NovelEnglish
Chapter 0121
Abby
The lunchtime rush is finally easing up. Much unlike yesterday, it’s been a smooth day so far, and I feel
relieved; but that’s exactly when it happens.
I’m scanning the restaurant floor, making sure everything is running smoothly, when I hear the crash.
It’s a shocking mix of the sound of ceramic shattering, gasps, and the thud of a body hitting the floor,
followed by a loud “Ow!”
My heart lurches into my throat as I rush over to see one of my waitresses, Sarah, sprawled on the
ground amid a mess of broken dishes and spilled food.
“What happened?” I ask, my eyes darting around the room, locking onto a group of snickering
teenagers at a nearby table.
“I saw it,” Karl says, striding past me. “Those little sh its tripped her. Deliberately.”
In seconds, he’s at their table, his face dark with anger. “You think that was funny? Get up.”
“It was an accident!” one of the kids says, feigning innocence. But it’s clear that he’s full of sh it. They
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are.
I kneel beside Sarah, who’s clutching her wrist, her face pale. “Are you okay?” I ask.
“I think so,” she mumbles, grimacing as she attempts to move. I call over two other employees to clean
the mess and guide Sarah to a chair.
Karl reappears, dragging the shame-faced teenagers behind him. “Apologize,” he commands, his voice
icy. They mumble sc attered apologies, looking anywhere but at Sarah or me.
“Sorry isn’t enough,” Karl continues. “You’re washing dishes for the rest of the night. And if I see any of
you around here again causing trouble, you’re going to wish you never set foot in this place.”
“Karl, you can’t—” I begin, but my voice trails off with a look from Karl. A look I know all too well, one
that embodies his spirit of an Alpha.
I watch the teenagers slink off to the kitchen, led by Karl. The room is quiet now; even the low hum of
conversations has died down. But my focus is on Sarah, who is sitting by the bar and wiping tears from
her eyes, her hands shaking.
“I’m sorry, Abby,” she says as I approach. “All that food…”
“It’s not your fault.” I give her shoulder a squeeze. “Little jerks.”
For a little while, I help pick up the slack in the dining area to relieve some of the anxiety from the
accident. But it’s not long before the front door swings open, and a couple strides in. bin
One glance at them tells me all that I need to know: they have that classic “I’d like to speak to the
manager” air about them, and my heart sinks. They must be the parents.
“Are you the owner of this establishment?” the woman asks, her eyes scanning me up and down as if
assessing whether I’m worthy of her time.
“Yes, I am,” I reply, bracing myself for a potential scolding—or worse, pressing charges.
“Our children informed us they’re here, washing dishes? Something about a prank?” the man adds,
crossing his arms over his chest.
“Um… Yes,” I say, swallowing the lump in my throat. “They tripped one of my waitresses. She’s been
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏmhurt, and there was damage to our property.”
I wait for the outburst, the accusations, perhaps even threats of a lawsuit. But instead, the woman
sighs, exchanging a tired look with her husband.
“I’m sorry you have to deal with this,” she says, shaking her head. “We’ve been trying to instill some
sense of responsibility in them, but teenagers will be teenagers, I suppose.”
“Though that doesn’t excuse mean-spirited pranks,” the man chimes in. “They told us it was a joke, but
this goes beyond a joke. Someone got hurt.”
I blink, absorbing their words. This is not the reaction I was expecting, but it’s a relief, like a weight
lifting off my shoulders.
“Karl, one of my… cooks, thought it would be a fitting punishment for them to help clean up,” I say
cautiously, gauging their response.
“A fitting punishment indeed.” The man nods, looking toward the kitchen. “In fact, we’d like to extend
their… employment, if you’d be willing. A week of scrubbing your kitchen and doing whatever tasks you
see fit should drive the message home.”
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