Chapter 116 Who's Reese's Husband?
Although the waitress had no idea what Reese was planning, the situation was clear: a whole table of patrons had eaten without paying, and someone had to take responsibility. If she didn't handle things correctly, she'd be the one to get the blame from the manager.
"Okay, I'll go get the manager right away," she nodded quickly.
As soon as the waitress left, a buzz of confusion arose among the guests, with some even approaching Reese directly.
"Reese, what do you need the manager for? Even if they come over, we still have to pay, don't we? Maybe you should just speak to Keene, she'll probably have a solution."
Having married into wealth, she wasn't exactly struggling to make ends meet.
But dropping that kind of cash would break the bank for the rest of us, just your average working stiffs.
Reese, on the other hand, was the picture of ease.
"If I say I'm picking up the tab, then not a single person here needs to worry about paying," she declared.
Integrity was her thing; if Reese said she'd do something, she'd move heaven and Earth to make it happen.
Keene, arms crossed and makeup perfect, was practically smirking with disbelief that Reese could pull off covering the bill.
"Sure, let's wait and see the trick up your sleeve, Reese. But you're still looking good—maybe cozy up to the manager, a little sweet talk, and he might just let this bill slide."
Reese shot a razor-sharp glance at Keene, a sly smile playing on her lips.
"Holly, if you don't want more of your dirty laundry aired out for our classmates to see, I suggest you zip it," Reese warned.
Holly's well-maintained face twisted with fury.
"You..."
"Enough bickering, let's focus on dealing with this issue. And if it comes down to it, we'll just have to bite the bullet," Sofia pouted in resignation.
The waiter relayed the conundrum to the manager, who was furious, nearly at the point of flipping tables.
"What kind of people do this? Bringing a whole crowd to dine and dash? And why come to me if they can't pay? You should be calling the cops!"
"No, Manager, the lady said she needed to speak with you personally."
Dressed in a business suit and hands on his hips, Seth stood confused before the waiter.
"Who's looking for me?"
"She said her name's Reese."
Seth's expression went from shock to a colorful array of emotions before slapping his thigh in realization.
"Oh, heavens, why did it have to be her?"
He began toward the door before doubling back to ask the waiter, "You didn't say anything to offend her, did you?"
The server shook his head, dumbfounded, "No."
Seth exhaled in relief, "Thank goodness. We could've been out of jobs."
The waiter was even more perplexed. The boss seemed delusional, treating a customer—and one attempting a dine-and-dash, no less—as if they were some kind of VIP.
When Seth, all smiles, pushed open the private room door with the waiter in tow, his face was beaming.
Especially upon seeing Reese, he was practically bowing down.
"Miss Brooks, what brings you to grace us with your presence today? Your visit is a true honor for our establishment."
Seth's warm welcome stunned the room, leaving everyone exchanging bewildered looks.
"What's the deal? The manager's actually called Reese, Miss Brooks?"
"There's no way that's legit. How could Reese know the manager of the M Hotel?"
"I doubt it's a fake. Even hiring a stand-in on short notice takes time, and even if they pulled it off now, it's pointless if we're stuck here later, right?"
Reese nonchalantly accepted Seth's greeting and gestured towards the group behind her.
"We're having a class reunion today. Initially, this lady was supposed to cover the bill, but then she claimed she forgot her wallet."
Seth caught on immediately: "Ah, I get it, I get it. The ever-generous Miss Brooks is a dime a dozen around here; we see it all the time, it's not a big deal. If Miss Brooks graces us with her presence, it's our hotel's good fortune. How could we even think of charging? Tonight, everyone's meals are on the house."
The crowd's jaws dropped as if they could fit an entire egg in their mouths.
"No way, comping us? Just like that, thousands of dollars, boom, on the house? This guy's way too generous."
"Didn't you hear? It's all out of respect for Reese that we're not being charged."
"What's the deal with Reese anyway?"
"I don't know, but I do know there are people who obviously have money yet refuse to pay up. But the manager's right—too many fakers, never can tell who's really loaded."
Keene glared at the speaker, "What nonsense are you spouting? It's just a meal, a few thousand bucks—I could pay that easily. Didn't Reese offer to treat us all just moments ago?"
"Yeah, Reese seems pretty chill about it. Unlike some people who promise to treat then claim they're broke at the last minute—so embarrassing."
Keene was on the verge of exploding but had to keep her composure in front of so many people.
Reese didn't want to waste her time with the likes of Keene. She didn't mind picking up the tab, but she couldn't lose face in front of these people.
She'd come to see Keene seething with anger, powerless against her.
Now that her goal was accomplished, there was no point in staying any longer.
"Well, now that everyone's full, I'll be heading out."
Keene hurried over, instinctively trying to grab Reese but was met with such a chilling glare that her heart skipped a beat, and she quickly withdrew her hand.
What kind of look was that? It nearly scared her to death.
"I don't like being touched," Reese said, her voice as cold as ice.
Trying to maintain a smile, Keene pressed on, "I just wanted to see you off. You didn't drive, did you? Is your husband picking you up?"
"That's none of your business."
"After all, we're old classmates, and you did treat us to a meal. It's only right for me to offer you a ride."
Before Reese knew it, she was cornered by her classmates right at the hotel entrance, each one more insistent than the last about getting a glimpse of her husband.
The teasing grew louder: "We're not letting you off the hook until we see your husband today, Reese!"
"Yeah, Reese, you're looking stunning these days. Your hubby must be quite the catch. Even if he's not rich, he's gotta be handsome."
Amidst the laughter, Keene covered her mouth: "Just watch, the guy's probably some kind of a wreck with a limp or missing an arm."
A chill flashed through Reese's eyes as she swiftly grabbed Holly by the chin, her voice icy with warning.
"Say one more bad word about my husband, and I swear I'll tear your mouth apart!"
Holly went pale, shaken by Reese's fierce demeanor.
With a dismissive flick, Reese let go of her. Holly's eyes bulged in shock; she rubbed her sore chin and snorted.
"Don't tell me I hit the nail on the head."
Just then, a red sports car rolled up smoothly. Reese didn't pay it much mind, thinking it belonged to some diner, but when the driver stepped out, she froze.
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