Zane's POV I had just come to Ms. Ryder's place for dinner on a whim, merely out of the intrigue and curiosity she arouses in me but as I sat there in her modest living room, surrounded by the aroma of her cooking, I found myself in a situation I couldn't have anticipated. Jayden, my genius son, was seated beside me with his face as aloof and indifferent as ever— a trait most people say he inherited from me. I know he's displeased, thinking that I followed him due to my overprotective nature which he hates a lot as he doesn't like being treated as the child he really is. But he can never guess the real reason why I’m really here... However, something that grabbed my attention was the little girl, whose name I’ve learnt is Eleanor. She sat cross-legged on the carpet, with her bright blue eyes fixed intently on me with unmasked curiosity. "Hi there." I heard myself saying, surprising myself with the gentleness in my voice. As if that was exactly what she was waiting for, Eleano
Trina's POV As I turned off the stove, I wiped my brow and let out an exaggerated sigh of relief. Turning to Randolph, who had insisted on helping me with chopping of vegetables and suchlike, I gave him a grateful smile. “Phew! Finally we’re done!”Randolph, the distinguished butler whom I have now warmed up to, chuckled. “Yeah, indeed that was one heck of a cooking spree! But I can't wait to taste everything! The aromas are sooo tantalizing that I’m salivating already!”I let out a triumphant giggle. Although my kitchen now looks like an apocalypse occured in it, the aromas wafting through the air told me it had been all worth it. I had poured my heart into this meal, hoping to impress both Mr. McAllister and his son, Jayden. Right now, it wasn't just about the job anymore, it was about proving to myself that I could do this, that I could create a new life for Eleanor and myself. I'm determined to do all I can to achieve my goals and I will stop at nothing in doing so.With Randolph
Trina's POV Pushing those odd thoughts that came to my mind aside, I concentrated on eating and simply enjoying the warmth of laughter and good food that surrounded us. However, all of a sudden, a sharp knock came at the door. My face instantly scrunched into a frown. Who on earth could it be at this hour? I’m not expecting anyone!Getting up from my seat at the table, I announced to no one in particular. “I’ll get it!”And as I turned the doorknob an oh-so-familiar voice called out to me."Hi Tri! It's me, Justin!"Oh, no! No, no, no. This can't be happening! Not today! Not today of all days! I know how possessive Justin gets whenever he sees me in the presence of another man. But Mr. McAllister isn't just another man, he's my new boss and I really don't want Justin to cause any scene! Taking a deep breath, I opened the door to find Justin standing there with a huge grin on his face."Surprise! I just couldn't wait to hear more about your interview," he began, stepping inside before
Trina’s POV Back at the table, Jayden fixed Justin with a frosty look as he slipped into the empty seat next to me. Then in an equally frosty tone, he addressed him.“An old friend of Trina’s, huh?”Justin turned to look at the little boy that addressed him before returning his gaze back to me. Then putting an arm around my chair in a possessive manner, he smiled radiantly at me as he responded to Jayden's query.“Oh yes! I’m Trina’s oldest and dearest friend! We go way back, don't we, love?"Yikes! This is exactly what I was scared of when I saw Justin at the doorstep earlier! I really don't know why he always feels as if he has to mark his territory whenever he sees me in the company of other men, afterall, I never gave him any chance to think of me as anything beyond a friend.Besides, this isn't just an ordinary dinner. It's dinner with my new boss, a dinner which I have to excel at if I really want to make a good impression on my boss and his son. And with Justin acting all cozy
Zane's POV I maintained a steady, unwavering stare down with the pretentious guy who had barged in trying to act as if he owned the place. I don't know why he felt he needed to mark his territory but I wasn't one to back down on any kind of challenge so I obliged him. The evening had taken an unexpected turn and I found myself struggling to maintain my usually impeccable composure ever since the arrival of Ms. Ryder's so-called ‘oldest and dearest friend’.Ever the perceptive and genius child, my son Jayden, must have sensed my growing irritation because he suddenly cleared his throat, drawing my attention away from the pretentious guy across the table.“Dad,” he began in his usual steady and mature voice that is way beyond his young age. “I have been thinking… perhaps Eleanor could also attend my school?”A surge of pride instantly overcame me. Indeed my son is a genius! This idea is just perfect! This will not only solve the issue of Eleanor’s daytime care that has been at the bac
Trina's POV Standing at the kitchen sink, I submerged my hands into soapy water as I scrubbed at a stubborn stain on a pot. The house was now quiet and the atmosphere a bit more breathable since my impromptu guests have left.However, not all the tension has disappeared as I could still sense that something was bugging Justin as he gathered the remaining dishes from the table and brought them to the kitchen.When he kept them on the counter and started rinsing the plates I have already washed, he finally voiced out what was in his mind in his usual gentle tone.“I still can't believe you accepted that job, Tri.”I sighed, my shoulders drooping as I momentarily halted in scrubbing the pot.“Oof, here we go again! C’mon Justin, we’ve gone through this already. I know it sounds a bit odd, even I thought so at first but after careful consideration, I have made up my mind. This is a great opportunity for me, both at the hotel and as his personal chef.”"Personal chef, huh?" Tylor rolled h
