SFS Chapter 611: Maria
Chapter 611: Maria
People had refused to help her then, leaving her desperate and helpless.
Not wanting Athena’s children to suffer the same fate, Mary sighed softly and transferred the money.
"Here," she said gently. "Take the $4,000... and an extra $2,000 for their nutrition as well."
Athena’s eyes filled with tears instantly.
She threw her arms around Mary, hugging her tightly as she sobbed,
"I’ve never met someone as kind as you in my entire life. You’re truly a good person."
Mary awkwardly patted her back, a faint, uncertain smile on her lips, completely unaware of the trouble she had just invited into her life.
Over the next few months, Athena’s requests grew larger and more frequent, until one day she asked for a lump sum of $20,000.
That was when Mary finally sat down, going through her finances carefully, her fingers trembling slightly as she calculated everything.
As the numbers added up, a cold realization settled over her. She had already given away more than $40,000.
It wouldn’t have troubled her as much if Athena had returned even a portion of it... or at least given her a clear date for repayment.
But there was nothing, no timeline, no plan, just endless requests and empty reassurances.
’Was she ever planning to return any of it...?’
The very next day, Athena appeared again.
Her footsteps were quick, almost eager, and she leaned slightly forward as she spoke, "Can you lend me $10,000 this time?"
Mary slowly raised her head, her gaze steady and serious, her expression no longer warm.
"I am not going to give money to someone who hasn’t even returned the $40,000 I already lent," she replied firmly.
Athena froze, her smile faltering as confusion spread across her face.
"What do you mean, $40,000?" she asked, her brows knitting together.
"As far as I know, I only owe you the $10,000 I was going to ask for. The rest... wasn’t that a gift you gave voluntarily?"
A deep frown settled on Mary’s face, her lips tightening as disbelief flickered in her eyes.
"No," she said sharply. "Of course it wasn’t."
Athena’s expression darkened instantly.
She crossed her arms and scoffed, "I never thought you would bully me like this."
For a moment, Mary almost laughed.
She leaned back slightly, her voice calm yet cutting.
"If you think I’m bullying you, then let’s take this to a lawyer’s office and find out who is actually in the wrong."
Silence fell between them.
Athena’s lips pressed together, her gaze shifting away as her confidence faltered.
Finally, she muttered in a low, grumpy tone, "Fine... I’ll manage it."
Mary shook her head slowly, her patience thinning. "
I’ll give you one month," she said, her voice firm and unwavering. "If I don’t get my money back within that time, I will sue you."
For a brief second, anger flared violently in Athena’s eyes, her hand twitching as if she wanted to strike Mary.
But she held herself back, swallowing her frustration.
The next day, Athena returned the entire amount.
It was only then that Mary discovered the truth.
Athena had been treating her like a personal bank, taking money under the guise of need, placing it into her own savings, earning interest from it, and intending to return only the principal when she had made profit equivalent to the principal amount.
’I would have never known...’ Mary thought, her fingers curling slightly.
It was Alex who had uncovered everything through a thorough investigation. Without him, the deception might have continued indefinitely.
Mary leaned back in her chair, exhaustion washing over her.
’How many people like this are there...?’ she wondered silently, a trace of disappointment settling deep within her.
Yet, while this issue was unfolding, another storm was quietly brewing elsewhere.
It came in the form of Maria.
Recently, Adam had hired her as a subordinate.
She came highly recommended, her reputation polished and impressive.
People spoke of her as a professional who could bring success to any company she joined.
At first, everything seemed normal.
Then, gradually, something shifted.
Maria began with subtle gestures.
A lingering smile. A gaze that lasted a second too long. A tone that carried a soft, almost deliberate charm.
Adam noticed it, but he chose to ignore it, convincing himself it meant nothing. ’It’s probably just her personality,’ he thought, brushing it aside.
But his silence only encouraged her.
Soon, her actions became more obvious.
