Revenge

Grand Opening

Isabella's POV

I have been in Houston since yesterday, and I was really impressed with the restaurant. I let them put up the name in big golden letters. This was always my dream to open my restaurant in Houston. It was always my goal to come back and show everyone what I have become and to get my sweet revenge on those that left me to myself on that faithful night. Unfortunately, no one was there for me. The only one I still had contact with was Pierre. Pierre knows about Charlie's Place and that I am the CEO and the co-owner of Charlie's Place. My son is the other owner as he will inherit the business one day and run it or sell it if he is not into the restaurant business. Unlike my parents, I will let my son decide what he wants to do with his life. There is a big red bow in front of the building, and tonight I will cut it myself as I will make my first public appearance since I started the small restaurant in LA six years ago. The money my grandmother left me helped me to be able to open the other restaurants in the different cities, and I did not have to use the profits of my first restaurant to open them.

I became rich very fast, and it was all thanks to my grandmother. I have the best business team to run the financial part of the business and the best creative team in the world to run the menus and research on every city. We keep up with the newest trends and put new dishes on our menu frequently. Yesterday Pierre joined my creative team, and he is on cloud nine. He loves my approach to the business. He is also full of ideas, and my team loves him. My chefs are trained well as we send them worldwide to learn to make a dish, then we give it our unique twist. We have a firm that does all our interior designs in all our restaurants. I first did a lot of research before deciding on a small firm. I preferred to work with them as they were like me. They keep up with the newest trends, and if they think one of the restaurants can do with a facelift, they send me the designs, and I usually love them. They will go in at night, and the next day when the doors open, the restaurant will look and feel different. They are fast and efficient. Even our kitchens will be equipped with the newest implements as soon as they hit the markets.

I am sitting in my new house in the office, and Charlie is playing with his blocks as I look at the list of invitations we have sent out. I did not invite any of the Johnson family or Steven family as I am not sure if I am ready to face them face to face yet. However, I better get ready soon, as it is almost four.

I take Charlie's little hand and say, "We need to go bath my little one soon we will have to go to the restaurant and have some yummy dinner."

He looks at me and says, "Mommy does not talk to me like I am a baby. I am five now, and I am a big man." I smile. My son is clever for his age and the kindergarten he will start attending tomorrow are delighted with him. I chose the best one there is. My son only gets the best in life, but I do not spoil him. He has to do chores if he wants something, and then I will pay him until he has saved enough money to buy it himself. It makes him feel like he has achieved it by himself and builds up his self-esteem. My son will not be like my brother or his father. He will know how to work and appreciate the things he gets in life. We walk to Charlie's room, and I have a little tuxedo laid out for him. He baths himself as he does not want me to anymore. I look at my little man, and I feel sad that he grew up way too fast. It feels like yesterday I still changed his nappies.

Charlie looks at the tuxedo and says, "You have excellent taste in clothes, mummy, but do I really have to wear the hideous thing." I look at him in surprise. Since when does my son know what hideous means.

I laugh and say. "You do not have to, but tonight is the Grand Opening of our restaurant here in Houston, so I just want my partner to look nice."

He looks at me and pulls a face. "A normal suit will do, mummy." I look at him and sigh. He has a mind of his own.

"Okay, then wear what you want to." He smiles and walks into his bathroom. I hear him take a shower, and I go to my room to take a shower. After I get out of the shower, I take great care with my hair. First, I straighten my long black hair, and then I apply very light makeup and get into my blue dress as I know blue compliments my eyes. Next, I put on my heels, and then I waited for my assistant Suzie to come and help me style my hair. I know she will always find fault with my appears and fix what she thinks is wrong.

"Hello, I am here!" I hear Suzie shouts from downstairs. I smile. I love the fun-loving Suzie so much. She was with me from the start. She started as my first waitress.

"I am up here," I shout back at her. So she comes in with all kinds of bags and stuff.

She looks me up and down and says, "I love the dress, but the hair and makeup I will do" She takes over, and after a while, I look like a model walking out of one of those glamour magazines.

Finally, she smiles and says, "Now that is better. You look gorgeous!"

Charlie comes in a dress in a regular suit and his hair neatly combed back. He looks so cute, my little man.

