The silence in the elevator felt like it could crush them all. Charlotte tried to look anywhere but at Alexander. She focused on the small, flickering light on the elevator panel, willing it to reach the top floor faster. Her heart was racing, her palms were clammy, and she was convinced her face was the color of a tomato.
Alexander's voice broke the silence again, smooth and casual. "Well, well. That's an interesting take on my… culinary expertise." He raised an eyebrow, his lips curving slightly. "Overnight leftovers, huh?"
Charlotte stiffened, her hands gripping the edge of the elevator railing so hard her knuckles turned white. She could feel Olivia's gaze on her, sensing her growing discomfort.
"Yeah, well," Charlotte said quickly, finding her voice but struggling to hide the nervousness in it, "sometimes, you know, even the finest things go stale if you don't handle them right."
The words were out before she could stop them. It was a cheap shot, but she couldn't help herself. She met his eyes for a brief second, before looking away.
He was quiet for a beat. Charlotte could practically feel him studying her, his gaze unwavering. Her pulse sped up as she caught sight of his jaw clenching.
"Let me ask you this, Charlotte," Alexander's voice was low, but it carried the weight of a challenge. "Are you really this cynical about everything? Or just about me?"
Charlotte's breath hitched. She could feel his words digging under her skin. The old, familiar feeling was creeping back—the one that made her want to throw herself into his arms for comfort.
But she wasn't that person anymore.
Just to prove that she was stronger than the person she used to be. She straightened her back.
And for a moment, she thought about the years of rejection, the times she had tried to bend herself to his will, to make him see her as something worthy. And suddenly, the flood of memories didn't feel painful. It felt like the final stitch being pulled on a wound that had never healed.
"I don't need your approval, Alexander." She said it firmly, more to herself than him. "I've spent too long caring about what you think."
The elevator dinged, the door sliding open to their floor. For a second, Charlotte thought about walking out, leaving him to stew in his own thoughts. But then something inside her clicked. She wasn't going to let him have the last word. Not today.
She turned to face him as the door opened.
"Maybe you've been too busy with your 'high-end dining' to realize this, but I've moved on. I'm not here to fight for your attention or your validation anymore." She let the words hang in the air, feeling a newfound sense of power.
Then, before he could respond, she added with a smirk, "And by the way, if my leftover analogy didn't land, just remember: even the best chefs sometimes need to learn how to use the scraps."
With that, she stepped out of the elevator, her shoulders back and her head held high.
Olivia, who had been uncomfortably quiet the whole time, leaned over to Charlotte, her voice just loud enough for Alexander to hear. "Damn, girl. That was some next-level burn. I'd almost feel sorry for him, if he didn't deserve it."
Charlotte gave her a small, triumphant smile. "It's about time I stopped letting him think he's the only one who matters."
And as they walked down the hall, Charlotte didn't look back. She didn't need to.
---
Serena, who'd been uncharacteristically quiet throughout the elevator exchange, finally found her voice. With a saccharine smile, she looped her arm through Alexander's. "Alex, don't let her get to you. She's clearly just jealous of what we have."
Alexander's eyes, however, remained fixed on Charlotte's retreating figure. The corners of his mouth twitched. "Jealous? I think not. "
Serena's grip on his arm tightened. "Formidable? She's a nobody who got lucky with a few viral videos. Eden Gourmet is a luxury brand, and we can't afford to associate with someone so… common, poor and… fat."
Alexander gently disengaged himself from Serena's grasp. "The audience she's amassed is precisely the demographic we're targeting. And as for her culinary skills, we'll see just how good she is at the Chef's Challenge."
Serena's face flushed with anger. "You can't be serious! You're actually going to let her participate?"
"Absolutely. It's a fair opportunity for her to prove herself, and for us to see if she's the right fit for our brand." With that, Alexander stepped out of the elevator, leaving Serena seething behind him.
Meanwhile, Charlotte's heart was still pounding when she and Olivia reached the private dining room. The moment the door closed behind them, Olivia whirled around, eyes wide.
"Holy. Shit." Olivia grabbed Charlotte's shoulders. "Did you just— Did you actually just say that to Alexander Hastings?"
Charlotte exhaled shakily, her bravado fading now that they were alone. "I think I did."
Olivia let out a low whistle. "You're either the bravest woman alive or the dumbest."
Charlotte groaned, pressing her hands to her flushed cheeks. "Oh God, what was I thinking? 'Even the best chefs need to learn how to use scraps'? That was so stupid—"
"No, no, no," Olivia interrupted, shaking her head. "That was iconic. Legendary. That man has had the upper hand for years, and you just—poof!—knocked him right off his stupidly expensive pedestal. Girl, I felt that in my bones."
Charlotte smirked, pulling her hair up into a messy bun. "Honestly, I blacked out. I think my ancestors took over my body for a moment."
Olivia let out a cackle. "Your ancestors are petty queens and I respect them. Oh, honey. You don't make things worse with Alexander Hastings. You make them interesting."
Charlotte rolled her eyes but smiled. The adrenaline from the elevator showdown had finally started to wear off, and now all she felt was the weight of the next challenge.
"Okay. Time to focus. I need to not suck at this 'Chef's Challenge.' I know how to cook, sure—but Serena's a celebrity chef with a Michelin-star ego."