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chapter 76
āļāļĢāļąāļāļāļĢāļļāļāļĨāđāļēāļŠāļļāļ:
2025-05-03 07:57:40
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The chef and The charmer   chapter 77
Evelyn povThe morning sun spilled into the penthouse, casting golden streaks across the hardwood floors as I zipped up my weekend bag. Damianâs shirt hung loosely off my shoulder, paired with biker shorts Iâd found at the back of my drawerâcomfort and borrowed masculinity. The faint hum of the city below was a distant murmur, like background music to the chaos in my head about what to pack.âAre you planning to move in somewhere I donât know about?â Damianâs voice floated in from the doorway, a hint of amusement curling around the words.I turned to see him leaning casually against the frame, coffee in one hand, his eyes already undressing my over packed duffel.âJust being prepared,â I said, tossing in one more pair of shoes. âYou said weekend getaway, not survival challenge. I donât know if weâre hiking, wine tasting, or trespassing.âHe smirked, stepping into the room to set the mug beside me. âLittle bit of all three, maybe. Youâll love it.ââDefine âlove it,ââ I muttered, alread
āļāļĢāļąāļāļāļĢāļļāļāļĨāđāļēāļŠāļļāļ : 2025-05-03The chef and The charmer   chapter 1
one year agoIâve always had faith in loveâs capacity for life. Growing up in a small town where hope did not often reach the horizon, I thought that love could solve everything. And for several years, I believe it has worked out.My fiance was my compass and phonograph in a busy world. We had met in high school where the saying âopposites attractâ came to life: I was a timid girl whose fantasies were entirely consumed by becoming a chef, while he was a goal-oriented teenage boy infused with technology and looking far outside the locality.Eric has been my anchor through lifeâs most turbulent storms. He held me when my grandma died, comforting me as I drowned in grief. He stayed by my side when my parents lost our home and I sank into depression, unable to afford college and settling instead for a small culinary school. Through it all, Eric was there, always saying reassuring words: âDonât worryâĶ everything will be fine. Iâm here for you.âAs I snap out of my thoughts, my gaze drops t
āļāļĢāļąāļāļāļĢāļļāļāļĨāđāļēāļŠāļļāļ : 2025-01-12The chef and The charmer   chapter 2
present dayI stood silently in front of the full-length mirror, my eyes fixed on the faint scar etched across my abdomen. The pale line, a constant reminder of the accident that forever altered my life, glinted softly in the morning light. My fingertips hovered over it, tracing its length as unbidden memories surged to the surface.Itâs been a year since that fateful dayâsince the screech of tires and the violent crash catapulted me into a nightmare I canât escape. Waking up in the sterile whiteness of the hospital room, disoriented and in pain, was only the beginning. The doctorsâ words had shattered my already fragile world.âThe injuries were severe,â one of them explained gently, though his voice echoed with finality. âIâm so sorry, but the damage to your womb was extensive. You wonât be able to have children.âI barely registered the words at first, numb to their weight until laterâwhen the sterile quiet of the hospital room was replaced by the suffocating silence of my thoughts
āļāļĢāļąāļāļāļĢāļļāļāļĨāđāļēāļŠāļļāļ : 2025-01-14The chef and The charmer   chapter 3
The days seemed to fly by, and before I knew it, a month had passed since I told my parents about moving to New York. Now, I had just arrived a day before the competition.The city buzzed around me, alive with the sounds of car horns, chatter, and the rhythmic click of heels on the pavement. My new apartment was a far cry from the sprawling familiarity of my hometown, but it felt right. The space was small, a single room with a kitchenette tucked into one corner and a bed that folded out from the wall, but it was mine. The peeling wallpaper and creaky floorboards didnât bother me. They were marks of character, not flaws. The night before my move, my parents had insisted on helping me pack. As we folded clothes and boxed up my life, the living room filled with a mix of nervous energy and bittersweet smiles.âAre you sure about this?â my mom asked, her hands pausing mid-fold over one of my sweaters. Her eyes were soft, concerned.âI have to do this, Mom,â I said, my voice steady but tin
āļāļĢāļąāļāļāļĢāļļāļāļĨāđāļēāļŠāļļāļ : 2025-01-16The chef and The charmer   chapter 4
