Chapter 70: Setting It All Up, Again
The bedroom door creaked open without a knock.
"Richard," Anita called from the hallway. "Aren’t you gonna eat dinner?"
He didn’t respond immediately, just blinked at his screen.
"Come on," she added, stepping in now. "Let’s eat together so the staff can wash everything at once. You’re getting thin."
Richard sighed through his nose, not looking away from the floating blueprint menu. "Yes, ma," he mumbled.
"No, get up, not just yes," she said, crossing her arms.
He pushed himself off the chair like a man sentenced. "Fine, fine, I’m going."
Downstairs, the buzz of conversation spilled out from the massive dining hall. The company’s new HQ wasn’t just an office anymore—it was practically a village. The main building sat at the center of a sprawling compound, now home to hundreds of Estello employees. Most were part of the agriculture division, living on-site while delivering orders to nearby cities.
The hall smelled like garlic rice and roasted chicken. Tables stretched wall to wall, staff lined up at buffet tables with trays, chatting about irrigation schedules, soil sensors, gossip.
Jack spotted him immediately. "Oh dude, miracle! You’re eating with us for once."
Richard raised a brow. "I’m not that bad."