Chapter 911 This Is Not Charity
Lyra froze for a moment, staring into Jeffery's sincere eyes, feeling a whirlwind of emotions.
She was definitely under a lot of financial stress.
Aaron and the Hill family's mess had left her drained, and she really needed the money.
But her pride made her reluctant to accept others' help easily. She looked down and said softly, "Mr. Gray, I appreciate it, but I can't take your money. I'll work hard and figure this out on my own."
Jeffery frowned a bit and stepped closer, gently lifting her chin so she had to look at him.
"Lyra, I get it. But working yourself to the bone here is dangerous, and it's taking a toll on you."
"This isn't charity; I'm helping out a friend. I want to see you get through this."
Lyra bit her lip, tears welling in her eyes. "But I don't want to owe you too much. I've already caused you enough trouble..."
Jeffery sighed. "You haven't caused me any trouble. Since we started working together, I've seen how hard you work and how talented you are."
"Now that you're in a tough spot, how can I just stand by? This is just temporary help. You can pay me back when you can."
Lyra hesitated for a long time before finally speaking, "I owe the Hill family a lot of money. They've been hounding me, and I need to pay it off fast to get them off my back. It's about a hundred thousand dollars..."
Jeffery nodded slightly.
"A hundred thousand is a lot, but it's not impossible. I can help you pay off this debt so you can have some peace."
Tears welled up in Lyra's eyes as she looked at Jeffery gratefully. "Mr. Gray, I don't know how to thank you..."
Jeffery smiled gently and wiped away her tears.
"You don't need to thank me. Just take care of yourself and don't overwork."
Just then, Jeffery's phone rang.
He glanced at the screen, and his expression changed slightly.
"I need to take this call."
He turned and walked to the side, speaking softly into the phone.
Lyra stood there, feeling anxious, wondering what had made Jeffery's expression so serious.
After hanging up, Jeffery turned to Lyra and said, "There's an emergency at the hospital. I need to go back and handle it."
"Wait for me here after you finish work. I'll come to pick you up once I'm done."
Lyra quickly nodded. "Okay, Mr. Gray, you go ahead."
Jeffery hurriedly left the room, and Lyra watched his departing figure.
Shortly after Jeffery left, Lyra's phone buzzed. She took it out and saw a bank transfer notification.
It was a sum large enough to pay off the Hill family debt, and the sender was Jeffery.
Looking at the string of numbers on the screen, Lyra's hands trembled slightly. She knew what this money meant. Lyra slowly put away her phone, took a deep breath, and seemed to make a significant decision. She stood up, straightened her clothes, and walked towards the manager's office.
When she reached the manager's office door, she was about to knock but noticed it was slightly ajar.
Through the gap, she saw the scene inside and froze.
A flamboyantly dressed woman was sitting on the manager's lap, the two of them tightly embracing and kissing passionately.
Lyra stood awkwardly at the door, unsure whether to enter or leave.
She cleared her throat, trying to alert the two inside.
Hearing the sound, the manager gently pushed the woman away and turned to look at the door, his face showing no embarrassment, only a hint of displeasure. "Lyra, why didn't you knock before coming in?"
Lyra forced herself to speak. "Manager, the door wasn't closed properly. I didn't mean to interrupt. I'm here to talk about resigning."
The manager adjusted his clothes and had the woman sit aside, then looked up. "Resigning? Why the sudden decision?"
Lyra bit her lip. "I have personal reasons. I really can't continue working here."
The manager leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms and looking at her with a smirk.
"Lyra, you know the rules here. Your contract clearly states that leaving before the agreed time requires compensation. But..."
He paused deliberately, his eyes roaming over Lyra.
"You're quite pretty. If you finish your last night shift properly and hand over your work, I'll agree to your resignation. How about that?"
Lyra's heart tightened. She knew the manager had ulterior motives but feared that if she didn't agree, he would make it difficult for her to leave smoothly, but Lyra tried to negotiate."Manager, I really need to go. Can you make an exception? I can forgo this month's salary."
The manager laughed. "It's not about making exceptions; it's company policy. You think the contract is simple? There are hidden clauses. If you breach it, the compensation is more than you can afford."
Lyra's eyes widened. "Hidden clauses? I didn't know when I signed."
The manager shrugged. "You didn't read carefully; that's on you. Now, you have to do as I say and finish your last night shift, or face a lawsuit."
Lyra felt helpless and angry, but had no choice. She hesitated and finally nodded. "Okay."
The manager smiled with satisfaction. "That's more like it. Go on, work well, and don't mess up."
Lyra turned and left the manager's office, feeling heavy-hearted as she walked to her work area.
The manager watched her leave, a hint of malice in his eyes, then signaled to the woman.
The woman understood immediately, got up, and swayed her hips as she followed Lyra.
Lyra reached the storage area, preparing to gather her things and continue selling drinks, when the woman quickly approached and blocked her path.
Lyra frowned, looking at the woman warily. "What do you want?"
The woman's brightly painted lips curved into a mocking smile.
"Lyra, don't think you can leave so easily."
Lyra's heart sank. "What do you mean? I've agreed to finish tonight's shift."
The woman scoffed. "You think that's all? The manager's words aren't that simple."
Lyra was confused. "What are you trying to say? If you don't explain, I'll..."
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