She Messed With The Wrong Waitress At a high-end restaurant, a group of snobby socialites went wild ordering, then nonchalantly wrapped a ring in a napkin. In my past life, I mistook that napkin for trash and cleared it away. When it came time to pay, they slammed their hands on the table. “You’re eyeing my million-dollar diamond ring, aren’t you? You deliberately stole it!” Brittany filmed me and posted it online. Netizens slammed me as a heartless thief, gone mad with greed, threatening to trash the restaurant. Mr. Henderson, the manager, quickly fired me and issued a statement condemning “thieving employees.” I became public enemy number one, a pariah reviled by everyone. Forced to haul bricks at a construction site to repay my debt, I watched as the socialites passed by, laughing. “A fake ring, and we got someone to work for us for a lifetime. Way better than a discount coupon!” In a daze, a falling brick struck my head, killing me instantly. Now, as I opened my eyes, the same socialites were calling out to me to check their bags and take their orders. Don’t worry! This time, my service will be unforgettable for life! … “Waitress, another Tomahawk steak!” “Ugh, don’t stand so close to me, you’ll ruin the perfume I just sprayed.” “Seriously, no manners at all. Later, you’ll peel my shrimp with gloves on, and if you mess it up, I’ll complain!” Looking at the four “socialites” in front of me, I instinctively touched the back of my head. No injury, no pain at all. Had I really been reborn? They were still loudly ordering, snapping photos to post on Ins with greedy looks, while pretending to critique everything. In my last life, worried they’d order too much and waste it, I kindly reminded them. They just mocked me for being a country bumpkin who’d never seen the world. “So what if we can’t finish it? I’m rich, I’ll spend my money however I want.” “Exactly! We’ll just take a bite of each and throw it away. It’s none of your business!” Fine, fine, I was too nosy. This time, I not only kept my mouth shut but also specifically recommended an expensive, vintage red wine, over a thousand dollars a bottle. Mr. Henderson thought we had a big client and personally came out to toast them. The four socialites proudly recorded him. Their TikTok caption: [The Michelin owner just *had* to toast us. What can I say, I’m a regular!] It instantly garnered countless likes. [OMG, you’re so rich, Queen!] [Which heiress is this? No wonder she has such a great vibe.] [Thanks for showing us the good life, Queen. Next time, can we go somewhere even pricier?] Pfft! “Socialites”? Please. Gold-digging fakes, pooling money to appear wealthy and lure unsuspecting marks, that’s what they were! They even wanted to scam a free meal. Dream on! I watched as Brittany, the woman with the wavy hair, wrapped the ring in a napkin, then deliberately mixed it with the used napkins. Quietly, while cleaning, I picked up the napkin, pretending to toss it in the trash bin. After they relaxed, I retrieved the ring and immediately took it to the valuables safe. I placed it with their “designer” handbags. Let’s see, if you can’t scam anyone, how will you pay the bill? “Waitress, you have one minute to peel these rock shrimp! Otherwise, they’ll get cold and won’t be fresh, and we won’t pay!” Brittany ordered. The others aimed their cameras at me, their faces creased with laughter. Last life, they abused me just like this. I focused all my energy on their unreasonable demands, completely oblivious to the ring. Afterward, I desperately searched through the trash to prove my innocence. Brittany actually demanded Mr. Henderson dump slop on me. She said if she could just “vent her anger,” she wouldn’t cause trouble for the restaurant. As the foul-smelling slop poured over my head, I realized the trash had already been hauled away by the garbage truck. I lost all hope. “If you owe someone, you must pay. Always be honest.” My dad, who raised me alone, always taught me that. To help me pay the debt, he took me to the construction site. Before I was killed by the falling brick, he had already died of overwork, with no money for a burial plot. His ashes were kept at home. “Okay, I’ll peel them!” Ignoring the pricks and pain in my fingers, I quickly peeled a plate of shrimp and placed it before them within a minute. They immediately started coming up with new challenges. Pouring a soda with no bubbles. Dividing the Tomahawk steak into four perfectly identical pieces. Changing the tablecloth