Chapter 124: You all want to lose your jobs
Clara quietly listened. Everything suddenly made sense. However, she never expected Jaden to look into the matter.
"I tried contacting you afterward," Jaden continued. "But the phone number you left was invalid."
Clara smiled awkwardly. "That was... intentional."
"I guessed as much," he laughed. "So I contacted Adrian instead."
The moment he mentioned Adrian’s name, Clara knew exactly how he had tracked her down.
Jaden looked at her seriously.
"In all my years as a chef...I’ve only met a handful of people capable of recreating my dishes exactly the way I envisioned them."
He smiled proudly. "You’re one of them."
Clara was momentarily speechless.
"So..." He leaned forward slightly.
"I’m here to apologize and... I’d like to offer you a position working with me," he smiled before adding. "I haven’t met someone with your level of talent in years."
The entire bakery fell silent.
Clara stared at him in disbelief.
Nearby... Silvia’s, Lily’s, and Gen’s jaws slowly dropped.
"...Wait." Lily was the first to find her voice.
She looked at Clara with sparkling eyes.
"Does this mean... our Madam is about to go international?"
"Hurray we are really going to be rich."
"..."
Clara snapped out of her thoughts and looked at the three girls, who were already celebrating as though she had accepted the offer.
She couldn’t help but smile helplessly.
"Well..."
She turned back to Jaden.
"I’m afraid I can’t accept your offer."
The entire bakery fell silent.
"What?"
Silvia, Lily, and Gen stared at Clara in complete disbelief.
Even Jaden frowned.
"Why?"
He looked genuinely confused.
"You’ll have the opportunity to learn so much."
"Not only that, your bakery could gain international recognition."
From his perspective, it was an offer that countless chefs would fight for.
People spent years trying to work under him.
Yet here he was personally extending the invitation... only to be politely rejected.
Clara smiled apologetically.
"When I opened this bakery... It wasn’t because I wanted fame. It wasn’t because I wanted recognition either."
She glanced around the cozy shop before looking back at him.
"This bakery was my mother’s dream. My dream was simply to keep it alive. Seeing customers leave with a smile is already enough for me."
Jaden quietly listened.
Clara continued,
"And besides..."
"You’ve offered me this opportunity without truly knowing what I’m capable of."
She laughed softly.
"What if I’m not as talented as you think?"
Jaden smiled.
"You really underestimate yourself."
He leaned back in his chair.
"The moment I tasted the pastries you made..."
"I had my answer."
His eyes softened.
"You reminded me of myself."
"Not the chef I am today..."
"But the young man who first fell in love with cooking."
He chuckled.
"After all these years..."
"I’ve learned to recognize talent."
"And yours is undeniable."
Clara appreciated his confidence, but she still shook her head.
"I truly appreciate your offer."
"I really do."
"But for now..."
"My place is here."
For a long moment, Jaden simply looked at her.
Finally...
He smiled.
"I won’t force you."
He stood up and extended his hand.
"But my offer doesn’t expire."
"If you ever change your mind..."
"My kitchen will always have a place for you."
Clara stood and shook his hand with a grateful smile.
"I’ll remember that."
"Thank you, Chef."
Jaden finished the last sip of his latte before heading toward the door.
Just before leaving, he turned around.
"And Clara..."
"Don’t ever doubt your talent."
Then he walked out of the bakery.
The door had barely closed—
When three pairs of eyes locked onto Clara.
The next second...
Silvia, Lily, and Gen surrounded her from all directions.
"Madam!"
Silvia looked like she was about to cry.
"That was such a huge opportunity!"
"Why did you reject it?"
Gen nodded vigorously.
"I almost accepted it on your behalf."
"You nearly gave me a heart attack."
Lily dramatically held her chest.
"My soul left my body for a second."
Clara looked at the three dramatic women and sighed.
"So... You all want to lose your jobs?"
"..."
The three women froze. Their expressions turned pale.
"NO!"
All three shouted in perfect unison.
Lily grabbed Clara’s arm.
"Madam!"
"What does your career have to do with our jobs?"
Clara folded her arms and spoke with a perfectly serious face.
"Think about it."
"If I go international... I’ll have to build a completely new team."
She raised an eyebrow. "Do you honestly think Chef Jaden would let me bring all three of you along?"
"..."
The girls looked at one another. Then... realization struck.
"...Oh."
Lily’s face instantly lost all color.
"I remember hearing how strict Chef Jaden is."
She shivered dramatically.
"He exposed Tim without blinking."
"What if he fires me just because I breathe too loudly?"
Gen gasped. "What if I sneeze in front of him?"
Silvia looked horrified. "What if I accidentally burn toast?"
The three women stared at each other in growing panic.
Lily was the first to shake her head furiously. "No...I don’t want to go global anymore."
Gen immediately agreed. "I suddenly love this bakery."
Silvia nodded even faster. "I love local businesses. I support small businesses. I am a small business."
Clara bit the inside of her cheek to stop herself from laughing.
The three of them had completely convinced themselves.
"It seems we’ve reached a decision."
She smiled warmly.
"We’re staying exactly where we are."
"YES, MADAM!"
The three women answered like disciplined soldiers.
Watching their synchronized response, Clara couldn’t help smiling.
These silly girls... do they really think I’d leave them behind?
She looked at the three women fondly.
You’re all stuck with me until our hair turns gray. And probably even after that, if you keep being this dramatic.
***
Meanwhile inside the office, the air suddenly felt heavy, and Mark couldn’t help but feel a surge of anxiety wash over him.
Why isn’t Boss saying anything? he wondered, only for another thought to suddenly strike him.
Goodness... don’t tell me Madam told him about me and Hannah?
The possibility made Mark’s eyes widen. Just when he thought he had managed to hide his panic from his boss, Dominic looked up and met his gaze at the worst possible moment.
"..."