CHAPTER 3: ZARA WAS THROWN OUT

Learn what? Learn how to have more backups like her? I don't have the thick skin for that," Mercy retorted, feeling too disgusted to continue eating. She put down her bowl and stood up to head back to her room.

"How dare you talk back! Your sister is so obedient and you have no manners at all. Don't embarrass me when you go out!" Her mother scolded.

Zara could do no wrong, while Mercy could do nothing right. It was as if she was destined to be stuck in the mud, with no way out.

...

Golden Pavilion.

"Aren't we supposed to meet Mr. Dexter? Why are we here?" Zara asked, puzzled, as she stood at the entrance of the city's most expensive restaurant, turning to Fallon behind her.

Fallon couldn't admit that he couldn't directly meet Mr. Dexter. He had only heard through the grapevine that Mr. Dexter would be dining here today, so he decided to try his luck.

"Uh... Mr. Dexter happened to invite me here to discuss some matters, so I brought you along," Fallon lied smoothly, without a hint of hesitation. He figured that if they did run into Mr. Dexter, he could offer to treat him to dinner on behalf of the Benson Family and maybe Mr. Dexter would accept the gesture.

"Don't worry, I'll make sure you meet him today!" Fallon assured, giving Zara a playful pat on the backside, which made her giggle shyly.

The two walked inside together.

"Mercy? What are you doing here?" Zara exclaimed in surprise.

Mercy had just returned from the restroom and was heading back to the private room when she ran into these two in the hallway.

"Oh, I get it. You're here to work as a waitress, right?" Zara said.

Zara was wearing an off-shoulder Bobby dress from D&G today, with light makeup that made her look both alluring and innocent. In contrast, Mercy, in her plain white T-shirt and jeans with no makeup, looked more beautiful but didn't quite fit the image of someone dining at such an upscale restaurant.

Before Mercy could respond, the waiter who had shown her to the private room hurried over to help her out.

"Are you two guests lost? I can show you to your room," he offered.

Fallon glanced at the meddling waiter and arrogantly snapped, "Can't you see there's already a waitress here? If she serves well, she'll get her tip."

The waiter tried to explain, "This lady, she..."

"Get lost, don't block my view!" Fallon waved him off impatiently. 

The waiter had no choice but to rush upstairs.

Zara noticed Fallon's apparent interest in Mercy and wasn't pleased. Her eyes darted around before she spoke in a syrupy tone, "Sweetie, your family isn't short on money. Why work here? Are you trying to snag a rich guy?"

She covered her mouth with her hand as if ashamed of her own words.

Mercy raised an eyebrow, puzzled by the logic in Zara's statement.

Zara had intended to put Mercy down to highlight her own purity, but Fallon was intrigued by what he heard. So, she was the daughter the Rivers family adopted from the countryside. Quite a beauty, indeed.

He adjusted his sleeve, revealing a luxury watch on his wrist and picked up where Zara left off.

"Hmph, that's not easy to say. Golden Pavilion is the most expensive restaurant in Linjiang City. Not just anyone can get in. You need money and like me, a certain level of status."

He stepped closer. "Young lady, don't waste your time dreaming about impossible things. Even if a rich guy takes a liking in you, it's just for fun. Since you're Zara's sister, why don't you take our order? I might even give you a nice tip."

Mercy saw the sleazy look on his face and stomped on his shiny black shoe.

"Ouch! How dare you step on me!"

Fallon tried to pull his foot back, but she held it firmly in place. "I stepped on you because you're a creep! You want me to take your order? Dream on!"

With that, Mercy twisted her Fallon shoe harder.

Zara was stunned and Fallon quickly shouted, "Damn it! Where's the manager? I'm going to report you and have you kicked out! Just wait to be fired!"

The next moment, the manager and security guards rushed over.

Seeing them, Fallon became even more arrogant, his chin practically pointing to the sky.

He pointed at Mercy, "This waitress insulted me. I don't want to see her again. Get her fired right now!"

To his surprise, the manager had the security guards restrain him and Zara. The guards were big and strong, lifting them like they were little chicks.

"Hey, hey, hey, you've got the wrong people!"

Ignoring Fallon's wailing, the manager quickly approached Mercy and bowed slightly.

"Apologies, Mercy. It was a mistake on our restaurant's part and we regret any distress caused," the manager said, trying to smooth things over. After all, Mercy was a guest of Mr. Dexter and if anything happened to her, his job might be on the line.

"It's fine. They were just looking for trouble," Mercy replied, showing her understanding.

Zara, noticing how respectful the manager was towards Mercy, remembered why she was there and quickly spoke up to explain. "It was just a misunderstanding. She's my sister. Sis, you’re not mad at me, right?" Zara smiled at her, trying to appease her.

"Mercy, how should we handle these two?" the manager asked, unsure of what to do next.

She smiled at Zara but then turned coldly to the manager. "I don't know those two. Do whatever you want with them."

"Mercy!" Zara shrieked.

The two troublemakers were then escorted out by security, tossed onto the street. Zara, losing her balance, stepped right into a pile of dog poop, which disgusted her to no end.

Back in the private room, Mercy hadn't been waiting long when Dexter arrived.

"Sorry, I got caught up in a meeting and am a bit late," Dexter said, dressed in a tailored black suit that added to his already captivating presence, exuding the charm of a mature man.

The dishes were served and they were all Mercy's favorites. It seemed Dexter's promise to get to know her wasn't just empty words.

After the meal, Dexter slid a document across the table to Mercy, revealing the true purpose of his visit.

"I've invested in the Rivers family," Dexter said, handing over a document. "This is the equity transfer agreement. With these shares, the Rivers family won't force you into any arranged marriages anymore."

Mercy didn't respond immediately, her head bowed as she seemed lost in thoughts. 

"Don't you like it? I really don't know how to make a girl happy..." Dexter admitted. Due to his illness, he had little experience with women and was unsure how to treat a girl well, but he genuinely wanted Mercy to be happy.

"Uncle..." Mercy looked up, her face streaked with tears, her voice choked with emotion, making anyone's heart ache.

"What's wrong? Please don't cry," Dexter said, feeling his usually cold heart tighten with concern.

Through her sobs, Mercy said, "Except for the orphanage director, no one has ever been this kind to me... I'm so touched!"

Despite her usual strong demeanor, Mercy was just a young girl who longed for care and love.

Dexter found himself both amused and moved by her reaction. He couldn't help but gently pat her head. Her hair was soft and smooth under his palm and he paused, surprised by the unfamiliar but pleasant sensation. It was something he had never done before, but it felt surprisingly nice.