The Inescapable Celibate Heir Chapter 71: Expansion of Sweet Haven Corner

Sweet Haven Corner had been doing great business since it opened, but Victoria had been too busy preparing for the snooker league to visit. 

Today, she finally found some time to drop by and hear Charlotte's report on the store's performance. 

The shop was no longer as quiet as it used to be. While it wasn't as bustling as the first three days after opening, there was still a steady stream of customers.

Charlotte, beaming with pride, held up a meticulously kept ledger and explained, "We sell out of desserts every day. After 9 PM, we offer a 30% discount on any leftovers, and the locals often come by to buy them. Last month's revenue hit $113,000. After deducting the cost of materials, labor, and initial advertising, we made a profit of $42,000. Considering the initial renovation costs, we should break even in three months, and then it's all profit!"

Victoria glanced over the accounts, which were well-organized, and the material costs were in line with market prices. 

She nodded approvingly, "Charlotte, you've done an excellent job. No wonder you've been a manager for years. Starting next month, I'll give you a 30% raise and a 20% raise for the other staff. With business this good, are you managing okay? If not, we can hire one or two more people to help out."

The nearby staff, overhearing the conversation, clapped enthusiastically, "Thank you, Ms. Hamilton! You're so generous!"

Charlotte was also pleased, "We're managing fine. We have two staff members who can cover for each other, so I don't have to be here all the time. It's much better than before. Even Emma says, 'Mommy looks prettier now.'" Thinking of her sweet daughter, Charlotte's face lit up with a happy smile.

"That's good to hear." Victoria took a sip of the freshly brewed coffee Charlotte had made and asked, "I noticed the gift shop next door closed down and has a 'For Sale' sign. Do you know what happened?"

Charlotte glanced outside, "The owner got caught cheating, and his wife is divorcing him. Neither of them wants to deal with the shop, so they're selling it to split the assets."

Victoria chuckled softly. It seemed that men with a bit of money often ended up cheating. 

She then looked around Sweet Haven Corner, considering the decor and layout. The shop was a bit small, with limited seating, so many customers opted for takeout. 

She tilted her head and said to Charlotte, "What do you think about buying the shop next door and expanding our dessert business? We could add more tables and create semi-private sections for customers to relax and chat."

Charlotte was initially excited, "That sounds great! I've always thought the shop was a bit small." 

But after a quick calculation, she became a bit worried, "Expanding the shop would double the rent, and our revenue might not increase that much. Plus, the renovation would be a significant expense. It would take at least six months to break even."

Victoria shook her head, "It's fine. I'm not in a hurry to make money." 

Initially, she just wanted to help Charlotte. But seeing the business thrive, she wanted more. She wanted to make the shop even better. 

It was her competitive nature; she always wanted to do things better. Ignoring the shop's shortcomings would make her uncomfortable.

The electronic chime of "Welcome!" sounded as a customer walked in. 

Victoria turned to see a young man in a simple white T-shirt, with brown curly hair, a clean forehead, and adorable droopy eyes. 

When he saw Victoria, his eyes curved slightly, making him look even cuter. He walked straight to Victoria, shyly greeted her, "Long time no see," and scratched his neck, unsure of where to put his hands.

Victoria thought for a moment before uncertainly asking, "Ryan?" Ryan looked so different from the last time she saw him. 

Now, he looked like a fresh, cute young man. If he hadn't greeted her first, Victoria wouldn't have recognized him.

Charlotte also greeted Ryan. It turned out that Ryan had been coming to their shop frequently, ordering a tiramisu and a black coffee, and sitting for half an hour. 

He hadn't seen the person he wanted to see for a few days, but today he finally did. 

Hearing that Victoria planned to expand the shop, he offered to help by designing some smart programs to manage the shop's electronics and interact with customers.

Victoria was a bit surprised, "That sounds interesting, but do you have the time? Wouldn't it be too much trouble?"

Ryan replied, "I have plenty of free time, and it's not a lot of work."

"Alright, I'll pay you the market rate," Victoria said, not wanting to take advantage of him.

"No need. You treated me to dessert last time. We're friends, right?" He looked at Victoria nervously, as if afraid she wouldn't acknowledge it. 

He wasn't good at socializing and had never had friends before. When Victoria, under the alias "X," said she wanted to be friends, he was initially resistant. 

But because they were evenly matched opponents, he agreed to meet. To his surprise, Victoria didn't find him odd and enjoyed talking with him. He liked her and felt especially relaxed around her.

Victoria initially approached him because she thought he was talented. But as she got to know him, she found him to be a simple and pure geek. 

So, she smiled brightly, "Of course, we're friends. But one dessert isn't enough. How about this: I declare you the Supreme Member of Sweet Haven Corner, with lifetime free service, starting today!"

They chatted happily about artificial intelligence for a while. Soon, Ethan and the others arrived after class. Ryan, not fond of crowds, made an excuse and left.

The group sat at a table by the window, enjoying their desserts and laughing. This scene caught the attention of Lily and her friends as they passed by. Lily was leading the dance club members to a nearby restaurant. 

Ella remembered that Victoria's shop was nearby and deliberately chose this route. She pretended to be surprised and said, "Lily, look, that's Victoria, and sitting across from her is Eric!"

Lily's eyes were fixed on Eric. She hadn't seen him in six months, and he still looked the same, with that charming smile. But he wasn't smiling at her; he was smiling at another woman, looking so happy. 

When they were together, Eric never took her out for desserts, saying that sweet things were only for girls. Now he was happily eating desserts with Victoria!

Lily felt a surge of anger. Why was Victoria so special? Her gaze slowly shifted to Victoria. She was indeed beautiful, but just ordinarily pretty.

Victoria sensed the unfriendly gaze. She was very perceptive and paused, slightly turning her head to look outside. 

Seeing Lily surrounded by the dance club members, Victoria quickly realized who she was. 

She raised an eyebrow and tapped the table in front of Eric, joking, "Your ex is here. You sure have a knack for attracting ladies."

Everyone turned their attention to Lily.