The Return of the Cannon Fodder Trillion Heiress - Chapter 30

Chapter 30: Chapter 30 An Hour Ago
An hour ago.

“Are they the ones who reserved Pavilion 1?” Gerald eagerly inquired, addressing the server who was attending to Claire and her friends.

“I apologize, sir. I’ve only just arrived, and I haven’t received that information yet,” the server responded nervously, fully aware of the significance attached to Pavilion 1. Turning his attention to Claire, Gerald eagerly awaited her response.

Upon hearing that Pavilion 1 was reserved, Claire’s heart skipped a beat. If she could forge a connection with the individual behind that reservation, her social status would skyrocket overnight.

“And you are?” Claire inquired, her curiosity piqued.

“My apologies for the delayed introduction. I am the General Manager of this restaurant,” Gerald replied with a courteous smile.

Claire smiled and said. “Nice meeting you Mr. General Manager, please lead us to our room.”

“Please, allow me to show you to your room,” Gerald said with enthusiasm as he led Claire and her friends. Claire couldn’t help but notice the different path they were taking from their usual path, realizing the misunderstanding as they were directed down a hallway different from their typical route, ultimately leading to a grand gazebo nestled beside a serene pond and a beautiful plum blossom tree.

Gerald chuckled at the audible gasp that escaped Claire’s friends as he introduced them to Pavilion 1. He guided them through the opulent space, showcasing its exquisite ancient designs, adorned with priceless paintings and ceramics for the guests’ enjoyment. The serene view of the pond, with its vibrant water lilies and graceful koi fishes, added to the enchanting ambiance.

Observing the extravagance, they eagerly retrieved their phones, snapping pictures and capturing short videos to share on their social media platforms. Delighted by their enthusiasm, Gerald ushered them to their seats before introducing the special menu for the day.

After they made their selections from the menu, he politely excused himself and ensured that the food preparation was proceeding smoothly, determined to prevent any mishaps with the meal.

Once everything was meticulously prepared, Gerald took charge, leading the servers as they presented the dishes to Claire and her friends. As he listened to their satisfied compliments, a sigh of relief escaped him, reassured by their contentment with the meal.

It took Claire and her friends approximately 20 minutes to capture stunning photographs of each dish served to them, meticulously highlighting the specials crafted with exquisite and costly ingredients.

With their photography session complete, they settled into their seats, ready to indulge in their meal. Sharing a knowing look accompanied by triumphant smiles, they prepared to begin their dining experience.

Meanwhile, Gerald discreetly excused himself from the room, allowing Claire and her friends the privacy to savor their meal and engage in conversation. He ensured his phone remained in do-not-disturb mode, prioritizing his undivided attention to serving their esteemed VVIP guests without any distractions from calls or messages.

Realizing Gerald was unreachable, his assistant resorted to calling the restaurant’s main line and urgently requested the front desk to deliver the phone to the General Manager. Upon receiving the urgent message, the front desk hurriedly made her way to Gerald and handed him the cordless telephone, panting from the rush.

Confusion clouded Gerald’s thoughts as he accepted the phone. Why would his assistant make such an urgent call knowing he was occupied attending to their VVIP guest?

“What’s the matter?” Gerald inquired.

“Sir, I believe you’re still waiting for our VVIP guest. But I just received…” His assistant began.

Gerald interrupted, a furrow forming on his brow with confusion. “Wait, what? Our guest is currently seated in Pavilion 1, enjoying their meal.”

“Huh?!” His assistant’s surprise was evident as he glanced back at the monitor screen. “But I just received a notification stating the guest canceled their reservation.”

“What?!” Gerald’s voice rose several decibels in shock.

“I’ve been attempting to reach you since earlier, but it appears your phone is in do not disturb mode. I had to resort to calling the restaurant’s line to relay the message so you wouldn’t wait nervously,” his assistant explained urgently.

His assistant continued, “I also discovered that the reservation was made by our future boss. The name listed is Hera Avery, flagged in the system as the highest level of security and importance.”

“Ah!” Gerald nearly shouted in a mix of shock and frustration as the realization dawned on him. He began to replay the scene from when he arrived at the restaurant and his previous conversation with Claire.

