CHAPTER FIFTEEN
1439 Words
Rosette Monroe's Penthouse
Rosette Monroe woke up with a splitting headache.
She groaned softly and pressed a hand against her forehead. Sunlight filtered through the curtains of her penthouse, making her squint. For a few seconds, she simply lay there, trying to remember what had happened the previous night.
Then her eyes widened.
The wine.
Ryan.
The kiss.
Her face instantly grew warm.
Before she could dwell on the memories, she noticed a figure sleeping in the chair beside her bed.
Ryan Vander.
His head rested against the back of the chair, arms folded across his chest. Even while sleeping, he looked intimidating.
Rosette quickly shut her eyes.
Pretend to sleep.
Unfortunately, Ryan's voice ruined her plan.
"You can stop pretending now."
Rosette remained motionless.
A small chuckle escaped Ryan's lips.
"Rosette."
Still nothing.
"You're a terrible actress."
Rosette finally opened one eye and glared at him.
Ryan smirked.
"Good morning."
Rosette sat up immediately.
"Nothing about this morning is good."
Ryan simply laughed.
Rosette climbed out of bed, determined to leave before the conversation became more awkward.
The moment her feet touched the floor, dizziness hit her.
Her vision blurred.
She stumbled forward.
Before she could fall, strong arms wrapped around her waist.
Ryan caught her effortlessly.
For a brief second, neither of them spoke.
Rosette could hear his heartbeat.
Ryan could smell the faint scent of her perfume.
Realizing how close they were, Rosette immediately stepped back.
"I can stand by myself."
Ryan raised an eyebrow.
"Clearly."
Rosette shot him a look.
Ryan lifted both hands in surrender.
"Fine."
Rosette walked toward the sofa and sat down carefully.
The silence between them lasted only a few seconds.
"I'm hungry," Ryan suddenly said.
Rosette blinked.
"What does that have to do with me?"
"I'm going to cook."
Rosette stared at him.
"You?"
"Yes."
"You?"
Ryan nodded.
"The Ryan Vander I know?"
"There's another one?"
Rosette folded her arms.
"This should be interesting."
Ryan stood up.
"Wait here."
Rosette watched him disappear into the kitchen.
The moment he was gone, she shook her head.
There was no way Ryan could cook.
He was a billionaire CEO.
A business genius.
A workaholic.
Not a chef.
She imagined smoke filling the kitchen.
Then she imagined the fire department arriving.
Five minutes passed.
Nothing happened.
Ten minutes passed.
Still nothing.
Rosette frowned.
That was strange.
Curiosity got the better of her.
She stood up and slowly walked toward the dining area.
The moment she got closer, a delicious aroma reached her nose.
Her eyes widened.
"That actually smells good."
Ryan walked out of the kitchen wearing an apron.
Rosette nearly laughed.
The terrifying CEO of Vander Corp wearing an apron was not something she ever expected to witness.
Ryan placed several dishes on the dining table.
"Sit."
Rosette obeyed without realizing it.
She stared at the food.
Everything looked perfect.
Too perfect.
Ryan noticed her suspicious gaze.
"What?"
Rosette pointed at the food.
"Did you order this?"
"No."
"You cooked it?"
"Yes."
Rosette narrowed her eyes.
Ryan sighed.
"You look like you're inspecting evidence at a crime scene."
"I am."
Ryan almost laughed.
Rosette picked up her fork carefully.
She examined the food.
Then she examined Ryan.
Then the food again.
Finally, she took a bite.
The moment the taste reached her tongue, her eyes widened.
It was delicious.
Actually delicious.
She immediately took another bite.
Then another.
Ryan sat opposite her, watching quietly.
Rosette swallowed and looked at him.
"Are you a chef or a CEO?"
Ryan leaned back.
"CEO."
"I don't believe you."
Ryan laughed.
Rosette continued eating.
Everything tasted amazing.
Ryan felt strangely satisfied watching her enjoy the meal.
After a few moments, he spoke.
"You know..."
Rosette looked up.
"What?"
"If we were together in the future, I could cook for you every day."
Rosette nearly choked.
Ryan calmly handed her a glass of water.
She took it immediately.
Her cheeks turned slightly red.
"Who said anything about us being together?"
Ryan shrugged.
"No one."
"Good."
"But you didn't say no."
