"Your dream of becoming a world class pastry chef is just one click away!
Apply NOW to secure your spot at Ecole Lenotre TODAY!*"
"*Terms and conditions apply"
Anisette sighed as she gloomily stared at her phone screen. What the website failed to mention was that the terms and conditions just meant 'You need a lot of money to study here!'.
Money that she did not have…
YET.
If anything Anisette was a determined young woman.
Her eyes blazed as she stepped into the Daisy Ring Hotel. She had seen an advert yesterday that said that there was a job opening for a chef's assistant. If she didn't have the money now, she would work hard and earn it! And this position would also give her valuable cooking experience!
The receptionist pointed her towards the kitchens where the head chef would be conducting her interview.
The head chef was a large, angry and intimidating woman.
"Who are you?!" She barked as soon as Anisette stepped in.
Anisette was shocked, but answered in an equally loud voice.
"My name is Anisette, ma'am! Age eighteen! Here to apply to be your assistant!"
The head chef looked at her with narrowed eyes and then huffed.
"You're too young! Get out! I need an experienced adult! Not a baby I have to look after."
With that she turned away and walked off.
Anisette stared, gobsmacked at her retreating figure.
"Whaaaaat?!"
***
Naturally, the other staff
very kindly
kicked her out of the kitchen after her rejection. They still had work to do, regardless of whether or not a candidate got rejected extremely publicly.
Frustrated, Anisette wiped a hand across her eyes to stop the tears from falling. She was already embarrassed enough, she didn't need to be seen crying in public too.
Without looking, she stalked off to what she thought was the direction of the exit and…
Immediately bumped into someone, causing them as well as her to fall down with a crash.
Something wet, sticky and frothy coated her and in shock, she looked up, just to see she'd crashed into a very handsome and a very well put together young man, who had been holding a frappuccino.
He had soft, tanned skin, a head of tawny hair and piercing emerald eyes that were currently frowning at the empty glass in his hands.
The glass that was empty because its contents had spilled all over them...
Her eyes grew wider and wider in mounting horror as she realised that the frappuccino had spilled all over his suit as well.
A suit that looked like it cost millions!
How was Anisette going to pay for her clumsiness? She had no job! No money! She was just a poor little runt who got rejected just five minutes ago!
Oh god, oh GOD, what was she going to do?! She could feel her dead grandmother's spirit judging her already…
"Ahem." The man cleared his throat and reached out his hand to help her up,
She took it and stared.
His hand felt just as nice as it looked- large, soft and full of warmth.
"You don't have to pay me back. It's fine." His voice was deep and velvety and he had the slightest hint of an accent.
Oh sh*t! How did he know what she was thinking? Did she accidentally talk out loud?!
He chuckled and handed her a handkerchief to wipe her face.
"You're still talking out loud." He smirked and then looked her up and down.
Mortified, Anisette took the offered handkerchief and wiped away some of the sticky liquid.
"So you're looking for a job, hmm?"
Anisette stood straight.
"Y-yes!" She stammered and as an afterthought, added, "Sir!"
He waved dismissively.
"Just call me Bret. Anyway, I do have a position you might be interested in, follow me to the cafe?"
Nodding quietly, Anisette followed him into the swanky cafe of the Daisy Ring Hotel.
She sweated as she saw the prices on the menu so she simply didn't order anything.
Sensing her worry, Bret spoke up.
"Choose anything, it's my treat."
Her eyes sparkled and she immediately ordered the cafe's signature peach pastry.
Bret watched the girl in front of him with interest as she dove into the pastry.
She was very cute, not beautiful like the ladies in his circle, but extremely cute with a round face and plush lips.
Her curly black hair was pulled up into two space buns and decorated with a multitude of colourful hair barrettes and her brown eyes were scrunched up in ecstasy at the sweet taste of the pastry.
Dressed in a white shirt and jeans, her fashion sense was very minimal, but she made it work well.
Yes… she was almost perfect for this job.
"So what's the position like, Mr. Bret?" Anisette asked, there was some frosting on her nose and without thinking, he reached forward and wiped it off her.
"It's very easy." He began, withdrawing his hand. "I'll be offering you $10000 a month if you're interested."
Eyes boggling at the number, Anisette nodded frantically.
"I'm interested!" She blurted.
"Perfect! My name is Breton Woodsworth and the position is for you to be my mistress!"
***
Eh? Breton Woodsworth? The billionaire CEO of Woodsworth Co.?! The hot, young and most importantly, SINGLE CEO?! HIS mistress?!
Anisette stared at him with narrowed eyes. Did he hit his head when she crashed into him earlier?
Breton snorted.
Oh f*ck, she was thinking out loud again.
But seriously, what made Breton pick her? Like out of all the girls he could choose to be his mistress, why would he offer HER the position? He was literally the most eligible bachelor in the country, at only 25, he was already a billionaire CEO, was extremely handsome with tawny hair, green eyes and sharp features AND was known to be kind and charitable.
Literally WHY would he want HER?! It made no sense!
Sure she was pretty and she had been called cute all her life, but that didn't mean she was pretty enough for a billionaire to fall in love with at first sight!
This all had to be some elaborate prank!
She looked around to see if there were any cameras. And was stumped to see there were none.
Finally, she picked at the remaining pastry on her plate, took a deep breath and looked Breton in the eye.
"Why me?" She asked. "This better not be a prank, Mr. Bret!"
Breton smirked. This girl was very straightforward, he liked that.
"This is not a prank, I assure you. I am completely serious about this offer. And yes, I wouldn't just ask anyone to fill this position."
Breton leaned forward and put his chin on his hands. There was a sharp glint in his emerald green eyes as he looked straight into hers…
"The answer, my dear, is that you are almost the spitting image of my first love. Who, for reasons I cannot disclose, is unable to stay by my side. That is why I would like you to fill in the position of my mistress."
He smiled, teeth sharp and predatory.
"Do you accept?"
