Tati watched Isabella carefully.She actually felt relieved when Isabella did not immediately spit out the food.She was really worried Isabella would do that.The young chef stood no chance if so.Isabella ate the other half of the treat.“Isn’t it yummy, Isa?”Isabella hummed in acknowledgment.“It’s meticulously done. Not bad—it’s just a little dry.”Tati immediately poured a glass of water for Isabella and handed it to her, smiling. “It is. Maybe making treats isn’t his specialty, but it’s pretty good if you don’t mind eating them.“I asked him and he said that he started helping out in the kitchen ever since he was at the age of six or seven and started learning how to cook after. He might not be thirty yet, but he’s had over a decade of experience cooking.”“Does he come from a family of cooks?” Isabella had already finished the second treat and was moving on to the next.Perhaps she was truly hungry, or perhaps the treats really were good enough for a second helping.
Whether it was cooking—oh, right. Tati had not tried his cooking yet. After all, she had only tried the treats.The particular treats might have been his specialty and his cooking was just a little better than regular chefs. There might still be a huge difference between his cooking and the O’Connor chefs’.If he was not at the very least as good as their current chef, he was not going to get hired.Isabella said, “I’ll tell Dominic to arrange for the young applicant to come back for an interview tomorrow afternoon. I’ll be back for dinner tomorrow and I’ll try his cooking then. No one’s allowed to help him. He has to do it all by himself.”Anything edible had to be made with his own hands, not just the main dishes.Tati smiled. “We’ll all come back for dinner tomorrow to try his cooking then.”Although it was Isabella who wanted to hire a new chef, her cousins were all foodies too and often ate at her home. The new chef’s skills were directly related to their happiness and they
“You’re hiring a chef, not looking for a husband, so that doesn’t matter,” Tati tittered. “All that matters is that his cooking is delicious enough for you to eat them and not get bored.”Isabella did not think much of Austin. She had not even met him yet, anyway.She was only astonished that Austin was from Wiltspoon as it was very far from Satbury.“I wish I had a chef whose cooking I didn’t get bored of too, and didn’t have to change my chef so often.”Isabella tapped her own mouth mockingly. “I don’t know why I have such a picky mouth either.”“Do you want more?” Tati asked when she saw Isabella had stopped eating.“I’m not hungry anymore, so no.” Isabella took a look at the time and said, “I have a meeting that’s about to start. Come with me.”“Alright.” Tati took the box from Isabella. “If you’re not eating the rest, I’ll finish them. I think they’re pretty yummy. This Austin York probably has some skill. He says he’s not very good at making treats, but you ate quite a f
Then, Austin went and slumped himself on the sofa while wondering what he should make tomorrow to conquer Isabella O’Connor’s tastebuds and become her family’s private chef.Should he cook his best dish or something that he rarely made?As he savored his tea, he made up his mind to make some regular dishes. If he cooked his best dish right away, there would be nothing to show off later.Those signature dishes would be saved for the grand finale.However, it should be emphasized that his regular dishes were gourmet to ordinary people, stemming from his love of cooking and the vast experience that came with it. For example, the treats he had made today were not what he was best at, but Isabella could stomach them.That was his guess anyway.Otherwise, she would not have asked Dominic to call him back.He wondered if he had any competition for the role.Austin had just arrived in Satbury today and had no time to inquire about any competitors yet.He did not think Isabella would
Zachary laughed. “Then I wish you the best of luck, and I hope you’ll bring Ms. O’Connor back to meet us soon.”Austin grimaced. “It’s still too early to say that. Anyway, I’ll still be spending this holiday season single.”“Christmas is right around the corner. I definitely don’t expect you to get a girlfriend before the year ends. It’ll be great if you do next year though. Even Dylan and Peter haven’t gotten girlfriends this year either.”Dylan kept everything about his pursuit tightly under wraps. Even Zachary knew little about it.Of course, it was also because Zachary did not want to meddle in their private affairs.He said before that unless they needed something or shared with him of their own volition, he would not stick his nose into their personal lives.He was not Josh, whose entire job involved being nosy. Josh was the right person if you’re looking for the hottest tea.“I’m busy, so I won’t disturb you any longer. Call us if you need anything. By the way, have you let Mom
“Mr. York, I’m the person who went to the O’Connors residence for the interview with you.”Someone who went to the interview with him?Austin remembered that he had gone by taxi to the O’Connors alone. When he arrived, he registered his information and entered the manor in the car arranged by the butler. The manor was huge. Although it could not compare to Wildridge Manor, the time needed to travel from the entrance to the main house by foot was still pretty long.That was why the butler would arrange for cars to shuttle their guests.At that moment, Austin remembered something. It was not someone who traveled to the O’Connors’ manor with him but his competitor. It seemed like that person was pretty capable, seeing that he could obtain Austin’s information, probably determined to be the family’s private chef. Austin walked over and opened the door. A man and a woman were standing before his room. The man was middle-aged, most likely in his forties whereas the woman was yo
