Chapter 40: Victoria in a maid uniform
The massive digital clock on the kitchen wall showed twenty five past five as Rick wiped down his stainless steel prep station with a clean towel.
The brutal lunch and afternoon service was finally coming to an end.
Rick grabbed a perfectly seared piece of premium Wagyu beef and plated it flawlessly with a rich, dark glaze, as he handed the final dish over the pass to a waiting waiter, making the entire kitchen staff let out a collective sigh of relief.
Just as the waiter rushed out of the double doors, a sharp, mechanical chime echoed directly inside Rick’s skull, as the translucent blue screen instantly materialized in his line of sight.
[Ding!]
[Quest Completed: Complete Fifty Service Orders Today]
[Objective: You personally oversaw and prepared exactly fifty proper dishes before 18:00!]
[Reward: +2 % Chef Occupation Progress]
[Current Chef Class Completion: 10%]
[Ding!]
[Milestone Reached: 10% Class Completion!]
[Reward: +5% Additional Controlling Stakes in Peninsula Hotel!]
[Reward: +$1,000,000 Cash Deposited into Inventory!]
Rick read the glowing blue text, as a satisfied smirk stretched across his face, since he now officially owned fifty-five percent of this billionaire fortress, he now absolutely ruled over the board of directors with an iron fist.
"Clean your stations," Rick called out, "Rest for a while before preparing for the evening service,"
And this rejuvinated the exhausted cooks instantly to attention, as they frantically began scrubbing the counters.
Meanwhile Rick picked up his black leather roll and walked alone towards the private dining kitchen, because he had a very arrogant politician to face-slap.
For the next hour, Rick worked alone in the private kitchen, as he pulled out his pitch-black, Damascus steel Shadow-Forged Cleavers, and used his heaven-defying Culinary Mastery to slice, sear, and plate a multi-course meal that smelled so incredibly intoxicating it almost felt illegal.
The passive aphrodisiac and mood-enhancing aura radiating from the food quickly filled the entire room, making Rick chuckle. He knew exactly how this hidden magic would destroy the Mayor’s pathetic ego, but it will surely make his night worthwhile.
"His wife is going to thank me, tonight. Hehehe."
~~~~~~
Meanwhile inside the Nine Jade Pavilion private dining room the atmosphere was tight and self-congratulatory.
The Mayor sat at the head of the long mahogany table adjusting his jacket. His elegant wife sat beside him with her legs crossed tightly under the table. Victoria stood a few feet away in her usual grey pencil skirt and white silk blouse, arms folded under her chest, ice-blue eyes locked on the doors.
"Once this is over," the Mayor said, dabbing his forehead with a silk handkerchief, "The city will officially recognise the Peninsula Hotel as the exclusive venue for every major government banquet and state reception. No more competing hotels. Just a long, profitable partnership."
Victoria’s cold smile widened slightly.
"That is exactly the kind of stable relationship the Peninsula needs, Mayor. A hotel like that of ours deserves to be the face of the city’s hospitality," Victoria nodded appreciatively at the mayor.
"And of course, your continued support will be remembered when the next round of development permits comes up."
"Naturally, Chairwoman. It’s good to work with someone who understands how the city actually runs," The Mayor chuckled, clearly pleased, "Not like that arrogant young chef who thinks owning a few shares makes him untouchable. I have seen his type before; flashy, and loud. They dwindle and vanish before anyone could noice."
Victoria’s eyes glinted with shared contempt.
"Exactly. A temporary distraction. Once he realises the real power in this city still sits at this table, he will either fall in line or disappear. The Peninsula will be stronger without that kind of noise."
"Why do I feel an itch in my ears?"
"Are you all talking behind my back?"
The double doors suddenly swung open, as Rick calmly walked into the room pushing a cart, walking past Marcus who was sweating profusely in the corner.
Rick stopped the cart right beside the Mayor as he turned towards Marcus, "Why are you standing there? Do you want me to serve?"
"Absilouteily not!" Marcus muttered whatever gibberish he could and quickly got into action as he almost sprinted towards Rick. He grabbed the first course directly in front of the Mayor and his wife, as he lifted the silver cloches, revealing a delicate, pan-seared scallop resting in a rich, buttery truffle emulsion.
