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chapter 40
Last Updated:
2025-04-04 19:50:14
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The chef and The charmer chapter 41
As soon as we stepped into the air-conditioned lobby, Morgan waved one of the staff members over like she was conducting an orchestra.“Take their things to the Oceanview Suite,” she said smoothly. “And please ensure everything is prepared for tonight’s dinner. We’ll keep things light today—the real fun begins tomorrow.”Oceanview Suite. Singular.I blinked. Wait—Suite? Not suites?Damien didn’t even flinch.My eyes cut to him instinctively, but he avoided my gaze with impressive skill, like he’d suddenly discovered something incredibly fascinating about the marble floors.Right. Fake dating. Shared rooms. Intimacy for show.I’d forgotten about that little detail in the emotional whiplash of being back around Morgan and Miranda and the rest of Damien’s walking headache of a family.I forced a gracious smile and nodded. “Sounds lovely.”Morgan smiled back, the kind of smile that said, I’m watching you. Then she turned her attention to Miranda, whispering something I couldn’t hear—but d
Last Updated : 2025-04-05The chef and The charmer chapter 42
Dinner ended in a blur of too-perfect smiles and sharp-edged compliments, and I could’ve sworn my cheekbones were sore from all the fake smiling. I made it through the battlefield with only minor emotional wounds, which honestly felt like a win.After the last wine glass clinked and the staff cleared the final course, Damien and I retreated from the terrace. Neither of us said a word until we were halfway through the resort’s private garden path, surrounded by manicured hedges and soft lantern lights that lined the walkway like fireflies.The air was warm but soft, carrying that faint Miami breeze that whispered luxury and secrets.“You did good back there,” Damien said eventually, his voice low and unreadable.I exhaled, folding my arms across my chest. “Good? I felt like I was on trial.”“You were,” he said with a dry smile. “You just didn’t realize the jury was drunk and playing favorites.”I laughed—just a little. It felt like the tension cracked a bit, enough for me to breathe ag
Last Updated : 2025-04-06The chef and The charmer chapter 43
Back in my room, I shut the door quietly. Not slammed. Not dramatic.Just… closed. Controlled.Because if I’ve learned anything since entering the Blackstone orbit, it’s that you never show your cards. Not around people like Morgan.My hands were trembling. I stared down at them, willing them still, as if control over my body could somehow tether the storm brewing inside my chest.I started to paced.Hands clenched. Chest tight. Mind racing.Engagement?We’ll announce it tomorrow, Morgan had said. Like it was already signed, sealed, and delivered.I pressed my palms into my eyes, as if blocking out the world would stop it from spinning so fast. So violently.What the fuck did I get myself into?This was not the deal. No goddamn way.The contract was clear. I was to play the part—smile, nod, show up to events, wear the right dress, drink the right wine, say the right things. For six months. No more. I wasn’t supposed to become collateral in some twisted inheritance war. I wasn’t suppos
Last Updated : 2025-04-07The chef and The charmer chapter 44
The air was thick with humidity as we stepped outside, the garden lush with tropical flowers and towering palm trees swaying gently in the breeze. The morning sun cast a golden glow on the table set with fine china, as if everything about this moment was meant to impress, to look perfect.Damien’s hand brushed against mine, his fingers warm, but there was no comfort in his touch. It was a fleeting connection, barely enough to soothe the unease that had settled in my chest since last night.I followed him to the table, my steps slow, measured. Morgan, Damien’s mother, as usual sat at the head, her expression unreadable, like she the queen presiding over some royal council. Beside her was his Uncle Anthony, loud and boisterous, already cracking jokes that didn’t quite land. His cousin Miranda sat across from him, her eyes narrowed, calculating—always on guard. Aunt Claire sat silently, as if waiting for the storm to hit, her gaze darting between the two of us, sharp but quiet.They were
Last Updated : 2025-04-08The chef and The charmer chapter 45
