After work. The stunning woman I’d seen earlier that day stopped me, pouring out a heartfelt confession. I was just a cook, covered in grease, not making much money. I just thought it was a joke. Who knew she’d show up at the restaurant every single day, waiting for me? “Leo, if you don’t agree, I’m not leaving today!” I was taken aback. “But don’t you have a partner? And aren’t you still breastfeeding?” The woman in front of me was Chloe. Just like her name, she always carried a subtle, alluring scent. But thanks to my profession, my nose was incredibly keen. Even amidst the rich aromas of the restaurant’s food, I could distinguish a faint smell of breast milk mixed in with her perfume. I looked at Chloe’s tight T-shirt, which perfectly highlighted her curvaceous figure. The cartoon bear print on it was stretched into a mighty, formidable bear. Even if I tried not to, it was hard to tear my gaze away from her prominent chest. Chloe was a classic beauty. Although she’d already given birth, she had a slender, oval face with smooth features. Her eyes were large, and her lips delicate. She was nothing like those heavily filtered beauties you saw all over social media apps. Chloe was real, a living, breathing beauty standing right in front of me. As a cook, I was often messy and greasy. Standing before her, I was afraid I’d dirty her. Besides, a woman this beautiful—her partner must be pretty protective of her. Her beauty was tempting, but I wasn’t about to stir up trouble. I brought this up, hoping to get her to back off—stop showing up at the restaurant looking for me. To my surprise, Chloe’s face flushed, and she still leaned closer. “Leo, I don’t have a partner.” After saying that, her eyes welled up. It was heartbreaking to see such a beautiful woman cry. Plus, I’d just finished work, right at the restaurant entrance. If my coworkers saw us later, they’d start all kinds of rumors about me. I gently took her arm and led her to a nearby coffee shop, where we sat down for a moment. “Is something wrong? Are you in trouble?” Chloe’s eyes grew even redder. She told me she’d been naive, moving in with her boyfriend and getting pregnant. But the baby was born prematurely and was too weak. After a few days in the hospital’s incubator, they couldn’t save him. Seeing her sob so hard she could barely catch her breath, I kindly ordered her a milkshake. “What about your boyfriend?” Chloe wiped away her tears, gritting her teeth. “That man—when he saw the huge hospital bill for the baby, he just took off. Left me high and dry.” “Now I have nothing. My landlord even kicked me out; I don’t even have a roof over my head.” Her story was really sad. Chloe looked up, carefully asking if I could help her. I hesitated, wondering why she’d chosen me. Growing up poor, I’d stayed single well into my thirties—never even had a girlfriend, let alone a wife. Then I moved to the county town, landing a job at my Uncle Frank’s restaurant. Business was good, and my cook’s salary slowly increased. But it was still just a small restaurant chef’s salary; it could only go so high. I saved every penny, slowly accumulating some money, but even now, it wasn’t much. It was all for when I finally got married; I just couldn’t afford to be generous. Chloe saw my hesitation, her cheeks flushing. “Leo,” she said softly, “it’s okay. I like you, that’s why I want to be with you.” She said she didn’t need any labels, just wanted to help with chores and laundry. She only asked for a place to crash and meals, like we were just roommates. If I ever wanted to find a proper wife, she’d simply disappear. Chloe was so beautiful, and she sounded like she was hardworking and capable. To have a caring woman keep me company at night, no strings attached. It seemed like a win-win for me—no downsides. My heart was tempted. I took her soft, smooth hand in mine. “Alright, come home with me.”