While Gerald was lost in thought, his assistant dropped another bombshell. “She also left a note stating that someone offended her, which is why she left. I’ll send you the details.”

Upon hearing this, Gerald barged into the room and immediately began questioning Claire about her name and reservation information. Despite providing her full name, Claire remained tight-lipped about her reservation details, offering only a smile in response.

“Aren’t we enjoying our meal now? What’s the matter, General Manager?” Claire said calmly, her voice poised.

They had only taken a few bites of the exquisite fare, savoring both the culinary experience and the delectable spread before them, when the General Manager unexpectedly barged in.

“Please, Miss Claire, could you confirm whether you’re the one who reserved Pavilion 1?” Gerald asked, though his smile appeared somewhat strained.

“If not, why else would we be seated here? I kindly request some privacy to enjoy our meal undisturbed. It’s starting to get cold, you know,” Claire responded diplomatically.

“I simply need to clarify the reservation,” he maintained his practiced smile, though tension crept into his expression. Despite his efforts to appear composed, the bulging nerve in his hands and the clenching of his jaw betrayed his inner turmoil. At that moment, he keenly realized the magnitude of the mistake he had made, driven by his own excitement.

“What’s there to verify when we’re already seated here, enjoying our meal? I’m a regular patron of this restaurant, so even if you’re not familiar with me, your employees certainly are,” Claire retorted, her tone edged with frustration.

“Then, for the last time, did you or did you not make this reservation?” Gerald pressed, his patience wearing thin.

“Why are you so fixated on such a trivial matter?” Claire’s voice rose with frustration.

Having received the answers he sought, Gerald leaned in to whisper to the front desk attendant who remained nearby, clutching the cordless telephone. “Call the guards.”

The front desk girl gasped in surprise, her gaze darting between Claire and Gerald, before ultimately deciding to heed Gerald’s instructions.

After instructing the front desk attendant, Gerald turned back to face Claire. “I apologize for the misunderstanding,” he said, his tone softening slightly.

Hearing his words, Claire felt a wave of relief, thinking that the coast had finally cleared up and they were no longer under suspicion. However, she was caught off guard by his next statement.

“However, I must ask you to relocate to your originally reserved private room. As you may be aware, this area is off-limits to the public, and my misconception has caused this confusion. Nonetheless, I will comp your meal,” he stated through gritted teeth. It was indeed his misunderstanding that led to the situation, but despite that, Claire could have corrected him. Instead, she accepted it without protest and even attempted to deceive him.

Had his assistant not gone out of his way to call him directly through the restaurant’s line to inform him, allowing him to assess the situation with the available information, he would have indeed happily provided a complimentary meal without realizing that their boss had been offended in some manner.

Despite his frustration, he maintained his professionalism as a general manager. He pulled out his phone, accessed the message sent by his assistant, and clicked on the included link, directing him to the reservation page for Pavilion 1. As he read the note left there, his anger intensified, but he realized there was little he could do. He had already delivered his verdict before learning of this additional information.

Unlike his employees, Gerald had only encountered and personally served the Avery Family and their closest associates. Therefore, he felt compelled to confirm whether the individual mentioned in the note was indeed the same person dining in Pavilion 1. He promptly accessed the restaurant’s database to verify this information.

Lo and behold! It was indeed the same person. Gerald felt a surge of frustration as he realized he was serving the individual who had offended their boss, future boss to be exact.

He felt a pang of regret, wishing he could slap himself for this grave error. This was the first major mistake of his career, and he struggled to envision how he would explain himself. Hoping their boss wasn’t too vindictive, Gerald braced himself for the repercussions.

Despite Gerald’s attempts to relocate Claire’s entourage to their originally reserved private room, they adamantly refused to move and continued live streaming their dining experience, even as they observed his growing vexation. Gerald made several more civil attempts to resolve the situation, but they remained obstinate.

Eventually, upon the arrival of the security guards, Gerald refrained from further communication and simply instructed the guards to escort them to the lobby. The security team complied, and Claire’s entourage was forcibly removed from Pavilion 1.