Eve’s POV
Eve let her gaze linger on the contestants first, not the crowd. Because this moment wasn’t for the crowd.
It was for them.
“I want to welcome every one of you,” she said, “because I know what it costs to stand where you are standing.”
Some contestants blinked rapidly, as if emotion threatened to rise.
Others stood straighter, gripping their counters.
Eve continued, letting her words land slowly, deliberately.
“Cooking isn’t just skill. It’s sacrifice. It’s discipline. It’s waking up when your body wants to stay in bed. It’s staying in a kitchen when your mind is screaming for rest. It’s burning your hands, cutting your fingers, and still coming back the next day because the fire in you is louder than the pain.”
A murmur moved through the audience, approval, connection.
