Chapter 49
Chapter 50 Deliberate Malice
The owner’s wife was stunned. “Tatiana just does odd jobs. She’s not a chef. She doesn’t know how to cook p>
Shawn laughed, loud and mocking. “How could she not? Everyone knows she was willing to lower herself to learn from a master chef for Jasper’s sake. Her cooking is excellent. Back in the day, we wouldn’t have even been worthy of eating it p>
The owner’s wife turned to Tatiana, still disbelieving.
Could this delicate–looking girl really cook?
Shawn propped his leg up, swinging it. “Hurry up. You’ve only got half an hour. We’re starving. Don’t make us wait too long p>
Tatiana nodded. “Okay p>
What difference did it make who she was cooking for?
It was just cooking.
She put on an apron and got to work.
Because there were so many dishes, the owner and his wife wanted to help prep, but Shawn stopped them He kicked over a chair and roared impatiently, “Are you deaf? I said she does it alone! Get lost p>
The couple, terrified, stumbled back a few steps. They exchanged a look. Even if they were slow, they now realized these people probably weren’t Tatiana’s friends. They were her enemies.
Tatiana couldn’t bear to see them so frightened and said in a low voice, “You two… please step outside. I’ll handle this. It’s okay. I can manage p>
It was impossible for one person to make 36 dishes in under half an hour.
But even if it was impossible, she had to do it.
Washing vegetables, chopping, lighting the stove, heating the oil, stir–frying.
She worked all alone in the kitchen.
The kitchen was sweltering. She was feverishly busy, her clothes–dampening with sweat, drying, and dampening again. A thin layer of perspiration covered her forehead.
Her hand was steady as she tossed the wok, a clear sign she had practiced hard.
One by one, dishes were brought out, releasing an enticing aroma.
The group of rich kids had just come to stir up trouble. They weren’t hungry and would never normally eat at a hole–in–the–wall restaurant like this.
But when they smelled the fragrance, their appetites were whetted.
“Shawn, this smells damn good. It looks legit, too. She actually knows how to cook? ”
“Get me a fork. I’ll try it p>
“You really dare to eat it? Not afraid she poisoned it p>
“What’s there to be afraid of? She doesn’t have the guts p>
Shawn cursed, “Eat? Bullshit. Did I bring you guys here to eat? Smash it p>
With that, he picked up a plate and hurled it to the ground.
Crash.
The jarring sound was startling.
Immediately, the rest of the group joined in, smashing everything they could get their hands on.
The owner and his wife, seeing the situation turn violent, rushed out to stop them. “Don’t smash it! Please, don’t p>
“She’s over the time limit! Is she trying to starve us? Smash it all p>
The time limit was just an excuse. The real goal was to wreck the shop.
Tatiana heard the noise and ran out anxiously. Seeing the small restaurant already half–destroyed, her face went white. “Stop p>
Shawn smiled coldly. “The service here is terrible. You have to pay a price, right?” As he spoke, he smashed the glass panel by the door.
In no time, the small restaurant was a total wreck.
The owner’s wife tried to call the police, but her phone was snatched away and smashed. Terrified, she cowered in a corner, crying without tears.
Shawn stepped closer, whispering in Tatiana’s ear, “Bianca was very hurt that you called the police. This isn’t over between us p>
With that, he signaled his buddies. “Let’s go. My treat. We’re going to the Ocean Restaurant p>
The group left, joking and shoving each other.
Before he left, Shawn said to the owner and his wife, “There’s nothing but trouble wherever she goes p>
They left, leaving behind a complete mess and the sound of the owner’s wife sobbing.
This small shop was their life’s work, and now it was all destroyed.
Tatiana stood there in a daze, her hands clutching her apron, and said hoarsely, “I’m sorry p>
She always brought disaster to the people around her.
2/3
Guilt and self–blame washed over her like a tide, drowning her.
In the end, she helped clean up the wreckage. The restaurant owner told her gently, “Tatiana, our shop is small… we can’t afford to have you. Please, just let us make a living p>
Her nose stung. She looked down and bowed deeply. “I’m sorry p>
“You should go. Don’t come back p>
She was penniless. She couldn’t even compensate them.
She walked down the street in a daze. She looked up and saw the giant advertising poster on the other side
of the street-
Bianca, in exquisite makeup, wearing expensive jewelry, smiling purely for the camera.
Beneath it was a line of text: “The Starlight Series, A Major New Release p>
The Lowell family’s main business was a jewelry company. The Starlight series was a new line meant to be launched four years ago. It was a line she had personally helped design.
It had been shelved for four years, and now it was finally being released.
But the designer’s name had been changed to Bianca.
She stared at the billboard for a long time, then let out a mirthless laugh.
She wasn’t sad. The original inspiration for Starlight was Jasper–the stars accompany the moon. He was the moon, and she was just one of his many stars.
Thinking of that meaning now, she only felt sick.
Bzz… Bzz…
The old phone vibrated.
It was a second–hand phone she had bought for fifty dollars. It only had basic calling and texting functions
She answered the call. “Hello?” Latest content published on.net
Sara Lili
Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.