Interstellar: Return of the Villain
Chapter 80: Helping Mandy

Chapter 80: Helping Mandy

"Lyra, we did it! We actually won!" Zinnia exclaimed as she rushed off the field, wrapping Lyra in a tight hug. "Even though I hit my head and feel a little dizzy, we earned so much money!"

Without wasting a moment, she pulled out her phone to check the messages from Mandy. Her eyes practically turned into dollar signs.

Lyra gave a small smile. "Yeah, we did."

Even after covering all the commissions, the leftover cash was enough to seriously ease their recent financial struggles.

"Boss, the money’s all in," Morrison said, panting slightly.

"Great. Make sure to distribute the bonuses," Lyra replied.

There was an award ceremony scheduled for tomorrow, but none of the three were interested in going. Exams were coming up next week, and they had more important things on their minds.

After logging off, they bumped into Mandy, who had just returned from her part-time job. With her income on the rise, she seemed happier and more relaxed than usual. "Oh, Lyra, my mom and the others want to invite you over for dinner..."

She smiled, then hesitated a bit before continuing, "My mom said she wants to thank you for giving me the job, so she made a simple meal. Would you be able to come?"

Lyra glanced at the time. "Sure, I can make it."

Just then, Zinnia dashed out of the bedroom, her eyes shining with excitement. "Can I come too? I’m dying to try some homemade food!"

"I was going to invite you anyway," Mandy said with a grin.

As she finished speaking, the dorm door swung open, and Vivian walked in, her cold expression instantly changing the mood.

Mandy looked uneasy as guilt growing in her.

"Let’s go," Mandy said, grabbing both Lyra and Zinnia by the hand. She glanced over at Vivian, who was still by the door, and asked, "Vivian, do you want to join us?"

"Bah!" Vivian tossed her head and marched into her room without a word.

As they sat on the sky rail, Zinnia hugged Mandy, looking frustrated. "Mandy, I’m telling you this as a friend—you need to stick with whoever you work for. Lyra and Vivian can’t stand each other, so why are you clinging to Vivian?"

"Besides, even if you’re at the bottom of our department, you’re still ahead of 90% of people in the Alliance. You’ve got a bright future, so why worry about her?"

Zinnia’s bluntness made Mandy glance over at the silent Lyra before letting out a sigh. Finally, she spoke up. "It’s just... we’ve known each other since middle school. I didn’t have any friends back then, and she was the only one who would talk to me."

Mandy was the type who felt compelled to repay even the smallest kindness with something big.

"But she doesn’t care about you. She just need you to feel better about herself."

Zinnia spent the rest of the ride trying to talk sense into Mandy.

Mandy’s family lived in the busiest part of Emerald Harbor. The buildings were old, crowded, and painted a dull grayish-yellow.

The streets were narrow and cluttered, with air rails crisscrossing overhead, blocking out most of the light.

The area buzzed with small workshops and street vendors, with trash cans often overflowing, adding to the neighborhood’s gritty charm.

They arrived at Mandy’s place, a sixth-floor apartment in a building with a broken elevator, so they had to take the stairs. They stopped in front of a door with a plaque that read "Wright."

"You’re here!" A woman who looked just like an older version of Mandy greeted them. She was wearing an apron and a warm smile.

She served them juice and water with such warmth that even the usually outgoing Zinnia felt a little awkward.

Mandy’s father was a quiet man, smiling silently from his seat at the table.

"Mandy is so lucky to have friends like you two. She’s always been a good girl, though she’s never been at the top," her mother said. She distributed the nice beef to the three girls, yet barely kept any for herself.

Zinnia tried to hold on to some of the meat for herself, but Mandy’s mom quickly transferred it to Mandy’s plate instead.

"We’re not as well-off as Zinnia or Vivian’s families, and we don’t have special skills like Lyra," Mandy’s mom said, her voice tinged with pride. "So we save everything for Mandy to give her the best chance to succeed. And she did so well, getting into NMA..."

Mandy gave a slightly awkward smile. "Mom, let’s just eat."

Her mother finally smiled, a bit embarrassed. "I’m sorry, it’s just rare for her to have friends over, so I... Please, make yourself at home."

The meal felt a bit strained, but they eventually finished. Before leaving, Lyra and Zinnia, knowing there was someone sick in the family, asked if they could visit Mandy’s grandmother.

The old lady suffered from a degenerative nerve disease, leaving her unable to taste or move her limbs, with only her head still functioning. Mandy was about to feed her, so the three of them went into the small bedroom.

"Grandma, my friends are here to see you," Mandy said softly.

The grandmother, lying on a small bed by the window, turned her head and smiled warmly. "Thank you for coming. Please, make yourselves comfortable."

She swallowed a spoonful of her meal and looked at Lyra with grateful eyes. "I haven’t had the chance to thank Lyra for giving Mandy that part-time job. Has she been doing well?"

"I’ve made sure to give her tasks that suit her," Lyra replied.

"That’s good. Mandy has always been so obedient, never wasting the hard work her parents put into raising her," the grandmother said, patting Mandy’s knee with affection. "You must continue to take good care of your parents."

It was clear that the entire family took great pride in Mandy’s accomplishments as a military academy student.

Mandy forced a smile. "I will."

But inside, she couldn’t help thinking, ’Why do they always say these things in front of everyone, even my friends?’

Suddenly, her grandmother started choking on her food, her eyes wide with panic as her body began to convulse.

"Grandma!" Mandy cried out, dropping the bowl she was holding. "Mom! Grandma’s having another attack!"

Zinnia quickly turned the grandmother onto her side to prevent her from aspirating the food and used a fork to keep her from biting her tongue.

Just then, a gentle healing energy filled the room.

Though healing powers couldn’t cure genetic diseases, they could ease the symptoms. Soon after, Mandy’s mother rushed in with a respirator. She administered the medication, and massaged her mother until the crisis subsided.

But Mandy’s parents didn’t have time to relax. "Mandy, stay with your grandmother. Your dad and I have to head to our night shifts."

They quickly said their goodbyes to the guests and left.

"That’s the third time this month," Mandy said, her voice trembling as she tried to hold back tears.

Zinnia, unsure how to console her, said, "You just have to keep hoping for a miracle." She then noticed Lyra standing by the window, staring at her hands. "Lyra, what’s going on?"

Lyra squeezed the rough, bony hand of the grandmother. "It’s nothing."

After a while, Zinnia suggested they leave. Mandy was about to offer to walk them out, but Lyra spoke first. "You go ahead. I need to talk to Mandy about something."

"What?" Zinnia asked, curious but decided not to press further. "Okay, sure."

Once the always-bubbly Zinnia left, Mandy grew nervous being alone with Lyra.

"I need to ask you something," Lyra said quietly. "I know a way to help your grandmother. It won’t fully restore her, but it can stop her condition from getting worse." Seeing the hope light up in Mandy’s eyes, Lyra continued, "But you have to keep it a secret. Not even your parents can know."

Without hesitation, Mandy nodded quickly. "Thank you so much, Lyra... Can we start right now?"

"Not yet. We need to prepare a few things first."

Lyra then handed the grandmother a cup filled with some liquid. Then she helped her drink it before using her superpower to treat her.