Rightful Heiress

Just as Wade was about to knock on her door, he noticed a tray in front of Lina's door. Picking it up, he saw a glass of warm milk and a plate filled with her favourite brand of chocolate cookies with vanilla cream filling.

'Who must have left it here?' He noticed that the glass was warm, this meant that the tray was just placed here.

He knocked on the door and waited for Lina to open it for him.

'Maybe Lina must have asked a servant to bring her some snacks.' He munched on one of the cookies while he waited.

Soon Lina opened the door and walked back to her bed without looking at his face.

"Am I a bad person, gege?" She asked with her head low as she sat with her legs folded on the bed.

Setting the tray aside, he rubbed her head.

"I know you hate raising your voice at others, but sometimes it's just needed. What did Aunt teach you when you encounter something that is not right?" He questioned her.

"To stand up against your bullies and never fear the consequences." She finally looked up at him.

"You did just as Aunt taught you, then why are you so sad?" But she cut him off.

"What if I become the bully?" This was what she feared the most. She too was a human, what if that power went to her head and she became a bad person?

"Oh Nana, we are here to protect you and teach you if you go wrong. So stop blaming yourself, it was Mandy and her mother who are in the wrong here. Not you." Wade gently explained.

Lina just nodded her head and smiled, feeling at ease with his comforting words. She then saw the tray that he had brought in with him.

"Aww thanks Wade, just what I need right now!" She pulled the tray towards herself and dunked the cookies in milk.

'What is she talking about?' He was confused as to why she was thanking him.

"I did not bring them here. They were already at your doorstep. I thought you asked a servant to get them for you." He shook his head and said what had happened.

'I directly went to wash up as soon as I entered the room, that's why I must have missed the person who brought it here.' She tried to recollect if someone had knocked on her door but she was sure that she did not hear anything.

"Oh man! The ghost strikes again!" Lina punched the bed because she missed her chance to catch the ghost red handed.

"What ghost? There's a ghost here?" Wade wearily looked around her room and scooted closer to Lina.

"No Wade, ghosts aren't real. How many times do I have to tell you that? But there's someone who moves around this house just like a ghost." She spoke the last sentence in a spooky voice and succeeded in scaring Wade.

'How can a grownass man be scared of an imaginary ghost?' She laughed at his reaction and explained all the mysterious snacks appearances that were happening to her.

"How sure are you that these are all the works of a human?" He was still skeptical of  what he heard.

"A 100% sure." Rolling her eyes at his ridiculousness, Lina offered the cookies to him.

"And I will unmask this snack ghost one day for sure!" She promised with vigor.

They both sat and finished the plate of cookies and she let Wade drink the glass of milk.

"Thanks for stocking up my fridge at the office, I would like to go grocery shopping some day to see what new foods I can try here." She said thinking of adding new snacks to her snack paradise.

Wade nodded his head and spoke after he finished the milk.

"Consultants don't have to come to the office everyday so you can hang out whenever you want. Just be ready to come to the office when you get a call." He told her the perks of her new job, to which she happily nodded her head.

"But we will soon be very busy thanks to my new collection. Have you prepared a cover story for me for the meeting tomorrow?" She asked and saw him smile mischievously. 

"Don't worry about that. Just be there on time. You'll meet the Directors of Finance and PR tomorrow. The three departments will work in close cooperation so be sure to make a good first impression on them." He advised her.

"I know. Any quirks that I need to look out for?" She asked.

'What if they also are unreasonable and hate me for no reason like Director Bai?' She then laughed remembering Stuart Bai's sad face when she refused to give him the cupcake.

"Nah. These guys are alright." He waved his hand assuring her.

"Hmm. I'm sure I can win them over with my charm and talent." Lina boasted while wiggling her eyebrows.

"Sure sure, Cupcake Fairy. You already are famous in the company." He laughed remembering Asst Kirk telling him of Lina's new found fame.

"Ha ha ha." Lina laughed awkwardly at the new nickname that the people in her department started using.

