Gemotions

“Overcooked,” the review read, “tasteless… a waste of perfectly good ingredients.” Chef Ricardo, usually jovial, was now a coiled spring. The critic, Mrs. Dubois, had attacked his reputation with her words, and he felt a burning need for reprisal.

He decided to make Mrs. Dubois a culinary offering she couldn't refuse. He knew she held a charity gala every year, a grand affair. He sent her a note, signed only "a devoted admirer," offering to cater the event free of charge.

The food, a meticulously crafted and ultimately disastrous series of dishes, was a slow-burn disaster. He watched her face as the first guests started to complain. He found joy in her humiliation, a sweet, bitter flavor that clung to his tongue.