The penthouse atop the Sterling Tower was a fortress of glass and steel, suspended high above the glittering grid of Manhattan. It was silent, sterile, and intensely private—the exact opposite of a commercial kitchen.

Clara sat on the edge of a vast, white leather sofa, holding a glass

The apartment Julian Thorne had leased for them in Tribeca was a masterclass in superficial elegance. It featured exposed brick walls, floor-to-ceiling windows, and a state-of-the-art open kitchen that looked as though it had never been cooked in—mostly because it hadn’t. Julian preferred

The kitchen of L’Etoile was usually a symphony. A loud, aggressive symphony, but a coordinated one. Tonight, it was a catastrophic trainwreck.

Julian stood at the center of the pass, sweat beading on his forehead and soaking the collar of his pristine executive chef's coat. The ticket m