Read Novel Full Chapter 864: Job
Chapter 864: Chapter 864: Job
Bella frowned as she listened to him.
For some reason, she couldn’t shake the feeling that his words carried another hidden motive.
His suggestion sounded less like genuine concern for her safety and more like an attempt to convince her to surrender control of the restaurant.
‘Why does it feel as though he’s trying to take advantage of this situation again?’ she wondered, watching him carefully.
After thinking for a moment, Bella suddenly smiled and said, “Actually, there’s something you should know, Marcus. This restaurant doesn’t belong to me in the first place. I’m merely an employee here, so even if the business becomes incredibly famous, I won’t be the one who owns it.”
Marcus stared at her, momentarily confused.
Bella continued before he could interrupt. “You know what? I could simply resign and let you manage the restaurant instead. However, I should warn you that the actual boss can be rather difficult to deal with.”
The moment she said that, Marcus was stunned.
He looked at her in disbelief before asking subconsciously, “You have a boss?”
Bella couldn’t help laughing at his reaction.
“What did you think? Did you imagine that this restaurant had simply appeared out of nowhere?”
Marcus’s expression stiffened slightly, and he forced a smile onto his face before explaining, “What do you mean? I was only wondering whether, since you don’t actually own the restaurant, you could give me your boss’s number. I swear I’ll return the job to you once the danger has passed. I’m only trying to help you protect yourself, Bella.”
Hearing his explanation, Bella smiled as though she hadn’t noticed anything unusual about his request.
“Sure, there’s no problem with that.”
With that, she gave him Jade’s number. Once Marcus had received it, Bella immediately sent a message to Jade, explaining the situation and informing him about her plan. After sending the message, she began packing her belongings as though she were genuinely preparing to leave the restaurant for good.
Marcus, however, looked increasingly uncertain as he watched her. Bella’s nonchalant attitude was so different from what he had expected that he couldn’t help wondering whether she had given him a fake number or perhaps the contact information of an ordinary friend who had nothing to do with the restaurant.
‘Is she really willing to leave this place so easily, or is she trying to trick me?’ he wondered, carefully observing her movements.
Wanting to gauge the situation, Marcus pretended to hesitate before dialing the number. When the call connected, he immediately adopted a polite tone.
“Hello, sir. I’d like to confirm whether you’re the owner of the restaurant where Bella has been working.”
Jade remained silent for a moment before responding in a calm but authoritative voice.
“First of all, who are you? Second, which establishment are you referring to? Third, how did you obtain my number?”
Marcus hadn’t expected to be questioned so directly. After a brief pause, he explained the entire situation, including Bella’s decision to leave the restaurant and his own desire to take over her position temporarily.
Once he finished speaking, Jade fell silent.
For a moment, Marcus wondered whether the man on the other end of the call was considering his proposal. However, when Jade finally spoke, his words were so cold that Marcus felt a sudden chill run down his spine.
“Who are you to assume that I would hire someone as incompetent as you? Even if you know how to cook, I have plenty of people working under me who are capable of doing the same job. If Bella leaves, someone else can easily take her place. Don’t imagine that you can scheme your way into my business simply because you’ve found an opportunity.”
Marcus froze, his fingers tightening around the communication device.
He had expected the owner to be concerned about losing Bella, especially considering how much she had contributed to the restaurant. Instead, Jade had dismissed the possibility of her departure as though it were completely insignificant.
‘Something isn’t right,’ Marcus thought, his suspicions growing stronger. ‘Why would Bella be so willing to leave if she knows the owner could replace her so easily? And why does this man sound as though he knows exactly what I’m trying to do?’
After ending the call, Marcus decided not to reveal his doubts to Bella. Instead, he turned toward her and pretended that he had another matter to attend to.
“Bella, I’ll need to visit my apartment to collect my belongings and make the necessary preparations before starting work here,” he said, trying to sound casual.
Bella glanced at him with an indifferent expression.
“Oh, sure. You can do that. But did Jade agree to hire you?”
Marcus swallowed nervously before answering, “No, he said he would send another employee to take over the position. However, I think I can still convince him to change his mind, so I’m going to stay around and try to persuade him.”
Bella didn’t show any particular reaction to his explanation. She simply finished packing her belongings, collected her things, and left the restaurant without looking back.
Marcus watched her departure with a troubled expression. The ease with which she had accepted the situation made him even more suspicious, and he couldn’t shake the feeling that something was happening behind the scenes.
After Bella had left, he quietly instructed someone to follow her and report where she went.
Meanwhile, Bella smirked faintly when she sensed that someone was tailing her.
She didn’t turn around or make any attempt to confront the person.
Instead, she continued walking at a leisurely pace until she reached the high-speed train station.
Once she boarded the train, she settled into her seat and sent a message to Jade.
*I’ve already noticed that someone is following me. Let them continue for now, and see where this leads.*
What Marcus didn’t know was that Bella wasn’t the only person keeping an eye on the restaurant and its surroundings. Ivy and Silas had already arranged for several people to work undercover within the establishment, allowing them to monitor suspicious activities without drawing attention to themselves.
Although they trusted Bella’s abilities, they understood that the princes and princesses of Planet Astra possessed all sorts of unusual superpowers. Some might even have hypnosis abilities capable of influencing a person’s mind and making them reveal information against their will.
If Bella were ever targeted by someone with such an ability, her own vigilance might not be enough to protect her from manipulation. Therefore, Ivy and Silas had ensured that trusted individuals were positioned nearby to observe any suspicious behavior and intervene if necessary.
Their precautions soon proved worthwhile.
After Bella left, Marcus slipped away toward an old building located in a relatively deserted part of the city. He disappeared inside for a while, and when he eventually emerged, he was carrying a bag.
Rather than returning to the restaurant or heading toward a busy street, he made his way to an isolated corner. He repeatedly glanced around, checking his surroundings to ensure that nobody was following him.
Marcus waited there for several minutes, his expression growing impatient as he occasionally checked his communication device.
Eventually, a hovercar appeared in the distance and approached the secluded spot.
When the vehicle stopped beside him, Marcus got inside.
Once he left, a little girl emerged and using her enhanced vision, she examined the car and memorized its registration number before discreetly sending the information to Jade.
Jade immediately began investigating the vehicle. After making a few inquiries and tracing its registration, he discovered that it belonged to a woman named Helena.
On the surface, Helena was the Assistant Minister of Common Labour, a position that gave her considerable influence over the planet’s workforce and various public establishments. However, the investigation soon uncovered another important detail: Marcus was her illegitimate son.
That discovery revealed only part of the truth.
Helena hadn’t become involved in the matter simply because she wanted to help her son find employment. She had been acting under the orders of Prince Hanake, who wanted to investigate Bella’s restaurant and determine whether he could take control of it.
The restaurant’s unusual ingredients, growing popularity, and increasing influence had attracted his attention.
Rather than approaching Ivy’s people openly, Hanake had chosen to test the situation through a series of indirect measures.
He was also behind the trouble caused by the thugs who had repeatedly approached Bella and demanded protection money.
The intention had been to pressure her, make running the restaurant increasingly difficult, and eventually create an opportunity for someone connected to Hanake to step in.
However, Bella had responded differently from what they had anticipated.
Instead of struggling to maintain her position at all costs, she had simply agreed to leave when Marcus offered to take over.