Chapter 2 Harsh Mother

"Of course, Mr. Shaw. I know." The manager turned to me, his smile was now gone and replaced by a cold expression. A flash of disdain flickered in his eyes. "Your total comes up to 186 thousand. Cash or credit?"

I froze, my cries stopping. Zach was the one who wanted to meet here, and he was the one who ordered that 180-thousand-dollar wine, but now he wanted me to pay for it? What the hell?

I answered honestly, "I don't have any money on me."

My nephew had my card, and I never had to pay for anything myself as I always had a group of bodyguards ready to do all the menial tasks for me.

My father had told them not to dog my steps today because he didn't want to scare my date, and also because he didn't want my date to find out who I was, worried that this unknown man would try to charm my money out of my purse.

Frankly, none of us expected a guy as unbelievable as Zach to become my date.

Zach sneered. He looked at me as if I were a clown. "If you have no money, you shouldn't be acting like a princess. You have two options. Come home and apologize to my mother, and I'll pay for this meal. Or two, you stay back and do the dishes until you clear your debt!"

Lina's laughter rang through the phone. I could smell the stench of harshness even though she wasn't here.

"That's my boy! You should never show these gold diggers any mercy! And take her phone just in case she calls the cops on us!"

Zach's arm immediately lashed toward me like a snake. I clenched my phone tight enough for my knuckles to turn white.

The chat group was already filled with furious messages, but I didn't have the luxury to check what was being written.

"Let go!" Zach growled, his face twisted with something fierce.

He was too strong, and I was just a girl who couldn't even open a water bottle. So, it was no surprise that Zach managed to snatch my phone away, locking the screen.

Then, he straightened his expensive suit and said matter-of-factly, "Keep an eye on her, Mr. Folx. I'll get my car. She's coming to my house even if she has to crawl on all fours."

The manager led a group of burly guards and blocked the room's exit. I sat back down, my hand still screaming in pain. My tears wouldn't stop coming.

No one had ever raised their voice at me my whole life, but now someone had just snatched my purse, my phone, and wanted me to do the dishes just to clear some debt that I didn't even accrue in the first place. All in all, I felt like crap.

My heart wouldn't stop thundering, and my childhood disease flared up. I started hiccuping uncontrollably.

The manager pinched his nose in disgust and stepped back, looking at me like I was trash. "Drop the act. You should feel grateful Mr. Shaw took a liking to you. Wipe your tears and get ready to live with the Shaws."

I hiccuped, my tears still flowing down my cheeks like a broken faucet. I thought in bemusement, 'Given how explosive my nephews can be, they're going to rip this manager and that uggo a new one.'

The door was ajar.

…

Right after Zach was gone, hurried clops that could only belong to heels rang in the air. Then, the door was flung open like a rag doll.

A middle-aged woman in an obnoxious ferret fur coat and a necklace filled with comically large pearls came barging in. I knew who that was the second I saw her. She had to be Zach's mother.

Apparently, she had been in a salon in the mall next door. When her son called her, she came right away just to drill her so-called family rules into me. She had come in such a rush that her face mask was still on.

"So, this is the princess who can't even crack a crab?" Lina sized me up in derision. I could feel the venom in her gaze and the harsh critique that was at the tip of her tongue.

The manager quickly simpered. "Mrs. Shaw. She's still being stubborn even though she can't pay for the meal."