Chapter 0263


    Abby


    The moment Mr. Thompson utters the words, the whole world seems to stop. I’m still sitting at my desk


    in my cluttered little office, but I feel as though I’ve beenunched into outer space; it’s like that feeling


    in a dream when you suddenly fall from an impossible height, only to wake up just before you hit the


    ground.


    “Are you... are you serious?” I manage, gripping the edge of my desk to steady myself.


    His smile is as reassuring as ever. “Of course, I am, Abby. You think I would joke about something like


    this?”


    It’s hard to breathe. After everything, as though some sort of unseen force suddenly decided to make


    things right, they want me to cater the Alpha party. Me. Abby. The girl who lost the cook-off miserably


    on live television. The girl who was sabotaged by a male chef.


    “Listen,” Mr. Thompson says, “Vanessa Greene asked to give you another chance. And after what


    happened… You deserve it.”


    My mind feels blown again. Vanessa Greene? As in, my biggest idol, Vanessa Greene? All this time, I


    thought she looked down on me after the cook-off… And yet she was the one who advocated for me to


    have another chance?


    “I... Mr. Thompson, I don’t know what to say,” I stammer, my heart pounding in my chest.


    “Say you’ll do it, Abby. Say you’ll prepare a meal that’ll knock their socks off,” he says, his eyes


    twinkling with encouragement.


    “But what if... what if my food still isn’t good enough?” The words tumble out before I can stop them,


    and my voice quivers slightly, betraying the storm of emotions roiling inside of me.


    Mr. Thompson’s expression softens, and he ces a hand on my shoulder, grounding me in this


    moment. “Abby, I’ve always believed in you. Your food has that special something—you’ve got the


    talent. Don’t let one setback make you doubt yourself.”


    I take a deep breath. His faith in me is afort. “Okay,” I say with a nod. “I’ll do it.”


    Mr. Thompson grins. “That’s what I wanted to hear. Now, listen—they want you to prepare the meals in


    front of them. In your kitchen.”


    My eyes widen. “Here? In the restaurant?”


    He nods. “Yes. I assume that won’t be a problem for you…?”


    My restaurant kitchen; the ce I haven’t set foot in for the past two weeks. Just the thought of going in


    there makes me sick, but if it means catering the Alpha party, if it means proving Daniel and all of the


    other men who doubted me wrong, then it looks like I have no choice.


    “Okay,” I murmur. “My kitchen. I can do that.”


    Saturday. It feels both like an eternity away and as if it’s looming over me, ready to pounce at any


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    moment.


    “Thank you, Mr. Thompson. For believing in me, for giving me this chance,” I say, my voice thick with


    emotions I can’t quite give a name to.


    He stands. “You’ve earned it, Abby. And remember, it’s Vanessa herself who insisted. After she learned


    about the sabotage, she wouldn’t rest until you were given a fair shot. She’s tough, but she respects


    talent and honesty,” he says, offering a nod of approval that makes something inside of me feel just a


    little bit lighter. Re?d at Dr?mа?оvеls