Every news channel carried the news that Mr Hugh, the number one businessman and the richest man in the country wanted a chef.

Hugh Anton sat on a couch in his sitting room watching the news. He laughed loudly.

This was a way to show his rivals that he was more than them.
He knew that his rivals or enemies would try to use this opportunity against him and he wanted them to know that he wasn't a fool, he wasn't CEO Hugh Anton for nothing.
He could just tell Robert to get him a high class chef, but he wanted a game.

He twirled the glass of red wine in his hand and smirked.

'Well let the fun begin, and may the best man lose'

*** *** ***
Mia stood confidently at the back of the line in a navy blue jean, black tee and black flats which she was very uncomfortable in, and her hair was in a ponytail.

There was a long line of people seeking the job, standing outside one Mr Hugh's five star hotels.

The security guards did a thorough search with gadgets before there were lead inside for a more thorough search, which was more intimate; a female guard had to search the females, and a male guard had to search the males.
Mia found this embarrassing but she had no choice.

The statistics of people that came for the job was roughly thirty and it was surprising that males were the majority.

'What was with men and cooking this days?' Mia thought

Dixon was a good cook, even Luther could cook a few meals but she just learned how to cook properly.

After the search, they were led into a room to sit and were called into an office one by one.

Mia became a little bit nervous because anyone that went in didn't come out.

She began considering if she should just leave all this and go for plan B.
Before she could make a decision, she heard a male voice whisper to her

"Hey, you're up"

She was deep in thought that she didn't hear the guard call her up, so the guy next to her had to tell her.

"Oh...thank you" she said and got up, moving towards the office.

"Sit down" Robert, Anton's PA said to her as soon as she entered.

She looked around and saw a young guy sitting next to the interviewer, Robert, he was on his computer.
She saw something on the table which she recognized as a polygraph.

'Oh...'

Lucky for her, Luther had once told her how to cheat a polygraph, so it was easy.
She wore all the wire thing-ings and sat down as calm as ever.

"Your name?"

"Natasha Donald"

Correct.

"Age?"

"I'm 26 years old"

Correct.

"What made you decide to become a cook?"

... And the interview went on, all on the correct lane.

Mr Robert looked at the guy next to him and the guy nodded.

"Go into that room"
He pointed the door on his right.

She stood up, bowed and went into the room. They were only a few people in the room and Mia wondered why.
There were some of the faces she had seen that came for the interview.

But where were the others?

Few minutes later they were given aprons and hair bonnet, then they were led into the kitchen.

*** *** ***
The back door of his black Lamborghini was opened by the driver and he stepped in. He opened a document and began to read through it. Half way through the read, without raising his head, he said

"Take me to Regal Da Ma"

"Ok sir"

The car stopped at the back entrance of the hotel and the driver quickly opened the back door.
Anton stepped out, hands in his pocket. He stared at the hotel before walking in.

"Good morning sir" any employee he passed by greeted with a bow and nodded in response.

He got into the elevator and got out on the third floor. He had put Robert in charge of the interview but decided to come at a turn of heart.

Robert sighted Anton immediately he entered the room and went to meet him.

"Mr Hugh" he greeted with a bow
"What are you doing here?"

"I'm here to see the interview" he said leisurely and sat down, left leg crossed over the right one.
Robert went to sit beside him.

"Look Robert its not like I don't trust you to take care of this or anything like that and I don't have to tell you this because you know it.
Besides if you weren't capable, you won't be my PA or my friend and you know that.
I wanted to see the interview first hand and also make Mr Sham pissed.
He needs to understand that I call the shots in this country not him.
How could he place the time for the meeting?"

Robert smiled, Anton was inwardly funny.
His facial expression was funny at the moment.

He was a strict and ruthless to his other employees, but to Robert, he was a loving and caring man.

Robert became Anton's friend after a year of working with him. Robert realized that Anton was not at all bad, he was just trying to live and hide his pain, but was very caring and understanding. He was at first bossy but later became soft towards him.

His past still haunted him

"Now lets get this done and over with" Anton said and immediately his facial expression became stone cold and ruthless.

"Let them in" he ordered and the guard opened the door to let them in.

Out of the thirty people, only ten were allowed in for the practical interview, so twenty were 'fakes'

When Anton saw a familiar face, his eyes lit up.

"So she is a cook, huh?" Anton smiled

Robert addressed them and unlike any cook interview, he told them to prepare Anton's favorite meal which was fried rice. The ingredients already in place, they were given time and told to start.

Anton attention centered on Mia.

"The other ones, i mean the 'fakes' are in the 'beating room'" Robert said but got no response from Anton. He looked at him and saw that he was focused on something. He followed his trail of sight and saw that it wasn't a something but a someone; a lady.

He wondered why Anton was staring at her so intently. She was beautiful no doubt, but he didn't get what was so exceptional about her that that made Anton really lost.

"What do you think about her?"
Robert whispered in Anton's ear, making him jolt out of reverie.

"Huh?"

"The way you were looking at her, i wanted to know your thoughts about her"

Robert was trying to tease his friend, it was had been a while since he saw him staring at a lady with interest.
A hard glare from Anton made him wipe of the teasing smile on his face.

"You have five minutes to round up" Robert told the applicants.

"The 'fakes' are in beating room" he repeated

"Hmm....I'll visit them when I'm done here"

Soon enough the applicants were presenting their meal to the judges, Anton and Robert, as known.

Anton hid his smile when he tasted Mia's food, he was impressed. She was a good cook and most importantly, she made his favorite meal this perfectly.

After submitting their meal, each left the kitchen. The judges were to taste and rate the meals.

Robert showed Anton his list of ratings and Anton immediately disagreed.

"Why is Ralph the first on that list?" Anton eyed him.

"Because he's good. Didn't you taste his meal?"

"I want Natasha to be my cook" he said in a tone that showed he wasn't ready for bargain, but Robert didn't want to give up.

"But Anton..."

"Remind me who needs the cook"

"Fine"

"Ralph can be the assistant cook"