Cheat Million Love

Now officially Nic's girlfriends, Monica, Julia, and Charlotte were still adjusting to their new roles. The air around them was a mix of awkward silence and stolen glances. Sensing the tension, Nic gave his signature smile and tried to break the ice.

"As a thank-you for joining the Unity Club," he said cheerfully, "I want to take the three of you out for a special dinner tonight."

Monica tilted her head curiously. "Special dinner? What do you mean?"

Nic grinned. "I'm treating you all to the fanciest restaurant in town."

All three girls reacted at once, their eyes wide.

"Wait, seriously?" Julia frowned. "Those places are insanely expensive, you know?"

Charlotte, usually composed, added, "And we'll look out of place dressed like this. People usually wear designer stuff to go to those places."

Nic shrugged. "That doesn't matter. We're not there to show off—we're going to enjoy a beautiful night together. Julia, find us a good place, yeah?"

Julia didn't need to be asked twice. She pulled out her compact laptop and began typing away with lightning speed. It wasn't long before she pointed at the screen.

"Found one. Five-star rating, perfect reviews. Not a single bad comment."

Monica leaned over to see. "Whoa! And tonight, there's a special guest chef—a rising young talent. We're seriously lucky."

Nic nodded with excitement. "Then that's the one. Let me book a taxi—"

Charlotte cut him off. "No need. I brought my car."

Nic blinked in surprise. "You drive?"

Charlotte rolled her eyes. "Of course I do. I'm not just good at solving crimes."

They piled into Charlotte's modest sedan and drove toward the luxurious restaurant. The parking lot was filled with glittering sports cars and limousines. Charlotte looked around and sighed.

"Yup. Definitely the plainest car here."

Nic gave her shoulder a reassuring pat. "That's the last thing that matters."

Inside, the restaurant resembled a royal palace—gold accents, chandeliers, and staff in polished uniforms. As they approached the hostess desk, a maid greeted them politely, though her eyes betrayed mild confusion at their casual outfits. After a moment of pause, she gestured for them to follow her inside.

As they looked for their table, a man suddenly bumped into Julia—hard. She stumbled and nearly fell.

The man turned around, clearly not sorry. "Oh, my bad," he said with a mocking smirk.

Nic immediately stepped in front of Julia, his eyes sharp. "If it was an accident, you could at least say a proper apology."

The man scoffed. "Apologize? To people like you? Don't make me laugh." He turned and strutted over to a table surrounded by admiring women.

Monica helped Julia up and muttered, "There's always one guy like that in places like this."

Nic just smiled. "Let it go. Tonight's too good to waste on someone like him."

They sat down, and a polite waiter came over to take their orders. Nic told the girls to pick anything they liked. They didn't hold back, ordering a spread of appetizers, mains, and the special dish of the evening.

Unbeknownst to them, the rude man—Theo—overheard. Feeling challenged, he raised his voice.

"Waiter! Give me everything they ordered. Double the portions!"

The waiter blinked, nodded, and went to relay the order, while the women at Theo's table swooned.

"Theo's the best! So cool!"

Meanwhile, in the kitchen, things turned frantic. The head chef for the night, Zestia, a young culinary star known for her technique and flair, was preparing for the special orders. She cracked her knuckles and addressed the staff.

"Focus, everyone. Let's make this a night to remember."

As Zestia began cooking, her movements were mesmerizing. Knives sliced with rhythm, spices flew with grace, and the scent of her cooking filled the air like a symphony. The other chefs, initially watching in awe, snapped back to work to assist her.

When the food was finally ready, Zestia led the way out of the kitchen with her team. They approached table 30—Nic's.

But before they could reach it, Theo stepped in front of them.

"Stop right there," he said arrogantly. "Those dishes are mine. I ordered more."

Zestia frowned slightly. "I'm sorry, sir. But our waiter told us that table 30 placed the order first. We're serving by order of request."

Theo scoffed. "A genius chef like you should be serving important guests. Do you even know who I am?"

Zestia ignored him and walked past. She arrived at Nic's table and gently placed the dishes down.

"Please enjoy your meal," she said with a small bow.

"Thank you," Nic replied with a warm smile. The girls echoed him.

They began eating, laughter bubbling up as they sampled each other's dishes, even playfully feeding bites to one another.

At Theo's table, frustration boiled over. He slammed the table, drawing attention from the entire restaurant. A security guard approached swiftly.

"Sir, please calm down," the guard said, gripping Theo's arm firmly.

Theo sneered. "You think I'm scared of you? Just wait—I'm calling my father!"

He whipped out his phone, and the entire restaurant seemed to pause. A few wealthy-looking guests whispered excitedly, clearly entertained.

Back at Nic's table, he remained calm and continued enjoying the meal. Julia and Charlotte, however, kept a close eye on the scene, their instincts kicking in.

A few minutes later, Theo's father arrived, flanked by a towering bodyguard. At the same time, Zestia returned from the kitchen, carrying Theo's food.

But Theo scoffed and pushed the plate away.

"Lost my appetite. Cancel it."

One of the chefs snapped, "You still have to pay! We made it already!"

Theo's father stepped forward. "How dare you raise your voice at us? Do you even know who I am? I'm the wealthiest man in the entire red district. If my son doesn't want it, that's your fault. Now get your boss."

The tension spiked. Some guests watched with growing unease; others were practically cheering.

One muttered, "Why bother calling the boss? Zestia's just a guest chef. Nothing will happen to her."

A few chuckled, but the situation was clearly escalating.

A moment later, the restaurant's secretary, Emily, arrived looking flustered.

"What's going on?" she asked.

Zestia explained everything calmly. After hearing the details, Emily turned to Theo's father and said politely, "I apologize for the trouble, sir. But our staff did nothing wrong. Waiting your turn isn't unreasonable."

Theo's father's eyes narrowed. "So you're saying this is our fault?"

"Yes, sir," Emily answered firmly. "Your son was in the wrong."

His face darkened. "Give me your boss's number."

"May I ask why?"

"Just give it to me!" he snapped.

Reluctantly, Emily gave the number. Theo's father called immediately. Seconds later, he put the phone on speaker and held it out.

From the other end, the voice of the restaurant owner spoke wearily.

"Emily, you're fired."

The entire restaurant went silent.

Emily's face went pale. She stood frozen, stunned.

Theo's father smiled smugly. "Come on, Theo. Let's leave this trash place. We're not paying a single cent."

They left the restaurant, heads high, the other guests too stunned to speak.

Emily sat down at a nearby table, still reeling.

Zestia walked over, guilt written on her face. "I'm sorry. This happened because of me…"

Emily shook her head slowly. "No. This isn't your fault. This is what happens when jerks have too much money and no soul…"

She took a deep breath and exhaled heavily.

One of the chefs looked at the untouched plates. "What should we do with all this food now?"

From table 30, Nic stood up.

"I'll pay for it," he said calmly. "And we'll eat it too. It would be a shame to waste the work of a talented young chef."

Everyone in the room—including Monica, Julia, and Charlotte—turned to him in surprise.

To be continued...