A recipe for Secrets

, rain pouring on the sheets. By early evening, half the rese

ly," Ivy told the crew. "Just you,

reathe, to focus on the work, to lose himself in the flow of the kitchen. He glanced at Ivy, who was

, she nodded in approval, her eyes meeting his in a silent understanding. By ten, the last plate had gone out to a sin

she said, handing

the kind of drink that kept cooks awake through long shifts. They sipped in silence f

sual but curious. "Have you ever th

slipping past his defenses. "All th

surprise, her eyes wide

in his hands. "Yeah. Somewhere quiet. Maybe ten tables, tops. Simple food. Hon

anguage. "That's exactly my dream." she said with exc

"What's stopping yo

ams are easy to have, harder to make real." She took a sip of her coffee, her gaz

him to reveal that he had the connections, the resources to make her dream a reality. B

her eyes sof

le longer. Ivy set her m

in front of a food critic," she said, her voice light with self-deprecation. "Shattere

to a linen napkin during a tasting. Chef was screaming, the cri

pping pancakes for truckers at 3 a.m. He shared carefully selected tales of "kitchens on the road," keeping the details unclear but true enough to

learn to cook, Liam?" she asked, her eyes locking onto his. "You move l

d," he said, his voice steady but careful. "I've

alk like someone who just passed through. There'

nd gave a faint smile. "I gues

of him. Every laugh, every shared story, every look that made his pulse quicken was built on a lie. He wasn't just a drifter with a talent for cooking. He was Liam Grayson, heir

pped outside, the air was cool and damp, the storm reduced to a drizzle. Ivy pull

s voice quieter than h

nd stood there, the silence pressing in. Ivy's face lingered in his mind, the way she leaned close enough for him to catch the faint scent of

e says your father won't wait much longer. Call me." Liam's jaw tightened. He set the phone face