###Chapter 86: Another Rival in Love
As soon as he left, the cleaning lady returned behind the bar with a rag. She glanced at Nina Wainwright and said sarcastically, "You have it easy, don’t you? Just sitting here in front of the bar every day, spacing out when there’s no one around."
Nina Wainwright didn’t think she had been spacing out.
She had to read her mixology books every day; she had no ti to space out.
"How about we switch? You can learn mixology, and I’ll do the cleaning," Nina Wainwright said to her.
The cleaning lady walked away, looking speechless.
’These people,’ Nina thought, ’they only see sitting here and assu I have it easy, but everyone’s job is different. They only see the easy parts and never the effort soone puts in.’
As she was concentrating on her mixology book, she sensed soone enter. The mont she looked up, water was thrown all over her head.
"Get out here!" Chloe Chapman slamd the cup in her hand down on the bar, ordering Nina Wainwright haughtily.
Nina Wainwright frowned, looking at her in confusion. "Do I know you?"
"It doesn’t matter if you know , but you’re trying to steal my man, and I’m telling you to get out." Chloe Chapman raised her chin, her eyes filled with hatred.
The cleaning lady stood to the side, watching the drama unfold like a curious bystander.
The few scattered custors in the bar were all watching them.
Nina Wainwright was utterly baffled. "Who is your man?"
Seeing her play dumb, Chloe Chapman laughed in exasperation. "What’s with the act?"
’Nina Wainwright was genuinely stunning,’ Chloe thought, ’possessing a kind of beauty she’d never encountered before... Her own family was wealthy, and she’d seen countless beauties in her social circle, but this was the first ti she’d seen soone who looked like Nina.’
’No wonder Leo Larkin let her work at the bar.’
She stepped behind the bar, grabbed Nina Wainwright by the collar, and started dragging her out.
Nina Wainwright was forced to follow her out of The Moonlight Tavern.
The custors all followed them out to watch the show.
Chloe Chapman paid the custors no mind. ’After all,’ she thought, ’I haven’t caused trouble *inside* the bar, so Leo Larkin surely won’t get angry with .’
Crossing her arms, she stared down at Nina Wainwright imperiously and said, word by word, "I forbid you to work at this bar. So get lost. Now."
’What is wrong with these people?’ Nina wondered. ’One after another... do they all think I’m such a pushover?’
"Why should I listen to you? Are you a shareholder in this bar, or the owner’s wife?" she asked, looking directly at Chloe Chapman, her tone full of bewildernt.
Chloe Chapman did want to be the lady boss of The Moonlight Bar, but she hadn’t managed it yet. Nina Wainwright’s question was like hitting a raw nerve, and she slapped Nina hard across the face.
The crowd gasped.
The force of the slap turned Nina Wainwright’s head to the side.
The fiery sting made her furrow her brow even tighter.
’She didn’t dare fight back,’ she thought. ’She was afraid Chloe Chapman was truly soone important to Leo Larkin. If she offended her, she would lose this job.’
’It seed she was fated to be pushed around.’
’Even when slapped in the face on the street, all she could do was endure it.’
Looking back at Chloe Chapman, she said, "I didn’t co here to fall in love or to steal anyone’s man. I’m just trying to earn a living."
Chloe Chapman rolled her eyes impatiently. "Are you crying poor or playing the victim? I’ve spent a fortune at this bar; I’m a VIP. If I say I can’t stand you, Leo Larkin will have to tell you to get lost! To save yourself the embarrassnt, it would be best for you to scram right now."
Nina Wainwright looked at her, her voice growing softer. "Even so, I need to tell him. He’s the one who hired , after all."
’She would only leave if Leo Larkin told her to.’
Chloe Chapman had deliberately co while Leo Larkin was out on an errand. There was no way she was going to let Nina wait for him to get back.
"I told you to get lost *now*! If there’s really nothing going on between you and him, why do you have to tell him?!" she demanded, her impatient tone aggressive and overbearing.
Seeing Chloe’s ferocious expression, Nina Wainwright knew that further pleading was useless.
’These rich people wouldn’t feel a shred of sympathy just because a worker’s life was hard.’
’She was fundantally the sa as people like Caleb Ford and Talia Talbot.’
"I’ll go get my bag," she said in a low voice, preparing to turn around.
Chloe Chapman grabbed her wrist. Turning her head, she saw the cleaning lady craning her neck to see from the bar’s entrance and shouted, "Bring her bag down!"
"Okay," the cleaning lady replied, and was about to go get the bag.
Just then, Chloe Chapman was shoved aside.
The white-collar woman who had drunk the "Bamboo" cocktail Nina had made the other day stepped forward, shielding Nina behind her. With a look of disgust, she asked, "Who do you think you are to The Moonlight Bar, acting so arrogantly and harassing a bartender?"
"And who are you?" Chloe Chapman asked irritably.
"I’m a custor she’s served. I find her service excellent, and her cocktails are great. Besides, I’ve been here three tis recently and seen Mr. Larkin himself teaching her. He clearly has high hopes for her. What gives you the right to run her off? You’re just a custor at The Moonlight Bar. What right do you have to fire an employee on the owner’s behalf?!" the woman said coldly.
Chloe Chapman sneered. "Bartenders like her are a di a dozen. She’s just here to seduce Leo Larkin. And you say I have no right? I spend a hundred thousand a day here! I have more right than any other custor!"
Hearing this, the onlooking custors began to jeer.
"This is rich. She spends a hundred thousand and suddenly thinks she’s the owner’s wife? It’s not like Mr. Larkin is begging her to spend it."
"Oh, please. She’s probably just jealous because the bartender is pretty and she’s scared she’ll steal Mr. Larkin’s heart, so she rushed over here to force her to quit."
"Don’t be scared, kid. She’s a complete nobody at The Moonlight Bar. You don’t have to leave."
Nina Wainwright finally understood. This woman was one of Leo Larkin’s fanatical pursuers.
’But wasn’t her sense of entitlent a little much?’
’And to think she had actually been intimidated by her.’
Being mocked by the crowd, Chloe Chapman’s expression turned absolutely hideous.
The white-collar woman took two steps forward, glaring down at her. "Apologize to her!"
"I won’t. Who the hell do you think you are to demand an apology from !" Chloe Chapman shot back, staring right into her eyes.
The white-collar woman raised a hand, flexed her wrist, then grabbed Chloe by the hair. She followed with a vicious slap, then another one with the back of her hand.
Chloe Chapman was seeing stars.
The woman then shoved her away.
Chloe Chapman stumbled and fell flat on her butt. Tears of pain welled in her eyes. "You dare hit ?!"
"I can’t stand bullies like you. Her cocktails are good, so I’m looking out for her. What’s the problem? You take out your frustration on pretty girls because you can’t get your own man. The ugliest people always cause the most trouble. It’s disgusting!" With that, the woman turned and led Nina Wainwright away by the hand.
As they passed the cleaning lady, she shot her a cold glare. "You toady!"
The cleaning lady’s expression soured. She lowered her head and said nothing.
Back inside the bar, Nina Wainwright quickly thanked her. "Thank you."
"Nothing to thank for. You should sign up for a self-defense class or sothing so you won’t get pushed around," the woman said, exasperated that Nina was so passive.
Nina Wainwright looked embarrassed. "I can’t really sign up for classes right now. My health isn’t great, which is why I chose bartending—it isn’t too physically demanding."
The woman glanced at the red mark on Nina’s cheek. "Put so ice on that," she said simply.
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