Chapter 110: Glowup Girl!

Patricia blinked at me, her expression going totally serious. She folded her hands in her lap and shook her head slowly. "Ethan... I’m really not the type of person to seek revenge. I just want to move on with my life."

Silence stretched over the table. I sat there for a second, deflating slightly. "Oh," I muttered. "Right. Yeah, of course. My bad..."

Suddenly, a bright, mischievous spark danced in her eyes, and she broke out into a breathless laugh. "I’m totally joking! Look at your face!" She leaned over the table, her eyes wide with curiosity. "Come on, I definitely want to hear your plan. What are you thinking?"

I grinned, resting my chin on my hand as I leaned in closer. "How about this? We open a brand-new, high-end restaurant... right beside his. Exact same street, right next door. Let’s see who actually wins over the customers when real talent goes head-to-head with his greasy, overpriced menu."

Patricia’s face lit up instantly. "Oh... that is downright devious," she breathed, a huge smile breaking across her face. "I love it."

But almost as quickly as the excitement hit her, a sudden wave of nervousness washed over her expression. She fidgeted with her napkin, looking down at the wooden table.

"Wait... Ethan, a real restaurant? My own kitchen?" She swallowed hard, her voice laced with self-doubt. "I mean... I know I’m good, but if I’m going to run a place that dominates the entire block, I’ll have to seriously sharpen my culinary skills first. I need to be better. Perfect, even."

"Then we’ll make sure you get there," I said smoothly, giving her a reassuring nod. "No rush, no pressure. We enjoy the rest of this week, get you completely rested and restored through the rest of the spa treatments, and once we’re done here in Tokyo... we start your training."

The rest of the week blurred into a seamless rhythm of pure, unadulterated healing.

Day by day, the transformation unfolded like a slow-motion montage. There were sunrise hydrotherapy sessions overlooking the misty Tokyo gardens, herbal steam wraps that drew out years of heavy, physical fatigue, and nightly deep-tissue massages that systematically unraveled the chronic tension locked in her shoulders. Her posture began to shift first—no longer slumping under the weight of endless, soul-crushing kitchen shifts, but standing tall, head unburdened, shoulders relaxed.

By the seventh and final day, the exhaustion that had once defined her was completely gone.

I spent the final afternoon in the estate’s private salon, getting a fresh hair trim and crisp grooming before our flight back. When I stepped out into the sunlit central courtyard, the cool autumn breeze carried the crisp scent of pine and cedar. I leaned back against the dark wooden pillar of the veranda, waiting for her.

Then, the wooden shoji screen glided open.

When Patricia stepped out into the light, my breath caught for a fraction of a second. The shift in her was staggering.

It wasn’t just that her skin had cleared—it was radiant, practically glowing with a healthy, warm dewiness that made her look like she had de-aged five years. Her hair had been cut and styled into a soft, curtained frame that perfectly highlighted the sharp, elegant lines of her cheekbones—a style so effortlessly chic it looked made just for her. Even her hands, once calloused, dry, and nicked from relentless prep work, were meticulously manicured with subtle, clean polish.

She was still wearing the same simple, casual clothes she had arrived in, but on her now, they looked entirely different. The sheer confidence in her stride, the fluid grace in her movements, and the bright, clear light in her eyes made her look like royalty walking through a private garden.

She walked over to where I was standing, a faint, shy flush touching her cheeks when she saw me looking at her. Gently, she tucked a stray strand of her newly styled hair behind her ear, her manicured nails catching the afternoon sunlight.

She looked at me, her gaze steady, warm, and entirely clear of the fear or self-doubt she had carried a week ago.

"Ethan..." she said, her voice soft, rich, and filled with an emotion so deep it hung heavy in the quiet courtyard. "I don’t think I have the words for this. This past week... it’s been the best experience of my entire life. I feel like I finally have my soul back."

She stepped closer, looking straight into my eyes with an unwavering, radiant smile.

"Thank you. Truly... thank you for everything."

"You’re welcome, Patricia," I said softly.

As the words left my mouth, her eyes welling up with moisture finally overflowed. Small, shimmering tears of pure joy trace paths down her glowing cheeks. It was the sheer weight of everything hitting her all at once—the exhaustion she’d carried for years finally gone, the freedom she never thought she’d see, and the reality that someone actually cared enough to lift her out of the dark.

"Hey," I murmured, taking a step closer.

I reached up with my thumb, gently wiping away the tears glistening on her skin. She leaned slightly into the touch, overwhelmed by the emotional release. I leaned in and pressed a warm, reassuring kiss right onto her forehead.

"We’re not done yet," I smiled against her skin, pulling back to look into her bright eyes. "Next stop? A full shopping spree to get you a wardrobe that actually matches the new you."

Before I could even draft the plan in my head, Patricia’s face lit up with a sudden, playful energy.

"Wait—before any shopping, there’s one thing I have to do here before we leave," she insisted, her voice full of newfound excitement.

She grabbed me by the arm, tugging me along with surprising strength toward the estate’s interactive outdoor dining pavilion. "They have a high-end ’Cook-Your-Own’ A5 Wagyu setup out here with traditional tabletop grills and authentic Japanese spice counters! You promised I could sharpen my culinary skills—let me show you what I can do with actual flavor profiling!"

She ushered me to a private wooden table equipped with a glowing ceramic grill and a stunning array of raw imported spices, fresh herbs, and marbling-rich cuts of beef.

"Sit down, watch, and prepare to have your mind blown," she grinned, rolling up her sleeves with absolute, radiant confidence.