CHAPTER 8

WHEN THE night came, Dakota decided to go up to the rooftop of the restaurant to get some fresh air. She still wearing an apron because the work at the restaurant is not yet finished. She felt something strange, but she couldn't identify what it was. Something hurt in her back but she didn't get hit. No one hit either.

"Dakota, what are you doing here?"

Dakota almost jumped when she heard Ivo's voice. She turned to him and bowed. "I am sorry, C-chef. I was just taking a breather. I'm going back to the restaurant." She said and took a step to leave but was stopped when she heard Ivo's voice. "It's fine," he said.

She looked at him and did not leave her position but the young man stepped towards the bench near her place.

"It's relaxing here, isn't it?" he said after a few seconds.

Dakota nodded in response. Ivo didn't move for several minutes. Even she didn't speak because she didn't know what to say. She only knows one thing, her heart is beating fast. Dakota guess it was because she was afraid that she would be scolded. If there is another reason, she doesn't know.

'Chef seems to have a problem,' she said to herself.

Only now had he observed Ivo so closely and freely. His skin is white and looks soft. Being stuck and seeming too serious in life is also the first thing that comes to Dakota's mind now. Almost everything is in here. Handsome, famous, and rich. But why doesn't he seem to have a girlfriend?

That's when she remembered that girl who kissed him when they went to a friend of his.

'Who is she?'

Dakota slowly sat down where she was sitting earlier and Ivo stepped aside. She just looked at him while looking into the distance. She gulped when he leaned over to glance at her. "This is where I always go whenever I need someone to talk to or I need a place to feel relaxed. This is my comfort place." Dakota didn't know why he was telling her that.

"You can stay here if you just need a place where you can think," he said. The young man moved a little more to give her a proper place on the bench.

Dakota just bowed. She did not know how long they stayed in that place. It's just that she felt at peace while the two of them were there and freely observed the dark sky with a few stars.

"Chef Ivo?"

Their attention was drawn to Wendy when they heard her voice coming from the door to the restaurant. They both turned to it. "Why?" asked Ivo.

"C-chef... someone is looking for you downstairs," said Wendy.

Ivo's face filled with curiosity. He also frowned. "Who?"

"It's... it's Miss Claire."

Although Dakota was not sure, Ivo's facial expression seemed to have changed. His eyes seemed to be filled with anger, which surprised her greatly. That's what she saw in his eyes when they saw that woman at the party when they went to his friend's party.

"WHY do we even come here?" asked Myra—Claire's best friend.

"Isn't it obvious? We're here because of Ivo. I need to talk to him about last time," Claire said. They went inside and sat in a corner and called out to Ashton.

"Yes, Miss Claire?"

"Ashton, where's Ivo?" she asked with raised eyebrows. Claire knows all of Ivo's employees at the restaurant and she knows that they also know her for who she is in Chef Ivo's life.

Ashton turned to his companions before answering. "Chef is on the rooftop."

"Alright. Tell him I'm here," she said.

"B-but..."

"I said to tell him I'm here. Are you deaf?"

Ashton wanted to answer the girl but Shane interjected. "Ah… Miss Claire, just a moment. We've called Chef. Just excuse us. Come on, Ashton." She pulled the young man. Claire glared at Ashton before talking to her friend again.

"We need to get back together," she said seriously to Myra.

"What? Are you out of your mind? You two don't have a relationship, do you?"

Claire raised her eyebrows. It was obvious on her face that she didn't like what she heard from her friend. "Shut up, Myra! Can you just support me?" she whispered to her friend who was still being tortured.

After a while, they noticed that Ivo was approaching their direction. Claire stood up to greet the young man with a kiss but he quickly dodged it.

"What are you doing here?" the young man asked her coldly.

"Why? Is it bad for me to visit my boyfriend?" Claire's smile is sweet.

"Boyfriend? Are you out of your mind, Claire? You know what, just leave, okay? I have customers today, please… It's embarrassing for people. Don't make a scene here." Ivo tried to calm down so as not to attract the attention of the customers in the restaurant. When he saw the guard who had entered and approached them, the young man was about to turn away but Claire grabbed his arm and stopped him.

"Babe... I miss you so much." She hugged Ivo. It doesn't matter if they get everyone's attention.

Ivo tried to stay calm. He holds Claire's two arms. "Listen, we don't have a relationship. We are just friends. Nothing more than that. Please stop this."

"No, let's talk first. Please, Ivo. I'm so sorry... I know it's my fault. Forgive me, babe." He looked up to look her in the eyes but Ivo's eyes remained elsewhere.