Chapter 248: Chef Phantom [Edited]
Marina stepped into the villa’s spacious kitchen, tied her linen apron around her waist, and clapped her hands sharply.
Her dark eyes swept over the living area where Nectron was sprawled across a sectional, Vixen was thumbing through a travel magazine, and Julie was transferring video files to an external drive.
"Alright, eviction notice," Marina announced, pointing a wooden spoon toward the sliding glass doors leading out to the ocean terrace. "Everyone out. The kitchen is officially under my supervision."
Nectron raised an eyebrow, peeling his eyes from the television. "I volunteered to chop the firewood for the outdoor grill, Marina."
"You split a decorative teak bench in half yesterday because you thought it was firewood," Marina said. "You’re banned from the kitchen. Julie, the last time you brought your equipment in here, you knocked over three bowls and nearly fried your hard drive. And Vixen, I don’t trust you near the knives after what happened to the carrots yesterday. Out. All of you."
"This is artistic suppression!" Julie protested, clutching her hard drive. "What am I supposed to do without my equipment?"
"You can feed on the patio breeze," Marina said cheerfully, ushering the grumbling group toward the deck. She paused at the doorway, her gaze locking onto Nicholas and Selena, who were sitting at the kitchen island reviewing a map of the archipelago’s hiking trails.
A mischievous glint danced across Marina’s face.
"Except you two," Marina declared, tapping the wooden spoon against the counter. "Nicholas needs to pull his weight after sleeping in, and Selena promised she’d learn how to prepare island red snapper. The two of you are on dinner duty."
Selena looked up, slightly alarmed. "Marina, I’m an A-rank supervisor. I-I don’t cook." She said her face red with embarrassment.
"Then consider this field training," Marina smiled, backing out the door and sliding the heavy glass panel shut with a definitive click. "Do not burn down the villa. Dinner is at seven."
The kitchen fell dead silent.
Nicholas closed the trail map, his dark blue eyes shifting toward the stainless-steel prep counter. Arranged neatly on ice were three freshly caught red snappers, bundles of local scallions, wild island garlic, and a tray of whole volcanic peppers.
"Well," Nicholas said, tying a plain black apron around his waist. "I’m up for the task."
"See, don’t let him beat you to it" Marina whispered into her ears with a smirk.
Selena pushed herself off her stool, smoothing down the front of a light yellow apron Marina had tossed her earlier.
"How hard can it be? You put it in a pan, season it, and don’t burn it."
"Famous last words before a casualty," Nicholas murmured.
Ten minutes later, the kitchen looked like a disaster zone. Selena had somehow managed to put three whole snappers onto a blazing-hot grill without oiling it, then dumped a handful of pepper flakes directly over the flame.
The result was immediate. A column of fire shot toward the extractor hood while black smoke filled the kitchen, sending Selena stumbling backward and coughing into her apron.
WHOOSH.
A four-foot pillar of orange flame roared upward toward the stainless-steel exhaust hood, accompanied by a thick, acrid cloud of black, pepper-infused smoke that immediately triggered the stove’s heat sensor.
"Nicholas!" Selena coughed, waving the tea towel uselessly through the smoke. "It’s on fire! Why is the fish on fire?!"
"Because you didn’t oil the iron, and you threw the fish in like that, should’ve cut them. You should’ve asked if you needed help." Nicholas said, appearing beside her without a sound.
With one swift motion, he turned the gas valve off, slid a heavy cast-iron lid over the flaming grill to smother the oxygen, and activated the overhead extractor fan.
The flames died instantly, leaving behind a charred sizzle and a lingering scent of burned scales.
Selena lowered the tongs, her face flushed red from the heat and sheer embarrassment, her dark hair slightly disheveled. "I told you. Nutrient paste is more efficient."
Nicholas picked up a heavy, razor-sharp chef’s knife from the magnetic block. "Step back and watch."
Instead of moving away, Selena stepped up to the wooden cutting board, stubbornly grabbing the spare knife. "No. I am not letting your sister think I can’t handle basic kitchen logistics. Show me how to cut it." She whispered.
Nicholas looked at her determined face, then shook his head with the faintest trace of amusement.
He didn’t step back. Instead, he closed the distance, stepping directly behind her.
Selena’s breath hitched.
The heat of his chest pressed lightly against her back, the clean scent of ocean air and sandalwood rolling off his shoulders as he reached around both sides of her waist.
His large, right hand wrapped firmly over hers, adjusting her grip on the rosewood knife handle, while his left hand gently flattened against her left knuckles to guide the fish on the board.
Selena’s mind went blank. Nicholas was standing directly behind her, his hand covering hers as he guided the knife, close enough that she could feel the warmth of his chest against her back. She suddenly became far more aware of him than the fish on the cutting board.
For a moment, neither of them said anything. Selena could hear the ocean outside, feel the warmth of his back beneath her hands, and suddenly found it difficult to concentrate on anything else.
Nicholas didn’t pull away. He leaned his head slightly downward, his lips hovering barely an inch from the curve of her ear.
"Relax your wrist. You’re forcing it."
