CHAPTER 6

THREE DAYS LATER

‘All you have to do is behave like a woman of class, a simple woman, a woman who knows what she wants, a woman who is confident in her knowledge because if there is one thing I am sure of is that there is no chef like you, no matter what your studies are, you are better than them.’

Remembering those words, Maria Fernanda got out of the car that had taken her to that company.

Immediately hatred came to her, her eyes were filled with so many negative feelings the moment she knew that in that den must be the person who made her so unhappy.

Maria Fernanda's plan was simple, she was not going to present herself as the woman with a lot of money who came to make alliances with a man like him, she was going to start very slowly her revenge, she would be close to him, she would gain his trust by being a simple girl to in the end, give the most painful final he could have ever felt in life.

With papers in hand, Maria Fernanda in her white coat, her hair tied in a low ponytail, walked to the company. Memories came to her.

"And what will I say?” Maria Fernanda asked.

“Everything is ready, Maria Fernanda. Everything is ready, they already know where you are going because from now on, you are my recommendation.”

“And what is your relationship with them?”

“I was the most outstanding lawyer in that company, I had to terminate my contract due to a situation that arose."

“Come this way, Miss, Mr. Ricardo is already waiting for you.”

Maria Fernanda, feeling a little nervous, she walked into the man's office. Ricardo was not the man she expected to receive her, but sooner rather than later, she knew she was going to meet her worst enemy.

“So you are the famous Maria Fernanda Villegas? The truth is that I couldn't believe that you studied in all those organizations that our lawyer told us about. Please take a seat, miss.”

“Lawyer Antonio has already told you about me then?”

“More than you can imagine, Miss. And if everything goes well, I assure you that in no time you'll be on the side of the most important man in this place.”

‘Stefan de la Barrera.’ Isela thought.

“I don't have anything to check as long as you tell me that you really are as amazing as they say. The one you have to show that to is Stefan, my friend.”

“ What do I have to do?”

“No big deal if you're as amazing as these documents say you are. Mmm, why don't you come with me? It's time to show who you are. Give me a minute, will you?”

That's how Isela stayed. And although her heart trembled knowing that sooner rather than later she was going to have her worst enemy in front of her, she knew how to calm down, she had taken the biggest step and in the end, every day she spent in that damned jail she only had one thing in her mind. She wanted revenge on that man.

Once again the office door opened. Maria Fernanda's heart began to pound.

“Miss," a woman spoke. “Mr. Ricardo has had a setback. He says that everything is ready for you to appear in the main hall and prove to Mr. de la Barrera your efficiency.”

‘Mr. de la Barrera, Mr. de la Barrera... Stefan de la Barrera is going to regret it.’ She said to herself.

“In case you're interested, in my office is the woman who comes recommended by the lawyer," said Ricardo.

Stefan was still not doing much. He was becoming a more unpleasant man with each passing day. “I don't care what you do, I just want everything to go well. If Elisa were with me I know my life would be completely different.”

“I can't tell you more when I've told you everything, Stefan. Don't forget that tomorrow is the meeting with the investors and today you have to go to the main hall so that you can attest to the dishes we will present for the inauguration of the new restaurant chain. See you later.”

And although it hurt Ricardo to see his friend like that, he knew there was nothing more he could do. He had already tried everything. Every day Stefan became a more tyrannical man.

Wiping away the tears that didn't leave his eyes in time, Stefan rose from his place. Even if his heart had grown hard, he had to continue to watch over his companies and everything in his power.

Now the world was talking about him the most. A tyrant man who cared for nothing but power.

With dazzled eyes, Maria Fernanda looked around her. The world seemed so small and yet so immense. She had practiced a lot of cooking skills, but she was sure that all the smells, colors and flavors that she could taste in the kitchen would be the same, which meant a completely different challenge.

The most prestigious chefs were there and she was just a woman who had been released from prison not long ago.

“There is not much point in me explaining each section to you because we don't even know if you are really going to stay," said the woman who had taken her there.

Maria Fernanda had changed a lot. Although on the outside she might seem like a naïve woman, the prison and the hatred she had stored up had made her the complete opposite of who the world saw her as.

“Take a place over there and start with a dish," said the woman, turning around.

That was the working world. No one explained what they wanted but they already took it for granted that they could read minds.

Walking confidently, thinking of what she could do to make Stefan melt for her skill in the kitchen, she walked to the place she had been given. It was true, it wasn't certain that she was going to stay there but she had the chance and that chance she wasn't going to waste for anything in the world.

A black car stopped in front of the biggest room he could have, which more than looking like a huge kitchen, it seemed to be a laboratory where the wonders that kept him in power were happening.

The day of the celebration was near. He had to see that everything was in order, that nothing went wrong and that the restaurant chain he was about to open was as promising as all the others.

A man in black was coming down, two men were walking down the stairs, behind him with black glasses and a radio in his hand. They were his bodyguards.

Stefan de la Barrera had arrived, all the people helped to spread the word as they knew that any defect he could find was the cause of his punishment on others, almost paying for it with their lives.

“Mr. de la Barrera is on his way," could be heard here and there as he was already passing through the corridor.

And between them, Mr. de la Barrera stopped in front of the person who had not heard anything because she had his headphones on. Stefan had just found the perfect victim to take out all his anger on.

A young woman, no more than 23 years old, who danced softly as she arranged the fruits, vegetables, breads, and different kinds of dough. She seemed very concentrated.

Stopping behind her so that the moment she turned around, she would collide with him, which happened no more than ten seconds later.

“ Oh, I'm so sorry... I'm so sorry..." she said without seeing his face yet. By the time she did, she realized her grave mistake. “Oh! Mr. de la Barrera?”

“Were you having so much fun?”

“Oh! I'm sorry, I'm so sorry, please forgive me.”

The world around was not the only one who saw that, but someone very special was ready to take the first step against him.

“I asked you a question! Were you enjoying yourself?!”

The woman's tears came to her eyes. “I don't even know what you're doing in a kitchen as important as this one! Don't you realize that you're nothing? What were you doing? Just dancing? Then go out on the streets and dance! Do you presume to be such a great dancer! Good at arranging foods by color as to believe that you can do it by dancing?”

“It's not about the color of the food but about the components: chlorophylls, carotenoids, flavonoids, polyphenols. Starches that are composed of amylose and amylopectin!” Maria Fernanda raised her voice, making Stefan turn to her.

‘Finally here you are. Finally we see each other, Stefan de la Barrera. Remember this face, this moment because from now on, your hell begins.’