Chapter 38: The Ice Queen Who Blushed at the Chef
The sun had risen for some time now, but today something felt odd.
As Rick stood, looking out at the glittering city through the floor-to-ceiling windows while a satisfied little smirk played on his lips, he noticed that the sun seems to be in that same place, the same level as him for some time now.
’Is this how rich people see the world?’
’Everything beneath them?’
He had teased Victoria to the absolute brink of insanity last night, pushing her just over the edge, but he deliberately stopped at the very last second, completely denying her the pleasure she was desperately begging for.
And to hurt her pride even more, he showed her the door, forcing her to gather her torn clothes and leave with a heavy, aching emptiness between her legs.
It had been entertaining, but right now his mind was somewhere else entirely.
A sharp chime rang inside his head.
Ding!
[System Notification: Chef Occupation Quest Triggered!]
[Objective: To solidify your foundation in the Dao of Culinary Arts, you must serve your very first meal since unlocking the occupation to a top-tier jade beauty! Bring Dr. Elena Vance to your own domain and cook a meal for her to establish your dominance!]
[Rewards: +8% Chef Class Completion Progress]
Rick read the glowing blue text floating in his vision, as he raised his left hand and looked down at the Rolex gleaming on his wrist, suddenly realizing that he had made a massive, rookie mistake yesterday morning.
He had completely conquered Dr. Elena Vance, taking her virginity and leaving her a thoroughly wrecked, submissive mess in her own house, but he had walked out of her kitchen with a hundred-dollar bill, but forgot to ask for her phone number
It was such an amateur behaviour.
He scratched the back of his neck and grinned to himself.
"Looks like I need to fix that little mistake."
He changed into a plain black t-shirt, dark jeans and casual trainers. He then ordered some food for lunch.
Finally when he was done and it was time for the sun to start going down, he pulled out his phone to rent an ordinary mid-range black sedan. Maintaining the image of a regular guy who had just landed a normal job was still important for now. He drove to St. Jude’s Hospital under the evening sky and parked in the visitor lot before walking inside with his hands in his pockets.
At the nurses’ station he asked politely for Dr. Vance and was told to wait near the consultation wing.
Ten minutes later, the double doors of the consultation wing pushed open, as Elena stepped out into the hallway, holding a thick medical chart in her hands while giving orders to a terrified junior doctor who could barely keep up with her.
She was back in her strict, terrifying Ice Queen persona, wearing a crisp white lab coat over a dark pencil skirt that hugged her mature, wide hips, but the absolute second her eyes locked onto Rick standing casually against the wall, she froze completely in her tracks.
The junior doctor kept talking, but Elena did not hear a single word, as a visible flush of crimson red instantly crawled up her pale neck, completely shattering her strict professional mask.
Memories of the previous night rushed back, and her body immediately remembered how he had played with her, in her own house, in front of her own mirror.
Rick smiled warmly, as he pushed himself off the wall and walked toward her.
"That will be all, Doctor," Elena stammered quickly, waving the confused junior staff member away, as she clutched the medical clipboard against her chest, looking around frantically to make sure none of her subordinates were watching them.
"Rick...?" Her voice came out quieter than usual. "What are you doing here?"
"I came to see you, Doc. Realised I walked out of your kitchen yesterday without even asking for your number. I didn’t want you to think I was just a cheap bastard who hits and runs."
Elena’s eyes widened slightly. The cold professional mask she wore for everyone else softened the moment she looked at him. She glanced around quickly to make sure no one was watching too closely.
"You... came all the way here just for that?"
"Not only for that." Rick slipped his hands into his pockets and tilted his head. "I also got some good news. I landed a Chef job at the Peninsula Hotel. Nothing too fancy, just kitchen work, but it’s steady."
"The Peninsula?" Elena’s eyes widened in pure, unadulterated shock, because that was the most exclusive, ultra-luxury billionaire fortress in the entire city, and getting a job there usually required decades of high-level culinary experience, "Rick, that is incredible! How on earth did you manage that?"
"I just got lucky with my cooking skills, and maybe because I met you," Rick said with a cheeky smilled that made the blush on Elena’s face even deeper, "So I wanted to invite you over to my place tonight, so I can cook for you properly and celebrate, assuming you are free after your shift?"
Elena blinked. A small, almost shy smile tugged at the corner of her lips before she quickly tried to hide it.
Elena did not even hesitate for a single second, as she eagerly nodded her head, completely ignoring the massive pile of paperwork waiting on her desk, because spending time with him and tasting his food again was suddenly the only thing that mattered in her highly structured life.
"I get off in thirty minutes," Elena smiled, her ice-blue eyes shining with quiet excitement, "Wait for me in the parking lot. I will be right out."
Rick’s grin widened.
"Yes, ma’am."
Twenty minutes later Elena walked out of the hospital entrance. She had changed into a dark blouse and trousers under a sleek trench coat, her hair loosely falling around her shoulders instead of the usual strict bun. When she saw the ordinary rental car she raised an eyebrow, but said nothing. Rick opened the passenger door for her with a little flourish.
"Your chariot awaits, Doctor."
Elena let out a soft huff that sounded suspiciously like a laugh and slid into the seat.
Rick drove them toward his old neighbourhood. He deliberately took her to the rundown apartment building he still kept as cover.