The absolute second the steam hit the air, the heaven-defying aroma completely invaded their senses.
The Mayor’s fat face instantly froze, as his arrogant sneer completely melted away, while his wife let out a soft, breathy gasp, as her lips parted slightly and a deep, noticeable flush of pink crawled up her pale neck.
"Eat," Rick lazily said as he crossed his arms and looked down at the politician like he was a dog waiting for a bone.
The Mayor cleared his throat and tried to recover his dignity.
"Well? Are you going to stand there or describe the dishes properly? A real chef explains his work."
Rick raised an eyebrow, still holding the silver cloche in one hand, "Are you here to talk, or are you here to eat?"
The Mayor’s face immediately darkened, "You—!"
But before he could finish, the Mayor’s wife leaned forward and pointed at the delicate scallop on her plate, her voice soft and curious.
"What is this one, exactly? It smells... different."
Rick’s expression shifted instantly into a warm, almost playful smile as he turned fully toward her.
"You have a very keen eye madam Mayor." Rick walked around the Mayor as he got behind his wife, "That is a dry-aged scallop, seared in clarified butter, finished with a black-truffle emulsion and a touch of aged balsamic reduction."
"The scallop itself was rested for forty minutes after searing so the centre stays barely warm and the crust stays crisp. The emulsion is made with the truffle’s natural oils so it coats the tongue without feeling heavy."
"Wow..." Everything went above her head, but the way Rick described it, she instantl;y felt her mouth watering.
He moved to the next plate, brushing his hand along her arm without waiting.
"The second course is a slow-roasted duck breast, glazed with a reduction of its own jus, honey, and a little star anise."
"The skin is rendered until it shatters, and the meat is pulled at fifty-eight degrees so it stays pink and tender. Beside it is a smoked celeriac puree that—"
But just as he was in the middle of describing his master dishes to her, his phone vibrated loudly in his pocket.
Rick paused mid-sentence, pulled the phone out, saw Elena’s name, and answered right there at the table without any regard to the authority of the Mayor.
"Hey, Doc. What’s up?" Rick replied with a cheerful smile, winking at the Mayor’s wife, "Missing me?"
While he mouthed, "It’s important" to the mayer’s wife, Victoria’s ieyes widened in surprise. She could not believe he was blatantly taking a leisurely phone call during a multi-billion dollar wager, while the Mayor frowned deeply in clear annoyance at the blatant disrespect.
On the other end of the line, Elena’s voice sounded incredibly soft and slightly breathless, "Hey, Rick... I just got some time at the hospital, and you know..."
"Could not stop yourself from thinking about me?"
"You can say that... I missed you and..... and about last night."
"Ohhh! Last night!" Rick let out a low, highly arrogant chuckle, as a wicked glint flashed in his eyes, "Is that right? So did you miss me, or did you just miss how loud i made the bed squeak?"
"Ugh! Cough! Cough!" The Mayor’s wife almost choked on her wine, as her face turned a shade of crimson red, her eyes darting towards Rick’s face and slowly down to his chest when the Mayor held her by the arm and gave it a hard squeeze.
Meanwhile Victoria felt a suffocating wave of jealousy stab her in the chest.
This arrogant bastard had left her completely frustrated and dripping wet on his penthouse sofa, and now he was openly flirting with some other woman like what he did to her meant nothing.
"Rick! Shut up, you are so shameless!" Elena whispered frantically through the speaker, her voice completely flustered, "I... I mostly missed your food! You promised you would cook for me again!"
"I will cook for you whenever you want, Doc," Rick replied with a warm, intimate tone that made Victoria’s blood violently boil with raw envy.
"So when do you get off? Are you busy with something?" Elena asked softly, trying to regain her professional composure, "I can pick you up."
Rick slowly turned his head, locking his eyes directly onto Victoria, who was standing rigidly in her tight power suit, as an entertaining smirk stretched across his face.
"What am I doing?" Rick asked playfully, keeping his eyes glued to Victoria’s heavy, heaving chest.
"I am actually about to go shopping for a maid uniform."
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