During her lunch break, Daph received a message from Adrian.
“Daph, I’m free this weekend! I’m totally ready–prepared to wow the crowd and sweep everyone off their feet!”
Adrian sounded absolutely confident.
Daph sent him a voice message in reply. “Sorry, Mr. Shaw, I’ve already invited my uncle to the family day event.”
Adrian was sitting in his office when he saw Daph’s voice message pop up. He squinted and hit play.
Daph would definitely ask him, he thought. She’d want him at the parent–child event. But as soon as he heard her message, his heart shattered.
He slumped against the back of his chair, as stiff and gray as a statue, then picked up his phone with a sigh and pressed the voice button.
“Daph, why’d you decide to go with your uncle to family day?”
Had Luke Holloway cornered Daph somewhere and threatened her into this?
Daph replied quickly. “Because Uncle Luke makes the best lunches! I want to try his food with Mom–his cooking is incredible!”
Adrian could practically hear the sound of his heart breaking all over again.
!
He pressed the voice button, his tone full of wounded pride. “Alright, you all go ahead. I’m totally fine. Not sad at all.”
After sending the message, Adrian wallowed in his misery for a second and a half. Then, after some searching on his phone, he dialed a number.
“Hello, is this the Havenhurst Supper Club? Are you accepting apprentices?”
*
A few days later, Theodore and his colleagues were leaving Capital Unive..y when Adrian called.
“Dad, come to Imperial View Pavilion. My treat.”
Theodore was thrilled. What a pleasant surprise!
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He turned to his friends, grinning. “My son’s taking me to Imperial View Pavilion for dinner! No special occasion–he just wants to spoil his old man. Bet you’ve never eaten there, huh? It’s almost impossible to get a reservation. I’ll check it out for you guys first!”
When Theodore arrived at Imperial View Pavilion, he was greeted by Adrian, dressed in a crisp black chef’s uniform, black kitchen gloves on his hands.
Theodore’s eyes went wide, jaw dropping in disbelief.
“Son, what’s going on? Did something happen to you?”
Adrian had always been a quick study, succeeding at anything he tried–no matter the field. But suddenly seeing his son as a chef? That was a leap even Theodore
couldn’t process.
Adrian pulled out a chair for him. “Dad, I’ve been working hard on my cooking these past few days. Try some of my dishes, will you?”
Theodore was delighted. Sure, he was playing guinea pig, but the fact that his son thought of him while learning to cook–what a devoted kid!
Adrian brought over a steaming dish and set it in front of him.
“Braised pork belly.”
Theodore picked up his fork and knife, sliced off a piece, and gave it a sniff before taking a bite.
He chewed thoughtfully, eyes closed
A moment later, Theodore frowned. “Did you actually clean this pork belly?”
Adrian grinned. “I left in a bit of the original flavor. That way you know you’re eating the real thing! Pretty talented, aren’t I?”
Theodore swallowed with difficulty, his shoulders shaking. He opened his mouth, then immediately grabbed at his throat.
On the day of the family outing, Selene and Daph sat in the car while Luke Holloway drove them toward Sky Pastures Ranch.
Selene’s phone chimed with a message: her previously frozen funds had been released by the notary office.
After winning the gold medal at the ALI Math Competition, she’d submitted her old
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stock market analysis program to the regulatory committee.
With the authority of the ALI Group behind her, and her growing online reputation thanks to the competition, her credibility had soared.
Of course, ALI Group had their own reasons for giving her a boost. Now that Selene was a semi–public figure with some social standing, other institutions finally began to trust her.
