Week 25 - Wednesday

  Midweek, Wednesday. With Henry stepping confidently into his new responsibilities, placing the daily produce order, coordinating the prep list with Olivia and Jenny. Jenny was in a bit more than normal this week, as she was on break, so picked up a couple extra shifts for the money. Theo felt the operational burden lessen significantly. He used the newfound mental bandwidth to formalize the compensation plan.

  Theo stared at the projected weekly payroll figures on his laptop screen, a knot tightening slightly in his stomach. Henry at $25 an hour plus bonuses, Olivia and Jenny at $20 plus bonuses… Bonus will be calculated as 5% profit share based on the weeks profits. The jump in labour costs was substantial, taking a significant bite out of the shop's impressive weekly profit margin. The ingrained instinct, the one honed by years scrabbling up from poverty, screamed inefficiency, unnecessary expenditure. Could he get away with less? Offer smaller raises? Delay the profit share? The thought flickered, the phantom voice of Scrooge McDuck whispering about hoarding every penny.

  But then he mentally replayed the scenes from the past two weeks. Henry effortlessly managing the chaotic weekend rush. Olivia charming disgruntled customers and proactively handling online feedback. Jenny diligently learning every task thrown her way. He contrasted that with the memory of his own bone-deep exhaustion trying to run the place solo, and the sharp, sickening betrayal by Tammy, perhaps partly enabled by his initial low wage offer attracting someone desperate or opportunistic?

  No, he decided firmly, closing the calculator app. This wasn't an expense, it was a strategic investment. Good, reliable, motivated employees were the bedrock of any successful business, especially a small one where teamwork was critical. Paying them well, significantly above the fast-food baseline, wasn't just fair, it was smart. It bought loyalty, reduced turnover (and the constant headache of retraining), and incentivized them to actually care about the shop's success, especially with the profit-sharing component. He couldn't afford cheap labour flaking out or, worse, stealing from him again. He needed a solid core team he could rely on as he began to step back and focus on bigger targets. If a few extra dollars per hour kept Henry running the floor smoothly and Olivia keeping customers happy, it was money well spent. This wasn't about being generous. It was about building a stable, profitable asset with minimal headaches. He wouldn't let short-sighted penny-pinching jeopardize that. He saved the new pay structure document, ready to announce it.

  He then called another brief team huddle during the afternoon lull. He presented the pay structure changes, effective from this week. He saw the surprised delight on Olivia's and Jenny's faces as they saw the significant bump from their initial $10/hr rate. Henry simply nodded, accepting the responsibility that came with his own substantial raise.

  "And one more thing," Theo added, deliberately shifting responsibility further. "We know weekends are insane, and even some weeknights push us to the limit. We probably need another part-timer, maybe two, just for evenings or weekend flexibility. Henry," he directed, "as Assistant Manager, I want you to work with Olivia and Jenny to figure out exactly what shifts need coverage, how many hours we realistically need. Post an ad, use the same 'Apply Within' sign for now, maybe try a local online job board too. You three screen the applications, conduct initial interviews together next week. Bring me your top recommendation, and I'll give the final okay. Just remember, maximum three people on shift at once for space."

  He saw the surprise flash across their faces again, this time mixed with a dawning sense of empowerment. Henry looked momentarily overwhelmed, then straightened. "Okay, boss. Yeah. We can handle that." Olivia and Jenny exchanged excited glances. Theo felt a calculated risk settle in his stomach, delegating hiring was a major leap of trust, but it was necessary if he truly wanted to transition to an oversight role.

  Around 5pm on Wednesday, just as their own dinner rush was picking up steam, the bell above Maria’s door jangled more insistently than usual. A flustered-looking couple hurried in, glancing anxiously back down the street.

  "Are you guys busy?" the woman asked breathlessly, scanning the relatively short queue at Maria's. "We were heading to that fish and chip place down the road, 'Something Fishy', but it's completely blocked off!"

  Theo felt a jolt, quickly masked by polite curiosity. "Blocked off? What happened?" he asked, stepping closer to the counter where Olivia was about to take their order.

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  "Total chaos!" the man exclaimed, shaking his head. "Water everywhere! Gushing out their front door like a fountain! There's a fire truck blocking the street, guys in slickers trying to find a shut-off valve... Looked like a pipe burst right inside the shop. Absolute mess."

  "Seriously?" Olivia chimed in, eyes wide. "Wow, that's terrible for them."

