17

17

The silence stretched on, unbearably thick, until Sophie, now visibly uncomfortable, hastily pushed the plate away. "I think we'll be going," she muttered, her voice trembling slightly. Maureen nodded quickly, the two of them scrambling to gather their things, eager to escape the charged atmosphere.

"No one is going anywhere. I said, what's going on here?" He insisted. And Maureen faked a smile immediately.

"Oh Xavier! I invited the famous food critic, Sophie. She's so in demand. But I thought she'd be perfect for a munchkin with chef Anna." Maureen whined flirtatiously. "Okay, Sophie…you don't like the food here?" Xavier asked and Sophie smiled. "It just doesn't say anything, there's no pizzazz!" Sophie mocked cracking up with Maureen.

"Well, food critic, I think it says a lot…" Xavier tried to say but Anna cut him off. "Xavier." Anna called, holding him closer.

"I'm sorry. But the high culinary world has its own set of definitions and rules." Sophie chuckled.

"Nah, I've been to lots of fancy restaurants, but her food is unique and warm…I think you should at least try it…" He said. "No! No need. I'm leaving now." Sophie said gathering up her things trying to leave. " Excuse me. Can I try the lasagna?" The old man said from behind them. "Sure." Anna responded and handed him the dish.

"Hmm.. whatever!" Sophie said as she walked to the man with the others.

The man had a taste of the food and nodded in satisfaction. "Hmmm.this tastes like my late wife's cooking. It has such a warmth." He complimented her with smiles. Maureen scoffed, rolling her eyes. "Anna, your food is so down to earth that the common folk seem to love it!" She laughed in sarcasm with Sophie.

"In my eyes, everyone is equal here and it's my honor to cook for everyone." Anna corrected them and then turned to the old man with smiles on her face. "Thank you so much sir, for the compliment. I'm sorry about your wife." She said, he nodded and faced Maureen and Sophie.

"Miss, real good food has nothing to do with McDonald's type or fancy presentation. Food should appear to the taste buds" The old man corrected them. Sophie laughed at him and turned sharply.

"Hey old man, do you know who we are? Your opinion doesn't matter here! So get the hell out!" Maureen said nonchalantly and Sophie nodded in agreement. Just then, the door opened and Dan walked in. "Oh boss, I'm sorry I'm late, I got stuck in traffic." He said to Xavier. He turned in shock when he saw the old man sitting there.

"It's an honor to meet you, Mr Leo." He said happily and shook hands with him. Everyone stared at him with surprise as to how he knew the old man.

"Oh sorry I didn't introduce, this is the culinary legend you asked me to invite, Mr Leo." He said and everyone's eyes widened in shock. The room fell into a stunned silence. 

Maureen's face drained of color as the realization hit her like a ton of bricks. Her eyes widened in shock, and she could feel the heat rising to her cheeks, her earlier words of criticism echoing in her mind like a cruel taunt. She struggled to find her voice, her mind racing to figure out how to salvage the situation.

Sophie, who had been laughing along with Maureen's jabs, froze mid-chuckle. Her jaw dropped, and she instinctively glanced at Maureen, her eyes full of disbelief and panic. She fidgeted nervously, her confident demeanor crumbling as she realized the gravity of their mistake.

Anna exchanged wide-eyed glances with Xavier, murmuring in disbelief. As they struggled to reconcile the unassuming man before them with the legendary figure they'd admired from afar. The air was thick with tension, and the room seemed to hold its breath, waiting to see what would happen next.

Dan stood there with a satisfied smile, clearly enjoying the shock and awe that rippled through the room. He knew this revelation would change everything, and he relished the thought of the legend finally getting the respect he deserved, especially from those who had doubted him.

"Mr Leo!? As in the master chef who wrote "American taste?" Anna said in excitement. The man smiled at Anna and nodded. Sophie ran to him immediately "Mr Leo, I've heard so much about you. You're such a Legend!" Sophie said excitedly but he waved her words aside and continued with Anna. Maureen nudged her friend to keep quiet.

"Child, your cooking amazed me. And your calm character and professional personality touched my soul. The only thing I love better than good food is genuine people." He commented and Anna only smiled in the calmest way. He stood up from his chair "My wife's cooking tasted like love. So in all, I'd give this restaurant three Michelin stars. But if I could, personally…I'd give it ten." He said and Anna jumped happily. 

"Thank you so much Mr Leo, I appreciate your kindness." She said and shook hands with him. The man nodded and left the restaurant.

"You deserve it." Xavier said from behind and she smiled happily. "So, from now on, Anna will be the main consultant for food services and restaurant investments. Clearly, she's the best thing that happened to this company in a long time." He added. Maureen walked to Anna with a fake smile "congratulations Anna, I can't wait to be working with you. I'll make sure to make your transition at the company seamless." Maureen said with a smirk and smile all together. 

"I promise." She added mischievously.

*****

Michael was in his office, signing off on a stack of files, when a notification popped up on his phone. Curious, he glanced at the screen. His eyes narrowed as the announcer's voice filled the room: *"Breaking news! Culinary legend Mr. Leo has just given a five-star review to the new restaurant 'Munchkin,' with none other than Chef Anna at the helm."*

Michael's face twisted with fury. His hand clenched around the pen, nearly snapping it in two. Without hesitation, he grabbed his phone and dialed his investigator.

"Have you found out who the hell is sponsoring Anna's restaurant?" Michael demanded, his voice icy with anger.

The investigator on the other end stammered, clearly unnerved. "I'm still working on it, boss. No new leads yet—"

"Damn it! What do I pay you for?" Michael roared, "I just need some more time boss." The investigator explained.

 "Shut it! I…i…I want her restaurant to shut down, Now!" Michael yelled, cutting him off before he could finish. His patience was gone, replaced by a seething rage that made his blood boil. Without waiting for a response, he slammed the phone down, ending the call abruptly.

His mind raced as he grabbed his car keys, his thoughts consumed with Anna and the success she was apparently achieving. He couldn't stand the idea of her flourishing without him—or worse, with someone else's help. Without another second to lose, he stormed out of his office and sped towards Anna's restaurant.

***

Anna was meticulously arranging napkins on the tables, lost in the rhythm of her work, when the door suddenly swung open. She looked up, startled, to see Michael leaning casually against the doorframe.

"What are you doing here?" Anna asked, her voice tinged with suspicion as she noticed the strange expression on his face.

"Hey, babydoll," Michael said, a smile curving his lips. It was the first time he'd ever smiled at her like that—genuine, warm, and completely out of character.

Anna stared at him, shocked. She didn't know what to make of his sudden change in demeanor, her mind racing as she tried to figure out what he was up to.