CHAPTER 299: PERFECT BITE (1)

Georgia’s POV

After Vernon agreed to testify, Oliver and Nick made sure he had everything he needed. Oliver asked his assistant to accompany him to the police station for his statement, and afterward, Nick’s security team would escort him to one of the safe houses from Ollie’s list.

With that settled, Nick turned to me with a softer expression. "Let’s take a break from the serious stuff. Boardroom, now. It’s time for the final menu tasting for the wedding."

He also called Vicky and Ollie to join us, and by the time we were walking down the hall, the atmosphere had completely shifted.

"This is so exciting!" Vicky practically bounced beside me. "I’m so glad I skipped work today. Thanks for letting me tag along! I can’t wait for your wedding—it’s going to be perfect! I’m so excited!"

Her energy was contagious, making both Nick and me laugh. I was about to say something, but Nick beat me to it.

"If you’re that excited, maybe you should get married too," he teased. "Like Mom and Dad always say, it’s about time. You’re not getting any younger, Vicky."

I tried not to laugh, but my gaze instantly flicked to Oliver. He was walking ahead with his usual nonchalant expression, though I caught the slight twitch in his jaw and the way he loosened his tie just a bit.

I bit my tongue to keep from smiling, but Vicky wasn’t taking her brother’s teasing lightly.

She rolled her eyes dramatically. "Oh, please, and how exactly am I supposed to get married when I don’t even have a man in my life? Maybe I should just say yes to one of those blind dates Violet keeps setting up for me."

That made Oliver’s eyes flick toward her for just a second—quick, subtle, but enough for me to notice. He hid it well from everyone else, but not from me. And the look he gave? Definitely not a happy one.

"Maybe you should, since you’re so picky," Nick teased. "Or better yet, maybe I should suggest a few candidates myself. How about you, Ollie?"

Both Vicky and Oliver froze mid-step, eyes wide in unison.

"You’re suggesting me to date Vicky?" Oliver blurted out, his tone caught between confusion and mild horror.

I nearly choked trying not to laugh. His usually calm, unreadable expression had twisted into absolute panic. He completely misunderstood Nick’s question.

"What? Of course not!" Nick scoffed, shaking his head. "I know my sister too well. And as your best friend, I wouldn’t let you suffer for a lifetime. You deserve better—ow!"

Vicky smacked him with her bag before he could finish.

"And what’s that supposed to mean?" she huffed, glaring at him. "You’re supposed to be on my side, not his! He’s just your best friend—I’m your sister!"

That was it. I couldn’t hold back my laughter anymore. The sight of them bickering like kids was just too much.

"Not you too, Georgia!" Vicky groaned when she saw me laughing.

"I’m sorry," I said between chuckles, placing a hand over my chest. "You two just remind me of my brother. Moments like this make me miss him."

Vicky instantly softened, her pout replaced by a sympathetic smile. "Aww, I’m sure your brother’s a lot kinder than mine."

Then she looped her arm through mine dramatically. "Come on, let’s eat and forget about how much of a jerk my brother is. Honestly, I don’t even know what you see in him."

Before Nick could even protest, Vicky stuck her tongue out at him like a child and dragged me away toward the boardroom, leaving the two men behind. I couldn’t stop smiling the whole way there.

When Vicky pushed open the door, the delicious aroma of food instantly filled the hallway, wrapping around us like a warm invitation. My stomach gave a quiet growl, and when I glanced at Vicky, she was grinning—hers probably did the same.

"You’re finally here!" Candice, our ever-bubbly wedding planner, greeted us with a big smile. "Take a seat, let’s start right away before I lose all my self-control. The food smells way too good," she said half-jokingly, fanning the air toward herself.

We all laughed as we took our seats around the long table. Candice handed each of us a sheet of paper and a pen.

"As you can see, these are the dishes that will be presented today," she explained, tapping the list with her manicured finger. "Just put a checkmark beside the ones you love, and if you want to tweak something, write it down in the comments section."

Nick glanced at the menu with that serious, businesslike expression of his—as if we were about to close a multi-million dollar deal instead of choosing salad dressings. Vicky and I exchanged amused looks.

"Since you decided on a plated dinner with a five-course meal, we’ll start with the appetizers," Candice continued before gesturing to the man beside her. "This is Andre—the owner and head chef of the catering company you chose. He’ll walk us through each dish."

Andre gave a courteous nod, his chef’s jacket crisp and spotless. "Thank you, Candice. For this tasting, I’ve prepared a range of dishes to match your theme. Since your guest list is quite diverse, I recommend letting them pre-select their meals in advance—this way, we can accommodate dietary preferences, allergies, and health-related restrictions without compromising flavor."

Candice leaned closer to me with a little smile and whispered, "He’s a genius in the kitchen, trust me. You’re in for a treat."

I smiled back, already feeling the excitement bubbling up. Somehow, the room felt brighter, the air lighter—like everything was starting to come together, one perfect bite at a time.

Even though we’d just had lunch barely two hours ago, my stomach clearly didn’t care. The moment those aromas hit me, hunger struck like I hadn’t eaten in days. My body was practically begging to dig in—to taste everything on the table before Andre could even start explaining a single dish.

I tried to look composed, nodding along politely as he began his introduction, but my eyes kept drifting toward the plates being uncovered one by one. Each scent was more mouthwatering than the last, and honestly, if Nick wasn’t sitting right beside me, I might’ve already grabbed a fork and stolen a bite.

*****

Thank you for the Golden Ticket!

Noni_Byz