No More Waiting, She Chooses Love
Chapter 700

Charlie was certainly daring, knowing full well that Dustin was pursuing me, yet he still had the nerve to challenge him.

This side of Charlie caught me by surprise. Thinking that Deborah might be at the Sapphire Lounge, I had to see for myself, so I declined his invitation, saying, "No thanks, I've got plans tonight." Charlie didn't seem disappointed, replying, "Alright, Ms. Hudson, if you need anything, just let me know."

I nodded, and he tactfully left. At the elevator, a colleague bumped into him and called him Mr. Collins. He just nodded and didn't correct him.

"Do you think he could be Ernest?" Dustin asked me, noticing the resemblance.

If I outright denied it, Dustin would think I was hiding something. So, I just smiled lightly, "I don't know, that's why I need to test him."

I shook the lunch box in my hand, "Ernest used to always surprise me with his cooking, so I thought I'd test Charlie's culinary skills."

I explained this to Dustin to ensure he wouldn't get the wrong idea about my intentions with Charlie. I didn't want Dustin to see him as a threat just yet. Plus, I couldn't let Dustin think he was out of the running entirely. "I need to keep him on his toes," I thought to myself.

"And? Did you replace out anything?" Dustin followed me into the office.

"I had him make me a couple of dishes last night. They didn't taste the same as Ernest's," I said, opening the lunch box.

Besides the dishes Charlie mentioned, there was also a small portion of mini beef wellingtons and a bowl of butternut squash soup.

I had to admit, Charlie's cooking was impressive; just looking at it made me hungry.

"He's wasting his talent modeling at the Sapphire Lounge. With his skills, he could easily open his own bistro," Dustin offered his high praise.

"It's not just about the looks; the taste is what matters," I said with a double meaning, handing Dustin some cutlery, "Try some."

He hesitated, "But he made this for you."

"I can't eat all this by myself," I insisted, nudging the cutlery toward him again.

Dustin took it but didn't start eating. It didn't matter to me; I went ahead and poked at the mini beef wellington.

"Aren't you not eating?" Dustin asked.

I didn't answer right away, my mouth filled with the savory taste of beef wellington and that

long-missed familiar flavor

Charlie's beef wellington tasted exactly like the ones my dad used to make...

belongs to en.kikiston

Suddenly, my throat tightened, and my body shivered slightly with the familiar taste.

How could Charlie replicate my dad's beef wellington exactly?

Unless he was Ernest.

Because Ernest's father and my dad were close, only he would know my dad's beef wellington recipe.

When my parents were still around there was a time my dad was on a business trip, and I craved beef wellington. My mom tried to make it, but it just wasn't the same.

When my dad returned, I complained, and he mentioned he had a secret recipe.

But now, this secret recipe was in Charlie's hands, and he never met my father. So, the only explanation was that he wasn't Charlie at all, but my Ernest.

"Felicia," Dustin called me back to reality.

I swallowed the beef wellington, putting down the cutlery, "Does Dustin know why I stopped eating beef wellington?"

"Thought you didn't like it?" He looked at me, eyes full of curiosity.

I shook my head, "I love it, but only my dad's... After he passed, I couldn't bring myself to eat it anymore."