Trina’s POV Upon checking the screen of my Samsung, a frown appeared on my face as it's an unknown number. Shrugging, I pressed the green button and even before I said ‘hello’, I heard a familiar small voice say,“Trina, it's me Jayden. Hope I’m not disturbing you at this late hour after all that hard work you did?”A small smile graced my face. This young boy is just too mature and adorable!“No, Jayden, not at all. Hope you and your dad got back home safely?” As soon as I mentioned Jayden's name, Justin stopped washing the dishes and abruptly snapped his head towards me. He quickly signaled me to put it on handsfree speaker and I simply obliged him.“Yes, we did, thank you. I just wanted to follow up on what my dad discussed with you earlier. I would like you to start working from our residence tomorrow. I need you to prepare breakfast and also a lunch pack that I’d take to school. I hate the food they serve in the cafeteria. My personal chauffeur will be sent to pick you up in th
Trina’s POV My heart instantly skipped a beat when I saw the intense and serious look in Justin’s blue eyes as he said that. Yikes! I just hope this isn't what I'm thinking it is— the moment I have been dreading for six years now. The moment that Justin confesses his feelings and hence, destroy our very good best-friends relationship since I can never reciprocate his feelings.I don't know when I stuttered. “W…what condition, Justin?”He took a deep breath before asserting in a firm tone, with his eyes still locked on mine.“You have to tell Mr. McAllister that I am your boyfriend, just incase he asks.”I finally released the breath that I wasn't aware I was holding. Thank God it isn't really a confession which I would have to reject! In order to lighten the mood that has suddenly turned too serious for my liking, I rolled my eyes at him.“Don’t be so ridiculous, Tin-tin! Why on earth would my boss ask me such an absurd question?! In case you’ve forgotten, he and I are merely boss a
Trina’s POV Standing by the window, I watched my little munchkin laugh as she petted our neighbor's llama in the courtyard. I don't understand how having such unusual pets has become a new trend nowadays. However, a bittersweet smile spread across my face as I saw her excitement. She reminded me so much of my beloved younger brother, Mason, who would have been over joyous had he been in Eleanor's shoes right now.Mason loved animals a lot. His face would light up at the sight of anything with fur or feathers, like when he got his puppy. But that joy was short-lived because in a fit of rage, my evil father had angrily tossed it away, leading to its tragic death. Mason had been completely heartbroken at that time. The image of his tear-streaked face still haunts me up till now.I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to block out the painful memories, but they just kept coming as my thoughts shifted to those of my late mom. I remembered the last call I had with her head doctor. Though she was
Trina’s POV As I checked my phone, I realized it was a message from Mr. McAllister. My heart instantly skipped a beat. Why would Mr. McAllister be texting me at this hour? Not just at this hour, he had never texted me before! I just hope all is well! With trembling hands, I opened the message which read, "Ms. Ryder, I hope you and Eleanor had a pleasant evening. I wanted to let you know that the school paperwork is ready for your review. No pressure, but I believe this could be a wonderful opportunity for Eleanor.”I stared at the message,with feelings of both gratitude and apprehension washing over me. So far, the cold, human iceberg Mr. McAllister had been nothing but kind, yet I couldn't shake off the feeling that accepting his help would change our lives in ways I couldn't predict. Everything about him, his attitude towards my little munchkin and the way his son dotes on her… it's just so overwhelming. And now, this new school they have enrolled her into…Sighing, I made my way t
Trina’s POV The next few days passed by in a jet’s speed, and gradually, both Eleanor and I have gotten used to the routine of waking up early, going to the McAllister mansion and spending the day with the nice and friendly staff members… and of course, the too mature mini man, Jayden when he returns from school. As for the big boss himself, I haven't set my eyes on him ever since that first day.On Friday, which marked my fourth day of working at the McAllister mansion, as we drove home after a sumptuous dinner, Eleanor dozed beside me while I sat quietly in the car, my mind buzzing with thoughts. After he returned from school, Jayden had told me the ‘good news’ about the confirmation of Eleanor’s enrollment into his school and although I genuinely thanked him, deep down, I was overcome with worry.I know without any iota of doubt that Jayden’s elite school, which is the best in the entire city, is full of children from extremely wealthy, creme de la creme families and so my little
