Chapter 1

Before I could process what was happening, Cecilia Bennett's "one true love", Elliot Lawson, continued with his dramatic outburst.

"No wonder you barely contacted me while I was overseas! You already had someone new by your side, and you completely forgot about the promise you made to me!

"And now that I'm finally back, you still can't bear to get rid of this replacement. Fine! If that's how it is, I'll leave so you two can have your happily ever after."

I stared at Elliot's furious expression, completely dumbfounded. I just couldn't make sense of what was happening.

I was nothing more than Cecilia's private chef, hired for my exceptional cooking skills. She paid me an annual salary of 800,000 dollars to live in her mansion and prepare her meals, all to help get her stomach problems under control.

So when exactly had I become her lover? And not just her lover—a replacement?

Even Cecilia frowned at Elliot's accusation. She immediately shot back, "Elliot, what are you talking about? You were only overseas for three months, and I flew out to see you every single week. How is that 'barely contacting you'?"

She gestured toward me. "And this is Damian Brooks, the private chef I hired to work here. He's not my lover, replacement, or whatever nonsense you're talking about."

"A chef?" Elliot's disappointment deepened. "He's way too young to even qualify as a chef."

Then he looked from my white chef's jacket to his own white shirt.

"I like wearing white, and he's wearing white too. If he's not my replacement, then what is he? Ceci, why are you lying to me?"

My eye twitched at his comment as I glanced down at my white chef's jacket, then at his shirt.

It didn't make sense, especially when the only thing those two outfits had in common was that they were both white.

With a sigh, I finally decided to speak up.

"Mr. Lawson, I really am a chef. If you don't believe me, you can check the kitchen. I've got a chicken stew simmering on the stove right now."

But Elliot immediately raised his voice. "That's a lie! Even if there is chicken stew in the kitchen, you probably made it ahead of time just to fool me!"

Cecilia let out a helpless sigh. "What will it take for you to believe that Damian is actually a chef?"

"Send him away, and I'll believe you," Elliot said with the confidence of someone who had seen right through their entire scheme.

"That's how it always works in the novels. The one true love and the replacement can never coexist. Sooner or later, the replacement takes the one true love's place."

He looked at Cecilia with complete seriousness, saying, "Ceci, I don't want to lose you. So he has to go."

Cecilia's frown deepened at Elliot's words.

Then she looked at me, hesitation flickering across her face.

I had only just managed to get her stomach problems halfway under control, and she clearly wasn't ready to give up my cooking.

But if she refused to send me away, Elliot obviously wasn't going to let the matter drop.

After a moment of deliberation, Cecilia finally made up her mind.

She walked over to me and lowered her voice.

"Damian, I know our contract requires you to live here, but given the circumstances… I'm afraid I'm going to have to ask you to move into one of my apartments nearby."

She paused before adding, "I'll cover your commuting expenses at double the usual rate, and I'll compensate you with an additional three months' salary. Does that sound fair?"

My eyes immediately lit up.

Cecilia's apartment was only five minutes away from the mansion.

Even so, I'd get double the usual commuting reimbursement. Not only that, but I'd also receive an extra three months' salary on top of that.

What a deal!

I nodded without hesitation. "No problem, Ms. Bennett. Do you need me to move out right away?"

As I spoke, I pulled out my phone and started searching for a moving company.

Cecilia stared at me, momentarily taken aback. Apparently, she hadn't expected me to agree so eagerly.