Chapter 51: A Daily Swipe for Henry’s Salary
The very first thing I did the next morning was grab my phone and record another video, this time of all my kittens curled up together in a fluffy little pile on my bed.
Honestly, at this point, I didn’t even care about the views anymore. I just wanted to show the world how unbearably cute they were.
I held up the camera a little closer, my voice soft but cheerful. "Yes, I brought them home," I told the video, giving the kittens a gentle stroke as they wriggled against each other. "And I’ve already given them names."
One by one, I pointed at them as they squirmed in the blankets. "This one’s Lingo ... this sleepyhead is Luna ... and the tiny one hiding under the pillow is Leo." I continued, "And these are Lira and Lumi."
The kittens mewled as if responding to their new names, and I couldn’t stop the smile spreading across my face. "They’re my babies now, so please take care of them with me.
After that, I got out of bed to get ready. Since Rosélle Beauty’s team would be doing my makeup later, I skipped it, but I still took the time to curl my hair.
When I went to have breakfast in the dining room, Henry told me that Lando had already left before sunrise. I let out a sigh, realizing that even though we lived in the same house, we had never actually eaten together in the dining room.
He always left before dawn and only came back late at night, and if he was home in the daytime, it was usually because he was packing for another trip out of town.
’What a busy life,’ I thought. I wondered if he had ever taken a proper vacation, at least a week just to breathe.
"Young Madam," Henry said suddenly, setting something shiny on the dining table, "Young Master asked me to give you this before he left."
I blinked and leaned closer. It was a credit card that I had declined some time ago.
Henry cleared his throat. "He really wants you to take it ... and he said he’ll cut my salary if you refuse."
My eyes widened as I looked at Henry with horror and pity. "He said that?!" I protested. "Why would he cut your salary just because I didn’t take his card? That’s so cruel!"
I never imagined my sweet husband could be so heartless toward his loyal butler. When he came home, I would definitely have to scold him for threatening his staff like this!
Henry turned his head slightly to the side, just enough to make me pity him even more. He must have been devastated after being threatened like this!
"I have a daughter studying abroad," Henry sighed heavily. "If Young Master really cuts my salary, she might have to live on instant noodles every day for a month."
My heart dropped. "That’s terrible!"
"But don’t worry, Young Madam," Henry went on, his voice full of resignation. "If you truly don’t want to accept the card—"
"I will take it!" I immediately snatched the card before Henry could pull it back. Then, I spun around, spotting the CCTV cameras placed in the corners of the room. "See? I took it! Don’t cut Henry’s salary!"
Henry cleared his throat again, a little too smoothly. "Young Madam, the CCTV can see you, but it doesn’t record your voice."
"And," he added quickly, "Young Master also said you must use this card at least once a day or else he’ll still cut my salary."
I gasped again, completely shocked that Lando was capable of bullying this poor butler like that! And he even had a daughter depending on him overseas!
Summoning all the determination in me, I slammed my hand against the table. "Fine! I’ll use this credit card once a day! He didn’t say how much I have to spend, right?"
Henry shook his head. "No, Young Madam. You don’t need to worry about the limit."
Then, to my surprise, he showed a wide smile on his face, almost too bright, like a proud father watching his daughter take her very first step. "You can buy anything you like."
The way he looked at me made my ears burn. It wasn’t even my real father, yet here he was, cheering me on as if swiping a credit card was some great milestone in my life.
Lando was really heartless for bullying this kind-hearted man!
"Don’t worry, Henry, I’ll use this card every single day!" I declared with all the confidence in the world.
So later, when I went out, I bought a cup of coffee—around three dollars—using Lando’s credit card.
With that one sip, I felt like I had saved Henry from his so-called crisis.
Besides, it wasn’t like my husband ever said the transactions had to be expensive. At the very least, this meant I could enjoy free coffee every day!
Not long after, I finally arrived at Rosélle Beauty’s office. The moment I stepped into the building, I spotted Marissa waiting in the lobby, looking composed as she read a magazine.
"I’m sorry, have you been waiting long?" I asked, glancing at the watch on my wrist just to make sure I had arrived on time.
"Not really." Marissa closed the magazine and stood gracefully. "I just got here myself, and I came a little too early."
As we walked toward the elevator, Marissa spoke casually, "I was just reading about Vivienne Rosélle, the founder of Rosélle Beauty."
She went on, "You’ve chosen the right company to work with, Helcia. Vivienne has an excellent reputation, and her products are loved by so many people, from high school students all the way to working professionals."
Maybe it was because Rosélle Beauty wasn’t considered a high-end brand, which made it affordable for people from all walks of life.
Their main customers were the kind who usually shopped for drugstore cosmetics, but Rosélle managed to deliver a quality that could rival luxury products.
I knew that because I had used their foundation back then, and it truly had coverage as good as any high-end brands.
"But, Helcia, listen carefully." Marissa suddenly turned to me just before the elevator stopped on the fourth floor. "Even if people in this industry smile at you and act friendly, don’t ever trust them too much."