Chapter 3

With that, I walked straight to the front door and hung up the sign: "Privately Booked Today. Not Accepting Other Guests."

Then I went back to the kitchen and gave the head chef and the rest of the cooks their orders:

"Hailey booked out the whole place today. Every dish goes exactly the way she wants it. Australian lobster, abalone, sea cucumber, king crab, premium wagyu, the deluxe seafood stew."

"For drinks, top-shelf whiskey only. Load every table with it. Don't hold back."

The head chef froze for a second, then dropped his voice.

"Boss, there's no way Hailey pays for any of this today. If we really make everything she's asking for, we'll lose our shirts!"

I gave a faint smile.

"It's fine."

"Just do it."

Seeing how set I was, he didn't push it. He turned around and started prepping right away.

Before long the kitchen was in full swing, the clatter of woks and the rhythm of knives rolling one over the other.

The whole restaurant filled with rich, heavy aromas.

Out in the dining room, everyone was heaping praise on Hailey and Oliver, sparing nothing:

"Hailey, you're really something. Most engagement parties, the groom's side pays and does all the work. Not only are you not making Oliver pay, you've thrown in the best food and liquor and made the whole thing this grand."

"Right? I really envy Oliver, marrying a woman as capable and generous as Hailey. Once they're married, he's got it made!"

Under all the flattery, Oliver's mouth curled up high, his face full of pride.

"Of course. If there's one thing Hailey's never short on, it's money."

Hailey soaked up the praise as if she really were some rich, successful somebody.

Soon the heavy dishes started coming out, one after another.

Australian lobster, braised abalone with sea cucumber, the deluxe seafood stew, king crab sashimi—every plate elegantly presented, every one clearly worth a fortune.

The whiskey came in by the case, servers hauling it out and setting bottles on every table.

Looking at all that expensive food and drink, Hailey's relatives stared, eyes glazing over.

"My God, they're really bringing out this much good food and liquor? This engagement party is so classy."

"Right? A spread like this, most people never get to eat like it their whole lives."

"Having a relative as impressive as Hailey is an honor for the whole Swanson family!"

Oliver's relatives were just as dumbstruck by the display.

"Heavens, all this abalone and sea cucumber, the top-shelf whiskey—I've only ever seen this stuff on TV. Never thought I'd get to taste it myself in this lifetime."

"Hailey spends big and thinks big. She's definitely going to do great things someday."

"This daughter-in-law—the James family is sold!"

Buoyed by all the praise, Hailey rose with a glass in hand and spoke, high-spirited:

"Thank you all for honoring us by coming to my and Oliver's engagement party."

"Eat as much as you want today, drink your fill. If there's not enough, order more."

"I'm covering everything, so don't stand on ceremony with me!"

The moment she finished, the whole room broke into cheers again.

Everyone raised their glasses, toasting Hailey:

"Come on, come on, let's drink to the generous, big-thinking bride-to-be. May she do better and better every year!"

Amid all the toasts and flattery, Hailey felt a satisfaction she'd never known before.

She hooked her arm through Oliver's, thumped her chest, and declared to everyone grandly:

"Starting today, we're all one family."

"From now on, whatever you want to eat, just come to this restaurant and give my name, Hailey Swanson."

"Put it all on my tab. You won't pay a cent."

At that, everyone's eyes lit up, and they crowded around Hailey with another round of heavy praise:

"This girl is the most big-thinking person I've ever met!"

One line after another, until Hailey's nose was tilted clean up at the ceiling.

Riding the endless stream of flattery, Hailey drifted slowly over to the front counter and taunted me under her breath:

"Jerome, don't you love money? Aren't you the one who's always counting every penny?"

"Today I'm going to spend every last cent in your restaurant, and show you what you get for crossing me."