"They say searching for love is like searching for yourself. When you find yourself you find love, because they are the same. . .
. . . but it's a lonely city, sometimes I walk all night without being seen."
~Runaway-Galantis~
~~
I woke up groggily from a dreamless sleep. As soon as my eyes opened they met with a pair of dark grey ones peering down at me.
I screamed and nearly toppled off the bed in fright.
Sebastian blinked at me in confusion.
I clasped a hand over my chest, trying to tame my racing heart.
"Sebastian! You nearly gave me a heart attack." I wheezed.
"Apologies. I didn't mean to frighten you."
"Then why were you leaning over the bed staring at me!" I snapped, my heart still thudding wildly.
"You were asleep. I didn't want to wake you." He said with a casual shrug.
I narrowed my eyes and pursed my lips, biting back the retort I wanted to give.
"So, what are you doing here?" I said instead.
His lips curled up into a small smile, and those beautiful dimples of his flashed, momentarily distracting me.
"I have a surprise for you." His smile widened making my breath hitch.
"Surprise?" I murmured, my eyes wandered around the room searchingly.
He shook his head. "It's not here. You will have to come with me."
I gave him a suspicious look but finally flung the covers off my body and got out of bed.
I heard his sharp intake of breath.
I gave him a questioning look but stopped short when I saw the heated look on his face. His eyes were darker.
He took a step back, his hands clenching into fists.
"You should probably-" His voice was hoarse.
I followed his line of sight as his eyes trailed slowly over my legs.
My bare legs.
It was at that precise moment that I realized that I had decided to sleep in the shirt Sebastian had given me. And although his shirt was long and almost reached my knees I wasn't wearing anything underneath.
"Oh." I said shakily, my throat suddenly dry.
"I'm sorry. I'll just um- go change in the bathroom." I grabbed the first piece of clothing my hands touched from the closet and practically fled to the bathroom.
My cheeks were still burning when I stepped out wearing a black oversized T-shirt, which I had tied at the waist, with a pair of jeans.
Sebastian's face was completely blank when I reached him but there was no missing hint of color on his cheeks. I had to fight my smile. He was flustered.
"So, what exactly is this surprise?" I finally asked.
~~
My eyes must have been the size of saucers.
"Ristorante 12 Apostoli " I read the words carved over the wooden doors of the beautiful brick building we were currently parked in front of.
My mouth fell open and my head whipped in Sebastian's direction who was sitting beside me in the driver's seat looking very pleased with himself.
"I read about this place in my mother's cookbooks!" I felt like my heart was beating a mile a minute. "This is a Michelin Star restaurant!" My voice came out high-pitched.
Sebastian's eyes lit up with amusement as he gave me a slow nod. He got out of the car and handed the key to the valet standing outside. I blinked in surprise as another man opened the door for me.
I stepped out of the car, still a little dazed.
"This is one of the finest restaurants in the world," I murmured as I took Sebastian's outstretched hand. He just gave me a small smile and led me inside.
My eyes scanned the place in awe.
The ceiling was dome-shaped and was painted with intricate designs. There were delicate patterns carved into the walls and beautiful chandeliers hung overhead illuminating the place with a gentle orange glow. The tables were round with white tablecloths draped over them and a single flickering candle sat in the center of each.
I looked down at my casual outfit, my cheeks flushed slightly with embarrassment. My eyes wandered to Sebastian who was wearing a plain white T-shirt with jeans himself.
"We're not dressed to eat at a place like this," I murmured uneasily.
His smile suddenly widened. "We're not here to eat."
I felt a pang of disappointment in my heart. My eyebrows drew together in confusion.
"Why exactly are we here?" I asked.
He didn't answer me, he just tugged at my hand and led me towards the back of the restaurant till we reached a closed wooden door. He knocked once.
The door flung open.
At once I was assaulted with a wide array of delicious smells.
A stern-looking middle-aged man stood in front of us. He had greying hair and wore a crisp white chef's jacket. Behind him, I could see people scurrying around busily in a huge kitchen.
"Angelica." Sebastian turned to me. "This is Antonio Viviani, head chef of this restaurant."
I felt the breath leave my lungs.
I was standing in front of a cooking legend. One of the best chefs in the country.
"H-hi Sir. It's an honor to meet you." I sputtered.
Antonio did not seem impressed, his expression was completely impassive as he studied me.
His wary eyes went to Sebastian. "The only reason I'm doing this is because you're Ellie's brother-in-law."
Sebastian gave him a smirk.
