Runaway Chef [ON HOLD]

Chapter 5

Phone rings, papers shuffling and shoes clicking. The office was busy that no one had time to stop for a while and relax. It had been this hectic since there was a new CEO filling in the empty position. Everyone was busy moving around the office to get everything done on time, not wanting to be fired by the new boss. They heard he was quite the pain-in-the-ass kind of boss.

Soon the lunch break arrived, the workers rushed into the building's cafeteria. "Have you guys heard that the big boss will be entering today?" One of the female workers whispered. Everyone at the table was focusing their eyes on her. She sighed contently, "I heard he was quite a looker."

One of the listener then interrupted, "No doubt. Surely all of you know the young hotel tycoon." All of a sudden, a woman interrupted the conversation before they could continue on the subject. "I'm sure all of you have a lot of work to do rather than gossiping here. It's almost the end of lunch break, you know what to do ladies."

The workers quickly got back to their work leaving the woman with a stern expression alone. She sighed loudly. She quickly took out her phone and dialed a number. After few rings, the other person picked up. "Are you experiencing any difficulties there, Claire?" A husky voice said at the end of the line.

"Paolo, when will you be entering the office?" Claire asked, taping her shoes on the floor impatiently. She heard he chuckled. "Calm down, Claire. I'll be there shortly. See you in a few." He hung up. She groaned in a frustrating manner. Hormonal female workers, she thought.

When he walked inside the building everyone's eyes were on him. They quickly greeted him when they realized who he was. Claire immeadiately approached him and entered the elevator. "It was nice for you to visit early." He chuckled at her sarcastic comment. She then filled him in with all the informations he needed for the day and soon they were in the conference room to greet his new workers and staffs.

All the workers were eyeing him up while he just shrugged it off. In the middle of the meeting, he could feel his phone vibrated silently in his suits. It was his mother. "Mother, I can't speak now. Call you back later." He whispered into his phone.

When the meeting ended, he entered his office and relaxed on the couch nearby the large window. Something has been bothering his mind since last night. Is it he had found her finally? He sighed tiredly. That night. That night in the restaurant, he had tasted something so delicate that he just couldn't get enough of. He enjoyed the meal so much.

It has been a long time since he tasted something so similar to his mother's, just that the meal he enjoyed last night were better! He chuckled, if his mother ever heard him, she would be so upset that he had found a better cook than her. He suddenly sat straight from his slumped position. Mother! He remembered that he promised to call her back.

He quickly dialled his mother's phone. His mother picked up after one ring. "Ava Valasquez speaking." She answered sardonically. "I'm sorry for forgetting. It's just that it was a busy day. Besides, it's the first day I make an appearance here. Why did you call anyway?" A few seconds later, he heard his mother tittered. "Dear, don't get too stressed up. Im just joking around. Anyway, I called to see if you could pick me up from the market since the driver couldn't do so as the car needs to be sent to the workshop."

"You could've tell me that! I would have gone to pick you up straight away!" He said, voicing out his concern. "I'm fine. Just come home early for dinner, I cooked something special and we will talk again when you reach home." The phone beeped afer his mother hung up.

He stared at his phone for a while. His mother sounded happy and cheerful. There was a clear evidence of joy and excite in her voice. Paolo's mind was clouded with what could have been that something that make his mother so excited.