Hello, Ex! I Finally Found My Worth! - Chapter 54

Chapter 54: Best Chef You’ll Ever Find

What was this arrogant guy from the mall doing here? After talking to her the way he did just because she had requested that pack of chocolate.

Thinking about what he had said at the mall, she narrowed her eyes as a memory resurfaced. One of the guys that had tried to corner her with smug flirtation, thinking they were God’s gift to women.

He was wearing a clean white chef’s jacket, but Ivy would have recognized that self-assured smirk anywhere. Her stomach tightened—not with nerves, but with anger and disbelief.

Anger at the fact that he had the nerve to remind her of what he did at the club and disbelief at the fact that he would show up here.

There was no way she was going to hire him. Not after she had remembered him.

Was he even following her?

“Well,” he said, his tone amused, “this is unexpected.” he finished as if reading her mind.

Ivy’s jaw tightened. She folded her arms and glared at him. “What are you doing here? Wait, are you one of those freaks that follow people around just because they put them in their place?” she asked, and Hunter couldn’t resist the chuckle that escaped his lips.

“I’m glad you aren’t pretending not to know me this time around, and I’m sorry to disappoint you, but I’m actually here for the chef interview. Seeing you here was totally unexpected. You’re the owner, I take it?”

Ivy scoffed. “Yes,” she said curtly, standing. Her voice was sharp enough to cut glass. And you need to leave. I’m expecting someone else,” she said, choosing not to act on her anger.

Hunter raised an eyebrow, clearly enjoying her reaction. “I don’t think so. Selena told me I’m the only candidate scheduled for today. Unless you’re planning to interview an imaginary chef?”

Ivy’s glare intensified. “I don’t care if you’re the only chef in the entire city. You’re not working here. Leave. Now.”

She was going to deal with Selena later for conveying too much information to someone they hadn’t even employed.

Hunter took a step closer, the smirk still plastered on his face. “What’s the problem? Are you scared I might actually impress you?”

“Impress me?” she asked with a scoff. “The thing I’m scared you’re doing right now is wasting my time!” she said coldly. “Get out before I call security.”

Hunter held up his hands in mock surrender. “Alright, alright. No need to be hostile. I’ll go.”

He turned and walked toward the door, pausing briefly to glance back at her. “But for the record, you’re missing out on the best chef you’ll ever find. Think about that.”

With that, he exited, leaving Ivy fuming in his wake. She took a deep breath, trying to calm herself. The nerve of that man!

She had been excited a while ago, glad that someone finally applied, yet it turned out to be a disaster. She should’ve known better than to get her hopes high.

Perhaps it was time to get a chef from any of those agencies. She told herself as she tried to calm her rising mind.

Selena appeared moments later, her expression confused. “Ms. Anderson, is something wrong? The candidate just left.”

“Yes, he did,” Ivy said tightly, sitting back down and rubbing her temples. “And he’s not coming back.”

Donna hesitated but nodded, sensing her boss’s mood. “Should I schedule another round of interviews?”

“Please do,” Ivy said, her tone weary. “And make sure he isn’t on the list.”

“Okay, ma’am,” Selena said, looking worriedly at Ivy. “Are you okay though? Did he do anything offensive? You seem really angry.”

“Yes, I am, but it’s nothing to concern yourself with,” Ivy said, and Selena nodded.

“If you say so. Also, if it’s because of how I stood you up at…..”

“You’ve already apologized a thousand times. It’s not that. I’m upset but not at you or what happened Friday night,” she said, raising a hand to pinch the bridge of her nose in frustration.

“Okay, ma’am. I’ll leave you now,” Selena said and turned to leave.

“Selena?” Ivy called, and Selena paused, turning to look at Ivy. “Please, next time, do well not to inform interview candidates about how many more candidates we have waiting to be interviewed,” Ivy said, and Selena’s face fell.

“I’m really sorry about that,” Selena said and Ivy nodded.

“It’s fine. Just…. go get me coffee,” she said, and Selena looked at her for a moment before leaving.

This was the first time Selena saw Ivy this angry, and it made her wonder just what Hunter might have done. Ivy had always been free-spirited and easygoing, so if she was this upset, then Hunter had to have done something terrible. Too bad she had thought he was good-looking and might have caught Ivy’s attention.

She hoped the next person wouldn’t be a jerk like Hunter. She thought as she left.

As Selena left, Ivy leaned back in her chair, shaking her head. She couldn’t believe her luck. Of all the chefs in the city, it had to be him.

Though she wasn’t sure how she was going to get another chef in less than two weeks, one thing was certain: Hunter wasn’t getting anywhere near her restaurant—or her life.

Perhaps she should get a chef from one of those agencies? If she waited till the end of the week and no one applied, then she would go for a chef position at one of these agencies.

She was desperate and needed to do something; otherwise, her D-stones Foods might use this as an opportunity against her.

Thinking about her rival restaurant, a sigh escaped her lips. Why do they always look for ways to sabotage her business when she doesn’t even bother with them?

Perhaps it was precisely because she didn’t care what they did that made them keep bothering her. She mused and sat up.

She wasn’t going to think about them. She had things to do, and occupying her thoughts with irrelevant thinking wasn’t going to help.