As Daniel's words resounded, the reporters focused their cameras somewhere else.Not far away, only thick black smoke remained where the fire had burned. There were no longer any visible flames.It had only been 20 minutes since the explosion had occurred and the fire had broken out. But it had already been put out. How had they doused the flames in 20 minutes?The firefighters hadn't even arrived yet!While many people at the scene were still in shock, James, who was beside Rebecca, stepped in front of the cameras.He had a stern expression, and his eyes were aged but still sharp. He stood tall in front of the cameras. It was as if he were facing a formidable army alone.After sweeping his piercing gaze over the crowd, he bowed deeply.Straightening up, he began to speak with a strong voice."To all fellow participants who came to Gourmet Haven's competition today, I, James Stigg, wish to express my deepest apologies. "The fire has been extinguished now. Gourmet Haven will
At the hospital, Daniel was still in the emergency room when Ryan arrived.Rebecca was sitting quietly at the entrance. There were a few black soot marks on her pretty face. She looked lonely as she sat alone in the corridor.Ryan approached Rebecca when he saw her. He was panting for air."Becca, what happened to Danny? Why did he end up in the hospital?"Rebecca slowly lifted her head. She didn't know how to begin.This accident was, to a large extent, her fault. Daniel wouldn't have gotten involved if she had stopped him and gone to help James on her own.She would rather have been the one injured. She didn't want to owe Daniel any favors."What exactly happened, Becca? Don't tell me your brother got into a fight with Daniel and put him in the hospital again."Even at this moment, Ryan still had the leisure to make jokes. Unfortunately, Rebecca couldn't find the strength to laugh.She bit her lip. After a long pause, her voice came out hoarsely. "I'm sorry."She stood up
Rebecca woke up on the way back to the Johnson Residence.They were already far away from the hustle and bustle of the city and were reaching the mansion. The area was surrounded by lush green trees that were soothing to the eyes. She stared out of the window for a while, and her brain finally started working. She slowly recalled what had happened earlier.First, she had spent a long time in the hospital. Then, she had followed Albert downstairs. She didn't remember anything after that.So how had she reached the car and fallen asleep?Before Rebecca could ask, Albert spoke up first. "Becca, are you awake? There's water and snacks in the glove compartment. If you're hungry, you can help yourself. We're about ten minutes away from home."She had just woken up, so she wasn't hungry. But her mouth felt a bit dry.She drank some water before asking, "Albert, when did I fall asleep? Are we about to arrive home?"She had thought that they were still at the hospital.Albert glance
After all, Gourmet Haven had attracted a lot of attention this time. The Grand Culinary Championship, which was held once every three years, had been heavily promoted several months beforehand. The competition had also been delayed by two months due to issues with the venue.People had long anticipated seeing what surprises the Stiggs would come up with during those extra months. They hadn't expected the competition venue to be so extravagant. The fact that they could invest so much money in building the venue was a testament to Gourmet Haven's regular profits. Other chefs in the industry couldn't help but wonder why Gourmet Haven was making so much money while they struggled. Envy among competitors was palpable.It gave rise to a motive for the arson. The goal was to make others see that Gourmet Haven was all show and no substance.The venue might have seemed lavish on the surface. But they wanted to tell people that Gourmet Haven hadn't even conducted safety checks on
"A married daughter is no longer part of the family. Have you ever seen a person who has their own family refuse to leave her parents' home like you?" Henry's anger got the better of him, and he blurted out everything his wife said.His wife would complain to him every night. He usually tried to comfort her and asked her not to meddle too much in family affairs. After all, Mary was her sister. What harm would it do to let her stay at home after her divorce? But after everything that had happened today, the words he had kept inside for a long time just came pouring out. Mary wasn’t the only one stunned by his words. Henry himself was taken aback by what he had said. Scolding her was one thing, but he had gone too far.Emily, who had just washed her hands and come out of the kitchen, was equally surprised when she heard Henry. Emily often complained to Henry about Mary being lazy and acting like a princess at home. Emily had to do all the housework alone.The Stiggs were c
Emily's heart was in turmoil, and her head throbbed in pain. She felt disoriented. It was as if all the years of her perseverance had become a joke.Thankfully, Henry was there to support her from behind, just as she had supported him earlier. She turned her head and felt the reassuring grip of Henry's hand. Suddenly, she felt a wave of warmth and strength surging in her.It helped her regain composure. She stood there calmly. "Mom, if you think Emi and I are outsiders, we'll move out."Henry supported his wife. His emotions were stabilizing, and he calmly addressed his mother. "As for splitting up, we can discuss it when Dad is discharged from the hospital. You can leave all the family assets to Mary. "All we hope for is that we receive the salary we deserve for all these years of hard work."Upon hearing this, Emily didn't make a scene. She held Henry’s hand in return.She didn't mind even if her in-laws gave all their money to Mary and left nothing for them.After al
"Of course I'm fine with it. I had already prepared the gift for Becca as soon as you mentioned her return. Just remember to take it."Emily didn't have any objections.They had some past disagreements on business matters with the Johnsons. But it mainly involved Mrs. Stigg Senior and Mary. The main family had no issues with the Johnsons.Albert had even been helping Henry out in his business for the past few years.Business at Gourmet Haven had declined, and several franchises had to be closed. So they had discussed things with Albert and begun to focus on promoting traditional cuisine as gourmet dining. Although they had reduced the number of branches, the actual revenue had increased compared to previous years.With the decrease in the number of branches, the occupancy rates at Gourmet Haven had improved. They had managed to reduce many unnecessary expenses. Additionally, the collaborative marketing efforts with MRC Group had further boosted business. Henry's concerns m
"For Becca's good?"Henry couldn't help but find it amusing. "Mary, don't you feel ashamed saying that? When Zelda lost her kid, you showed no sympathy and even seemed to take pleasure in her misfortune. "Now that Becca has returned, you suddenly want to act concerned for her?" Emily chimed in, "That's right. Becca just came back. Zelda and her husband haven't even thought about her marriage. But you're in such a hurry to 'help' her? "You have thick skin. You've been kicked out of Johnson Residence a few times. Now our nephew even has to call Henry and ask us to keep an eye on you. We don't want to get involved in your affairs."Seeing Mary's pale face, Emily felt a sense of satisfaction. She had finally gotten the chance to release her years of pent-up frustration. She hadn't known that it could be so satisfying to speak her mind out loud!She wouldn't have kept everything in if she had known earlier. She had endured so much that she had turned herself into a doormat for