Chloe was even more capable than I’d imagined. The very first day she arrived at my run-down apartment, she immediately started cleaning like a pro. It happened to be my day off, so I sat on the couch, watching her busy herself. From the bathroom to the kitchen, then to the living room and balcony. Years of grime were scrubbed away, leaving the floors so clean you could practically see your reflection. “This place really needs regular cleaning, otherwise, come summer, it’ll be crawling with bugs.” With bags of trash piled in the corner, Chloe then headed straight for the bedroom. I stood up and wrapped my arm around her waist. Even though she’d had a baby, her waist was incredibly slender—she’d clearly bounced back well. The soft skin at her waist twitched, and watching her face, flushed from the heat, my mind started to wander. “The bedroom is where I spend most of my time; it’s clean, you don’t need to bother with it.” Chloe chuckled, her arm sliding around my neck, just as I’d intended. “Okay, I’ll listen to you, Leo.” “But can I take a look inside?” We were both adults, and we both knew exactly what “living together” really meant. The atmosphere grew increasingly intimate. Chloe lowered her head, her cheeks completely crimson. My hand moved lower to her curves, and I swept her up into my arms. “Of course.” The single metal-framed bed in the bedroom was definitely not made for two. I gently laid her on the bed, looking at her delicate, pretty face, my heart racing. The bed creaked loudly for what felt like forever. Only after we’d been intimate did I fully realize my luck. I’d hit the jackpot—finding a woman so curvy and beautiful. Chloe’s soft body pressed against mine again, her breath hot against my ear. “Leo, thank you for taking me in.” Even better, this woman seemed to have no temper at all, always going along with whatever I said. I couldn’t hold back and pulled her back into a passionate embrace. Sweat poured off us, and when I finally came back to my senses, darkness had already fallen. Chloe was incredibly obedient. Despite her fatigue, she still offered to cook for me. One thing was for sure about being with me. Cooking—that was my specialty. Besides, Chloe had been drawn to me in the first place because my cooking tasted good and suited her palate. Now was the perfect time to cater to her tastes. I puffed out my chest: “Sit down, I’ll make dinner for you.” Just a simple meal—three dishes and a soup. Nothing fancy like what I cooked at the restaurant. But the most important thing was that it was clean and fresh. I watched Chloe’s reaction: “How is it? Is it to your liking?” Chloe’s face showed hesitation. She chewed for a while before swallowing. “Leo, why does it taste a little different?” “Well, it definitely can’t be the same,” I took a bite, chewed it, and indeed, it was a bit bland. “Next time, I’ll add more seasoning.” Chloe put down her fork. “It’s not just the seasoning… I think it tasted better at the restaurant, more flavorful…” A knot formed in my stomach. Chloe was a regular at the restaurant—her palate was spoiled. If it were anyone else, it wouldn’t matter, but now—she was my girl, more or less. I reminded her. “Home cooking’s cleaner. You should eat out less from now on.” Chloe’s face brightened again with a smile. “Got it, Leo. From now on, I’ll only eat your cooking.” That first night with a woman in my place, the bedroom’s single bed was way too small for two. I had no choice but to crash on the living room couch. Before turning off the light, Chloe even gave me a sweet, fragrant kiss. “Leo, I’m sorry you have to rough it.” With that kiss? What was there to be sorry about? The lights went out, and the couch was narrow. I tossed and turned for ages, couldn’t sleep. I decided to open my phone and check my bank balance. After saving every penny for so long, I only had fifty grand. If I wanted to marry a proper, respectable girl, I probably didn’t even have enough for a ring or a down payment. I looked at the dark bedroom. Maybe Chloe and I could make a life together. It wouldn’t be so bad. As I was lost in thought, the bedroom light suddenly flickered on.
My brow furrowed, and I grew alert. After all, I wasn’t a naive kid anymore—I’d been through the wringer. I still kept my guard up around women who came on that strong out of nowhere. There was nothing valuable in the bedroom. The little cash I had at home? I’d already stashed it in the bank. If Chloe had any ulterior motives, she wouldn’t find a thing. That said, I still watched the bedroom like a hawk, wondering what she was up to. Getting up in the middle of the night usually meant needing to use the bathroom. But I waited forever, and no one came out. Instead, the faint rustling sounds grew louder. The old saying was true: the prettier the woman, the more she can deceive. I was getting annoyed. What was this restless woman up to? I stood up and directly opened the bedroom door. Just as I’d thought—Chloe was standing by the dresser, all three drawers pulled open, contents strewn across the floor. I rushed over, grabbed her arm, and pushed her onto the bed. “What are you doing?” Chloe fell onto the bed, silent. It took her a minute, like she was waking up from a daze, eyes wide. “Leo, I… I… What happened to me?” Her voice was soft, childlike—way more innocent than before. I grabbed her chin, staring her down: “You don’t know what you were just doing?” Chloe stared at me blankly, big eyes full of confusion. She raised a hand to rub her eyes, but I stopped her. “I… I don’t know.” Chloe pouted, voice all hurt and委屈. I led her to the bedside, pointing at the mess on the floor. “Why were you going through my stuff?” Chloe jumped, then immediately knelt down to start cleaning up. “I didn’t mean to—I didn’t do it on purpose.” Seeing her act so docile… did I misjudge her? The items on the bedside table weren’t anything important. They were just basic ingredient recipes Uncle Frank taught me when I first started at his restaurant. I relied on these to learn from scratch, gradually working my way up to head chef. These recipes were basic—you could buy them at any bookstore. No big secret. The real important stuff wasn’t kept at home. I pulled her up, tone softening. “Chloe, do you really not know what just happened?” Chloe bit her lip, shaking her head. “I was just sound asleep in bed, and the next thing I knew—there you were.” Then it hit me—I’d read about people like this online. Sleepwalkers. Doing weird stuff in the middle of the night was normal for them, and they’d have no memory when woken up. Chloe must’ve been uncomfortable sleeping in a new place and started sleepwalking. I bent down, planning to ask her again. But Chloe pulled her hand away, shuffling back in her slippers. “Leo, I know you don’t like me—you don’t trust me. It’s fine. Tonight… I guess I got what I wanted.” She slowly took off the new pajamas I’d bought her, turning her back to me as she pulled on her own T-shirt. “As soon as it’s light out, I’m moving out.” I froze: “But you don’t have a place to stay, no money, no job.” Chloe’s voice was tearful. “I’ll find a job with room and board… Anyway, I won’t bother you anymore, Leo.” How could that be? A beautiful young woman like her—without a man to watch her back? She’d get eaten alive out there. Besides, after spending today together… I looked at her exposed, fair skin and swallowed hard. I reached out, grabbing her, forcing her to turn around. “You’re not moving out. You’re staying here with me.” Chloe still kept her head down, looking all dejected. “What if I’m home alone, and you keep being suspicious?” She suddenly looked up at me: “Or maybe I should go out and work too?” I thought about it. I only had two days off a month. She’d definitely get bored home alone. “Okay, but no need to look elsewhere. Just come work at my restaurant.”
