Overbearing CEO's Contract Love
Chapter 166: By Your Side

Chapter 166: By Your Side

With the skill of a seasoned expert, the man delicately tied a butterfly knot at the back of Emma Hart’s apron before circling to her front, a look of satisfaction painting his features.

Emma Hart, puzzled by the man’s proud demeanor, twisted and turned until she could see the exquisitely tied bow on her apron.

Such attention to detail on a mere apron suggested that mundane life tasks like dealing with groceries could become interesting with him by her side.

Yet, being with Damien Sterling seemed to negate any need to bother with such domestic trivialities.

"How does it look?" Damien Sterling inquired.

"Good," she replied, her tone leaving no room for doubt. What else could Emma Hart say but praise? To dampen his spirits now would be nothing short of heartless.

A British chef, adorned with a tall white hat, approached, his attire exuding a level of sophistication that took Emma Hart by surprise.

She watched, fascinated, as the chef with the demeanor of a gentleman began to meticulously clean the countertop with a pristine white cloth, not allowing a single speck of dirt to remain.

The depth of the chef’s brown eyes, shimmering with a hint of blue, captivated her; his features matched the distinguished look often attributed to British men in the movies, complete with a prominent, sculpted nose.

Underneath his chef’s whites, Emma Hart imagined, must lie a physique as firm as his meticulous standards.

Meanwhile, Damien Sterling stood by, his presence seemingly forgotten as Emma Hart allowed her thoughts to wander freely towards another man.

As the British chef moved, Emma’s gaze inadvertently met Damien’s sharp, penetrating eyes, his look conveying unmistakable annoyance.

It was as though he was silently accusing her of drooling over another man despite having him, a paragon of attractiveness, right in front of her.

Realizing her folly, Emma Hart quickly adjusted her gaze, attempting to look nonchalant as she faced Damien Sterling.

"Mr. Sterling, you’re still here?" she asked, feigning surprise while busying herself with wiping down her own countertop, hoping to cover up her earlier, awkward fascination.

Concerned about Damien’s reaction to her momentary distraction, she wondered how to appease him should his temper flare.

"Leaving would certainly make things easier for you, wouldn’t it?" Damian Sterling gave Emma Hart a fleeting glance, his presence alone enough to unsettle her.

He wondered how she might react if he were actually to leave. The mere thought seemed to send her into a panic.

Emma Hart quickly waved her hands, "Not at all!"

Yet, inside, she was secretly delighted at the prospect of him leaving.

She had never been fond of attending these cooking classes, and there he was, having abandoned his work just to be by her side, making her feel even more uncomfortable.

Looking around for a place to rest her eyes, Emma spotted a table and pointed, "Mr. Sterling, perhaps you could rest over there?"

"Why should I?" he questioned.

Why indeed? Emma glanced at Damian Sterling before lowering her gaze. His eyes always seemed to carry a cold, scrutinizing glare. Surely, she couldn’t reveal her true feelings to him.

"It’s just... this space is a bit cramped, and I thought you might be uncomfortable standing here," Emma offered a casual excuse.

Damian surveyed the surroundings. Though the space was indeed limited, with everyone assigned a specific set of tools, such constraints were hardly an issue for someone like him.

With a slight frown and a beckoning gesture, an attendant quickly came over, eager to please and fearful of neglecting any of his needs.

"Mr. Sterling, how may I assist you?"

"This place is too cramped," Damian stated coldly.

The staff member glanced apprehensively at the area around Emma Hart and Damian Sterling.

While the space wasn’t exactly small, nobody dared to object once Damian Sterling had spoken up.

With a quick gesture, the staff summoned several men who began to clear away the nearby people and equipment.

What was once a cluttered classroom soon had only three tables remaining, significantly opening up the space.

"Is this spacious enough now?"

Emma Hart wished she could bury her head in the sand as the area was cleared with such ostentation.

The women from the tables that had been next to hers looked at her with deep resentment as they left, as if to say, "So what if you’re rich?"

But now, it seemed, being wealthy did indeed make a difference.

"It’s much bigger, spacious enough for me to roll around in," Emma said with a hint of resentment.

It wasn’t just an offhand remark to her, but Damian Sterling took it as a serious request. There was no changing his mind once he decided to act on something.

The British chef began the lesson by methodically introducing the culinary tools commonly used in British cuisine.

Emma Hart, bored and disinterested, found it hard to focus on the intricacies of British cooking.

Meanwhile, Damien Sterling, seated beside her, listened with unexpected attentiveness, occasionally picking up utensils from the table to examine them closely.

Emma glanced at Damien, noting his serious demeanor.

It was one of his qualities she had come to recognize: no matter the task at hand, he approached it with a remarkable level of earnestness.

"Pay attention!" Damien suddenly commanded in a cool tone, just as Emma found herself observing him.

Did this man possess some sort of clairvoyance? His gaze was fixed ahead, yet he seemed aware of her scrutiny.

Avoiding direct eye contact with Damien, Emma glanced at him sideways and reached out tentatively.

"What are you doing?" he asked coldly, turning to face her.

"I was just wondering where your third eye might be," Emma responded as she began to gather her things, picking up a spoon to follow the British chef’s instructions for seasoning.

Damien frowned at her, perplexed by this peculiar woman.

Sometimes, he questioned his own judgment – why was he drawn to someone who engaged in such nonsensical activities and uttered such baffling statements? She was an enigma wrapped in a riddle.

Crash---

Emma looked at the mess she had caused on the floor and offered a sheepish smile. "This...isn’t my fault."

Damien sighed in exasperation, deeming her not just clumsy, but profoundly foolish.

Emma hurriedly bent down to pick up the shattered pieces, but before her hand could touch them, Damien swiftly blocked her, commanding sternly, "Don’t move!"

Emma immediately withdrew her hand, silently swearing that her reaction was not out of obedience to his command but a reflexive response to his stern reprimand.

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