Chapter Five

As Charles was still trying to figure out which skill to choose, Mark accompanied by the head chef of the hotel barged into his private room without even knocking. Charles and Vera stared at them in shock as they stood glaring at them.

The man was a friend of Mark who worked as the head chef of the hotel. He was previously a Michelin chef before he began to work at Golden State Hotel. He was employed by the CEO of the hotel after begging several times.

The chef was a very rude man who looked down on people all the time. Because of his position in the hotel, he felt he was better than other workers.

After Mark was kicked out of the hotel, he called his friend and told him everything that happened. The head chef was furious and decided to confront the man who dared to humiliate his friend.

“What is going on here?” Vera asked them, utterly confused about their attitude.

Mark noticed Vera properly at that moment and found her extremely beautiful. Her skin radiated from head to toe and her eyes were charming. Even her accent was different and this made him take an interest in her.

He wondered how such a stunning woman would agree to sit on the same table with Charles, a common delivery man. He became so enraged that Charles was using his privilege as a highest hotel member to get the things he wanted.

“This man here is a thief,” the head chef said out loud. “Have you asked him where he got 1 million dollars to pay for the highest hotel membership?”

Vera intervened quickly. “It is none of our business how our clients get the money to pay for the membership. You are invading his privacy and I’ll like you to leave.”

Mark chuckled and shook his head. “Miss, I know this man. He is a live in son-in-law in my family. He is a wretched bastard in this city and he was kicked out of his father’s home a long time ago. He married my sister but has only made her life miserable with his poverty. Look at him, do you think a man who looks like this can afford 1 million dollars?”

Vera said nothing again and watched to see how Charles would defend himself. She didn’t want to believe Mark’s accusations but Charles indeed did not look like a millionaire.

Charles cleared his throat. “I’m no longer who you think I am and I don’t have to explain how I got the money to pay for the hotel membership.”

“You don’t have to explain because you stole it. Where did you get the money? My sister definitely didn’t give you because I called her and she said you were thrown out of the Silver Hotel this morning. She is even planning to divorce you soon. You’re an embarrassment to yourself and the Adam’s family. Everything about you is lined with poverty and misery.” Mark said, grinding his teeth in anger.

“Look at how he is devouring the meals like a pig,” the head chef mocked him even more. “You don’t belong here. This hotel is for distinguished men but you’re just a poor beggar looking for free food.”

“I need to teach this head chef a lesson he won’t forget easily,” Charles said within himself. He couldn’t tolerate all the insults they dished out especially in front of Vera. He felt embarrassed because Vera was now staring at him with shock.

“Why are you suddenly mute?” Mark scoffed. “Have you run out of lies to tell? Are you ashamed you’ve been caught? You couldn’t even afford a decent suit on your wedding day. You had to borrow a suit to marry my sister and you’re trying to tell me you can afford a million dollars. You have no business in this city, instead, you run around like a slave to deliver food to people of high class like me. You have no good clothes and even your delivery clothes have patches all over them. Who do you think you are? You were nobody yesterday, nobody today and you’ll be nobody tomorrow. You will forever be worthless.”

The head chef laughed bitterly as Mark mocked Charles. He loved to humiliate people below him and he thought Charles was one of them.

Charles rose from his seat and approached the head chef. “Do you want to know who I am?” He asked.

“I already know who you are. You’re nobody. A good for nothing man with no skills, talents, and respect. I don’t need you to tell me any more lies.” The chef replied with a smug smile on his face.

Charles chuckled. “If you think I’m good for nothing and I have no skills, then I challenge you to a cooking competition.”

Charles knew the system had offered him a great cooking skill and he would easily beat the head chef in a cooking competition. He was going to be humiliated completely in his own field.

Mark and the head chef burst out in laughter. To them, Charles was incompetent and would never beat the chef in any cooking competition.

“I can see you love to make a mockery of yourself.” The chef said, still laughing. “Do you know who I am in this city? I am one of the best chef’s in this city and I will easily win you in any cooking competition. Besides, competing with a man like you is a stain in my qualifications and a waste of my time.” He boasted.

Charles smiled. “If you really think you can beat me in any cooking competition, then accept my challenge. Let’s compete in the kitchen and see who is better.”

“Jeremy, forget about this idiot.” Mark said to the head chef. “He just wants to humiliate you. Do you know what people will think when they see you competing with this good for nothing fool?”

But the head chef was a very proud and boastful man who couldn’t let any challenge go easily. He grit his teeth in anger as he considered Charles’ challenge. Within him, he believed that he could beat Charles in the cooking competition and he badly wanted to humiliate him.

“This is a waste of my time because I can beat you with my eyes closed. But if a cooking competition is what I need to put you in your dirty place, I’ll be more than happy to accept your challenge.”

“Good,” Charles said, beaming with happiness. He thought of a way to make the chef suffer if he lost the competition and an idea came to him. “The competition will be held today.”

“Of course, I’m ready anytime.” The chef said. “We will hold it in the presence of other chefs in the kitchen and managers. I want everyone to watch you cry when I beat you with ease.” The chef didn’t know what was coming for him.

Charles nodded. “I'd like to add a condition and a prize for the winner.”

“What?”

“You must not use any recipe book.” Charles said. “As for the prize, if I win, you’ll grovel at my feet and you’ll be fired from the hotel as the head chef since a man like me can beat you in a cooking competition. But if you win, I will grovel at your feet and I will never step my foot into this hotel again. Agreed?”

The head chef contemplated for some seconds. “Deal. I can’t wait to watch you grovel at my feet. You’ll regret making this decision.” He flashed Charles a dirty grin.

“We will see about that,” Charles said inwardly.