Page 433 of Savage Bosses

Tatianna forced herself to take a deep breath, steadying her voice as she replied, "I'm sorry they aren't to your liking, but I can assure you they're made with the freshest ingredients and utmost care."

"Utmost care?" Melinda laughed, her voice dripping with condescension. "Honey, if this is the best you can do, maybe you should find another profession."

Bryce's gaze never left Tatianna. She wanted nothing more than to wipe that smug grin off his face. Melinda continued to taste and belittle her desserts, complaining about each one, prompting Bryce to tell Tati what changes she needed to make.

Through it all, Tati kept her composure and her smile. After the taste testing, she returned to the kitchen and slammed the tray onto her workstation, prompting the other chefs to jump in surprise.

Frustrated as hell, Tatianna stormed into the breakroom. The moment the breakroom door swung shut behind her, Tatianna allowed her carefully crafted smile to fall. Frustration bubbled up inside her like a volcano, ready to erupt.

"Unbelievable!" she muttered, the pent-up anger finally escaping her lips. "I've never been so insulted in my entire life! Who do they think they are? Judging every little detail like they're some kind of dessert connoisseurs!"

She paced back and forth, her hands on her hips, replaying the taste test scene in her mind. Bryce's smug face appeared before her, his cruel words still ringing in her ears. And Melinda, that spoiled little bitch, siding with him and belittling her efforts at every turn. Tati punched the air, wishing it was their faces she was hitting.

"Fuck them both," she whispered venomously, her eyes flashing with fury. "Get a grip, Tatianna," she murmured to herself, rubbing her temples as if trying to erase the painful memories of the past few minutes. "You can't let them get under your skin. You're better than this."

But despite her best efforts to stay strong, tears began to prick at the corners of her eyes. She felt like a tightly wound spring, ready to snap at any moment. She couldn't hold it in any longer, not her frustration nor her resentment towards Bryce and Melinda for their constant torment.

"Ugh, damn them! Damn them both to hell!" she cried softly, ashamed of herself for crying.

She hated that she cried when she got this mad. It made her feel and look weak. But she couldn’t control the tears. Tatianna's shoulders shook with suppressed sobs as she allowed herself a moment of weakness, a fleeting release from the constant pressure she faced. She knew she couldn't afford to wallow in self-pity for long.

"Alright," she whispered after a few minutes had passed. "Enough of this. Time to get back to work."

With that, Tatianna wiped away her tears, took a deep breath, and steeled herself for the trials that lay ahead. She wouldn't allow Bryce and Melinda to break her spirit. Her phone dinged. She pulled it out and saw that someone had replied to one of the posts she'd replied to on Boss Be Damned.

Shit. Why didn't she just ask her online friends for advice? Tatianna logged onto the Boss Be Damned website. AsParisChefCutie, the name she’d come up with five years ago, she typed out a post.

ParisChefCutie:My boss is driving me crazy, and he also happens to be my ex. He keeps complaining about everything I do and insulting my pastries. Quitting isn't an option at the moment. And because of our bad break up, there's no talking this out with him. What should I do?

Tatianna posted the question. Then, she leaned back in the seat and closed her eyes. She rested for five minutes. To her surprise, her phone began dinging back-to-back. Each ding was a response to her post.

And each of them was telling her the same thing. To woman up and not take his bullshit. To stand up for herself and not let his insults slide. Tati had no problem standing up for herself. It was the guilt that kept her silent.

Part of her felt like she deserved Bryce's disdain. Part of her wanted it, wanted him to find subtle ways to get even with her so they could one day go back to being how they used to be.

But there was no going back. Spoiled milk could never be fresh again. She was done feeling guilty. She'd left him. But he'd run first. He could be angry if he wanted. That was within his right.

But starting now, she was done being his punching bag. She wiped the dampness from her cheeks and pulled herself together. When Tatianna went back out to the kitchen, Bryce was waiting at her workstation.

"Where the hell have you been?" Bryce demanded, irritation dripping from his words.

"Taking a breather," Tatianna retorted, not bothering to hide the edge in her voice. She moved to stand across from him, hands on her hips, eyes locked onto his. “All employees get a fifteen-minute break. It’s the law.”

"Bring out more dishes for Melinda," he ordered. “She wasn’t impressed with the first batch.”

"Fine," Tatianna spat, rolling her eyes as Bryce left the kitchen.

She knew they were causing a scene in front of the staff, but she didn’t care. Tatianna plated three more dishes from her carefully crafted menu and strode back out to the café area.

"Here." She practically slammed the tray down on the table in front of Melinda, who looked up in surprise. "Taste," Tati ordered.

Melinda rolled her eyes as she tasted the first dessert. She frowned. "This one tastes too dry and..."

Tatianna held up her hand. "Before you complain, know this, the menu has been set, and there's no time to change it. You can change the date of your event if you want us to prepare a new menu, or you can choose another cafe to cater your event. Those are your choices. Choose one."

Melinda's eyes widened, her mouth forming a perfect 'o' as she glanced between the dishes and Tatianna, clearly taken aback. Bryce's jaw clenched, the muscle in his cheek twitching.

"I'm waiting," Tatianna said.

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