Although Lance kept his tone moderate, it carried an undercurrent of impatience, which the waitress, Selena, found quite intimidating. It was as if he was subtly hinting that any delay might prompt him to take drastic actions. "Okay, I'll process it immediately," Selena quickly assured him. Meanwhile, Addison was already heading toward the parking lot, her handbag slung over her shoulder, when her phone beeped with a notification. It read, "Dear Madam, your payment has been refunded." She paused, slightly surprised. Lance actually went through the trouble to refund the payment, huh? Was it really that important who paid the bill? Shrugging off the matter, she tossed her phone into her car and drove off. ... Back inside, Selena completed the transaction, informing Lance, "The refund has been processed, and now I'll charge this to your card." She took Lance's black card and ran it through the machine. Suddenly, an awkward beep sounded, and a red light flashed on the device. Lance, who had been briefly checking his emails, looked up, alerted by the noise. "Um, Sir, your card ... It shows insufficient balance," Selena replied, her voice a mix of confusion and timidity. "Insufficient balance?" Lance's eyebrows knitted together in disbelief. The idea was ludicrous; the CEO of the prestigious Johnston Enterprise could not possibly lack the funds for a meal, especially one that Addison could easily afford. Thinking it over, Lance quickly regained his composure and firmly said, "That can't be right. "Perhaps there's an issue with your restaurant's equipment. Could you try using another device?" Selena glanced up at Lance and then hurriedly inspected the device in her hand—it seemed to be working just fine. However, confronted with Lance's assured look, she began to second-guess herself. Could it really be malfunctioning? Lance's presence was so commanding that it made her doubt her own judgment rather than question him. "Okay, I'll fetch another device," Selena agreed, nodding. Lance returned to his emails, his attention back on his phone. Shortly, Selena returned with a fresh device. "Sir, this one definitely works. Let me swipe your card again." "Go ahead," Lance responded, his tone even. He was convinced the previous failure was due to faulty restaurant equipment. Yet, the same issue occurred. The device beeped negatively, its screen flashing red again. The atmosphere in the room turned heavy. After a moment, Selena hesitantly said, "Sir, it appears that ... your balance is insufficient." Now, the private room was shrouded in an uncomfortable silence, and Lance's grip on his phone tightened. Having lived a privileged life since childhood, he had never encountered such a situation. This was incredibly embarrassing for him. "Sir, what should we do next?" Selena's voice was tentative, reflecting her own discomfort with the situation.Clearly, the issue was with Lance, yet his imposing presence made her feel as though she was at fault. That was why her voice came out timid. "Is it possible this device is also defective?" Lance managed a stiff response, struggling to maintain his composure. "Hmm? It can't be. I just took it from the adjacent room where it was functioning perfectly." "Is that so?" Lance forced the words out, barely hiding his frustration. "Absolutely, if you're doubtful, I can get a server from the next room to confirm its condition just a moment ago. "Would you like me to get them?" Selena offered, already moving toward the door to call another employee. Lance's expression darkened further. He quickly raised his hand, stopping Selena. "No need. "So it's not broken." He gazed down at the black card in the device, his eyes clouded with a stormy darkness that seemed impenetrable.Selena, hand still on the door handle, paused. Turning back, she asked, "Sir, how shall we proceed?" Payment still needed to be resolved. Hearing her, Lance's brow furrowed, silence enveloping him. He was baffled at how this card could be empty. The funds it contained were substantial, enough to purchase a significant portion of Johnston Enterprise. So, how could it suddenly be depleted? That simply couldn't be ... "Sir?" Selena peered up tentatively at Lance, noting his furrowed brow and his silence, her anxiety mounting. Is he planning to leave without paying? Why isn't he responding? A wave of unease washed over her, realizing the bill's amount was nearly equivalent to three years of her salary. If he walked out without settling it, all her work would amount to nothing. That was unacceptable. "Sir, do you perhaps have another card?"