The Strongest Curse Master-Chapter 150: Second Chances

"I didn’t know you were handy with tools," Mandy said, glancing at Ace as she drove to their estate. Layla’s sleek DB5 followed closely behind.

Ace chuckled, leaning back in his seat, replying , "I do okay, but I had no idea you were a philanthropist."

Mandy smirked and brushed off the compliment, "I’m not. They’re just taking care of my rental building, and I pay them back with food and whatever daily necessities they need. The only reason I call it a women’s shelter is because—let’s be honest—a huge tax write-off." She waved a hand dismissively, clearly trying to downplay her efforts.

"Hey, don’t do that." Ace shook his head firmly, a grin tugging at his lips. "I’m prouder to be your nephew now than ever. What you’re doing here is amazing. If you ever need my help, just say the word."

Ace had visited the shelter earlier, and it didn’t feel like one at all. It felt more like a small, thriving commune. While Dame Wasp worked on the buildings main circuit, Ace had also asked Dame Wasp to check the Matron’s electronic devices. The findings had stunned him. Mandy wasn’t just the lone benefactor of the shelter; the women living there were using the total freedom she gave them responsibly.

Mrs. McGee, the Matron, kept detailed logs of every penny spent—no discrepancies, no frivolous spending. It was meticulous, almost too good to be true. Ace couldn’t help but marvel at how everything Mandy touched seemed to thrive. It was as if a higher power was watching over her. Was it luck? Or did the people around her somehow become luckier just by knowing her?

"I will hold you up to it," Mandy nodded as she stirred the steering wheel to take a sharp left and asked, "So, tell me why you don’t want to start an orchard bed and breakfast?"

"Does it matter? Uncle Dan seems to have decided, and soon my dad will cave to your combined pressure and bury my single vote with a landslide," Ace said, though he was already scheming how to discourage his family from pursuing the orchard bed and breakfast idea.

"I know you don’t believe that," Mandy eyed Ace skeptically, but seeing that he did, she elaborated. "Oh, dear Acey~, I can’t believe you got played by your father and Dan. I know my brother-in-law better—he’d rather lose a hand than let tourists walk all over his property like they own it. Those two were playing the fool and fool’s advocate so they don’t have to sleep on their couches tonight. They plan to show their wives they’re on board with the plan but will then do the worst things one could possibly do when starting a new venture. Like, for example, leaking their idea to their rivals, the Rockworth for example, so they would open a orchard B&B before them out of spit. They’ll keep it up until Pam and Mary decide opening an orchard bed and breakfast was their worst idea yet and back off."

"If you saw through their act, why didn’t you call them out?" Ace’s brows furrowed in surprise. He hadn’t thought his dad and uncle could be so crafty, but what concerned him more was why Mandy had let it slide. After all, he was certain it was Mandy who had instigated his mother and Pam to consider running an orchard B&B to make use of all their free time.

"Because what Alwin and Dan think doesn’t matter since Pam and Mary will be running the orchard B&B," Mandy replied, her tone calm yet resolute. "I would have advised them to get started on it, but there’s one problem—surprisingly, it’s you. Why don’t you want them to start a orchard B&B?" Mandy circled back to her question, hoping to get an answer from Ace this time. But seeing his hesitation, she continued, her gaze softening. "It’s fine if you don’t want to answer me, but let me tell you why I’m rooting for them to start the orchard B&B. Then you decide whose reason should take priority. Whatever you decide, I’ll follow it."

Ace nodded thoughtfully. He could come up with numerous reasons why he was against the orchard B&B idea, but he didn’t want to lie to Mandy. Not to mention, he didn’t need to—she was being so reasonable.

"The women and girls you saw back in the shelter, a lot of them are depending on this town," Mandy began, her voice steady yet earnest. "But unfortunately, it doesn’t have enough jobs for everyone. Only during the harvest season do they have abundant work, but the rest of the time, they can’t find jobs even if they’re willing to work for less. So during harvest, they work long hours in the fields to save for winter when there are less jobs, ignoring their health, and end up paying more than they earn in hospital bills…" She trailed off, her gaze flickering as if recalling something tragic. Then, drawing a steadying breath, she continued, "I know starting an orchard B&B isn’t the solution, but it can be a start. You know, despite the odds, some of the smarter ones have saved enough and started small businesses like bakeries, tailor shops, and salons in the surrounding communities. They’ve gone independent."