Damien povI hate the smell of this room—the heavy scent of jasmine and the stale air that seems to hang like a fog. I can’t escape it, not here, not with her. My mother. She’s sitting there, on that damned velvet chair, with a glass of wine in hand, her eyes narrowed like she’s studying me from across the room. Everything about her exudes control, dominance, like she owns the space. I used to care about it. I used to be afraid of it. But not anymore.“Damien,” she says, her voice cutting through the silence like a blade. “We need to talk about the engagement.”I take a breath, steadying myself. Here it comes.“ Mother, Evelyn and I aren’t getting engaged.” I say it as calmly as I can, but I know the tension in my voice betrays me.Her lips curl into a thin, almost disdainful smile. “You’re being stubborn, just like your father. He never listened to reason either.”I can’t stop the flash of irritation that sparks in me. “Don’t bring my father into this.”“Oh, I’ll bring him up if I wa
Last Updated : 2025-04-09The chef and The charmer chapter 46
Damien povThe soft hum of the private jet was the only sound that filled the space as we descended into New York. Outside the window, the skyline came into view—a cold, familiar silhouette against the night sky. I leaned back in my seat, eyes fixed ahead, my jaw tight, arms crossed. Evelyn sat beside me, her hands clasped together in her lap. She kept stealing glances at me, but I didn’t turn to meet her eyes. I couldn’t. Not yet.The landing was smooth. The kind of landing that made you forget you were ever up in the air, but I was far from grounded.The ride to the penthouse was a quiet one. The black SUV glided through Manhattan traffic with ease. Streetlights flickered across my face as I stared out the window. My reflection in the glass looked just like I felt—tense, distant, unreadable. Evelyn finally broke the silence.“Are you okay?”Her voice was soft, almost hesitant.“Yeah,” I said, too quickly. My voice didn’t carry the weight of truth, but I didn’t have the energy to pre
Last Updated : 2025-04-10The chef and The charmer chapter 47
Evelyn povThe morning light bled softly through the sheer curtains of Damien’s penthouse, casting golden stripes across the marble countertops and hardwood floors. I stood in the kitchen, barefoot, hair pulled into a loose bun, flipping fluffy blueberry pancakes on the stove. The smell of vanilla, cinnamon, and warm butter filled the space, offering a fragile sense of normalcy after the stormy whirlwind of the past two days.Damien had barely spoken since we landed last night. He wore that stoic mask of his, one that didn’t break even when I gently asked if he was okay during the drive back from the airport. He’d simply nodded, eyes fixed on the skyline through the tinted windows, his fingers clenched so tightly his knuckles turned pale. I didn’t press. I could feel the weight he carried.What his mother said to him… the look in his eyes when he stepped onto the beach to tell me we were leaving Miami—it haunted me. There was pain there, real and raw. A wounded little boy buried beneat
Last Updated : 2025-04-11The chef and The charmer chapter 48
It had been a few days since that cozy breakfast with Chris and Damien—the kind of morning that stitched warmth back into your bones after a storm. Since then, the atmosphere in the penthouse had settled into a rhythm I found surprisingly comforting. I cooked, Damien worked, and somehow, the silence we shared was no longer awkward. It was… soft. Familiar. Like we were both learning how to exist in each other’s orbit.But something inside me had shifted. Ever since Damien held up my scrappy little notebook and told me I could turn it into something real, something shareable, I hadn’t been able to stop thinking about it. What if I did? What if I actually created something from these random recipes and ideas that had lived only in my head and on paper? I found myself sketching out themed menu ideas—personalized brunches, comfort dinners, elegant date-night sets. Each one had a story, a feeling, a reason. For once, it didn’t feel like I was just cooking. It felt like I was telling a story
Last Updated : 2025-04-11
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The chef and The charmer chapter 75
