Chapter 10 - The People in the Kitchen Started Talking
The first employee to call Chloe was Elena Ruiz, a sous chef.
Thirty-four.
Worked at The Hearth four years.
She left voicemail:
I’m sorry. I should have said something.
Chloe could not listen.
I did.
Then with Chloe’s permission, Susan called Elena.
Her statement:
Damian often punished Chloe by excluding her from staff meals.
He assigned closing tasks unrelated to her job.
He called her stupid in front of staff.
Once he threw a menu binder near her.
He regularly grabbed her wrist or shoulder.
He controlled when she could leave.
Why did staff say nothing?
Jobs.
Fear.
And Chloe repeatedly said:
“It’s okay.”
Another employee, Marcus Bell, head server, said Damian sometimes told staff:
“Don’t feed her until inventory is done.”
He assumed it was cruel marital joke.
Then stopped assuming.
A dishwasher named Leo Sanchez saw Chloe eating discarded food twice before.
He secretly left packaged meals in employee fridge labeled for her.
Damian threw one away.
Not because restaurant lacked food.
Because hunger had become control.
That was harder to hear than financial records.
May you like
Money explained scheme.
Hunger explained Damian.