Austin did not want to invite the father and daughter into his room. He told them, “Please wait for a moment, Mr. Abbot. I’ll get my phone, and we can have a nice chat with a cup of coffee at the cafe on the first floor.”Weston smiled. “Sure.”Austin returned to his room and took his phone before heading out again. “Let’s go. The coffee’s on me.”After closing the door, Austin led the way with Weston and Jovanne behind him. Weston caught up to him and said apologetically, “Coffee should be on us. I’m the one intruding on your time, so I should be the one paying.”Austin smiled. “A cup of coffee doesn’t cost much. You don’t have to fight with me over this.”Weston smiled. His young competitor was pretty nice. He wondered how well Austin could cook. Weston had a strong desire to be the O’Connor family’s chef. It was for the money and fame. After graduating, he had been refining his cooking skills and worked in the industry for over twenty years. He thought of himsel
Grandma May would always say that she did not have much time left to eat due to her old age. She wanted them to stop controlling her and leave her to eat whatever she wanted.Even Zachary would lose to the eloquent Old Mrs. York, let alone her younger grandsons. Sometimes, Grandma May would feel smug and say that she was the one who raised all her grandsons. They could never escape her grasp, so they should not even think of controlling her. Jovanne said, “I shall have some then. I don’t know how good the desserts here are.”She loved making desserts. She ran a dessert store, and business was booming. Austin’s attentiveness had left a good impression on Jovanne. She ordered a few desserts based on her preference. After the waiter took their orders, Weston explained, “I happened to see you when you went for the interview at the O’Connors’ as I was nearby. Actually, I came out before it was your turn to go in.”Weston did not know how he did in the interview.As he was an
When Austin reached the door, he stopped and turned to say, “Ms. Isabella, I only care about my future wife. Other young women are simply strangers to me.“I’m polite to other women when I need to be. If they’re unimportant, I’ll ignore them. Even if that woman is my boss, I won’t cross any lines. If I do, there must be a reason behind it.“Get some rest, Ms. Isabella. You might have a headache when you wake up tomorrow. I’ll prepare a warm honey drink for you in the morning.”After speaking, Austin left. Isabella turned to look at where he last stood. What did his words mean?He said he only cared about his future wife.Aside from this lady, he would not step out of line with any other young woman, even if she were his boss. What did he mean by crossing lines?Was it showing concern? Did he mean that if his boss was a young woman but not his fiancée, he would simply do what was required of him without any personal feelings involved? Was that what he meant?If so, was
Isabella was cold sometimes, but that was not her true personality. She was a reasonable person. Austin was not worried that he would be mistreated as a live-in son-in-law. “Ms. Isabella.”Isabella looked toward him and waited for him to speak. He asked, “This may be abrupt, but may I ask what your ideal type is?”Isabella was stunned. Why did the question come to her? What was the type of man she liked?‘Someone like Austin,’ she thought. After a moment of silence, she said, “I like men who are capable, responsible, and have correct values. Even if his family isn’t as financially well-off as mine, I don’t mind so long as he’s honest, competent, and sincere about his feelings for me.“Of course, it’ll be great if we have the same social status. That way, we’ll have similar perspectives and more common topics. If we get married, we’ll be joining forces instead of it being a one-way financial aid.”“Although you can accept someone who isn’t from a similar family backgrou
After a moment of silence, Isabella said, “It’s okay. I know I was forcing it.”There was no point in asking Austin if he did not want to reveal anything. If he wanted to tell her, he would do so without her asking. However, her curiosity spiked with his silence. She was eager to know who his fiancée was. He was already so protective of his fiancée even though he had not met her before. It made Isabella jealous. It was her first time feeling that kind of emotion throughout her life. Although it was not a strong feeling, she still felt it. “You weren’t forcing me to tell you. You were simply curious. Most people have a curious side. It’s only natural for you to be inquisitive as well.”Austin said gently, “It’s not just you. Those who knew that my nana had chosen fiancées for my brothers and me were also curious about who the ladies were.“To be honest, we didn’t even know Nana had been choosing fiancées for us since a few years ago until she handed their pictures to us