if a single drop of oil landed on it, and not a speck of trash anywhere. I was running myself ragged, but I gritted my teeth and meticulously fulfilled every single one of their ridiculous demands. “Well, look at you. You’ve got some skills.” Brittany glanced at me, and seeing that the napkin with the ring was gone, she smiled confidently. Then she waved the others to continue eating. I forced a smile and opened another bottle of high-end red wine, aged ten years. “Check, please.” I hastily handed over the bill. Looking at the dining cost, which had more than doubled from my previous life, reaching ten thousand dollars, I clenched my fists. With me here, you won’t get away with paying a single cent less for this meal! 2. Brittany pulled out her phone, pretending to casually glance at the table, then shrieked. “Ah! Where’s the napkin I wrapped my ring in? Who saw it?” The other three joined in the frantic search, their faces feigning panic. When they couldn’t find it, they all turned their eyes to me. Brittany slammed the table, her eyes wide as saucers. “Aha! You’re eyeing my million-dollar diamond ring, aren’t you? You deliberately stole it!” I waved my hands. “N-no… no, what diamond ring?” They exchanged glances, nodding smugly. “Manager? Call the manager over!” Hearing the commotion, Mr. Henderson scurried over. Brittany’s bright red nails pointed at me, as if she wanted to claw a piece of flesh from me. “Your employee stole my diamond ring. What are you going to do about it?” Mr. Henderson slapped the back of my head. “I’ve told you before, you have to be careful with guests’ valuables! You never learn!” He smiled apologetically, trying to calm the guests. “Where did you put the ring? Could there be a misunderstanding?” Brittany opened her phone, pulling up a purchase record and sliding it across Mr. Henderson’s eyes. “I specifically wrapped it in a napkin and placed it right next to me. What misunderstanding could there be? What, are you taking her side? Is this some kind of crooked establishment? Be careful, I’ll expose you!” Brittany aimed her camera at Mr. Henderson, who quickly changed his tune. “N-no, no, I mean, what if Chloe accidentally threw it away? Let’s go search the trash cans now, maybe we can still find it.” By the dumpster, the garbage truck had just passed. They had already staked out the place, everything was perfectly orchestrated. And in my past life, I actually endured the stench, hoping to find the ring to prove my innocence. I never imagined they were deliberately trying to frame me. How despicable! “Go search! You definitely won’t find it.” “Yeah, she must’ve secretly taken it and hidden it, then pretended to throw it in the trash.” “That was a ten-million-dollar top-tier diamond ring, ten million!” Their shouting attracted a crowd of onlookers. Unaware of the truth, people saw the socialites dressed in designer clothes, while my uniform was faded and worn, and shook their heads. “Quickly return the ring to them. So young, yet already going down the wrong path. You’ll regret it when you end up in jail.” “Exactly, that expensive ring, you couldn’t pay for it even if you sold yourself.” “Maybe… maybe she really threw it away by accident?” “So what if she threw it away? You don’t have to pay if you throw away someone else’s property? If you’re not capable, don’t do this job. Oh, so your helplessness gives you a free pass?” Although I had a plan, their incessant chatter, one after another, still brought tears to my eyes. My family was poor, but we never stole or robbed. My dad taught me to be honest, so I never compared myself to others, nor envied wealth I couldn’t have. Being able to support myself with my own hands was something to be proud of. But why, why do some people always insult others simply because they have money? Even if they don’t have money, they pretend to be big shots and deliberately frame me! “Give me time. I’ll definitely find it by ten o’clock.” My voice was drowned out by the crowd. Brittany pushed me, cornering me by the slop bucket. “What if you don’t find it?” “She definitely won’t bring it out. Otherwise, if it’s confirmed theft, ten million could land her in jail for a very long time!” I looked up blankly, met Brittany’s eyes, and pointed at the slop bucket. “I really didn’t steal it. If the ring isn’t found, I’ll drink that entire bucket of slop!” The onlookers egged me on, and Brittany proudly tilted her head back. “Wait! If it is found, you’ll have to pay the dining fee, plus