Celeste had truly left him.
--- The sun was already high when Louis finally fell asleep. But his sleep was restless. A few hours later, loud knocks on the door jolted him awake. With a heavy head, he stumbled to the door and opened it. A man in an expensive suit stood before him, his expression unreadable. "Louis Moreau?" Louis squinted. "Who are you?" The man pulled an envelope from his jacket and handed it to him. "I’m Celeste Moreau’s attorney. This is an official document she asked me to deliver." Louis took the envelope cautiously. He broke the seal and read the contents. And as he absorbed each word, his blood boiled. Celeste was filing for divorce. And worse—she was demanding full custody of Mathéo. Louis gripped the paper tightly, his hands trembling. He looked up at the lawyer, his gaze burning with fury. "She can’t do this." The man remained unfazed. "She already has. The first hearing is in two weeks." Louis held his breath, forcing himself to stay calm. Celeste hadn’t just left him. She planned to erase him completely from Mathéo’s life. But if she thought he would give up so easily, she was gravely mistaken. Louis wouldn’t let this happen. With his jaw clenched, he stared straight ahead. If this was a war, then he would fight until the very end. The early dawn still shrouded the city of Paris when Louis woke up from his sleep. The apartment that once felt warm now seemed like an empty, silent space. His mind was still tangled with the events of the previous night—Celeste’s betrayal, losing Mathéo, and the divorce papers that shattered what was left of his life. But beneath the anger and sorrow, something else stirred. Determination. He would not fall so easily. Taking a deep breath, Louis got out of bed. He walked to the kitchen and opened the fridge. Empty. Just like his heart. Yet instead of drowning in sadness, he let out a small chuckle. “So, this is my lowest point?” he murmured. “Alright then, time to rise again.” When he turned on his phone, dozens of missed calls and messages flooded the screen. Most were from Lucas and a few colleagues from Le Ciel de Paris. But one message stood out. > [User detected... Activating Legendary Chef System.] Louis frowned. What is this? Before he could think any further, his phone screen suddenly changed. A bright light burst from it, forming strange letters that gradually transformed into words he could understand. > [Welcome to the Legendary Chef System!] [Initial Mission: Rise from Ruin] [Rewards: Master-Level Culinary Skills, Emperor of France’s Secret Recipes, and 100 System Points] His heart pounded. Was he dreaming? Before he could question it further, something happened. Suddenly, his mind was flooded with knowledge of cooking techniques he had never mastered before. Every detail about ingredients, ideal cooking temperatures, knife skills, and flavor combinations flowed into him as if he had trained for decades. Then, as if on autopilot, his body moved. He grabbed the only ingredients left in his kitchen—a piece of stale bread and an egg. With swift, precise movements, he turned on the stove, drizzled a bit of oil, and started cooking. In mere moments, an irresistible aroma filled his kitchen. The once-stale bread transformed into a luxurious dish, crispy on the outside and soft inside, while the omelet looked like something worthy of a five-star restaurant. Louis stared at the plate in amazement. He had just created something extraordinary… from the simplest ingredients. This system was real. And this was his second chance. --- A few hours later, Louis arrived at Le Ciel de Paris earlier than usual. The kitchen staff eyed him curiously—yesterday, he had left in ruins, but today, he returned with a different aura. “Morning, Chef Louis,” Pierre, one of the sous-chefs, greeted him. Louis only nodded before heading straight to the main kitchen. He could feel Vincent’s gaze from afar, but this time, he didn’t care. He had a plan. With swift hands, he began preparing ingredients for lunch service. Usually, this task was left to junior staff, but today, he wanted to test his newfound abilities. The knife in his hands moved fluidly, slicing meat and vegetables with astonishing precision. His movements were so natural, so flawless, as if he had been reincarnated as the world’s best chef. In no time, he had plated exquisite dishes—ones he had never even made before. Pierre, watching from a distance, widened his eyes. “What happened to you, Louis?” Louis gave a faint smile. “I just feel more motivated today.” Pierre still looked skeptical. “Yesterday, you were like a dead man. Now, you’re like… a culinary demon.” Louis let out a small laugh. “Maybe I just found a new reason to fight.” --- By lunchtime, the restaurant was packed with guests. Many of them were regulars who came to savor the work of Le Ciel de Paris’s renowned chefs. But something was different today. As soon as the dishes prepared by Louis reached the customers, their reactions shifted. > “Mon Dieu… this is incredible!” a woman exclaimed after tasting the Coq au Vin Louis had made. An elderly man, a well-known food critic, nodded approvingly. “The taste and texture are perfect… better than anything I’ve ever had here before.” Whispers spread through the restaurant. Who cooked this? Hearing the praise, Vincent approached with a suspicious expression. When he saw the dishes leaving the kitchen, his brows furrowed. This was not ordinary cooking. Quickly, he stepped into the kitchen and found Louis still at work. “Moreau!” Vincent’s voice boomed. Louis didn’t stop. “What is it?”
