Chapter 1023
“Starting trouble at Aroma Exchange? Do you have a death wish?”
A sharp, commanding voice sliced through the room. Striding in at the center of a group of men in fitted black suits was a tall woman in a crimson designer dress, a lit cigarette delicately balanced between her fingers. Her wavy hair and cold expression made her presence impossible to ignore.
Behind her, the men stood like trained operatives—buzz cuts, sharp eyes, and temple veins slightly bulging—the kind of guys you just knew were professionals.
Seth pointed at Andrew and barked, “Ms. Sinclair, I know the restaurant’s rules! But I’m not the one who started anything—it was him, this crazy bastard! Just look at me! He beat me like an animal!”
Ruth Sinclair’s gaze darkened as she turned toward Andrew. “So you’re the one who smashed Mr. Haywood’s head open?”
Before Andrew could respond, Aspen stepped in. “Ms. Sinclair, we were just having dinner when Seth barged into our private room and disrupted everything. As per Aroma Exchange’s policy, customer privacy is sacred above all else. So, we weren’t in the wrong here, and I hope you’ll look into this fairly.”
Andrew frowned. He could tell Aspen was really tense around Ruth. Every word she said was measured and tight, like she was afraid of stepping out of line.
He spoke up anyway. “Yeah, I’m the one who cracked that wannabe’s head open. Not only that, I even gave him a little kick for good measure.”
He did not think he had done anything wrong and had no intention of letting Aspen take the fall for him. However, the moment those words left his mouth, Aspen panicked and hissed under her breath, “Shut up! If you piss Ms. Sinclair off, none of us are walking out of here!”
Andrew scoffed. “What’s the big deal? We’re just eating. It’s not like we’re skipping the bill. What is this place anyway—a crime syndicate hangout?”
Aspen looked like she was going to pass out from stress. She begged, “For the love of God, please stop talking! You have no idea who owns this restaurant.”
She explained, “The person behind Aroma Exchange is one of the most dangerous power players in the capital. They made it clear that anyone who causes trouble here is either leaving in a body bag or in pieces.”
Andrew let out a dismissive grunt, clearly unimpressed.
Just then, Ruth’s cold voice rang out again as she stepped forward, heels clicking on the floor. With a smirk, she said, “You don’t seem to get the rules, huh? When people dine here, we treat them like family—great food, top service, all good vibes.
“But someone who causes a scene in our space? Honestly, it’s been a long time since I’ve seen anyone stupid enough to try.”
Seth spat viciously, “Ms. Sinclair, that’s what I’ve been telling you! This guy’s nothing but a rabid dog—arrogant, disrespectful, absolutely suicidal! You probably don’t know yet, but he’s from Jayrodale, a total backwater.
“He has no idea how things work in the real world. Just give the order, and he’ll be on his knees begging for mercy.”
Ruth’s eyes narrowed, the disdain evident in her tone. “So, he’s from some little town? No wonder he doesn’t know his place. Fine. Get down on your knees and apologize to Mr. Haywood. Then, cough up a million in damages. We’ll let it go—for Ms. Aspen’s sake, since she’s a valued regular.”
Aspen’s voice turned firm. “Ms. Sinclair, I’ve already explained. Seth was the one who started this—he forced his way into our room, threw insults, and left Andrew no choice but to defend us.
“According to your restaurant’s own policies, guests are entitled to both privacy and security. So, if anything, the ones who failed their duty were Seth and Aroma Exchange’s own staff. You can’t just blame us because we fought back. That wouldn’t be fair.”
Ruth frowned slightly at that. On one hand, she had a clueless guy from a small town. On the other, she had a wealthy heir from one of the capital’s most powerful families. It did not take a genius to know where her bias should lie.
Nonetheless, rules were rules, and she could not just trample over them without consequence. Besides, if what Aspen said was true—that Seth instigated the whole thing—then pinning this all on Andrew would be a tough call to justify.
Worse yet, they had already drawn attention, and other VIP guests were starting to watch from nearby rooms. If she handled this poorly, it would not just be a bad night—it could seriously hurt the restaurant’s hard-earned reputation.
Chapter 1024