Chapter 4

Ever since our agreement, I gave Serena a huge monthly food allowance.

I stopped rushing home to cook and threw myself entirely into work.

The feeling of staying productive was addictive.

Serena began binge-eating. Double cheeseburgers and soda for breakfast, fried chicken and pasta for lunch, loaded barbecue and beer for dinner, followed by midnight snacks.

Four calorie bombs a day. It was impossible not to gain weight.

In just one month, Serena put on twenty pounds.

Before, gaining twenty pounds would have made her cry for a week.

Now, watching the scale tick up, she smiled with satisfaction.

Hearing the front door open, she stepped off the scale and hung my coat in the closet.

"Babe, I got a surprise for you."

Seeing my mysterious smile, she asked curiously, "A surprise? What is it? Is it that diamond necklace I liked the other day?"

I shook my head. "No. I did some research and hired a private chef who's also a certified nutritionist."

Her excited expression instantly froze. Her brow furrowed with fury. "A nutritionist?!"

"Christian, you promised not to control my weight! You got rid of the yoga trainer, and now you bring home some damn nutritionist!"

"Do you still think I'm fat?!"

Her voice grew louder and shriller.

She thought I was trying to sabotage her pursuit of Ethan again.

I handed her a box of cream cake. "Calm down first. Hear me out."

"I went to a private club for a business dinner recently. The food was incredible, and I thought it would suit your taste, so I chatted with the chef."

"Turns out he's a certified nutritionist too. I immediately thought of you and hired him as your private live-in chef."

"I'll be extremely busy over the next few months, and I have to travel abroad. He'll handle all your meals and late-night cravings. We have plenty of guest rooms, so he can stay in one."

Hearing this, Serena relaxed, though she was still skeptical. "Is his food really that good?"

I opened the door and signaled the man outside to come in.

"Chef White, this is my wife. From now on, you'll be catering solely to her."

The moment Serena heard the name "White," her heart leaped into her throat.

She swallowed hard and stared fixedly at the doorway.

Ethan stepped out from behind me and gave a polite nod. "Hello, Mrs. Vance, my name is—"

He stopped dead in his tracks when he realized Mrs. Vance was Serena, the woman he had rejected.

"What... Serena?!"