The Blacklist
Derek’s eyes lit up like he’d just discovered gold. He rushed forward, practically shoving the woman in red out of the way to position himself next to Alexander.
“Mr. Chen, you’re absolutely right!” Derek gushed, his voice dripping with exaggerated enthusiasm. “Someone of your stature, your accomplishments…it’s truly inspiring! And honestly, when I look at you and Sophia together, I can’t help but think how perfectly matched you are. Both successful, both driven, both from good families…”
Alexander preened under the attention, his earlier humiliation from Adrian’s grip already fading as his ego inflated. “Well, I wouldn’t say perfectly matched yet. Sophia still needs to work on her judgment.” He shot a pointed look at Adrian. “But with the right guidance, I’m sure she’ll come around.”
“Oh, absolutely!” Derek nodded so vigorously his head looked like it might fall off. “Sophia’s always been stubborn, but she’s a smart girl deep down. She’ll realize soon enough that aligning herself with a man of substance…a real man, like yourself…is the only logical path forward.”
Sophia’s hands clenched into fists at her sides. The condescension, the presumption, the way they talked about her like she was a commodity to be traded…it made her blood boil.
“I think we should go,” she said tightly, turning to Adrian.
But before they could move, a server in an elegant black uniform emerged from the restaurant entrance, carrying a leather–bound reservation book.
“Excuse me,” the server said with a polite smile, addressing their group. “Are you the party with the 8 PM reservation?”
Alexander immediately stepped forward, his chest puffing out. “Yes, that’s us. We’ll be dining together tonight.” He grabbed Sophia’s arm before she could pull away, his grip firm. “All of us.”
“Alexander, let go…” Sophia tried to wrench her arm free.
“Come now, Sophia,” Alexander said smoothly, tightening his grip. “Don’t be stubborn. We’re already here, and I’m treating tonight. It would be rude to refuse.” He turned to Adrian with a condescending smile. “And your… friend here should take this opportunity to broaden his horizons. See how real gentlemen conduct themselves.”
He released Sophia’s arm just long enough to pull out his wallet, extracting a sleek black card with gold lettering. He handed it to the server with a flourish.
“My membership card,” Alexander announced loudly enough for nearby diners to hear. “Premium tier. I’ve been a patron of La Belle Époque for three years now.”
Derek clapped his hands together. “How generous, Mr. Chen! Truly magnificent!” He turned to Adrian with a smirk. “You’ve really struck gold today, friend. A meal at La Belle Époque costs more than most people make in a month. You should be grateful Mr. Chen is willing to show you such charity.”
The server took the card and swiped it through a small handheld device.
ВЕЕР.
The sharp, electronic sound cut through Derek’s praise. Everyone froze.
The server’s polite smile faltered slightly as she looked at the screen. She swiped the card again.
BEEP.
“I’m sorry, sir,” the server said, her tone carefully professional. “But there seems to be an issue with your membership.”
1/4
The Blox kist
+25 Bonus
Alexander’s confident expression flickered. “What? That’s impossible. Let me see that.”
He snatched the device from her hands, staring at the screen. His face went from confused to pale in seconds.
“This must be a mistake,” he said, his voice rising. “There’s nothing wrong with my account. Your system is malfunctioning.”
The server maintained her composure, though her smile had become noticeably more strained. “Sir, our system shows that your membership has been flagged. You were previously blacklisted by the restaurant for…” she paused, choosing her words carefully, “…for leaving without paying your bill on two separate occasions.”
The words hung in the air like a bomb.
Derek’s mouth fell open. Several nearby diners turned to stare.
“That’s a lie!” Alexander’s voice cracked. “I never…those were misunderstandings! The charges were disputed!”
“According to our records,” the server continued calmly, “you disputed the charges with your credit card company, claiming the meals were unsatisfactory. However, security footage showed you consumed the entire meal both times before initiating the dispute. The restaurant attempted to resolve this matter directly with you, but you refused all communication.”
Alexander’s face turned crimson. “You can’t prove that! This is slander! I could sue you for this!”
“You’re welcome to pursue legal action, sir,” the server replied, her voice never losing its polite edge. “However, our policy is clear. Blacklisted members must pay a reinstatement f*e of two million yuan before they can be removed from the restricted list. Until then, I’m afraid you cannot dine with us.”
Two million.
The number echoed through the entrance area.