They walked inside the filthy brick building, bypassing the broken elevator to climb the dirty stairs, as Elena held her expensive designer coat tightly around her, trying not to touch the stained walls, but she didn’t utter a single complaint about his living conditions.
Rick unlocked his cheap wooden door and let her inside, as the small, cramped apartment was a massive contrast to her luxurious mansion, but Elena simply took off her coat and sat gracefully on the edge of his squeaky bed, watching him walk directly into the tiny, pathetic kitchen.
Inside the small, cramped apartment Rick switched on the lights and gestured toward the squeaky bed.
"Make yourself comfortable. I will get started."
Elena sat on the edge of the bed and watched him move around the tiny kitchen.
Rick pulled out the fresh ingredients he had bought on the way, as he instantly activated his ’Culinary Mastery’ skill, moving his hands with heaven-defying speed and precision, completely transforming cheap cuts of beef and standard pasta into a world-class, five-star meal.
Thirty minutes later he placed two plates on the small coffee table. The rich aroma filled the room.
"This smells absolutely incredible, Rick," Elena murmured, her ice-blue eyes widening in genuine awe, as she took her fork and placed the first bite of the steak into her mouth.
The absolute second the meat touched her tongue, the hidden system effect of the culinary skill violently kicked in, instantly infusing her nervous system with a mild, heaven-defying aphrodisiac that made her body hum with raw, unadulterated pleasure.
"Oh my god," Elena moaned softly, her cheeks flushing a beautiful shade of pink, as she eagerly took another massive bite, completely abandoning her strict table manners, because the food was so overwhelmingly delicious that it made her feel incredibly happy and completely pliant.
"Oh..." She covered her mouth with the back of her hand as a soft sound escaped her. "Rick... this is ridiculous. How does something this good come out of that tiny kitchen?"
Rick sat across from her, resting his chin on his hand as he watched her with open amusement.
"Secret chef technique. Don’t ask too many questions or I will have to keep you here forever as my official taste-tester."
Elena’s cheeks turned a deeper pink. She tried to keep her usual composed expression, but every time she took another bite the mild aphrodisiac effect of the skill made her shoulders relax and a quiet warmth spread through her body. Her thighs pressed together under the table without her noticing.
The conversation flowed incredibly naturally between them,and this made Elena relax entirely, as she vented about her stressful hospital shifts and the absolute mess her cancelled wedding had caused.
"Liam has been calling my office all day begging for forgiveness," Elena sighed heavily, rolling her eyes in pure disgust, as she took another bite of the heavenly pasta, feeling a rush of heat pool directly between her legs, "He says it was a momentary lapse of judgment, but I told security to permanently ban that pathetic loser from the hospital grounds."
"Good," Rick smirked lazily, leaning forward, as his eyes dragged deliberately down to her heavy chest, "A guy who doesn’t know how to properly appreciate a woman like you deserves to be thrown out like the trash he is."
"You are enjoying this far too much," she muttered, pointing her fork at him.
"Watching the terrifying Dr. Vance turn soft over a plate of pasta? Absolutely." Rick grinned. "It’s becoming one of my favourite hobbies."
Elena looked away, but the corners of her mouth kept lifting.
When the plates were empty she She looked at the clock on the wall, seeing that it was already getting late, as she reluctantly stood up from the squeaky bed and reached for her coat.
"I should probably go," Elena whispered softly, though her voice lacked any real conviction, her ice-blue eyes looking at him with deep, lingering reluctance, "I have an early shift tomorrow, and you need to rest before your new job."
Rick stood as well and stepped closer, gently catching her by the waist before she could put the coat on. His hands rested lightly on her hips as he looked down at her with a playful, warm expression.
"Stay a little longer, Doc." His voice was soft and teasing. "The bed is squeaky and the apartment is a mess, but I make excellent late-night snacks... We can eat some ramen."
Elena’s breath caught. The residual warmth from the meal mixed with the way he was looking at her made her usual icy composure crack even further. She stared at his chest for a second, then slowly lifted her eyes.
"You are very shameless, you know that?"
"Only with you," Rick replied, giving her waist a light, affectionate squeeze. "Everyone else still gets the cold version. You get the version that cooks for you and refuses to let you leave just yet."
Elena’s face was fully flushed now. She bit her lower lip, clearly fighting a smile, then let out a quiet sigh of defeat.
"...Fine. Just a little longer."
Rick’s eyes lit up with pure mischief as he leaned in and brushed a soft, lingering kiss against her lips. Elena melted into it almost immediately, her hands coming up to rest against his chest as the kiss deepened.
[Ding!]
[System Notification: Chef Occupation Progress Updated!]
[Objective Completed: You have successfully served a world-class meal to a top-tier jade beauty in your own domain, establishing your culinary dominance and securing her loyalty!]
[Reward: +8% Class Completion Progress!]
[Current Chef Class Completion: 8% (Only 2% remaining until your next massive 5% Hotel Stake unlock!)]
Rick smiled against Elena’s lips as the notification faded, his arms wrapping more securely around her waist.
The Ice Queen of St. Jude’s Hospital was currently standing in a cheap apartment, cheeks pink, coat forgotten on the bed, and completely unwilling to leave.
And Rick had every intention of keeping her exactly like that for the rest of the night.