CHAPTER 167: A POST

"Isn’t that—?" Gray stared at the screen of Will’s phone, looking at it in disbelief.

"Yes, Sir," Joel finished for him, almost like a whisper. "It’s ChloeEats. She’s actually kind of big on social media. Like, influencer-level big. People follow her for food and lifestyle stuff."

Gray was quiet for a second longer, still taking it in.

He didn’t know this one.

He genuinely didn’t know that Chloe had a social media account, let alone one with this much reach. The post already had thousands of likes, hundreds of comments, and was spreading like wildfire.

There were reposts, people tagging their friends, others asking for directions or if there’s grocery delivery options.

He didn’t know how to describe what he felt exactly. He was surprised, yes, but he was also... touched.

He hadn’t even mentioned it to her. That’s why he was so surprised to see that post. And how come they were able to film in the store without prior knowledge?

"It must be Marcus..." Gray let out a short breath, the corners of his lips twitching into something soft.

"Chloe..." he muttered under his breath. "You really didn’t have to go that far."

But she did. And now he couldn’t even thank her in person because she probably didn’t want credit for it.

Before he could dwell on it any longer, a voice cut through his thoughts.

"Hey—uh, sir?"

Gray looked up.

It was the customer standing at the register, a young man holding a bag of frozen dumplings and some instant noodles. He gave Gray a small smile and tilted his head.

"Sorry, but... can you just be a bit faster?"

Gray blinked again, still caught in the wave of surprise.

"Huh? Oh—"

The customer chuckled. "I mean, not to be rude or anything, but I’m just really rushing....

’Right...’ Gray snapped out of it, realizing that he’d kept the customer waiting for so long.

He gave a sheepish smile and bowed his head slightly.

"Right. Sorry about that."

Then, without missing another second, he resumed scanning the items, the beep of the register falling back into rhythm.

Joel quickly walked off again. He was too excited to see that a famous star was posting about the grocery store that he was working at, so he got a little bit more excited, not realizing that his boss was working.

Behind the counter, Gray’s heart felt unexpectedly warm. Despite all the chaos and noise in the store, he felt a deep sense of gratitude rising in his chest.

He was thankful to the staff who worked hard, the customers who showed up, and especially Chloe... who, without saying anything, gave them the boost they didn’t even know they needed.

He bagged the items neatly and handed them over.

"Thank you for shopping with us," he said with genuine warmth in his voice. "Come again soon."

The customer nodded with a smile.

Gray turned back to the register, another customer stepping forward, and with that, he continued working, his movements lighter than before.

The next few hours passed in a blur.

The store was packed, filled with chatter, the hum of air-conditioning, and the constant ding of registers ringing up purchases.

Shopping carts rolled noisily across the tiles. Toddlers cried, workers debated over which snacks to bring back to the office, and couples quietly compared grocery lists on their phones.

It wasn’t just busy. Their store was basically thriving more than ever.

By midday, every corner of the store had seen foot traffic. The discounted produce section was practically wiped out. Rows of eggs, rice, and bread needed constant restocking, and the counter barely had time to breathe between orders.

Even the bakery had a crowd hovering near it almost the entire time.

Gray had moved between sections. He rotated through the registers, helped restock the drinks aisle, and even swept up some spilled flour near the baking supplies rack.

And yet, despite that, he did not once feel overwhelmed.

Because he knew he wasn’t alone.

The staff, though they were obviously exhausted had carried the day with a kind of shared energy.

Their uniforms became wrinkled from moving, their voices became hoarse from constant greetings and guiding people around. But when they passed each other in the aisles, they still exchanged small nods or tired smiles.

A few high-fives even passed between baggers and cashiers when a particularly large line cleared up after an hour.

Even Daniel, who was technically just his driver, ended up helping guide people through parking spaces outside.

Yet, of course, they were not perfect.

A few customers complained about running out of certain promo items too quickly. A child threw a tantrum and knocked over a display of canned corn. The receipt printer jammed twice because it was being overused.

But despite all of that, it felt good.

It felt very nice.

By late afternoon, the rush in the grocery started to ease. The crowd thinned slightly, enough for the staff to finally catch their breath. Joel leaned on the edge of the checkout counter, chugging from a bottle of water while still scribbling down inventory notes.

He looked exhausted. But he also looked proud.

Gray stood beside him, untying his apron and slinging it over one of his shoulder. Sweat clung lightly to his neck, and his sleeves were slightly rolled up now.

"That was insane," Joel said, shaking his head. "I think we tripled the usual foot traffic."

"Maybe even more," Gray muttered, exhaling. He looked out over the floor. There were still customers browsing, but it was manageable now.

Joel looked around too.

"The team did well today."

"They really did," Gray said. "You did too."

Joel gave a short laugh. "You keep saying that. I’m going to get spoiled if you praise me too much."

Gray chuckled under his breath.

They stood there in a moment of shared silence, both watching as the last few transactions rolled in.

One of the stock clerks walked by, dragging a small cart of restocks and giving them a tired thumbs up.

Gray returned the gesture with a grin.

He felt it deep in his chest. There was a quiet kind of satisfaction. It wasn’t flashy or loud, but it stayed with him.

For the first time in a while, it felt like their grocery store wasn’t just surviving.

It was thriving.

And that made all the difference.

"I guess this sale was pretty nice."

Gray exhaled again, then breathed slow and steady.

His gaze drifted from the counters to the shelves and back toward the entryway, where a few lingering shoppers were now heading out with bags in hand and satisfied looks on their faces.

For a moment, he didn’t say anything.

Then suddenly, he recalled his mission.

That goal had felt distant at first. It felt more like something out of reach. But now, after what just happened today... it didn’t feel so far anymore.

He could actually see it.

If even half of the customers who visited today came back within the month they’d surpass the record for sure.

And if more people shared Chloe’s post, or better yet, made their own, their reach would keep expanding without even needing to spend extra on marketing.

That alone could carry them.

As long as they could keep this momentum.

As long as they could give customers a reason to return.

And thankfully, they’d prepared for that.

He and Joel had made sure the sales didn’t end in a single burst. The discounted stocks were rationed carefully, spread across the entire week.

Each day had its own reserved supply. So even if customers came back tomorrow or the day after that, they’d still find something worth picking up.

They wouldn’t feel misled. They wouldn’t feel disappointed.

"We still have plenty of stock in the back, right?" he asked casually, glancing at Joel beside him.

Joel blinked, then nodded, flipping through his clipboard.

"Yes, Sir. Just like you suggested—we only shelved a portion today. We’ve got enough to last us through the end of the week, including the weekend. Even got signs ready for the next item rotation."

"Damn, we were so smart on that one," Gray chuckled silently to himself.

Good. They’d done it right.

They didn’t just want to draw a crowd, they want to built something sustainable.

He rubbed his neck absentmindedly, staring out over the shelves with a thoughtful look.

It wasn’t perfect. And they still had a long way to go.

But for once, the direction was clear. The plan was working. And the people he surrounded himself withm the staff, Joel, Marcus, even Chloem were helping carry that vision forward, piece by piece.

The bell above the door jingled softly as another family walked in.

Gray straightened slightly, and without needing to think, he gave them a small nod and a polite welcome smile.

If today was anything to go by... then yeah.

They could do this.

They just had to keep showing up.

And they will reach greater heights.