Tati watched Isabella carefully.She actually felt relieved when Isabella did not immediately spit out the food.She was really worried Isabella would do that.The young chef stood no chance if so.Isabella ate the other half of the treat.“Isn’t it yummy, Isa?”Isabella hummed in acknowledgment.“It’s meticulously done. Not bad—it’s just a little dry.”Tati immediately poured a glass of water for Isabella and handed it to her, smiling. “It is. Maybe making treats isn’t his specialty, but it’s pretty good if you don’t mind eating them.“I asked him and he said that he started helping out in the kitchen ever since he was at the age of six or seven and started learning how to cook after. He might not be thirty yet, but he’s had over a decade of experience cooking.”“Does he come from a family of cooks?” Isabella had already finished the second treat and was moving on to the next.Perhaps she was truly hungry, or perhaps the treats really were good enough for a second helping.

“You’re hiring a chef, not looking for a husband, so that doesn’t matter,” Tati tittered. “All that matters is that his cooking is delicious enough for you to eat them and not get bored.”Isabella did not think much of Austin. She had not even met him yet, anyway.She was only astonished that Austin was from Wiltspoon as it was very far from Satbury.“I wish I had a chef whose cooking I didn’t get bored of too, and didn’t have to change my chef so often.”Isabella tapped her own mouth mockingly. “I don’t know why I have such a picky mouth either.”“Do you want more?” Tati asked when she saw Isabella had stopped eating.“I’m not hungry anymore, so no.” Isabella took a look at the time and said, “I have a meeting that’s about to start. Come with me.”“Alright.” Tati took the box from Isabella. “If you’re not eating the rest, I’ll finish them. I think they’re pretty yummy. This Austin York probably has some skill. He says he’s not very good at making treats, but you ate quite a f

Zachary laughed. “Then I wish you the best of luck, and I hope you’ll bring Ms. O’Connor back to meet us soon.”Austin grimaced. “It’s still too early to say that. Anyway, I’ll still be spending this holiday season single.”“Christmas is right around the corner. I definitely don’t expect you to get a girlfriend before the year ends. It’ll be great if you do next year though. Even Dylan and Peter haven’t gotten girlfriends this year either.”Dylan kept everything about his pursuit tightly under wraps. Even Zachary knew little about it.Of course, it was also because Zachary did not want to meddle in their private affairs.He said before that unless they needed something or shared with him of their own volition, he would not stick his nose into their personal lives.He was not Josh, whose entire job involved being nosy. Josh was the right person if you’re looking for the hottest tea.“I’m busy, so I won’t disturb you any longer. Call us if you need anything. By the way, have you let Mom

Austin did not want to invite the father and daughter into his room. He told them, “Please wait for a moment, Mr. Abbot. I’ll get my phone, and we can have a nice chat with a cup of coffee at the cafe on the first floor.”Weston smiled. “Sure.”Austin returned to his room and took his phone before heading out again. “Let’s go. The coffee’s on me.”After closing the door, Austin led the way with Weston and Jovanne behind him. Weston caught up to him and said apologetically, “Coffee should be on us. I’m the one intruding on your time, so I should be the one paying.”Austin smiled. “A cup of coffee doesn’t cost much. You don’t have to fight with me over this.”Weston smiled. His young competitor was pretty nice. He wondered how well Austin could cook. Weston had a strong desire to be the O’Connor family’s chef. It was for the money and fame. After graduating, he had been refining his cooking skills and worked in the industry for over twenty years. He thought of himsel

Upon hearing Weston’s recount, Austin thought Weston’s mental fortitude was not strong enough. Austin himself had received many criticisms. Whenever his nana thought his food tasted terrible, she would tell him to redo it over and over again. There was once when he failed to satisfy her with her favorite dish even after ten attempts. In the end, Grandma May gave up on eating it. He did not find it traumatic but reflected on his shortcomings instead. It made him realize that the food he made was not as delicious as he had imagined. The constant experimentation and improvement had shaped him into who he was that day. Since Austin was not close to Weston, and they were competitors, he did not say much and remained a listener. He listened as Weston described how much time he took to recover from the shock Ms. O’Connor’s comment had caused. Weston said, “At my second interview, Ms. O’Connor had already become the head of the family. She’s truly an amazing young girl. She was