"I see you were bored at your workplace”, Desmond said sarcastically, his angry glare at Diego intensifying.Diego slowly turned to glance at Desmond, a sarcastic chuckle escaping his lungs.Freya and Noah sat still, in utter silence as if letting Diego do the talking on their behalf.“Yes I was. So I decided to come over here to ease my stress a little and spend time with “family”. You do realize I consider you family, right?” Diego said with a smirk, his tone thick with sarcasm.Desmond didn't utter any word. He fixed Diego with a glacial, threatening stare, his jaw stiff with disdain. Then he stole a glance at Diego's bodyguards who stood sentinel behind them.“I see you brought your “dogs” along. Were you expecting that I would attack you?” Desmond mocked, letting out a sarcastic chuckle afterwards.Diego chuckled slightly as well, a sarcastic grin plastered on his face.“Attack? Only one who can actually throw fists should use that term”.Freya watched the two men throw subtle sh
The most anticipated cooking contest of all times finally arrived.The bright yellow sun cast its warm glow on the Simmer and Spice restaurant, the venue of the contest. Freya stood outside, her heart racing with anticipation and a hint of nervousness. She had spent days preparing for this moment, perfecting her techniques and studying the judges' preferences. The restaurant's warm facade seemed to glow, inviting her into the culinary arena. She took a deep breath, smoothing her apron and mentally preparing for the “Spice Masters” contest.It was Friday. Noah had gone to school. The only support system she had, who had accompanied her to the contest's venue, was Diego. Their hands were entwined in agreed confidence as they walked towards the entrance of the restaurant.His genuine support, coupled with the fact that he dumped his office work for her event captured her heart. He had been a source of encouragement to her ever since she mentioned the contest to him, engaging her with lot
Tension filled the air as the contestants began cooking, each of them involved in some chopping, sauteing, slicing and the rest.Freya wiped the sweat from her forehead as she expertly sliced the succulent wagyu beef, her mind racing with the dish she was about to create. The aroma of sesame oil and soy sauce filled the air, mingling with the hum of ovens and the murmur of the contestants’ focused chatter.“Alright, chefs! You have one hour left to create your signature appetizer, blending the flavors of the East with the sophistication of the West!” the host announced, his voice echoing through the bustling kitchen.The host's announcement unsettled her, as she realized about thirty minutes had passed without her having done anything spectacular yet. Freya glanced around, keeping an eye out for her competitors who seemed to be way ahead of her. She noticed one of them handling what looked like a delicate fish filet, another, wrapping thin sheets of dough around a mysterious filling,
It was Freya's dish to be judged next. With feigned confidence, she appeared before the judges, a forced smile on her face to conceal her uneasiness.“Freya Dominic, what have you prepared for us?” One of the judges spoke, Judge Cristina Santos.“I made some pan-seared wagyu beef gyoza with truffle-ginger dipping sauce and microgreens salad”, she replied boldly, yet her heart pounded hard through her chest.“Interesting. I hope the meal is just as delicious as it sounds”, Judge Donald Jefferson said firmly with a stern expression.Freya nodded slightly, her feet turning cold instantly.The judges' table fell silent as they took their first bites of Freya's dish. The air was thick with anticipation, the only sound was the soft clinking of utensils on plates.Judge Donald closed his eyes, savoring the flavors. “Hmm, interesting combination”, he murmured, his expression unreadable.Freya's heart leaped a little at the somewhat positive feedback on her dish.Judge Frederick, a food critic
Freya stepped briskly out of the restaurant, her eyes scanning the surroundings for Diego, her chest heaving intensely in excitement.However, she saw no sign of him. Maybe he grew tired of the wait and left. Or it could be that he had some urgent work to do at the office. Her heart sank at the realization of him leaving without wanting to see her first. She couldn't blame him though. She shouldn't be a hindrance to his work.She slowly began to walk towards the roadway, with the aim of halting a taxi when two strong arms wrapped her shoulders from behind.Surprised and a little thrown off balance, she twisted her neck to see who it was. And it turned out to be who she thought it was, his lips curved in a broad smile.All the sense of tension and nervousness disappeared that instance as she set her eyes on him, her face lit up in a warm, relieved smile.“You thought I had left, didn't you?” He said into her ears in a low, inviting tone.Freya simply smiled warmly at him as she releas
The third day of the contest finally arrived. Freya had managed to cross the second stage to qualify for the grand finale, the most anticipated part of the cooking contest.Tension hung in the air as there were only three contestants left; the remaining five had been evicted.The audience witnessing the finale of the contest live sat in a section a little bit far from the kitchen so as not to distract the contestants. Some of them were relatives of the contestants, some, foodies and spice enthusiasts, while some were chefs and culinary experts.Unlike the first day of the contest, Freya was more relaxed and less worked up. She sized her competitors up, picturing herself as the winner of the contest already as she felt somewhat better than them, her culinary skills superior to theirs.Having in mind that Diego and Noah were seated amongst the audience, watching her closely in excitement, waiting to celebrate with her the moment she would emerge as the winner, she vowed within herself t
