by Blane Thomas
Would a painter ask her friend to add a few brushstrokes to her canvas of masterpiece? Would a sculptor ask lesser competent people to take a chisel and chip away at the marble that he had spent hours on, trying to achieve a pristine perfection? Would an author tear off a good plot in her story and ask strangers to make up something new?
As Corey stood at his workstation, he started to become more of a recluse, only smiling when he was required to, by Ryan or Theo.
The invitations to guest star in other small Fippo Studios reality TV shows still came. Kimpton kept up his lecherous, yet easily deflected harassment upon Corey, but never pushed too far. Once, during one of Theo’s parties, a drunken Kimpton had tried to make out with Corey, by pushing him into one of the bedrooms; to which Corey easily smiled, kissed him on the cheek and walked out the door. Slowly, he became less excited about being famous. The more he savoured it, Corey increasingly detested it – but it was something he could not live without.
Everyone in the city called him a ‘prodigy’ or ‘greatness in the making.’ He was even featured in one of those websites that published mindless ‘Top 10’ articles under – “Top 10 Hot Chefs you HAVE to Follow!”
After their conversation in the car, Theo kept his distance from Corey, but still invited him to the parties.
Corey knew it was not out of courtesy. Theo was grooming him to be the next ‘It’ chef of Chicago City. But, instead of being a supportive mentor, Theo took on a more ‘tough love’ approach, choosing to let Corey swim with the sharks immediately.
“In order to learn something, you must live it, Corey,” Theo said one night when all the guests had gone back. He was resting on his comfortable, yet expensive armchair. His shirt was parted slightly. Often able to handle his drink, Theo had taken one too many and had a slight slur in his voice that was almost uncharacteristic to his usually stoic appearance. “Absorb all the experiences, and then carve out your own destiny!”
Corey had to admit that Theo was a contradiction. The celebrity chef’s bulged imperiously underneath his straining clothes. He was a picture of strength. Yet he could see the way Theo held on to his wine glass, as dainty and as precise as a ballerina’s toes mid-pirouette. They were sitting in Theo’s now barren living room. The guests had left for the night, and Theo had coerced a reluctant Corey to stay for a nightcap. Theo’s eyes were narrow and slit-like. Only a small line in his hazel irises were visible. He held on to that expression long enough to make Corey squirm uncomfortably in his seat. The predator regarded his prey intently, confident that he was trapped within the four walls.
“You never asked me why I did all this,” Theo said. Though beyond tipsy, his voice still held firm, unwavering. Next muscles relaxed, he arched his head backwards and stared up at the ceiling. Harsh, strong lines ran along his thick neck.
Corey flinched. It was one of the things he had been avoiding – learning of Theo’s motives. He never wanted to question Theo’s motivation for fear of knowing the truth.
“Tell me,” Corey said in a voice that was not fully his. Though reluctant, he knew the correct response was to acquiesce to Theo’s every whim. There was no way out.
Theo smiled, reliving a fond memory. Eyes still glued to the ceiling, he spoke in quiet, demure tones. “I loved him. I loved that man intensely, Corey. But he was as reassuring as water.”
Corey gave small nods, listening to Theo’s every word.
“I wanted to give him everything. Everything!” he thundered suddenly. “And guess what? I could, Corey! But, he did not want it all!”
Corey didn’t need to be told who Theo was referring to. It was obvious that Theo was reminiscing about Keith.
“And… and he loved me too, for a brief moment,” Theo’s voice softened again. “… but not in the way I wanted him to. I wanted him to want me. But he was too self-assured as he was independent, in mind and soul. I could not make him depend on my fame.”
“Keith does not want or need fame,” Corey said softly.
It was the first time he had ever interrupted Theo. He felt no fear now. They were like comrades who had lived the same war, now exchanging stories of their battle scars.
“Keith is the ideal soul. Untarnished,” Corey whispered, but he saw Theo nod in agreement.
“Selfish bastard,” Theo replied.
And thus, Theo planned it all, upon knowing that Corey had begun working in the Trainyard.
