The Forgotten Grandson

Chapter 8

A small crowd had already gathered near the entrance. People stood in little groups, watching everything with curious eyes and quiet judgment. Some held their phones low, pretending not to record. Others just whispered behind their hands.

Abigail turned fully toward Damien. Her voice was calm and clear.

“I am very sorry for the trouble, sir. Please accept my apology.”

She held out her hand for a polite shake. Before Damien could take it, the hostess stepped between them and slapped his hand away hard.

“Get back,” the hostess snarled. “Don’t you dare put your dirty fingers on her.”

Damien stared at her in surprise. Her eyes looked almost wild, like she thought he was about to attack someone.

Whispers moved quickly through the crowd.

“Why is such a beautiful woman treating that beggar like an equal?”

“He’s clearly beneath her.”

“If she treats him that way, she must see the rest of us as kings.”

The hostess kept talking, her voice rising with every word.

“Don’t fall for his tricks, Miss Abigail. I know men like him. They use sad stories and fake charm to get close to people like you. I humiliated him earlier tonight and I will do it again until he understands he does not belong here.”

Abigail’s face showed both shame and anger. She had chosen this hostess herself. Seeing her act so cruelly felt like cold water poured over her head.

“Why are you being so rude?” Abigail asked. “Even if he does not look like our usual guests, does that mean he does not deserve to eat here?”

The crowd grew restless at her words.

“Does she think we are the same class as that man?”

“Does she think so little of us?”

The hostess pointed at the same big bouncer from earlier that night.

“Miss Abigail, you don’t understand. This man needs to leave. You know what to do,” she told the bouncer.

The big man stepped forward and put a heavy hand on Damien’s shoulder. Abigail moved faster.

“Get your hands off him,” she ordered. “What is wrong with you? Have some respect.” She turned back to Damien, her voice softer. “I am so sorry about this, sir. Please come with me. I will give you a complimentary meal.”

More whispers rose from the watching guests.

“They’re giving free meals now?”

“I thought this place was exclusive.”

Damien felt strangely calm. Maybe it was the new power he still did not fully believe in, or maybe he had simply grown used to being insulted. Either way, the hostess’s words no longer cut deep. What did touch him was Abigail’s kindness. Even while looking at his dirty clothes, she treated him with respect.

“Thank you, miss,” he said. “That means a lot. But there is no need. I can pay for my own meal.”

The hostess looked ready to explode.

“You arrogant bastard!” she shouted. “My kind manager offers you a free meal and you refuse it? You have nothing! You can’t even dress properly and you still pretend to be somebody?”

She stepped closer with every word. Suddenly she raised her hand to slap him. Abigail caught her wrist just in time and pulled her back hard.

“What is going on here?”

Every head turned toward the entrance. Angela walked in, her steps sharp and purposeful. Her face was calm, but her eyes were cold.

Someone in the crowd muttered, “Two goddesses in one night. We are lucky.”

Abigail knew she had to calm the situation fast.

“My apologies,” she said. “There was a small misunderstanding.”

The hostess looked at Angela’s elegant clothes and confident walk. She decided this rich-looking woman would surely agree that Damien did not belong.

She pointed at Damien with pure disgust. “This man is a beggar who walked in off the street. He is disturbing our guests.”

Abigail pressed a hand to her forehead. “Can you please be quiet for one second?” she whispered hard at the hostess.

Angela took in the whole scene quickly. The rude valet outside, the hostess inside—clearly none of them knew who Damien really was.

She looked at Abigail. “So this is how you run the restaurant? You let your staff disrespect my guest?”

The hostess still did not understand. “Miss, I am only doing my job and removing the trash. If you cannot see that, maybe you are trash just like him.”

That was the final straw for Abigail. The sharp sound of a slap echoed through the reception area.

“Shut your mouth right now,” Abigail said, her voice shaking with anger. “Do you even know who that is?” She pointed at Angela. “That is the general manager in charge of every Dame’s Court restaurant in the world. She is my boss, and you are speaking to her like this?”

The hostess froze. In her rage she had never considered that the elegant woman could be someone so powerful.

Before she could speak, Angela added calmly, “And he is my boss.”

She pointed straight at Damien.

The entire crowd went silent. Mouths hung open.

“What? That low-looking man owns Dame’s Court?”

“How is that possible?”

All the color drained from the hostess’s face. This could not be real. She had seen Damien earlier that night. The Alistair family had told her he was a worthless son-in-law with nothing. He had even been dumped tonight. How could he suddenly be the top boss?

“No… no, that’s not possible,” she stammered. “He was here earlier. He is a pauper. He can’t be who you say he is.”

Angela had heard enough. “Get your things and get out. You’re fired.”

The hostess stared in pure shock. She could not lose her job because of this man. She looked at Abigail for help, but Abigail only shrugged.

“If my boss says you are fired, there is nothing I can do.”

The hostess dropped to her knees and tried to grab Damien’s leg. Angela stepped between them instantly and pushed her back onto the floor.

“Please, sir! I’m sorry! I didn’t know who you were!” the hostess cried, tears streaming down her face. She pressed her forehead to the ground and kept begging.

Angela motioned to the sweating bouncer. “Get her out of my sight.”

The bouncer grabbed the hostess. She struggled hard, then decided that if she was falling, she would take him with her.

“He helped me!” she screamed. “In fact, it was his idea to throw the boss out earlier!”

Angela glanced at Damien. “Is that true?”

Damien did not want to be the reason two people lost their jobs in one night, so he stayed silent.

Angela turned back to the bouncer. “It’s your unlucky day. Take yourself out along with her.”

Then she looked at Abigail. “If something like this ever happens again, you will be next. I don’t care how long we have known each other. This is unacceptable.”

Abigail accepted the scolding without argument. She knew hiring such a judgmental hostess had been her mistake.

“My apologies. It will not happen again.”

Damien had watched everything quietly. He remembered how Abigail had treated him with respect even when he looked like dirt. She had offered him a free meal when no one else would.

“She is actually good at her job,” he said. “Those two do not represent her. I think her salary should be doubled.”

Abigail’s heart jumped. This man had just doubled her pay without even thinking about it. Who exactly was he?

“Thank you so much, sir,” she said, her eyes shining. “It is an honour to serve you.”

As Damien and Angela walked toward a table, Abigail watched them leave. Her old friend Angela might have his attention for now, but a quiet fire of competition had already started burning inside her chest.

“See you soon, sir,” she whispered under her breath.