The Price of a Diamond – Part 5

A New Face

Daniel never thought he would need anyone again.

He was free. Free from expectations, free from the pain of betrayal, free from chasing love that never truly existed. For the first time, he didn't have to depend on anyone. He didn't have to impress anyone.

And he liked it that way.

But life had other plans.

One day, she walked into his small ramen shop.

She was young, frustrated, and clearly lost.

She ordered a bowl of his ramen, and the moment she tasted it, something changed in her eyes.

"Who taught you to cook like this?" she asked, her voice filled with curiosity.

Daniel simply shrugged. "No one."

She frowned. "That's impossible. Ramen like this… it takes years of training!"

He chuckled, shaking his head. "I learned it myself."

"How?" she pressed.

Daniel hesitated, but for some reason, he found himself answering.

"When I was a kid, my grandparents didn't want me. They didn't abuse me, but they never cared for me either. If I made a mistake, even something as small as touching my grandfather's glasses while trying to clean, I was given raw food for dinner. My grandma never helped me, never gave me tips. So I learned to cook for myself. The internet became my teacher."

The girl's expression softened. "That's… awful."

Daniel only smiled. "It is what it is."

For a moment, there was silence. Then, she spoke again.

"Why don't you enter the national ramen competition? You'd win."

Daniel's smile faded. He shook his head. "Not interested."

She sighed, leaning back in her chair. "Figures."

He raised an eyebrow. "Why are you so obsessed with competitions anyway?"

She hesitated, then said, "Because it's my dream."

Her voice was quiet but filled with determination.

Daniel studied her carefully.

This girl was different.

She wasn't here to take from him. She wasn't here to make him prove his worth. She simply had a dream—one she wasn't willing to give up on.

For the first time in years, Daniel felt something unfamiliar.

Curiosity.