“Yeah, him. Well, not counting that bill, I made even less than a million.” And her routine expenses


    made it less lucrative. She earned very little from that, when she thought about it.


    Carlos smiled at her moping tone.


    “I’ll lend you my private booth. Have fun at the dinner.”


    “On second thought, maybe I should go somewhere cheaper. What if Elmer rips me off again? He


    might invite me to sign another contract. I don’t want to get stiffed every time the work ends.” A dinner


    at Orchid


    Private Club was as expensive as eating on the fifth floor of the


    Alioth Building. Debbie realized it was a bad decision.


    A N G E L A ‘s L I B R A R Y


    “Take my advice. Go to Orchid Private Club Carlos insisted.


    His insistence sounded suspicious to Debbie’s ears. She could tell he was up to something. But she


    couldn’t figure out what.


    “ALL right.”


    Debbie decided to follow his advice. After hanging up, she returned to the booth.


    As soon as Carlos was off the phone, he got a call from Stephanie


    Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org.


    “Carlos, who were you on the phone with? I’ve been trying to get through for awhile,” she said, trying


    her best to sound casual.


    “A client. What do you need?” Carlos’ tone was nonchnt.


    “I have an important dinner tonight. I want to entertain some clients and I’m thinking of doing it at


    Orchid Private Club. Can I use your booth?”


    Carlos got her point even before she finished


    And Debbie had just called him, asking for the same thing. And now he knew why she asked him that.


    ‘Clever girl!’ he thought, smiling. Then he said to Stephanie, “Sorry, it’s already spoken for. I can get


    you another one, though.”


    “Oh, I see.” Disappointed and embarrassed, Stephanie bit her lower lip tightly. Her friends were


    counting on her. To spare herself humiliation, she tried again.


    “Can you ask them to use another booth?” she asked Carlos quietly.


    “I can’t. I’l arrange another booth for you. It’s the same. I’m ina meeting. Bye.”


    Carlos hung up without even waiting for Stephanie to respond. Listening to the hang-up beep, she


    slowly put her phone down, face pale.


    Her friends walked over and asked, “We all set?”


    Taking a deep breath, Stephanie feigned a rxed tone and said with a forced smile, “Carlos’ private


    booth isn’t avable tonight. I was a littlete. He loaned it to someone else. But don’t worry. He got us


    another booth.”


    “Oh,” her friends responded. Disappointment was in in their voices and faces. The look in their eyes


    had changed when they looked at her.


    But deep down, they were still happy because they were going to eat at


    Orchid Private Club. So they all dropped it, and contented themselves with thinking about how nom it


    would be.