Chapter 3

Laura did repay the fifty thousand within three days.

However, on the day she repaid it, she pestered my assistant Mason, complaining about how difficult it was to gather the money, hoping he would pass her words to my ears.

But after Mason collected the money and listened for a few moments, he impatiently closed the door.

This day, I went alone to visit my grandmother.

On the way back, I happened to notice a small stand selling burgers by the roadside.

The vendor was an elderly woman who looked about the same age as my grandmother.

She busied herself back and forth, looking spirited and healthy.

But my grandmother's eyes had grown dim, and she was often hospitalized---all from ailments caused by overwork in her youth.

Grandfather had built his empire from scratch. All his skills were honed through fighting in the business world.

He suffered, and Grandmother suffered too. In her youth, she stayed home alone, raising five children by herself.

She made a living by setting up a stall with her excellent burgers.

Later, when Grandfather achieved success and the company went public, Father married Mother.

Mother never looked down on Father's humble origins. The two had always been devoted to each other.

Everyone found happiness, except Grandmother, who now suffered from various ailments. Even the finest delicacies had lost their flavor for her.

Thinking of this, I stopped the car and ordered a burger from the old woman.

Before I could eat, Laura somehow appeared out of nowhere.

She directly picked up the burger from my table and casually dumped it into the trash can, fawning:

"How could Mr. Reed eat something from a roadside stand like this!"

"Mr. Reed, wait a moment. I'll personally make a burger for you to try. My cooking skills are exceptional!"

After speaking, she forcibly snatched the utensils from the old woman's hands and began clanging about busily.

Her disgusting thoughts once again transmitted into my ears.

[Won't this move Ethan Reed to death?]

[Don't people say that real men don't belong in the kitchen?] But I don't care! Where else can you find a woman willing to cook for a man?]

[Once I win over Ethan Reed's stomach, the way to his heart will be wide open!]

But by the time she returned with the burger, I had already driven away.

Only my assistant Mason remained at the stall. Mason looked at her mockingly and said slowly:

"Mr. Reed said since you love making burgers so much, make a hundred today and send them to the welfare home in the suburbs."

"Don't worry, Mr. Reed will pay for the ingredients needed to make the burgers."

As he spoke, he pulled out his phone, scanned to transfer money, and handed the old woman a stack of cash.

"Ma'am, Mr. Reed said he's delayed your business, so this is compensation for you."

Laura stood there holding the burger, unable to process what happened for a long while. Her face had turned somewhat green.

Mason rolled his eyes. "What are you standing around for? Start cooking!"

"You're not leaving today until you finish making a hundred burgers. These bodyguards and I are staying here to supervise you."

"Aren't you always saying those rich people in the city bully you?"

"Today I'll show you what real abuse of power looks like."

Laura's eyes darted around, but in the end, she couldn't think of a solution and could only resignedly complete a hundred burgers.

"Mr. Reed, you should've seen it---when Laura left, she was so exhausted her limbs weren't coordinating. It was hilarious!"

While organizing documents for me, Mason casually described the situation.

"But the look in her eyes before she left made me think she hasn't given up on you yet. How can someone be so annoying!"

"We can't really do anything to her. So frustrating!"

I said casually, "Ignore her. Just treat it as entertainment."

But I didn't expect this "entertainment" would be bold enough to nearly drag our entire Reed Corporation down with her.