"And the winner of this episode of the Spice Masters cooking contest is…” Freya's mind felt numb. She stood frozen, staring lifelessly at the host, her emotions long gone. Her eyelashes were still wet with tears, a single teardrop which clung to a strand of her lashes, blurring a part of her vision as glanced at the judges. She was very certain that she wouldn't be the winner of the contest she had put all her best in. “...Simon Maxwell!” Freya, who wasn't surprised that she would lose, silently exited the restaurant, dragging her feet lifelessly, her spirits dampened. Diego sprang up to his feet with a sense of urgency, his eyes following Freya till she walked out the door. “Noah, let's go”, he said, his eyes still fixed on the exit door, and Noah gave a quick nod in agreement. Together, they hurriedly excused themselves from the crowd who gave a standing ovation and a thunderous round of applause for the winner of the contest. With his face contorted in an unpleasant sc
"I see you did your job well this time. You carried out the task skillfully”, Desmond said over the phone, his face lit up with a satisfied smirk.“It wasn't easy Desmond, but I managed to achieve it at last”.Desmond nodded slightly, letting out a slight chuckle as he paced about in his office.“However, I'm quite curious. How did you manage to sabotage Freya's efforts? What exactly did you do this time?” Desmond asked, his forehead contorted in a slight frown of curiosity.The caller on the other end of the line, simply chuckled slightly in obvious confidence and self pride.“I only switched her ingredients. That's all. It wasn't a big deal. However, I was certain that either Freya or the judges would come back after the show to inspect Freya's ingredients and find out what really happened. So I switched it back. The ingredients Freya used, unfortunately, were not quite edible. They weren't even fit to be put into one's food. That's why it gave the odd, bitter taste”.With a broad g
Diego stared hard at Freya for a couple of seconds, his gray eyes piercing deep into her soul, making her uncomfortable.After a while of intense staring, Diego finally spoke up, his tone icy, "Freya, what were you thinking?" Freya's mouth fell open, her words not coming out. Her brows furrowed in a mix of confusion and surprise."What do you mean?" she asked, surprised.“Why did you meet with Desmond? After everything we've been through, you still thought it was okay to speak with him? And why didn't you tell me? I had to find out from my men who saw you meeting with him. Why?” Diego snapped, his brows furrowed in a slight displeased frown.Freya stared hard at Diego for a few seconds, in disbelief. She recoiled in shock, taken aback by his angry statement.With a silent sigh, Freya shook her head slightly in defense. She began, “It's not what it looks like, Diego. I only wanted to give him a piece of my mind…”Diego cut in sharply, his tone laced with slight anger, “Despite knowing
Freya frantically adjusted her sitting posture, her expression turning worried. How could she have forgotten that Diego was an expert in tracking her location? He had bodyguards stationed practically in every corner of the city.Desmond remained frozen in shock, his stunned gaze still fixed on Diego whose neutral stare seemed to transform into a glare. His smirk had faltered, his confidence wavering for a moment."Diego, I wasn't expecting you”, Freya whispered, her voice neutral, but her eyes flashing a warning.However, Diego's gaze never left Desmond. His icy stare pinned Desmond to his seat, threatening to disrupt his composure. Just then, Desmond snapped out of his stunned form and regained his confidence, his face scrunched up in a contemptuous scowl."I see you're joining the party, Diego”, Desmond sneered, his voice dripping with sarcasm."More like ending it”, Diego retorted, his tone cold and even. With a confident gesture, he adjusted his navy-blue blazers and smoothed his
With her lips curled in a hateful snarl and her eyes narrowed, Freya leaned forward, her arms crossed against her chest."Drop the lawsuit, Desmond. Or face the consequences”, Freya threatened, her voice dropping to a deadly whisper.Desmond's expression remained unmoved, his eyes glinting with amusement. In reaction to Freya's subtle threat, he simply leaned back in his chair, deliberately getting on her nerves."Consequences, Freya? From you? Oh, I'm so scared”, he said with a sarcastic chuckle.Then his expression turned sober, and he feigned fright, widening his eyes and mouth in an attempt to provoke Freya further.With a contemptuous glare, Freya watched him mimic a scared person and burst out laughing. Desmond chuckled for seconds, his body vibrating ridiculously as he tried to control his amusement.Freya's face twisted in rage, her hands clenched into fists. “What the hell is funny?” she spat.Desmond held his chest, attempting to suppress his laughter. “I'm sorry. I guess it
