The Queen Back From Hell - Chapter 33: Chapter 33

Arielle lifted an eyebrow and said coolly, "What do you want?"
Seeing Arielle's calm and indifferent expression, Perla was instantly furious.
Perla thought, 'No wonder Meredith doesn't dare speak up—who knows how badly she is being bullied at home?'
Perla sneered, "Wow, village girl. Look at you scarfing that steak down like it's your first meal in eight lifetimes. You're disgusting to watch. You—get up!"
The manager hurried over when he heard the commotion, plastering on a smile. "Miss Sidel, welcome."
Perla tilted her chin arrogantly and pointed at the manager. "You guys are seriously irresponsible. This is Ogilvy Steakhousehouse—do you just let anyone in?
"Our restaurant doesn't serve backwoods nobody. Just having her here drags down the place. We're a high-end establishment. Does she even belong here?"
Perla shot a sharp glare at Arielle. "Oh right, I forgot—you've dug through dumpsters for food, slept under bridges with rats.
"Someone like you, filthy from the inside out, has the nerve to show your face in here? Get out before you dirty the whole place."
Some of the diners nearby started whispering. A few looked at Arielle with clear contempt, others frowned in disgust.
The manager looked troubled. Their restaurant had never kicked anyone out before.
The manager said, "Miss Sidel, this customer is already dining. She hasn't done anything inappropriate. Maybe we could…"
The manager muttered, 'She's dressed decently, wearing designer brands, and honestly, she's stunning. What part of her looked like a village girl?
'Even if she is really from the countryside, she still has every right to eat steak. What kind of restaurant chases away paying customers?'
The manager was fuming inside but didn't dare say anything aloud.
"She probably can't afford it," Perla snapped, arms crossed, her voice sharp. "If she doesn't pay, are you going to cover the bill?"
"Well… we usually settle up after the meal," the manager replied, trying to stay neutral. He couldn't afford to offend either side.
"Perfect," Perla said louder. "She's basically done anyway. Time to go."
Perla was already upset that Arielle had taken the seat she wanted. Now that she knew Arielle was the toxic foster daughter, the resentment only deepened.
Perla kept going, "From now on, I don't care which of the Sidel businesses it is—she's not allowed in any of them. Memorize her face. If I find out she steps foot in one of our stores again, you're all fired."
"Miss Sidel…" the manager said, completely stuck between a rock and a hard place.
The manager thought, 'One is the daughter of the owner, the other a paying customer. And everyone is watching.
'I'm just an employee—I've no say in this.'
"What, this is my place and I don't get to make the rules?" Perla shot him a sideways glance full of arrogance.
The manager clamped his mouth shut, but inside, he was seething.
More and more customers were showing up, and now Perla was making a loud scene and kicking someone out. Even if she had a point, there was no way to justify this publicly.
Arielle took a sip of her drink, finally speaking up once Perla's machine-gun mouth finally stopped. Her voice was cold. "Wow. Hilarious."
That smug, mocking laugh made Perla's blood boil. "What the hell are you laughing at?" she snapped.
"I'm laughing at you, lunatic. You seriously need to get checked into a psych ward," Arielle coldly.
Just as Perla was about to blow up again, Meredith stepped forward at the perfect moment, her voice soft and gentle, laced with just the right amount of nervous urgency. "Arielle, Perla didn't mean anything to it.
"She just has a sharp tongue. She's in a bad mood today. She only said that because she was worried you're not used to steak, coming from the countryside. Please don't be mad, okay?"