Elias knocked on the door twice but got no answer. Still, he remained determined to apologize.
"Maddison, can we talk?" Elias asked, hoping she would give him a chance.
When he heard no movement from within the room, he bit his lip. The proud billionaire wasn't one to apologize. But for the sake of their contract relationship, he was going to give it a try.
"I'm sorry for the way I spoke, I wasn't trying to accuse you of anything. I was just so certain so I…," He didn't know where he was going with it, so he tried to refocus once more, "What I'm trying to say is, I'm sorry for how I acted. For what it's worth, I tried your truffle pasta and it's very good."
He stood by the door, carefully listening out for any movement within. To his surprise, he heard footsteps coming towards the door! He took a step back just as the door creaked open. Maddison popped her head out.
It was clear that she was trying hard to keep a smile under wraps! Clearly, his words of praise had gotten to her.
She pursed her lips as she looked up at him.
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to snap like that either. When you said I was lying, it just brought up some… some feelings I had. Sorry, you got caught in it," She apologized.
After having had some time to herself, Maddison knew she was at fault too. The way she snapped at him was uncalled for. She should have kept a level head and explained the situation.
"That's alright, I deserved it," Elias mused.
Both of them shared a light-hearted laugh. Just as Maddison was about to retreat back into the room, Elias had something to say.
"How would you like to be my personal chef?"
Maddison was a little surprised by his suggestion. Though Elias had given her more money than she ever needed, Maddison had been thinking about finding a job. Staying in the room, or the apartment when it was ready would drive her insane.
So she had the idea to look for work. However, with her name floating in the tabloids and the news, she knew it was going to be tough. Working for Elias King as his personal chef was perfect!
But from the outside, Maddison looked like she was unconvinced. So, he continued to sweeten the deal.
"I'll give you free rein of what to make. You can get any ingredients, regardless of the cost. So long as the food is good, I have no qualms. What do you say?"
He held out her hand for her to shake on the deal. It was more than anything she could ever hope for!
"Complete free rein?" She asked.
"Complete free rein," He echoed her words.
Maddison smiled as she shook his hand, "You got yourself a deal!"
Elias and Maddison discussed on a schedule. Maddison would start preparing his meals three days from then. This would give her enough time to shop for ingredients and test out a few recipes before she officially began cooking for him.
That night, Maddison barely slept a wink. She was so engrossed in developing recipes, she lost track of time. By the time she woke up, it was already noon. Elias left a note on the table, explaining that he'd gone off to work and wouldn't be free till evening.
Maddison bit her lip, feeling a little disappointed as she read it. There was a small part in her that wished he was there to greet her when she woke up.
[Perhaps I should try and wake up earlier to say good morning before he leaves for work.] She thought to herself.
Regardless, Maddison had a long list of tasks to keep her occupied. She was going to start by shopping for ingredients. She searched for the nearest supermarket.
"There's a Yecirp Supermarket three blocks down, this is perfect!" Maddison exclaimed with glee.
Yecirp was a chain of luxury supermarkets that catered to the rich and famous. Maddison had always dreamt about shopping there. It is said to be home to the finest and freshest ingredients imported from all over the world.
Now that she was cooking for a billionaire, she could afford to shop there! After all, Elias King expected the best and as her first personal chef client, she wanted to ensure he got the best. Stepping out of King Tower on her own, Maddison was nervous.
After her encounters with the paparazzi, she was cautious and on edge. Lucky for her, she made it to Yecirp in one piece. But soon enough, she was on edge again. As she walked through the supermarket of her dreams, she felt as if every pair of eyes was on her.
"Miss, are you lost?" An employee came up to her and asked.
Before Maddison could even respond, the employee spoke again, "This isn't Savers Supermarket. That's another two streets down. I think you're in the wrong place."
She instantly knew what the employee was trying to get at. Maddison pursed her lips. All eyes were already on her. She didn't want to cause a scene and attract more attention to herself.
"Miss, I'm just here to shop for ingredients, just like everyone else," Maddison said plainly in a calm and collected manner.
"Shop for ingredients? I don't think you can even tell the difference between persimmons and tomatoes!" The employee scoffed.
That comment made Maddison curl her hands into fists. She breathed in deeply, trying to keep herself calm. When she regained her peace, she looked over at the employee. There was a smug grin on her face.
Maddison reciprocated with a grin of her own, catching the employee off guard.
"Well if the color difference did not give it away, I think the fact that one is a vegetable and the other is a fruit is a pretty clear distinction."
"Hah! Both of them are fruits!" the employee yelled triumphantly as if she had caught Maddison red-handed in a lie.
In reality, it was the employee who'd walked straight into her trap.