Chapter 1

I ran a small diner. Students got twenty percent off, and low-income kids ate for free, so long as they helped bus the tables afterward.

Then someone reported me for violating child labor laws, and the joint enforcement task force slapped me with a four-thousand-dollar fine.

The whistleblower was Ethan. He’d just gotten his acceptance letter to NYU.

When I confronted him, his expression stayed completely flat. "Mr. Cooper, you might have meant well, but what you did was illegal. Everyone has to follow the rules."

Years later, while pitching his startup for funding, he showed up at one of my chain locations begging for help.

I blocked him right at the door. "When you ask someone for a favor, you have to follow the rules too. No exceptions."

When the enforcement officers showed up, the kids in my diner were busy clearing tables.

The officers immediately started taking photos and recording video, terrifying the poor kids until their faces turned pale.

I rushed over. "What's going on? Officers, what is this?"

"We received a report that you're illegally employing minors. Right there is our evidence."

I stepped in front of the kids to shield them. "It's a misunderstanding."

I explained the situation. The lead inspector's face flushed slightly, but he still cleared his throat.

"Once a report is filed, we have to follow protocol. Your intentions may have been good, but you still broke the law and have to pay the fine."

I accepted it. I took a four-thousand-dollar penalty and sat through mandatory compliance training.

The kids were furious and wanted to file a formal complaint, but I stopped them.

"Mr. Cooper, that's not fair! You're the good guy here! Why should you get punished for helping us?"

"Mr. Cooper, let's go to the police station! Someone's just jealous because your business is doing well!"

"None of you are going anywhere," I said, cutting them off firmly. "I'm taking the hit for this. Don't any of you dare get involved. Finish eating and get to class."

Most of them were underprivileged kids being raised by aging grandparents.

Sometimes they couldn't even afford a proper meal, so they came to my place.

I let them clear tables and wipe down trays to cover their food.

And for that, someone reported me.

Worse, I knew exactly who did it.

It was Ethan. Earlier, when the lead inspector was checking his file, I caught a glimpse of the whistleblower's phone number.

I recognized it instantly. It belonged to Ethan, the kid who had eaten for free in my diner for six straight years.

When my wife found out, she was trembling with rage.

"Give a man a fish, and he bites your hand off! We treated him like family, and he stabs us in the back like an ungrateful dog!"

Right then, Ethan walked in. Seeing me, his face showed zero remorse.

"Mr. Cooper, business is business. You have to follow the law."

"It's great that you're charitable, but you can't morally guilt kids into working for you."

"Their lives are hard enough. Every spare minute should be spent studying, yet you make them waste their time here."

Hearing that, my wife lost it.

"Listen to yourself, Ethan! I fed you for free for six damn years!"

"Every Thanksgiving, worried you wouldn't have anything to eat, I cooked ahead of time, packed it all up, and dropped it off at your place!"

"Now that you got into a fancy college, you look down on us?"

"Even a stray dog wags its tail when you feed it. You're completely heartless!"

Ethan's face turned bright red. "Mr. Cooper, I won't stoop to her level, but legally speaking, verbal abuse and character defamation are against the law."

I stubbed out my cigarette and gave him a cold sneer. "Then go ahead and call the cops again."

"See what they say. Whether they want me to apologize or pay another fine, I'll see you in court."

"After all, we're law-abiding citizens here. We do everything by the book."

He froze, standing there blankly for a long moment before finally turning and walking away.

The second he was gone, my wife smashed the plate and utensils Ethan always used straight into the trash.

She broke down in tears of sheer frustration.

"It took us so long to save up any money, and four thousand dollars just vanished into thin air!"

"How many meals do I have to serve to make that back?!"

I wrapped my arm around her to comfort her. "I know. We sweat for every dime, and we can't keep throwing it away."

"Starting today, no more free meals. Everyone pays."

No sooner said than done. I hung a sign right outside the door explaining the change.

The kids who used to eat for free were completely stunned.

When lunch hour came, they lingered by the entrance, clutching whatever pocket change they had, hesitating.

I dished out generous portions as usual, slammed them onto the counter, and barked gruffly, "Made too much! Customers canceled! Whoever wants it, eat it!"

The moment the words left my mouth, they rushed forward, stuffed their coins into my cash drawer, scarfed down their food, and immediately moved to clean up the plates.

My wife hurried over to stop them. "Don't touch those! I'll clear them myself! If someone reports us again, we don't have the money for another fine!"