Hello, Ex! I Finally Found My Worth! - Chapter 55

Chapter 55: A Month

Hunter stepped out of the building, a smug grin playing on his lips as he thought about all that had happened.

The way Ivy had dismissed him in anger earlier didn’t faze him. In fact, it only added fuel to his confidence. She’ll call me eventually, he thought to himself. They always do.

But why did she seem rather too annoyed? Had she recalled what happened at the club? That had to be it. He thought, and without thinking, he returned inside.

Thankfully, Selena wasn’t on seat, so he walked briskly to Ivy’s office. Once he got there, he knocked once.

“Come in,” Ivy said, thinking it was Selena who had gone to get her coffee.

“What are you doing here after I asked you to leave?” Ivy asked hotly, and Hunter looked at her, a mischievous glint dancing in his eyes.

“You remember now, don’t you?” Hunter said, and Ivy blinked back in surprise.

“Remember what? Just get out, or else I’m going to call security,” she threatened, determined not to show how flustered she was.

“Go ahead then. I know you remember, and you’re only stopping me from working here because you’re scared. You’re scared you’re going to give in to me eventually,” Hunter said, flashing her a challenging smile.

“Give in to you? Don’t flatter yourself. You’re not my type,” Ivy said, even though that was a lie, considering his handsome appearance.

He was tall and strong, with fair skin that made his dark, neatly styled hair stand out. His bright blue eyes sparkled with a quiet mystery, framed by thick, dark eyebrows. His sharp jawline and straight nose gave him a clean, handsome look, while his full lips added warmth to his face.

She could have easily acknowledged him, but the fact that he knew just how handsome he looked and thought every girl would die for his looks was what irked her.

Hunter saw the way Ivy looked at him, and it made him realize that with just a little push, he was going to win the bet.

“Fine. If you’re not scared to fall for me, then let me work here. I know you might think otherwise, but I need the job—as much as you need my skills.”

“I don’t need your skills. They’re quite a lot of chefs out there….”

“Yet I’m the only one here,” Hunter cut in again, and Ivy glared at him, annoyed he was right.

Hunter sighed, determined to get her to let him work here. “Fine. How about a month? Give me a month to prove that I really need the job. Since I’m not your type, I’m sure you won’t have a problem letting me work here. Please?” Hunter added, taking Ivy by surprise.

She had never thought he would beg her this way for the job, and even though she was tempted to give him the job right there, she refrained from doing so.

“I’ll think about it and get back to you,” she said and Hunter looked at her for a moment before nodding.

“Alright. I’ll be looking forward to working for you. Thanks for your time,” Hunter said before stepping out to see Selena, who had been out there eavesdropping.

He winked at her and left, leaving her cheeks burning a crimson pink. “I guess Ivy is attracted to him and is fighting it,” Selena said with a silly grin before hurting inside to drop the coffee.

Immediately after Hunter got outside, he reached into his pocket, and retrieved his phone and dialed Derek’s number. It rang twice before Derek’s familiar voice answered.

“What’s up?” Derek asked the moment he received the call, and Hunter grinned.

“Guess what,” Hunter said, his excitement evident.

“Guess what?” Derek replied, his exasperation growing. “You think I have time for games? Just spit it out!”

“I just left her office,” Hunter announced, his voice brimming with triumph.

“Her?” Derek sounded confused for a second, then groaned. “You mean Ivy, don’t you?”

“Of course,” Hunter said, leaning casually against his car as if the world revolved around him.

“What were you doing there?” Derek asked, his curiosity tinged with skepticism. “Wait—what exactly did you do, Hunter?”

Hunter chuckled, relishing the moment. “I applied for a chef position at her restaurant.”

There was silence on the other end of the line, followed by a sharp inhale. “What? Are you insane?” Derek burst out. “You’re going that far just to win a stupid bet?”

Hunter rolled his eyes, though a flicker of irritation crept into his smirk. “The bet is only part of it,” he said, and Derek frowned.

“What do you mean?” he asked curiously.

“I told you my dad wanted to see me yesterday? Well, he threatened to cut me off….”

“What? Why would he do that?” Derek cut in, feeling sorry for Hunter since he knew how badly Hunter and his dad never got along.

“Well, he wants proof that I can stand on my own two feet in running the restaurant, and the only way is to take down our rival, who happens to be you know who. You know there’s no way I’m giving up on my mother’s only inheritance,” Hunter said as he got into his car.

Derek sighed heavily. “So this isn’t just about her? You’re seriously telling me it’s a coincidence that the woman you’ve been trying to bring down happens to run Frenchies & Fries?”

“Yeah. Although I don’t like what I’m going to do but, I think it serves her right,” Hunter replied, his grin returning. “She embarrassed me, and now she’s in the perfect position to hand me exactly what I need. Two birds, one stone.”

Derek groaned again, the sound of his palm smacking his forehead almost audible through the phone. “Let me guess: she didn’t fall for your charm?”

“Not yet,” Hunter admitted, though his tone remained confident. “She wouldn’t even let me get through the interview. But I’ve tried to sway her. I’m sure she’ll call me soon.”

“I’m almost afraid to ask,” Derek muttered. “What did you do, Hunter? And does it involve getting yourself arrested or humiliated again?”

Hunter chuckled. “Of course not. Relax, okay,” Hunter said, waving off the question as though Derek could see him. “I’ve got this under control. She’s already riled up, which means I’m getting under her skin. All I have to do is keep pushing, and soon enough, she’ll slip.”

“You’re insane,” Derek said flatly. “Look, whatever you’re thinking, be careful. This could blow up in your face faster than you realize.”

“Thanks for the vote of confidence,” Hunter replied sarcastically.

“I’m serious,” Derek said, his tone turning more stern. “You have a history of making things worse for yourself. Don’t let your pride mess this up.”

“Noted,” Hunter said breezily, clearly uninterested in his friend’s advice. “Anyway, I’ll call you when I’ve got something worth sharing. Later!”

Before Derek could protest, Hunter ended the call and slipped his phone back into his pocket. His smirk deepened as he replayed Ivy’s reaction in his mind.

She thinks she’s untouchable, he thought, shaking his head. But I’ll show her. No one looks down on Hunter Stone. He thought as he drove off.

He straightened his jacket and started walking, his mind already piecing together the next step of his plan. Whatever it took, he was determined to win the bet and prove to Ivy—and everyone else—that he was a force to be reckoned with.