The Pretender and The Prince novel Chapter 20

A call from the owner’s wife would either be a stream of curses or a plea for help. Ondine had no interest in hearing either. She had her money and had no intention of ever setting foot in that diner again. Wanting to cut all ties, she simply blocked the number.

She got up and washed her face. A glance at the clock told her it was already past one in the afternoon. She hadn’t slept for long, and a dull ache throbbed in her head.

When Ondine opened her bedroom door, she found two bags on the floor. Inside were the clothes she had worn yesterday, now clean and folded.

A cool, male voice drifted from the living room. “The staff had them washed.”

He was clarifying that he hadn’t touched her things himself. Seth had always respected personal boundaries. He had probably done it because he was worried she wouldn't have anything else to wear today.

“Okay,” Ondine murmured, adding a quiet, “Thank you.”

She took the clothes back into the bedroom to change, then called her mother to ask if she’d eaten.

Yvaine said she had, telling her that the caregiver had brought her a meal.

Ondine paused. “A caregiver?”

“Yes. Didn’t you hire one for me?” Yvaine replied.

Still on the phone, Ondine walked out of the bedroom.

Seth was sitting on the living room sofa, a laptop open on his knees, clearly working. She approached him and silently mouthed the word “caregiver.” Seth gave a slight nod, and a wave of relief washed over her.

After hanging up, Ondine looked at the man on the sofa, a complex emotion flickering in her eyes. “Thank you for hiring a caregiver for my mother.”

His eyes remained fixed on the screen, his fingers tapping away at the keyboard. “It was nothing,” he said evenly.

“And thank you again for everything this morning. I’m so sorry for all the trouble,” she said, biting her lip.

Seth finished typing his message and glanced up at her. She was already dressed in her own clothes from yesterday, her coat on, looking ready to leave.

Ondine paused, then stood up with a quiet thank you. On the table was a plate of tortellini with a small dish of dipping sauce. She picked one up with a fork, and as she took a bite, her eyes lit up.

Lee’s Specialty. It was her favorite spot. The place had been around for seven or eight years, an old-school shop that made all its tortellini fresh to order with no delivery option. You had to go in person.

She glanced over at the man on the sofa, but from her angle, all she could see was the back of his head. Did Seth like Lee’s Specialty too? Zaria had probably recommended it to him. Back in high school, Ondine had raved about their tortellini to Zaria, who quickly became a fan herself.

She had just finished eating when the driver arrived. As she walked past Seth to get the door, she called out, “I’m leaving, Seth.”

On the other end of the video conference, a dozen company executives stared at their screens in stunned silence.

Were they hearing things? Did a woman’s voice just sweetly call their president “Seth”?

This was major gossip. The company’s most notorious bachelor was finally showing signs of life!