Semua Bab IT'S A JOB, NOT A RELATIONSHIP, MR. BILLIONAIRE : Bab 171 - Bab 180

ISLA'S POV I unlocked the front door of my restaurant just as the sun filtered through the tall windows, casting a golden haze across the polished floors. The scent of rosemary and burnt oak still lingered from the night before. Mornings like this, when the city was just waking and the kitchen was quiet, were my favorite. I could hear myself think.Ever since I decided to expand the place—make it more of a family-style restaurant with a mix of fine dining and casual—my days had been a blur. I’d taken on more responsibility, hired new staff, and started brainstorming a new menu with Chef Marco. It was exciting. Exhausting, too.But today felt different. Today, I had something else on my mind. Isla.Things between us had shifted lately—in a good way. The walls she used to keep around her were slowly coming down. I could see it in the way she smiled at me, the way her voice softened when she talked about the future. And now that we’d decided to move in together, things were starting to

NATHAN'S POVI stood at the center of my restaurant’s kitchen, sleeves rolled up, apron already stained, and adrenaline pumping harder than my heart on a jog. Tonight wasn’t just a normal night—we were hosting our first ever Charity Chef’s Night. All proceeds would go to a local shelter that helped underprivileged youth. It was my idea, sure, but it had grown into something much bigger than I expected.And I wanted to make Isla proud.I glanced at the clock. 6:42 p.m.We had a full house. The tables outside were filled with guests, and the buzz in the room was electric. Laughter. Wine glasses clinking. And the rhythmic chaos of my kitchen behind the scenes.“You’ve got eight tickets coming in,” shouted Marco, my sous-chef, over the clatter of pans. “Two need vegan substitutes!”“I got it!” I called back, sliding a tray of roasted mushrooms into the oven. “Tell Gina to prep the walnut cream.”This was what I lived for. The hum of the burners, the urgency, the fire—literal and emotional

NATHAN'S POV The restaurant was unusually quiet for a Thursday morning. Early prep was underway, with the kitchen team already chopping vegetables, simmering broths, and prepping sauces for the lunch crowd. I stood by the wide window of my office upstairs, sipping black coffee while watching the light spill over the wooden countertops of the empty dining area.Everything should've felt perfect. Business was steady, reviews were glowing, and the spring menu was finally complete. But something kept my mind wandering—specifically to Isla.She had been distant lately. Not in a cold way, but the kind of distant you get when your mind is pulled in too many directions at once. Between her job at Titan Holdings and all the back-and-forth drama with Lucas, she’d been buried under stress. I hated seeing her like that, overwhelmed, trying to manage everything alone. I also hated how powerless I felt to help her.I glanced at the digital calendar blinking on my screen. No major events were sched

NATHAN'S POVI was wiping down the marble counter when the wind chimes at the entrance gave their usual soft jingle. Lunch hour had slowed, and the staff moved around in a quiet rhythm, preparing for the dinner crowd. The familiar scent of rosemary and fresh bread clung to the air.Then she walked in.She wasn’t like our usual customers. The woman who stepped into my restaurant wore confidence like a tailored suit. Tall, sleek, with short-cropped hair dyed copper red, and dressed in a clean-cut blazer over a silk blouse. A stranger, clearly not from this neighborhood. She looked around, her sharp eyes scanning the place like she was assessing it, not just looking.I stood still for a moment, observing. Something about her energy shifted the air slightly."Table for one?" I asked, setting the towel aside and moving toward her.Her eyes landed on me, amused. "Do I look like someone who eats alone?"I grinned. "Depends on whether you came for the food or the chef.""That depends," she sa

ISLA POVThe hum of the air conditioner above me was the only sound in the room as I stared at the fabric swatches spread out on the table. Titan Holdings had been pushing us harder than ever lately, and the pressure was beginning to get to everyone—especially me. With Lucas out of the picture for now, you'd think I would feel more at ease, but that wasn't the case. If anything, the silence he left behind felt louder. The competitiveness in the office had shifted. It was no longer about outshining each other but proving we were worthy of being here.I took a deep breath, rubbing my temple as I leaned back in my chair. Deadlines were crawling up my neck, and the constant meetings drained me. Still, this was the job. And I loved it—even when it suffocated me."You look like you haven't blinked in hours," Elizabeth said from the doorway, her dark hair pulled into a sleek bun, clipboard pressed against her chest.I smiled faintly. "Probably haven't. What's up?""Mr. Laughton wants to see