  Terrible, Theo thought, a savage, icy glee spreading through his chest, completely hidden behind his concerned expression. Or perfectly timed. The +1 enhanced water main pressure he'd applied Monday night... seventy-two hours of sustained, abnormal stress on old, likely poorly maintained plumbing... it had worked even better than he'd hoped. Not just a leak, but a burst. Beautiful.

  "Well," the woman sighed, turning back to the menu board at Maria's, "guess we're having chicken today instead! What's good here? We haven't been since the old owners left."

  "Everything," Theo said smoothly, stepping aside to let Olivia take their order. "Especially the chicken and chips."

  Over the next hour, two more sets of customers came in specifically mentioning the disaster down the street. "Yeah, fire department had the whole block taped off," one man reported while waiting for his order. "Water damage looked pretty bad from what I could see through the window. Gonna take them a while to clean that up, I bet."

  Theo listened to these reports with intense, hidden satisfaction. This wasn't just random bad luck for his rival. This was a direct consequence of his actions. A precise, deniable strike using his power, amplified by the owner's likely neglect of his own infrastructure. The financial hit from the water damage, the lost inventory, the forced closure for repairs... it would be crippling. Bankruptcy felt less like a possibility now and more like an impending certainty for the owner of 'Something Fishy'. Theo felt no remorse, only a cold affirmation of his own ruthlessness. You don't sabotage my business and walk away unscathed, he thought, watching Henry expertly pull perfectly cooked chickens from the rotisserie. This is just the beginning.

  Week 25 - Thursday

  Thursday. Theo decided it was time for the ultimate test of his delegation strategy, a full day away.

  "Alright team," he announced during the morning prep huddle. "I have… off-site strategic planning meetings… all day today. Won't be back until late tonight, maybe just before close. Henry, you're running the show completely. Handle any supplier issues, customer complaints, operational hiccups. Olivia and Jenny support Henry. You know the standards, you know the process. Only call my cell if the building is literally on fire or someone needs an ambulance. Otherwise, you guys have got this."

  He saw a flicker of nervousness in Henry’s eyes, quickly masked by determination. Olivia and Jenny nodded seriously. Theo grabbed his laptop bag, containing nothing but his personal laptop, no work files, and walked out, forcing himself not to look back.

  He drove across town to the public library, found a quiet corner, and tried to focus on researching completely unrelated potential ventures, the market for enhanced artisanal tools, maybe specialized medical equipment components. But his focus kept drifting. He found himself pulling out his phone every twenty minutes, resisting the urge to open the Ring camera app. Trust the process, he told himself sternly. Trust Henry. Trust the system you built. He forced himself to read articles on materials science, on biotech startups, trying to immerse himself in possibilities beyond charcoal chicken.

  By 6:00 PM, the anxiety was a low thrum beneath his skin. The dinner rush would be in full swing now. Was Henry coping? Was the shop descending into chaos without his presence? He couldn't stand it anymore. He packed up his laptop and drove back towards the shop, parking deliberately two blocks away. He walked towards Maria's, heart pounding slightly, approaching not as the owner, but as just another hungry customer.

  He rounded the corner and paused, observing from across the street. The 'Open' sign glowed warmly. There was a steady queue, maybe five people deep, but it was moving efficiently. Inside, through the clean window, he could see Henry at the counter, taking an order calmly, handing change. Olivia was a blur of motion at the packing station, assembling boxes with speed and a smile. He caught a glimpse of Jenny at the fryer station, confidently loading baskets. No visible panic, no chaos. Just… a busy, well-run takeaway shop.

  He crossed the street, joined the back of the short line, feeling strangely anonymous. When he reached the counter, Henry looked up. "Welcome to Maria's, what can I get… oh! Hey boss! Didn't expect to see you!" Henry’s grin was wide, tired, but genuinely proud.

  "Just grabbing some dinner," Theo said casually, playing the part. "Half chicken and chips, please."

  "You got it!" Henry rang up the order efficiently (using the enhanced POS). Olivia quickly packed a box with perfectly cooked chicken and crispy fries.

  "Everything running smoothly?" Theo asked Henry quietly as he paid (using cash from his personal wallet).

  "Yeah, totally!" Henry confirmed. "Got slammed around 5:30, but we kept up. Olivia handled a big phone order, Jenny's rocking the fryer station. No major dramas!"

  Theo took his food to one of the small tables, unwrapping it. The chicken was perfect, juicy, flavourful, skin crisp. The chips were golden, perfectly salted. He ate slowly, watching his team operate without him. They were doing it. They were running his business, effectively, profitably, without his constant oversight. A profound sense of satisfaction washed over him, deeper than just seeing positive sales numbers. This was freedom. This was leverage. This was the path forward.