compensation for wrongly accusing me!” I shouted. An older woman, Mrs. Miller, yelled out. “That’s right, if she’s truly been wronged, the girl is quite pitiful.” “Not watching your own ring, you bear some responsibility too.” Brittany was put on the spot, unable to back down. She glanced at the trash heap, making sure the previous batch of trash had been cleared, then clapped her hands. “Fine! If you can find it, I’ll pay you double the dining fee!” “Of course, if you stole it and hid it somewhere, then bringing it out now won’t count. I won’t pay you, and I’ll still press charges!” Double the dining fee, that’s twenty thousand dollars! “Deal, then!” 3. The atmosphere intensified. The restaurant practically ground to a halt. Mr. Henderson returned after apologizing to everyone and tossed a piece of paper at me. “You’re fired. Whatever you do from now on is your personal business!” Eager to distance himself, just like in my previous life. If he had offered me even a little help, things might have been different. But no, he chose to watch me be framed, and even helped the wrongdoers. He’d even put out notices and contacted all the restaurant companies to blacklist me, all to clear his own name. “Fine. Then any money beyond the dining fee will be considered my compensation.” My eyes red, I rushed around the restaurant like a madwoman. Not enough! Twenty thousand wasn’t enough! I wanted them to lose their entire fortune and ruin their reputation! Seeing me fail to find the ring, Brittany grew bolder. She had been live-streaming the entire time. A netizen posted a comment. [Something shiny in her pocket! Maybe she hid it on her!] [Search her! Frisk her!] Brittany shoved the comment in my face, demanding I turn around. “Why should I…” Before I could finish, the other three women grabbed my arms and body. Brittany reached into my pants pocket and pulled out a necklace embroidered with a cross. “What’s this junk? Useless!” She casually tossed the necklace into the trash heap. “Give it back!” I pushed her away forcefully and, regardless of the mess, dove into the trash heap. My hands were covered in vegetable soup, but I finally found the necklace, soaked and stained. I carefully unwrapped it, taking out a small piece of paper hidden inside. The words written on it: “My daughter, stay safe. Mommy is watching over you from heaven.” Now, the ink had blurred, no longer legible. This was my mother’s last memento, written by her own hand, sewn by her own needle! How dare she! I stood up, wishing I could immediately take out the ring and throw it in her face. “What’s wrong? You’re not trying to scam me over some piece of junk, are you?” Perhaps my gaze was truly frightening, because Brittany gulped. “Alright, alright! If you’re so capable, give me back my ring, and I’ll pay you whatever this junk necklace is worth. It’s pocket change.” “But, I still need to search you, to see if you’re hiding my ring!” She gave a look. The three women pounced, tearing at my clothes. “Stop it! Stop!” I screamed as loud as I could. The onlookers at the door peered in, but not a single person stepped forward to intervene. They were there for the show; who cared about the truth? “If you search me and don’t find it, how will you compensate me?” Brittany scoffed. “If you’re so capable, find the ring. Otherwise, each piece of clothing is ten thousand dollars. Even if I strip you naked, you’ll still owe me. Take it off!” My uniform jacket was ripped open, the zipper falling to the floor. “Ten thousand!” I shouted. “Keep going!” Brittany was unfazed. The inner uniform was also torn down the middle; I desperately held onto my tank top. “Twenty thousand!” My shoes were yanked off, my socks pulled away, leaving my feet bare. “Sixty thousand!” Brittany, enraged, stomped over in her heels and personally yanked at my waistband. “I’ll pay you a hundred thousand for everything, is that enough? Take them off!” I desperately clung to my pants. “Alright, alright, she didn’t find anything during the search.” Mrs. Miller, the older woman from earlier, pushed through the crowd, took off her coat, and draped it over me. I gratefully gripped her warm hand. “Ten million minus one hundred thousand, that’s still nine million nine hundred thousand. Pay up!” She jabbed a finger at my forehead, making me stumble. I took a deep breath, then slapped my forehead. “I remember now! I was busy serving you, and when I found the ring, I put it in the safe!” “If you hadn’t made so many demands, how could