"Doing what?" I asked incredulously.
"You're going to be my apprentice for the next couple of hours." Antonio retorted, almost begrudgingly.
"What?!" I nearly screamed.
Oh. My. God.
Oh
My
God
My eyes met with Sebastian and he gave me a silent nod confirming that what the man had said was true.
"Do you know how to make a meringue?" Antonia demanded.
"Um-?" I stuttered.
"Risotto?" He asked.
I could feel my face heating in embarrassment.
Of course, I'd heard of these dishes and read about them in cookbooks but I'd never really made them.
"I'm a quick learner." I finally answered, trying my best to sound confident.
Antonio let out an exasperated sigh. "We have a long way to go, kid." He motioned for me to step inside the kitchen and I hurried inside.
Sebastian started to come in after me but Antonio stopped him with a hand on his chest. "Nope. I don't allow people in my kitchen unless they're professional chefs or apprentices. So you turn around and leave. Come back for the girl later."
At first, Sebastian looked like he was going to argue with Antonio but then his shoulders finally sagged and he turned to me.
"Will you be alright?" He asked softly.
I just gave him an enthusiastic nod and a thumbs up.
He gave me a gentle smile and Antonio a glare before walking away and shutting the door behind him.
Antonia shook his head in amusement and turned to me. He grabbed something from the shelf behind us and threw it at me. I managed to catch it just as it was about to hit the floor.
My lips split into a huge grin when I realized what it was. An apron.
I quickly pulled it over my head and tied the strings at the back of my waist.
"Come on kid. We better get started if we want to get some work done." Antonio said as he led me inside.
I looked around in awe. The kitchen was huge. And there were at least twenty people working presently. They had a floor-length steel refrigerator and a large brick oven installed into one of the walls.
"We have four tasting Menus." Antonio turned to me. "The first one is Specchi (Mirrors), which is the traditional Italian menu, and the second is Sguardi (Looks) which is the chef's visualization of Italian food. Third, we have Riflessi (Reflexes) in which we use ingredients that are supposed to soothe the senses and heighten flavor and then finally we have Giravolta (Turnaround) which is basically a combination of random dishes from the previous three menus."
I eagerly took in every piece of information he gave me.
"Each menu has eight to ten dishes. Each dish we make is extremely complicated and our restaurant only serves perfection. " Antonio explained. His lips twisted into a challenging smile.
"Let's get started, kid."
~~
"Angelica! How is the Beef Wellington coming along?" Antonio's loud voice demanded from the opposite end of the kitchen.
"Placed it in the oven ten minutes ago, chef! It should be ready in about half an hour." I shouted back.
My throat was raw from shouting and my legs ached from running around the kitchen. I was pretty sure I had flour in my hair and my shirt had all kinds of stains of different broths and sauces.
And I loved it.
I loved every second of it.
I loved the smells.
The noise.
The chaos that ensued every time the waiters brought in a large order.
"What are you doing?" Antonio's voice startled me.
I gave him a big smile which he returned.
The man had definitely warmed up to me.
"I'm just finishing up the veal soup but I'm not sure if it tastes okay," I said a little uncertainly.
Antonio grabbed a clean spoon from the counter and dipped it into the pot of soup I was stirring. I held my breath as he brought the spoon to his mouth.
His expression was completely blank. He eyed me stonily.
I felt my heart sink.
"Should I add more zucchini? Olive oil? Do I have to discard this?" I stumbled over the words.
Suddenly his eyes filled with mirth and his whole face lit up.
"Buono Angelica! This is delicious." He patted my back in appreciation.
My chest felt warm. I felt like the luckiest person on the planet.
Antonio's eyes softened. "You have talent, kid, and passion too."
"What if I offered you a proper apprenticeship? Work under me for a year and then I will hire you as a chef here."
For a moment my heart gave a leap. He was offering me what I had dreamed of since I was a little girl. But the thought vanished as soon as it entered.
"I can't," I told him quietly.
He didn't look surprised. For a moment his eyes scanned my face, like he was gauging whether I meant what I said.
"I don't like Sebastian, and I didn't like his brother either." Antonio's tone was bitter.
I'd gotten that he didn't like Sebastian from the brief encounter they'd had earlier. But I didn't say anything.
