Hospitality Man Series I: His Babymaker Client (ENGLISH VERSION)

CHAPTER 19

Eurika’s POV

I HAD been sitting in the coffee shop for a while now, waiting.

Pervince was nowhere to be found. I had asked one of his crewmates, who had mentioned that he had come in earlier, but even they weren’t sure where he had gone off to. Tsk. Whatever. I would wait. I wanted to see him.

A few moments later, I finally caught sight of him emerging from the second floor. His hair was tousled, and as if noticing it himself, he casually ran his fingers through it, smoothing it down.

I spotted Rex approaching him, handing him a tray while they exchanged a few words. I couldn’t hear what they were saying, but I watched them nonetheless.

Then, as Perv turned, our eyes met. For a brief moment, surprise flickered across his face, but it quickly softened into a smile.

That smile.

I had missed it. Most especially, his deep, enticing voice.

“Hi,” I greeted, my own smile mirroring his.

“Hey,” he replied, his voice effortlessly sending a shiver down my spine.

I swear, if my heart could physically trip over itself, it would have by now.

“How have you been?” I asked, trying to keep my voice steady.

“I’m fine,” he answered simply.

An awkward silence settled between us. He held my gaze for a second longer before flashing another small smile. “I have to get back to work,” he said before turning to leave.

No. I didn’t want him to go.

I stood up, the stretchable fabric of my dress hugging my figure. Would he notice?

“Perv, wait!”

He stopped and turned back to me, his eyes scanning me briefly before lingering on my stomach.

“Huh?”

“Let’s hang out tonight. Anywhere. My call.” My voice held an eager anticipation.

He hesitated, then stepped closer.

“Eurika . . .” he started, rubbing the back of his neck. “I’m dating someone. I don’t want to upset her.”

The moment those words left his lips, something inside me twisted painfully.

So, this is what rejection felt like.

I fought to keep my expression neutral, though I could feel my heart sinking. I refused to cry. Not in front of him.

“Ah . . . yeah, right.” I forced a smile. “Wow, I didn’t know you were the type to settle down.”

He chuckled softly, shaking his head. “I didn’t either. But with her . . . it’s different. She caught me off guard. And I like her.”

I swallowed the lump in my throat. “S-So, do you have plans with her tonight?”

“I don’t know. Maybe I’ll ask her out,” he admitted, a thoughtful look crossing his face.

I clenched my hands into fists, my nails digging into my palms as I fought to keep my emotions in check.

“Ah . . . I see. Well, I should get going. I only dropped by for a bit,” I said, grabbing my things hastily.

“Okay. Bye.” He smiled again, oblivious to the turmoil raging inside me.

I turned and walked out. The moment I stepped outside, my legs felt weak, and I collapsed onto the pavement.

Tears welled up and spilled over before I could stop them.

A sharp honk startled me. A taxi had pulled up in front of me. I quickly wiped my face, stood up, and raised a hand to hail it.

As soon as I slid into the backseat, the dam broke. Tears streamed down my cheeks as I turned toward the window, staring blankly at the passing scenery.

My destination?

Home.

Perv’s POV

I wasn’t expecting to see Eurika when I approached table six.

What was she doing here?

Hopefully, she wasn’t planning to hire me again—because that was no longer an option.

“Hi,” she greeted cheerfully, her smile bright.

“Hey,” I replied with a small grin. No need to be rude.

“How have you been?” she asked, her tone casual.

Did she really come all this way just for small talk? Honestly, I would rather—no, scratch that. I couldn’t. Not anymore.

“I’m fine,” I answered simply, keeping the smile on my lips.

A stretch of silence lingered between us. I took it as my cue. “I have to get back to work,” I said, turning away.

I had barely taken a few steps when she called out—

“Perv, wait!”

Something in her voice made me pause. I turned back, my eyes naturally drifting down to her form. She was wearing a dress. My gaze halted at her midsection.

Was she . . . pregnant?

Wow. Lucky guy.

“Huh?”

“Let’s hang out tonight. Anywhere. My call,” she offered.

I sighed inwardly. I couldn’t. And more than that—I didn’t want to.

I had something with Saphire now, something real. I was serious about her. If she found out I had gone out with someone else—especially someone I had a past with—she might reject me. And I wasn’t willing to risk that.

I gave Eurika a small, apologetic smile as I stepped closer. “Eurika . . . I’m dating someone. I don’t want to upset her.”

Her expression faltered just for a second before she quickly masked it.

“Ah, uhm . . . Yeah, right,” she said, smiling—though this time, it didn’t reach her eyes.

“Wow, I didn’t know you were the type to settle down,” she added, a teasing lilt in her voice, though it was edged with something else.

I chose to let it slide. What mattered now was that I was changing.

“I wasn’t,” I admitted. “But now . . . I don’t know. She’s different. She caught me off guard, and I like her.”

Her lips parted slightly, but no words came out. She hesitated before asking, “S-So, do you have plans with her tonight?”

I smirked slightly. Actually, that wasn’t a bad idea. Maybe I should ask Saphire out tonight.

“I don’t know. Maybe I’ll ask her out,” I said, already picturing it in my head.

“Ah . . . I see. Well, I should get going. I only dropped by for a bit,” she said, grabbing her things hurriedly.

