"Judging by your expression, he heard the conversation, didn't he?"

"You're right," I replied quietly.  

"He won't let this slide,"I added.  

"I'm sorry," she apologized.  

"It's okay," I told her before walking away.  

When I reached the restroom, I splashed cold water on my face and leaned against the sink. Chakk's words echoed in my mind:  

"You smiled while talking about me."

"I just smiled... or is even that against his rules?" I wondered.  

I quickly returned to my desk and started writing about chocolate.  

 --30 minutes later --

I noticed a message on my phone. Picking it up, I saw Chak's text:  

"Meet me at the car in five minutes."

I had almost forgotten—I needed to cook lunch for him. What will he want? I wondered.  

Three minutes later, I stood up and headed to his car. When I arrived, he wasn't there yet. I waited briefly, and when he finally arrived, he simply gestured for me to get in.  

Nervously, I sat down and buckled my seatbelt. Chak started the engine, and we drove home in complete silence.  

When we arrived, he parked in the driveway. I followed him inside and hesitantly asked:  

"What would you like for lunch, sir?"

He looked at me, and I quickly averted my gaze.  

"Look at me," he ordered coldly.  

Slowly, I lifted my eyes to meet his deep brown ones.  

"Cook me Khao Moo Daeng," he said.  

"Oh no," I thought. I hope I can pull this off.

"Is something wrong?" he asked in his usual cold tone.  

"No, not at all," I lied. If only he knew...

I went to the kitchen and started preparing lunch. I opened the fridge and took out a piece of meat and some vegetables. Chak followed, sitting at the counter, watching my every move.  

"You have 30 minutes,"he stated.  

"O-okay," I stammered.  

I don't even know how to cook this! I only know how to make rice!

Taking a deep breath, I continued.  

The meat gave me the most trouble—I wasn't sure how to cut it properly. In the end, I simply seared it on both sides.  

The heat from the pan was intense, but the pressure of Chak's gaze was even hotter.  

When the meat was ready, I carefully placed it on a plate. Now, it was time for the sauce.  

Soy sauce, oyster sauce, sugar, garlic… Did I forget something?

I glanced at Chak, but he remained expressionless.  

I clenched my jaw and continued. Once the sauce had thickened, I poured it over the meat and garnished the dish with scallions.  

Taking a deep breath, I stepped back.  

"Sir, lunch is ready," I said quietly.  

Chak stood up, his face unreadable.  

My heart pounded. Will he accept it?

He approached the plate and eyed it suspiciously.The seconds dragged on endlessly. Finally, he picked up his fork and brought it to his lips. My heart skipped a beat as the first bite disappeared into his mouth. I wondered, What if he doesn't like it? What if I used too many or too few spices? Is the steak cooked enough, or should I have waited longer? My thoughts raced in every direction until he spoke in a cold tone:  

"Serve yourself."

I stared at him, confused. "Excuse me?" I asked, certain I had misheard him.  

Chak lifted his gaze and repeated, "Serve yourself."

I wasn't sure if he was serious or just toying with me. Either way, I obeyed. I opened the drawer, took a plate, and served myself rice, then sauce, and finally meat. The entire time, I felt his gaze on me, as if he were evaluating my every move. Once finished, I grabbed a fork and knife from the drawer and sat beside him.  

Carefully, I cut into the meat, speared a piece with my fork, and brought it to my mouth. I chewed slowly. Not bad,I thought. It could use more seasoning, but the taste is decent.

We ate in silence. Every second was weighted by Chak's presence. When I finished, he finally broke the silence:  

"What do you think? Did you cook well?"  

I considered for a moment before replying: "The meat and sauce could be more seasoned, but the rice and vegetables are fine."

Chak tilted his head slightly. "Exactly," he said coldly before continuing, "Use spices when you cook. And don't be nervous."  

"I won't be," I replied. But deep down, I knew it was a lie. If he kept watching me and gave me an even more complicated dish to prepare, I'd still be nervous.  

I stood up, gathered the plates, and took them to the sink. Meanwhile, Chak wordlessly left for the living room. I opened the dishwasher, placed the dishes inside, then cleaned the counter and stove. I knew he wouldn't appreciate a messy kitchen. Once I was done, I approached him.  

He was holding his phone, typing something. I wasn't sure if I should interrupt, but I spoke quietly: "Sir… I'm done."

Chak glanced at the time, then stood up without a word. "Let's get back to work," he said.  

I followed him toward the car. As I turned, I saw Lon, Sun, and Leo playing together. If only Chak and I could get along like that…I thought.  

The drive back to the company was silent, yet I felt his presence the entire time. When we arrived, he stopped the car and turned to me.  

"Go in first. I'll follow in ten minutes so no one suspects we went anywhere together."

"Understood," I answered quietly and reached for the door handle.  

But then Chak spoke again: "Dinner must be on the table at 7:30."

Surprised, I turned to him. "What's for dinner?"

"I'll text you when it's time,"he said coldly.  

I nodded. "Understood."

Without another word, I stepped out of the car and headed to my office.  

There was plenty of work to do, but my thoughts were elsewhere. Chak had forced me to cook, and now he expected dinner to be perfect. What if I choose the wrong dish? What if I mess up again?

With a sigh, I picked up my pen and tried to focus on my work.