Chapter 99

Latisha put her finger in her mouth, the salty, metallic taste of blood spreading across her tongue.

"Hey, no slacking! If you can't do the job, then leave. Don't waste everyone's time!"

The stout woman in charge of the kitchen always seemed to notice the exact moment she paused, her eyes like a hawk's, constantly monitoring her.

Latisha remained crouched on the floor, biting her finger, not moving.

The woman was clearly acting on Clifford's orders. She made a show of scolding Latisha but never actually did anything, too afraid to cross a line. For all she knew, this was just some bizarre lover's quarrel between rich people. If she took it too far and they made up, she'd be the one to suffer.

"Did you hear me? Get up and start washing!"

Latisha finally looked up, her face a ghostly white.

The woman flinched. "You..." She stared at Latisha's pale face, the words dying in her throat.

After a moment, Latisha pushed herself to her feet and returned to the sink. Her head was heavy, her mind foggy, and her fingers were raw from the water. The chili oil and grease seeped into her cut, sending waves of searing pain up her arm.

The woman said no more, suddenly terrified that Latisha might actually drop dead right there.

Latisha pushed through the pain until three in the afternoon, when the lunch rush finally died down.

The woman patted her on the arm. "Alright, go get something to eat. You can wash the rest after."

Latisha nodded and went to the staff dining area. The only food left was scraps. She picked up a piece of leftover flatbread and sat down, chewing on it mechanically.

An entertainment news program was playing on the wall-mounted TV. She looked up and saw Yesenia, hosting an event for Odyssey Entertainment. When the camera panned over the audience, it settled on Clifford in the front row. He was impeccably dressed in a suit, watching the stage with a serious expression. Every time Yesenia's eyes met his, a faint smile would touch his lips.

The camera lingered on him frequently. It was a deliberate move by the organizers; a single shot of Clifford was worth more than ten of the celebrities on stage

"Did you see that handsome guy in the front row?"

"Wow, he's gorgeous!"

"Is he a celebrity? Does anyone know who he is?”

Several of the restaurant staff had gathered in front of the TV, their eyes sharp for any good-looking man. This guy wasn't a celebrity, yet he was sitting front and center rie had to be important

"Never seen him before."

"You think... he's the host's boyfriend?"

"Who's the host? What did I miss?"

"You wouldn't know unless you play 'Dragon's Bloodline'. Search for Yesenia on Twitter. She posts tons. of pictures of her boyfriend, but never shows his face."

Someone immediately pulled out their phone. Sure enough, there were articles

about Yesenia and all her posts gushing about her relationship.

"You know, if you cover his face..."

"The build is exactly the same as in the pictures!"

"Oh my god! I ship it so hard!"

Latisha sat quietly in the corner, listening to them chatter about how perfect the two

were for each other, a match made in heaven.