The chef who cooked her way back

"I have never been more disappointed in you as I am right now, Zoey." An elderly man looking really angry yells at his daughter, who was sitting on the floor crying. A successful business man, Mr Hardin Chadwick. CEO of Chadwick's corporations. He is known in the whole of the state and neighbouring states. He was standing before his daughter. Feeling like he had failed on one mission he never thought was going to be difficult. "The whole city is talking about this. I have tried to reason with you on this for a while now. But now, it is too late for an abortion. You claimed it wasn't that, the loser of a boyfriend of yours, Joe Marcus, Then who is responsible?" "I don't know. I swear. I didn't see his face." Zoey swore. "That night, I decided to prove my love to Joe. I decided for the first time I was going to be with him. I- I walked into the room thinking Joe was in it but when I woke up the next morning, a stranger was laying on the bed next to me. I left in a hurry and I didn't see his face." She narrated the same story she had been telling her father since he found out she was pregnant. She wasn't lying because she recalled what happened the next morning at the hotel. She intended to keep it a secret and pretended it never happened. But her constant illness later on suggested that she was pregnant. When her father found out about it, he tried as much as he could to get her to abort it but she refused. He had also turned the whole city upside down in an attempt to find who was responsible. But he came up with nothing and his daughter was refusing to say anything about the man that got her pregnant. "Daddy.... Please -" Zoey began with a shaky voice but was forced to stop when her father stormed away from the living room. She was heartbroken because she had never seen her father this angry. All she had received from him was love, care and tenderness. More than anything, he wanted for her to take over the family business someday but she had never wanted that. As of present, he felt she had gone a bit too far to prove that to him. "What a shame. This is a disgrace to the Chadwick family name." A young girl, who was about Zoey's age, spoke to her. There was a mix of jealousy and satisfaction in her eyes as she looked down at Zoey. She walked back and stood near an elderly woman. "Who is the father of your bastard child? Hmm?" The elderly woman also spoke. "Just tell your father who did this to you. He might consider giving you listening ears and find a way to save our reputation. Maybe get you two married so that the child wouldn't be fatherless." She advised with a sneer on her face. Zoey shook her head as she sniffed her tears. "I don't know. I don't remember. It is all a blur." She mumbled with a shaky voice. The night she walked into the room, she was drunk. Everything that happened between them was mostly a blur in her head. "What are you doing, Hardin?" A panicking old woman's voice asked. She walked into the living room, following Hardin. "Don't make decisions while in anger. Take time to calm down first." The old woman tried to reason. Zoey heard shuffling from the direction her father walked towards. He had a suitcase with him. He dragged it effortlessly and with a lot of anger. "The only thing that I have to do, mother." Hardin said as he got closer to Zoey. He threw it close to her, making her flinch. It was her trolley and she was certain it had her clothes in them. Everything felt like a nightmare to her. She wished she would open her eyes and realise it was all just a dream. But no. It never happened. "No! Hardin. Please don't." Victoria cried. She couldn't do much as her son was about to do to her only granddaughter. "Mother, I cannot have such a disgrace in the midst of my family. All my life, I have been trying to make us comfortable and protect our reputation. But all this girl has been trying to do is to make sure she does something to make me look bad." He said without sparing his mother another look. "You have brought me more shame than I could ever imagine. From now on, I am no longer your father. Now, get out of here." Zoey's father said in a low but threatening voice as he pointed towards the door. He was stern and she knew there was no room for him to listen to her pleadings. But she tried anyway. "D- Daddy... Please don't do this-" "Don't call me that. Leave my home and get out of the estate before I return. I am not going to let you make me look more foolish in the eyes of the business world. or worse, the whole city than you already have made me. I am a respected and well known businessman for Christ sake." Hardin pointed out. "Hardin, don't make rash decisions. She is just a girl." Victoria tried to reason with him again. "A pregnant one, mother. She has proven to be all grown up. She is twenty years old and can take care of herself. She doesn't need anyone and I don't want her here. She better be gone before I return." Hardin said and with that, he stormed out of the house. He did not stay a minute longer so that his mother wouldn't try to pacify him and make him change his mind. Zoey got up from the floor and ran to her grandmother. She hugged her as tears were still streaming down her face. With a shrug, Zoey's stepmother and sister walked away from the living room. "It is best we left. Father is going to be in rage when he comes back and sees her here." Kendra's voice was heard as they walked away. "It's ok, dear. We are going to figure it all out." Victoria said as she caressed Zoey's hair. "Grandma, father hates me. He is not going to forgive me." Zoey cried. "He doesn't hate you, dare. He is just angry and under a lot of pressure at the moment. We need to give him time to calm down." Victoria reasoned. "For now, let's focus on yours and your unborn child's safety." Zoey gave her a nod while sniffing her tears. She listened to the instructions her grandmother gave to her. After that, she walked her out of the house and to the family car. Victoria told the driver where to take Zoey. After saying her goodbyes to her grandma, she gave the house one last look before she turned to get in the car. "Goodbye, dad. Goodbye Kerisston city. For now." She said before stepping into the car and the driver drove off.