CHAPTER 183

CHAPTER 183
FOUR MONTHS LATER

The studio kitchen hummed with soft clatters as the director called “cut” for the final time. The overhead lights dimmed slightly, giving everyone a moment to breathe after hours of shooting. The air still carried the rich scent of spices and sizzling butter, a reminder of the dish today's guest chef had prepared before Amelia and Leon attempted their own recreations on camera. It had been a lively session, full of laughter and retakes and the strange kind of pressure that came from having to slice vegetables perfectly while remembering lines and camera marks.

Amelia exhaled in relief as she set down her apron. Her shoulders ached from the repeated movements, and her cheeks were still warm from the unforgiving brightness of the studio lamps. Yet there was a soft glow beneath the exhaustion - a sense of fulfillment she had grown to recognize since the show began six months ago.

Leon stood beside her, adjusting his gloves before pulling them off completely. He offered her a small smile, one that was warm but somehow distant. Amelia couldn’t decipher it today. Usually she could read him well - he was expressive and open in his own quiet way - but something about his silence felt layered, thoughtful, unreadable.

Before she could ask if he was alright, the visiting chef strode toward them, beaming with excitement. He was taller than she had expected when she first met him this morning, with a joyful personality that filled the room easily. This was his first time filming with them; like every episode, “A TASTE OF THE TRENDING” brought in a trending culinary artist from a different town each week. The chef they had filmed with today had gone viral recently for his modern twist on a traditional street dish, which he had taught them to recreate during the episode.

“You two were fantastic,” he said, wiping his brow with a towel draped over his shoulder. “Honestly, I didn’t know what to expect, but this was a great experience.”

“Thank you for having us in your kitchen,” Amelia replied warmly. “Your dish was harder than it looked.”

“That’s what everyone says!” he laughed. Then he lowered his voice slightly, leaning in with playful curiosity. “So… are the two of you dating?”

Amelia blinked, caught completely off guard. “Dating? Oh…. no! No, we’re not dating.”

The chef raised both eyebrows, clearly unconvinced. “Really? Because if not, then you two have some of the best natural chemistry I’ve ever seen. I’ve been trending online for a while, and I’ve watched several episodes of your show before agreeing to do mine. I noticed it even then. But seeing it in person today… it’s something else. The way you communicate without speaking, the way your timing matches perfectly - it’s rare.”

Amelia felt her cheeks warm again, though this time it wasn’t from the studio lights. She laughed awkwardly. “We’ve been hosting together for six months now, and we’ve been friends even longer. Maybe that’s why it seems that way.”

The chef turned to Leon, waiting for his reaction. Leon simply smiled - gentle, closed off, unreadable. He neither confirmed nor denied anything, offering the same polite expression that hid more than it revealed. Amelia found herself suddenly aware of how long he’d been quiet today. She wondered if something was weighing on him, but before she could ask, Amy approached with her tablet pressed tightly to her chest.

“Great work today,” Amy said, taking charge of the moment. She shook the chef’s hand and thanked him for participating. The producers and cinematographers were already gathering in the back corner, reviewing preliminary cuts from the footage as the rest of the crew dismantled props and cleaned the counters.

“The director wants to speak to everyone before we wrap,” Amy said, motioning for Amelia and Leon to follow.

They crossed the studio, weaving between portable lights and carts filled with ingredients. Studio assistants moved briskly, already preparing to load equipment into the van for the next episode, which would take place in a completely different town.

The director clapped his hands once the group had assembled. “We’re officially halfway through filming this season,” he announced proudly. “And I’m thrilled to tell you all that our ratings have been going up every single week. Last night’s episode hit a new record. Great job, everyone.”

Applause filled the room. Even the tired lighting crew grinned widely. Leon nudged Amelia lightly with his elbow, and she returned the smile, feeling a small swelling of pride.

“To celebrate,” the director continued, “we’re all going out for team dinner tonight. Everyone is invited. We’ve booked a big place, so please come, relax, and enjoy. You’ve all worked incredibly hard.”

More cheers echoed, and people began discussing restaurants and whether they could finally eat something that wasn’t filmed under ten different cameras.

As the excitement spread, Amy tapped Amelia’s arm gently. “Can I talk to you for a minute?”

Amelia followed her toward the quieter end of the kitchen set.

“I wanted to show you something,” Amy said, unlocking her tablet. She turned the screen toward Amelia, who leaned closer.

It was a national music chart.

Her debut song stared back at her from the number one position.

Amelia blinked once. Twice. Her breath caught in her throat. “Is this real?”

“It is,” Amy said, her face softening with pride. “Your debut single is officially number one nationwide. And that means we need to prepare for your tour.”

Amelia’s lips parted slightly as she tried to absorb the weight of that sentence.

“A tour,” she whispered.

“Yes. You’ll be gone for two weeks, maybe more, depending on turnout. Concerts, interviews, radio shows, pop-up performances - the full round. Which means we need to film as much of this show in advance as we can before you leave.”

The excitement mixed quickly with the familiar anxiety that came whenever something big happened in her career. “That means the schedule is going to get harder.”

“Much harder,” Amy said honestly. “You’re representing multiple brands now - not just Star Holdings but several others that reached out recently. Your image is rising fast. Your workload will reflect that.”

Amelia nodded slowly. She had dreamed of this kind of growth, but she wasn’t naïve enough to think it came without pressure.

Amy smiled reassuringly. “But tonight, forget all that. Go to dinner, enjoy yourself, laugh with the team. Things are going to get busy, so take this little slice of peace.”

Just as Amelia nodded in agreement, her phone buzzed inside her pocket. She pulled it out instinctively.

Matteo.

She stepped slightly aside. “Hello?”

“Are you finally done?” Matteo’s warm voice flowed through the speaker. “I thought they’d never let you leave.”

Amelia’s chest loosened. “We just wrapped. They’re taking us out for dinner.”

“I miss you,” he said softly.

A shy smile crept across her face. “I miss you too.”

“It feels like we’re living on opposite sides of the world even though we’re just a few districts apart.”

“That’s because your schedule is insane,” she said, chuckling softly.

“And yours is about to get worse,” Matteo teased gently.

“Amy told me,” she sighed. “The tour starts in two weeks.”

“I’m proud of you,” Matteo murmured, his voice thick with sincerity. “Your song is everywhere. The whole country is singing along.”

She closed her eyes for a moment, letting the warmth settle inside her. “I wish we had more time.”

“We will,” he promised. “When your tour ends, I’m taking you away for days. Just you and me. No schedules. No cameras.”

Her heart fluttered. “That sounds perfect.”

“Now go,” he said. “Enjoy dinner. I’ll call you tonight.”

They ended the call gently, not quite ready but forced by time.

Amelia drew a steady breath, slipped her phone back into her pocket, and turned toward the group walking out of the studio. Leon glanced at her briefly, offering another one of his unreadable smiles before falling in step beside her. 

“You two seem to be smitten with each other. When are you planning on making it official?” He asked with a smile.

“We both like it as it is – private.” Amelia responded as a matter of fact.

Matteo chuckled then went silent.

The rest of the team chattered excitedly, their voices lifting in the cool evening air as they made their way toward the vans.