ChaptrNine
777 Words
CHAPTER NINE
CHESTNUT APARTMENT
Emily’s POV
The sound of my alarm felt too loud for a Monday.
I groaned, buried my face in my pillow, and for a few seconds, I forgot what day it was, until it hit me.
My first day at Dixon Hotel!
I sat up quickly, heart thumping.
The new job. The chance I’d prayed for. The beginning of something different.
I was supposed to feel only excited, but all I could think about… was him.
That stranger from Friday night.
I pressed my palm against my chest as if I could calm the flutter there. It had been just one night, one mistake, or maybe not a mistake, because nothing about it had felt wrong.
But now, the memory lived rent-free in my head, his voice, his scent, the way he looked at me like the world had slowed down.
I shook my head, forcing myself to stand up. “Emily, please, not today,” I whispered to myself.
Today was about work. Not mystery men.
I got dressed carefully, white chef coat, clean black pants, hair tied neatly in a bun. I even added a little perfume, just enough to make me feel confident. Then I stared at myself in the mirror and said, “You’re ready. You’ve got this.”
The taxi ride to Dixon Hotel felt like a blur. The city was already awake, honking cars, people rushing to work, and me, gripping my bag like it held my whole future.
When I stepped out of the cab and looked up at the building, my breath caught.
It was beautiful.
Tall glass doors, polished floors that shone under the morning sun, and the name Dixon Hotel gleaming in gold.
I smiled. “This is it,” I whispered. “A new start.”
Inside, everything smelled of fresh flowers and expensive cologne. The staff moved quickly but gracefully, greeting guests with polite smiles.
“Good morning, ma’am,” the receptionist said warmly when I approached. “You must be the new Head Pastry Chef. Chef Emily Brown?”
“Yes,” I replied, returning her smile. My voice sounded more confident than I felt.
She nodded and picked up the phone. “Chef Emily is here.” Then she hung up and said, “Mr. Knight’s assistant will be down shortly to take you to the kitchen.”
“Mr. Knight?” I repeated, frowning slightly.
“The CEO,” she said. “He oversees most of the major hotels under the Dixon Group.”
“Oh,” I said, nodding like I already knew that. But inside, something in me paused, that name, Knight. It sounded strangely familiar, but I brushed it off.
A few minutes later, a tall woman in a sharp black suit walked up to me. “You must be Chef Emily. Welcome to Dixon Hotel. I’m Clara, Mr. Knight’s executive assistant.”
“Thank you,” I said, shaking her hand.
She led me down a long hallway, her heels clicking against the marble floor. “Mr. Knight likes things to run perfectly here,” she said. “You’ll have everything you need in the pastry section, but he appreciates punctuality and excellence.”
“Understood,” I said quickly, trying to keep up with her pace.
We stopped in front of a large glass door leading to the main kitchen. The smell of fresh bread and coffee filled the air. My nerves started to ease a little. This was my world. My safe place.
“Here you go,” Clara said, pushing open the door. “The Head Chef will introduce you to the rest of the team. Mr. Knight likes to stop by sometimes to check on things, so just be yourself.”
I smiled politely, trying to ignore the tiny twist in my stomach when she said Mr. Knight.
She turned to leave, but then paused. “Oh, and one more thing,” she said. “He’s very private. Don’t take it personal if he doesn’t speak much. He’s… different.”
I nodded, even though my curiosity was already running wild.
As she walked away, I looked around the kitchen, the clatter of pans, the soft hum of ovens, the steady rhythm of work.
This was where I belonged.
And just when I started to breathe easy again, I heard footsteps behind me.
Heavy. Calm. Familiar.
My heart skipped.
Something about that sound made my body freeze. The air around me suddenly felt different, colder and warmer at the same time.
I turned slowly, my hand still gripping my bag strap.
And when my eyes met his… the world went still.
- Writer
