor the An Group could break.
***Download NovelToon to enjoy a better reading experience!***
Download
Like this story? Download the app to keep your reading history.
Comments