Tokyo was brighter than Paris — louder, faster, alive in a way that almost drowned out the silence in Maya's heart.
She had been here for three weeks now, working as the guest head chef at Maison Fleur Tokyo, a fusion restaurant that mixed French art with Japanese precision.
To everyone else, she looked like a rising star — calm, confident, graceful.
But inside, she was restless.
Every time she plated a dish, she heard his voice.
"Perfect isn't about symmetry, Chef. It's about soul."
Adrian's words echoed in her head like a melody that refused to fade.
---
One evening, after the restaurant closed, Maya stayed back to practice a new dessert — Crème Blossom, a dish she had once promised Adrian she'd perfect.
She mixed, tasted, adjusted. But no matter what she did, it didn't taste right.
She sighed, leaning against the counter, eyes glistening.Maybe… because it's missing the person I made it for," she whispered.
---
Across the ocean, in Paris, Adrian stood in his office, staring at the rain again.
Since Maya left, everything felt quieter — even success didn't taste the same.
His company was doing well, but he barely noticed. His assistant, Alex, had taken over most projects.
Meanwhile, Max had started teaching again — though he still checked in on Adrian from time to time.
"Still thinking about her?" Max asked one day, walking in.
Adrian didn't answer, just looked at the skyline.
"She's doing great in Tokyo," Max said softly. "Her name's already on three culinary blogs."
A small, proud smile appeared on Adrian's lips.
"Of course she is," he murmured. "She was always meant to shine."Back in Tokyo, Maya's phone buzzed.
It was a message from Lila.
> "Hey, Chef Star 🌸 Heard your dessert won 'Best New Dish.'
Proud of you.
Also… Adrian asked about you again. Should I tell him you're okay?"
Maya hesitated before typing:
> "Just tell him… I'm cooking. Always."
She sent it — and smiled sadly.
Because that was all she could say without breaking again.
---
The next morning, a surprise visitor arrived at the restaurant — Chef Aanya from Paris.
"Maya!" she exclaimed, hugging her tightly. "You've grown so much!"
Maya beamed. "I couldn't have without you."
They talked for hours, until Aanya said quietly,
"You know… Adrian's sponsoring the Global Culinary Gala next month in Singapore. I think they're inviting youMaya froze.
Her heart raced.
"He's… sponsoring it?" she asked softly.
Aanya nodded with a smile. "Seems fate isn't done with your story yet."
---
That night, Maya sat by her window overlooking the Tokyo skyline, the city glittering beneath her like spilled stars.
She whispered to herself,
"Maybe… if I see him again, I'll finally know whether to move on or hold on."
Her phone buzzed — a notification for a new email:
> Subject: Invitation – Global Culinary Gala, Singapore
From: Adrian Knight Holdings.
Her heart skipped a beat.