Room for You
Chapter 81

Chapter 81

It was around 10.00AM when Hayley was browsing through the LouisVuitton store at the premium mall. Just as she was glancing at the bagson display, her phone rang. She answered the call brusquely, “Hey,Mom."

“Hayley, you don't happen to have some money to spare, do you? Yourbrother needs to fork out payment for school, so we were wondering ifyou could help tide us over for a bit.”

“Where would I get the money, Mom? I don't even have enough tokeep myself afloat at the moment, so no, I can't help you guys out,”Hayley replied, swiftly turning her mother down.

The next moment, her mother’s shrill voice filled the other line. “Justwhat the hell have you been up to these days? You're probably justlazing around, aren't you? I raised you only to have you become soworthless that you can’t even fork out 2,000 to help us out! Consideryourself my greatest failure!”

Hayley was indifferent as she took her mother's harsh words in stride.When the older woman had dealt every single insult she could come upwith in the short span of time, she hung up. It was only then that Hayleyturned to look at the retail assistant, and in a tone that sounded as ifshe needed an emotional outlet, she snapped and said, “Ring up everybag on this shelf right now.”

The assistant stared at her in bewilderment. She had heard everythingHayley said on the phone earlier, so she could hardly believe that thegirl had money to pay for these bags.

Alas, with a deft swipe of her unlimited black card, Hayley paid for thebags and left the store in a huff.

That afternoon, May was sitting on the edge of her chair across fromHayley as she glanced around the high-end restaurant. “This is the firsttime I've been to somewhere as fancy as this, Hayley! This isunbelievable!”

Hayley brought her cup to her lips as elegantly as she could and took asip. “Tell me about Anastasia’s recent developments, May.”

“You know that jewelry design competition that's been recentlyorganized? Apparently, Anastasia’s design has made it to the finals, andthe winner will be — declared next week. If she wins, she will receive amillion in prize money!" May

informed the woman as jealousy gleamed in her eyes.

Even Hayley was astonished when she heard this. “What? A million?”“That's right! A competition like this typically caps the prize money ataround 100,000, but I heard that President Presgrave is really going allout this year and racked up the prize to a million. It's groundbreaking.”Hayley tightened her grip around her cup. If she were to clasp it anytighter, the cup might break. So Elliot was the one who hiked up theprize money?

“President Presgrave is so generous,” May mused with a wistful sigh.Hayley immediately thought of this as one of Elliot's ways to repayAnastasia’'s mother's deeds, which meant that Anastasia was set to winthe competition and walk away with a million in cash prize.

Elliot wielded power in various industries under the conglomerate, andit was only child's play for him to manipulate the results of a jewelrydesign competition. As things were, it would not be the least bitsurprising if Anastasia won first place.

No, I can't let Anastasia walk away with that money so easily. I can't lether win the competition without even breaking a sweat! Hayley wasfilled with spite and rage that she wanted to throw Anastasia out ofBourgeois and have her removed permanently from the designindustry. I want her reputation to be fed to the dogs!

The jewelry design competition this time was the best opportunity forHayley to get rid of Anastasia. Let's see how you'll fare when you fallhard from grace.

After lunch, Anastasia returned to the office with 100,000 in cash onhand. She took the satchel of money and walked up to the president'soffice, whereupon she knocked on the door. It was Rey who opened itfrom within, and at the sight of him, she asked, “Is President Presgravein at the moment?”

“Yes, he is,” Rey answered courteously.

She nodded. “I have some things to discuss with him.” With that, shemarched through the doorway and saw that Elliot was seated on thecouch, looking preoccupied as he went through a mountainous pile ofdocuments.

Upon sensing her entry, Elliot merely looked up at her once, thenturned his attention to the documents before him as he askedabsentmindedly, “Is there something I can help you with?”

Without another word, Anastasia put the stack of cash in front of himand said, “I'm here to pay you back the 100,000 I owe you.”

Elliot's pen paused on the page for a moment, but he recovered andsigned off on the document before closing the folder. Having done so,he looked up at her and said coldly, “Stop right there, Anastasia. Takeyour money back.”

For all her love of money, Anastasia did not want to keep somethingthat she did not deserve. She turned on her heels and said, “Donateyour money to charity if you truly have nothing else to spend it on.There are others in this world who would appreciate your generosity.”Hearing this made Rey speak up on his boss’ behalf from where hestood at the sidelines. “Miss Tillman, President Presgrave already has acharitable foundation under his name, and he donates billions everyyear into said foundation,” he said.

When Anastasia heard this, she faltered and let out an awkward drycough. “Well then, pretend I said nothing.” With that, she flushedsheepishly and left.