Chapter 13


    Tobias


    This morning is a disaster. It started out great, with Hannah moaning underneath me as I licked her pink


    folds, but now it turns out all my private chefs are down with corona.


    What the fuck am I going to eat?!


    My stomach growls, and misery is all around. I’m sitting by the kitchen table, gazing over the empty


    space with a frown. I’m good at many things, but cooking isn’t one of them.


    “It’s a beautiful morning, isn’t it?” Hannah chirps.


    “I guess it is…”


    “Then why are you pouting?”


    “I’m not…”


    “You are.”


    I turn around, studying Hannah as she strolls into the kitchen with a messy bun at the top of her head.


    Despite the disaster, seeing Hannah cheers me up.


    Blonde baby hairs are spilling out over her forehead. She is wearing one of my oversized t-shirts over


    bare legs, and since she is so itsy-bitsy, it looks like a white dress.


    She beams at me with pink cheeks. Adorable and whimsical. “Aren’t you going to eat something?”


    “I’m not hungry.” My stomach chooses that moment to gurgle in protest and Hannah giggles.


    “Do you want me to cook something for us? Are you in a hurry? I was thinking of making pizza.” Now she


    got my attention. “Pizza?”


    “Uh-huh,” she walks over to one of the cabs, opening it to rummage through its contents. It’s her first.


    time being here, yet Hannah easily navigates through the kitchen. “You mentioned that you had


    everything in here, and my heart is telling me that it wants pizza. How about you? Should I make you


    one?”


    I’m starving, but can Hannah cook, or will I die eating her food? There is only one way to find out: taking


    a massive risk by trying it out.


    “Sure,” I say, trying not to show the fear coiling inside me. “Make me a pepperoni pizza.”


    Sheughs. “You’re so funny trying to boss me around-you’re obviously helping.”


    I snort. “I’m not-”


    My words trail off my tongue when I see that the shy woman I know and married is gone. Left in her


    ce. is a determined one. Hannah’s arms are resting on her sides, and she res at me from across


    the table.


    Tiny but oh so fierce. Hannah’s ice-blue eyes are cold and relentless, and her stance tells me she isn’t.


    messing around.


    From N?velDrama.Org.


    I have to give her credit for daring to stand up to me. Not many people have managed that, considering


    my position. What is impressive here is that I’ve also been Hannah’s boss, which is why I can’t fight my


    smile. It takes guts to boss me around.


    “Okay, Mrs. Ford. I will help. Where do you want me?”


    “You’re going to be making the dough.”


    “Am I?” I challenge.


    Instead of replying, Hannah smiles, and it’s so scary and convincing that shudders sweep down my


    spine. Jesus Christ. Where has my cute Hannah gone? This one is scary!


    “I take my cooking very seriously, Mr. Ford,” Hannah cranes her neck when I walk over to her. I tilt my


    head to look down at her. She doesn’t even reach my chin, yet she isn’t one bit afraid. Nope. Instead of


    backing up from me, she pokes my chest with a finger while talking. “And in the kitchen, I’m the boss. Do


    you hear me?”


    Why am I suddenly aroused? “Yes, ma’am.”


    “Good,” she grins. “Now, let’s make one hell of a pizza!”


    “Yes!”


    “That’s ‘yes, ma’am’ for you.”


    Bossy when it matters, huh?


    I immediately straighten my shoulders. “Yes, ma’am.”


    “That’s the spirit!”


    Hike this motivated version of Hannah just as much as the shy one-my hard-on would agree. It feels like


    I have a sword in my pants, but I tell myself now isn’t the time.


    Instead of carrying Hannah to bed, I bake pizzas in the kitchen.


    Honestly, I should be at work. But I am okay with showing upte to my office. It’s not like I have a boss.


    anyway, and when I rx, the morning quickly turns into the most delightful one I’ve had in ages.


    Hannah shows me the ropes, and while she is shy about certain things, she bes a whole new


    person when focused on a task. It’s admiring. Somehow, I allow her to turn into my boss.


    I do everything Hannah tells me to, but I also mess with her. When we roll dough, I tackle her tiny body


    out of the way, not hard, but enough to take over. She res at me but gets her revenge by smacking


    flour and raw eggs into my face.


    I’m about to give her the same treatment, but when Hannahughs, I decide to let her have this victory. I


    focus on baking pizza, and then we eat around the table.


    It’s great fun, and when it’s time to leave, I almost don’t want to. I’m slowly putting on my shoes in the


    hallway while Hannah watches me with sad, glistening eyes.


    “Do you have to work every day?” Hannah asks.


    “It’s not about having to work; it’s about taking responsibility,” I stand up and give her a smile. “Shouldn’t


    you be studying anyhow?”


    “Well, I definitely should, but…” she bites her lower lip while eyeing my hand, which is now resting on the


    door handle.


    “But?” I ask, blinking.


    Hannah blushes, and then she spreads her arms to give me a hug. It’s so sudden that I blink and do


    nothing. Shit. Why does it feel so nice having her body pressed to mine like this?