"Forget about that, I spoke to Benji today. He said that the consignment is ready and Mr Hitoshi and his team will be here on saturday. I've asked Benji to coordinate with Kirk about their arrival and stay. Make sure to find a nice place for them to stay at." She reminded Wade and he decided to speak to Kirk about this tomorrow.

"Ok. I'll ask Kirk to find them a place near Obsidia." They hung around discussing a few things and soon Wade went back to his own room. 

-----

At 8, they both reached the dining table and found that Lucille and Mandy decided to stay in their rooms for dinner.

Wade was grateful for this because he was in no mood to tolerate their nonsense on a hungry stomach.

Butler Ping helped the servants bring out the dishes from the kitchen and set them on the table for them.

"Where's Mrs. Ping? Is she still angry at what happened earlier?"  Lina asked him when she could not find Mrs. Ping anywhere.

"Should I go and talk to her?" She asked Wade and received an affirmative nod from him.

"No, Young Miss. She's fine, not at all angry." Butler Ping rubbed his neck and said when he saw that Lina was about to get up from her seat.

"She's just a little tired, so I asked her to rest early." He blushed and went back into the kitchen.

Wade had understood what must have taken place when he saw the look on Butler Ping's face but Lina, the little lamb still did not understand why he acted that way.

"I'm still not convinced. Should I go talk to her after dinner?" She said with a worried face and frowned when she saw that Wade was laughing at her.

"My innocent Nana, don't worry about her. She's alright, Butler Ping must have tired her out. She'll be fine after a good night's sleep." He said with a knowing smile and Lina finally understood what he was hinting at.

"Wow, Butler Ping sure has stamina!" 

They both laughed and had their dinner cheerfully.

-----

In Mandy's princess themed room, Lucille patted her daughter's back gently to make her stop crying. 

"How many times have I told you that if you want to fit into this family, then act like a proper socialite. You did not have to yell at that old hag at all." Lucille said with annoyance written on her face.

"You belong to one of the biggest families in this city and the country, act like an heiress not a shrew on the roadside." She chided her and saw Mandy glare at her.

"I am a shrew? Really, Mum? What do you call that bitch Lina then? I only raised my voice but she raised her hand. Tell me what would you call her!?" She yelled at her mother.

"You see how you are acting like right now? A person from noble birth would not yell at others. Be soft spoken but make your words matter. Did you see how Lina so flawlessly taunted us but never once raised her voice?" She taught Mandy.

"And who's fault is it that Lina behaves like an heiress while I am just like a commoner!" She stared at her mother with tears flowing down her cheeks.

Lucille was shocked listening to her words. This was the first time that Mandy had accused her this way.

"Mind your tone, young lady! Don't forget who you are talking to!" Any trace of care and gentleness that was on Lucille's face earlier had now vanished and all that was left was her grim face and cold eyes.

"If you hate being compared to Lina that much, why don't we just go back to where we came from? Still remember that shabby one bedroom apartment with the broken everything in it?" She viciously threatened Mandy with the old life that they led before returning to this country.

She knew that her daughter had gotten so used to this new rich and luxurious lifestyle that going back would be near to impossible for her. And she was right.

Hearing her mother's words, Mandy hurriedly wiped her tears and looked straight into her eyes.

"I'm sorry mum, I lost my composure for a minute there. We don't have to go anywhere. I'll prove to you that I can be a better heiress than Lina. I promise." She hugged her mother tight.

Mandy did not see the victorious smile on Lucille's face and Lucille did not see the vicious glare on Mandy's face as she hugged her tighter.

"That's enough now! Have your dinner inside quitely and don't create any more troubles for me." She let go of the hug and patted Mandy's head.

"Good night, mum!" Mandy said cheerfully as she waved goodbye to Lucille.

'Just you wait Lina! I'll show you who is the rightful heiress in this house.' She then stared at the dark clouds in the night sky.

The creepy smile on her face that was reflected on the window, was nowhere close to that cheerful smile that she had shown her mother just now.