ISLA smiled sweetly when her eyes met a familiar face as she opened the magazine. No other that Chef Vincent Del Carmen, the most good looking man she ever known.

IT SEEMS ONLY YESTERDAY, AND NOW YOU ARE SO FAMOUS. I WONDER IF DO YOU EVER THINK OF ME?

The other side of her mind.

Like her, Chef Vincent is also from San Jose, a small town in Pampanga.

Pampanga is a province in Central Luzon which is also known to be the Culinary Capital of the Philippines.

She knew a lot about Vincent but kept her mouth has always been shut on everyone. Because just in case, for sure no one would believe her. She was in that kind of thinking when she heard someone from the pantry door whispering.

"Why? What is it?" she asked Lorried, like her she is also a cashier in that restaurant.

"Miss Cherry said we are having a staff meeting in a few minutes. Let's go?" she replied.

She just nodded and started fixing herself.

The meeting was held at the office of their big boss. She was even more surprised to find Randy Villegas sitting at the head of the table. The current CEO of Festive.

"Miss Madrid, sit here, next to me," he told her pointing at a chair on his right.

Cherry who was seating opposite to her then gave her a meaningful look. She then gave her best friend a warning look. She wasn't the only one to notice the strange attention Randy was showing her.

What kind of girl would actually reject a man like their big boss?

Handsome, rich, and very kind. But she says different. Someone like Randy would never be a perfect match for someone like her. How does she know? Well just like what others used to say, the experience is the best teacher. And what she has encountered in years ago is enough to learn everything in life.

When Randy cleared his throat to speak it was when Isla came back in her usual self. "Good afternoon, I know this meeting came unannounced. And since the store is open we decided to divide you into two groups," their boss started.

Feeling a little nervous, Isla sighs.“Maybe the news about management change has reached you? The reason that I asked for this meeting is to let you guys know that starting next week someone else will start to run this company. And---," all of them looked at the door when they heard someone knocking.

“Sir, he’s here,” Randy's secretary peered through the door.

Randy nodded and stood up. "Guys, I want to introduce to you all the new CEO of Festive, your new boss. Chef Vincent Del Carmen!” that name Randy mentioned sounded more like a rumble of thunder to Isla ears.

She was standing cold as if not in her usual self when she sees a familiar face entered the room. Suddenly, she felt like the whole place narrowed that made it more difficult for her to breathe. She knew her face was pale, especially now that the newcomer's gaze settled to her. Like he was expecting to see her there based on his reaction. He was so composed and like always, intimidating.

Her knees were shaking and her whole body as well. It was as if she was not into her senses when she swallowed over and over again. What followed was her sudden fall to the floor as a result of her loss of consciousness.

_____________________

SIX YEARS AGO...

"FINISH your meal quickly, I am going to sleep now, take care of these okay?" it was her step-mother Aida's strict order to Isla.

It's been a year since her father Artemio and Aida started living together.

"Okay Aunt Aida," she said and began to eat the two pieces of dry fish that had been given to her by her step-mother.

Aida has come out of the kitchen to sleep. The extension of the dirty kitchen is the maid's quarter where she has her own room while her father and her Aunt Aida are in the other one.

His father Artemio has been a caretaker in this mansion owned by the Del Carmen for a long period of time. The truth is that Artemio is not really her father.

Her mother's name was Dina.

She was a waitress in a night club and according to her father her mother was the first woman Artemio loved.

But knowing that he couldn't afford to give his mother a comfortable life, he decided not to admit what he really feels. So when Dina died for giving birth to her, her father Artemio did not hesitate to take her and treated her as his own daughter. And that is the reason why Aida dislikes her very much. It was probably because of her jealousy of her mother.

She was in that state of mind when she heard the familiar engine noise.

Her heart leaped and she smiled for a moment as the most handsome face she had ever seen in her entire life entered the kitchen door. It was Vincent, the only child of Manuel and Ruby Del Carmen.

"Miss Beautiful! Good to see you here, I haven't had dinner yet," he greeted her with a wide smile and approached her.

"All right, sir, I'll cook you dinner," Isla said and stood up but the young man grabbed her arm quickly.