Derek took a subtle step backward, his earlier enthusiasm evaporating like morning mist.
“Two million?” Alexander sputtered. “That’s extortion! That’s predatory! You can’t enforce illegal rules like this! I’ll take you to court tomorrow…I’ll have your entire management team sued for harassment and…”
“As I said, sir,” the server interrupted gently but firmly, “you’re free to pursue any legal recourse you wish. However, unless you pay the reinstatement f*e right now, must ask you to leave the premises.”
Alexander’s hands were shaking with rage and humiliation. “This is discrimination! You’re bullying customers! I’m a vice president at Stellar Tech…do you have any idea who you’re dealing with?”
“I’m dealing with someone who owes this restaurant money and refuses to pay,” the server said, her pleasant tone finally developing an edge. “Now, sir, please step aside. You’re blocking the entrance.”
“You…how dare you speak to me like…” Alexander lunged forward, his hand raised as if to shove the server.
Derek grabbed his arm, pulling him back. “Mr. Chen, Mr. Chen, please! Calm down! Don’t lower yourself to the level of a nobody!” His voice was urgent, panicked. “This isn’t worth it. Sophia is here….we should focus on what’s important. Let’s just… let’s just pay the money first, yes? Get this sorted out, then we can all sit down and discuss things properly.”
He was practically begging now, his eyes darting between Alexander and the growing crowd of onlookers. “We can talk about the future, about marriage, about…”
Sophia laughed.
It wasn’t a polite laugh or a nervous one. It was sharp, cutting, and filled with genuine amusement.
2/4
The fact
+25 Bonus
“Marriage?” She stepped forward, looking Alexander up and down with open contempt. “Tell me, Mr. Chen…‘big- shot VP‘…you can’t even come up with two million yuan?”
Her voice rose, carrying to the gathered crowd. “All that talk about helping me pay off my debts. About helping me rebuild my company. About taking care of me.” She shook her head, her smile razor–sharp. “If you can’t afford such a small sum, then everything you said earlier must have been nothing but lies.”
Alexander’s face went from red to purple. “This isn’t about money! This is about principle! They can’t just…”
“Two million yuan,” Sophia continued, speaking over him “is what you claimed to spend on a single business dinner last week. You bragged about it to anyone who would listen. So either you lied then, or you’re lying now. Which is it?”
Nearby diners began to snicker. Someone muttered something about “all talk, no substance.”
“I’m not broke!” Alexander shouted, his voice cracking. “I just don’t have that kind of cash on hand right now! This is a matter of how things should be handled, not whether I can afford…”
“So you’re broke,” someone in the crowd said loudly.
Laughter rippled through the entrance area.
“Pretending to be rich when he can’t even pay for dinner,” another voice added.
“Trying to dine and dash twice…can you believe the audacity?”
“Dragging down the whole restaurant’s class.”
“Just get lost already!”
Alexander’s face was now a mottled mixture of purple and white. His hands clenched and unclenched at his sides, his breathing rapid and shallow. “I’m not…you don’t understand…I’ll have the manager fired! All of you! I’ll…”
“Call the manager then,” the server said tiredly. “I’m sure they’ll be happy to review the security footage with you.
11
The mocking laughter grew louder. People were pulling out phones now, recording the spectacle.
Alexander stood frozen in the middle of it all, trapped by his own arrogance. If he left now, everyone would know he was broke and had been posturing. But he couldn’t pay the two million…he genuinely didn’t have it. His salary was good, but he’d spent far beyond his means trying to maintain an image of wealth.
“Get the manager,” he said desperately. “I demand to speak to the manager right now!”
The crowd groaned. Someone yelled, “Oh come on!”
Sophia had seen enough. She grabbed Adrian’s hand…the gesture natural, instinctive…and started pulling him away from the chaos.
“Let’s go,” she said. “I’ve completely lost my appetite.”
Adrian allowed himself to be led, though not before casting one final glance at Alexander, who was now surrounded by jeering onlookers and an increasingly annoyed server.
Derek, sensing the situation was beyond salvaging, melted into the crowd and disappeared without a word, abandoning Alexander to his humiliation.
As they walked away from La Belle Époque, Sophia could still hear the commotion behind them…Alexander’s shrill protests, the crowd’s mocking laughter, the server’s patient but firm voice explaining that security would escort him out if he didn’t leave voluntarily.
Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.