“You were the best pawn to manipulate. I wanted to show Keith my power. I thought that if he had seen how I elevated you from nothingness, he would have yielded to me. And you were the perfect pawn, Corey!”
Corey could not, did not want to hear it anymore. As the days went on, he learned new things about Theo Devereux that made his stomach twist tightly. Theo was looking at him intently now, eyes bulging.
“Don’t you want to know why you were the perfect pawn, Corey?”
The young chef could only nod. He saw his distorted reflection on the surface of his blood-red wine
“Because, Keith was in love with you…”
Corey stood up, Theo’s proclamation the key to remove him from that fearful bondage. The thought of Keith being in love with him angered Corey.
“That’s ridiculous! He never loved me!” Corey yelled. “That… that bastard only used me for his personal gain! He was just as manipulative as you are!”
“Stupid boy!” Theo laughed lightly. “All one had to do was look at the way Keith set his eyes upon you. Didn’t you notice? Didn’t you see the way he regarded you – not out of parochial fondness, or that stupid, gooey romantic swill people think of! He set his eyes upon you with ferocious respect.”
“You lie,” Corey said heavily. His heart thumped.
“Oh, am I? When I first came to the Trainyard, I silently went into the kitchen and saw the two of you prepare our five-course meal. And I saw the way he looked at you, Corey. That unwavering respect. Keith regarded you not as a subordinate, but as an equal! How I… how I FUCKING wish he had looked at me that way!”
“Keith has never looked at me in such a way,” Corey insisted, more to convince himself than Theo. “What kind of man would do me wrong, and then walk away without an apology? If he did love me as you said, he would have been happy for my popularity, for all the fame I had achieved!”
“And that was when you broke his heart,” Theo’s smile widened.
Corey opened his mouth, but no words came out.
“Imagine Keith’s surprise to know that the only man he ever truly loved, turned out to be a sell-out. In that one fluid moment, you betrayed his trust and shattered all the love he felt for you.”
“That can’t be true.”
“Oh yes, Corey,” Theo breathed out. He was truly enjoying himself now, explaining it all to Corey. “Because, for every shred of popularity you earned in my mercy, you proved a point to Keith, that I am more powerful than he!”
“But why did you manipulate me then?” Corey screamed. “You are fucking crazy!”
“Because, if I can’t have him, no one can,” Theo said with satisfaction.
“You are disgusting! Our lives are not your plaything! You can’t…”
“Oh, but it is, Corey.” Theo stood up abruptly. He threw his wine glass against at the wall, shattering it instantly. His wide, tall frame eclipsed the moon that came in through the window. Silhouette of a pair of arms moved to the middle of his body, holding on to his belt buckle. “And now, I will claim you as victory over Keith!”
Corey became frightened. Though Theo’s body was an almost black silhouette now, he could hear the clink of Theo’s belt, followed by the sharp rustle of fabric against skin as the pants fell to the floor. All he could see now were Theo’s trunk-like legs that blocked the light. His eyes snaked upwards to discern a thick, dangling cylindrical flesh-pole, swaying languidly down from Theo’s crotch. Corey instinctively took a few steps to the back.
“Where do you think you’re going?” Theo’s soft, cold voice sliced thro
ugh the air.
The fine hairs on the back of Corey’s hair stood at the tinge of amusement in Theo’s voice. Without warning, Theo lunged forward and pinned Corey against the wall. The impact of his slamming against the wall knocked the air out of his lings. Corey tried to but could not move his arms. Theo had cuffed his wrists against the wall in an intense grip. The bigger man started kissing him on the neck, tongue running along Corey’s tender jawline before nibbling at his earlobe. Corey whimpered, trying to force his body to move. But he was pinned against the wall, pushed by Theo’s muscular body.
Theo began thrusting his naked girth forward, his member rubbing against the crotch of Corey’s pants. His rigid cock, almost eight inches, poked Corey painfully in the stomach, a blunt knife prodding against his skin.
“Stop it!” Corey yelled out.