The restaurant was owned by my Uncle Frank Miller. Besides him, his wife Aunt Carol, and their son Jason, I was the only other employee. Meaning, it was a family business through and through—they usually didn’t let strangers in. But after I talked them into it, Chloe joined the restaurant as a dishwashing assistant. My cousin Jason Miller—only a couple years older than me—was eyeing Chloe like crazy. Luckily, he was already married, and his daughter was in elementary school. Plus, on Chloe’s first day, I pulled him aside and warned him she was my girlfriend—so he better not get any ideas. Jason knew better than to mess with Chloe. Uncle Frank, though, seemed happy. He patted my shoulder, saying I was really something. “Business is booming here—I’ve wanted to hire more help forever. But your cousin Jason’s always so cautious, never wants outsiders coming in.” My hands were burning from chopping onions, so I just gave a half-hearted answer. “Jason being careful is normal. But why doesn’t Aunt Carol help out?” Uncle Frank shook his head: “She says it’s too hard.” “See? That’s why I say you’re so capable, Leo. You found a girlfriend as gorgeous as a movie star, and she’s willing to do all this dirty kitchen work.” I glanced at Chloe—bent over the sink, scrubbing a mountain of dishes—and felt a surge of pride. “Indeed, I’ve found a gem.” Dishwashing was the hardest, dirtiest job in the whole restaurant. I purposely put Chloe on this tough task, but to my surprise—this woman actually rolled up her sleeves and started washing dishes without a word. And she washed them way cleaner than Aunt Carol ever did. Chloe did her work so well no one could find fault. Uncle Frank and Aunt Carol were really satisfied. It made me look good, and I even felt more energized while cooking. After work, Chloe’s arms were so sore she could barely lift them. She sat there blankly by the sink. I felt bad for her and helped her up. “Tired? Maybe take tomorrow off?” Chloe leaned half her body against me, shaking her head. “No, I want to stay with you.” “Even if it means washing dishes?” Chloe nodded, eyes full of determination. “Even if it means washing dishes.” After a long day, her bangs were stuck to her forehead with sweat, lips glistening. I couldn’t help but lean in and kiss her. “Why do you want to stay with me?” Chloe’s face flushed bright red, all the way down to her neck. She poked my chest. “Leo, do you really have to ask?” Seeing her shy expression, my heart felt all warm and fuzzy. After these two days, I believed her—she really liked me. Otherwise, she wouldn’t put up with such hard, tiring work just to be by my side. The next day in the kitchen, even Jason came over to give me a heads-up. “Such a delicate young woman—making her do such heavy work. You’ll scare your girlfriend off.” I paused chopping. “Then what do you think she should do?” Jason thought for a second: “Let her prep ingredients.” I told Chloe about the job change, and she jumped up excitedly. “Really?” Prepping ingredients was still tough work. With how busy our restaurant was, she’d be on her feet for over ten hours a day, non-stop. But Chloe was thrilled, throwing her arms around my neck. “Prepping ingredients is great! I can stay by your side the whole time.” Chloe moved to my side, helping out diligently. I gave her all the reference materials I’d used when I was learning. Chloe picked it up super fast, and her ingredient prep was surprisingly organized. In fact, she often prepped ingredients faster than I could cook. During the lunch rush, I was swamped—feet barely touching the ground, hands glued to the wok. The dish was almost done, but someone was still standing by my side. “Chloe, is the next dish ready yet?” “The one after that’s already done too.” “Okay, then go to the front—help Uncle Frank and Aunt Carol with the customers…” As soon as Chloe walked away, I pulled open the small compartment under the counter. “Leo, someone up front says they want to add a dish…” *Clang!* I jumped, hand shaking, and the small can fell to the floor.
🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “328125”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #浪漫Romance #擦边Steamy #现实主义Realistic #校园School #重生Reborn #惊悚Thriller
Leave a Reply