The owner grunted noncommittally. "S'alright. Steady."
"Yeah?" Theo continued, adopting his 'woe is me' act. "Wish I could say the same. Just took over that old chicken place down the street, Maria's? Thought it had potential, you know?" He sighed dramatically. "Been a nightmare. Had an employee rob me blind last week, then got slammed with a ton of fake one-star reviews over the weekend. Talking about bad food, bad service, you name it. Business completely tanked overnight. Might have to shut down already if things don't pick up." He watched the owner's face closely.
He saw it. A tiny, almost invisible smirk playing at the corners of the man's lips as he turned back from the fryer, quickly masked by a look of faux sympathy. "Oof. Yeah, that's rough, mate," the owner said, shaking his head. "Small business is tough. Ups and downs." He started scooping chips. "Heard things were lookin' up for Maria's there for a bit, real busy?"
"Yeah, for like, two days," Theo lied easily. "Then bam. Sabotaged."
"Ah, reviews are killer," the owner said, shaking his head again as he liberally applied chicken salt. "Especially the really nasty ones. Tell ya," he leaned closer conspiratorially, his voice dropping slightly, "any reviews mentioning rat droppings or rancid oil? Forget about it. Kills ya dead. Customers see that stuff, they don't come back, ever. Just gotta hope people realize it's fake, keep putting out good food, show 'em it's not true."
Gotcha, you smug bastard, Theo thought, his internal fury barely contained behind a mask of weary resignation. He hadn't mentioned the specific fake claims about rats or rancid oil. The owner had volunteered them. Either he'd been meticulously studying every fake review targeting his competitor, or… he knew exactly what was in them because he, or someone he knew, had written them. Theo was betting heavily on the latter.
Theo paid for his order ($17.50), took the greasy parcel. "Yeah, well. Guess I'll keep trying. Thanks for the advice." He tried the food back in his car. Greasy, slightly undercooked fish. Generic frozen chips. Salty potato cakes. Entirely mediocre. The five-star reviews were definitely staged. Okay, Fish Man, Theo thought grimly. Game on. You wanted my business? You're about to find out what happens when you piss off the wrong guy. Sweet revenge was definitely on the menu.
He returned to the shop to find Jenny carefully learning how to pack orders under Olivia’s patient guidance. She looked up nervously as Theo entered, but he gave her an encouraging nod. She was trying hard, clearly determined not to waste the opportunity, reminding him again of his desire to help her family situation. He spent the rest of the afternoon overseeing operations, his mind buzzing with various plans for retribution against 'Something Fishy'.
They ended Thursday with 138 chicken sales and a surprising 92 dessert sales. Henry's idea was proving to be a significant secondary income stream already.
As promised, Theo treated the team (Henry, Olivia, and Jenny) to dinner after closing. They went to a popular local pizza place, bustling and noisy. Over large pizzas and sodas, the atmosphere was relaxed, celebratory. Jenny shyly shared more about herself. Second-year nursing student, eldest of four kids, working to help her parents with bills strained by rising costs. She hadn't chosen nursing out of passion, she admitted, but because it felt like a stable career path to provide security. Henry and Olivia listened sympathetically, offering encouragement, sharing their own stories. Theo mostly observed, seeing the easy camaraderie developing, feeling oddly pleased that Jenny seemed to be fitting in. He paid the $300 bill including tip without a second thought, the cost easily absorbed by the day's profits, a worthwhile investment in team morale.
Week 23 – Friday & Saturday
Friday and Saturday settled into a new rhythm of high-volume efficiency. With four people working the peak periods (Theo overseeing, Henry managing fryer/desserts, Olivia handling counter/packing, Jenny assisting with prep and cleaning), they smoothly handled the constant flow. They prepped 200 sets each day. Jenny was still learning but gained confidence rapidly, her initial nervousness replaced by focused diligence. Olivia’s cheerful customer service was clearly winning people over. Henry moved with practiced ease, already suggesting minor tweaks to the workflow.
Online, Olivia proudly showed Theo a couple of new positive reviews that had popped up, specifically calling out the previous fake reviews. One read: "Ignore those crazy 1-star reviews below! This place is CLEAN, the staff are friendly, and the chicken is LEGIT AMAZING! Best it's been in years! Someone's clearly got an axe to grind." Theo felt a grim satisfaction. Customer loyalty, earned through genuine quality, was fighting back.
This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.
Friday saw 170 chicken sales and 101 dessert sales. Saturday hit 180 chicken and 109 desserts. The dip from the review bomb seemed to be history. They weren't selling out the full 200 prep, but the numbers were consistently strong, highly profitable.
Before Jenny left Friday night, Theo pulled her aside briefly. "You're doing great, Jenny," he said sincerely. "Picking things up fast. Keep up the good work." He saw the relief flood her face, replaced by a determined smile. Building confidence, he noted, was key for her.
