Chapter 125: Grasp Wealth to Control Destiny

That evening, after a full day’s work, Katherine, feeling tired, changed clothes and set out for home. She declined several suitors’ offers to give her a ride by bike, insisting on walking.

The summer night breeze brought no coolness, only the lingering heat and irritability of the day.

Katherine was strong and rarely showed shallow emotions, even if she felt other things inside.

Before nightfall, she returned home. Since moving back, she never stayed out after dark.

The streets were unsafe at night; when darkness fell, evil arrived.

Fighting, shouting, gunfire, cries for help, and sirens were common.

As she closed the door, Katherine sensed a heavy atmosphere inside.

She took off her shoes, hung her cheap bag on the rack, and headed to the living room.

Her father sat dazed on the shabby sofa they had salvaged from a junk pile. Her mother looked worried.

Her father seemed oblivious to the door, eyes fixed on the TV. Her mother glanced at Katherine, then lowered her head.

“What’s wrong?” Katherine asked, sensing something was different about her parents.

Her father kept staring at the TV, as if deaf. Her mother’s face showed sadness and bitterness, voice trembling: “Your father… lost his job.”

This was not unexpected. Since last year’s second half, people had braced themselves. Many factories had stopped working. Even union-led protests demanding reopening dared not be too aggressive.

They scheduled strikes on weekends, becoming an international joke, reflecting the severity of social conflicts.

Katherine’s father’s factory declared bankruptcy today. Signs had appeared—the supply of raw materials stopped last month. They had sensed it but avoided facing the truth.

Katherine was silent. Her monthly wage was only 225 Sol, barely above minimum wage.

Before, her father earned 300 to 350 Sol monthly. Their combined income was enough.

Now, relying solely on Katherine’s salary to support three was very difficult.

Factories were not hiring, despite municipal calls to create jobs.

Without profit, every employee was a burden pushing the company toward collapse. Paying tens of thousands monthly just in wages could bankrupt a factory.

No company dared to expand staff now, even if ordered.

This meant her father would struggle to find stable work at the employment center. Maybe short-term jobs, or none at all.

Her mother had no work experience and no chance to learn now. The burden of supporting the family fell on Katherine.

Her 225 Sol monthly salary would become the family’s sole income.

The three sat in silence. Her father, isolated, stared at the TV. Her mother worried, sighing often.

Katherine felt only exhaustion—deeper than ever before.

She understood their plight stemmed from family background, social class, and education.

Education was the clearest factor. If she had gone to college or studied accounting after high school, she might have a very different job now.

The older young man pursuing her had studied accounting and now had a decent, well-paying job.

But for a child from an ordinary family, continuing education after high school was difficult; she could only imagine.

Dinner was lighter than usual. Suddenly, her father lost control, smashed a plate in anger, and stormed off.

He felt disrespected since losing his job, thinking the women at home ignored him.

Her mother and Katherine quietly cleaned up.

Early next morning, her father left to look for work, having accepted the situation overnight.

Life must go on. If he did nothing, in a month or two they would have to sell the house and live on the street.

He had spent over a decade building this life and refused to lose it easily. He would keep fighting.

Katherine faced life calmly and chose to keep working.

At noon, the young man found her again.

“I heard from your aunt that your uncle lost his job…”

Katherine glanced at him but said nothing. He grew awkward and stuttered.

“If… I mean, if I could… arrange for your uncle to work in our mall… what do you think?” He blushed, stumbling over his words.

He had a good relationship with the mall manager, helping with personal tax returns, saving the manager money—an accountant’s value.

Besides the manager, many in mall management relied on him for tax help, which required paying a fee.

He charged little, earning goodwill among management.

That morning, Katherine’s mother had spoken with him about her husband’s situation, asking if he could help find work at the mall, even with lower pay.

In fact, this mall’s business was better than most imagined, even maintaining healthy profits against the trend.

But they wouldn’t admit this openly. They showed hardship to gain sympathy and justify lower wages, thus increasing profit margins.

The young man spoke with the manager, who agreed to let Katherine’s father work in the warehouse, where they needed some laborers and could offer a basic salary.

He came to Katherine seeking credit and hoped this could advance their relationship significantly.

Katherine neither agreed nor refused, ending the conversation by saying she would discuss it with her family.

This gave the young man hope. For the first time, Katherine hadn’t outright rejected his idea, which was a good sign.

After a dull day spent in long waits or brief moments of relief, Katherine again refused offers for a ride home and walked alone.

Her father had returned, but the confident man he once was now appeared defeated.

The city had only a few dozen job openings all day, while thousands waited at the employment center.

Her father’s résumé was unimpressive; many were far more capable. He didn’t even get an interview, realizing he couldn’t expect to find work soon.

He was deeply discouraged and began to doubt his own worth.

Katherine’s mother was equally speechless. She hadn’t told her husband about the young man, nor had she told Katherine.

She planned to wait for the young man’s reply before mentioning it.

Both parents were dispirited, but Katherine was about to lose control.

She hung her bag on the rack, entered as usual, but her steps were heavier.

She drank water, moved a chair to sit opposite the sofa, and turned off the TV.

This caught both parents’ attention. Her face showed no anger, only calm.

She looked at her mother and asked sharply but calmly, “How much do you plan to sell me for?”

The question made her father snap his head up, and her mother’s expression changed slightly. Katherine gave them little time to react.

“Rom hinted at lunch that if I agreed to be with him, he’d get father a job. How much are you planning to sell me for?”

Though calm, her words pressed heavily on the couple, especially now, when the family depended solely on Katherine’s income. Even without raising her voice, her tone carried undeniable strength.