Seasoned With Love
Season 3 – Episode 12: "Under the Lights"
Amara's POV
By the time the lunch prep started, the cameras were already outside.
Not one.
Three.
Marcus spotted them first.
He was carrying a crate of vegetables from the delivery truck when he froze in the doorway.
"Oh come on."
Rose looked up from the reservation book.
"What now?"
Marcus jerked his thumb toward the window.
"The news."
We all looked.
Across the street, a live news crew was setting up lights and microphones.
Another van had just pulled up behind them.
Luke walked over slowly and looked through the glass.
His expression didn't change much.
But I could tell his mind was moving fast.
Rose sighed.
"Well… Evan really opened the floodgates."
Marcus crossed his arms.
"They're waiting for Luke."
I stepped beside him.
"They're waiting for a story."
Luke turned back to us.
"We don't give them one."
Marcus nodded.
"Good plan."
Rose tilted her head.
"They'll still try."
Right on cue, someone knocked on the restaurant door.
Everyone turned.
A reporter stood outside holding a microphone.
Marcus groaned.
"They didn't even wait five minutes."
Luke walked to the door but didn't open it yet.
The reporter spoke through the glass.
"Luke Bennett, do you have a moment for a comment?"
Luke looked calm.
Too calm.
Rose whispered quietly,
"He's deciding how to play this."
Marcus muttered,
"I vote ignore them."
I touched Luke's arm.
"You don't have to deal with this alone."
He looked at me.
"I know."
Then he opened the door slightly.
Not wide.
Just enough.
The reporter immediately leaned forward.
"Luke Bennett, viewers are curious about your sudden return to public attention. Can you comment on the business deal you walked away from years ago?"
Luke answered simply.
"I've already addressed that situation."
"But some investors claim your decision cost them millions."
Luke nodded once.
"Yes."
The reporter continued quickly.
"Do you regret that choice?"
Luke's answer came without hesitation.
"No."
Marcus whispered proudly,
"That's my guy."
Rose elbowed him.
"Shh."
The reporter kept going.
"Some people are asking whether you're capable of running a growing business after abandoning such a major project."
That question made my stomach twist.
Luke stayed calm.
"I didn't abandon anything."
The reporter tilted her head.
"What do you mean?"
Luke gestured slightly toward the restaurant behind him.
"I chose something better."
The camera zoomed closer.
The reporter pressed further.
"Some sources say your decision caused more damage than the public knows."
That caught Luke's attention.
His eyes narrowed slightly.
"What sources?"
The reporter glanced at her notes.
"One of the investors involved in the project."
Marcus muttered,
"Let me guess…"
Rose finished the sentence.
"Evan."
Luke stayed quiet for a moment.
Then he said something careful.
"Investors sometimes tell stories that serve their interests."
The reporter didn't back down.
"Is it true that the deal collapsed because of internal conflict between you and your partners?"
Luke nodded once.
"Yes."
"And that you walked away despite warnings about financial consequences?"
"Yes."
The reporter leaned in slightly.
"Was there more to the situation than the public knows?"
For the first time…
Luke didn't answer immediately.
Marcus noticed.
Rose noticed.
And so did the camera.
Then Luke said calmly,
"I made the right decision."
The reporter looked like she wanted to push further.
But Luke stepped back slightly.
"That's all I have to say today."
He closed the door.
The restaurant suddenly felt quiet again.
Marcus walked over.
"Okay… that was intense."
Rose nodded.
"You handled that well."
But Luke wasn't smiling.
He was thinking.
I walked closer.
"What did she mean… more to the story?"
Luke sighed slightly.
"I'm not sure yet."
Marcus crossed his arms.
"I bet Evan's behind it."
Rose said quietly,
"He definitely is."
Then Rose's phone buzzed.
She looked down.
And her expression changed instantly.
"Oh no."
Marcus leaned over.
"What?"
Rose turned the phone around.
Another article.
But this one was different.
The headline read:
"Former Partner Claims Luke Bennett's Decision Wasn't Just Business."
Luke took the phone.
Read it.
His jaw tightened slightly.
Marcus looked over his shoulder.
"What's it say?"
Luke read part of it out loud.
"Sources close to the deal claim Bennett didn't just walk away over ethics… but over a conflict that threatened to expose internal operations."
Rose frowned.
"That's vague."
Marcus added,
"And suspicious."
I looked at Luke.
"What does that mean?"
Luke didn't answer right away.
And that's when Rose said something slowly.
"Luke… is there something about that deal you never told me either?"
Luke looked at her.
Then at me.
Then back at the phone.
"Yes."
Marcus blinked.
"Oh boy."
Rose crossed her arms.
"You kept something from me?"
Luke spoke carefully.
"I kept something from everyone."
The room went quiet.
I asked softly,
"What is it?"
Luke placed the phone on the table.
"The investors weren't just pushing people out of homes."
Marcus frowned.
"What else were they doing?"
Luke answered quietly.
"They were hiding money."
Rose's eyes widened slightly.
"Illegal money?"
Luke nodded.
"Yes."
Marcus stepped back.
"You're telling me that whole deal involved fraud?"
Luke corrected him.
"Large-scale financial fraud."
Rose stared at him.
"And you found it."
"Yes."
Marcus asked the obvious question.
"Why didn't you expose it?"
Luke's voice lowered slightly.
"Because if I had… it would have triggered investigations that could have collapsed several companies overnight."
Rose blinked.
"That's huge."
Marcus nodded.
"That's massive."
I looked at Luke.
"Did Evan know?"
Luke answered quietly.
"Yes."
Marcus whistled softly.
"So he's not just mad you walked away."
Luke nodded.
"He's mad I walked away without playing along."
Rose leaned against the counter.
"That explains a lot."
I asked the question sitting in my chest.
"Why is he bringing it up now?"
Luke answered slowly.
"Because if the media starts digging…"
Marcus finished the thought.
"They'll find the fraud."
Rose nodded.
"And that could bring down powerful people."
Marcus looked toward the window again.
The cameras were still outside.
Still waiting.
He sighed.
"So basically… this restaurant just became the center of a very big story."
Luke didn't argue.
"Yes."
I took his hand.
"We'll face it."
Luke looked at me carefully.
"You might not want to be part of this fight."
I smiled slightly.
"Too late."
Rose nodded firmly.
"You're not alone."
Marcus added,
"And if Evan shows up again, I'm definitely standing behind Luke looking intimidating."
That finally made Luke laugh.
Just a little.
But outside the window…
The cameras kept rolling.
And somewhere out there…
Evan was probably watching the chaos he started.
Waiting for the next move.
End of Episode: 12