I woke up early in the morning, my heart pounding with a mix of excitement and nerves. Today was the big dayâthe cooking competition that could change my life. I had been preparing for weeks, perfecting my dishes and honing my skills. This was more than just a contest; it was an opportunity to prove myself.Organized by three prominent hotel industry leaders which is stonehaven hotel and onyx resturants and resort , including the renowned Blackstone Grand Hotel & Resort as powerful and influential as its owner and CEO, Damien Blackstone , the competition was designed to scout talent and give underprivileged aspiring chefs a chance to shine. The ultimate prize? A position at one of Damien Hotel's prestigious kitchens, working under some of the finest chefs in the industry. Their goal was to scout talents and give opportunities to those who didnât have the means to break into the culinary world. There was no discriminationâanyone with skill and passion was welcome.Arriving at the gran
āļāļĢāļąāļāļāļĢāļļāļāļĨāđāļēāļŠāļļāļ : 2025-01-25The chef and The charmer   chapter 5
pov damienThe scent of expensive perfume clung to my sheets, mixing with the lingering traces of whiskey and something undeniably feminine. Sunlight sliced through the penthouse windows, casting golden streaks across the silk bedding.Beside me, a warm body stirred."Mmm... donât leave yet," a soft, sleepy voice murmured against my shoulder.I smirked, tilting my head slightly to glance at the woman draped over me. Her red hair spilled over the pillow, a sharp contrast against my crisp white sheets. Legs as long as sin. Green eyes that had been hazy with pleasure the night before. I searched my memory for her name but came up empty. Not that it mattered. Names werenât important in nights like these.Carefully, I shifted out from under her arm and swung my legs over the side of the bed, rubbing the back of my neck. My head wasnât pounding, but I could feel the weight of the previous nightâcocktails, laughter, pleasure, detachmentâall part of a well-rehearsed cycle."Where are you goin
āļāļĢāļąāļāļāļĢāļļāļāļĨāđāļēāļŠāļļāļ : 2025-02-19The chef and The charmer   chapter 6
evelyn povMy hands trembled as I returned to my station, the pristine knives and fresh ingredients laid out before me suddenly feeling distant, irrelevant. The heat from the overhead lights pressed down, but it was nothing compared to the flush burning across my cheeks.Get it together. I exhaled sharply, wrapping my fingers around the cool steel handle of the chefâs knife. The weight grounded me, dragging me back into the present.But Damian Blackstoneâs gaze lingered in my mind like the shadow of smokeâsharp, invasive, impossible to ignore. Just another obstacle. Another judge who had seen hundreds, maybe thousands, of competitors pass through this very station. He was nothingâhe should be nothing.So why did his attention feel so heavy?I sliced through a ripe tomato, each cut clean and precise, despite the chaos churning beneath the surface. I shouldnât care what he thought. I was here to winânot to unravel the enigma behind those dark, knowing eyes.My teeth clenched as I set th
āļāļĢāļąāļāļāļĢāļļāļāļĨāđāļēāļŠāļļāļ : 2025-03-01The chef and The charmer   chapter 7
The door clicked shut behind me, the faint hum of the city seeping through the cracked window. The distant horns and muffled conversations from the streets below were familiarâwhite noise that usually soothed me after a long day. But they only seemed to amplify the storm churning beneath my ribs tonight.I carefully set my knives on the counter, the blades catching the dim glow from the kitchen light. My fingers lingered on the worn leather of the roll, tracing each handle like a ritual. The weight of the contest hung heavy in the room, pressing against my chestâone more night until everything was decided.One more night to prove I belonged.The memory of Damian Blackstoneâs smirk flickered behind my eyes, sharp and intrusive. I could still hear his voiceâsmooth, low, laced with that effortless arrogance he wore like a second skin.ââWeâll see about that.âI had replayed those words a hundred times on the walk home, each repetition digging deeper beneath my skin. He was testing me. Mea
āļāļĢāļąāļāļāļĢāļļāļāļĨāđāļēāļŠāļļāļ : 2025-03-04
āļāļāļĨāđāļēāļŠāļļāļ
The chef and The charmer   chapter 77
Evelyn povThe morning sun spilled into the penthouse, casting golden streaks across the hardwood floors as I zipped up my weekend bag. Damianâs shirt hung loosely off my shoulder, paired with biker shorts Iâd found at the back of my drawerâcomfort and borrowed masculinity. The faint hum of the city below was a distant murmur, like background music to the chaos in my head about what to pack.âAre you planning to move in somewhere I donât know about?â Damianâs voice floated in from the doorway, a hint of amusement curling around the words.I turned to see him leaning casually against the frame, coffee in one hand, his eyes already undressing my over packed duffel.âJust being prepared,â I said, tossing in one more pair of shoes. âYou said weekend getaway, not survival challenge. I donât know if weâre hiking, wine tasting, or trespassing.âHe smirked, stepping into the room to set the mug beside me. âLittle bit of all three, maybe. Youâll love it.ââDefine âlove it,ââ I muttered, alread
