Chapter 1: The Woman He Thought He Had Destroyed
Tao đổ hết cho con khốn đó. Bianca đừng hòng biết sự thật.
Curtis raised his champagne glass toward the crowd, wearing the kind of smile that suggested the entire city of Baltimore had gathered to celebrate him.
His lips never moved.
Nobody heard the words inside his head.
But if anyone could have heard his thoughts, they would have understood why his smile looked so satisfied.
Tonight was supposed to be perfect.
The new restaurant was beautiful. The dining room glowed beneath golden pendant lights. Fresh flowers decorated every table, and the smell of garlic butter, grilled salmon, and expensive wine filled the air.
A banner above the entrance read:
*GRAND OPENING — CURTIS HARRIS'S NEW CHAPTER.*
At thirty-eight, Curtis wanted everyone to believe he had finally become the successful businessman he had always claimed to be.
Beside him stood Bianca, his thirty-one-year-old fiancée, wearing a fitted emerald-green dress and a diamond bracelet he had bought her the previous weekend.
She looked beautiful.
More importantly, she looked impressed.
Curtis had spent weeks telling her how he had overcome a devastating business failure, rebuilt his reputation, and found a woman who understood what it meant to dream big.
He had carefully left out certain details.
Especially the ones involving money.
"You're quiet tonight," Bianca whispered, straightening his jacket.
Curtis smiled.
"Just taking it all in, baby. Look around. This is what happens when you refuse to give up.""
Bianca kissed his cheek.
"I'm proud of you.""
Those four words were worth more to him than the champagne in his hand.
Then he saw her.
Tessa.
His ex-wife.
She had just entered through the restaurant's glass doors.
For a moment, Curtis forgot what he was saying.
Tessa wore a simple black dress, small gold earrings, and low heels. Her natural curls fell neatly around her shoulders. She carried a dark leather handbag and looked around the room with the quiet confidence of someone who knew exactly where she was going.
She wasn't dressed to compete.
That annoyed him.
He had specifically invited her because he wanted her to see what she had lost.
Four years earlier, their marriage had collapsed alongside their restaurant business.
Back then, they had owned a small neighborhood restaurant together. Tessa handled the kitchen, suppliers, staff, and daily operations. Curtis handled financing, expansion plans, and what he called the business side.
When the restaurant went bankrupt, Curtis blamed her.
He said she couldn't manage people.
He said her food was too ordinary.
He said her stubbornness had ruined everything.
Their divorce followed.
Tessa left with a few boxes of clothes, some kitchen equipment, and a reputation Curtis had spent months destroying among their mutual acquaintances.
He had never once admitted that the business had been failing because of decisions he made.
Now he wanted an audience for his revenge.
"Look who's here," Curtis said loudly.
Bianca followed his gaze.
"Oh. That's Tessa?""
"Unfortunately.""
Tessa approached their table.
"Good evening, Curtis.""
He didn't return the greeting.
Instead, he turned slightly toward the guests standing nearby.
"Curtis, congratulations!"" one man said.
"Thank you," Curtis replied. Then he pointed toward Tessa.
"You know her? She's the reason my first restaurant went bankrupt.""
The conversations around them slowed.
Tessa stopped walking.
Curtis continued.
"Four years ago, I made the mistake of going into business with someone who knew how to cook but didn't know how to run a company.""
A woman holding a wineglass glanced awkwardly at Tessa.
Curtis laughed.
"That's the difference between a woman who talks about business and a woman who actually understands it.""
He placed his arm around Bianca.
"Bianca knows how to make money. Tessa only knew how to spend it.""
Bianca smoothed the sleeve of his jacket and offered Tessa a faint, satisfied smile.
"Well, everyone deserves a second chance," Bianca said.
"Some people just need the right partner.""
The comment landed exactly where she intended.
Tessa's eyes briefly reddened.
Her fingers tightened around the leather strap of her handbag.
She had imagined seeing Curtis again.
She had imagined him being arrogant, perhaps even unpleasant.