"Ellie was my colleague." His expression grew solemn. "She was also my friend. She fell in love, and she was going to marry the love of her life, she was so happy, and I was happy for her. We were both apprentices at the time, we had almost completed our three-year apprenticeship, and we were ready to become real chefs, but one day Ellie didn't come to work. When I went to see her, she told me that she had quit. When I asked her why she told me that the man she was marrying had a complicated life, and if she wanted to be a part of that life then she'd have to leave her old life behind." Antonio paused, running a hand through his hair.
"Ellie never told me exactly but I understood that the family she was marrying into was involved in some bad business. She told me that it would be impossible to keep a steady job because she wouldn't be staying in one place for a long time. She also told me that her husband's family had enemies, so she couldn't keep relations with people she cared about because she would be endangering them by doing so. That was the last time I spoke to her."
My chest felt tighter all of a sudden.
"You remind me of her a little," Antonio said with a sad smile.
Less than a year ago if someone told me I'd turn down an apprenticeship offer from one of the best chefs in the country I would have laughed in their face and called them insane. There was a time in my life when I'd wanted nothing more in life than to become a professional chef and cook in a Michelin-star restaurant.
But right at this instant, there was something I wanted more. Someone.
And I knew Antonio saw it too.
For a moment he was lost in thought but then he turned to me with a wistful smile.
"It's not fair, is it?" He sighed. "When you have to choose between the person you want to be and the person you want to be with."
Someone cleared their throat behind us and just like that the moment was broken.
It was one of the waiters. We looked at him expectantly.
"Mr. Alfonsi is here to pick up Angelica Hale?" The man said a little uncertainly.
My eyebrows shot up in surprise.
Already?
Antonio chuckled. "You've been working non-stop for the past seven hours."
Seven hours? It didn't feel that long.
I took off my apron and placed it on the counter.
"Thank you so much for everything, Chef," I told Antonio sincerely.
He squeezed my shoulder.
"Keep the apron kid, I have a feeling you're going to need it someday," Antonio said warmly, and then he handed me a basket filled with different kinds of food.
My eyes widened in surprise.
"You didn't have your lunch break. This is on the house." He gave me a wink.
"Good luck Angelica. I hope you get to live the life you deserve."
~~
As I walked out of the restaurant with the basket clutched in my hands my chest felt full. I was giddy with happiness.
My eyes immediately caught sight of Sebastian who was standing a few feet away, leaning against the car. He hadn't seen me yet.
For a moment I just stood there and watched him.
His hands were shoved into the pockets of his jeans. His gaze was downcast. His features were harsh, and drawn into the frown he usually wore.
His shoulders suddenly tensed and his gaze lifted, like he had sensed me watching him.
As soon as he saw me his whole face lit up, and his expression immediately softened.
His lips spread into a grin, the creases in his cheeks becoming prominent.
My heart gave a happy little lurch.
I practically ran to him. I placed the basket on the hood of the car and then flung my arms around his neck, completely forgetting that I was covered in flour and all types of ingredients. But Sebastian didn't seem to mind because his arms curled around my waist and tightened, he crushed me against his body, lifting me completely off the ground.
"Thank you," I murmured as I rested my forehead against him, my eyes locked with his beautiful grey ones.
"This is the nicest thing anyone has ever done for me," I whispered, my throat suddenly felt clogged.
The mirth from his expression vanished when I said those words. He looked almost sad.
He gently placed me back on the ground.
"You deserve so much more, tesoro." He murmured, his fingers brushed against my cheek.
I smiled and gestured towards the basket sitting on the hood of the car.
"Antonio gave me a little parting gift. Are you willing to share it with me?" I asked him teasingly. I wanted to lighten the mood once again.
Sebastian examined the contents of the basket and his lips tilted up into a smile again.
"Chocolate éclairs, my favorite. I used to eat them all the time when I was in boarding school in America." He said quietly.
He took out the large oblong pastry and split it into two pieces. He gave the bigger one to me.
I smiled, my heart warming.
I nibbled on my half of the éclair as I watched him eat the other half.
The muscles of his throat worked as he swallowed. The tip of his tongue slid over his lower lip slowly making my breath hitch.
His eyes were hooded when he looked at me, his lips drawn into a lazy smile. He looked so content.
I realized that this was the happiest I had ever felt in my entire life.
Maybe Antonio was right. It's not fair when you have to choose between doing what you love and being with the one you love.
But even if the choice was unfair it wasn't a hard one.
I took in Sebastian's features which some people might have considered too harsh to be attractive, the scar running from his right eyebrow to his cheekbone, his grey eyes that were looking at me with so much affection.
In that moment I knew that I would always choose this man.
I would choose him a thousand times and not regret it for a second.
