Page 44 of Taste Me Daddy

‘This is bullshit!’ Phillip said, looking pleadingly to the stony-faced Japanese investors. ‘This guy is an arrogant asshole!’

Michael knew that he didn’t need to respond.

It was plain from the looks of sheer disgust on the faces of the investment team that they were fully behind Michael and weren’t believing a single word that Phillip was saying.

And it wasn’t long before the lead investor grew tired of Phillip’s lies…

‘Mr. Neal, you have lied to us, and you have shown a lack of honor,’ Mr. Tanaka said, a look of sadness on his face. ‘We will not be working with you now or in the future.’

Michael wanted to punch the air in triumph, but knew that the dignified move was to retain his composure. The real celebrations could wait until later when it was just him and Korben together.

‘Fuck all of you!’ Phillip bleated, angrily kicking out into thin air. ‘You haven’t heard the last of me!’

‘Oh, I think we might have,’ Michael said, walking toward Phillip and towering over him. ‘I suggest you leave right now before I pick you up and carry you out of here like a naughty toddler.’

With that, Michael could see Phillip’s spirit fold. Phillip knew it was all over, and the prospect of being overpowered by Michael was clearly one humiliation too far for Phillip.

Without saying another word, Phillip simply turned and ran out of the room.

‘It’s all over, baby boy,’ Michael said, taking Korben by the hand and gently kissing his forehead. ‘You don’t ever need to worry about Phillip Neal again.’

It was at this point that Mr. Tanaka decided to offer his formal congratulations to Korben…

‘Korben, your vision is highly impressive, as is your work ethic and passion,’ Mr. Tanaka said. ‘I value the fact that you studied law at the best law school but chose to follow your heart, even if it meant less money and more hardship on your journey. We look forward to taking your talent and passion and launching Korben’s Kandies in Japan.’

Korben thanked his new investment backers and in a burst of emotion wrapped his arms around Michael. Michael smiled and felt a surge of pride and pure love come over him from his head to his toes and back again.

‘Come on, I think it’s time we headed back to the workshop,’ Michael said, smiling. ‘If I know my boy, you’ll be wanting to work on some new candy concepts sooner rather than later. So why wait?’

‘That’s exactly what I was thinking too,’ Korben giggled.

With that, the two of them bade farewell to their Japanese partners and made their way out of the hotel and back onto the bustling street outside.

‘Daddy, there’s something I want to say,’ Korben said, pausing just as the two of them were about to get into Michael’s car. ‘I love you.’

‘I love you too,’ Michael said, his heart filling with joy. ‘I love you more than every single last dollar on earth, my darling boy.’

‘I want us to be Forever,’ Korben replied, his eyes filled with emotion.

‘Trust me, you and me are Forever,’ Michael said. ‘And that’s a Daddy Promise…’

With that, the two of them embraced and held each other close.

But with the prospect of heading to the workshop and plotting the next stage of the Korben’s Kandies journey on their mind there was no time to dawdle.

In fact, there wasn’t a single moment to waste – Korben and Michael had their whole lives in front of them and they were determined to make the most of each and every second of it.

Michael may have gone to the most prestigious school in the country and made his millions in the cutthroat world of high finance, but he understood better than anyone now that the best things in life were free.

With the love of the best boy in his life, Michael was set for a sugary, sweet, and thoroughly satisfying life from here on out - and it was all down to his darling candy boy Korben.

Chapter 19

Korben

Epilogue

The next few weeks and months rolled into one another as both Korben and Michael were kept super-busy by the rapidly escalating success of Korben’s Kandies.

---