CHAPTER FOURTEEN
“Stop stalking me!” I snapped at Dominic as Mia and I pushed past him, shopping bags in hand.
He leaned against his expensive car, looking amused. “Stalking you? This is my boutique, Evelyn. If anyone’s stalking anyone, you’re the one who came to my establishment”
I froze in my tracks. “Your boutique?”
“Blackwood Luxury Apparel,” he said with a smirk. “Didn’t you notice the logo?“%
I glanced back at the storefront, finally noticing the elegant “B” entwined with an “L” and “A” on the sign. How had I missed that?
Mia’s eyes widened, and she nudged me with her elbow. “See? The universe is practically throwing you two together
I shot her a warning glare before turning back to Dominic. If you’re not stalking me, then why did you pay for our purchase
He shrugged casually. “Consider it a wedding gift. One of many to come.”
“There won’t be any wedding.” I hissed.”
Mia nudged me with her elbow. “Don’t be so quick to turn down free stuff from hot rich guys, Eve.”
I shot her a death glare
“You two must be hungry after all th
all that shopping. Dominic said. “Why don’t wa
Before I could decline, Mia jumped in That sounds amazing! I’m starving.”
we get something to eat? My treat”
I grabbed Mia’s arm and started dragging her away “We’re not interested.”
“You’ll definitely need my help sooner than you think, Evelyn Dominic called after us. It’s only a matter of time! Ldragged Mia down the street, not slowing down until we were several blocks away from the boutique.
“What is wrong with you?” I demanded once we were safely out of earshot.
Mia shrugged. “Free lunch with a hot, gorgeous billionaire Alpha? I don’t see the problem.”
“I don’t care about all that,” I snapped. ” didn’t come back here to fall in love and get married. I came back for revenge.”
“And how exactly are you planning to get that revenge without any money or power?” Mia challenged.
I had no answer for her
“Fine,” Mia sighed. “Let’s go back to your depressing
ing apartment and eat instant noodles instead.”
I hated that she had a point!
–
The next morning. I woke up determined to take control of my situation. I couldn’t just sit around and wallow–I needed a job, money, and a plan.
After a quick shower, I dressed in my most professional outfit and headed out to look for employment. Four hours and six rejections later, my confidence was wavering…
“We’re not hiring right now
“You don’t have enough experience.”
“Do you even have references?”|||
By mid–afternoon, I was hungry, tired, and discouraged. I stopped at a small restaurant called “The Moonlight Cafe” for a late lunch and noticed a “Help Wanted” sign in the window
Worth a shot, I thought
Inside, I asked to speak with the manager a friendly middle–aged woman named Sarah who interviewed me on the spot
“You have no experience in food service,” she noted, reviewing my hastily prepared resume.!!
“I’m a fast learner,” I assured her. “And I have excellent people skills.“)
She studied me for a moment. “You look familiar. Have we met?)
I tensed. Did she recognize me as the former mate of Lucas, the head enforcer? I don’t think so. I just moved to the area”
She paused before nodding. “Alright, I’ll give you a chance. The pay is decent-$18 an hour plus tips.“X
My eyes widened. That was actually pretty good for a waitressing job.
“When can you start?” she asked.
“Right now,” I replied eagerly.
Sarah laughed. “How about tomorrow moming? Be here at 7:30 sharp.0
I nearly hugged her. With this salary, I could afford my bills and start saving for my revenge plan. “Absolutely!”
The next few days passed in a blur of taking orders, serving food, and collapsing into bed exhausted each night. The work was hard but satisfying, and the tips were generous.
than unfamiliar number
Just as I was starting to feel like I had my life under control, my phone rang with
“Hello, Miss Bennett? This is Sandra from Elegance Boutique. We need you to come in and finalize the paperwork for your sold items.”
I groaned, “Can’t we just do this online? I’m really busy with work.”
“Tim sorry, but it’s store policy. You need to sign the papers in person,” she insisted.!
11:19 AM ₫ c
The last thing I wanted was to go back there and risk running into Dominic again.
Nevertheless, the next day after my shift at The Moonlight Cafe, I dragged myself to the boutique. I’d purposely wom my work uniform, black pants and a plain white shirt hoping to blend in and get out quickly.
The same saleswoman who had helped us yesterday greeted me with a smile. “Ms. Bennett, thank you for coming in. We just need your signature on these forms, and then we can transfer the payment to your account.”
“Sign here, here, and initial here,” she instructed, pointing to several places on the documents.
I signed the paperwork and provided my banking details, eager to get this over with.
“There you go,” the saleswoman said, handing me a receipt. “The payment has been processed. The full amount plus the bonus should appear in your account within 24 hours.”
I frowned. “Bonus? What bonus?”
She smiled. “Mr. Blackwood instructed us to triple the amount as a special consideration “X
My jaw clenched. “Of course he did.“)
give you this.”
Along with the receipt, she handed me a sealed envelope. “And Mr. Blackwood asked me to give
I took the envelope reluctantly and opened it once I stepped aside. Inside was a handwritten note “Extra tip for my future wife. Call me when you’re ready to talk
His phone number was scrawled at the bottom.X
I crumpled the note in my fist. “Thanks, but no thanks, I muttered under my breath.
The saleswoman just smiled apologetically.
As I turned to leave, my phone buzzed with a text from an unknown number: “Accept it or else I’ll personally deliver your next gift in person. At your apartment. With flowers. And a string quartel”
This man was impossible. I typed back furiously “How did you get my number?”
The reply came instantly: “Alpha King. Remember?
I stuffed the check into my pocket with a growl. As I turned to leave, the boutique’s front door chimed. I glanced up automatically and froze.k
Time seemed to stop as locked eyes with the last two people I ever wanted to see again.
Lucas stood at the entrance with his hand placed on Clara’s visibly swollen belly. She wore a flowing maternity dress that pointed her pregnancy.
They were here. Somehow, they had found me.