The chef and The charmer   chapter 76
Evelyn povAfter pancakes and stolen kisses, I thought the day would melt into lounging in silk robes and playfully arguing over which movie to stream.But Damian had other plans.âGet dressed,â he said, standing in the doorway of the bathroom, towel slung low on his hips, hair still wet from the shower.I blinked up at him from the bed. âWhy? This robe and I have a solid relationship.âHe smirked. âNot as solid as ours. Now come on. Iâm stealing you for the day.âI tilted my head. âWhere are we going?ââItâs a surprise.ââWill I need heels or sneakers?ââNeither. Just bring your smile,â he said, before disappearing again.I threw a pillow at the door. âThat is not helpful, Blackstone!âBut I got up anyway, heart fluttering with the same giddy excitement I hadnât felt sinceâĶ maybe ever.âBy the time we were in the car, I was in a sundress, soft pink and flowy, and he was in a crisp white linen shirt with the top buttons undone. Casual but devastating.The drive was scenicâDamian kept
The chef and The charmer   chapter 75
evelyn povThe moment the elevator doors slid open, Damian didnât 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 groundâand 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 againâlike 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. Damianâs breath was warm and uneven, his words muttered against my skin.âYou have no idea what tonight did to me.âHis 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 Ericâs gaze on me before I saw him move.And then, it happened.Ericâs 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.âYouâre here,â 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. âShe doesnât owe you anything, Eric,â he said, his tone even but firm.Eric shot Damian a look of disdain but didnât say anything to him. Instead, his gaze stayed locked on me. âI thought I might get a word with you. You know, for old timeâs sake.âI 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 Manhattanâs 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.Damianâs hand rested on my thigh, warm and grounding. He hadnât spoken in a few minutes, just looked at me like he was memorizing everythingâmy 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.âI have something for you.âI blinked, my heart hiccupping. âWhat is it?âHe 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
(Evelynâs POV)If someone had told me a few months ago that I would be wrapped up in a whirlwind with Damian Blackwellâthe Damian BlackwellâI wouldâve 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 Damianâs 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 thereâshirtless, wearing only a pair of soft gray sweatpants, his hair deliciously messy, stirring something in a pan like heâd 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. âIâm warning you, Eric. You donât want to go down this path.âafter I stood up then and walk toward Damien and now am face to face with Eric, my heart pounding in my chest. I wasnât going to let Ericâmy ex, the man who had betrayed me with my best friendâcontrol the narrative of my life anymore. He didnât get to decide what people knew about me, what I owed anyone. And certainly not after everything I had fought through to get here.âDamian, stop,â I said, my voice steady despite the rising tension. âIâll handle this.âDamian looked at me, his expression unreadable. For a moment, I could see the conflict in his eyesâhe 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.âEric,â I called out, stepping toward the door, my voice firm. âYouâre not going to tell my story. Iâm 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 apartâone that was just mine and Damianâs. 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 weâd only just begun to understand.I moved in a fluid motion as I sautÃĐed 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 didnât feel like I was just pretending to be something I wasnât. 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 donât 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 shouldâve felt proud. Accomplished, even. Instead, my skin buzzed with an unease I couldnât quite name.Damian had surprised me at the mentorship kitchen that evening, walking in like he belonged in every roomâeven the ones meant for me. I didnât 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.Heâd been quiet since we sat down. Not in the way people are when theyâre 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. âYouâre quiet tonight. D