He guided her hand lower, "Follow the bone. You’re not fighting it" Nicholas whispered, his deep, raspy voice sending a shiver straight down her spine.
"N-Nicholas..." Selena whispered, her heart hammering wildly against her ribs, her face turning an intense, burning scarlet. "You’re... you’re too close."
"If you weren’t a twenty year old lady with no experience on how to cook, I won’t have to be standing here. Just focus and listen," Nicholas replied smoothly, his tone completely steady and deadpan, though the warmth of his breath against her earlobe didn’t seem to be a mistake.
"Curl your fingers in. Good. Now follow the bone."
He gently guided her hand, applying smooth, controlled downward pressure. The blade sliced through the silvery skin with effortless, satisfying precision, parting the delicate meat in three perfect diagonal seams without crushing the flesh.
"See?" Nicholas murmured, his voice low and vibrating against her neck. "Precision over brute force. Now pick up the sea salt."
Selena’s fingers were trembling slightly as she reached into the small ceramic dish, pinching the coarse white crystals.
"Spread it evenly," Nicholas said. "Don’t dump it all in one place."
Selena glanced over her shoulder, "You could have said that without sounding like a laboratory manual."
"I could have." Nicholas said, finally stepping back half a pace and picking up a bunch of fresh rosemary and crushed garlic.
"Now let’s season the cavity. The grill is cooled down enough for the cast-iron sear."
Selena took a long, quiet breath to regain her composure, turning around to face him with her arms crossed, though the vibrant blush across her cheeks and neck gave away everything.
"You know you didn’t have to stand so close"
"I was simply trying to teach you." Nicholas replied, with a shrug.
"You could teach without standing on top of me."
Nicholas looked at her calmly.
"You’re the one who asked me to show you."
Selena’s ears went red in embarrassment, but she couldn’t argue anymore. She could only scoff at him. "Get the lemon slices."
By seven, the outdoor dining pavilion glowed beneath the warm light of woven lanterns, with the evening tide rolling quietly beyond the terrace.
The long teak table was covered in an impressive spread: whole red snappers seared to golden perfection with blistered cherry tomatoes and herbs, a massive bowl of chilled island mango salad, seasoned wild rice, and a chilled bottle of sparkling coastal wine.
The patio doors slid open, and the famished group flooded in like a pack of wolves.
Katie was the first to scramble onto her chair, sniffing the air with wide, sparkling eyes. "It doesn’t smell burned!" Katie gasped. "Selena actually did it!"
"It smells incredible," Marina admitted, taking her seat and inspecting the clean, restaurant-quality plating with genuine surprise. She looked across the table at Selena, whose composure had mostly returned. "I didn’t think you had it in you, Selena."
"Nicholas assisted me a little," Selena said, sitting down with a dignified posture and pouring herself a glass of chilled white wine.
Nectron loaded an entire half of a snapper onto his plate, taking a massive bite. His eyes widened, and he let out a low, appreciative rumble. "The seasoning is balanced. Crisp skin, juicy meat. Nicholas, you missed your calling in catering."
"Catering pays poorly," Nicholas said flatly, sitting directly beside Selena and serving Katie a clean portion of boneless fillet. "The margins are too thin."
Katie chewed happily, kicking her feet beneath the table. She looked at Nicholas, then at Selena, and then across at Julie, who had her micro-camera resting inconspicuously beside her napkin.
Katie tapped her juice glass with her stainless-steel spoon, making a loud clink-clink sound that silenced the table.
"A toast!" Katie declared, standing up on her chair with her glass held high.
Marina raised her glass with an amused smile. "A toast to what, sweetie?"
Katie beamed, looking proudly at Nicholas and Selena sitting shoulder-to-shoulder.
"A toast!" Katie announced, raising her glass. "To Big Brother and Selena! And to never eating burned fish again!" Katie cheered at the top of her lungs.
"Yes. And to the future Mrs. Phantom!" Julie added.
"May big brother buy Selena all the pretty dresses and stop eating cold noodles forever!" Katie yelled in agreement.
"Hear, hear!" Julie chimed in instantly, clinking her glass against Katie’s with a manic, triumphant grin. "To the upcoming wedding of the century!"
*PFFFFT—*
Selena, who had just taken a large sip of chilled wine, violently choked, coughing into her linen napkin as the sparkling liquid went straight down the wrong pipe. Her face turned an alarming shade of crimson, her eyes wide with shock as she hit her chest with one hand.
"Julie!" Selena wheezed between ragged coughs, trying to maintain her dignity while glaring daggers at Julie. "What... what did I say about that?!"
Nicholas didn’t flinch. He picked up his glass of water, placed it calmly in front of Selena’s trembling hand, and reached over to give her back three solid, steady pats.
"Drink the water, Supervisor," Nicholas said in a calm, "And stop trying to kill yourself with dinner."
"Shut up, Nicholas," Selena choked out, taking the glass and glaring at him over the rim, though beneath the table, her foot lightly bumped his ankle—and stayed there.
Around the table, Nectron’s booming laughter echoed joined by Marina’s soft, knowing chuckles and Julie’s rapid shutter clicks, filling the night with warmth, food, and pure, unrestrained chaos.