"I am ready, mummy." he says and looks at me and says, "You look like a supermodel, mum. I think all the men are going to try and flirt with my mother tonight. I better call Uncle John and make sure there are enough bodyguards for you."

Suzie breaks out laughing, and I think to myself, I need to keep my child off the internet. He is getting way too clever for his size.

"Charlie, do you know what flirt means?" I ask him.

He looks at me and rolls his eyes, and says, "Yes, I do know. It is when men want to talk to my mummy and try to date her, but I will not allow just any man to date, my mummy, he will have to be really special, like my mother." I laugh with Suzie and kiss him on the cheek.

"Mother, please, here are other people around. Do not kiss me in front of others." I hug him, and he takes my hand as we go downstairs to the awaiting limo.

The driver gets out and opens the door for us. I, Charlie, and Suzie get in, and we drive off to the restaurant. I know tonight there will be many reporters as I will make my first appearance in public, and everyone wonders who the CEO of Charlie's place is. I am a bit nervous and go over my opening speech while we drive. I know tomorrow the newspapers will be full of photos of me, and I know my family and ex-husband will be amazed, but that is what I want. I want them to be shocked. I wanted to send them invitations, but I am not sure I want to see them just yet.

I get out of the limo in front of the new restaurant, and the cameras start flashing. I help Charlie out and hold his hand, then Suzie gets out. I see everyone waiting for someone else to get out as well. The driver closes the door, and I walk to the podium put up in front of the restaurant. I hear one of the reporters say,

"He sends someone else again to open his restaurant for him." I smile as I realize what they are waiting for. They are waiting for the "CEO" to get out of the car. I walk up to the microphone, and the cameras flash and blind me so I can not really see the crowd, "Good day, I am Isabella Johnson, CEO, and co-owner of Charlie's place." The crowd goes quiet, and I give the rest of my speech.

As I am about to walk off the podium, a reporter shouts out a question to me. "Are you the daughter of the Johnson family of Houston? They co-own Harmonie restaurants? Were you married to Paul Stevens once? And is the little boy his son?"

I walk back over to the podium and say hard and clear, "I once was the daughter of the Johnson family, and yes, I once was married to Mr. Stevens, but I am no longer part of any one of those families as for my son, he is only mine! I opened Charlie's place without any help from those two families, and I would appreciate it if you never associated my son or me with them again. Any other questions?" 

I look at the reporters with cold eyes and at the crowd as well. I had to make that point as I will not let those people ruin my life or that of my son or take any credit for what I have achieved all by myself. The reporters are too scared to ask me anything after that. I take Charlie's hand and walk over to cut the red ribbon with the Mayor of Houston. We stand for a few photos, and I smile, but my smile is as cold as my eyes. The waiters open the doors from inside, and I take Charlie's hand and walk in with the Mayor, his wife, and Suzie. We have a VIP area where we will eat, and no one can bother us.

We talk and laugh with the Mayor and his wife, and he asks me if they can have their yearend function at my restaurant this year.

I smile and say, "Of cause, we will book the private banquet room for you, mayor."

I called over the manager and arranged it immediately. I just stole the first big event from Harmonies, and it makes me happy. I drink a glass of champagne with the Mayor and his wife, but since I am not a drinker, I just sip on it all night long. After my glass is empty, one of the waiters comes over with another glass of champagne for me and, says gentlemen send it to me. He points at someone, and as I look up, I look into the eyes of my ex-husband, but Charlie saw what happened, and he looks at the man that sends the glass over to me. He gets up and tells the waiter to go with him with the glass of champagne. I almost had a heart attack as I knew Charlie, but I kept quiet as I wanted to hear what my son's first words to his father were going to be, but Charlie talked to softly, and I could not hear anything. I see Paul frown and look at Charlie, but before he can answer or say anything to Charlie, Charlie has turned around and walked away. He returns and excuses himself to go to the bathroom. I asked the waiter what Charlie said after Charlie had gone to the bathroom.

"Well, mam, he said something like 'Sorry sir, my mother is a very classy woman and she is used to classy men, so please do not send her any more drinks as she will never be interested in an obvious playboy like you.' "