The Gilded Man With A Thousand Lives

121 Overcharged

"Two hundred thousand?" Barney exclaimed, jumping to his feet. "Did we hire the entire plaza for a day or what?"

Isabella also spoke up excitedly. "We've been calculating prices from the menu, mister! It sums up to about fifty grand. Just because this is our first time at Hilton Plaza doesn't mean you'll trick and overcharge us! That's unfair and illegal!"

"Please keep your voice down," the maître d' said condescendingly. "This is the elite Hilton Plaza and not your daily flea market of the suburbs! Here, you can't haggle and bargain like peasants to reduce the prices! The final bill is accurate and inflexible! You must pay it, or you are looking at a lot of trouble!"

Tyler put a reassuring hand over Barney's shoulder and made him sit down. He then took the maître d's bill and pored over it.

"Hmm. Could you explain why the final bill is so high? Our group consumed food and wine equivalent only to a small buffet. How did you arrive at the bill prices almost three to four times the actu