Chapter 15

The so-called “Girls’ Education Program” is a company initiative that funds a group of impoverished girls from remote areas.

These girls might face the risk of dropping out of school in their hometowns.

The company pays to bring them to the city for a semester of quality education, covering their food and accommodation.

Additionally, a small educational subsidy is provided to their guardians.

The project is now at its midpoint.

On the surface, the collaboration with Lucas seemed smooth.

But on this day, while checking the accounts, I discovered something unusual.

Several payments meant for the girls’ guardians were deposited into Lucas’s personal account!

I immediately went to confront Lucas.

He wasn’t surprised at all: “Yeah, I asked the finance department to transfer it to my personal account.”

“Why did you do that?” I suppressed my anger.

“This project is more tedious and exhausting than I imagined, and the bonus at the end is just a pittance. I thought, why not keep some hardship pay for myself? It’s not excessive, right?” He replied with such confidence, as if it were only natural.

“Are you saying you want to embezzle part of the subsidy?!” I could hardly believe my ears.

“Isn’t that how it always is?” He asked me with such ease, as if I were the naive one, “In this world, many so-called ‘charities’ have operators who take a cut. Do you really think the money you donate goes entirely to the beneficiaries? Only fools don’t take a commission. You could take some too, Mr. Yu has tacitly approved.”

“Are you insane?! That money is for the children’s living and education!”

“I’m struggling too, Avy!” Lucas’s tone became somewhat agitated, “I need to establish myself in this city, get married and have kids in the future, don’t I need to buy a house? Without money, how can I buy a house?”

“You won’t die if you don’t buy a house! But they might actually drop out of school or go hungry without money!” I retorted sharply.

Lucas’s expression changed, no longer the gentle senior. He looked at me with a gaze that was almost pitying yet mocking.

“Avy, have you been protected too well by Ethan Sterling? You have no worries, but I don’t!”

I was stunned.

Me, protected too well?

This was the most absurd joke I’d ever heard.

Because many years ago, I was one of those countless impoverished girls, desperately waiting for the promised funds that never came, struggling to pursue my education amidst adversity.