evelyn povThe moment the elevator doors slid open, Damian didn’t wait. His hand found mine as he pulled me into the penthouse, the quiet click of the doors sealing us away from the world behind.The gala was hours behind us, but the emotions were still raw. The confrontation, the tension, the way I had stood my ground—and the way he had protected me and, All of it lingered between us like a spark begging to be lit.As soon as the door shut, he turned and kissed me.There was no pretense. No slow buildup.Just lips on lips, deep and consuming. His hands found my waist, guiding me backward until my back met the wall. He kissed like he needed to feel alive again—like I was the only thing anchoring him to the ground.I gasped softly as his mouth moved along my jawline, and my fingers tangled in his dark hair. Damian’s breath was warm and uneven, his words muttered against my skin.“You have no idea what tonight did to me.”His hands slid down to my hips, pulling me closer, and I smiled a
The chef and The charmer chapter 74
evelyn povDamian and I eventually reached the center of the room, where a small gathering of powerful figures stood, engaging in animated conversation. But I felt the heat of Eric’s gaze on me before I saw him move.And then, it happened.Eric’s eyes locked onto mine, and everything around me seemed to blur into a hazy, distant noise. My heart stopped for a beat, my breath caught in my throat.“You’re here,” he said, his voice tinged with disbelief as he approached us, completely disregarding the woman on his arm.Damian stepped in front of me, his posture protective but calm, a silent warning in his stance. “She doesn’t owe you anything, Eric,” he said, his tone even but firm.Eric shot Damian a look of disdain but didn’t say anything to him. Instead, his gaze stayed locked on me. “I thought I might get a word with you. You know, for old time’s sake.”I resisted the urge to recoil at the way he said it. His smile was still that charming one, the one that had once made my heart race,
The chef and The charmer chapter 73
evelyn povThe city lights shimmered through the tinted glass as the Rolls-Royce Phantom glided through Manhattan’s evening traffic. Rain had left the roads slick, reflecting bursts of gold, red, and sapphire from traffic signals and store signs. Inside the car, the world outside barely touched them. There was only the hush of leather seats, the faint hum of tires, and the palpable energy between us.Damian’s hand rested on my thigh, warm and grounding. He hadn’t spoken in a few minutes, just looked at me like he was memorizing everything—my curls cascading over my shoulders, the sheen on my collarbone, the curve of my lips still stained with his kiss from earlier.Then, as if unable to hold it in any longer, he turned slightly in his seat.“I have something for you.”I blinked, my heart hiccupping. “What is it?”He reached into the inner pocket of his tailored jacket and pulled out a small velvet box.My breath caught.He opened it slowly, revealing a ring so intricate it almost didn
The chef and The charmer chapter 72
(Evelyn’s POV)If someone had told me a few months ago that I would be wrapped up in a whirlwind with Damian Blackwell—the Damian Blackwell—I would’ve laughed them out of the room. Yet here we were. Caught in a strange kind of bubble, floating somewhere between reality and something that felt too good to be real.After that night with Eric, after the investigation plans and the rush of tension, something shifted between us. It was subtle, but it was there, threading through our days like silk ribbons. A look that lasted too long. A brush of fingers that lingered. A softness in Damian’s voice when he said my name.The next morning, I woke up to the smell of fresh coffee and cinnamon. For a moment, I thought I was dreaming.Then I walked into the kitchen and found Damian standing there—shirtless, wearing only a pair of soft gray sweatpants, his hair deliciously messy, stirring something in a pan like he’d done it a hundred times.He turned when he heard me, a boyish grin stretching acro
The chef and The charmer chapter 71
Damian stepped forward, his presence imposing as always. “I’m warning you, Eric. You don’t want to go down this path.”after I stood up then and walk toward Damien and now am face to face with Eric, my heart pounding in my chest. I wasn’t going to let Eric—my ex, the man who had betrayed me with my best friend—control the narrative of my life anymore. He didn’t get to decide what people knew about me, what I owed anyone. And certainly not after everything I had fought through to get here.“Damian, stop,” I said, my voice steady despite the rising tension. “I’ll handle this.”Damian looked at me, his expression unreadable. For a moment, I could see the conflict in his eyes—he wanted to protect me, but I knew this was something I had to face on my own. After everything I had been through, after all the ways I had been silenced, this was my fight now. And I was done being passive.“Eric,” I called out, stepping toward the door, my voice firm. “You’re not going to tell my story. I’m going
