Chapter 63
Chapter 63
Lucas, usually the first to lose his temper, didn’t join in the bickering. But he didn’t look happy either. ‘I warned Xavier because I was worried Emily might get hurt. But someone like her doesn’t deserve my concern at all, he thought.
Emily had no idea what the Bennetts were saying behind her back. Right then, Daniel was dragging her over to apologize to a group of troublemakers.
These guys had been showing up for days straight. Every time, they’d order a ton of food, trash the place, then claim they found hair or bugs in their meals.
They brushed off Daniel’s apologies and refused refunds, ranting about how sloppy the kitchen staff was. And if Daniel mentioned checking the cameras, they’d start slamming tables and throwing chairs-obviously here to cause problems.
Even if the cops got called, they’d show up bright and early the next day. The only time they’d leave was when Emily-just the dishwasher-stepped out to apologize and pay them off. And that money came straight from her paycheck.
Emily knew it was a setup, plain and simple. She had no clue who was pulling the strings, but she figured if this kept up, her meager wages wouldn’t cover the damage for long.
She had no choice but to confront them directly. “I know someone put you up to this. Can I talk to whoever’s behind this?”
She’d been gone two years. Whoever was targeting her could only be those who had pushed her into the pool that day, likely doing it to get back at Lydia.
The troublemakers didn’t admit to it. Instead, they got mad.
“What do you mean by that? You saying we’re here to cause trouble on purpose?” one snapped.
Another chimed in, “We’re paying customers, aren’t we? If we find something wrong with the food, you’re supposed to make it right. What’s with your attitude?”
Caught off guard by their sudden outburst, Daniel hurried over to calm things down. But they were adamant that Emily had to be fired.
Daniel didn’t know Emily’s whole story. But when she first showed up, she had no phone, no extra clothes, and was clearly hurting-he knew she was just a struggling girl trying to get by.
So, even though he knew those guys were targeting her, he’d tried to protect her. He had her hide in the kitchen and lied, saying she was fired. But those guys just kept coming back.
Daniel glanced at Emily, looking torn. He was just a regular guy. He couldn’t go up against those guys who clearly had connections.
Emily saw how stressed he was and dropped her gaze, thinking ‘Daniel’s a good guy; he doesn’t deserve to get caught up in my mess! After a pause, she said, “Daniel, I’m quitting.”
“You didn’t do anything wrong. Why quit?” Xavier’s voice cut in. He showed up with two big bodyguards, standing in front of Emily like he was her shield.
The troublemakers froze and then scrambled to backtrack. “Mr. Jenkins, what are you doing here? This is all just a misunderstanding. We were just messing around with the girl.”
“Misunderstanding? Then tell it to the cops.” Xavier didn’t budge. He nodded to his guards, cold as ice. “Take them in. And if
1/2
Chapter 63
anyone tries to bail them out, they’re picking a fight with my family.”
One second, those troublemakers were acting tough; the next, they were crying and begging as the guards hauled them
away.
The commotion had long since drawn the attention of many customers and passers-by. With the troublemakers gone, everyone’s eyes turned to Xavier, who stood there looking tall and confident.
A couple of young girls whispered excitedly, occasionally letting out comments like “So hot” and “He looks so protective.”
Xavier didn’t pay them any mind. He turned to Emily, his face softening. “Ms. Harper, are you okay?”