But she hadn't expected him to turn her into entertainment in front of strangers.
"Curtis," Tessa began quietly.
He lifted his glass.
"Don't worry. There's no need to explain anything. We all know what happened.""
Then a voice came from the entrance.
"Chef?""
A tall Black man in a clean white chef's uniform walked briskly through the dining room.
He was carrying a tablet and a folded kitchen report.
"Lionel!"" Tessa turned.
The man stopped beside her.
"Chef, all three locations are completely booked tonight. The Harbor East team is asking whether we can approve another reservation for the private dining room. They're already at capacity.""
Tessa glanced at his tablet.
"Tell them not to squeeze in another table. We don't compromise service just to increase the covers.""
"Understood, Chef.""
"And tell the Canton manager I'll review the supplier invoices tomorrow morning.""
"I already sent them to your office.""
"Good. Thank you, Lionel.""
Lionel nodded respectfully.
He hadn't even looked at Curtis.
To him, the conversation was simply a routine business update with his boss.
But Curtis had heard every word.
His smile disappeared.
He looked at Lionel's white uniform.
Then at Tessa.
Then back at Lionel.
"Wait.""
Lionel glanced over.
Curtis pointed at Tessa.
"Did you just call her Chef?""
Lionel frowned slightly.
"Yes, sir.""
Curtis gave a short, disbelieving laugh.
"She's not a chef. She used to work in my restaurant.""
Lionel's expression changed.
"With respect, sir, she's the executive chef and owner of all three locations.""
Silence.
Bianca's hand slowly slipped away from Curtis's sleeve.
Curtis stared at Tessa.
"Three locations?""
Tessa held his gaze.
"Mine.""
He blinked.
"What do you mean, yours?""
"I mean I own them.""
Curtis looked around as if expecting someone to explain that this was a joke.
Nobody did.
Lionel stood patiently beside Tessa, waiting for further instructions.
Curtis finally found his voice.
"You own three restaurants?""
"Three bistros," Tessa corrected.
"Different neighborhoods. Different menus. Same company.""
"When did that happen?""
"While you were busy explaining to everyone that I couldn't run a business.""
A few guests exchanged looks.
Bianca studied Tessa more carefully.
Curtis laughed again, but this time the sound was strained.
"Come on. You expect me to believe you built three restaurants in four years?""
Tessa didn't answer immediately.
Instead, she turned to Lionel.
"Please make sure the kitchen teams get their breaks. Nobody should be working through dinner.""
"Absolutely, Chef.""
Lionel walked away.
Curtis watched him go.
That small exchange bothered him more than anything else.
Lionel hadn't treated Tessa like a woman who had once been married to a restaurant owner.
He had treated her like the person in charge.
Curtis leaned closer.
"Where did you get the money?""
Tessa adjusted the strap of her handbag.
"I worked.""
"Don't be ridiculous.""
"I started with a tiny space, six employees, and a secondhand oven. I saved every dollar. I expanded when the numbers justified it.""
Curtis shook his head.
"You couldn't even keep our restaurant open.""
Tessa's expression hardened.
"Our restaurant didn't close because I couldn't cook.""
He opened his mouth.
But she had already turned away.
For the first time that evening, Curtis felt the room shifting around him.
The guests who had laughed at his jokes were no longer smiling.
And Bianca was no longer looking at him.
She was looking at Tessa.
Curtis reached for Bianca's hand.
"Baby, don't let this fool you. She's exaggerating.""
Bianca didn't respond.
Tessa glanced at the handbag hanging from her shoulder.
She had carried something inside it for four years.
Something she had promised herself she would never use unless Curtis tried to rewrite the past in front of her again.
Tonight, he had done exactly that.
And she was done protecting him.
"Tessa," Curtis said sharply.
"What are you looking for?""
She slowly opened her handbag.
And pulled out a thick folder.
Curtis recognized the color of its cover immediately.
May you like
His face changed.
Because he knew exactly what was inside.
