Chapter 6 We Were Only Trying To Help

Vivian stood frozen, confusion flashing across her face. Wasn't Ethan supposed to be in a high-level meeting at the Mitchell Group now?

A chill ran through her as she met Ethan's cold, indifferent eyes. It was as if she had been plunged into freezing water.

His aura was so commanding that she instinctively lowered her eyes, unable to hold his stare.

From what she knew, Ethan was not just a successful entrepreneur-he was also one of the most powerful figures in Shirie. As the CEO of the Mitchell Group, a multibillion-dollar empire with thousands of subsidiaries, his power was unmatched. Handsome, unmarried, and rich, he was the kind of man socialites dreamed of meeting. A mere conversation with him was considered an honor.

Just then, a twisted sense of excitement coursed through Vivian. Ethan was touching her-holding her wrist. Even if he was engaged to her best friend, she couldn't bring herself to care about that.

But the moment she noticed the growing coldness in Ethan's expression, her fleeting fantasy shattered.

She forced herself to think logically. Ethan's presence here wasn't unusual-this was a high-end establishment, after all-but what was strange was that he had intervened in this matter.

Could it be that Ethan had taken a liking to Brenna? Maybe that was why he had stepped in to help her.

Vivian was confused. No matter how she looked at the matter, it didn't make sense.

She looked away with unease and tried to free herself of Ethan's grasp. "Mr. Mitchell, you're hurting me..."

Sylvie sensed the situation slipping out of control. From what Rosie had told her, Ethan was a reserved, aloof man-but he was a kind man. The Mitchell Group donated billions to charity every year, and Ethan himself was known for his philanthropic work. Seeing someone bullied must have compelled him to act.

Trying to smooth things over, she quickly stepped forward and said, "Mr. Mitchell, I think there's been a misunderstanding. We were just joking with this lady. All we meant was that she shouldn't have dined somewhere she couldn't afford. We were only trying to kindly remind her of that."

Watching from the doorway, Rosie held her breath. She could not be caught. If Ethan found out she was behind this, it could jeopardize everything-he might not want to get engaged with her. The consequences would be too great.

Thankfully, after a tense pause, Ethan released Vivian's wrist. Without a word, he pulled a handkerchief from his pocket and meticulously wiped his fingers, as if scrubbing away filth.

Vivian stiffened, a flash of embarrassment crossing her face. But she quickly forced a polite smile and tried to explain the situation, saying, "Mr. Mitchell, you see, this woman-she's dressed in cheap clothes, barely worth two hundred dollars, yet she waltzed in here like she belonged. She knew she couldn't afford to dine in a place like this, but she still ordered an entire table of food. She was clearly trying to cause trouble here."

Sylvie nodded eagerly. "Exactly! We only stepped in because we couldn't just stand by. If she can't pay, she'll be stuck working here to cover the debt. Honestly, with her skills, washing dishes is probably her only option-and it'd take her, what, ten years to pay it all off? So we..."

Brenna suddenly chuckled, arms crossed. "So let me get this straight. Humiliating me-demanding that I kneel and polish your shoes-was for my own good?"

Ethan's frown deepened, making Vivian panic. "No, no," she blurted out, "that's not what we meant! Mr. Mitchell, we were only trying to help. If she can't pay, we're willing to cover her bill. All she has to do is work as a maid in our homes to pay us back. But instead of being grateful, she is acting like we are the bad guys here."

Ethan remained calm. It was as if his earlier intervention had never happened. He could see that Brenna, despite being accused, showed no trace of unease. Though her clothes were simple, there was something about her that made him feel like she wasn't the type to need saving.

Brenna turned her attention to the waitress, who had been trying to blend into the background ever since Ethan arrived.

Looking at her, Brenna said, "I never said I was leaving or that I was ready to pay. So why did you ask me to settle my bill earlier? Is this how the Flavor Restaurant treats its customers?"

All heads turned to the waitress, who paled instantly. She had just been following orders-she had never expected to be thrown into the spotlight like this. She couldn't afford to offend so many important people or lose her well-paying job.

Desperate to save herself, she whipped around and pointed toward the doorway. "It wasn't my decision!" she blurted. "Miss Harper ordered me to do it!"

Rosie's heart sank. She hated the waitress for exposing her, but with all eyes now on her, she had no choice but to step inside.

She forced a smile. "Ethan... I didn't do that. She's lying. Why would I ever make things difficult for a stranger?"

Smirking, Brenna casually held up her phone, her chat records with Rosie in clear view. "See this, Rosie? You orchestrated this. Still going to deny it?"

Ethan's eyes flicked toward Brenna's phone. He scanned the messages, then turned his attention back to Rosie and spoke calmly. "Rosie, she's your sister. Why would you do this to her? I think you better explain the situation now."

Rosie's face morphed through a series of expressions. She didn't know how to reply for a moment. After a while, she finally said, "This is ridiculous! I was in a meeting at the company earlier. How could I have planned this-"

Before she could finish, the waitress stepped forward again, her voice firmer this time. "It was indeed Miss Harper! She's the one who asked me to do it!"

As proof, she pulled out her phone, showing Ethan her chat records with Rosie. "Mr. Mitchell, I'm just an employee here. Even if I had a hundred times the courage, I wouldn't dare mistreat a customer like this."

Ethan frowned. So, the Flavor Restaurant's staff could be bribed to mistreat diners. This matter alone made the waitress unfit to serve in a place of this caliber.

Without a word, he pulled out his phone and sent a message to the restaurant's owner.

Meanwhile, Brenna took the waitress' phone, tapping a few times to pull up Rosie's transfer records. Holding it up for Rosie to see, she smirked. "Well, dear sister, you really don't want me home, do you?"

Ethan tossed his used handkerchief into the trash can, his eyes settling on Rosie with indifference as he said, "Care to explain this?"