Chapter 3

Using a selfie of Merlin as the profile picture, the account sent Georgette a message.

"Today's a girls' get-together, so don't bring your boyfriend along and ruin the fun!"

"I don't like hanging out with the guys anyway; they're too much trouble."

Reading those two lines, my vision went dark, then darker.

But the strange feeling I couldn't shake grew even stronger. Merlin didn't seem like the kind of person who'd say things like this.

Yet the account in front of me was clearly his.

While I stood there wavering, Georgette turned off her phone screen and snatched the gift bag out of my hand.

"It's the thought that counts, so cool off. I'll say something to him for you later."

And with that, Georgette ran off.

It only made me feel more resentful.

A nameless fury burned through me until every organ ached. I grabbed my car keys and drove straight to the restaurant.

I told the manager to let me know once they'd finished eating.

Sure enough, once everyone was done, their whole table came laughing and chattering out of the restaurant.

I checked the tab, and just as I'd expected, it was still in the red, unsettled.

And it wasn't just today's tab, either. I felt a rage start to burn in my chest, and no matter what I did, I couldn't push it down.

I gritted my teeth and forced out a smile, then walked up to them.

Once everyone saw it was me, their faces took on an inexplicable hostility.

I frowned. Georgette's friends and I weren't especially close before, but whenever we met we'd always been courteous with each other.

This was the first time any of them had looked at me with such displeasure.

Before I could even speak, Merlin caught hold of me, a smile on his face. "Why didn't you come today? I was just telling them how high the standards at your restaurant are, and how good the service is. I'll bring more of my friends here in the future."

I stared at him, amazed that anyone's nerve could run so thick.

He talked like he'd actually paid the bill. I couldn't help firing back with a sarcastic edge. "Bring more? I think we can pass on that!"

The moment I finished, Merlin's face changed, going wounded and bewildered.

And just as I was about to speak, one of Georgette's friends jumped in first.

"Only Merlin's got any class. Sweetie—no offense, but your restaurant's gotten so much business from us. You charge us cleaning fees and service fees just to set up for a birthday, and corkage fees when we bring our own wine, and you won't even knock off the loose change. Your restaurant is really something, so classy..."

Merlin, looking embarrassed, scolded her and then quickly explained that she'd had too much to drink.

But the two of them playing off each other had me boiling.

My grip on the bill tightened and tightened, my grievance and anger nearly ripping apart the last shred of reason I had left.

I was about to throw the bill in their faces and demand to know which charge had ever been settled.

But just as I started to raise my hand, Georgette, who'd just come out of the restroom, spotted me and instantly clamped down hard on my wrist.

She forced my hand back down, and I stared at her in disbelief.

"Let it go, let it go. It's Merlin's birthday today."

She leaned close and whispered in my ear.

I let out a cold laugh and was about to speak when Georgette glared at me in warning, her displeasure practically spilling over.

Her grip on my wrist grew tighter and tighter, almost crushing the bone.

In just that little while, Merlin and his group had already walked far off.

I couldn't hold my temper any longer, and I shouted at Georgette.

"What's that supposed to mean? I deserve to be the sucker, using my own money to buy Merlin some pride? And in the end I don't even get a single kind word?"

Just thinking about the attitude of Georgette's friend made the acid churn in my stomach.

"Georgette, you're using my money and my resources as your favors to hand out? You're really something."

Georgette's face went livid. After a deep breath, she said, "Go calm yourself down!"

And with that, she left.

I was so angry I called the manager to pull up the surveillance footage. I wanted to see exactly which day Merlin had ever paid.

But when I brought the footage up, I was stunned.