Her light laugh mocked me. “My husband? That old man? He’s a relic, past his prime, and unable to satisfy me. Don’t worry about him. I’ll handle everything.”
“But—”
She pressed a finger to my lips, silencing me. “Have I ever let you down?” she asked firmly.
“No.”
“Didn’t I warn you about the ice challenge? About the boiling oil?”
“Yes,” I admitted. “And I’ve done everything you’ve asked, even the relentless jiggling of Akiko’s door nightly.”
“You do trust me, don’t you?” She leaned forward, tipping onto her toes, her lips inches from mine, as she tightened her grip. “Tell me you do, darling.”
“I do.” My lips brushed hers gently, a fleeting touch. “I know you’ll keep your word.”
“Good.” She released me, her feet returning to the ground. She took a step back, brushing her hands off. “Do you know what sets me apart from my husband? I’ll tell you. He might have talent, but I’m the one who turned that talent into an empire. I built this.” She gestured around her. “Every detail, every challenge, every apprentice who’s passed through this program—I orchestrated it all.”
She tilted her head as she eyed me. “Who designs the challenges?”
“You do.”
“That’s right. And who, in the end, truly decides who wins?”
“You do.”
Her smile returned, both radiant and captivating. “Exactly. Chef Sakamoto may be the face of this empire, but I am its architect. And now, Kenji, I’m building something new. It’s time for a younger, hungrier chef to take the reins. Someone the world will worship just as they once worshipped him. It’s time for Chef Kenji Sanada.”
Those words made my heart race. The thought that all of it—the fame, the power, the woman I desired by my side—was within reach. All I had to do was survive one more challenge. With her guidance, I could do it. I would do it.
“I won’t let you down,” I promised, my voice once again filled with confidence.
As she walked away, her words echoed in my mind, feeding my need for power. I would be the last one standing. I would have it all. Her, the empire, the glory. Nothing and no one would stop me.
CHAPTER FORTY-SEVEN
JIRO
Reina wanted me to kill Kenji, an actual living person. I wasn’t a killer. I wasn’t even remotely qualified for this kind of thing. How the hell was I supposed to navigate this? Surely she didn’t expect me to go through with it. I’d been tossing and turning in bed, unable to fully accept what she was asking of me.
Maybe I could stall her. Play dumb.
A soft click interrupted my thoughts. My door creaked open, and Iron Face loomed in the doorway like a servant sent from hell.
“It’s time,” he said, his voice low and cold.
“Time for what?” My voice was pitched higher than usual.
“Follow me. You’ll find out soon enough.”
Crap!This was it. Iron Face was here to help me kill Kenji. I had to figure a way out of this. Fast.
But instead of walking down the hall to Kenji’s room, Iron Face led me out of the dorms. Confused, I kept following. We weren’t heading to the training kitchen, either, so where? We approached a small windowless structure I’d seen a few times in passing. It was a little bigger than a toolshed, with a single steel door.
“What is this place?” I asked as I studied it.
Iron Face ignored me, pulling out a key and unlocking the door. He pushed it open, revealing a dark interior. “Go inside,” he ordered.
Hesitant at first, I eventually stepped through the doorway. The door slammed shut behind me, and fluorescent lights flickered on overhead. In front of me was a smaller, sealed room made of steel and glass. At first, it resembled an observation chamber. My stomach dropped as realization hit me.
