He Thought the Food Was Free, I Made Sure the Lesson Wasn’t Chapter 02

He Thought the Food Was Free, I Made Sure the Lesson Wasn’t Chapter 02

For the next two days, I showed up at the restaurant like nothing had happened. I managed the place the same as always. The only difference was the calls I made in between, and the papers I signed when no one was looking.

It seemed like they were giving me the silent treatment. Derek stayed gone. So did Evan—and that was saying something, because he used to swing by constantly.

But he did text. A few times.

[Claire, enough. The drama’s getting old.]

[My mom was right. You’re spoiled.]

[Fine. Stay mad forever. See if I care.]

I didn’t reply to a single one. I just kept working on what I needed to do.

Day three. I’d just signed the last document when Derek walked in.

He was wearing new clothes. His hair was slicked back, shiny with product. He had that smug, untouchable swagger written all over him.

Patricia and Evan flanked him. Neither of them looked at me.

Behind them, a whole crowd streamed in. Dozens of people. Mostly relatives and Derek’s friends.

They grabbed seats wherever they wanted, acting like they owned the place.

Derek swaggered up to the front counter and gave me his order, “It’s my birthday. I’m taking the whole place. Every table gets top-shelf liquor and the priciest thing on the menu. Lobster, king crab, wagyu, truffle—the works. And for the booze, I’m talking Pappy-level. Don’t even think about pouring the cheap stuff.”

I looked up at him. Calm. Steady. “You sure that’s what you want for every table? Once I put this through, no refunds and no sending it back.”

He slammed his hand on the counter and shouted, “The hell kind of question is that? I said order it, so order it. You looking for another slap?”

His friends immediately jumped in to gas him up, “That’s our boy! Even his birthday dinners are legendary!”

The relatives were a mix of excited and uneasy.

“Derek, isn’t this a little overboard? All this fancy food and liquor, that’s gotta cost a fortune.”

Derek just waved it off:

“This is nothing. It’s just a meal. Eat whatever you want. Everything tonight is on me.”

Then he turned back to me, eyes hard, “Why are you still standing there? Get moving. If you hold things up any longer, I swear I’ll make you regret it.”

I looked at his face. Belligerent. Twisted. Proud.

Then I glanced down at the asset transfer agreement I’d signed earlier that day.

I smiled. “Okay.”