But Theo clamped his mouth shut with a forceful kiss. Their teeth collided sharply, a surge of pain radiating through Corey’s mouth. He was enjoying his position, forcing himself upon Corey. Unabated by Corey’s thrashing, Theo plunged his tongue into Corey’s mouth, feeding the younger chef his hot saliva. Corey could taste the wine Theo had drunk, mixed with the bitterness of his fluid. His squirmed and tried to push back, but it was futile. Theo was bigger and stronger than he was. Though their bodies were vertical, the bigger man had his entire weight against Corey. Sandwiched between Theo and the wall, Corey could not move. He was disgusted by Theo’s wet, slimy tongue snaking around his mouth. The kiss was not out of passion, but was seeded within Theo’s desire to conquer and defeat him.
Propelled by humiliation and anger, Corey kneed Theo in the balls and bit down on Theo’s tongue.
“OW!” Theo yelped, instantly letting go of Corey’s wrists. He staggered backwards comically, tongue protruding out of his mouth. “You bfffftard!!!”
“Stay away from me!” Corey breathed. He lithely distanced himself from Theo’s half-naked body, his feet frantically echoing through the cavernous, bare, living room. His hands grazed against the walls for support as he half-ran towards the kitchen. The front door was just a few feet away. He could run and take the staircase down to escape Theo. There was no way Theo would dare run out in pursuit without his pants.
“You… son of a bitch,” Theo managed. He ran a finger along his tongue and held it to the moonlight. There was no blood where Corey had bit him. But his usually poised face had a look of surprise on it now. “How dare you…”
“No! How dare you!” Corey cut across angrily. He was shaking from head to toe. “I am not…”
“You…,” Theo began
“LISTEN TO ME YOU ASSHOLE!” Corey’s voice became maniacally shrill. The ghost of the echo remained in the air for a few seconds. “I AM TALKING HERE!”
Theo’s eyes widened, but he made no attempt to speak.
“I am not your plaything. This, all this, stops now!”
“What do you want stopped, Corey?” Theo asked. “I own you. Your game, your friends, your reputation, it was all because of me.”
“I don’t want it anymore then! I want you to leave me alone!” Corey said. He walked to the front door, occasionally staring back at Theo to see if he would give chase.
But Theo merely stood in the middle of his living room. He had a hand wrapped around his semi-hard member, another hand scratching his cropped head.
“You are going to regret this, Corey.”
Corey stopped. He was at the front door. Turning around, he faced the large, domineering figure in the room. His heart relaxed in its frantic pace.
“I am going to give you one last chance. You will come, kneel in front of me, and put my cock in your mouth,” Theo ordered. “After I am satisfied, I want you to kiss my feet and beg for my forgiveness. I am not an unjust man, Corey.”
He looked at Theo and took a deep breath to invoke one last burst of mental strength. A part of him felt disgusted at the desire to take Theo up on his offer, to not damage his reputation. But then, all he could think of next was Keith.
It was Keith’s face that gave him the strength to walk away.
“Go fuck yourself,” he said quietly.
Theo sighed and gave out a tepid snicker. “Why do you want to make things more difficult for yourself?”
“I don’t want the popularity anymore. I don’t need it. All I want is to be a chef, and I don’t need you or some stupid TV studio to order me around!”
“Wrong answer, Corey,” Theo tutted. “Do you know what we do to people who do not listen to us anymore?”
A sudden chill ran up Corey’s spine. This was not a mere blackmail. But, he would not listen anymore, needing to get out of there fast.
“Do your best, I don’t care!” he said bravely before slamming Theo’s front door shut. He ran down the stairs, choosing not to take the elevator. After running down a few flights of stairs, he looked up, relieved to know that Theo was not following.
Disgusted with himself, Corey lied on the floor at the foot of the dusty stairs and willed for the intense trembling of his body to stop. He did not bother wiping away the tears or stickiness that pouted out his eyes and nose. He just lied there, feeling defiled. Incurring Theo’s wrath was the last thing Corey wanted to do.
