Lahat ng Kabanata ng The chef and The charmer: Kabanata 41 - Kabanata 50

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

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

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

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

The smell of coffee and freshly toasted bagels drifted through the penthouse, dancing with the sound of sizzling eggs. I stood at the stove, barefoot, flipping an omelet while Damian sat at the kitchen island scrolling through something on his phone.It had become a quiet rhythm, these mornings with him. The tension that once hung in the air like a storm cloud had softened, replaced by something quieter, something… warmer.“Evelyn, I would like you to accompany me to a children’s charity event tonight at 8 PM. Will you be able to join me?”Damien said whiles scrolling through his phone“sure” i repiled“Did you sneak goat cheese into my omelet again?” he asked, raising a brow.I smirked. “You liked it last time.”“I tolerated it,” he said, but I caught the slight lift at the corner of his mouth. A playful flicker I was seeing more often lately.“Liar. You cleaned your plate.”Damian was about to retort when his phone buzzed against the counter top. The name Chris flashed on the screen.