At exactly 9 PM, Desmond arrived at The Eclipse restaurant, his sleek black car gliding to the entrance. Quickly, his driver alighted and held the car door open in order for him to step out. With a stylish gesture, he stole a cautious glance at his luxury silver wristwatch. Seeing he was right on time, his lips curved in a pleased smirk.With a confident expression and demeanor, he stepped out of the car, stylishly adjusting his cufflinks. As his driver shut the door behind him with a soft click, Desmond took a minute to gaze upon the tall, exquisite five star restaurant, a hint of admiration in his eyes. Freya did have a good taste.He was dressed in a classy tailored charcoal gray suit, crisp white shirt, and black tie, his polished black shoes reflecting the dim street lights. He chuckled inwardly as he couldn't explain why he felt like he was going on a date. Freya's unexpected meeting got him overly fastidious about his dressing.With a mischievous smirk, Desmond strode into the
The rest of Freya's day was ruined, following the sudden lawsuit. Her performance in the kitchen dropped by a certain percentage and her focus flew out the window.Her hands moved on autopilot, chopping, sautéing, and seasoning, but her mind was elsewhere. Soon, her chopping turned aggressive and frustrated as a picture of Desmond's face came to mind.She wondered how Diego would react to the news. He might get furious and confront Desmond. And if things were to go south, Diego would be on the receiving end, getting criticisms from the public. That was the last thing she wanted.As she measured out ingredients, her gaze drifted to her phone, lying stationary on the counter. She kind of wished Diego’s call would come in that instant. Hearing his voice would definitely soothe her frazzled nerves. Then, her gaze shifted to the knife on the table and for a minute, she imagined pushing the sharp edge through Desmond's chest, ripping his heart out. At least, she'd go to jail for the right
The morning sunlight danced through Bayside Bistro's windows, illuminating Freya's domain, where she reigned with effortless finesse and precision as head chef.The previous months had been pretty rough; the distraction which came with the lawsuits. Her personal struggles began to take a toll on her work, fueling absenteeism and dwindling productivity. Fortunately, Freya's colleagues rallied around her, offering unwavering support and a helping hand, empathizing deeply with her challenging circumstances. For that, she was grateful.The lunch menu loomed and Freya's hands moved with precision, chopping vegetables in perfect rhythm as the kitchen's warm atmosphere enveloped her. Sizzling pans and the aroma of roasting meats filled the air, leaving her with a sense of home, and that of accomplishment. She was lost in her cooking, her mind clear and focused.Though it was initially difficult, she eventually pushed away the negative thoughts and energy which came with the lawsuit and force
8:00amFreya cracked Noah's room door open and sneaked in, a mischievous grin on her face. She tiptoed towards the bed where he lay, sleeping soundly.She took a minute to observe him, to admire his innocent features which shone in the bright morning sun while he snored quietly. With a warm smile, Freya gently shook Noah's shoulder, pulling him out of his deep sleep."Happy birthday, sweetie! Rise and shine!" Freya said excitedly, her voice soft and soothing.Noah squirmed lazily on the bed and rubbed his sleepy eyes. He let out a long loud yawn as he stretched his tiny arms and legs to full length, unwilling to get up. Then slowly, his eyelashes lifted, revealing his tired icy-blue eyes, and his gaze slowly focused on his mom's warm smile."Mom..." he mumbled, flashing a weak, sleepy smile at her.Freya's smile widened at how cute he looked in his messy morning hair and his tired blue eyes. As she sat gently on his bed, she leaned in and kissed him softly on his forehead. “Happy bir
Freya paced across her living room, her feet wearing a path in the carpet. Her face was etched with uncertainty and worry, and her brows furrowed in a deep crease.The court hearings weren't going according to her expectations. After the last court hearing, where the testimony of the adoption agency officer painted Diego as a fraudulent person, Freya was certain Diego would lose the case. And what if the final verdict wasn't just going to be about canceling the adoption? What if Diego was to be sentenced to a jail term?Her mind raced with worst-case scenarios: Desmond winning the case, Noah's uncertain future, Diego's life being ruined. Her heart clenched with anguish, a sharp pain piercing through her chest. She couldn't take it anymore. She had to take action now.Just then, the doorbell broke the silence, interrupting her thoughts. Freya's heart skipped a beat as she hurried to answer it.As she flung the door open, her eyes fell on Diego who stood on her porch, his expression so
The oath-taking was over and it was time for Mr. Thompson's direct examination. Mr. Thompson approached Ms. Regina Jenkins and with a clear crisp voice, he began his examination, "Ms. Jenkins, can you describe your role in the adoption process between Diego Hunter and Freya, Noah's biological mother?"Ms. Jenkins nodded, taking a deep breath before speaking, "As director of the adoption agency, I oversaw the entire process. Mr. Hunter approached us seeking a private adoption, presenting Freya's consent form. So, I facilitated the adoption, ensuring all parties complied with state and federal regulations.""Did your agency verify Desmond July's paternity before finalizing the adoption?" Mr. Thompson asked further.Diego let out a deep sigh, his face etched with uncertainty. Sensing his growing worry, Freya reached for his hand and squeezed it gently in a reassuring manner. She stole a fleeting glance at him, as if pleading with him to calm down.At Mr. Thompson’s question, Ms. Jenkins