Charles scratched his head uncomfortably when he met Dimitri inside the building that was about to be renovated by workers from the Hunter family company. "Why do you want to see me?"
Dimitri chuckled. "I've only been here a few days. Furthermore, you will oversee the renovation."
Charles' eyes narrowed. "I'll be watching them?"
"With William. Of course. He was the one who asked to start the renovation of this building immediately," answered Dimitri.
Charles chuckled. "He will leave this to me since he is busy working at the restaurant."
Dimitri frowned. "What did you say? Does William work in a restaurant? That little restaurant over there?"
"Monsieur Alexander didn't tell you that William was pretending to work at the restaurant? Don't you know everything that happened at the Hunters' manor?" asked Charles in disbelief.
Dimitri shook his head. "I know William is willing to go here to force the restaurant owner to sell the restaurant."
"He took a slightly different approach. Since he asked you to start the renovation, it's a sign that William will carry out his next plan after he gives the restaurant a few bits of help," explained Charles.
Dimitri laughed. "I didn't expect William to be quite tolerant this time. Is it because of the beautiful owner?"
Charles shrugged. "Dunno."
Dimitri took a deep breath. "I caught a glimpse of him when he was waiting for the restaurant's owner down the street. He looks a little different."
"Believe me. That man is still the same William. He could crush the restaurant to the ground. William wouldn't let his fortune fall into someone else's hands, especially just because of a small restaurant," said Charles.
"He's ambitious. Specifically, when it comes to wealth, he definitely won't let his father pass the inheritance on to someone else," said Dimitri.
Charles nodded his head. "Where will you spend the night?"
"I already have a room in a hotel near here. Bring William to meet me tonight," replied Dimitri.
"I'll tell him later. Is there anything else you want to say?" asked Charles.
Dimitri shook his head.
"Nope. I want to go," said Charles.
"Where are you going?"
"Going back home and doing my hotel work. I have to remote my work in Manhattan."
"Bring your work here. I want to rest after a long trip," said Dimitri. He left Charles like that in the building.
Charles looked at Dimitri with a slight chuckle. "The old man was always on his own. After all, he's the butler of the Hunter family."
----
Marie noticed the guests inside D'Amelie's restaurant, who seemed uncomfortable with the noise generated by renovating the buildings around the restaurant. The faces of the visitors looked uncomfortable while enjoying their food. Some even hastened their meal and hurriedly left the restaurant.
"Thank you for visiting," said Marie to visitors who were about to leave the restaurant while opening the door.
The two diners who walked past Marie nodded slowly and hurried out of the restaurant. Marie took a deep breath as she looked at the two visitors.
"Looks like the restaurant will be quiet again soon," Marie muttered.
The smile on Marie's face grew again as soon as she saw three diners about to enter the restaurant. With a cheerful smile, Marie immediately opened the door for the visitor.
----
"Leave it to me. I can continue cooking for you," William said, patting Esmee lightly on the shoulder.
Esmee turned to William. "You can cook too?"
"I need to stir it, right? Have you given the spices?" William asked.
Esmee nodded.
"Then sit down. Let me continue. You keep quiet and watch. Then you can shout to ask me to turn off the stove," William said.
Esmee took a deep breath. "Okay. I think I do need to sit down for a while."
William nodded, and after that, Esmee walked to the small dining table in the corner of the kitchen. Esmee sat at the table watching William, who was now taking her place in cooking. She massaged her sore neck.
"Didn't your new lover come to help today?" asked Sven as he walked past Esmee.
Esmee chuckled softly. "Who do you mean? Pierre?"
"Yes, the man," replied Sven.
"From the tone of your voice, you don't seem to like him," Esmee said.
"At first, I liked him. But after hearing him talk to you about treating your workers, I suddenly didn't like him," said Sven.
Esmee laughed. "You don't have to think about what he said to me. Also, he's not my lover. He's just an acquaintance of mine at one of the clubs."
"Good then. Don't let yourself have a relationship with a man like that," said Sven.
Sven suddenly approached Esmee and whispered to her. "I support you more with William. You guys have been close since the first time he worked here. And he seems to like you too."
Esmee glanced at Sven with a small laugh. "Do your job. Don't gossip here."
Sven gave Esmee a mischievous glance and left her alone again. Meanwhile, Esmee suddenly turned her attention to William, who was now cooking. Sven's words suddenly entered her head and unconsciously made Esmee blush when she saw William.
"What do I think?" Esmee muttered. Then she lowered her head and silently laughed.
"Esmee! Is this enough?" William exclaimed as he stirred the soup in front of him.
"Try to lift the spatula while pouring the soup into the pot," replied Esmee.
William directly did as Esmee asked.
"That's enough," said Esmee.
"Okay." William turned off the stove and turned to Esmee.
"See, right? I can do it," said William.
Esmee nodded her head. "After that, please deliver it to the workers next door."
William nodded. He then took off his apron and put on heat-resistant gloves to carry the pot of Esmee's soup. After that, William took the soup to the building next to the restaurant.
----
Charles approached William as soon as he saw William enter the renovated building. "What are you doing here?"
"Where can I put it?" William asked Charles, glancing at the pot he was carrying.
Charles looked to his right and left. He then called one of the workers and asked him to come closer. "Just give it to him."
As the worker called Charles approached, William handed over the pot. "Be careful. It's still boiling."
The worker nodded as he accepted the pot William had given him. After that, he left William and Charles. As soon as the worker left, William took off the heat-resistant gloves. He then observes the inside of the building.
"Dimitri wants to see you tonight," said Charles.
William nodded his head. "I'll see him later."
****