The chef and The charmer chapter 70
Evelyn povThe penthouse felt quieter tonight, the dim light from the chandelier casting soft shadows on the sleek walls. The city buzzed below, but up here, it felt like a world apart—one that was just mine and Damian’s. The kind of space where, for once, everything else could fade away. The soft clinking of glasses, the hum of the stove, and the sizzle of food in the pan were the only sounds filling the room, and even they felt like they were part of a private rhythm we’d only just begun to understand.I moved in a fluid motion as I sautéed the vegetables in olive oil, a simple but comforting dish that had come to be my way of showing Damian I cared. After everything that had happened, after the tension and misunderstandings, there was something about cooking for him that made me feel like I could finally breathe again. It was the first time in so long that I didn’t feel like I was just pretending to be something I wasn’t. Cooking for Damian was different. It was honest, like the fo
The chef and The charmer chapter 69
Evelyn povThe restaurant was one of those places you don’t find unless someone wants you to. Tucked between rows of elite boutiques and imported wine bars, it was all low lighting, pressed linens, and whispering waiters. I should’ve felt proud. Accomplished, even. Instead, my skin buzzed with an unease I couldn’t quite name.Damian had surprised me at the mentorship kitchen that evening, walking in like he belonged in every room—even the ones meant for me. I didn’t mind, not really. At first, I thought he came to support me. But over dinner, I started to wonder if he came to stake a claim.He’d been quiet since we sat down. Not in the way people are when they’re tired or content. It was the kind of silence that hangs off every movement. His eyes darted between me and my phone, lingered too long on my wrist where Chef Marcellus had also my complimented bracelet and of my dishes. Pride lingered in his gaze, but so did something sharper.I tried to laugh it off. “You’re quiet tonight. D
The chef and The charmer chapter 68
POV: Evelyn They say healing comes in waves. Mine came in chaos—cryptic messages, my ex boyfriend lies, and a man I never meant to fall for.It started with a trap. Damian and I, cornered by secrets and shadows, devised a plan to catch the ghost who had been haunting me—“E.”Even now, the memory makes my chest tighten. We whispered code words in hushed voices, mapped out decoy routes, and layered truth with just enough fiction to bait someone clever enough to stay hidden for weeks I remember how shaky my hands felt as I tied my shoelaces the morning it all began. I remember the taste of fear on my tongue, bitter and stubborn.I never expected the enemy to come from my past… from Cold Spring, where I’d spent my life trying to be invisible. E was someone I barely remembered—a former coworker from the diner. She always had something in her eyes when she looked at me. Envy, maybe. Or hatred. Maybe both. Apparently, I’d shined too quietly for her liking.just few days before we caught her
The chef and The charmer chapter 67
Damien povThe morning sun filtered through the tall windows of the Montgomery estate, casting a golden hue over the manicured gardens. I stood on the balcony, my gaze fixed on the figure below. Evelyn was in the garden, her hands gently tending to the roses, her movements deliberate yet distant.I watched as she paused, her shoulders slumping slightly, a silent sigh escaping her lips. The weight of recent events was evident in her posture. The anonymous notes, the public scrutiny, and the complexities of our arrangement were taking a toll on her.Descending the staircase, I made my way to the garden. The scent of blooming flowers greeted me, a stark contrast to the tension that lingered in the air.“Evelyn,” I called softly.She turned, her eyes meeting mine. There was a vulnerability in her gaze that I hadn’t seen before.“I thought some time in the garden might help clear my mind,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper.I nodded, stepping closer. “It’s a beautiful morning.”Sh
