The Ultimate Blackcard Revenge

chapter 5

As Charles continued to decide on which ability to pick, Ethan, along with the head chef of the establishment, stormed into his private space without so much as a knock. Both Charles and Alison stared at the pair, caught off guard as they stood before them.

The man, a longtime friend of Ethan, worked as the hotel’s head chef. Before this position, he had been a renowned chef, even earning accolades for his culinary skills. He was hired by the CEO of the hotel after begging multiple times to join the staff. The chef had a rude disposition and frequently belittled others, especially due to his elevated status in the hotel. He often felt superior to the rest of the employees.

After Ethan’s removal from the hotel, he called his friend, relaying everything that transpired. The head chef was furious and wanted to confront the one who dared to treat his friend with disrespect.

“What is going on here?” Alison asked, perplexed by the duo’s behavior.

It was then that Ethan took a proper look at Alison and noticed how strikingly beautiful she was. Her skin glowed, and her eyes sparkled with allure. Her accent was different, further intriguing him. He wondered how someone so captivating could choose to share a table with Charles, a mere delivery man. His anger grew as he saw Charles using his high membership to gain access to privileges, an act that irritated him deeply.

“This man is a thief!” the head chef exclaimed loudly. “Did you ever inquire how he managed to gather one million dollars to pay for a high-status membership here?”

Alison quickly stepped in. “It’s none of your concern how clients come by their funds to pay for services. You are violating his privacy, and I would appreciate it if you would leave.”

Ethan shook his head and chuckled. “Miss, I know this man well. He’s the live-in son-in-law in my family. He’s an embarrassment in this city, having been expelled from his father’s house long ago. He married my sister, yet he’s done nothing but cause her misery due to his poverty. Look at him—do you believe someone like him could afford a million dollars?”

Alison said nothing further, watching how Charles would respond. She didn’t want to believe Ethan’s accusations, but it was hard to ignore that Charles didn’t appear to be a millionaire.

Charles cleared his throat. “I’m no longer the person you think I am, and I don’t owe you an explanation about how I obtained the funds to pay for my membership.”

“You don’t need to explain because you stole the money. Where did it come from? My sister certainly didn’t give you anything, because I spoke to her. She mentioned that you were kicked out of the Diamond Hotel this morning. She’s even planning on divorcing you soon. You’re nothing but an embarrassment to yourself and the Bennett family. Everything about you reeks of poverty and failure,” Ethan seethed, grinding his teeth.

“Look at how he devours the food like an animal,” the head chef sneered. “You don’t belong here. This place is for distinguished men, not for some beggar looking for free meals.”

Charles, feeling both insulted and humiliated, thought to himself, I’m going to make sure this chef learns a lesson he won’t soon forget. He couldn’t tolerate the barrage of insults, especially in front of Alison. His face turned red with embarrassment as Alison stared at him, shocked.

“Why have you gone quiet?” Ethan mocked. “Have you run out of lies? Are you ashamed now that you’ve been caught? You couldn’t even afford a proper suit on your wedding day. You had to borrow one just to marry my sister. Yet now you want me to believe you can afford a million-dollar membership? You don’t belong in this city. You’re just a slave, delivering food to people like me. Look at your clothes—they’re patched up! You’ll always be a nobody, today and forever.”

The head chef laughed bitterly as Ethan continued his mockery. He relished putting others down and viewed Charles as beneath him.

Charles stood and walked toward the head chef. “Do you think you know who I am?” he asked.

“I know exactly who you are,” the chef responded smugly. “You’re a nobody. A man with no talent and no respect. I don’t need any more of your lies.”

Charles smiled. “If you think I’m nothing and have no talents, then I challenge you to a cooking competition.”

Charles knew the system had granted him an exceptional cooking skill, one that would easily help him outdo the head chef. He intended to humiliate the chef in his area of expertise.

Ethan and the chef both laughed. To them, Charles was completely incapable and couldn’t possibly defeat the head chef in any culinary challenge.

“I can see you’re eager to embarrass yourself,” the chef said, still laughing. “Do you even know who I am in this city? I’m one of the finest chefs around, and I will crush you in any competition. Besides, wasting my time on someone like you would be beneath me.”

Charles remained calm, a smirk forming on his face. “If you think you can defeat me with ease, then accept my challenge. Let’s see who’s truly the better chef.”

“Jeremy, forget about this fool,” Ethan urged the head chef. “He's only trying to make you look foolish. "Do you realize how ridiculous it will look if people see you competing with someone like him?"

However, the head chef was proud and egotistical, and he couldn’t resist the challenge. He seethed with anger but was convinced he would win easily.

“This is such a waste of my time,” the chef said. “I could beat you with my eyes closed. But if you want to put yourself in your place, I’ll gladly accept your challenge.”

“Good,” Charles said, a grin spreading across his face. He had an idea for how he would make the chef suffer if he lost. “We’ll hold the competition today.”

“I’m always ready,” the chef replied confidently. “We’ll do it in front of the other chefs and managers in the kitchen. I want everyone to watch you beg when I beat you.”

Charles nodded, his mind working on the details. “I’d like to add a condition and a prize for the winner.”

“What’s that?” the chef asked.

“You can’t use any recipe books,” Charles said. “And the prize will be this: If I win, you will grovel at my feet, and you’ll be fired as the head chef because a man like me should never lose to you. But if you win, I’ll grovel at your feet, and I’ll never step foot in this hotel again. Is that acceptable?”

The head chef paused, considering. “Deal. I’ll enjoy watching you beg for mercy,” he sneered.

“We’ll see who will be begging soon enough,” Charles muttered to himself.