Chapter 218 Expansion
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But she was in the middle of cooking and had to monitor the heat closely; she couldn’t afford to step away even briefly.
Maia gave a nod. “It’s Edwin and Liam who were determined to see you. I told them to come later.”
Edwin is here as well?
The kitchen door had been shut, and with the exhaust fan humming, she hadn’t caught Edwin’s voice. She had assumed it was only Liam who’d come by,
If Edwin was here too, it likely meant they wouldn’t leave without getting what they came for today.
Caroline was too occupied to think more about it.
She wasn’t sure how long she’d been working, but eventually the crowd thinned out, and she finally had a quiet moment.
As soon as she exited the kitchen, she spotted Edwin and Liam heading toward the entrance.
Both of them had their eyes fixed on her.
Caroline glanced up at the clock on the wall. It was already two in the afternoon, so there likely wouldn’t be any more customers.
She said to Maia, “I’m heading out for a bit. I’ll be back shortly.”
Maia had also noticed the two men and gave Caroline a nod. “Go on, it’s fine. Take care.”
Caroline gave her shoulder a light pat. “Thanks for all your effort.”
There were still a few diners in the restaurant, and she didn’t want to talk to Edwin and Liam inside. Liam’s fiery temper could easily frighten off the customers.
After finishing her conversation with Maia, Caroline made her way to the entrance.
Edwin and Liam were just stepping into the restaurant at that moment.
Caroline approached them and came to a halt. “Let’s take this outside.”
Without waiting for a reply, she walked past them and headed directly out the door.
Liam rolled his eyes at her back. “Where else do you plan to go? Can’t we just talk here?”
Caroline heard him, but didn’t turn around or say a word. She continued walking as though she hadn’t heard anything at all.
They were clearly here to discuss the restaurant expansion, so she was sure they’d follow.
Edwin let out a sigh. “Liam, don’t be so quick to lose your temper. It doesn’t matter where we talk, as long as she’s willing.”
Caroline made her way to the seating area outside the mall, came to a stop, and took a seat on one of the
benches.
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Chapter 218 Expansion
Moments later, Edwin and Liam caught up to her,
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Caroline leaned casually against the bench, her posture relaxed as she looked up at them. “Say what you Caroline leaned casually against the bench, her pos need to say and make it quick.”
She pretended to be clueless about their visit, which only made Liam more irritated. “Caroline, cut the nonsense. Weren’t you the one who told Miguel to send us over personally?”
Caroline gave a faint smile. “Oh, Miguel did talk to me yesterday about the expansion, and I did mention that. I just didn’t think you two would be this cager.”
Liam gave her a sharp look, ready to retort, but Edwin pulled lightly on his sleeve. “Let’s take a seat and talk.
He gave Liam a look, signaling him to keep his cool.
Liam knew he should rein it in, but seeing how Caroline was acting made that nearly impossible.
He swallowed his frustration and took
a
seat next to Edwin.
Edwin turned to Caroline and spoke evenly. “Miguel mentioned you wanted us to talk face–to–face. Well, we’re here now. Does that mean you’re on board with expanding the restaurant?”
Caroline didn’t respond right away. Instead, she asked, “Expansion costs money. Do you have the funds for it?”
Edwin was caught off guard for a moment, and his face soured slightly.
After a brief pause, he gave a strained grin. “You know the company collapsed, and I’m still paying off debts. I really can’t put any money up right now. But the restaurant’s doing great, isn’t it? The profits should be enough to fund the expansion, don’t you think?”
Caroline smiled coldly. “In that case, whether or not to expand the restaurant is entirely my decision. What does it have to do with you?”
They didn’t want to contribute a single dime, yet they expected to team up with her to manage the place. That was nothing but mooching.
And it wasn’t just casual mooching; once they became partners, Edwin would be the one calling the shots, while she’d be reduced to just another cook in the back.
That was exactly how things had played out in her past life.
Edwin tried pulling the family angle. “We’re siblings, family. There’s no need to split things between us. Don’t worry. Once the restaurant turns a profit, I’ll cut you in. If we run the place together, you’ll have a much easier time. All you’ll need to do is cook. Isn’t that a better deal?”
Caroline responded, “Since there’s no funding, let’s just forget about the expansion. I don’t have much myself, certainly not enough for something that big. And even if I did, expanding isn’t in my plans right now. So please, stop eyeing my restaurant and head on home.”
As she stood up to go, Edwin began to panic. “Liam and I are working for other people now, and it’s really hard. As your brothers, why won’t you help us when you’re clearly able to? Besides, I’m only thinking about what’s best for you. A woman running a restaurant alone is bound to face trouble, but if it’s a family business, no one would dare mess with us.
11:00 Fri, 13 Jun GO
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After the New Year’s Eve Tragedy: Her Icy Return
