Chapter 11

The manager wasted no time in signing the contract that Ethan’s beta placed before him. His eyes lit up as he scanned the document.

“Is this the correct amount?” He asked, a grin appearing on his face. “This is so much.”

Though he asked, he didn’t wait for a reply before he signed.

“As the new owner,” Ethan declared loudly so that everyone in the restaurant could hear, “Ava has been promoted to manager. I will have you all answering to her if you need anything.”

I couldn’t believe my ears. I wanted to flat out refuse, tell him this was all far too much, but Ethan stopped me. He playfully glared at me to keep me silent. It was as though he read my mind just by looking at my expression.

“If you want to work, it shouldn’t matter if I own the company or not.” Ethan’s eyebrows shot up in a playful challenge. There was no use in fighting him, I really didn’t want to anyways.

I agreed with his statement, my smile growing despite my best efforts to appear professional and indifferent.

Ethan nodded, then looked back to where the supervisor was standing in the corner of the restaurant. His eyes were wide, and he crouched down trying to hide from Ethan’s view. It didn’t work, of course.

The look Ethan was giving Mr. Dillon was chilling. I’d seen Ethan be a little angry or cold towards people, but he never looked so hateful as he did in that moment.

Ethan looked to his beta and jerked his head in Mr. Dillon’s direction. The beta understood immediately and he grabbed Mr.Dillon, escorting him from the building.

“Where’s he taking him?” I asked as the beta left with the previous supervisor.

“The police station,” Ethan grumbled. “Where he belongs.”

My heart lurched at the action, surprised and touched at how willing Ethan was to make things right.

After the supervisor was taken away, the atmosphere in the dining room shifted to a much calmer environment. Everyone had returned to their meals, employees went back to work just as they had been doing before.

I looked up at Ethan, “Thank you.” I said.

Ethan smirked down at me, his eyebrows raised again.

“Your words are unneeded,” He shrugged, playfully. “You can say thank you by making me your best dessert. Show me how good of a pastry chef you are.”

I grinned at him, biting my bottom lip as I nodded. I went back to the kitchen to try and figure out just what to make him. I was beyond grateful to Ethan for everything he had done, especially for what he had accomplished today.

He cared enough about my work to let me serve something to him, and he went beyond that. He realized I was hiding something yesterday while tending to my burned hand. I didn’t say anything, but it didn’t matter. He went and gathered the information he needed to find out if I was okay for himself.

I don’t think there is any way to fully express my gratitude to him. I decided to make my most delectable dessert.

I grabbed the simple five ingredients I needed to make Russian Tea Cakes. They’re not very expensive to make nor do they require a ton of supplies. It’s why they were my specialty recipe, I had to learn how to make sweets from what little bit of ingredients I could get my hands on living with Hellen and Dora.

They made sure I didn’t have an allowance for cooking on my own.

As I walked to my station in the kitchen, several coworkers gathered around each other whispering. They quietly said mine and Ethan’s names, I heard them hush as I got closer. I should have known after what they saw in the dining room, my coworkers would have questions and gossip in regards as to what my relationship with him could possibly be

One of the waitresses was brave enough to step forward and ask about it.

“So is he your boyfriend?” She asked, bouncing on the balls of her feet.

I shook my head quickly with a nervous laugh, “No he’s just a friend doing me a favor.”

I waved my hand dismissively. That was enough to satiate them for the time, and they all dispersed to continue their work. Those who had no work were ushered out to serve Ethan per my request.

I sighed once they left me alone, and got to make the tea cakes for Ethan.

I finished the dessert and placed it on an ornate serving dish. One waitress asked if I wanted her to take the sweets to Ethan, but I refused and insisted on serving it myself.

Ethan sat at the finest table in the restaurant, his eyes dull and bored as he glanced around his surroundings. He was obviously unimpressed with my workplace. I wanted to prove to him that it was nothing to stick his nose up at.

“All done,” I chirped, setting the dish down in front of him. “Please, dig in.”

Ethan’s eyes drifted down towards the plate and his eyes lit up once he saw the little cakes. He picked one up and observed it for a moment before taking a bite. He chewed for a few seconds and his head shot up to look at me.

“How do you know how to make these?” He asked incredulously.

“What do you mean?” I laughed, confused. “I’m the only one who knows. I created the recipe.”

Ethan’s face erupted into a bright smile, “Did you ever work at the restaurant we went to when we first met?”

I nodded, surprised at his enthusiasm.

“So it was you!” He stood up, bringing himself face-to-face with me. He looked at me as though I had hung the moon. “You’re the one who made the cakes I like.”

I realized that the powdered desserts he was talking about that day were my own creation. I smiled at the praise, and thought it was funny how we were connected so far before ever meeting.

Ethan ate a few more, his face glowing. I couldn’t hold back a dopey smile. Ethan’s genuine appreciation for the cakes made something in my stomach flutter with delight.

“You are going to make desserts for me every day.” Ethan decided after finishing the cakes on his plate.

I furrowed my eyebrows and shook my head at his over-enthusiastic declaration.

“I still need to run the restaurant and keep its business flowing,” I reminded him. “I am the manager now, thanks to you.”

Ethan sobered up slightly, the pure joy on his face dialing down a tad as he started to think more rationally.

“Right, then I want your shop to cater for my company every day just after lunch for tea time.”

I blinked at his request. Not sure if I could accept it.

However, as my benefactor, my boss, and my husband, it didn’t feel right to deny him this. I wanted to prove to him that I could produce something amazing on a large scale.

I agreed, promising him that I would give him my best efforts every single day.

Ethan left shortly after that conversation and I was left to prepare.

Gathering all of the employees back to the kitchen, I picked through my choices and decided to use my two most hardworking chefs and waitress to aid me in preparing the food for tomorrow. I had to create a strong team that would help me impress Ethan and his employees at Blue Moon Group.

Just as we were about to start preparations, the small television in the dining room started playing a news segment about Ethan. I wasn’t surprised to see him on TV, that much was normal, but the clear voice of the new anchor still caught my attention.

Ethan flashed up on the screen. He was dressed immaculately dining next to an incredibly beautiful woman at a fancy restaurant. Who was she?

“Ethan Velasco and Sarah Silvers, daughter to the alpha of the Red Star Pack, were seen on a romantic date last night at Chez Restaurante-” The reporter revealed.

My heart sank.