My father sold me to the Mafia King

Chapter 342:

Steve’s POV

I was standing in the middle of the kitchen floor in my white attire, the high heat radiating from the gas stoves coating my face with a flush and sweat. I was moving with rapid, mechanical paces while my hands cooked and prepared with passion the successive luxury dishes requested by that important customer.

I captured a panting breath as I skillfully shook the metal frying pan; never in my life had I expected, nor had it crossed my mind, that my simple, old hobby of cooking could transform me into such a blatantly skilled and proficient chef! Of course, all this credit belongs to the skillful, elderly chef who used to work here in this place previously, who taught me everything and guided my fingers with patience throughout these long years.

Suddenly, the kitchen door was pushed with force, and the restaurant manager emerged with his tight features filled with anxiety and tension. He paced toward me while rubbing his palms in haste, saying in a panting tone:

”Hurry up, Steve! For the sake of hell, are you not finished yet?! The customer is waiting with running out patience.”

I did not turn to him completely; rather, my eyes remained focused on the knife and the meat, and I said with rapid breaths and a confident tone:

”I am already close to finishing, sir. Everything is under control.”

The manager knitted his brows, leaning his body toward me as he said with agitation:

”Exactly how much time do you require?!”

I raised my head for a second, wiping my forehead with the back of my sleeve as I said:

”Only 10 minutes, sir, and everything will be ready for presentation.”

The manager exhaled with a light relief, retreating with swift paces toward the door. Then, he glanced at the waiters standing in readiness and shouted in a raised voice:

”Take out the ready dishes instantly! Do not leave the table empty!”

The waiters began moving with swift movements, proceeding to take out the hot and cold appetizers in succession, while I bent my body with my full focus to finish preparing and garnishing the main course. After I had indeed finished it, I placed it lightly over the surface of the metal table, and the waiters took it out immediately with deliberation, followed by the luxury dessert plate that I had manufactured with perfection.

I relaxed my stiffened shoulders with fatigue, turning to the manager who was monitoring the movement from afar with tight fingers, and I said to him in an exhausted tone:

”Can I vacate and return home now, sir?”

The manager shook his head with a definitive and direct refusal, gripping the edge of the desk with tightness as he said with coldness:

”No, Steve... if he requests something else suddenly, how the sake of hell will we act?! You cannot vacate in any form of manners until he vacates the restaurant himself!”

I exhaled with tightness and muffled oppression, sitting on a wooden stool in a corner of the kitchen for a duration of time, the fatal silence enveloping the place while I anticipated the news. After heavy minutes, the manager rushed once more into the kitchen with his completely startled features.

He approached me, his eyes widened in a suspicious manner, saying in a low voice carrying the dimness of shock:

”Steve... the gentleman wants to see you instantly outside.”

I jolted up, standing on my feet with a trembling that shook my self-confidence. My eyes widened with terror and I said with a stunned stammer:

”What?! And why does he want to see me? Is there a mistake in the food?!”

The manager smiled a broad smile that swiftly reassured my heart, patting my shoulder with enthusiasm as he said:

”Perhaps he wants to praise your luxury cooking! If this indeed occurs, Steve, and matters turn out well, I will raise your salary.”

The features of my face convulsed with sudden astonishment, and I said in a panting voice:

”Truly?! Do you promise me that?”

He nodded his head with power, saying with assurance:

”Yes, I swear that to you... come on, launch with speed and do not keep him waiting.”

I took tense, hesitant steps toward the outer lounge, a sharp tension striking me that made my fingertips freeze in terror. The moment I transcended the door, I stood in my place for seconds to contemplate the scene with cautious eyes. I witnessed a calm man, clearly majestic, sitting by himself at a table in the center of the vacant restaurant.

He was wearing an incredibly luxury black suit from which a wealthy scent exuded, and he possessed a long face with stern features, and black eyes sharp like a falcon, with thick black hair infused with some graying at the two sides.

I captured a deep breath to expel the hesitation, approaching him closer with calm paces until I stood with politeness and total rigidity before him. I did not even know what his name or title was, so I bowed my head lightly and said in a slightly trembling voice:

”Hello, sir...”

The man raised his sharp black eyes and fixed them to my face with a scrutinizing, deep look. Then, his stiffened features relaxed calmly, and his lips moved to say in a deep, confident tone:

”A long time... I have never enjoyed eating in this pure and delicious fashion at all, despite the fact that my son indeed possesses a luxury restaurant holding a Michelin star.”

I felt absolute shock and astonishment travel in my veins with violence, as if my entire body froze in its place from the intensity of the surprise. Am I truly hearing this grand speech from a man of this magnitude?! I swallowed my saliva with difficulty, attempting to fetch my lost voice, and said with genuine emotion:

”Thank you, sir... this is certainly from your kindness and generous morals.”

The man nodded his head lightly, and the lines of total satisfaction appeared upon his features as he tracked calmly:

”I felt love and warmth while consuming your dish tonight... well done.”

A sweeping smile of joy sketched upon my lips, with which my eyes almost teared, and I said with extreme gratitude:

”This is a wonderful and great testimony from you, sir. I truly do not know what to say to thank you.”

At that moment, the manager appeared behind my back with movements filled with veneration and sycophancy, speaking in a smooth voice full of respect, saying:

”It highly pleases me and honors me that you loved the food and service, Mr. Thomas.”

The man rose slowly from his chair with his towering height, extending his palms to adjust the jacket of his luxury suit with severe coolness and dignity. He looked at me for the last time, saying with firm words:

”I will come tomorrow as well at the same time.”

He turned around with his body with balanced, heavy paces that aroused majesty, walking away from his table with his eyes to the front, until he crossed the outer glass door and exited from the restaurant entirely into the darkness of the night, leaving me standing in my place with a heart throbbing intensely from joy and relief...

I turned around with my body swiftly toward my manager, and despite the features of astonishment that were still sketching upon my face due to the words of the wealthy Mr. Thomas, I stripped off my white apron with a swift movement, looked at my manager, and said:

”I am going home right now, sir.”

[Shawnnie and Jennifer This Chapter is for you

Did you expect this secret or not? ]