?Chapter 37:


    “No matter how things turn out, it’s always worth trying,” Chloe said with a gentle smile. Her face was glowing, but the weakness in her body was still evident.


    “If even King can’t heal me, then I doubt anyone else can,” Chloe added quietly. King was herst thread of hope. She knew clinging to expectations could be dangerous, but letting go felt even worse.


    “You’ll be fine. King is one of the best,” Dn said firmly, as if trying to convince both her and himself. King was theirst hope. He couldn’t imagine what would happen if that hope disappeared.


    Chloe leaned forward, resting her chin in her hands. Her eyes sparkled brightly, full of curiosity. Even though she looked tired and pale, her charm and youthful spirit still shone through. “I wonder what King is like. A man or a woman? Old or young? I’d love to meet King someday,” she said with hope in her eyes. “It’s such a pity I don’t have any talent for medicine. Otherwise, if I ever got the chance to meet King, I’d beg to be their apprentice.”


    Dn arched an eyebrow and slid a bowl of soup in front of her. “You’d be wasting your breath,” he said with a smile. “King doesn’t take on apprentices. Now eat before it gets cold.”


    Chloe wrinkled her nose, stuck her tongue out at him, and then turned excitedly toward Christina. “Christina! You have to try this!” she said, her tone bubbling with enthusiasm. “Dn made it, and it’s honestly amazing!”


    Christina smiled and picked up her spoon, giving in to Chloe’s cheerful persistence. The aroma alone was rich andforting, and the first sip stunned her. The broth was deep and vorful—savory, slow-cooked, and full of warmth. It tasted like something that had simmered for hours,yered with care.


    She blinked, caught off guard. It had been years since she’d tasted soup this top-notch. If she hadn’t seen Dn in the kitchen herself, she would never have believed he could cook this remarkably.


    The memory surfaced vividly—it was during a prestigious cookingpetition where she’d served as one of the anonymous judges. The winning dish? A bowl of onion soup that had left asting impression on her pte. And this one tasted exactly the same. Not just simr—identical, down to the subtle depth of vor and the delicate bnce of spices.


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    Back then, thepetition had been shrouded in secrecy. Contestantspeted under codenames, their identities hidden. No one revealed their faces—not even the judges. Everyone remained a mystery, known only by their assigned numbers.


    That had been the rule of thepetition—strict anonymity. To this day, no one knew the true identities of the champion chef or the judges. All that was certain was that the judges had been carefully selected by the organizers—big names in the culinary world, each carrying serious weight in the industry.


    If she remembered correctly, the winner hadpeted under the codename ine. When ine first entered the contest, few had paid attention. The name didn’t carry weight, and the presentation had been modest. Almost no one ced bets on ine, assuming ine would be eliminated early, certainly not someone to make it to the top three.


    But Christina had gone against popr opinion. Something about ine’s first dish had caught her attention, and she quietly ced her bet on them.


    To everyone’s surprise, ine swept thepetition and imed the championship.


    Back then, Christina had been Judge Number 6.


    For a fleeting moment, as Christina tasted the soup Dn had made, a wild thought passed through her mind—could he be ine? But then she shook it off. Dn was the head of the powerful Scott Group. He was a business mogul, constantly in the spotlight. There was no way he would have had the time—or interest—to enter a secret cookingpetition.


    “Is it good?” Chloe asked eagerly, watching Christina’s reaction.


    Christina nodded, still savoring the vor. “It’s more than good. It’s incredible.”


    Chloe beamed. “Dn seldom cooks. Even our family rarely gets to taste his food. His cooking skills are reserved for his future wife,” she teased, shooting Christina a yful look. “I only get to enjoy it today because you’re here!”


    Then, Chloe leaned in closer, eyes sparkling with mischief. “Christina, have you ever considered bing my sister-inw?” she said with a grin. “Just imagine it! Dn cooking for you every day, new recipes, and making all your favorite dishes. He’s really amazing in the kitchen. Honestly, I wouldn’t mind being the third wheel if it means I get to eat, too. Think about it. He’s tall and handsome, cooks like a pro, and absolutely spoils the people he loves. In our family, the men are loyal to the core and treat their wives like queens.”


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