She would lean too close while speaking, her movements calculated, her posture deliberately revealing her cleavage.
The moment Adam realized what was happening, his expression hardened.
’This has gone too far,’ he thought, his jaw tightening. He decided to fire her immediately.
But before he could act, Maria secured a massive deal for the company.
The success forced him to hesitate.
Later, when he discovered how she had managed to close that deal.
He called her in, his voice sharp as he spoke, "You don’t need to use such methods to get clients."
To his surprise, Maria broke down instantly. Tears streamed down her face as her shoulders trembled.
"Everything I did... I did it to survive otherwise you would have fired me," she cried.
Adam frowned, taken aback. "I never intended to fire you," he replied, his tone conflicted. "Why would you go to such lengths?"
Maria lowered her head, her voice soft and fragile. "Because I thought if I didn’t... you would eventually get rid of me."
She began to speak about her past.
She talked about her mother’s late-stage cancer, her brother’s accident that left him disabled, and the crushing burden she had carried alone.
"I had no choice," she sobbed. "I worked harder than anyone, hoping for a promotion... but they all wanted something extra in return."
Her voice broke as she continued,
"I did things I never thought I would do... because I needed money. I had to survive."
She wiped her tears and looked up at Adam, her eyes filled with what seemed like determination.
"If you think I’m inappropriate, you can fire me. I’ve always survived on my own."
Adam clenched his fists, guilt creeping into his chest.
’Did I misjudge her...?’ he wondered. His voice softened slightly as he replied,
"If that’s the case, then I won’t pursue this further. But this is the last time. If you ever try something like this again, I won’t hesitate to act."
After that, he distanced himself from her, even hiring a male assistant to act as a mediator between them.
Maria continued working, and her performance remained exceptional.
She brought in numerous deals, proving her capability again and again.
Adam ensured she was compensated fairly, never shortchanging her efforts.
But Maria had no real interest in the bonuses.
Because the story she had told... was not entirely true.
The only truth was that her mother did have late-stage cancer.
Everything else was a carefully constructed illusion.
In reality, she didn’t share a good relationship with her mother.
Her actions were driven not by desperation, but by ambition.
She craved money, success, and power.
She had long learned how to manipulate situations to her advantage, using her charm and calculated behavior to climb higher.
Each time she was exposed by a superior’s wife, she would simply leave, taking a recommendation letter as her shield, only to repeat the same pattern elsewhere.
This pattern continued, eventually shaping Maria into someone with an almost flawless resume.
On paper, she appeared exceptional, skilled, experienced, and highly recommended.
Behind that polished image, however, she continued using her charm.
But this time, her attention had settled on Adam.
As she observed him from a distance, her eyes lingered thoughtfully.
’He’s different...’ she mused silently.
’Too loyal... too kind... exactly the kind of man I’ve been searching for.’
Even with his growing wealth and expanding network, he remained grounded, sending every bit of his income directly to his wife.
Her lips curved faintly as her thoughts deepened.
’If I become his wife... I’ll never have to worry about money again. A life of comfort, security... everything would fall into place.’
Lost in that dream, she barely noticed when a colleague tapped her lightly on the shoulder.
She blinked, snapping out of her thoughts.
The colleague glanced toward Adam’s cabin before speaking,
"Mr. Adam has requested that, from now on, all matters related to Mr. Hughes’ case will be handled by me instead of you."
Maria’s brows furrowed slightly, a faint irritation flickering across her face.
She had already noticed the shift.
Although Adam had believed her story, he had become noticeably distant, carefully limiting any direct interaction.
He had even taken steps to ensure she no longer had any unnecessary access to him.
’So he’s still wary...’ she thought, her gaze sharpening for a moment.
But she wasn’t in a hurry.
She adjusted the files on her desk slowly. ’There’s always time,’ she reassured herself quietly.
Meanwhile, later that day, Mary arrived at the office.
When she left Adam’s cabin sometime later, her cheeks were faintly flushed.