Chapter 3

Beryl's piercing screech at the shop entrance pulled a crowd from the lobby.

The customers craned their necks to watch the scene. Their stares, full of judgment, landed on me like I was some lowlife trying to skip out on the check.

"Dine and dash at Seaview? That's insane."

"Dressed all sharp but pulling this crap?"

"Can't afford Seaview? Stay home. Don't embarrass yourself here."

My blood boiled at the public condemnation. Nearby, Chad looked ashen, sweat trickling down his face. "Beryl, maybe we should just drop it."

He tugged at her sleeve, hoping to defuse the tension, but her eyes bulged with rage. "Grow a spine! The money is right there. Why push it away? Milk him now or what? Save it for the holidays?"

Flinching, Chad swallowed his further persuasions and quietly shrank back. His cowardice only fueled my rage and cemented my disappointment.

Keeping a straight face, I pulled out my phone and dialed my assistant. "Grab $500,000 cash from the car and bring it to the front."

It wasn't long before Ross rushed over with a heavy silver suitcase.

I nodded for him to pop it open. With a click, the lid flipped up, revealing neat stacks of hundreds. The sight was a total showstopper.

Gasps filled the air, and the whispers stopped dead.

Beryl's eyes went wide; she hadn't pegged me, whom she deemed a poor relative for someone who'd casually drop half a million in cash.

"Should've asked for a million," she groaned under her breath, glancing around like she'd lost a fortune.

Her gaze was fixed on the money. She swallowed hard, her breathing quickening.

She lunged to close the case. "Wise choice! $280,000 for the service; the rest covers the hit to our reputation from your stunt."

"Hold up!" I held the lid down, blocking her.

She narrowed her eyes, suspicious. "What, backing out now?"

"Take the cash," I said, staring her down, "but produce a receipt first. Put everything in black and white."

Chad jolted, finally grasping how badly things had spiraled. He grabbed her arm in a panic. "We can't do that. Give it back to Adriano."

"Back off, you useless wimp!" She shook him off, shooting him a disgusted look. "Spit out easy money? Hell no! This is what he owes. Paperwork makes it official. Done deal."

Blinded by greed, she ignored every red flag, snatched paper and a pen from a nearby employee, scrawled her name with a flourish, and added a thumbprint for good measure.

"There!" She flung the receipt my way and clutched the case like a lifeline. "See, babe? That's how it's done. This is my play money now. I've been eyeing that limited Hermès bag forever. Finally, I can get it!"

She beamed triumphantly, linking arms with Chad in cloying sweetness. She was immersed in the joy of her windfall and luxury dreams, her face glowing with happiness.

Just as she tugged Chad away, brakes squealed outside. Three black vans emblazoned with the Seaview logo pulled up to the curb.