CHAPTER 101 A Little Accident?

　　Calista

　　What had started as a promising culinary adventure was quickly spiraling into a disaster.

　　I dashed to the nearest window, struggling to get it open as the smoke alarm continued to scream. The latch was stuck, and I cursed under my breath, tugging at it until the window finally gave way with a loud creak. I leaned out the window, gasping for a breath of fresh air.

　　I have to fix this, or else they will go here for nothing. Fuck this life.

　　As the smoke began to clear, I turned my attention back to the kitchen. The pan on the stove was a blackened mess, the once-vibrant vegetables reduced to shriveled, burnt remains. The chicken was far from the golden-brown perfection I had envisioned; instead, it was dry and overcooked, with a few pieces clinging stubbornly to the bottom of the pan.

　　"Damn."

　　I turned off the smoke alarm with a sharp jab of the button. I stood there for a moment, staring at the ruins of my dinner.