Chapter 39

Jenny POV:

I served the customer her food and headed back to the kitchen, the aroma of sizzling meat and fresh herbs enveloping me like a warm hug. That's when I saw it - my perfume on the counter, sparkling like a forgotten treasure. I wondered, had I left it there, or had it been placed there by chance? Either way, I slipped it into my pocket, feeling the smooth glass vial against my fingertips.

Just then, Judy approached me, her voice barely above a whisper. "Jenny, a woman is waiting for you outside. She asked for you by name."

My heart skipped a beat as I wondered who it could be. "Did she tell you her name?" I asked, my voice laced with curiosity.

"Yes, it's Mrs. Luis," Judy replied, her eyes sparkling with intrigue.

I repeated the name, trying to place it, but it remained a mystery. I excused myself and stepped outside, into the warm sunlight.

The woman stood before me, her black gown rustling in the gentle breeze like a summer leaf. Her eyes, hidden behind black glasses, seemed to hold a secret. I felt a shiver run down my spine as she spoke, her voice like honey, smooth and sweet.

"I know you're wondering who I am," she said, her tone dripping with elegance. "I am Luis Vinle. Does my name stir any memories?"

I shook my head, my mind racing with possibilities. But then, like a key turning in a lock, it clicked - Aunt Luis, the woman who had left an indelible mark on my heart.

"Why have you come now?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

Aunt Luis's smile was like a sunrise, warm and radiant. "I've come to tell you that I'll be taking your father's restaurant. It's time for you to move on, dear one."

But I stood my ground, my heart pounding in my chest. "You can't take anything else from me," I vowed, my voice firm.

Aunt Luis's eyes flashed with a fierce inner light. "I always collect my debts, dear Jenny. But perhaps, this time, it's not just about debt. Perhaps it's about family."

"You left me, abandoned me, and now you're here for what?" I demanded, my voice rising. "Tell me what exactly do you want?"

Aunt Luis sneered at me. "Spoilt brat. Your poor father must have pampered you well for you to talk like that to me."

That's when I slapped her, my hand stinging from the impact. "How dare you?" she spat.

But I stood my ground. "This is what you get for calling my father poor."

Aunt Luis's eyes flashed with anger. "I just came to tell you I'll be taking your father's restaurant. Get prepared to leave here soon."

I felt a chill run down my spine. "Why? What could you possibly want now?"

"Your biological father owes me," she said, her voice cold. "And I always collect my debts."

I knew then that I had to protect what was mine. "You'll never take anything else from me," I vowed.

Aunt Luis smiled, a cold, calculating smile. "Carlos, come teach this brat a lesson."

And with that, Carlos emerged from the car, his eyes fixed menacingly on me.

Do you ever feel that fiery rage coursing through your veins, urging you to lash out at the person who dared to cross you? I know I did. My anger had been simmering, waiting to erupt, and I was ready.

He approached me, his eyes blazing with fury, and I seized the opportunity. I slipped my hand into my pocket and grasped the perfume, its cool glass vial a comforting weight in my palm. With a swift motion, I sprayed it directly into his eyes. He shrieked in agony, clutching at his face as if trying to claw out the burning sensation.

I took advantage of his momentary distraction to deliver a swift kick to his knee. The sound of his yelp still echoes in my mind as he crumpled to the floor, his massive frame crashing down like a felled tree.

Aunt Luis's mouth hung agape, her eyes wide with shock. I stood tall, my voice steady and firm. "I'm different, Mrs. Luis. I'm not the weakling you once knew, cowering at your every word. I've grown strong, and no one will ever bring me down again."

With that, I turned on my heel and strode back to the restaurant, leaving the chaos behind. I knew myself, and I knew that if I hadn't carried that perfume, I would have been at the mercy of that brute. His muscles rippled beneath his shirt like a predator's, and I shuddered at the thought of what could have been.

I pushed open the kitchen door and grasped the tray, the aroma of steaming food enveloping me like a warm hug. I went to serve the waiting customer, my heart still racing from the encounter, but my spirit unbroken.