Chapter 0238


    “I know my way around a kitchen better than you ever will,” I retort, although the words feel hollow even


    as I spit them out.


    “Abby, Abby, Abby,” he tuts, pushing off from the counter to take another step closer. “You can barely


    navigate your way out of a paper bag. Thispetition? It’s not for the weak. It’s not for the


    passionless. And it’s definitely not for someone who can’t tell nutmeg from cardamom.”


    His words are like a p to the face, a reminder of the humiliation on stage. Of Logan’s


    disappointment. Of Vanessa’s confused expression. Of the tiramisu that now represents my biggest


    failure, all on live television.


    Logan turns to leave, his posture as casual as ever as he saunters over toward the door, as if this is


    over.


    But then, I suddenly have an epiphany.


    “You’re scared,” I blurt out. “That’s why you’re trying to sabotage me. You’re scared that I might


    outshine you. That a woman, of all people, might beat you in thispetition. And you can’t stand


    that.”


    Daniel freezes for a moment, and for the briefest of seconds, I think I see a slight tremble in his


    shoulders. It’s so quick that I almost miss it, but it’s there. He slowly turns around, and there’s that


    signature smirk of his again, but I can sense the hollowness behind it now.


    “You wish,” he says, lifting his coffee cup to his lips. “As if I’d ever be scared of someone like…”


    “Like what?” I ask, cing my hands on my hips. “A woman?”


    Daniel meets my gaze with a sh in his eyes. “Not just a woman. A slut.”


    I can feel the tips of my fingers go cold from the sudden shock of his words. “Excuse me?” I grit out


    through clenched teeth.


    “It’s shameful, really,” he states, taking a step toward me. His posture almost feels aggressive, and I


    Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org.


    find myself taking a shaky step back, my resolve wavering. He chuckles. “A woman attempting to


    muscle her way into a space where she’s clearly outmatched. It tarnishes the image of dedicated chefs


    —real chefs—who have a genuine passion and talent for cooking.:


    As Daniel speaks, he closes the distance between us. I find myself involuntarily stepping back, trying to


    put space between us, until my back is up against the counter. But Daniel just keepsing until he’s


    mere inches away from my face.


    “You think because I’m a woman, I can’t be as good as any man in the kitchen?” I ask, my voice


    trembling more than I would like.


    There’s a tense silence for a moment, broken only by a chuckle from Daniel’s lips. “Good? Abby, even


    if I had tampered with your station—which I assure you I did not—you would have found some way to


    botch it up because, frankly, you don’t know the first thing about cooking.”


    And then, behind Bryan,es someone else… Content of Drаm??ovels.cоm


    Mr. Thompson.


    And the room falls silent.