Chapter 1

For my cousin Chloe’s wedding, I arranged a luxury seafood catering banquet at $3,888 a table.

Her future sister-in-law, Sarah, scoffed openly in front of everyone:

"Lynne, you’re seriously ripping your own family off! We’re relatives! A spread like this barely costs three hundred bucks to make, and you’re charging almost four grand?"

Aunt Brenda tried to smooth things over. "Well, it comes with premium live seafood!"

Sarah sneered dismissively. "Seafood is pure markup! My husband’s family owns a diner. We could put this together for three hundred bucks and still turn a profit!"

Brenda’s face darkened, but Chloe glanced at me, then turned straight to Sarah. "Is it really that cheap? Then you handle it, Sarah! We’re all family anyway—I'd rather let you make that money!"

She turned to me with fake politeness. "Lynne, you don't mind, right?"

I smiled calmly. "Not at all."

That $3,888-per-table deal was only possible because the ballroom owner, Leo, was doing me a massive personal favor.

I owned the largest wholesale seafood market in the city, supplying all the top restaurants and luxury hotel chains. We had worked together for years.

Whenever anyone had a big event—weddings, galas, milestone parties—they came to me, and I gave them rock-bottom prices.

This specific menu featured live Alaskan king crab, fresh Boston lobsters, and an array of rare delicacies you couldn't even order off a regular menu.

At under four thousand a table, I was charging bare cost. Every single ingredient was top-tier.

Chloe was my first cousin, so I naturally wanted her wedding to be spectacular.

Instead, she canceled the whole thing right in my face.

Fine. It was her choice, and I’d respect it.

Brenda shot me a cold look across the table. "Lynne, we're your family. You're cold-blooded, trying to fleece your own flesh and blood like that!"

My mom was about to snap back, but I gently held her hand and shook my head. It wasn't worth the breath.

I refunded their deposit on PayPal right then and there.

Seeing the notification pop up on her phone, Brenda immediately backpedaled. "I didn't mean it like that. I'm just saying... you shouldn't be so greedy with family. Whatever. Just my bad luck!"

Uncle Tom sat beside her, sipping his drink in silence.

I didn't argue. Right in front of them, I pulled out my phone and called the venue owner. "Hey, Leo. Cancel those thirty tables for the wedding."

"Wait, Lynne? You're actually walking away from this?"

"Yeah. We’re not doing it. Sorry for the trouble."

"No trouble at all! But just so you know, if you cancel the banquet, the grand ballroom is canceled too. Make sure the bride knows so she doesn't come crying to us later."

"Got it. I'll let them know."

I hung up and looked up to see Sarah and Chloe chattering away excitedly.

I casually cut in, "Since the banquet is canceled, you won't need that venue anymore either."

Brenda chimed in immediately. "Of course not! Sarah, since your family has a diner, we’ll just host it there! Saves us a ton of hassle!"

Sarah beamed with pride. "Exactly! I told you from the start we should do it at our place. My mom was just worried you couldn't cancel your first booking."

"If I had known sooner, I would've canceled weeks ago," Chloe said eagerly. "Go ahead and book it, Sarah!"

"Don't worry, Chloe! I’ll reserve our absolute biggest room for you. It’ll be gorgeous!"

Chloe looked thrilled. I sat back, watching them with a faint smirk.

Their wedding fell right on Memorial Day weekend—peak holiday season. Every decent venue and banquet hall in the city had been booked solid for months.

What kind of place could casually squeeze in thirty tables on a holiday weekend and serve a three-hundred-dollar 'seafood feast'? It was laughable.

Not my problem anymore.

Still, I had already ordered the premium seafood and couldn't return it. So I posted an ad on Instagram:

"Luxury seafood feast, $8,000 per table. Minimum order of 10 tables. Includes on-site private chef team and full setup. First come, first served!"

Of course, I blocked every single relative from seeing the story.

Some people simply didn't deserve my loyalty.

Within minutes of posting, my phone rang.

"Lynne! Do you still have those seafood banquets available? I need thirty tables! My VIP client is hosting a private event at his countryside estate, and he wants to go all out!"

"They're yours, Mr. Hayes. I'll lock it down for you."

"Fantastic! Standard procedure—I’m sending the deposit right now!"

Moments after hanging up, a $100,000 deposit notification popped up on my screen—more than Chloe's entire original wedding budget.

A satisfied smirk crossed my lips.

Sarah noticed and rolled her eyes. "Oh please, Lynne. Who’s the sucker this time, paying that kind of ridiculous money for your seafood?"