Finding Solace

ESTHER ROSALES smiled proudly as she received the plaque and certificate. She was awarded as one of the best patissiers in Asia together with her colleagues that she met in this international competition for pastry chefs.

"Congratulations!"

Esther smiled. "Thank you."

After receiving her award, she went back to her seat and took a picture of it. Then she sends it to her fiancé. For some reason, Nate didn't come. She understood because she knew that Nate had a lot of things to do in his company. She felt disappointed because this event was once in a lifetime. She wanted it to become memorable, to cherish it.

"Hi, Esther." Amarie, just like her, a pastry chef, greeted her with a hug.

"Congratulations," Esther greeted.

Amarie flipped her hair. "Congratulations to you too."

Esther smiled. "Thank you."

"So, what's your plan right now?" Amarie asked as she took a cupcake from the buffet table.

Esther sighed and shrugged. "Since the competition has ended. I have to go back and work or do business."

"Call me. I'll visit you."

Esther chuckled. "Forget it. Your husband wouldn't allow you to do that until you give birth."

Amarie pouted as she caressed her three-month-old belly. "Yeah, my husband was protective." She said with a shrug in her voice.

"Hey, I heard that tone, Honey." From behind, Amarie's husband, Peter, appeared. And he hugged Amarie from behind. Amarie's husband was one of the sponsors of this event.

"Done meeting with your co-sponsors?" Amarie asked her husband.

Peter smiled. "Yeah." He kissed his wife's lips.

Esther looked away. Though she had a fiancé, she never allowed Nate to touch her or even kiss her. She wanted to be pure before the wedding. With this kind of intimacy, she was embarrassed to watch someone kissing.

"Miss Esther Rosales, right?"

Esther looked at Peter. "Yes, it's me."

Peter lifted his hand. He was holding a blue paper bag with a chef's apron design. "Someone wants to give you this."

"Who is it?" Esther asked as she took the paper bag from Peter.

Peter shakes his head. "He doesn't want to tell his name. He just expressed his greetings to you as you were awarded one of the best pastry chefs in Asia." He had a mysterious smile on his lips.

Esther was confused. Who could it be? "Thank you."

Peter nodded his head. "You should thank him instead. This is his number." He handed a piece of paper to Esther.

Esther looked at the number. It was a code number from her country. So, that means the person who gave her the gift was from the Philippines. She put the paper in her pocket. Then she bid goodbye to Amarie and Peter. After the ceremony, and bid goodbye to her teachers, classmates, and colleagues, she went home.

She has already packed her clothes. She planned to go home after the awarding ceremony. For some reason, she's not excited about going home. Nate promised her that after she made a name for herself, they would get married. They are an arranged marriage by their parents. Nate had told her that they must fall in love. Yes, it did. She fell in love with Nate, but Nate isn't the kind of man who will support your dreams. She loved him because he was sweet, but later, that love faded.

Esther thought Nate could be the one who would lift her from the abyss of misery that she was experiencing from her family, but she was still disappointed when she learned the truth. The truth is... why does Nate agree to marry her? Nate didn't love her truly. He was using her to get something. For her, there's no love for Nate. Right now, she was just fulfilling her parents' wish, to marry the man they had chosen for her.

Esther remembered the gift she received. She sat on the edge of her bed and opened the paper bag. A smile crept to her lips when she saw it was a mug. There's also a congratulatory message. "Congratulations, Esther." She read the note.

She took out the mug and saw her last name written on the mug with the word 'Patissier' below her last name. Then a quote was written on the other side of the mug, 'A Symphony of flavors, crafted with love and precision'. At the bottom of the mug, she saw the initials written 'RZV'. Esther smiled because she already knew where the gift came from. It's from her sponsor who supports her studies in college and everything.

Without her sponsor who was willing to finance her studies, she wouldn't be able to go abroad and participate in such an event. She never met her sponsor, but her sponsor promised her that they would meet after she went back to their country.

After her studies in college, she was invited to Singapore by her teacher to study again for another two years ago, to work and make a name for herself. In Singapore, she learned a lot and was given the chance to participate in the international competition and finally made a name.

Now, she's going back.

Smiling, she put the mug inside her suitcase together with the awards she had received. She checked her bag to see if she was missing her travel documents. When she saw nothing was amiss, she closed her suitcase.

Then she wrote a "Thank You" letter to her benefactor. After Esther wrote the letter, she put it inside her bag, took her suitcase, and left, then went to the airport. She didn't tell Nate she was coming home because she wanted to surprise him.

Esther arrived at the airport earlier than her scheduled flight. She waited for her boarding schedule. She didn't realize that she had fallen asleep in the waiting area. She was awakened by the announcement of the boarding schedule. Esther was surprised when she saw a coat put on her. Where did this come from? Someone put it on her.