A Journey from Bitterness to Truth (Matilda and Yvan) novel Chapter 205

The woman seemed taken aback by the sudden appearance of someone defending the restaurant. Her gaze shot up to Chloe, and upon recognizing her, she burst into laughter.

"Well, look who we have here! If it isn't our very own Chloe!" Her tone shifted to one of mocking superiority. "Oh wait, that's right, Chloe's been booted out by the company. A stray dog now, aren't we?"

Chloe's face drained of color, a sickly pale giving way to a deep flush of embarrassment.

Matilda, standing at her side, asked who the woman was.

"That's Reese," Chloe said, her voice low. "An influencer. She's the one who smashed Declan Yeager's coffee machine last time."

Reese clearly hadn't expected to run into Chloe here, and with the backup of Declan, her confidence was soaring. Snide and merciless, she taunted, "Oh, what's this? Spot a good-looking chef and can't help but try to catch his eye, Chloe? Haha, how pathetic. Without Mr. Yeager's support, you actually think you matter?"

Chloe bit back a response, swallowing the humiliation as she steadied her friend. "Godfrey, are you okay?"

Reese mocked their interaction with an exaggerated smirk. "Oh, listen to that tone. It reeks of desperation from a mile away. Chloe, surely you're not so starved for attention."

Godfrey, his voice laced with anger, snapped back, "Miss, you can insult me all you want, and critique my cooking, but I won't stand for you disrespecting my friend!"

"Friend? Since when are men and women just friends without something more?"

Two men approached from behind Reese. Chloe and Matilda tensed at the sight.

Declan and... Yvan.

Damn, it was like a convention of jerks.

Matilda softly urged, "Chloe, let's get Godfrey out of here. Is your face still hurting?"

"I'm fine," Godfrey said with a forced smile, though half his face was swollen from the confrontation. It was the first time his restaurant had dealt with such blatantly unreasonable customers.

Matilda released her with a shove and moved to stand by Chloe, who was visibly shaken. "Let's go. Why waste time on such people? They've never tasted quality lobster and think they can tarnish the reputation of this place with their words. I heard Reese has her own new restaurant opening soon. Trying to sabotage the competition so everyone flocks to your place?"

The surrounding crowd, who had been enjoying the drama, now understood the situation. They looked at Reese with disdain, whispering among themselves.

"Can't believe she'd stoop so low."

"What kind of person becomes an influencer these days?"

"She was my brother's classmate's girlfriend in high school. Talk about a scandalous past."

"Are those guys blind or what?"

"Shh, keep it down. Maybe the rich like that kind of thing, two guys and a girl..."