Chapter 0339


    Abby


    Once the health inspector has his samples, I see him and Mr. Thompson off at the door. Mr. Thompson


    gives me that disappointed look of his again, and it makes my heart sink even further than it already


    has.


    “The tests shoulde back from theb within a week,” the health inspector, Mr. Harrison, says in


    that matter-of-fact tone. “For now, you are formally requested to close your restaurant.”


    Without another word, he hands me an official health department notice that I’m to put up in the


    restaurant window. My hands shake as I take it, and my eyes fill with tears. The health inspector walks


    away, leaving just me and Mr. Thompson in his wake, standing in the doorway of my restaurant.


    “Mr. Thompson, I—”


    “Abby,” he interrupts coldly, “if you receive any requests for interviews, please decline. There’s enough


    bad press as it is. Understood?”


    I nod stiffly, feeling oddly numb after all of this. Mr. Thompson turns on his heel to leave, but before he’s


    a few steps away, I clear my throat and call after him.


    “Mr. Thompson?”


    He pauses, stiffening, before slowly turning to look at me. “Yes?”


    “You know it’s not my fault, right? You know this has to be sabotage?”


    Mr. Thompson stares at me for a long time. His expression is unreadable, and that’s more terrifying


    than anything else. Finally, averting his gaze to the floor, he speaks in a hushed tone.


    “Abby, you can’t just assume that everything is sabotage,” he says quietly and with a mixture of


    sadness and disappointment in his voice. “I’ve advocated for you enough already. I think it’s about time


    you start taking ountability.”


    Without another word, Mr. Thompson turns on his heel again and strides away, his tall form


    disappearing down the street. I watch him go with tears in my eyes, my body trembling in an attempt to


    hold back a sob. Once he’s out of sight, I avert my gaze to the notice in my hand once more.


    “OFFICIAL NOTICE: Health Code Investigation Underway,”the notice reads.


    I want to crumple it up and throw it on the ground, but I know I can’t. Instead, with shaking hands, I do


    what I’ve been told to do: I tape it up in the window of the front door, turn off the lights, and grab my


    keys.


    I turn the key in the lock with a heavy heart, but there’s a hint of hope there, too. All I can do for now is


    hope that those samples wille back negative, exonerating me from my supposed mistakes.


    Because I know that that food poisoning couldn’t havee from my kitchen, even if I’m the only one


    who believes it.


    As I make my way back toward the subway station, I hear my name being called from behind.


    “Hey! Abby!”


    I turn around to see a small group of people standing on the sidewalk, their faces contorted with anger


    and disdain. They start hurling insults at me, each word more venomous than thest.


    “Abby, you’re a fraud!”one of them shouts. “You never deserved that second chance after your disaster


    All rights ? N?velDrama.Org.


    of a performance at the cook-off.”


    My chest tightens, and I try to hold back tears as I respond, “You all know I was sabotaged during the


    cook-off. It’s widely known.”  NovelDrama.Org