Chapter 5
Pearl remembered how Manfred confessed his love to her before the school on her birthday, promising to protect and make her happy. Pearl had never seen such a passionate and persistent person before. Deeply moved, Pearl agreed. She didn't think Manfred would turn against her later.
Pearl had felt down on the anniversary of her father's death and thought Manfred would accompany her. She waited in vain for him. Manfred didn't answer his phone. Pearl assumed he was busy working and planned to surprise him with dinner.
To her shock, Pearl found Manfred with Tina when she arrived at his place in the rain with the ingredients. It turned out that Manfred and Tina had been together for a long time, and Manfred had gotten close to Pearl to help Tina seize Pearl's assets. Angry, humiliated, and upset, Pearl gave them a sound beating.
Manfred begged for forgiveness later, and Pearl's stance softened. She decided not to expose them and promised to meet with him to clarify things.
The decision nearly cost Pearl's life. Before Manfred pushed Pearl off the cliff, he told her, "Relax. Tina will take care of your company and your home."
Pearl's heart shattered as the icy ocean swallowed her. She swore never to let them off. Finally, Pearl was rescued and returned.
"It's all him. Go after him. I didn't do anything!" The guilty Tina pushed Manfred and turned to run into the house.
Manfred was dumbfounded. Thinking quickly, he denied, "N-no. It's not me. It's Tina. It's her idea. I loved you, Pearl..." He approached Pearl slowly, thinking she was still naive.
Pearl scoffed. Her gaze was fixed on Manfred. Before he could touch her, Pearl kicked him hard. Manfred was caught off guard. His head hit a pillar in the garden.
Manfred screamed in pain. He realized he was bleeding. Pearl walked slowly to him. Manfred met her icy gaze and recovered from his shock.
Pearl looked down loftily at him. Her eyes were cold. "Manfred, your good days are over." It was time for him to pay for his deeds.
"Throw him out," Pearl instructed her bodyguards behind her before walking past him. She would settle scores slowly with them.
*****
Chaos reigned in Rose Garden. Pearl wasted no time setting things to right. She hired a team to clear out her parents' and her rooms. Ralph and Tina's belongings were all thrown out.
"What are you doing?" Tina panicked seeing her beloved possessions discarded. She pointed at Pearl resentfully. "Are you insane? I've been living here."
Pearl sat lazily on the couch, flipping through the estate's current personnel list, not sparing her a glance. "No wonder my room is full of garbage." She turned to the cleaning team and ordered, "Be meticulous. Don't worry about damage. I just want it clean." "Sure." The team showed no mercy after that. The branded bags were no different from ordinary bags to them. They were all thrown into sacks and tossed out.
Tina nearly exploded. "Stop! Get your filthy paws off them."
Pearl had enough when Tina tried to claw at the workers. Pearl ripped the curtains down and tied the struggling Tina to a chair, stuffed her mouth with a sock, and slapped her. Tina fell silent.
The two rooms were returned to their original state before evening. Pearl gave the team a large bonus and dismissed them.
When Ralph returned, he saw his antiques scattered in the corridor. His heart ached so much he almost cried. "Dear God, who did this?"
Tina, who was just freed, threw herself into her father's arms and pointed at Pearl. "Dad, it's her. She threw everything out."
Ralph looked at Pearl with hostility. "What are you up to, Pearl?"Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g
"Helping you move, of course." Pearl leaned on the railing, looking at them lazily. "Uncle Ralph, have you forgotten whose house this is?"
Ralph gritted his teeth. He had coveted this estate for a long time. He moved in as soon as Pearl died. He didn't expect Pearl to return and appear like a different person.
Ralph forced a smile. "Pearl, we're family. I'm the chairman of the company now, and I'm used to living here..."
"Habits can be changed," Pearl interjected, her expression cold and her tone calm. "The chairman can also be replaced. If you want to retire early, Uncle Ralph, I can arrange it."