Back at Rookfort, the guests had gotten escorted out. The atmosphere in the Johnson residence's garden resumed its usual peace. On top of that, Sam didn't get into another argument with Kenneth, nor did he whine about wanting to leave. He even played a game of chess with Kenneth. Sam initially played against Caleb, but his intelligence was no match for Caleb, who studied algorithms daily. He refused to play with Caleb after losing several rounds. That was when Caleb had to leave for work, so his matches against Kenneth got canceled.Kenneth had always given Sam the cold shoulder, but he surprised everyone then. He was patient and softened his tone while asking if Sam wanted to play a round or two against him.It shocked Sam and the women who had joined them for afternoon tea and cakes. They couldn't believe the stern Kenneth would use that tone with Sam. Kenneth had always held his sons to high and strict standards. Even his conversations at home often sounded like lectures. Be
"Who's afraid of him?" Sam scoffed with a subdued voice. He didn't want to waste time on Kenneth since he had nothing to say to him. Still, Rebecca's taunts worked. Although Sam complained, he still got up and looked at Kenneth. His actions made it clear he was willing to have a conversation with him.Kenneth sighed in relief upon seeing that. Sam's willingness to chat meant there was hope for a reconciliation. So, he and Sam headed to the study. Then, he cut to the chase and took an agreement from his drawer. "These are my shares in the MRC Group. I plan to divide them among you three. Take a look and see if you're okay with this. If you are, sign the papers."He handed the agreement and a pen to Sam. At the same time, he explained the ratio of shares. "Your little sister suffered a lot alone, so your mom and I want to give half of the shares to her. We'll split the remaining half between you and Albert. If you disagree with this, you can tell me now, and I'll think of another ratio
"Are you fucking cursing me, you brat?" Kenneth questioned Sam so loudly that Sam closed his eyes and almost covered his ears. Kenneth's voice echoed in the study for the longest time. Sam frowned and waited until he no longer heard the echoes of his father's voice before speaking again. "I wasn't trying to! It's just how you spoke sounded like you were—"He refrained from saying, "Giving your final words," to preserve his father's pride. Still, one couldn't blame him for thinking that way. Kenneth always yelled at him and gave him plenty of lectures on the phone for not visiting home. Kenneth always sounded arrogant during their calls. The same happened during their previous meal together. He hadn't returned home in years, so he thought Kenneth would show some concern for him. Yet, the first thing Kenneth did was demand he move his company back to Rookfort. How dare Kenneth?It was a stark difference from today. Kenneth reasoned with Sam patiently and politely. He even offered
With so many people around, Zelda felt extremely embarrassed. She then pushed Kenneth away. "Don't be so cheeky. Stay away from me." "Alright, alright, I'll keep my distance. But my dear, you mustn't cry anymore. The doctor said that if you keep crying like this, you might really go blind." Kenneth was both worried and heartbroken. In her earlier years, Zelda had damaged her eyes from crying too much. Therefore, doctors advised her not to shed tears anymore, as it could potentially lead to blindness.Rebecca stepped in to cheer her mother up. "Mom, Dad is right. Today, we should be happy. You can't shed tears anymore. I've just returned, and you haven't even had a good look at me yet." Rebecca playfully teased her mom. Zelda immediately smiled and replied, "Alright, alright. We're all here to celebrate happily. Go and cut the cake with Sam. Let me taste your culinary masterpiece." Rebecca said with pride, "Of course, the food I make is delicious!" Rebecca had little ce
Mary covered her face in disbelief and looked at Emily. She said in a trembling voice, "You ... you dare to hit me?"The pain hadn't fully registered in Mary yet. She stared at Emily in shock, pointed a finger at her, and waited for an explanation. It was Emily’s first time resorting to physical force, so she didn't put all her strength behind the slap. Though her hand was shaking, she didn't feel any pain. Apparently, Mary didn't either. However, for Emily, it was different. For the first time, Emily stood up for herself in front of Mary. "I slapped you. What of it? As your sister-in-law, am I not allowed to discipline you? Look at your behavior! All you talk about is your family. This house was indeed bought by your parents. However, since I’m married into your family, I'm also a member of the Stigg family. So, why should I move out?" And bringing up the maids, wasn't it a way of mocking Emily for living at home like a maid every day? Emily had married into the Stigg
The rules of the Grand Culinary Championship allowed participating teams to choose an apprentice for the competition. After all, most people went to restaurants to enjoy the dishes prepared by the apprentices. Besides, it wouldn't be very interesting to have a bunch of old chefs competing, especially when most of them were too lazy to participate and would rather have their apprentices represent them. The apprentices in the Stigg family in recent years had average talent, and they would probably be eliminated in the first round if they participated. Henry’s son was even worse. He started his own business after getting into college and had no interest in working in the kitchen at all. No matter how talented someone was, if they weren't willing to cook, they couldn't be forced to.Moreover, there was no guarantee that the dishes his son made would even be edible. If anything went wrong, it would ruin their reputation. However, Mary's adopted daughter, Serena, showed some t
The judges for the Grand Culinary Championship were renowned chefs from various well-known restaurants.Most of them were retired and no longer worked in the kitchen, like Markus.Alternatively, they were famous gourmands who had been enjoying fine cuisine for decades, like Mr. Manson.Each of them had a placard in front of them. They were representing their respective restaurants.These were the names that had appeared on television and in documentaries and were widely recognized.Rebecca's placard was also well-known. But the fact that she, a young woman, was seated here made her somewhat conspicuous.There were also younger people present, such as media reporters and magazine column editors. But they sat in the back.Therefore, it was unusual to see a young person seated in the front row with a group of elderly people.Fortunately, Rebecca remained composed and continued to smile amidst the bustling crowd.As people approached her inquiring about her restaurant, she graciou
"They look down on us." "They think highly of themselves." These phrases portrayed Four Seasons as if they were superior. They had won several championships and were now looking down on smaller restaurants. The participants were mostly young and spirited individuals. When they heard all that, their emotions flared up, and they joined in with Serena to question and protest. "Even if Four Seasons doesn't participate, there's no need to insult us like this, is there?" "Yeah, we don't mind a woman being a judge, especially in this era when gender doesn't determine one's profession. But is she even skilled enough? Can she handle a knife and ladle properly? Does she have the qualifications to be a judge?""If Four Seasons doesn't think highly of the Grand Culinary Championship, why bother coming? Appointing a judge like her is just disgusting." The controversy grew louder, and Serena wore a cold smile. Serena had personally tasted Rebecca’s cooking, and she was indeed exceptio