After Jasmine leaves, Ren and Eva are left alone standing there, the atmosphere tense. Eva's head is down, avoiding Ren's gaze, while Ren is smirking at her, enjoying the shift in power. His eyes glide over her, reveling in the moment.
"Well, you're looking as beautiful as always, Eva." ren comments.
Eva stammers, "Y-yes..."
Ren steps closer. "So, let's begin the tour of the restaurant. Show me around."
Eva glances up, frowning. "Why? You already know everything. You worked here before."
Ren chuckles, wagging his finger. "Uh-uh, I'm the boss now, Eva. You don't get to talk to me like that. I said I want a tour. So get on with it, girl."
She sighs but doesn't push further. "Fine,"
Eva leads him inside, her steps hesitant but deliberate. Ren walks behind her, hands casually in his pockets, his eyes never leaving her back. When they get in, Ren suddenly calls out, stopping her.
"Wait," he says with a grin. "I want everyone to come out."
Eva looks back, confused. "Everyone? Why?"
Ren grins wider. "Do I really have to explain? I'm the boss, so call them out."
Though reluctant, Eva does as she's told. Within moments, the staff gathers before the counter, murmuring amongst themselves.
Their faces show surprise and confusion just as they see Ren standing. But they are more surprised seeing Eva standing silently next to him, her head slightly lowered.
When everyone is gathered, Ren scans the room. He spots Leah standing and gives her a warm smile. "Hey, Leah, how are you doing?"
Leah, shy and unsure of the situation, fidgets. "H-hi, Ren. I'm… I'm fine," she says quietly.
Ren smirks at her response, then turns his gaze to the rest of the staff.
"Alright, listen up. I'm sure you're wondering what I'm doing here. As you all know, I used to work with you as a colleague, not that you considered me one."
He pauses, allowing the tension to build. "But now, I'm here as your new owner."
The room buzzes with disbelief. Some employees exchange glances, whispering, unsure if this is a joke.
Ren hears the murmurs and raises an eyebrow. "You don't believe me?" He turns to Eva, smiling coldly. "Eva, tell them."
Eva's voice is barely a whisper. "He is… the new owner."
Ren leans closer to her face. "I didn't hear that."
She clenches her fists but raises her voice, "Ren is the new owner."
Gasps ripple through the employees. They stare at Ren in shock, their former co-worker now standing before them as their boss.
Ren laughs softly, enjoying their reactions. "I'm glad to see the surprise on your faces. It feels good, doesn't it? Well, I'm here to announce something special today. As a celebration of me becoming the owner, everyone's salary is… increased by five percent."
At first, there's a flicker of hope on their faces, but then Ren adds, "Oh, wait… just kidding. It's not."
Their expressions shift to frustration, some even glaring at him for playing with them.
Ren chuckles again before dropping the real news. "Because it's increased by ten percent!"
Cheers erupt from the staff, their mood instantly lifting. They smile, laugh, and exchange excited whispers, their earlier annoyance forgotten.
Ren's eyes land on Leah again. "Leah, you were kind to me when I worked here. So your raise? It's twenty percent."
Leah's eyes widen in surprise, and she beams with happiness. Others glance at her with jealousy, but no one speaks up.
Ren chuckles. "Now, I know some of you are probably wondering why her raise is higher than yours. Well, that's because she was nice to me... and you weren't." He gives a mock pout. "Now, feel bad about it."
The room fills with awkward chuckles and murmurs, but Ren doesn't care. He's enjoying himself too much.
He then turns his gaze to Eva, who's been silent throughout. "And you, Eva," he says, stepping closer. "If I recall, you were especially nice to me, weren't you?"
Eva looks up briefly, her face betraying a mixture of fear and frustration. "What do you want, Ren?"
Ren smirks, leaning down slightly so that only she can hear him. "Don't worry, I'm a good boss. So you won't get any raise."
Eva bites her lip, holding back a retort.
A bit satisfied, Ren raises his voice to address everyone. "That's all for now. But remember, this is just the beginning. The best is yet to even start."
The staff murmurs again, some wondering where he got the money and why he's being so generous despite how they treated him. Ren notices their puzzled faces and laughs inwardly.
Oh, you think I'm just some sucker, huh? he thinks. No, my revenge is going to be slow. I'll make you stay, keep you around, and then... have my fun, slowly.
Turning back to Eva, Ren says, "Eva, let's continue our tour."
Eva hesitates but eventually nods. She leads him through the restaurant, pointing out the various rooms with quick explanations. This is the counter, this is the dining area, this is the kitchen, back door.
But when they reach the storage room, Eva walks in, her head still lowered in a mixture of resignation and apprehension.
Ren follows her inside, and the atmosphere suddenly changes.
Without warning, Ren shuts the door behind them, locking it with a soft click.
Eva spins around, eyes wide. "What… why did you close the door?"
Ren steps closer, his eyes gleaming with amusement. "Why do you think?"
Eva's breath catches in her throat as he moves toward her, but she forces herself to stand tall. "You're just my boss now. You can't just—"
Ren cuts her off by gently lifting her chin with his fingers.
"Eva, Eva, Eva… always so full of fire and bitter. But look at you now. I haven't even done anything, yet your face is red, your breathing's heavy. You were always so confident before. Always yelling at me, bossing me around." He laughs darkly. "How does it feel to be on the other side now?"
Eva's eyes dart away, her body tense. "You… you can't do this," she whispers, though her voice wavers.
Ren's lips curve into a smile. "What can't I do to you? Look around. We are in a closed room, alone. You are standing here, blushing, hoping something to happen, am I right? You were always so high and mighty. Now you're the one being looked down on. It's only fair."
Eva grits her teeth. "I worked hard. I… I had my reasons."
Ren's smile fades as he leans closer. "Why? Why did you treat me like that? What reasons did you have? I worked well enough, didn't I? Was it fun for you, to make my life hell?"
Eva stays silent for a moment, then looks up at him, defiance flickering in her eyes. "You can't play with me like this, Ren. You're just my boss. I can quit."
Ren's expression darkens. "Oh, you think it's that simple?"
He leans in, pressing his lips lightly to hers in a lingering, teasing kiss. Eva doesn't move, her mind racing, unsure of how to react.
When he pulls away, he licks her ear, whispering, "You can't quit, I won't let you. Your salary is raised by fifty percent."
Eva's heart skips, but she quickly pulls herself together. "You can't control me with money."
Ren smiles. "Oh, I don't need to control you. But you'll start to worry soon enough. I'll make sure you think hard before you even consider quitting." He steps back, giving her space, but his eyes remain locked on hers.
"And even if you quit, I'll find you, again and again. I won't let you go, Eva. You're mine."
He suddenly gropes her breasts, fondling them a bit. "No one can have you. I ain't gonna let anyone."
His voice drops to a low, threatening whisper. "I'll make sure of that."
With those final words, Ren turns, unlocks the door, and walks out, leaving Eva standing there, shaken and unsure of what just happened.