Chapter 1

Frank Vance’s seafood warehouse almost went under during the off-season last year.

Every restaurant on the wharf ditched him for other suppliers. I was the only one who stayed.

I kept a locked-in order of three hundred thousand dollars a month, rain or shine.

Back then, he held my hand, nearly in tears. "Clara, you saved my life. From now on, your restaurants get absolute priority. Always."

Now, the peak summer tourist season had arrived.

I pre-ordered our stock a month in advance. He promised me up and down that we were good to go.

But when I went to the warehouse to collect the shipment, three unfamiliar delivery trucks blocked the loading dock.

Frank was signing a contract with a new client.

I glanced over at the order sheet on his clipboard. It was the exact same batch of seafood I had locked in, but he was selling it to them for two dollars less per pound.

He even threw in two hundred pounds of premium shrimp for free.

I walked up to him. "Frank, where is my order?"

He didn’t even look up from his paperwork.

"Stock is tight today, Clara. New clients get priority. Your shipment will have to wait two days."

I frowned. "I locked in this inventory a month ago. And I’m paying a higher rate than them?"

Frank crushed his cigarette in an ashtray.

"The off-season has off-season prices. The peak season has peak season rules."

"You’re just a salaried employee, Clara. Saving a few grand for your company isn't going to get you a bonus, is it?"

"If you think it's too expensive, buy from someone else. Don't block my dock. I have business to run."

Several workers in the warehouse turned to stare at me.

I didn't say another word. I turned on my heel and walked back to my car.

Sitting in the driver's seat, I opened WhatsApp and sent a blast message to the group chat containing the managers of all eight of our restaurant locations:

"Effective immediately, we are terminating our contract with Frank Vance. Reject all his deliveries. Treat any existing agreements as breached."