Isla was quickly affected by Vincent's warm hand that is holding hers. She could feel what it seems to be a high electric voltage all over her body and that made her blushed so, in the end, the young lady decided to pull her arm back from the young man.

“It's okay, I'll take care of my dinner. I know you are very hungry. Wait, why is that all you eat when we have so much food here in the refrigerator?” the young man asked her at once while staring at the dried fish on her plate.

Isla swallowed because of what she heard."It's okay sir, I'm fine, I'm used to it actually" she said chuckling.

Salted dried fish is one of her most favorite dishes. But despite that, maybe it is normal to feel a little tired of it because she is actually taking it three to four times a week as her dish.

The young man clicks his tongue. “Wait, I’ll cook something for you. See, because of the kind of diet that you have you actually lose more weight. Although it suits you very well because for me you are really beautiful, you still need to eat healthy since you are studying,” it was Vincent who started preparing for their dinner.

Isla smiled and shyly bowed her head to hide the intense blushing on her face.

She knew that Vincent is very passionate about cooking. He loves to cook and he actually cooks very well. But since he is an only child, it is for a fact that someday he will inherit the business that was started by his parents. And it is related to the distribution of high-end cars and motorbikes. That is why Vincent is now taking a business course in college.

“It’s done, now come on here, and let’s eat!” she was so moved by her deep thoughts and unable to noticed that the young man has finished cooking already.

“Pasta for dinner, are we still Filipino sir?” she asked chuckling slightly as Vincent started putting food on her plate. Well, she said that because Filipino people love rice very much that sometimes they even eat pasta with rice and that is actually normal for them. “And what do you call this recipe?” and she started eating the pasta while it’s hot.

For a while Vincent looked up at the ceiling, thinking. “Isla’s pasta!” he said and that made her laugh.

“Seriously? What is it really?” Isla insisted as she stared at the young man’s dark eyes in full admiration.

It is true that she always catch her breath every time she could see and stare at Vincent’s face. It is because he’s got something in his aura that really amazes her. A mixture of Italian, Filipino, and Arab is the kind of look and charisma that Vincent has. And his smile, it is like it has the power to make the world stops from turning. The truth is, that is what Vincent actually doing every time he smiles at her.

Her world will stop turning and then she will lose her senses. Sometimes she literally caught herself jaw dropped.

“I’m serious, I will be calling this Isla’s Pasta because I just thought of making this now, for you,” she saw that he actually meant what he said when she looked straight into his eyes and that is what she senses in his voice as well. “here,” after a while, he said giving her his fork with pasta.

Isla’s eyes grew wider because of shock. “W-What?”

When Vincent’s smile broadens, it was the time when once again Isla was able to have a nice view of the young man’s perfect set of white teeth. “Come on now,” he insisted. “Unless you want me to feel humiliated by refusing my offer?” the way he speaks he sounded more determined, so Isla decided to give it a go.

“There you are, good girl,” he said when she finally accepted the food on his fork and the young man gave her a slight pinched on the tip of her nose.

Isla blushes because of that. “Now it’s my turn,” it was when the young lady stared at Vincent again, with questions in her eyes.

“W-What?” she tried her very best not to laugh when she saw Vincent’s mouth opened wide.

“Aaaa…” he said pointing on his own mouth.

“Come on!” Vincent told her when she remained to stare at him.

Isla’s heart beats faster and with trembling hand, she took some pasta using her own fork and gave it to the young man. Vincent accepted the food with a beautiful smile. His eyes are glistening while chewing the pasta in his mouth and she doesn’t understand why.

“Thank you for the wonderful dinner. I really enjoyed it,” said Vincent as he reached on her face with his hand and gently wiped the corner of her lips using his thumb finger.

Isla was almost not breathing but tried to act normal even though her own voice did not cooperate. “T-Thanks to you too, sir,” she said.

Vincent stood up and nodded. “And by the way, just call me Vincent since I am not really that old with our three years age gap, what do you think?” what the young man said sounded more passionate and that made Isla smile.

“If that’s what you want, Vince?” she said feeling awkward.

“Much better, don’t worry, no one can call me using that nickname other than you,” Vincent said smiling broadly then winked before turning his back from her. “Night and sweet dreams!” he even added as he walks away.