Chasing His Kickass Luna Back novel Chapter 213

Abby

Vanessa walks up to me, her heels clicking softly on the tile floor. The room slowly begins to pick up its volume again, but I feel lost in a giant void.

“Are you okay, Abby?” Vanessa asks, her voice pulling me back to the present.

“I-I’m fine,” I murmur, although the words feel like a complete and utter lie. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to cause a scene.” I glance at Karl, who's standing a few feet away, watching intently.

Vanessa smiles, a soft, empathetic curve of her lips that immediately puts me at ease. “Don’t be sorry. The culinary world isn’t exactly a bed of roses for women, you know? We’re already at a disadvantage just by being female chefs.”

“That shouldn’t be the case,” I find myself saying, a hint of bitterness in my voice. “Skill and talent should be what matters, not gender.”

Vanessa nods, her eyes meeting mine with a look that speaks volumes. “You’re absolutely right. But sometimes the world doesn’t operate the way it should.” She hesitates for a moment, as though contemplating whether to continue, then seems to make a decision. “Let me tell you a story.”

She leans against a nearby table, crossing her arms as she gathers her thoughts. “Years ago, when I was climbing my way up the ladder, there was a male chef—I’ll call him Mark—who couldn’t stand me. Not because I was better or worse than him in the kitchen, mind you, but simply because I was a woman. And a black woman at that.”

“That’s horrible,” I say, my heart sinking at the thought of facing such blatant discrimination.