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I don't want dad to know what I have done.
My eyes were fixed on the head chef who still had an evil smirk on his face. Dad averted his eyes from me and looked at him. I felt as if my heart was beating in my mouth. I fidgeted with my fingers as anxiety kept on increasing inside me. He was about to tell him everything and it was written on his face that he would with no doubt.
"Mr King. You are here. I was looking for you in the lounge area after parking the car'' I heard Erick's voice which made the head chef close his mouth. I look behind them to find him standing not that far away from us. His blue eyes meet my worried brown ones. He flashed me a look that said don't worry. It made me let go of my breath which I have been holding for so long.
"Erick! I was waiting for you there but then I saw this gentleman in the chef's clothes so I was asking him the way to the kitchen so I could say hey to Sage," Dad said with a small smile on his face while looking at Erick and then me. He walked towards us with long steps and stood beside me. Grey eyes eyed the distance between us with hard eyes.
"He told me he knows Sage and he was about to tell me something about her," Dad said, looking at the head chef and asking him to continue what he wanted to say. My anxiety again kicked in. But before it could reach the higher level Erick took hold of my fidgeting hands in his and talked again.
"You already met my cousin. He is the one who hired Sage," Erick informed dad in his hurried voice with a small smile on his face. The head chef eyed my hand which Erick was holding with a set jaw.
"Oh, he is your cousin. I didn't know it. Thank you for hiring my daughter. So this is what you were about to tell me," dad asked in a surprised voice. Dad's words made the head chef look at me and I flashed him a pleading look. My heart started to beat very fast, ready to jump out of my mouth. His eyes remained fixed on me as if he was deciding something. Then his eyes moved back to the hand that Erick was holding. As Erick let go of my hand as if he knew what was going on in his head. I clasped my hands together. I don't know what he will say next. Will he tell dad how I got this job? I started fidgeting with my fingers even more and biting my lower lip in nervousness. He was taking his sweet time. He gave dad a small nod after what felt like an eternity. He almost gave me a heart attack. I let go of my breath.
"Peter King, nice meeting you," Dad said in his delighted voice while moving his hand forward for a formal handshake.
"Likewise Xanthus Villian I'm head chef here," the head chef said in his firm voice while taking Dad's hand, giving it a firm shake.
"So you are the man behind such a successful restaurant. I must tell you this place is so good with such a great ambience" dad complimented him with a genuine smile on his face while looking at the people who were enjoying their food.
"Thank you," the head chef said while following dad's gaze and then letting go of his hand.
"But your name sounds familiar. Where have I heard it?" Dad said as he tried to recall it and after a few seconds, his eyes widened in realisation.
"You are the famous chef Xanthus Villian, owner of Villian's chains of restaurants," dad asked in his astonished voice with a surprised look still on his face. The head chef gave a small nod with a small awkward smile. He is not good when people recognise him.
"I'm a fan of yours. Your journey is so inspiring. You started your career with a small restaurant and now look at you" dad praised him. He was having his fan girl moment. The head chef smiled at him after listening to his words.
"I only knew my daughter was working in some big restaurant in this big city. I did not know she was working for you. I know it's very hard to get a job here. Thank you for seeing the talent in her,'' Dad said in his thankful voice while looking at him and then at me with a proud look.
"Only if I knew her talent" I heard the head chef saying it loud and clear, making dad look at him with a little confused look on his face. He was about to ask him what he meant.
"Why don't we take our seats, Mr King, and let Xanthus go. He is a busy man,'' Erick said before the head chef could say anything.
"Yeah right. Sorry, I'm taking lots of your time. I know how chaotic the kitchen is when there are lots of customers,'' dad said with an understanding look on his face. I prayed that he would walk away.
"I have a team who can handle the kitchen well without me very well. I would like to talk with you more if you don't mind my company" the head chef said brushing away Erick's suggestion, making me look at him with panicked eyes. Why does he want to talk more with dad?
"It would be a pleasure," dad said in his delighted voice and then they walked towards their seats. I followed them while biting my lower lip in distress. They took their seats but I just kept standing beside dad. I looked at Erick with nervous looks in my eyes.
"Why don't you guys order first then we can talk" the head chef suggested while calling the waiter.
"And don't worry about the bill, it's on the house after all it's not every day I get to meet my fan," the head chef said with a tight smile on his face.
"So kind of you," dad said with a thankful tone and looked back into the menu. I looked at the head chef who looked at me with grey eyes which still held so much madness. He was like a ticking bomb that would explode at any moment. And what scares me, even more, is that I can't do anything about it.
"Sage, why are you still standing?" Erick said as he looked at my nervous face. "No I'm fine, you guys enjoy your food," I said with a small smile on my face.
"Sage you don't like that I visited your workplace. You have been silent since the moment you saw me" dad said while turning his head and looking at me.
"No--no dad I'm happy just feeling a little tired," I said with a nervous smile on my face.
"Of course, you will feel tired. I don't know what is troubling her. I'm noticing for a few days she is not even sleeping or eating properly. I had to scold her to make her eat her food.
"Dad complained while looking at me. I felt like I was at a teacher-parent meeting. I lowered my eyes and looked down at the fingers which were gripping the chair. I felt his grey eyes on me as soon as dad said that.
"Dad, I will go back to the kitchen. Enjoy your lunch," I said when I was not able to take his stares at me anymore.
"Then I think you should make sure she eats her lunch too," the head chef said before I could turn around while looking at me.
"It would be great," dad said while looking at me with a happy smile. Dad gestured for me to sit beside him and I was left with no choice. I took a seat. Soon they ordered the food. Dad ordered for me too when I told him I was not hungry. I kept my eyes lowered throughout lunch. They talked about the dishes and it was my dad and his favourite topic. Dad talked about our restaurant and how I want to make it as big as this restaurant. Most of the time dad was talking. It was my first time seeing a head chef interacting with someone this much. Maybe this is what happens when two head chefs meet. I don't know if it was a good or a bad thing. Through the conversation, I quietly kept eating my food. He looked at me the whole time.
"I must tell you the food is so good. I enjoyed it until the last bit. You have a talented team working for you and I'm proud that Sage is part of it" dad said in his pleading voice while patting my back. I faintly smiled at him.
"Would you like to meet them?" the head chef asked out of nowhere, making me look at him with wide eyes.
"Why not. I would love to meet talented people who work with my daughter," dad said with a happy smile.
"Let's go to the kitchen," the head chef said while standing up. I looked at him with surprised eyes. He never allows any outsider to enter his kitchen. I looked at Erick. He moved his head saying he has no idea. I don't know what's going on in his head. What is the planning? Why is he being so nice to dad? We all walked to the kitchen. I introduced him to everyone. Everyone was happy to meet. Dad liked the kitchen so much after all it was fully equipped. I told him one day we will make our kitchen look like this one. Now it was time to go. I was relieved that he had still not said anything to dad.
"I would like to treat all of you guys before I go. I would like to invite you for dinner this weekend if you have time" dad said with a smile on his face, inciting everyone. Everyone agreed to it.
"Head chef, I hope you can join us for dinner," dad said while shaking his hand before leaving. To which he gave dad a firm nod and then looked at me. His words told me it was not over yet.
"I will keep my schedule clear after all there is so much to talk"
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A/N
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