Rosette pointed her fork at him.
"Keep talking and I'll throw this at you."
Ryan smiled.
That only made Rosette more embarrassed.
She quickly focused on eating.
The rest of the meal passed surprisingly peacefully.
For once, there was no argument.
No business rivalry.
No competition.
Just two people sharing breakfast.
When they finished eating, Ryan stood up.
"I should get going."
Rosette nodded.
"I have work too."
Ryan walked toward the door.
Before leaving, he turned around.
"Take better care of yourself."
Rosette rolled her eyes.
"You sound like an old man."
Ryan smirked.
"And you sound like someone who keeps getting herself into trouble."
Rosette crossed her arms.
"Get out."
Ryan laughed.
"See you later, Rosette."
Without waiting for a response, he left.
The door closed behind him.
Silence filled the penthouse.
Rosette stood still for a moment.
Then her eyes drifted toward the empty chair where Ryan had spent the night.
A strange feeling settled in her chest.
Something warm.
Something unfamiliar.
She immediately shook her head.
"No."
She wasn't going to think about Ryan Vander.
Definitely not.
Yet as she prepared for work, one thought kept returning to her mind.
For someone she considered a rival...
Ryan Vander was becoming dangerously difficult to ignore.
Ravenna's luxurious Mansion
Ravenna Blaze sat in the living room of her luxurious mansion, one leg crossed over the other as she stared at her phone screen.
The mansion was unusually quiet.
Her bodyguards remained stationed around the room, careful not to disturb her thoughts.
Ravenna scrolled through several reports, but her attention wasn't on any of them.
Instead, her mind drifted to a certain person.
Elena Silverstone.
Ever since the incident at the parking lot, Elena's face had appeared in her thoughts more times than Ravenna cared to admit.
The fearless look in the young woman's eyes.
The way she had stood up to her.
The way she had called her a murderer without hesitation.
Most people trembled when they saw Ravenna Blaze.
Elena Silverstone had done the exact opposite.
Ravenna frowned slightly.
She couldn't understand why the girl remained on her mind.
Suddenly, a news notification appeared on her screen.
Curious, she tapped it.
A live press conference filled the display.
There stood Elena Silverstone.
She was dressed professionally and speaking confidently before a crowd of reporters and cameras.
"...Violence should never be glorified," Elena was saying. "People must be held responsible for their actions, regardless of their status or influence."
The reporters nodded as she continued.
"We cannot build a better society if powerful individuals believe they are above the law."
Ravenna's lips curved into a faint smile.
She knew exactly who Elena was referring to.
The girl wasn't mentioning names.
She didn't need to.
The message was obvious.
Ravenna leaned back against the couch and watched the rest of the interview.
There was determination in Elena's eyes.
Conviction.
The kind of stubborn courage that often led people into trouble.
Most people would have avoided Ravenna after what happened.
Elena, however, seemed more determined than ever.
The smile on Ravenna's face slowly widened.
"Interesting."
One of her men glanced toward her but remained silent.
Ravenna continued watching until the press conference ended.
Then she locked her phone and rested it on her lap.
The room fell silent once more.
For a long moment, she simply sat there, thinking.
Finally, she let out a soft laugh.
"Elena Silverstone..."
The name rolled off her tongue thoughtfully.
Ravenna stood and walked toward the large window overlooking the city.
The skyline stretched endlessly before her.
Her reflection stared back at her through the glass.
A dangerous smile appeared on her face.
"You're either very brave," she murmured, "or very foolish."
Neither answer disappointed her.
For the first time in a long while, she felt something close to amusement.
Most people bored her.
Elena didn't.
Ravenna folded her arms and looked down at the bustling city below.
"Maybe staying in this city won't be so boring after all."
Her bodyguards exchanged uncertain glances.
Whenever Ravenna looked this interested in someone, it rarely ended well.
A quiet chuckle escaped her lips.
"Perhaps it's time to have a little fun."
She turned away from the window and headed toward the stairs.
Before leaving the room, she glanced once more at the dark phone screen.
"Let's see how long your courage lasts, Elena Silverstone."
With that, Ravenna disappeared upstairs, her laughter echoing softly through the mansion.
Somewhere else in the city, Elena Silverstone had no idea that she had just become the focus of Ravenna Blaze's attention.
And that was a dangerous thing indeed.
- Writer
