The Heir

chapter 26

HE pulled over to the parking lot of a top local restaurant in town. Based on his research, it has the highest ratings amongst its competitors. The food was excellent, cooked by five stars Michelin chefs. It has a beautiful ambiance, suitable for special occasions like anniversaries and wedding proposals, and the service was incredibly great. Well, it was kinda exaggerated for him, though. Somewhat, all restaurants are the same. Trying to give the best service they know to gain or attract customers.

Maximilian was about to get off his car when his phone rang. His wife was calling him, and he had a hunch what that was about.

“Max, where are you now? Did you go to the—”

“I decided to have my suit tailored. A friend of mine recommended a great tailor, and I am heading to his shop to see him now.” Ah, now he needed to ask Wilfred for a tailor-made suit.

“Heading there? Just now?” Victoria sounded like she was in doubt.

“Yes.”

“And why, Max? We parted for a couple of hours already.”

“I dropped by to the hospice because my mother wants to see me.” There go the lies again. It was starting to become a habit, and it kinda made him feel bad for Victoria.

“O-oh… How is she? Is there a problem?”

“Nothing. It’s just that she asked me to run some errands on her behalf.”

“Okay. Then, let me know how much—”

“No need to worry about it, Victoria. I can pay for my suit,” he said confidently.

“Don’t get me wrong, Max—”

“I have money. I have enough to pay for my own suit. So… don’t worry about it and get back to work.”

“Okay.” He heard Victoria heaved a sigh. “`Bye.”

Maximilian got off the car when the call ended.

He was walking towards the entrance of the restaurant when the doorman suddenly blocked his way. He even pushed him to the chest, making his blood boil. Maximilian knew what that was for.

“You are not allowed to go inside,” the doorman with a loud baritone voice muttered as he gave him a once-over.

“Oh, is it chartered at the moment?” he asked.

“No. You are not allowed to come in because you—”

“Again. Damn it.” Maximilian gritted his teeth. Did he really have to experience discrimination two times in a row?

He stood there for a while, trying to think of a way to convince the doorman to let him in when he saw someone he knew walked past the door.

“Sarah!” he called. But the woman seemed busy talking with a customer. “See that girl? I know her,” Maximilian told the doorman as he pointed at Sarah.

The doorman beckoned a waiter and told him to call Sarah.

“Why—Maximilian, why are you here?”

“I… uhm—”

“You see, you don’t belong in places like this, Maximilian,” she cut him off.

He sneered. “I was hoping that you could help me get in, but it seems to me that—”

“This is my workplace, Max. I won’t do anything that will bring me trouble or anything.” Sarah looked at him from head to toe. “And look at you. How can you walk around the town looking like that and hoping that you can get inside a top restaurant? We have a strict dress code policy here. If I were you, I would go home—”

“Wait. Do you hold a grudge against me, Sarah?” There was a hint of bitterness in her voice.

He saw her hands clenched to her sides.

“Maximilian… you know what—”

“It’s been years since it happened.” He shrugged. “Come on, Sarah, it’s all in the past now.”