Chapter 137: He'll Never Agree
Before Mina could even get in another word, Rachel took off. She was going to find President Lee and call in her favor. There was a victorious expression on Mr. Eric's face.
"Offer still stands. You can bring twenty people with you if you'd like," Eric said half mockingly. Mina turned to the man who had just put on a weak act in front of his niece.
"He will never agree to it," Mina said. Meaning that the man should not get his hopes up. Mina was not worried at all. However, a few minutes later Rachel practically floated her way toward them.
"Good news!" she said. "He gave us the time off." Mina was bewildered.
"Why?" Mina asked despite herself.
"I told you, he owed me a small favor. A few days off was nothing, but he said you have to take someone with you." Mina knew that meant someone from the Lee household, but she did not comment. "Mina, it doesn't look like you are enjoying that salad. Come have lunch with my uncle and I," Rachel said. Mina was afraid she couldn't leave the Lee building, but she figured that now was as good a time as any to take the chance.
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Mina sat in a nearby restaurant with Secretary Kim and her uncle. She glanced over at the menu and saw that everything was affordable. Mr. Eric seemed to misread her expression and felt the need to explain himself.
"I'm a good director, but I am not rich," he said. Mina felt self-conscious.
"I wasn't thinking about that," she said. "It's just been a long time since I've eaten at a place I can afford." Rachel smiled.
"Aren't you well off?" she asked, and Mina shook her head in the negative. "All of my money has gone to taking care of my parents. I am broke," she said honestly. Mr. Eric chuckled.
"Family can really do it to you," Eric said, and Rachel nodded. "It was my sister for me. She bankrupted our family and took off." Rachel made a face, and her uncle rested his hand on her shoulder. "It's better we tell her this now," he said. "She doesn't seem like a complicated person. It's preferable for her to hear it from us than from anyone else," he said. Mina glanced at the pair suspiciously.
Mr. Eric told Mina that his family was once considered wealthy. He and his sister split the responsibility for the family business, but his sister fell in love with the wrong man and he convinced her to embezzle the company's funds. When his sister was found out, she fled. The next time he saw her, she was holding the hand of a 4-year-old little girl. Out of familial pity, he took her in, and he and his wife agreed to help raise the child, Rachel, alongside their own. Unfortunately, the woman was gone without a trace just three days later. With no word from her after several years, he formally adopted his niece, but their family was still in debt, and to this day, he was still working hard to pay it off.
"Mina, I am telling you this now, because I think you can become famous and I would like to work with you long term. If I am no longer able to nurture your career, I will personally help you find someone who can manage you to your fullest potential," he said. Mina wanted to tell the man that she was not interested in his offer, but she felt like the mood was too raw to add any more negativity.
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Rachel hated to hear that story. Although it was a part of her life she could not erase, she was embarrassed by her past. Had it not been for her uncle's kindness, she probably would not have been able to have a normal life. In Pan, illegitimate children were forbidden from marrying without governmental approval. It was a practice put in place to stop half siblings from unintentionally marrying one another. However, it had lasting consequences for those in the lower classes of society. If a couple could not afford the fees for the DNA test and the family trace, they would not be allowed to register their relationship. As a result, there were many unwed couples in lower society, and many people who were considered unsuitable for marriage. For Rachel, being formally adopted by her biological uncle, waived the family trace, and all she had to come up with was the nominal fee to make sure she and her husband were unrelated. Fortunately, they were not.
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Mina listened to Mr. Eric talk about his sister and niece and she pitied the girl. She knew their countries views on fatherless children, and she knew that life must have been hard for Rachel, even after she was formally adopted.
"Thank you for telling me," Mina said. She did not know how else to continue. The news would not in any way change the way she viewed Rachel, but the admission did make her feel too guilty to decline the role.
"Okay, enough talking. Let's eat," Mina said, lifting a menu. "Today, this meal is on President Lee."
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President Lee was working in his office when he received a mobile notification. Mina had just used his card in a local restaurant. He was unfamiliar with the place, but he knew that whatever she purchased cost him close to $500.00. He tossed his phone aside and continued his work. The amount wasn't even enough for him to bat an eye. He was just happy that Mina felt comfortable enough to use his card. Perhaps his sister was right, maybe the girl just needed a little bit more freedom. He hoped that his approval for her to go to a film site with Secretary Kim helped boost her confidence. He wanted her to see that she could live a normal life, even while living under his roof. He was not sure why, but it seemed like Mina and his sister were adamant about her moving out.