The host dragged out the anticipation for a moment longer, before he finally announced the winner. “Ashley Stevens of Happy Desserts Bakery!” The crowd erupted in cheers and Adrian and Vincent stood out in the audience as they gave Ashley ecstatic grins with their thumbs up. Ashley also mirrored their expressions as she mouthed, “I’m so glad I won this round.” Maya huffed and stomped her feet in anger. Then, she glanced at Fred with an exasperated expression on her face, and he subtly gestured for her to follow him with a head nod. He then stood up and walked out of the main bakery hall, and after a few minutes, Maya secretly sneaked out and followed in the direction Fred had just left in Shortly after, Adrian felt like using the restroom, and turned to Vincent. “Mr. Davies, do you have any idea where the restrooms are? I need to relieve myself before the second round begins.” “Yes I do, son. Once you make a turn by that hallway over there,” he gestured towards a narrow hallway

After a few seconds of struggling to rein in his emotions, Fred took a deep breath. “I’ll hand over the bakery,” he muttered bitterly, and shakily reached into his suit pocket to pull out his phone. He then sent a text message to the manager of his bakery telling him to arrive at Happy Desserts with his bakery’s documents in a few minutes. “My manager will be here with the papers in a few minutes,” he informed Adrian in a strained voice, and his hands fell limply to his side as he sat on the floor, cradling his head in his hands, while mumbling incoherent words to himself. Maya immediately rushed to Fred, while still on her knees, and grabbed his arm in disbelief. “W-what are you doing, Mr. Fred? How can you admit defeat so easily?! You can’t just give up your bakery like that! I’d be left jobless!” “Let go of me, you wench!” Fred hissed as he violently yanked his arm out of Maya’s grip. “If you were competent enough, I wouldn’t have had to bribe my way into winning every damn t

As Grandpa Lloyd disappeared up the stairs, a wave of tense silence fell over the room as the weight of his words settled on Nathan and Anita like a thick cloud. Adrian noticed the way Anita fiddled with her fingers, and he placed a hand over them in an attempt to calm her anxiety. “Don’t overthink it,” he reassured softly. “Whatever the task turns out be, I know you’ll tackle it like a champ.” Nathan scoffed loudly as he rose up from his seat. “Not if I have anything to do about it,” he challenged, his eyes flashing with hostility before he stormed out of the living room. Adrian squeezed Anita’s hand gently. “Ignore him. He’s just insecure and feels threatened by you. And truthfully, he should be,” Adrian’s lips tugged up in a playful smirk. “…because you’re definitely getting that title.” “I hope so,” Anita managed a weak smile, not seeming convinced. “Come on,” Adrian said, rising to his feet and helping her up. “Let’s get you out of here. ” He draped one of her arms arou

“I’ll do that right away, young master,” Jonah replied without hesitation and the line went dead. Miles, Skylar, the manager, and the rude sales assistant exchanged amused glances as they looked down on Adrian, thinking he was bluffing. “Cut the act, loser,” Skylar spat. “You’re not fooling anyone here.” The rude sales assistant joined in, sneering. “It’s not too late to take up the manager’s offer to compensate you and save the last shred of self respect you have.” “The offer is off the table!” The manager declared in a derisive tone. “His money, if it’s even his at all, will be refunded to him. I won’t have a lowlife like him buying any of our precious jewelry. He'll just soil them with his poor hands.” As the group jeered at him, Adrian remained silent, his expression calm, almost bored. On the other hand, a million thoughts of how to teach Adrian a lesson, swirled through Miles’ mind, and he contemplated calling his father and reporting Adrian’s bashfulness to him. But af

“Perfect,” Adrian rubbed his hands together and leaned forward. “ I’d like everything to be arranged with the utmost care—from the restaurant to the service to the food. It all needs to be impeccable. But there’s one more thing; when I arrive with my wife tonight, she’s going to wonder how I could afford such a luxurious dinner, considering my cover up identity as a jobless average joe. We’d have to come up with a believable explanation that quells her curiosity. Is that understood?” “Clearly understood, young master.” Leon replied confidently. “I’ll have the staff reserve the entire rooftop restaurant for your dinner. And I’ll personally ensure that everything is perfectly set in place, so your dinner can be a memorable one.” “I expect nothing less,” Adrian said seriously as he picked up the teacup and sipped his tea until its last drop. “Now, tell me more about this hotel. I want to know everything.” About half an hour later, Adrian was done with his