TERESA'S P.O.V.
Lucian's hand was firm, yet sohow gentle as he led into an enormous kitchen. I felt like Alice tumbling down the rabbit hole, except this was no Wonderland—it was more like stepping into the culinary version of the White House–gleaming countertops, shiny stainless steel appliances, and chefs dressed in pristine uniforms bustling around with practiced ease. The sll hit first: fresh herbs, roasting ats, and... was that saffron? My stomach growled before I could stop it. Embarrassing.
The kitchen staff greeted Lucian like he was so kind of royalty. "Good morning, Alpha," they said in unison like they had rehearsed it, heads slightly bowed. Their eyes flickered to for a mont, curious, before returning to their work. Alpha? The word buzzed in my brain like a pesky fly, I opened my mouth to ask, but the sight of a towering, intimidating Lucian, calmly striding forward, killed the words before they left my throat. Instead, I swallowed my confusion, pretending I understood. I an, why did they keep calling him that? I thought Alpha was just a taphor for a "guy who looks good in suits."
Lucian barely glanced at them, waving off their greetings with a casual flick of his hand, all while still holding mine. Does he know we're still holding hands? I wondered. If my life were a cartoon, my cheeks would've been glowing like neon signs by now.
We walked up to a middle-aged woman with silver streaks in her hair and it was pinned up in a ssy bun. She had this no-nonsense aura around her. She smiled warmly but gave a quick once-over like she was trying to figure out what on earth I was doing here. Lucian introduced her as Madi, the head chef.
"This is Teresa," Lucian said, smirking like he was introducing as the next heir to a throne I didn't know existed. Madi's eyebrows shot up ever so slightly before she masked it with a smile. Oh great, I'm already gossiping material.
"And what's cooking today, Madi?" Lucian asked, his voice laced with just the right amount of charm and sarcasm that I wasn't sure if he was interested or mocking. That man had layers.
Madi rattled off a list of dishes—half of which I'd never heard of. Bouillabaisse? Cassoulet? So word that sounded like it ca from a sci-fi movie? Lucian nodded knowingly. The guy probably ate gourt for breakfast. I on the other hand just smiled and pretended I totally knew what they were talking about. I figured I'd Google it later.
"Anything in particular you want to eat?" Lucian asked, suddenly turning his gaze on . His eyes had that sharp glint like he already knew my answer but wanted to see if I'd trip over myself trying to please him.
I froze, staring at him like a deer caught in headlights. What do you even ask for in a place like this? Pancakes? That seed too basic. Caviar? Who eats caviar... what ti was it? At ten in the morning?
"Oh, uh, surprise ?" I blurted out, praying I didn't sound as awkward as I felt.
Lucian's grin widened like I'd just thrown him the best challenge of his life and I instantly regretted it. "Oh, I will," he promised before rattling off a ridiculously long list of food orders that made Madi scribble down faster than I thought humanly possible; things I couldn't even begin to pronounce. My mind was racing, wondering what I'd just gotten myself into, but before I could even process it, Lucian tugged out of the kitchen like we were on so kind of secret mission, his hand still firmly gripping mine.
As we walked away, I could feel the staff's eyes on , their whispers and curious glances trailing behind us like a breeze. So looked confused, others... jealous. Yep, definitely gossip material.
My heart started pounding, and not in a good way. They're going to hate , I thought. I'd only been here for what, four hours? And already I was the girl who held hands with Lucian Blackwood, the mysterious, grumpy, 'Alpha' like they all called him. What if they thought I was trying to get close to him on purpose? And how was I supposed to survive five months of side-eye and whispered conversations?
How?
"Kitchens too overwhelming for you?" Lucian's voice broke through my spiraling thoughts, and I nearly jumped.
"N-no, it's just..." I hesitated, struggling to put my thoughts into words without sounding like an insecure ss. On second thought, I decided It was better I kept silent.
Lucian raised an eyebrow, clearly amused. "I know sothing is bothering you,Teresa. Out with it."
I froze. How did he always know when sothing was bothering ? Like, did he have so kind of sixth sense? I scrambled for sothing else to say. "I... I was just thinking... maybe I should go job hunting? You know, so I'm not just... sitting around." Why did I say that? Panic set in as I realized how stupid it sounded. I was supposed to be his maid but he was giving this tour, practically treating like a guest, and here I was talking about job hunting. Smooth, Teresa. Real smooth.
Lucian raised an eyebrow. "That's what's got you all tied up in knots?"
I nodded weakly, expecting him to tell to stop being ridiculous.
Instead, he laughed—a deep, rich sound that startled .
"You don't need to job hunt, Teresa, you don't even need to work at all" he said, his tone dismissive. "But, if you really want to, give a list of your skillset, and I'll find you a job in one of my companies," he said like it was the most obvious thing in the world.
I blinked at him, my brain short-circuiting. "W-wait, seriously?"
Lucian's smirk deepened. "You doubt ?"
Before I could stop myself, I threw my arms around him. "Thank you! Thank you! You won't regret this!" I babbled, hugging him tightly. The sll of him—sothing woodsy and clean, with a hint of leather—was comforting, and for a second, I forgot where I was.
Until I noticed the group of gardeners staring as if they had just seen a UFO, hedge trimrs frozen mid-air.
I jerked back like I'd touched a hot stove. "I-I'm so sorry. I didn't an to... I just..."
Lucian chuckled, his eyes twinkling with amusent. "Relax, Teresa. I'm not going to bite. Yet."
My cheeks flushed again, and I mumbled sothing that sounded vaguely like an apology. anwhile, my heart was sorsaulting. How could he be so unbothered while I was out here making a fool of myself?
He turned to Juliette, who had been following us at a distance, like a shadow. "Juliette, get a car ready. And a new wardrobe," he said casually, waving her off with a wink.
"Of course, Alpha," Juliette replied with a knowing smile before she disappeared, leaving more confused than ever. A new wardrobe? A car? For what?
Before I could ask, Lucian steered the conversation back to sothing light, and we walked through a beautiful garden while chatting as if we were close friends. By the ti the servers arrived, carrying trays of food that could feed a small army, I wondered if I'd be able to eat even a quarter of it.
"I... don't think I can eat all of this," I mumbled, and Lucian just gave a knowing smirk.
"We'll see."
Reviews
All reviews (0)