290 Someone Like Me?

When Ashley came in for her duty this day, she was startled to see the man who was always on the sideline already there ordering a few dishes.

"Why are you here?" she couldn't help but ask.

"If not for eating what else am I doing here?" he asked her.

Ashley was dumbfounded by his sudden rebute, though she had noticed it yesterday with the way he interacted with her and those people. He has an aloof aura surrounding him.

She sighed and went to the kitchen.

Just in time, his order was being served. So she was the one who served it to him.

Jackson tasted it and pursed his lips.

He was someone who have tasted so many dishes bringing them to their top most possible outcome.

They were at the evry least a three star restaurant while this place was a no star one. Just another small restaurant prospering on its own.

He has no right to judge it for the reason he came here was because of the one serving the food.

What he ordered were the best sellers of the restaurant. It was not dislikeable for someone like him but it was also not within his liking.

It was rough here and there but it was still good.

Ashley looked back at him half an hour later and saw him putting down his spoon.

She was actually stunned to see that he had finished it, after her research she found out that he was not a simple person at all. Not even two star restaurants could make him taste their dishes.

And onle a handfull of three star ones could.

So this sight was a shock to her, that he didn't just taste the three dishes but he finished all of them.

"I thought you would put down your spoon with just a taste," she approached him and said.

Jackson looked up at her, "I ordered it, why wouldn't I finish it?"

She bit her lower lip, 'You were someone who wouldn't even touch some dishes just by looking at it or smelling it.'

"Those dishes were prepared for me to taste, I didn't order any of them," as if reading her mind, Jackson said.

He then looked at her shocked look, "Your face tells me that you were shock with what I said. That only means one thing, you checked who I am."

"I only gave you my name yesterday, not even my family name. Then you saw me in Natan's office on that day. You obviously wouldn't contact Amber, so how did you know of my nickname?"

Ashley looked away.

"Yes, you asked Russel Bareford for obviously you knew she had entered Natan," he finished.

"Did Amber asked you to be here?" Ashley turned serious and asked him.

"I she did, what of it? Are you going to runaway to another place? If not, are you going to ask me why I am here?" Jackson replied without looking away from her eyes.

"I..."

"Then let me ask you this, if you answer me and I deem it as a proper answer, I would answer you as well. Why did you try to know who I am?"

Ashley couldn't answer of course, for even she had no idea why she became interested of who that person was. The one stood in front of her shielding her from those who wanted to exploit her identity.

The one whom she would see from time to time looking at his phone near where she works.

Jackson tilted his head to the side and shrugged, then he stood up paid for his order and left the restaurant.

Ashley was left in a daze, a person like him appeared on this place. But he didn't even say what he wanted. He didn't say anything about his purpose.

Jackson returned to his motorbike parked not too far from the restaurant before looking back at Ashley.

In reality, he has no idea how he would help her. He has no idea how to start or where to start.

'I guess I am lucky she couldn't answer my question. With her current state she would surely runaway again once I give her my answer.'

*****

The very next day, the same thing happened. Jackson came to eat in the morning and night then would leave without saying anything to Ashley.

This went on for a week until Ashley could no longer stop her curiosity.

"Seriously, you were always on the side. From time to time I would see you staying on the side then you suddenly came here and would eat two times a day. What are you planning?"

Jackson was shock that she knew he was there, that was careless of him. But his shock didn't show in the surface and he remained staring at her.

"Why? Why is someone like you here?"

"Someone like me? What about someone like me?" he asked.

"You know what I mean, you are someone so high up there in the culinary world yet why are you eating in this kind of place?!?" Ashley started becoming agitated.

But Jackson stood up and scoffed, "This kind of place? Don't lump me with people who thinks too highly of themselves only deeming those starred places as the only ones worthy of their presence."

Ashley flinched she could see that he didn't like the way she said those words.

"Where I eat is something I decide for myself."

"You have been following me all this time, do you think I didn't notice? So why only appear now? Because of what happened on that club a week ago?" she retorted.

"Do you think I am the type of person who would stick to a plan for so long when it was not worth it?"

That's right, Amber may have told him to watch over her but he could have neglected it and Amber would surely not blame him for she knew that Ashley has her own bodyguards.

She may have said that she no longer trusted the guards but that doesn't mean he has to tie himself down to her request.

Then why? Why did he still diligently watched over her from morning to th3 end of her duty every single day?

Amber didn't tell him how long he should watch her everyday so why did he went out of his way to keep watching?

It is because of what he had thought the night before. Because he saw the perseverance she had just like when he just entered the university at such a young age.

His perseverance in wanting to learn without caring about those who are bullying him.

That's the reason why he stayed, why he kept watching over her and why he went out of his way to take her away from that club.

It is because he could see his past self in her, the times he felt lost and at times determined.

Ashley just stared at him not understanding what he wanted to say.

"Let me ask you in return. Why do you want to cook? Why still continue when you had been rejected over and over again? When you ended up here? As a server to a small restaurant?"

"You had your pride when you left that office that day so why? Why end up here? Just because you didn't wnat to go home? Just because you wanted to prove to them that you are capable enough?"

Ashley's lips bobbed up and down for a few times but nothing came out.

Yet Jackson didn't continue and remained silent waiting for her to reply. As if her reply was what he needed to do something.

She took a deep breath and finally looked straight in his eyes, "It is because I love it. I love the creation of the dishes and I love to see myself doing all those dishes on my own."

"That despite all those rejection and crashing down in my path, I didn't want to give up. When I realized I loved it I just wanted to pursue it."

"I just want to see the end of this road without relying on my family or anyone else. I may have stubbornly didn't want to go home because of my pride of wanting to prove something."

"But that is no longer the case, I want to see this road until the end. I want to see how far I can go without relying to any of them."

And to her shock Jackson actually smiled, no more like he smirked.

She was indeed just like him.

"Very well, I will let you see the end of that road."