“Okay. Bye,” I said simply, watching as she walked away.

And just like that, she was gone.

I hurried toward Rex, handing him the tray while a question lingered in my mind—one that I couldn't ignore.

“Hey, man,” I called out.

“What’s up?” he responded, looking at me curiously.

“Does Eurika have a boyfriend?”

Rex’s brows furrowed as he stared at me, surprised by my question. “Why are you asking?”

“Well…” I hesitated for a moment. “She looks… pregnant.”

His expression turned thoughtful. “Really? As far as I know, yeah, she does. The guy goes to a different university. Peter mentioned before that Eurika only started hanging out with us because she and her boyfriend had some kind of misunderstanding.”

“Oh…” I nodded slowly. “Well, I guess they must’ve patched things up now since she’s pregnant.”

“That would make sense,” Rex agreed.

“But wait—are they officially back together?” I asked, curiosity gnawing at me.

“I’m not sure. Seems like they’re not. Peter’s been insisting we finally go through with that mountain climbing trip we postponed. But honestly, I don’t want to go anymore. After what I heard… It was a mess. A complete disaster,” he muttered, shaking his head.

We both chuckled at the memory of that chaotic night.

Then I decided to drop a bombshell. “Dude… I slept with Eurika that night.”

Rex, who was mid-laugh, immediately froze. His expression turned unreadable.

“You’re joking… right?” he asked in disbelief.

I met his gaze, my face devoid of humor. “No, I’m not.” I let that sink in before adding, “And she went down on me in the van when we were left alone.”

His jaw dropped. “What the—Damn! I think I need a moment to process that.” He exhaled sharply, as if trying to shake off the shock.

I smirked. “No need to overthink it. Instead of wasting time on that, help me think of a good place to take Saphire out on a date.” I clapped him on the shoulder.

Rex scoffed. “Jesus Christ. So, not only are you screwing around, but you’re also dating our boss’s daughter?”

“Shhh! Keep your voice down,” I hissed, covering his mouth before he drew unnecessary attention. He quickly swatted my hand away.

“Why are you even worried? It’s not like you’re just some nobody.” He folded his arms. “You’re the great-great-grandson of Engr. Zyrus Thron, the great-grandson of Zeus Beaurlington, the grandson of Engr. Godric Ivan Olivader Wilm Thellerius Zeajan, and the son of Engr. Groderick Ivor Ozai Wolfrick Thylord Zayn Beaurlington.” He leaned in slightly. “Do I need to remind you that you were born into greatness, Perv? Even before you were out of your father’s balls, your name already carried weight.”

I averted my gaze, feeling a tight knot in my chest.

“I was,” I said coldly.

“Was? You’re saying you’re not anymore?” Rex’s eyes widened.

I turned back to face him, my expression unreadable. “I… I don’t know, Rex. Maybe I just need more time—to hear their apology.”

He shook his head, laughing dryly. “Damn, you’re such an i***t,” he muttered before smacking my shoulder.

I let out a breath and refocused. “Anyway, you still haven’t answered my question.”

“Oh, right.” He thought for a moment. “How about… Blue Generations Hotel and Restaurant? It’s the finest cuisine in the country.”

“Already took her there,” I countered.

He exhaled sharply. “You ask for suggestions and then shoot them down? Dude, just figure it out yourself. Can’t believe you’re wasting my time with this.”

I narrowed my eyes at him. “You’re in a mood today.”

Without waiting for his response, I turned and headed toward Saphire’s office.

As expected, her two personal security guards stood at the entrance. But something was off. Instead of their usual intimidating stares, they… smiled at me.

Wait—what?

Are they… attracted to me?

Oh, hell no.

They stepped aside and opened the door for me. Saphire was seated behind her desk, busy with paperwork. But the moment her eyes landed on me, a warm smile graced her lips.

I gestured toward her bodyguards, silently questioning her. “What’s up with them? They just let me in—no threats, no hesitation.”

Her smile widened. “I told them to let you in anytime.”

I smirked. “Wow. I feel special now,” I teased, stepping closer. She was seated at one end of the table, and I leaned down from the other side, bringing my face inches from hers. I studied her, drawn in by the way her eyes shimmered under the soft light.

God, I wanted to kiss her.

She let out a soft chuckle. “Why are you here?” she asked, her fingers gently tracing along my jawline.

“Actually…” I murmured. “I wanted to ask you out tonight.”

Her lips curled in amusement. “Oh? Really?”

I simply nodded.

“Alright,” she agreed. “What time?”

“Eight. My place. I’ll come pick you up,” I said.

She shook her head lightly. “No need. I’ll come to you. Mr. Guiller will drop me off.” She leaned in and placed a gentle kiss on my lips. My eyes fluttered shut at the warmth of her touch.

“Are you sure?” I asked.

She smiled. “Yes.”

“Okay, then. See you tonight.” I kissed her one last time before leaving.

As I made my way downstairs, a grin spread across my face.

For the first time in a long while, I felt… something. Something real.

I think I’m falling for her. But I don’t want to rush things. I need time—to see if what I’m feeling is real, if it aligns with what she’s showing me.

And tonight…

I want to cook for her. I want to do something for her.

Time to put my skills to good use.