Chapter 22

She locked the doors and put on the earring, she seems to have noticed me smiling and asked

“What are you smiling at?”

“N-Nothing, I just remembered something funny” I lied

“Whatever, take a seat over there but leave your phone with me” She ordered

I did as requested and took a seat. In the meantime, she seems to be gathering stuff from the various drawers and cabinets… oh please don’t tell me…

“How about some brownies?”

Not this again…



“You’re lucky I have most of the ingredients ready” She said “Just some time in the oven and it’ll be ready”

“So, you just want me to try out your food?” I asked confused

“Of course! Proper feedback is one of the most important things for a chef to receive” She said with a smile, though something about the smile seemed devilish to me “How about a starter course?”

Without waiting for my answer, she took out some mozzarella sticks and some bacon, then proceeded to heat them up. After some preparation, the first batch was ready shortly afterward, she served it on a plate and placed it in front of me

“Dig in, I expect no leftovers” She ordered

I didn’t have much choice in the matter so grabbed one of the sticks and started eating.



They were mozzarella sticks wrapped in bacon and with a hearty amount of ranch dressing, I was impressed at how crispy and crunchy it was on the outside. As I took a bite, the melted mozzarella cheese inside oozed out, and the salty flavor of the bacon mixed with the creamy ranch dressing. The cheese was smooth and rich, and the bacon added a smoky flavor that was perfectly balanced by the tangy ranch dressing. The texture was crispy and satisfying, with just the right amount of chewiness.

I took bite after bite of these delicious sticks, they somehow tasted even better than the conjured food from the party, perhaps the tome had some limitations to its power? Each time I cleared my plate Zoey would refill it with a new batch of sticks and bacon. It was a pretty filling meal, to the point where I wasn’t sure if I’d have enough space for whatever she was planning afterward, I would just have to wait and see.



The brownies were finally done, she took them out of the oven and let them cool, in the meantime she retired my now-empty plate

“So, how did you find the mozzarella sticks?” She asked me

“They were… great” I replied “Everything, down to the last-minute detail, was perfect. But I’m not sure if the combination of mozzarella sticks and bacon is very healthy…”

“And don’t forget the amount of butter that went into making it, the ranch dressing, and the bacon oil I used!” She replied devilishly

“Urgh, so what, are you just here to see me–” I started saying before being interrupted by a loud ping from a wind-up clock

“Oh! The brownies should be good now, bon appetit!” She said as she placed down a tray of brownies in front of me



There were a variety of brownies on the tray, I grabbed and took a bite into a random one, it was infused with caramel, and the sweet, sticky flavor melding with the chocolate created an explosion of flavors in my mouth. I grabbed another. This one was sprinkled with sea salt on top, giving them a salty-sweet edge that left me wanting more.

As I bit into each brownie, I could taste the high-quality ingredients that had gone into their creation. Some were chewy and fudgy, while others were cakey and light. All of them were incredibly rich and delicious. The heavy cream gave them a rich, creamy texture, and the buttery flavor was unmistakable. Each bite was a symphony of flavors, the chocolatey goodness mingling with the other ingredients in perfect harmony.

My apprehension about eating such fattening treats gradually melted away as I savored the wonderful flavors in my mouth, each bite felt better than the last. there was no doubt about it, she was a pro at cooking, the conjured food and ingredients from the tome may have been good but she had a technique that the Cult lacked.



The tray was cleared and at this point, I felt stuffed, after giving Zoey some feedback I started to get up until she pushed me back down to my seat.

“Leaving already? We still have 15 minutes left on the clock and dessert to go through!” She said

“I don’t know if I can keep on eating…” I mentioned

“Nonsense! Give it a try at least” She replied

Zoey took a container from the freezer, it was an unmarked pint, she opened it and prepared a bowl full of what appeared to be ice cream. After some waiting, she finally placed it down on the table in front of me.
“Dig in” She said “It’s the crème de la crème”

I hesitated for a second before grabbing a spoon and taking a scoop of the ice cream. It was a homemade ‘forest fruits’ ice cream, it was rich and decadent, made with heavy cream, whole milk, and plenty of sugar. It was studded with chunks of all kinds of sweet and juicy berries that burst with flavor in every bite. The base was a creamy, smooth texture that coated the tongue with a luscious mouthfeel.

Author's notes:
Who could have seen this coming?
I apologize once again for the lack of uploads, my schedule has been quite busy indeed.
It seems like Utopia Station won the poll by a decent margin, so expect the first part to be released shortly.
Today’s question will be, what is the ideal length of a story for you? What about the ideal length for each part?
As always, thank you for all the feedback and support.