But in that intense fear, he found a small piece of freedom. All he needed right now was redemption. He knew that Theo’s army would descend upon him, unforgiving as they were cruel. They would be ruthless in stripping away his fame, accolades, and recognition.
“I will bear it all for you, Keith,” Corey said to no one in particular.
Chapter 22
“Corey!” Ryan screamed out. His voice echoed through the kitchen, stunning Gus and Lalitha. Running out of his office, the executive chef frantically sought after his favourite chef, needing assurance. Something had happened.
Corey was busy preparing for the lunch hour. As he sautéed the onions and garlics, Corey kept his wrists exposed. They were still bruised from Theo’s assault a few nights ago. He did not look up from his frying pan when Ryan’s huffing became louder. A figure in a white uniform stood beside him. From the corner of Corey’s eye, he could see Ryan holding on to something in his hand.
“Yes, chef?”
Ryan slammed a glossy magazine onto Corey’s workstation. A bowl of diced onions rattled violently in response.
“What’s this?” he screamed out. The touch of urgency in his voice amused Corey a little. The fatherly demeanour Ryan often assumed had now completely evaporated. He was a deranged madman.
Corey wiped his hands and picked up the folded magazine, The Verve. It was already at dog-eared at the page Ryan wanted him to read. He need not see the article to know why Ryan had become frantic. The day after Theo tried to force himself upon him, Anais Heart had walked into the Trainyard without an appointment. She had insisted on being given a table; for she wanted to “update her review of the Trainyard.” This was that review now published in her column of the magazine.
He did not have to read the whole article. Instead, his eyes skimmed through excerpts of the article.
“… one should consider the effect of fame to their artistry. Pride is often an inhibitor to the progress of artistic endeavour. Perhaps the chef at the Trainyard has long forgotten this. I find myself disappointed with their lack of vigour and presentation of the main course…”
Corey put down the magazine. And so it had begun.
“Anais Heart has given us a bad review!” Ryan bellowed. His face was dripping with frustration. The droop of his cheeks was more pronounced now as were the lines on his face. Reading Anais’s review had aged him considerably.
“But she loved the food we prepared for her a couple of days ago,” Corey replied.
Ryan lowered his voice amidst Gus and Lalitha’s eavesdropping. “Don’t play dumb, Corey. We both know that this was not about the food. What did you do?” he accused Corey.
Corey went back to sautéing his onions and garlics. “Chef, does it matter, really? What does one review even matter? Wh
at happened to just cooking and hoping someone would genuinely enjoy it?”
“Good god, man!” Ryan stomped his feet, quite forgetting to keep his voice low. “You are beginning to sound like Keith now!”
Though Corey knew Ryan meant it as an insult, he welcomed the statement as the most honest compliment he had ever received. Lalitha and Gus were not tending to their tasks anymore. Busy listening in, they could not help but feel vindicated. It was not every day the executive chef berated his favourite ‘starboy.’ Corey offered no other answers to Ryan and put the review out of his mind.
He had already expected this to happen the moment he walked out of Theo’s penthouse the other night.
Ryan massaged his temples and slowly walked away. “Let’s just hope that this is just a one-time thing. I don’t think I can handle any more bad press.”
Corey did not have the heart to tell his boss that this was only the beginning.
Chapter 23
His invitation to judge the reality TV cooking competition ceased without warning. Their reason? Kimpton personally spoke to him over the phone to tell him that they had found a ‘more deserving candidate who really wants it.’ A freelance food critic with an intense social media following posted a video on his website, deconstructing the five-course meals served in the Trainyard, calling it ‘uninspiring and unpalatable.’ An article was posted on a popular think piece website by a famous lifestyle writer titled – “The privilege of the chef and their duty to the public,” where the article spoke of the brazen attitude that some chefs adopted and how fame had gotten to their heads. Theo too, in his usual cooking show, spoke of this subtly. With his usual charm and suave innocence, he made a casual remark as his fingers sprinkled seasoning over his chicken. “I am not like most chefs who suddenly become too high and mighty and forget how to cook. I am still the same person I was fifteen years ago.”