Latest Chapter
Calmly
System Alert:Margot attempts to decrease your confidence using “Master Gaslight.”Counter using Composure: PASS.Effect: No psychological damage taken.Across the room, Vanessa, Elise, and Maia had also arrived—independently invited.Each woman took in the scene, eyes narrowing. They knew a power play when they saw one.“You’re bold,” Elise said quietly, taking her seat. “Bringing all of us here to see this.”“I didn’t,” Louis replied. “She did.”Margot clapped her hands twice. Instantly, a waiter wheeled in a multi-course tasting menu.“Tonight’s challenge, Louis,” she said with a theatrical grin, “you will not cook. You will be judged. And each of your women,” she gestured at the trio, “will vote—honestly—for who made the better dish. Mine… or yours.”Louis tilted his head. “So we’re back to games.”“No, sweetheart,” Margot whispered. “We’re back to war.”System Update:Special Challenge Activated: “Battle of the Palates.”Outcome will determine system visibility. If Margot wins, s
The Return of Queen Marker
One night, the dining room was glowing in soft amber light, the long mahogany table set with wine glasses that sparkled like stars. The air buzzed with tension that no one dared to name out loud.Vanessa laughed a little too loudly at one of Louis’s calm, dry remarks.Maia twirled her hair and leaned just a bit closer every time she spoke to him.Elise wore a perfume that lingered long after she left the room, as if to mark her presence.They were beautiful. Ambitious. Dangerous.But Louis?He was something else entirely—an enigma cloaked in culinary genius, wielding his knives like a poet wielding words.He moved through the kitchen with a focus that made it almost holy. And he didn’t respond to any of the women’s increasingly desperate moves—he simply kept cooking.Each dish he crafted was tailored not just to their palates, but to their personalities. He knew Maia liked texture—so he created a crisp herb crust over melt-in-your-mouth veal. He knew Elise adored rare French cheeses—s
A New Alliance
The moon hung low over the estate, veiled behind the soft haze of clouds. Inside the study, the air smelled of old parchment, aged wood, and Louis Moreau’s familiar cologne—a subtle blend of cedar, citrus, and something darker, like secrets locked behind iron doors.Vanessa stood by the fireplace, her back to him, one hand grazing the edge of the mantelpiece. “You really think you can keep everyone together like this?” she asked, her voice low.Louis approached slowly, a glass of red wine in one hand. “I don’t think,” he said calmly, “I know.”She turned to face him, the fire casting golden highlights in her hair. Her eyes were no longer sharp but softened with something that looked like surrender—or maybe desire. When he stepped closer and offered the glass, her fingers brushed his, lingering longer than necessary."You’re dangerous, Louis," she whispered.“And yet,” he murmured back, “you’re still here.”Vanessa sipped the wine, gaze locked with his. Then she set the glass down and
Later that Day
The sky outside had turned a bruised gray, shadows crawling across the sleek interior of Louis’s office. His desk was a maze of old files, scattered photographs, and a single lit lamp. The photo of the unknown woman from Maia rested in the center, staring back at him like a silent accusation.He poured himself a drink—neat, no ice—and leaned back in his chair, the leather creaking under the weight of memory.Suddenly, the intercom buzzed.VANESSA (through intercom):“Mr. Monroe… someone’s here. She says she’s your sister.”Louis stiffened. The glass stopped halfway to his lips.“Send her in,” he said after a beat.INT. LOUIS’S OFFICE – MOMENTS LATERThe door opened slowly. A woman stepped in—tall, with striking hazel eyes and an elegance that reminded Louis of someone he couldn't quite name.She closed the door behind her without saying a word, her gaze scanning the room until it landed on him.“You’ve grown into the face,” she said calmly.Louis frowned. “Excuse me?”She smiled, almo
INT. PENTHOUSE
The air in the penthouse felt different that evening. After the long day of meetings and sudden interruptions, Louis stood on the balcony, hands in his pockets, his gaze lost in the city lights below. The faint rustle of a silk robe behind him alerted him.“Thinking again?” Vanessa’s voice purred as she stepped beside him, her bare shoulder brushing lightly against his arm.Louis smirked. “Can’t help it. Today’s been... chaotic.”Vanessa turned toward him, her fingers lightly tracing his wrist. “But you handled it like a king,” she whispered. “That’s why I wanted you to myself tonight.”He turned to her, catching the glint in her eyes.“I even wore your favorite color,” she added with a teasing smile, her hand sliding up to his collar. “Are you really going to make me beg for your attention, Mr. Moreau?”Louis chuckled softly, wrapping an arm around her waist. “You don’t have to beg. You just have to ask.”She leaned clo
Before the Fire Spreads
The kiss they shared was not one of affection alone—it was war. A silent pact sealed between two wolves in silk and armor. Vanessa deepened the touch, her fingers tracing the scars on Louis’s chest, each one a story of battles survived, of pride stripped and reclaimed."You don't always have to be in control, Louis," she whispered as she pushed him gently back toward the bed. "Let me take the reins tonight."He let her.Not out of weakness, but out of trust—a trust he gave to no one but her.The moonlight slanted through the glass panels, casting shadows over their tangled silhouettes. For one brief night, before judgment, before politics and power plays—Louis allowed himself to be held, to feel, to breathe.But neither of them forgot what tomorrow held.Meanwhile, in the Council Tower…Marcus Velentho paced in the dimly lit chamber, his hands clasped behind his back. The other councilors watched him closely, though none dared speak first. The silence was only broken when Councilor Re
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