    I silently look down when Hannah boldly squeezes my pecs, and that’s when I realize this isn’t about


    romance-there are now white flour marks on my pecs!


    “You little!”


    Hannah falls into a fit ofughter and hurries away from me. “There, now I’m leading in the prank.


    leaderboard!”


    I re at her, but on the inside, I’m smiling. “I’m going to get back at you, Mrs. Ford, and my revenge will


    be worse than what you’ve done.”


    Hannah winks at me. “I will be looking forward to it!”


    “Oh, you will change your mind after I’ve gotten my revenge,” I open the door and nce over my to find


    her standing by the bottom of the staircase. “Have a nice day.”


    She beams at me with a slight pink tint to her cheeks. “You too.”


    shoulder


    Hourster, I’m sitting inside my office. The pizza I made with Hannah tasted great, even as a warmed-


    up lunch. We made an extra one that I’ve just finished.


    Suddenly, there is a knock on my door, but like always, my ex-wife doesn’t bother to wait. Sarah storms


    into my office unannounced, and her expression today is furious.


    “Why didn’t you tell me you had met someone?!” Sarah demands the second she sets her wild eyes on


    me. “And you married her right away? Is that a good idea, Tobias? Is your new wife now a co-owner of


    thispany?! Have you thought this through?!”


    “Hello, you too,” I say in a dry tone. For some reason, my heart isn’t excited to see Sarah. That’s… odd.


    Usually, there is love behind the hurt, but not today. “And Hannah isn’t a co-owner. Not that it’s any of


    your business. I n to buy you and Daniel out of thispany before the year ends. I have soon


    collected the money your husband demanded of me.”


    Sarah’s eyes re, and she angrily parks her arms underneath her breasts to pout at me. “Where have


    you


    but-” gotten so much money from? Not that we aren’t making a profit. We are,


    “I’ve bought a couple of otherpanies this year, and they are all very profitable,” I interrupt her without


    remorse. The sooner she is out of here, the better. “Now, was that all or are we done here? I would like


    to continue my lunch break in peace.”


    Sarah sucks her lips into her mouth, and for a brief moment, I see the woman I fell in love with:


    vulnerable and sweet, with her emotions worn on her sleeve.


    I married Sarah because she was always honest in the past. Sheughed a lot, joked with me, and we


    had lots of fun together. But now I’m unsure if she was herself with me or if she manipted me and


    yed a game of hearts to get to my money.


    Because after we got married, Sarah immediately slept with my best friend, Daniel. And sure, I was


    drowning in work and hardly had time for my wife, but that’s not an excuse to break anyone’s heart like


    that. Sarah really hurt me, and I’ve had trust issues ever since.


    “I was hoping we could talk,” Sarah says, and when I stare at her in silence, she sighs heavily. “Over


    dinner, Tobias. Not here.”


    I swallow thickly and lean back in my chair. “You expect me to pay for dinner after you cheated on me?


    What kind of dream world are you living in?”


    She winces as if I’ve punched her but quickly recovers. “We didn’t end things on a bright note, and I feel


    as if talking about it over a nice steak would do us well.”


    Iugh and shake my head. “How about you kiss my ass because I sure as hell isn’t taking you to any


    restaurant.” 1


    My words seem to shock Sarah. She stares at me with her jaw cking to the floor, and that’s when I


    realize something bizarre: I have exactly what I want.


    Sarah is desperate to talk to me. She was also jealous during the buffet. I’ve gotten my revenge, and I’m


    pretty sure my ex-wife is still interested in me based on how she is acting. But here is the oddest thing: I


    don’t want her back-I want her gone.


    It’s strange.


    I’m still in love with Sarah. My heart is singing some sad song about lost love, but perhaps I’m slowly


    moving on.


    “Well…” Sarah walks over to the door. Her face is one of hurt and anger when she looks over her


    shoulder. “This won’t be thest of me. I will keep trying to talk to you.”


    I roll my eyes. “I suppose there isn’t anything I can say to make you leave me the fuck alone?”


    Instead of replying, Sarah leaves my office, but she doesn’t look angry when she walks away. There was


    hurt on her face. And that breaks my heart for some stupid reason.


    “Fuck…” I rub my eyelids. “How do you getpletely over someone? I’m tired of this shit.”


    I exhale at myplicated emotions and then look down at my phone that vibrates on my table.


    Hannah: I baked you some cupcakes and came over as we discussed. But your assistant Samantha isn’t


    letting me see you. I am trying to figure out what her problem is!


    I snort in amusement.


    Samantha is a young girl, and I’m positive she is in love with me, based on the flirty notes she has sent


    me since I divorced Sarah. Perhaps she is angry that I’m married to someone new already and taking it


    out on Hannah?


    I begin typing a message, but then I stop myself. Hannah is here, probably in the lobby where people.


    usually wait if they have a meeting with us higher-ups. Hmm. I should go and pick her up from the


    waiting room myself. Samantha may back off if she sees us together.