A Journey from Bitterness to Truth

restaurant. Her gaze Up to Chlow, and upon recognizing her, she burst into laughter.

Well, look who we have here! If it isn’t our very own Chloe! Her tone shifted to one of mocking superiority. Oh wait, that’s right, Chloe’s been booted out by the company. A stray dog now, aren’t we?”

Chloe’s face drained of color, a sickly pale giving way to a deep flush of embarrassment.

Matilda, standing at her side, asked who the woman was.

“That’s Reese, Chloe said, her voice low. “An influencer. She’s the one who smashed Declan Yeager’s coffee machine last time”

Reese clearly hadn’t expected to run into Chloe here, and with the backup of Declan, her confidence was soaring. Snide and merciless, she taunted, “Oh, what’s this? Spot a good–looking chef and can’t help but try to catch his eye, Chloe? Haha, how pathetic. Without Mr. Yeager’s support, you actually think you matter?”

Chloe bit back a response, swallowing the humiliation as she steadied her friend. “Godfrey, are you okay?”

Reese mocked their interaction with an exaggerated smirk. “Oh, listen to that tone. It reeks of desperation from a mile away, Chloe, surely you’re not so starved for attention.*

Godfrey, his voice laced with anger, snapped back, “Miss, you can insult me all you want, and critique my cooking, but I won’t stand for you disrespecting my friend!”

are men and women just friends without something

behind Reese. Chloe and Matilda

Declan and… Yvan.

a

softly urged, “Chloe, let’s get Godfrey out of here. Is your face still hurting?”

smile, though half his face was swollen from the confrontation. It was the

scene. Like moths to a flame, each one of you,” Reese snickered, admiring her manicured nails,

was the first to break the silence, “What’s

through his with an air of entitlement. “Just the right

so eagerly, and you have the nerve to criticize

Reese’s smug expression. As she lunged at Matilda, the

presence made Reese feel as though she was

do? Everyone’s watching, you want to start a fight in

continue with your slander, I won’t hesitate to shut that

and moved to stand by Chloe, who was visibly shaken. “Let’s