Chapter 3

The client was thrilled. Meanwhile, my mom sent me a video on Snapchat.

It showed Chloe’s wedding reception, hosted by Sarah. The venue was an absolute disaster.

Calling it a restaurant was a stretch—it was a dingy, greasy roadside diner out in the boonies.

Outside, a threadbare red carpet was laid across cracked pavement under a cheap, half-deflated balloon arch. The whole thing looked utterly pathetic.

Mom sent a voice note:

"Lynne, your aunt Brenda spent her whole life acting superior, and today she’s humiliated beyond belief!"

"It’s hilarious! They accused us of ripping them off, and now they fell straight into a scam!"

"Sarah's 'grand diner' can barely fit ten tables! They’ve pushed plastic tables straight onto the sidewalk! I’ve never seen anything so tacky in my life. Best entertainment ever!"

"If you finish early, drive over here and watch!"

I checked the GPS. The diner was only a twenty-minute drive from the estate, so I hopped into my car and headed over.

When I arrived, Chloe was already having a meltdown, gripping Sarah’s arm. "You said this was a grand banquet hall! What the hell is this?"

"It’s the biggest diner in our town!" Sarah snapped defensively. "Can't you see how happy everyone looks?"

The stench of rotting shrimp and dead fish wafted through the front doors, so strong it hit you from the sidewalk.

Chloe grabbed her new husband, Sam. "Look at what your sister did! All your coworkers are here! We’re a laughingstock!"

Sam brushed her off, annoyed. "You agreed to this! Your cousin had an upscale place booked, and you canceled it!"

Chloe looked ready to faint.

Rancid fish, mushy gray shrimp, and the rest was cheap radish, soggy tofu, and limp cabbage. The cheapest ingredients imaginable. She was shaking with fury.

"Sam, tell me the truth! This is what your sister calls a luxury seafood feast?"

Sam's mother scoffed from the side. "What are you whining about? People eat too much meat these days anyway. Plain vegetarian food cleanses the stomach! It’s good for them!"

"If you don't like it, find someone else. My daughter cleared out our entire diner just to cook for you today. Stop being so ungrateful!"

Looking at her mother-in-law's smug face, Chloe finally realized she had been played for a fool.

Regret hit her like a train.

Every guest—friends, family, and coworkers—had expressions dripping with disgust.

By the time I walked up, Tom and Brenda looked sick to their stomachs.

Seeing my mom, Tom desperately grabbed her arm. "Mary, please! Call Lynne! Tell her to bring some real seafood over right now!"

Mom sneered. "Easy for you to say, Tom."

"Lynne took a personal loss to secure that high-end venue for you, and you made it very clear you had no regrets when you canceled. It’s Memorial Day weekend! Even if she had seafood, there's no way to pull off a banquet on a dime!"

Tom panicked. He pulled out his phone, but then spotted me walking up. He rushed over and grabbed my sleeve.

"Lynne! Thank god you’re here! Your cousin only gets married once. You can't let this be ruined! Can you reroute some seafood? Doesn't your team cook on-site?"

I burst out laughing. "Sure. Eight thousand a table."

"What? Eight thousand?!" Tom froze. "Why is it so expensive? Wasn't it $3,888 before?!"

"That was the family discount where I ate the cost myself. Eight thousand is my standard market rate."

I pulled up the photos of the lavish feast we had just prepared for Mr. Hayes. "Take a look. This is the quality. The client paid in full without a single complaint."

"Like you said when you canceled: fair business is fair business. Eight thousand a table. Not a penny less."