Abby

I feel frozen to my spot as the judges make their way toward Daniel’s station.

The grin stretched across his face almost makes me feel sick, and it’s all I can

do not to run off the stage right now.

“Wow,” Vanessa says as she takes the first bite of Daniel’s dish, which looks

leaps and bounds ahead of mine just by presentation alone. “Really, Daniel;

wow. Despite everything, you created a phenomenal dish.”

“Thank you so much,” Daniel says, his eyes flickering toward me. “You know,

with my sous chef’s wrist in so much pain, it was difficult. But we made it.”

Enter title…

Next, the judges begin making their way toward me, and I feel like I’m going to

be sick. They stop in front of my station, and I can feel the cold weight of

Logan’s gaze on me already.

“Hello, Abby,” Vanessa says, her gaze sweet as ever despite the circumstances.

“Your performance in the second round was lacking, but you’re here now. How

do you feel?”

I swallow. “I feel…” I pause, my throat cracked and dry. “I feel… Hopeful,” I

mutter. Vanessa nods in response along with the third judge, but Logan—his

face is as inscrutable as ever.

test, times feels as though it’s moving

the

his presence by

more vast and cold

her voice low. “This… This isn’t what

expected from you.”

in my chest as panic begins to set in. “I…

explain, but my words falter under

not one of understanding. “I see what you tried to

on the plate. I’m

to the second judge, Xavier, a chef of few words. His eyes

see it there before he

he adds simply, his voice

dish, to

I swallow the words. They know the

away, and yet they seem to expect

clear and authoritative,

what we have here is a fundamental problem,” he

meeting mine.

edge of my station, my knuckles whitening. “Please, enlighten me,”

hoping that the quiver in my

raises an eyebrow. “Well, to put it plainly…”

the instructions, Abby. This dish is not

asked for.”

hitches, and I find myself gasping for air.

my composure shattering. “This is

It’s exactly

you’re wrong,” Logan says with

mafaldine

Logan is already digging through the dish with his fork.

in horror as he stabs a piece of black truffle

it this

look like a black truffle to

studio suddenly seems as though all of the oxygen

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