“You can drink it now. It’ll turn cold if left aside for longer.”Isabella took the ginger ale and drank it with elegance. She put it down after drinking half of it. “I’m drunk, but only slightly. I can walk, and my brain is still alert. I know what I’m doing and saying.“I’ve had enough ginger ale.”She did not want to consume too much liquid late at night. “Which family is your fiancée from, Austin? Where is she? Do you mind telling me?”Isabella was insistent on getting answers. Austin had never told her when she had asked him about it before. He kept saying he would focus on working and that he was not in a rush to get married. After all, he was only in his twenties; Zachary only got married at thirty years old. If he was unsuccessful in wooing his fiancée that year, he did not mind waiting for a few more years. Isabella suddenly felt jealous of Austin’s fiancée, having had his heart without even doing anything. She wondered what Austin’s fiancée had done to cat
Austin stared into Isabella’s eyes. He could detect some feelings in her gaze, but it was not obvious enough. What she felt for him was still mostly admiration. It was not the right time for him to confess yet. He would continue to wait. “You’re the best and most outstanding lady in my heart, Ms. Isabella. I admire you more.”Austin added gently, “You give off a strict and cold aura sometimes, but you’re always a nice person in my eyes.”Isabella had treated him well ever since he became her private chef. It only got better after she discovered he was a young master of the Yorks. Austin believed her when she said she viewed him as a friend because her actions reflected it as well. However, he was not content with being just friends. He wanted to be her husband. He wanted her to trust him and love him forever. He would also reciprocate her feelings and trust. Isabella smiled. “Even my parents are scared and avoid me when I’m in a serious mode. Louis and Phillip w
Austin responded, “Don’t worry, Ms. Edith. I’ll take good care of Ms. Isabella.”Edith had come in a hurry and left just as quickly. The hidden meaning in her cousin’s words was not lost on Isabella, but she did not comment on it.She allowed Austin to accompany her into the house. The lights were still on inside, but the first floor was empty. Everyone else had already gone to bed.Since Isabella had not returned yet, the housekeeper had left the lights on for her.The house was warm, so once inside, Isabella took off Austin’s coat and handed it back to him.Austin accepted the coat and followed her to the sofa. After she had sat down, he asked gently, “Ms. Isabella, would you like some ginger ale for a hangover remedy?”Isabella rubbed her temples and said, “Yes, please. I don’t want to wake up with a splitting headache tomorrow.”Austin immediately went to prepare it for her.Isabella leaned back on the sofa and closed her eyes to rest. After some time, she heard Austin’s
Isabella’s bodyguard had only called out to her, not daring to touch her, so she had not woken up. However, when Austin gently patted her face and called her, she woke up almost immediately. When she opened her eyes and saw Austin’s handsome face, Isabella was momentarily dazed, thinking she was dreaming about him.She had actually dreamed about Austin. Had she developed feelings for him? If she had not, why would she dream about him? In all her life, this was the first time she had dreamed about a man. Isabella wanted to touch Austin’s face, but as she raised her hand, she realized she was not dreaming.Austin was real. She could smell the fresh scent on him because they were so close.He had showered.Isabella quietly lowered her hand, hoping Austin had not noticed her earlier intention, lest he misunderstood.“Ms. Isabella,” Austin’s warm and pleasant voice reached her ears, making her want to close her eyes and go back to sleep. With him around, she felt safe and secure.
Hunter had neither money nor power. What could he possibly use to save his sons?“Dad, go home. When the trial starts, we’ll send someone to pick you up so you can attend and observe.”Hunter stood up angrily and stormed off.After he left, Ellie asked Ava, “Are we really not going to do anything? My child is still young. Having a father in prison will always be a stain on their life.”“What can we do? Even if we wanted to save them, we don’t have the means. We know what Caroline is like. She’s not going to let this go lightly this time,” Ava replied. “Anyway, think about last year, when they were caught cheating. How did they treat us then?”Remembering the events from last year, Ellie said, “Let them serve a few years in prison, then. Ava, Caroline is in the hospital. Should we go visit her?”“We should. Let’s go tomorrow. We’ll call Emma and visit Caroline together. The Fisher family is full of terrible people, but Caroline still has some conscience. She’s always been kind t
Hunter was momentarily speechless. He did not have much money. When Belinda was alive, he never had more than five hundred dollars on him. After his children grew up, he secretly asked them for money. During that time, he had money to spend freely, living a lavish life outside.However, all that money had been spent. He had no savings, mainly because he was used to spending extravagantly.He had been unable to save money. He did not own any shops or properties either; Belinda had kept him on a tight leash.The house in their hometown had been built with Belinda’s money, but it was not under his name. It was under his three sons’ names.After Belinda’s death, his sons supported him. Each son gave him over a hundred thousand dollars a month for living expenses.Combined, that was several hundred thousand dollars a month, allowing him to live comfortably in Ashford. He had managed to save a little, but not much, just over a million dollars in total. Hiring the best lawyers for h