Week 23 - Sunday
Sunday. Another busy day, another 200 sets prepped. The flow was smooth, almost routine now. They ended the day with 191 chicken sales and 111 dessert sales. Definitely back to near sell-out levels.
As they cleaned up Sunday night, Theo gathered the team. "Alright," he said. "Another huge week. You three," he looked at Henry, Olivia, and Jenny, "handled everything incredibly well, especially after last week's… issues."
He handed out the pay envelopes. Henry's contained his $700 base pay plus a $140 bonus (20%). Olivia's had her $700 base plus $140 bonus. Jenny's had her calculated pay for her ~25 hours plus a $50 first-week bonus ($300 total). Then, Theo pulled out another envelope for Henry containing $500 cash.
"Henry," Theo said, handing it over. "That dessert idea? Genius. It's already a significant revenue stream. Consider this a bonus for initiative and execution."
Henry looked stunned, then broke into a huge grin. "Whoa! $500? Thanks, boss! That's awesome!"
"Just want you all to know," Theo continued, addressing the team, "Good ideas are welcome here. If you see a way to improve things, make things better, bring it up. If it works out, there will be rewards. We're building something here." He saw the motivation spark in their eyes.
He thanked them again, locking up after they left. Alone in the quiet shop, he felt a deep sense of satisfaction. The business was stable, growing, profitable. The team, despite Tammy's betrayal, felt solid, reliable. Henry was proving himself manager material. Olivia was a natural front-of-house star. Jenny was eager and hardworking.
His mind, however, was already moving beyond the chicken shop. The steady cash flow was crucial, the foundation. But the itch remained. The desire for bigger plays, higher stakes. The Tool Enhancement strategy needed broader application. And 'Something Fishy'... the simmering anger returned. Revenge was still pending. He thought about Sarah, the cameras she was sourcing, the potential for future collaboration. Things were stabilizing here, freeing up his mental bandwidth. Soon, he'd have the time, the resources, and the focus to plan his next move. And his retribution.
Theodore Sterling - Financial Ledger (End of Week 23)
- Starting Balance (Beginning Week 23): $35,292.00 (Carried over from End of Week 22)
- Income (Week 23):
- Mon Sales (Est. 123 C + 50 D): +$1968 (C) + $400 (D) = +$2368.00
- Tues Sales (Est. 118 C + 84 D): +$1888 (C) + $672 (D) = +$2560.00
- Wed Sales (Est. 130 C + 81 D): +$2080 (C) + $648 (D) = +$2728.00
- Thurs Sales (Est. 138 C + 92 D): +$2208 (C) + $736 (D) = +$2944.00
- Fri Sales (Est. 170 C + 101 D): +$2720 (C) + $808 (D) = +$3528.00
- Sat Sales (Est. 180 C + 109 D): +$2880 (C) + $872 (D) = +$3752.00
- Sun Sales (Est. 191 C + 111 D): +$3056 (C) + $888 (D) = +$3944.00
- (Note: C=Chicken Meal @ $16 avg, D=Dessert @ $8 avg)
- Total Income (Week 23): +$21,824.00
- Expenses (Week 23):
- Personal Rent Paid (Week 23): -$450.00
- Personal Living Expenses (Week 23): -$500.00
- Business Lease Payment (Week 23): -$700.00
- Food Stock/Supplies (Est. based on ~1049 C + ~628 D orders): -$4500.00 (Increased estimate for higher volume + dessert ingredients)
- Shop Utilities (Est. @ $175/wk): -$175.00
- Wages - Henry (Full week + 20% Bonus + $500 Dessert Bonus): -$1340.00
- Wages - Olivia (Full week + 20% Bonus): -$840.00
- Wages - Jenny (Part-time ~25hrs + $50 bonus): -$300.00
- Team Dinner (Pizza Place): -$300.00
- Misc Shop Expenses (Fees, etc. Est.): -$150.00
- Provision for Estimated Taxes (Est. @ ~30% of Higher Profit): ~$3700.00
- Total Expenses: -$12,955.00
- Net Change (Week 23): +$21,824.00 (Income) - $12,955.00 (Expenses) = +$8,869.00
- Ending Balance (End of Sunday, Week 23): $44,161.00
- Assets:
- Maria's Charcoal Chicken (Business Purchase Price): $38,000.00
Status: Business Stabilized & Recovered. Successfully navigated theft aftermath and review bombing. Hired Jenny part-time. Confirmed rival shop ('Something Fishy') as likely source of sabotage, revenge pending. Sales recovered strongly, approaching previous peaks, driven by consistent quality and new dessert menu addition (Henry's initiative rewarded). Team morale boosted. Payroll established. Significant weekly profit generated (~$8.9k net gain). Financial reserves recovering well (~$41.3k cash + business asset). Maintained contact with Sarah, security camera installation pending. Focus shifting towards stabilizing operations under Henry's potential lead, freeing Theo for strategic planning (revenge, new ventures).