Chapter 88

Emma hadn't gone far when she overheard the behind-her chatter. As expected, cliques had formed, and blame was being shifted. Rumors, she knew, were inevitable. Emma sneered, ignoring them as she strode toward the dining room.

In the catering department, she obtained Aiden's past few days' orders. From these, she would infer his tastes and preferences. Examining the computer records, she saw he'd ordered a wide variety of dishes, yet remained unsatisfied with all of them.

She sought a chef to analyze the dishes, aware that complaints damaged the hotel's reputation and jeopardized her own coursework. If no chef could please Aiden, she'd have to prepare the meal herself.

"Ezra, print out our restaurant's ingredient list. I'll prepare the food for table 88 on the administrative floor," Emma instructed.

Head chef Ezra Hobbs was surprised. "Emma, are you sure?"

Emma nodded. "Leave it to me." Her firm gaze and focused demeanor persuaded Ezra to relinquish the main preparation station.

After reviewing the ingredient list, Emma began preparing. Looking out the noon-day sun, she considered the impending heat when the food would be served. The kitchen staff's nervousness was palpable.

Three minutes passed before Emma began, starting by soaking plums flown in from Fisoland. The onlookers' anxiety escalated.

"Are you kidding me? Time's tight, yet she's processing fruit? Hurry up and prepare the main meal!" one exclaimed.

"She's trying to sabotage us," another added.

Some wanted to intervene, but Emma had locked the door. She glanced at the clock: forty-five minutes. Every second counted.

She quickly instructed her assistant chefs: "Clean the salmon and marinate the tuna. Preheat the oven to 150 degrees for fifteen minutes with green peppers and potatoes. Also, I need the freshest rose petals—they're not listed—send someone to buy them immediately."

The kitchen staff immediately recognized she was preparing a Fisoland dish.

"She's an intern! How can she make that dish in such a short time?" one demanded.

"Why Fisoland cuisine? Our hotel isn't known for it," another added.

"Who'd come here for Fisoland food? I need to resign!" a third panicked.

Ezra was incredulous. "Emma, you've chosen to make Fisoland cuisine?"

Emma explained, "Fisoland cuisine emphasizes light seasoning and avoids overcooking. Time and seasonality are key to unlocking the ingredients' best flavors. Watch me; you can master Fisoland cuisine too."

Her confident reply left no room for doubt. Twenty minutes sped by.

The errand runner called anxiously. "Emma, there are no fresh roses from Foren City. What do we do?"

Emma frowned. "What about roses from elsewhere in Fisoland?"

"None," he replied.

She needed a quick replacement. Remembering Aiden's pendant, she instructed, "Go to the city's southern flower market and buy the freshest roses from Horin City."

Chapter 5 (Continued)

The runner panicked. "But if he notices…."

"You have twenty-five minutes," Emma said, hanging up.

Twenty-five minutes later, Aiden, having waited forty-five, was losing patience. Just as he was about to complain to the Global Hotel Association, Emma arrived with the first course.

"Thank you for waiting, Mr. Singh. This is a seasonal meal I've prepared. Please try it."

The waiter presented a bowl of light soup, evocative of Fisoland cuisine. Aiden scoffed. "Fisoland cuisine? I hate it. Take it away."

The chefs were worried, but Emma remained calm. "Mr. Singh, try it first. You can comment after tasting, correct?"

Aiden, for some reason reminded of someone by her gaze, looked at her skeptically. He hesitantly tasted the soup. The freshness of seafood and the subtle tartness of plums danced on his palate; it was warm yet refreshingly cool.

"Plum salmon soup," Aiden noted.

"Yes," Emma replied. "Our plums are from Diore and Gorge cities in Fisoland—the finest. The salmon is seasonally caught. Minimal seasoning enhances the natural flavors, perfect for a hot summer day."

Aiden's appetite piqued. "Serve the rest."

Next came rose-flavored potato balls wrapped in marinated tuna. The rich textures and fragrant rose petals were exquisite. As Aiden ate, he felt transported to an autumn forest. However, the rose flavor caused a slight frown. He finished all the potatoes, but little else. Dish after dish followed, and with each, Aiden's obsession grew. Everyone watched, dumbfounded, as he devoured every morsel, his eyes shining brighter with each bite. He hadn't expected Sean's niece to be so talented. His meal had transformed into pure enjoyment, anticipation building for each new creation.

Finally, finishing the last dish, Aiden could contain his amazement no longer.