Chapter 410 - 413: Searing Pain

Claire Bennett didn’t hesitate to get up and circle around to the staff-only corridor at the back of the restaurant.

Taking advantage of the chaotic shift change, she grabbed an unused staff uniform and put it on. Then she added a work cap and a face mask, concealing her face so thoroughly that no one could get a clear look at her.

Then, she deliberately hunched over, transforming herself into an ordinary, timid, and inconspicuous waitress.

Claire Bennett picked up a kettle of scalding water and walked timidly toward the private room by the window. She kept her head down and her eyes lowered, hiding the vicious glint in their depths.

"Hello, I’m here to refill your broth."

Her voice was faint, and she feigned a slight awkwardness, putting on an extremely cautious act.

Neither Claire Sterling nor Wren Sutton thought much of it.

Wren Sutton, in particular, even turned slightly to give the waitress room to work.

Claire Sterling was busy cooking food in the hot pot and didn’t pay much attention to this waitress either.

Claire Bennett was secretly pleased, though her expression remained timid and humble.

Just as she tilted the kettle to pour water over the edge of the pot, her wrist gave a seemingly accidental flick. The scalding water suddenly spilled out, splashing directly onto the back of Wren Sutton’s fair hand.

"HISSS... Ah!"

The searing pain instantly pierced her skin.

Wren Sutton winced, her face paling from the pain. She instinctively jerked her hand back. A large red patch had already formed on her skin, burning and aching.

"I’m so sorry, I’m so sorry! I didn’t mean to, I’m really sorry."

Claire Bennett immediately feigned panic. She quickly put down the kettle and backed away, her face a mask of utter shock and terror.

She wrung her hands nervously and bowed her head even lower. Her voice trembled, and with red-rimmed eyes, she looked as if she were about to burst into tears from fright as she bowed again and again in apology.

"I’m sorry, I’m sorry..."

With such a timid, terrified, and pitiful act, anyone would have assumed she was just a new waitress who had made a mistake out of nervousness.

Claire Sterling’s expression darkened on the spot. She shot Claire Bennett a venomous glare, furious.

"What is wrong with you? Where were you looking when you were pouring the water? Go get your manager. This isn’t over."

After speaking, she rushed to check Wren Sutton’s hand. Seeing the red, swollen skin, her heart ached for her, and she couldn’t resist turning to scold Claire Bennett a few more times.

The commotion soon attracted the restaurant’s supervisor.

Seeing that a customer had been burned, the supervisor immediately sent someone to get cold water and ointment.

Then he walked over and, in front of Wren Sutton and Claire Sterling, harshly reprimanded Claire Bennett.

"How do you do your job? You’re so clumsy! You can’t even refill water without making a mistake. Can you take responsibility for burning a customer? If she decides to press the issue, you can forget about this month’s salary."

The supervisor’s tone was severe, and his every word was merciless.

Claire Bennett kept her head down, her shoulders trembling, looking terrified, helpless, and on the verge of tears from the scolding.

She apologized incessantly, not daring to offer a single word of defense, perfectly playing the part of a timid and frightened newcomer who had made a mistake.

"I’m sorry, I’ll never make such a basic mistake again, I’m sorry..."

Seeing the "waitress’s" pitiful and helpless state, Wren Sutton’s heart softened, and she decided not to press the issue.

"Let it go. She didn’t do it on purpose, and she has already apologized. I won’t make things difficult for her today."

"Just be more careful next time you’re refilling water so you don’t burn any other customers."

But Claire Sterling couldn’t just let it go.

"Wren, you’re being too forgiving..."

Wren Sutton softly consoled her mother-in-law. "Mom, it’s just a small patch of skin. It’s really not a big deal. Since she didn’t do it on purpose, let’s just forgive her this time. It’s not easy for someone so young to be out working. We should forgive and forget when we can, don’t you think?"

Claire Sterling’s heart went out to her daughter-in-law, and she wanted to stand up for her.

But with Wren Sutton putting it that way, if she insisted on making a scene, it would seem as if she were disrespecting her daughter-in-law, being unreasonable, and losing her own dignity.

So, Claire Sterling didn’t press the matter further. With a cold expression, she looked at Claire Bennett.

"If my daughter-in-law hadn’t pleaded for you today, this wouldn’t be over! For her sake, I’ll let it slide."

Seeing this, the supervisor also breathed a sigh of relief. He chided Claire Bennett a few more times before waving her away to reflect on her actions.

Claire Bennett bowed repeatedly in thanks, not daring to look up. She backed away cautiously, then turned and hurried out of the private room with her head down.

Once she reached a secluded corner, she slowly dropped the panicked and timid facade. The moisture in her eyes vanished instantly, replaced by an icy, triumphant glint.

"Wren Sutton, you’re such an idiot. You deserved to get burned."

Back in the private room, Claire Sterling personally treated Wren Sutton’s burn.

First, she rinsed the back of the hand with cold water to cool it down, soothe the pain, and reduce blistering and swelling.

A waiter brought some ice, but she refused it.

"Using an ice pack at this stage will cause secondary damage to the skin. Don’t you even know that much common sense? Honestly."

"..." The waiter silently lowered his head, not daring to make a sound.

Next, Claire Sterling used a clean, sterilized towel to gently dry the back of Wren Sutton’s hand, her movements gentle, as if afraid of hurting her.

"Good, it’s just red and the skin isn’t broken. A little ointment, and it’ll be fine in a few days."

"If the skin had broken, it would have been a problem. We would have had to go to the hospital."

As Claire Sterling spoke, she carefully spread the ointment over the burn on Wren Sutton’s hand and blew on it gently twice.

"Does it hurt?"

"Sigh, what kind of rotten luck is this? We came out to shop and eat, all happy..."

"We’re never coming to this hot pot place again. The staff is completely unprofessional. One star!"

Listening to her mother-in-law’s rambling complaints, Wren Sutton didn’t feel annoyed at all; on the contrary, she felt a genuine sense of happiness.

It showed that her mother-in-law truly cared for her now, and saw her as family.

"Mom, thank you. I’m really okay."

Claire Sterling shot her a reproachful look. "How could it not hurt when it’s this red? You’re just saying that to make me feel better."

Wren Sutton gave a knowing smile. "Mom, can I ask you for a favor?"

"What is it? Go ahead."

"I definitely won’t be able to hide the burn on my hand. When we get home later, if Adrian asks about it, could you please just say I was careless and did it myself? And that it has nothing to do with anyone else."

Claire Sterling understood that her kind-hearted daughter-in-law was protecting the waitress.

"Oh, you. Your soft heart just makes my heart ache for you even more."

Wren Sutton took Claire Sterling’s arm. "Mom, that means you agree. No take-backs, okay?"

Claire Sterling sighed and said in an indulgent tone, "You’ve already put it that way, what else can I say? I’m truly at a loss with you."