Dr. Noah Hemsworth’s POVThe moment my eyes fell on the woman Zane had introduced as ‘Ms. Trina Ryder’, time seemed to stand still. My heart skipped a beat and for a split second, I found myself being transported back memory lane to that fateful night five years ago in Paris…Although the woman standing before me wasn't really the same as that one from that night, there's just something about her… the resemblance was uncanny enough to make my heart skip a beat and remind me of that act that has been gnawing at my conscience ever since. Really, if Zane had not threatened to reveal one of my darkest secrets to my father at that time, I would never have done what I did. It was the only time I did something out of line in my career as a doctor and I'm still regretting it up till now.This woman, Ms. Trina Ryder, had chestnut brown curls and hazel eyes that sparkled with determination, quite unlike the other woman in my memory, who had strawberry blonde straight hair and light blue eyes fi
Trina's POV As I left the kitchen with my heart still beating fast from my encounter with the world-renowned chef, my eyes fell on the way leading to the hotel dining room and my interest was instantly piqued. Should I or should I not?Taking a deep breath, I made up my mind and headed straight to the dining room. I had the big boss’s permission afterall, so it doesn't matter what the secretary says. And I'm glad I made that decision because I was awed by what I saw— gleaming chairs and tables, sparkling crystal and gold decors everywhere. I was still marveling over the opulence and glamour of it all as I made my way back to the lobby. Deep in thoughts, I nearly bumped into the arrogant secretary as I got to the lobby. Her face instantly squeezed into a haughty frown with her eyes narrowing as she saw me.Then in an equally haughty tone, she snapped at me. "The president is extremely busy with work, as am I! So a newbie like you shouldn't be troubling us with such trivial matters!"
Trina's POV I was seated in one of the plush seats in the lobby, deep in thoughts when I heard a feminine voice address me.“Ms. Ryder, right?”I raised my head up to see an elegantly dressed woman in suits with her red hair pulled back into a bun looking down at me with a condescending look on her face. I ignored the look as I smiled at her, “Yes, Ms. Trina Ryder.”She didn't return the smile as she quickly turned and started walking away, muttering “Follow me” in an authoritative voice.Shaking my head, I simply got up and did as she said, wondering why the unknown woman is acting so arrogant towards me when I don't even know her, talkless of knowing what I might have done to offend her. As if she read my mind, I heard her muttering not so subtly– as if she deliberately wanted me to overhear. “As the secretary to the CEO, I have so many better things to do than showing some… wannabe staff member around as if I’m her escort!I didn't know when a small smile spread across my face b
Trina’s POV As soon as I stepped foot out of Mr. McAllister’s state-of-the-art office, I released a shaky breath that I wasn't even aware I was holding as I leaned my back against the wall. Phew! Finally! Mr. McAllister’s office might look like one straight out of one of those posh magazines but it is also suffocating— at least to me!Or perhaps it's the effect of the man himself, not his office. I already know how intimidating and charismatic he is but in that lavish office, sitting behind that massive desk and with those piercing, steely gray eyes on me… oo la la! I felt as if he could see right through me, my lies and half-truths when he fixed those intimidating and piercing orbs on me!Zane McAllister. Even his name screams authority and oozes of power and influence. Standing there in front of him as he questioned me with those piercing eyes scrutinizing my every reaction, I felt like a bundle of nerves– all hot and bothered.Taking a deep breath, I pulled away from the wall and
Zane’s POV As soon as Ms. Ryder stepped foot into my office, the very appetizing aroma of food instantly wafted to my nostrils, reminding me that I haven't had a single meal throughout the day, as I had just been taking coffee since morning.“Good evening Mr. McAllister Sir,” she said in a voice almost as cheerful as her cute daughter's own. “I hope I’m not interrupting anything too important. I’ve brought your dinner.”Without saying word, I simply gestured to her to keep the picnic basket she was holding on the table in front of the sofa at the far corner of the office. As she did so, I decided to seize the opportunity to gather more information. Perhaps a bit of questioning could bear more fruit than even Claire's investigation.In my most calm, casual tone which most people still find intimidating and cold, I simply asked. "Ms. Ryder, as my personal chef and hotel manager, I just realized that I don't know much about your background. Where did you go to high school? Was it here
Zane’s POV As soon as the three hour long international conference call finally ended, I loosened my tie a bit as I leaned back in my leather seat, releasing a deep sigh of relief. It has been a very long but fruitful day as once again, I have succeeded in closing a multi-billion dollar deal for my personal company, McAllister Enterprises.As I shut down my MacBook, my eyes fell on the Rolex on my wrist and my left brow raised a little as I saw the time– 7:46 pm. Yet another unavoidable late night at the office. Even though I was quite used to staying very late into the night at the office in the past, I had made it a point of duty to ensure that I return home as early as possible ever since my son Jayden was born. Since I'm the only parent he had, I need to be there for him whenever he needs me.A soft knock came on the door, breaking into my thoughts. "Come in," I called out.My secretary, Claire, walked into my office with a file folder in her hands and seeing that, I instantly sa