Chương 10 - Marcus Reed’s Restaurant
Aurelia had nearly killed Marcus.
Claire learned that from Elena Ruiz.
Not Marcus.
Elena invited Claire to lunch after Claire returned the old letter Marcus had written.
“Why are you telling me this?” Claire asked.
Elena shrugged.
“Because you keep looking at Marcus like success happened between scenes.”
Claire flushed.
Elena had been a line cook at Bellamy House when Marcus took over.
“The kitchen flooded twice.”
“Seriously?”
“First year.”
“The dining room?”
“Empty.”
“How bad?”
“Three customers one Tuesday.”
Claire imagined Marcus standing in the room alone.
“He could have taken money instead.”
“Yes.”
“Why didn’t he?”
Elena smiled.
“Pride.”
That sounded right.
Marcus negotiated with creditors.
Worked mornings.
Closed nights.
Slept in an office twice a week.
For eighteen months he paid staff before himself.
His mother moved in temporarily after surgery.
He was still paying off personal debts from before the settlement.
“He wasn’t secretly wealthy,” Elena said.
“I know.”
“Do you?”
Claire looked at her.
Elena continued:
“People love stories where the poor ex was actually rich. Marcus hates them.”
“Why?”
“Because they imply the insult was only wrong because he became successful.”
The sentence landed.
Claire thought of the garden-party story? No, irrelevant. Keep current.
She whispered:
“I insulted him because he was poor.”
“Yes.”
Claire appreciated the lack of softness.
Aurelia turned profitable in its third year.
Marcus reinvested.
A second restaurant.
Then a partnership.
Then another.
His wealth arrived slowly.
Publicly.
Without Claire noticing because she had never looked.
“Why did he name it Aurelia?”
“His mother.”
Claire blinked.
“Her name is Aurelia?”
“Middle name.”
Of course.
Claire smiled sadly.
The eight hundred dollars had paid for that woman’s dental surgery.
Elena leaned closer.
“Marcus isn’t perfect.”
“I know.”
“No. You’re in danger of turning guilt into worship.”
Claire stared.
“You people are direct here.”
“Fine dining. Small portions. Strong opinions.”
Claire laughed for the first time in days.
Elena continued.
“He becomes controlling when he thinks he’s the smartest person in the room.”
“That sounds familiar.”
“He keeps information because he believes facts are safer in his hands.”
Also familiar.
“He can punish people with silence.”
Claire nodded.
“That one I know.”
“So if you’re going to apologize, apologize to the man. Not the myth.”
That evening Claire waited outside Aurelia.
Marcus emerged after midnight.
He saw her.
“No Evan?”
“No.”
“What do you want?”
“To apologize.”
Marcus looked tired.
“Claire.”
“No explanation.”
He stopped.
She took a breath.
“I mocked you for needing money.”
He said nothing.
“I assumed your poverty reflected your character.”
Nothing.
“I believed my father because his version protected the way I already judged you.”
Marcus’s eyes shifted.
Claire continued.
“And six years later I did it again outside your restaurant because hurting you made me feel superior.”
Marcus looked down.
“I’m sorry.”
He remained silent.
Claire swallowed.
“I’m not asking you to forgive me.”
“Good.”
She almost smiled.
“You’ve always been irritating.”
“Yes.”
He looked at her.
Then:
“I accept the apology.”
Her eyes filled.
“That’s all?”
“What were you expecting?”
“I don’t know.”
“Fireworks?”
“Maybe.”
Marcus smiled faintly.
Then his expression changed.
“There is something I owe you too.”
Claire waited.
“I could have challenged your father’s version after the investigation ended.”
“You were under NDA.”
“Some parts expired.”
Her heart tightened.
“I stayed silent because I wanted you to regret losing me someday.”
Claire stared.
Marcus continued.
“Aurelia became successful and I imagined you walking in and finding out.”
“Like tonight.”
“Yes.”
“That’s awful.”
“I know.”
“You enjoyed it.”
“For about three seconds.”
Claire laughed despite herself.
Marcus smiled.
Then both became serious.
“So tonight was revenge?”
“A little.”
That honesty mattered.
Claire looked through the glass doors.
“You got your scene.”
“I did.”
“Was it worth six years?”
“No.”
They stood together in silence.
Then Marcus’s phone rang.
He answered.
Listened.
His face hardened.
“What?”
Claire asked after he ended the call.
“Someone broke into my corporate archive.”
“What did they take?”
“Nothing obvious.”
“What were they looking for?”
Marcus looked at her.
“Probably your grandfather’s files.”
“Gregory?”
“Maybe.”
May you like
Then he added:
“The alarm code used belonged to Thomas Vale.”