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Mandy paused, glancing at Ace from the corner of her eye. He appeared lost in deep thought, his brows slightly furrowed. Sensing he still wasn’t convinced, she added softly, "Do you know the idea behind me opening the women’s shelter? It’s about giving second chances to those who can’t afford one. I could do a lot more for them personally and through my connections, but I rarely visit the shelter. Mostly because I don’t want them to feel burdened or like they owe me something. Also, I want to give them full freedom to utilize the facilities and funds as they see fit. After all, none of it would matter if they can’t grow to take care of themselves."

After a long moment of reflection, Ace finally nodded, his gaze meeting Mandy’s. Agreeing with her, he said, "Your heart is in the right place, but you’re going about this all wrong."

"What do you mean?" Mandy asked, her brow furrowing as she slowed the car, wanting to focus on what Ace had to say.

"An orchard B&B is a hospitality business—more specifically, an accommodation business," Ace explained, leaning back comfortably in his seat. "It’s hard for such a business to flourish, let alone expand, especially in a rural area. How many people can you employ with an orchard B&B? Two dozen? Let’s be generous and say 50. But what will you do when more women hear about your amazing women’s shelter and come seeking refuge?"

Mandy frowned, gripping the steering wheel a little tighter. "Didn’t I already say it’s just a start?" she argued, wondering if anything she’d said earlier had actually registered with him.

"What I’m saying is your start is wrong," Ace replied, sitting up slightly, his tone confident. "Instead of starting an orchard B&B, you should think about starting something in the production sector. Knowing you, you’ll find a way to make it a success. That way, it can keep expanding, creating more jobs—"

Mandy cut him off midway, her voice sharp but tinged with frustration. "You don’t think I know that? You’re forgetting that most of these women don’t have any skills other than doing household chores some don’t even know that. Let’s say I can train them to master the required skills. Even starting a small production-based business would require a lot of preparation—materials, suppliers, distributors, and so on. Let’s say I figure all that out. I’d still need a lot of capital to ensure the production runs long enough to start turning a profit and sustain itself. And don’t even get me started on the competitions and permits!"

She glanced at Ace briefly, her expression firm. "I’ve already thought about it all, Ace. That’s why I came up with the idea of opening an orchard B&B. It’s the lowest-risk option for us. We already have a tangerine orchard, an avocado orchard, two ranches, a mansion, and the women at the shelter have skills to work there. With a little investment, we can create jobs for 8 to 20 people and earn profits, depending on the popularity of the orchard B&B."

"Yes, I agree, but now you have me. Give me some time, and I’ll come up with a proposal you can’t deny. But if you do, then you have my blessing to start an orchard B&B," Ace confidently proposed. He didn’t want to let his fear stop his family from pursuing what they wanted. In that moment, he decided to support them in whatever they chose and to protect them quietly from the shadows.

"Alright, I’ll be waiting," Mandy smirked at his proposal, easing off the accelerator as she pulled into the driveway of the Lander house.

"Wait, why are you parking the car in the shed? Drop me off at my house first," Ace demanded, leaning forward in his seat.

"Sorry, I forgot to tell you," Mandy said, her tone nonchalant but her eyes gleaming with mischief. "I hired people to move everything from your house to our home while we were at the gala dinner. Mary agreed. So, if you have a problem, take it up with your mom."

"You sneaky little shi—aunt," Ace muttered, narrowing his eyes at her.

Mandy chuckled as she parked the car. "The contractors will be here in a week to discuss renovating the Lansky house. So, you have until then to prepare and present your counterproposal."

"Mandy, this is not over!" Ace shot back, his voice tinged with mock frustration.

"I don’t care, my dear nephew!" she replied breezily, waving him off as she stepped out of the car.

"Guys, is everything alright?" Layla called out, approaching them with a curious expression.

"Layla, don’t worry. He just has a habit of whining," Mandy said, throwing a playful glance at Ace. "Come on, let me help you park your car in the shed."