I Walked Away And He Lost His Mind (Zephyra and Steven) novel Chapter 627

After finishing the pastries, it was almost lunchtime.

I took two boxes of pastries and headed back to the hotel with David, but the stout owner insisted on seeing me off.

I told him it wasn't necessary, but he was persistent.

Once we reached the hotel entrance, he still wouldn't give up. "Ms. Jones," he said, "your skills are exceptional. I genuinely want to hire you. The pay might be a little low, but... how about fifty thousand a year? No, sixty! Actually, let's make it a hundred thousand! Plus a full benefits package, weekends off, and no overtime. What do you say?"

David, standing nearby, started grumbling. "Hey, that's not fair! I work for you, and you only pay me a pittance with no benefits, but you're offering her a hundred grand a year with the whole package? What's up with that?"

The owner retorted, "You don't get it! Talent is what matters these days!"

I was stunned, but secretly thrilled. A hundred thousand dollars! That was a lot of money!

Maybe there was hope for making a living through my own labor after all!

Still, I politely declined.

I was only looking for part-time or temporary work, mostly to prove to myself that I was capable.

The owner looked disappointed, his ears turning red as he stared at me intently.

"Are you... single, by any chance?"

"I am," I replied casually.

The owner's face instantly lit up, while David rolled his eyes.

I didn't think much of it and was about to head to my room.

Suddenly, the owner reached out towards me. I instinctively dodged, but I didn't see the slippery, moss-covered stone at my feet. My shoe slipped.

I braced myself for a nasty fall, but instead, I landed squarely against a hard, warm chest. An arm wrapped around my waist, steadying me.

I glanced over my shoulder and saw a familiar, tall figure. A wave of joy washed over me, and a smile spread across my face. I let myself relax into his arms. "What are you doing here?"

Steven saw my delighted expression, but his own handsome, refined face remained stoic. He reached up and plucked a leaf from my hair. "Running around a strange place all by yourself," he said coldly. "Where have you been all morning?"

"I was working a part-time job nearby," I said, realizing then that the owner had just been trying to get the leaf for me. I pointed to the stout man and proudly held up the two boxes of pastries. "At his shop! See? I can make delicious things! And I even earned some money!"

David clicked his tongue. "Can't you see how tightly they're holding each other?"

The owner's face flushed then paled before he walked away with a sour expression.

I bit my lip. Steven's tone was so chilling it was almost suffocating.

I couldn't tell if he was angry at the owner or being sarcastic about my "single" status.

The way he spoke... it sounded like we were involved. Didn't he realize that?

Once everyone had left, Steven finally let go of me and turned to walk back into the hotel.

I trailed after him. "Don't walk so fast, I can't keep up."

Steven acted as if he hadn't heard me.

As we passed the front desk, I gave some of the pastries to the proprietor to thank her for the job recommendation.