Tristan Jenkins was going downright crazy. The girl did have guts and to think the previous day, Alfredo had been trying to lecture him about how harsh he believed he had treated Claire. He believed one thing that if you give people the chance, they tend to forget their positions in your life and make you feel miserable. Alfredo came inside with a smirk on his face.
“Wipe that smirk off your face Alfredo. Wasn’t that the girl you wanted me to take it easy on. So much for me being a nice boss,” he said as he shifted on his seat.
Alfredo gave a laugh which he had been trying hard enough to choke back inside. Tristan was pissed off and demanded to know what he found so amusing. The old man smiled at him and apologized but then he explained something.
“I don’t think she did anything wrong really. It’s no new thing for an aggrieved employee to bad mouth her bad boss,” he said
“And you think I am a bad boss now?,” Tristan asked
“I never said so.” the man said
“But you implied it,” Tristan said, he continued,”Tell me Alfredo, do you badmouth me?,” he asked the man
“Sometimes but now I must go check out your new house.” Alfredo said.
The man left the office quickly before Tristan could say anything about it. The young man could not believe his aide had said that to him and scoffed. He could not believe his ears that the girl had referred to him as Vlad the impaler but then, he was going to make her regret. Tristan was not planning on firing her but he sure as hell was going to frustrate her until she had no chance but to leave his restaurant on her own free will. He sat down and began going through the files on his desk to see if there would be anything to interest him. Nothing excited him as the thought he was having in his head at the moment. Perhaps, he would show her place to her.
As he sat there, his phone rang again. This was the upteenth time she had called him. Not his therapist but Athena whom he was not interested in listening to whatever she had to say. He received a text from his presumed therapist much later and replied her as honestly as he could. She wanted to know if he had found himself another hobby. Of course he had and it was frustrating Claire. He did not actually write that down but somehow he wished he could tell her. He told her he was yet to see anything that infact interested him. After taking his drugs, Tristan got up to start off his new hobby.
He was glad about the way the restaurant had been built with his office hidden away from the sight of customers. He needed to maintain a really low profile pending whenever he left the place. He went outside and his employees tried not to announce his presence. He had warned them about it and told them if anyone in fact made it open or brought him the paparazzi, he was going to make certain they go missing. That was threat enough especially as they all knew stories about him even though they were not certain whether or not such stories were really true or if he had paid people to spread the rumours. He nodded at them as he passed and went off to first inspect those cooking. Tristan was alarmed when he saw how some things were being done. He tried not to yell and demanded for an apron.
Tristan rolled up his sleeves. Even though the doctor had given instructions that he stay away from fire or stress as the case maybe, Alfredo was not there to checkmate him. He began adjusting a couple of things while they assisted him. He saw how the ingredients being chopped looked. This branch had a lot to learn, he noted. He was probably going to try his best to make it bubbling. By the time he had finished preparing the first course of meal, the aroma was already strong. The first was served and he waited. He was the divine kitchen lord. Soon, the server returned and stated people wanted the same thing. Praises and compliments were being showered on him and he felt more or less a god of the sorts. He hoped that silly therapist or psychologist could see him at the moment and see what great man she was trifling with. Perhaps someday he would invite her to his restaurant and make her eyes open to the fact that he was no ordinary person. He kept watching as his recipe was being asked for even as a souvenir.
Claire had been washing few plates earlier and was really scared as she wondered what Tristan Jenkins was going to do to her. This was all her fault for having such a loud mouth. She could not believe she had been saying all that despite knowing well enough that she working under him. Her fate was sealed and she was doomed.
Suddenly, the dishes started coming in more than before. Claire was surprised and wondered if someone was throwing a party. She sighed as she did her duty when they called for more plates. She rinsed her hand and walked over to the kitchen area to drop the plates. She had just set it on the counter when he spoke. Claire was startled so much she shook and one of the plates fell to the ground and broke. What on earth was he doing in the kitchen.
He rose up at the sound and looked at her. Instantly, Claire fell to her knees apologizing as she tried to pick the broken pieces.
“That would be twenty Miss Willows,” he said distastefully and asked the others to take over as he walked away angrily.
Claire was clouded with tears for successfully making a fool of herself. She cut herself with one of the broken pieces but then she refused to notice. She was startled when the manager came to touch her on the shoulder. He told her it was alright and seeing the blood, he asked Danielle to take her away while he cleans up her mess. Danielle instantly took her to the locker room where they changed and brought out the first aid box.
“Been a while since we used this,” the girl said
“I’m sorry,” Claire said
“Could you stop that… being sorry? He’s the asshole for trying to make you jumpy,” the girl said.
Claire told her to stop saying it loud as she now believed even the walls might own ears. Danielle laughed as she helped her while Claire wondered why she had been so silly. She still contemplated leaving the place but the thought of staying home did not appeal to her at all.
“Oh God, what do I do?,” she cried out.