?Chapter 1689:


    Jalen frowned. “Can’t you make me do something else? I’m a government official. I’ve got a reputation. If my colleagues or boss see me doing that, I’ll be humiliated.”


    Hearing that, Brenna tore the IOU to pieces without a second thought. “You have no money, yet you’re dining in a ce like this? Why? I bet you’ve got money; you just don’t want to use it. You can cover this bill on your own.”


    Jalen stared at the shredded paper, powerless against Brenna’s icy resolve.


    The wealthy were really cold and stubborn.


    Jalen nced at the server nearby. If he didn’t pay, the restaurant would detain him. Left with no options, he relented. “Fine, I’ll write another IOU and tend to tables.”


    Jalen walked back into the private dining room, scribbling a new IOU before passing it to Brenna with a ttering smile.


    “Brenna, can you cover the bill for me now?”


    He felt rather smug, having deliberately misspelled a character in his name on the IOU, effectively rendering it legally void. If Brenna paid, she would be throwing money away, and even awsuit wouldn’t hold him ountable.


    Brenna, unfazed, asked coolly, “How much cash do you have on you? Pay what you can first, and I’ll cover the rest.” Her nce at the IOU was fleeting.


    Ethan, spotting the IOU’s ws instantly, stayed silent, confident that Brenna, a seasoned CEO, would notice them too.


    Jalen had underestimated Brenna. He hadn’t expected her to demand he pay first. Forcing a tight smile, he said, “Brenna, I’m short on cash. I can’t be leftpletely penniless, can I?”


    Brenna’s response was icy. “That’s not my problem.”


    Jalen, a master at dodging obligations, turned to the waiter with a shrug. “And even if I wanted to serve tables here, they wouldn’t let me. It’s not my call. Besides, I’m not trained; what if I drop a tray or break something?”AdChoicesADVERTISING


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    Just then, the restaurant manager approached, saying to Ethan and Brenna with great respect, “Mr. Mitchell, Miss Harper, I’m the manager here. If there’s anything you need, just say the word.”


    Ethanid out the situation calmly. “Jalen can’t settle his bill. My girlfriend offered to cover it, but only if he works here as a waiter until midnight. Can you make that happen?”


    The manager nodded without hesitation. Ethan, a high-value VIP who often sealed business deals here, was a valued patron, and the restaurant asionally leaned on his influence.


    The arrangement was a small favor, easily granted.


    “Of course, Mr. Mitchell. Is there anything else I can help with?” the manager said.


    Ethan exchanged a knowing look with Brenna, catching her intent. “Jalen needs to work here until midnight, not a second less, before my girlfriend’s ount is charged. And keep an eye on him—if he cks off, she’s not paying.”


    Jalen sighed inwardly, realizing that Brenna and Ethan, wealthy and shrewd, were deliberately making things difficult for him. They were clearly unwilling to lend him money.


    He had nned to slip out once they left, but they had seen through his scheme. Frustration boiled inside him.


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