~~
By the time we reached the safe-house, it was already dark. We'd finished all the contents of the basket during the drive.
As soon as we stepped inside I tilted my head up to look at Sebastian so I could thank him once again but as soon as my gaze collided with his my words died down in my throat he was looking at me with a heated expression on his face.
"You have a little chocolate-" He murmured as he bent his head towards mine.
My heart hammered in my chest.
His lips closed around the very edge of my lips and his tongue darted out against my skin in a slow lick.
His pupils were so dilated that his grey eyes almost seemed black.
I wrapped my arms around his neck pulling him closer. My breath came out in short pants.
He brushed his lips softly against mine
Once
Twice
Thrice
I pulled back a fraction.
"Was there really chocolate on my face?" I breathed.
His expression darkened even further.
"No." His voice was low in his throat. "I lied."
With that being said, he hoisted me up by the hips and pressed me against the wall, his body practically crushing mine. My legs wrapped around his waist.
"I just wanted to kiss you." He murmured.
He trailed the tip of his nose from my collarbone to my jaw. His tongue traced the seam of my lips making me groan.
A movement behind Sebastian's shoulders suddenly caught my attention.
My whole body stiffened as my eyes caught with a pair of cold black ones.
Sebastian caught the change in my demeanor. He placed me back on the ground gently and turned to face the scowling man behind him.
"Uncle." Sebastian hissed in clear displeasure.
The black-eyed man looked at me with a look that was close to repulsion.
"I wish to speak to you and Lucian. Now." He said in a hard voice and he turned and walked down the hall without looking back or waiting for an answer.
Sebastian let out an exasperated sigh. He turned to me and gave me an apologetic look.
"I must go mi cara. But I will come back to you as soon as I can." He ran his thumb across my cheekbone affectionately.
I watched as Sebastian disappeared down the hall after his uncle.
I slowly trudged back to my room.
~~
It had been two hours.
Sebastian still wasn't back. I was sick of sitting in the room alone.
I quickly made my way downstairs and was about to head for the kitchen when the sound of muffled shouts caught my attention.
I slowly crept down the hallway and stopped in front of the door behind which the sounds seemed to be coming.
"She is clouding your judgment." The cold voice I immediately recognized at Lucians.
"Bullshit. My judgment is as good as ever. " Sebastian growled.
I held my breath.
Lucian chuckled humorlessly. "Oh really? Then why did you kill Tomasso when you should have brought him in so we could have questioned him about the whereabouts of his boss?"
"He tried to kill me," Sebastian shouted, his voice shaking with rage.
"Tried to kill Angelica you mean." Lucian drawled.
"Shut your mouth, Lucian." Sebastian hissed. "You are lucky that I did not beat the shit out of you for sending her to that animal."
"Both of you shut up." Lorenzo's sharp voice bellowed.
"Sebastian." The man spoke calmly now. "Lucian and I just wanted to make sure that you remember what happened thirteen years ago. What that man did-"
"Do you think I can ever forget?!" Sebastian cut off, his voice was so venomous that I felt myself cringing back.
"Do you think I can forget the man who killed my brother, the man responsible for forcing me into this position?!" Sebastian's voice rumbled.
"Don't worry Uncle. I promise you, I will not rest until I have killed Carlos Vitale. He took everything from me and I will take his life even if it's the last thing I do."
I felt like the breath had been sucked out of my lungs.
The world started spinning.
No
I stumbled over my legs as I struggled to make it up the stairs.
It couldn't be.
I rushed into the room and locked the door. I clumsily opened the cupboard and took out the black bag-pack I'd placed in the corner. I'd almost forgotten about it.
With shaking hands, I took out the envelope my mother had given me. The familiar picture peeked out, almost mocking me. I looked at it for a moment before placing it aside and reaching for the letter.
I felt sick.
My eyes focused on the name my mother had scrawled across the paper at the very end.
I read it over and over again wishing it to be untrue.
But in my heart, I already knew it was the truth. The puzzle pieces were slowly falling into place.
Carlos Vitale
My father's name.
~~
A/N
DISCLAIMER:
12 Apostoli is a real Michelin star restaurant located in Verona Italy.
However, the name of the head chef is not Antonio Viviani.
Antonio Viviani is a fictional character, solely a product of my imagination.
I've never been to 12 Apostoli but from all the pictures I've seen I know it's very beautiful .
Pic of 12 Apostoli^
Bạn đang đọc truyện trên: AzTruyen.Top