I have forgotten?” Brittany glanced at the key strapped to her wrist, then looked at me suspiciously. “Impossible, I clearly saw—” Her words were cut off by the surging crowd, pushing to see the safe. We arrived at the valuables deposit area, and the people who followed were still discussing. “If she’s really been wronged, this is going to be a huge embarrassment.” “Exactly, and they’ll have to pay her a hundred thousand dollars!” Brittany’s eyes grew more and more doubtful. I took the key, opened the safe, and reached for the ring, but my heart sank. The ring, it was gone? 4. “See, everyone, I didn’t accuse her falsely!” Brittany let out a sigh of relief, smugly pulling out her Chanel bag and slinging it over her shoulder. A sharp-eyed passerby gasped. “Oh! Isn’t that the limited edition collectible bag released by the Zurich Auction House? It’s in this young lady’s hands!” “How much must that cost? A socialite like her wrongly accusing a waitress, that’s impossible!” “Just admit defeat already. How much is her wasted time worth? They haven’t even charged you for that.” A buzzing sound filled my ears. Brittany scribbled an agreement and handed it over. [Due to the theft of Ms. Brittany’s ten-million-dollar diamond ring, Chloe will pay monthly compensation from her salary, in lieu of legal prosecution.] Netizens were also flooding the comments. [It’s so generous not to sue this kind of person.] [Brittany is a saint, Brittany is awesome!] [We’ll always support you!] I picked up the pen, my hand trembling. The tragedy of my past life was replaying before my eyes. Was I destined to never escape this fate? “Mr. Henderson!” I threw down the pen and shouted. Mr. Henderson stood nearby, arms crossed, watching me. “Check the surveillance footage! When I returned the ring to the safe, the hallway cameras must have caught it!” Brittany’s face stiffened, then relaxed when she heard Mr. Henderson’s reply. “Surveillance? It broke down this morning, and I just reported it for repair. Didn’t you know?” Such a coincidence? No, that’s impossible! I rushed into the surveillance room, only to see that the latest date was yesterday, and there was nothing on the real-time screen. “If you don’t sign, I’m calling the police!” Brittany toyed with her phone, effectively holding my fate in her hands. My chaotic mind slowly cleared. A ten-million-dollar diamond ring, broken surveillance, an opened safe… “Want to raise the stakes?” I pulled out another blank piece of paper from the counter. “Raise what? What leverage do you have left?” Brittany shot back. I gazed steadily at Brittany. Remembering the oppression she inflicted on my dad and me in my past life, I signed both my name and my dad’s name on the agreement. It was as if my dad was fighting alongside me. “We have five minutes until ten o’clock. If the ring isn’t found, my dad and I will both work for you!” Brittany’s eyes lit up. She would agree. She just wanted to scam people; how could she refuse an extra person to repay the debt? “If it is found, proving I had nothing to do with the ring’s disappearance, you’ll pay me double the compensation, two hundred thousand dollars. Sign a written agreement. Do you dare?” I pushed the blank paper towards her. Brittany took the pen and looked back at the other three women. “What’s there to be afraid of? If she could find it, she would have already.” “It’d be great to have someone work for us for a lifetime, making money.” Brittany nodded, then signed the agreement with a flourish. [This girl is doomed, daring to sign such an agreement with a socialite.] [Say something nice, maybe Brittany will soften up and let her go. Being so stubborn, she deserves bad luck!] The online bullying frenzy continued, but I stood by the bar, motionless. [Still not searching? Giving up?] [Forcing her dad into this too, not only stealing but also unfilial, she truly deserves to die!] The clock hand pointed to ten. Brittany shoved the “indentured servitude” contract in my face again. “Give me the purchase record and invoice.” My request, in their eyes, was merely a dying struggle. Mr. Henderson scurried around and printed them out in a moment. I picked up the pen, hesitating to sign. Brittany had long lost her patience, pressing my hand down onto the paper. “What? Are you trying to back out?” As the restaurant door opened, I slowly smiled. “How do you know I can’t find the ring?” “I was just waiting for someone. And now, he’s here.”
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