Eve avoided looking in his direction. Her facial expression might give her away. She placed her focus on the coffee maker. Opening it, she found the scooper for the ground coffee beans and added enough for two cups.
Just in case she wanted a second round.
"You both work so closely. I didn't want any rumors to circulate," she decided to say. It had been her initial reason to him when she made her terms during their first eting. "Besides, our communication is limited to the app. Is there really a need for to et her?"
She poured water into the coffee maker and let it do its job. Internally, her heart went rampant. It had been going well so far. He hadn't forced them to communicate until the other day. She was confident that it would hold up for 9 months.
What was with the sudden change?
He didn't even tell Eve that this relationship was fake for goodness' sake! They had stayed out of each other's personal lives for years. He wasn't about to change that, was he?
Ambryan rested his wrists on the counter. Her change in attitude didn't go unnoticed. The mory of their first eting ca to his mind. She had ntioned his secretary at the ti. The rumors about Eve had been about the won coming after her like she was a threat. It highlighted their insecurities and toxic behavior.
But Evangeline wasn't like that.
Why should she worry about such a thing?
"Do you have a problem with Eve?" He asked, trying to think of possible reasons. Wouldn't it be better for their image if she got along with the people around him? They would eventually et at so point as well.
"I don't have a problem with her," Eve defended quickly. She played it off with a laugh, spinning on her heel to grab the mugs. Her gaze zeroed in on them. "But I don't want people to think I'm kissing up to your employees especially to her."
It wasn't a good excuse and she knew it. In theory, the best people she'd use to get close to him would be his family and his friends. A secretary wouldn't entertain selfish requests like that. It was outside of the job description.
If the person was her, at least.
"Hm."
Ambryan let her take them. He leaned his back against the counter and crossed his arms over his chest. He watched her back as she waited for the coffee to finish brewing. Her point was reasonable.
Did it still matter at this point though?
They had already established their relationship to the public. It was natural for her to know his inner circle. She even t his business partners in the past. Was she actually threatened by Eve like the others?
Had he read her wrong?
The kitchen tir beeped. It broke him out of reverie. Shaking his head, he let it go. The company party was near anyway. They'd et at that point even just for a mont. He would have the answers by then.
"Mind getting the cookies in the oven?" Eve requested over her shoulder while she started on the tea. Her mind had centered around avoiding her secretary self that she forgot about it. She sent a silent apology his way.
'Sorry, Ambryan! Please don't be suspicious!' Her thoughts chanted.
She brewed the tea in its pot beside the coffee maker. Everything needed for a cup of it was on the countertopreadily available whenever Ambryan wanted one. The setup was exactly the sa as the one in his office.
She found it amusing.
Ambryan pulled out the tray of cookies. The sll of butter floated in the air. The dough made a total of two dozen cookies. He placed them on the island to cool. Kiri pushed herself up, sitting on her pedestal.
If they were going to eat, they should feed her too!
The pair worked around the kitchen as if they were a well-oiled machine. Eve finished their beverages. Ambryan moved the cookies onto a plate. She washed the dishes. He pulled out a bag of cat treats. Kiri leaped off the cat tree and headed for her bowl.
Ambryan reached for his phone. The screen lit up with Richard's na on it. He let the call ring and tucked it back into his pocket. He was on his afternoon break. Business matters could wait. Others weren't as important either.
He took a sip of the tea.
Then, pulled it away with his eyes wide.
"What is it?"
Eve licked her lips, setting her mug down. She bit into a cookie and held back a moan. The contrast between the bitter coffee and the sweet pastry satisfied her palate. The flavors danced in her mouth like a holiday party.
"The way you brew tea suits my exact taste," he declared. He tested it for a second ti. The taste of tea was delicate. The slightest misstep could change its flavor. All of the asurents had to be right, including the water temperature.
For soone who preferred coffee, her technique ca as a surprise.
"I-I morized it from when we first t. I thought it was fascinating," Eve explained. She wanted to pinch the bridge of her nose and hide her face. Brewing that tea was second nature to her by now. She didn't even think much of it.
Ambryan arched an eyebrow. "The first ti we t, huh."
She shrugged and seized another cookie. Taking a bite, she sought a different topic. With her mind on Stitz Bristo, she ended up saying, "You were really intimidating at the ti. You didn't even speak when I ca in. Then, you took my hat."
"You may have it back if you want."
"Huh?"
"You left it in the car."
Eve sharpened her mory. It took awhile for her to recall that day. She had worn a hat because of the heat. It had been in her hands when they stepped into his car. And then
"Wait, I did!"
Ambryan gave her a look. "I just said that."
"And you still have it?"
"Should I have thrown it away?" He scowled. It had slipped off his mind until now. The hat was inside one of the drawers. He kept it there so Kiri wouldn't play with it. It was still in the sa condition as when he found it.
"No, no, no! It just surprised , that's all." Eve scratched the back of her neck. This wasn't going well. She didn't know how to continue the subject further. Her mind scrambled for another one. Why were they here again?
"Has Wen looked into EliasWalker?"
"He's a freelance photographer." Ambryan gripped his mug. The hot tea nearly scorched the palm of his hand. "Quite a discreet fellow. A lot of people know him but, at the sa ti, they don't rember him having a girlfriend. It seems that they didn't know about his slowgram account either."
"He's a real person?"
"Yes."
Eve cupped her cheek and stared at the cookies. Fa really wasn't as fun as it was made out to be. She had expected girls chasing after her for snatching the most eligible bachelor of the country. There were many of them born from a better statusbut Ambryan picked an amateur model? A woman who owned nothing to her na?
So far, no one had co forward.
Maybe she had overestimated their personalities.
"Why would he do sothing like this?" She thought out loud. A fabricated story the person was playing the sa ga. Other than her words, she had nothing to disprove his claims. Andie might be a good back up but they don't know how much detail the person created.
She wouldn't be able to lie.
Anything she'd say would be investigated. If the dia found out that she was dishonest, she would be done for. The pieces would fall like dominos until they uncovered the truth.
The analysis gave her a headache.
"We're trying to find out his motivations. He can't be acting alone." Ambryan bit a cookie in half. It had a creamy taste, lting in his mouth. A lump of chocolate exploded on his tongue. He appreciated how neither one was too sweet.
Eve flickered her gaze towards him as he drank from his mug. It occurred to her that he was probably handling the incident at this mont. "If it's money, would you make him a better offer to make him stop?"
"It's certainly better than hitting him in the face."
"Why would you even consider doing that?" She countered. It was unlike him to consider sothing like that.
"I don't think you understand the situation clearly, Ms. Evangeline," Ambryan spoke slowly. He dropped his half-eaten cookie on the plate and leaned forward. The closer the distance, the more intense his eyes beca.
Eve gulped, trying her best not to look away.
"That man is publicly trying to take my girlfriend away from ."
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