"I must say, the stew you made was something I could never forget, even though I only tried it once," Jessica Dunn commented, licking her lips.
During that time, I had completely stopped cooking, including making the wholesome stews for Arjun Carlson. I used to prepare various hearty stews to help boost his health. Each one required careful simmering, but since he thought I was useless, I didn't see any reason to continue.
However, one day Arjun tricked me into believing he had a stomachache. Feeling sorry for him, I gave in and made the stew once again. He eagerly took it to Jessica, claiming she was overworked. When the container came back, I noticed lipstick marks on it. My heart clenched with pain, and in a moment of anger, I smashed the container. While cleaning up the pieces, one shard cut deep into my hand, stinging sharply, and I couldn't help but burst into tears. How had my life turned into such a mess?
Little did I know, that single taste of stew gave Jessica the idea to hire me.
"Jessica, you're a savvy businesswoman with a great reputation. You could hire anyone you want, and I'm really quite ordinary…" I protested.
"You're anything but ordinary. Your cooking and stew-making skills not only taste wonderful but also revitalize the body. It's nothing like the restaurant chefs' techniques. If I may ask, is it a family secret?" she inquired.
I couldn't help but admire Jessica; she had such a keen sense of taste.
"Jessica, you have an astute palate. My grandmother, Caroline Franklin, came from a line of royal chefs, quite famous in their day. She inherited some of their skills and eventually opened a small eatery. My grandfather was a herbalist, so he added some health-focused recipes to the menu. After my grandmother passed away, my uncle, Quentin Reyes, took over the eatery, which is now a prestigious private dining establishment, though mostly known to true food enthusiasts."
Jessica's eyes sparkled with excitement at the story.
"I knew it! This cooking technique has a legacy to it. Arjun, that fool, has no idea what he had. He's like a bull in a china shop, completely oblivious to the treasures around him."
Jessica shook her head in disbelief, adding, "That idiot's been enjoying your food all these years without appreciating it—it's like casting pearls before swine!"
For some reason, hearing Jessica criticize Arjun filled me with immense satisfaction. It was incredibly gratifying.
