Chapter 2

In the blink of an eye, summer break had arrived. I had arranged for Bethany and the others to work at my family's factory, just as they had requested.

Looking at the gates before me, I couldn't help but shrink back a little. Even though it belonged to my family, it had been a long time since I was last here.

As for the reason…

I shook my head, unwilling to dwell on it any longer.

"This really is the biggest factory in the city. It looks impressive," one of them commented. "I didn't expect Melanie's family to be so well-off."

"What does it matter if she's rich? She's still our lackey."

Another added, "Hey, what do you think our jobs will be? We've been walking for ages and haven't seen a single employee."

I heard their conversation but didn't respond. Instead, I just kept walking ahead.

"Are you messing with us? We've walked for so long and haven't seen anyone working." Charlotte spoke up first, her eyes full of hostility as she glared at me.

I flinched at her words, lowering my head to avoid their gazes. "T-They're probably on their lunch break," I stammered.

Whenever I lied, my eyes instinctively darted elsewhere. Thankfully, they were unaware of this.

As expected, they didn't press further. I let out a quiet sigh of relief and continued leading the way.

"This factory is weird. What do they even do here? There isn't a single person in sight, yet there's smoke coming out," Charlotte remarked.

Her words made my palms sweat. I licked my dry lips and explained, "We mainly make clothes. There's not much to do, so you guys don't have to worry."

As I spoke, I noticed my father's office ahead. "My dad's office is right there. I'll take you inside," I said.

Just as I reached for the door handle, someone grabbed me from behind. I turned in surprise, only to see Bethany glaring at me.

Her eyes were sharp with warning as she snarled, "You know what to say in front of your dad, right? We're your best friends at school, aren't we?"

She emphasized "friends", which hit me like a punch in the gut. I shuddered and quickly nodded. "O-Of course. We're friends."

Satisfied with my response, Bethany finally let go of my arm and followed me inside.

I opened the door, but the office was pitch-black.

"Dad, these are the friends I mentioned, the ones coming to work here for the summer," I said cautiously.

Before I could introduce them, they pushed past me and crowded into the room.

"Hello, Mr. Parker. We're here for the summer jobs. May I know what the pay is like? Is ten thousand dollars a month okay? Oh, and I'm not really into factory work. Can I get an office job instead?"

"That's right," someone else piped up. "We heard you can issue internship completion certificates. I'd love a job in an air-conditioned office."

As I listened to their bold requests, I shook my head in resignation. Who on earth would talk to their boss like that?

My father, who had been silent until now, cleared his throat and replied, "I've heard about you all from Melanie."

His calm voice immediately stilled the room.

"Why does his voice sound so young?" Bethany asked.

She continued, "Anyway, we're Mel's best friends—the ones who always stand up for her when people bully her. So, you can definitely give us better positions, right?"

Bethany shot me a threatening glance as she spoke.

With no other option, I stepped forward, intent on explaining to my father. However, before I could say anything, he responded, "Alright, I got it."

Then, he addressed me, "Mel, you can leave now. Let me have a word with your friends. Go find your mother."

His tone left no room for argument. So, I swallowed the words on the tip of my tongue.

"Okay," I muttered.

Bethany and the others stared at me, but I ignored them. With that, I rose and prepared to leave.

They were intimidating. Even so, nothing compared to the fear I felt when it came to my father.

The second I was on my feet, the office lights suddenly flickered on. In the next instant, my father's figure came into view.

He was seated in the office chair, wearing a red suit. His long hair cascaded down his waist, with a few loose strands brushing his lips. His youthful features made it hard to believe he had a daughter my age.

Bethany, Charlotte, and the rest fixed their gazes on him. At that sight, I dashed out of the office.

I knew what was coming next.