A few weeks after the wine incident, Madam CJ was back in the middle of her usual rampage, storming through the restaurant's kitchen with her hands flailing, and her voice grating as she scolded a young waiter for arranging the cutlery "as if blindfolded."
Still yelling and dishing out orders, someone arrived at the restaurant.
A young man dressed in a sharp-looking nice suit, wearing an expression carved out of stone.
The moment he stepped into the kitchen, the air changed. Every conversation was hushed, and the hands handling knives clattering against the cutting boards were paused. Every eyes discreetly shifted towards him. His presence did not just demand attention, it commanded it.
"Who is in charge here?" Lorenzo asked, though it was more of a rhetorical formality. His gaze had already found Madam CJ.
Slowly, she turned to face him, visibly shrinking, but tried to plaster on her professional smile. "That would be me, sir." She said. " I am Madam CJ. How may I...."
"I am here on behalf of Mr. Chris McCormick." he cut her short, going straight to the point.
At the mention of the name, the color drained from Madam CJ's face. She quickly gestured towards her office but not before giving Lucy a deadly glare.
"This way, sir." she led the way.
Inside the small office, a suffocating mix of burnt coffee and old air freshener lingered in the air, leaving Lorenzo with no choice than to loosen his tie a bit. Madam CJ motioned at Lorenzo, offering him a seat, but he remained standing, his hands clasped behind his back.
"I presume your memory is sharp and you remember the incident that happened here a few weeks ago, right?" he began.
Madam CJ nodded furiously. She was obviously offended by his choice of words but she dared not speak up. "Yes, yes, and I assure you, the staff responsible will be punished accordingly. Such behavior..."
"Madam CJ!" Lorenzo interrupted as if calling her to order. His tone was even, but sharp enough to slice through her blabbering. "Mr. McCormick is not interested in seeing anyone fired or punished."
Her brows furrowed in confusion, still unable to comprehend what Lorenzo was saying.
"However," Lorenzo continued, "he has made a little arrangement that simply needs your approval. Not that your approval is really needed, but for the sake of courtesy and formality," he said, scrolling through his tablet.
She dryly swallowed. "What kind of arrangement is it?"
"One that will involve your staff member, Lucy... in a more personal capacity."
Madam CJ's lips pursed. Suspicion began to dance in her eyes. "Personal capacity? What do you mean by that?"
"Exactly what it sounds like. Mr. McCormick has decided that Miss Lucy will begin working for him, at his residence, as his personal waitress. A decision that is of immediate effect."
There was a silence which was heavy and tense in the space. Madam CJ looked as though she were trying to comprehend a riddle.
"She will, of course, be compensated far better than she is here," Lorenzo added, as though that solved everything.
Madam CJ scoffed under her breath. "That troublesome girl? What on earth does Mr. McCormick want with her? I can make arrangements for someone way better than her. She is nothing but a clumsy, naive child."
"That is not for you to concern yourself with," Lorenzo said, his eyes slightly narrowing. "All you need to do is send for her. Mr. McCormick expects your compliance and nothing more."
Madam CJ's pride bristled, but self-preservation was stronger. She picked up the intercom.
"Send Lucy to my office. Now!"
Moments Later., Lucy stood at Madam CJ's office door, fidgeting. Her heart had not stopped racing since the wine incident. Every worst-case scenario had run through her mind.
Was this it? The moment she got fired? Or worse?
"Come in!" Madam CJ's sharp voice pierced through the door.
Lucy pushed the door open and froze in her tracks. The sharply dressed man from earlier was standing by the window. Lorenzo.
Madam CJ sat stiffly at her desk. Her arms were crossed and her lips pursed in a scowl. "Sit down, Lucy."
Lucy sat, placing her trembling hands on her lap.
"This gentleman is Mr. McCormick's assistant," Madam CJ began, gesturing toward Lorenzo, though her eyes stayed glued to Lucy. "He has come here with an offer from Mr. McCormick or should I say, an order."
Lucy's mouth went dry. She could barely swallow.
"Mr. McCormick has requested that you report to his residence to serve as his personal waitress. Starting tomorrow," Madam CJ said, the bitterness in her tone evident.
Lucy blinked. "I...I...do not understand."
"You do not need to," Lorenzo said, stepping forward. "You will be briefed on your responsibilities when you arrive. All you need to know is that this is non-negotiable."
"But...." Lucy tried to speak, but Madam CJ cut her off.
"But what, Lucy?" She cut in. " You should consider this a golden ticket, Lucy. You are being spared from a disgraceful dismissal," Madam CJ sneered, though her eyes glinted with a mix of envy and resentment.
Lucy's head was spinning. This was not a firing. This was not even a demotion, like she had expected. This was something else entirely.
"But why me?" she whispered.
"That is also not for you to ask considering your misdeed," Lorenzo replied. "You will be provided transportation. All you need do is do be ready when called."
Madam CJ stood, tapping her pen against the desk, signaling that the meeting was over. "Well, Lucy? What are you waiting for? You are dismissed."
Lucy stood up slowly, her mind in a haze. As she reached for the door, Lorenzo's voice stopped her.
"One more thing, Lucy," he said, but this time, his tone was softer, but his eyes as sharp as ever. "Mr. McCormick is a man who values competence. I trust that you would do well not to spill anything on him again."
---------
Later that evening, in the storeroom, Tia found Lucy sitting on a crate, staring blankly at the wall.
"Okay, spill. What happened?" Tia demanded, sitting beside her.
Lucy recounted everything that happened in Madam CJ's office, Lorenzo's words, the surreal "offer" to become McCormick's personal waitress.
Tia listened, wide-eyed, before suddenly bursting into an excited grin.
"What is that look on your face?" Lucy surprisingly asked.
" Is there something else you were expecting from me?" Tia scoffed.
"Do you have any idea how big this is, Lucy? This is not some punishment. This is your life turning around, and for good!"
Lucy sighed, torn between fear and curiosity. "I do not even know why he is doing this, Tia. Why me?"
Tia shrugged, smirking. "Maybe fate is finally throwing you a bone. Or maybe you left quite an impression on a certain grumpy billionaire."
Lucy chuckled despite herself. "You are definitely crazy."
But deep down, her stomach churned. This was not a fairytale. It did not feel like luck. It felt like being swept into something she could not control.
She was still lost in thought when her phone buzzed. It was a message from an unknown number.
"Be outside in fifteen minutes. – Lorenzo"
Sighing, she stood to her feet, grabbed her belongings and made outside the restaurant. Although she stood nervously by the back entrance, gripping Tia's hand tightly. A sleek black car pulled up.
Lorenzo stepped out, motioning for her to get into the car. "Miss Lucy, it is time."
Tia hugged her tightly. "Call me. Every hour."
"Trust me, it is alright," She assured her, opening the backdoor for her friend to enter.
"I love you, Tia." Lucy said, not wanting to let go of her friend.
"And I love you too, Lucy." Tia said, slamming the door shut close and waved as Lorenzo drove away.
"I will miss you so much my friend," She kept waving with tears streaming down her face till the car was out of sight.
Lucy climbed into the car, with her heart pounding. Heavier than ever.
As they
drove away, she glanced back at Tia until she vanished from sight.