All Chapters of The $2.50 Lunch Service: Chapter 1 - Chapter 7

I nodded. "Yes, I'll refund everyone's money, but let me be clear—once I do, I won't be providing meals or childcare anymore."Looking after ten elementary school kids was exhausting. My day started at 5 AM with grocery shopping, then making breakfast for my daughter before school. By 9 AM, I was already preparing meals for over ten people. At 11:30, I'd walk to school to collect the kids. Even though the school was just down the street, managing ten energetic children was no easy task. After lunch, they'd all take their afternoon nap at my place. Once the dishes were done, I'd walk them back to school.Unlike the school cafeteria with its full staff, I ran this service completely on my own. I'd always believed neighbors were like family. Knowing most parents worked full-time, I didn't mind the extra effort. Never did I imagine my kindness would be met with such ingratitude, eventually affecting my whole family.When I finished speaking, the room went quiet. The parents exchanged un

I forced a smile, though my eyes remained cold. “Mrs. Peterson, that’s not very nice. If you want to do business here, it’s better to compete fairly. Spreading rumors behind my back isn’t the way to go.” Once I exposed her, Mrs. Peterson stopped pretending. “What do you mean I’m spreading rumors? I’m just telling the truth. Sarah, her kitchen isn't even properly licensed. If something goes wrong, you'll have no recourse. We're a legitimate business cooking for children—do you think we'd risk serving unsafe food?"I sneered. “Whether you would or not, only you know. A $2.50 meal with meat every day? Any decent cook would tell you that meat shouldn't smell quite so... interesting."“You little bitch, you have no right to say that. I'll make you regret this!"Her anger flared, and she lunged at me. But before she could get to me, one of the employees stepped in and stopped her. Once Mrs. Peterson calmed down, Sarah smiled and said to her, “Our company really likes Miss Haber’s

Mrs. Thompson and the other parents rushed to the hospital. They found that, in addition to their own children, many others had also been admitted to the emergency room. This large-scale food poisoning incident caught the attention of the police. After an investigation, it was discovered that all the children who fell ill had been eating at Mrs. Peterson’s lunch service. The authorities quickly sealed off the lunch service. When they entered the kitchen, they were nearly overwhelmed by the smell. The place was filthy, like a sewer, with oil stains everywhere. The oil used for cooking was stored carelessly, and when they scooped some out, they found dead mice in it. They also found illegal food additives scattered around. Lab tests of the leftover food showed the meat wasn't just low-grade—it contained harmful chemicals that made it addictive.As the investigation continued, the police discovered that the lunch service had no valid permits. Every claim Mrs. Peterson had made was