Chapter 254 Demand
Mrs. Grayson despised women like Helen. But for the sake of a possible heir, she swallowed he and stayed composed,
Linden, seated nearby, was also gritting his teeth.
He’d been with plenty of women in his life. Sure, many had their own agendas, but at least while they were with him, they stayed faithful.
But Helen? She cheated on him, didn’t even bother to hide it, and still had the nerve to dump everything on his lap–and expect him to play along.
It was revolting.
If his mother hadn’t told him to stay calm, he would’ve lost it by now.
He didn’t even glance at Helen anymore. He kept his head down, eating in silence.
All three of them sat at the table, each trapped in their own thoughts.
Helen had planned her answer before even stepping downstairs. She bit her lip, pretending to think it over, then nodded obediently. “I’ll take the test. But I do have one condition.”
“Say whatever you need to,” Teresa answered quickly.
This was the breakthrough she’d been waiting for–the one thing she’d been stressing over night after night.
She had considered forcing Helen into it if necessary, but coercion wasn’t her style.
Getting Helen to agree on her own was far better.
Now that it was finally happening, a quiet relief settled over her.
Whatever Helen’s condition was, she figured it couldn’t be worse than something money couldn’t fix.
But the answer left her momentarily speechless.
“It’s not hard. I want Caroline to come back and cook for us. You wanted her here as a chef before, didn’t you? So technically, this isn’t just for me.”
Teresa’s expression shifted, her brows tightening slightly.
Hiring any other chef would be simple.
Pay more, and they’d show up.
But Caroline was different. She wasn’t the type to be swayed by money.
And there was no telling if she’d eyen be willing to return.
Teresa forced a polite smile. “There are plenty of chefs in Kingville better than Caroline ….
Whether Helen genuinely liked Caroline’s cooking didn’t matter. What truly mattered was getting Caroline into that house. That was the entire point.
Teresa looked reluctant to do this, but she still gave a nod: “Alright then. I’ll find a way to in
Just don’t forget what you promised me.
The next morning, she rushed out not long after breakfast, heading straight to the restaurant to track dow Caroline.
It had taken so much to get Helen to agree. She couldn’t afford any delays now.
By the time she arrived, Caroline was wiping down tables, completely absorbed in her work.
“Morning, Caroline,” Teresa greeted as she walked inside with a faint smile.
Caroline looked up, a little caught off guard. “Teresa? What are you doing here this early?”
Teresa’s expression softened, though some of its case faded. There was a hint of awkwardness as she said. “I need a favor.”
She remembered trying to hire Caroline back before she had the restaurant, and even then, Caroline had refused, no matter how much she offered.
And now that she had her own place? There was no way she’d leave it behind to become someone’s private chef.
That’s why she couldn’t just ask her to take the job–she came to ask for help. She only needed Caroline’s presence long enough to get Helen to follow through.
“You could’ve just called,” Caroline said while pulling out a chair. “You didn’t have to come all the way here. Sit down, Teresa.”
Teresa sat slowly and let out a deep sigh. “I don’t mind the journey. The thing is … this might put you in a difficult spot. But I really don’t know who else to ask. I was hoping you might help me out.”
Something like this couldn’t be explained properly over the phone. And showing up in person meant she was sincere.
“Just say it, Teresa. If it’s something I can handle, you know I will.” Caroline didn’t understand what kind of trouble the Graysons couldn’t manage on their own.
“Helen’s been refusing to take the paternity test ever since she got here,” Teresa explained. “But yesterday, she finally agreed–under one condition.”
The moment she heard that, Caroline’s stomach sank. Something didn’t feel right.
She had a feeling this was all about her, and she wouldn’t put it past Helen to use this as an opening to set her up again.
Caroline pressed her lips into a tight line. “What does she want this time?”
She hadn’t even settled the score from the last time Helen tried to drag her down.
And now, that witch was plotting another scheme.
Mrs. Grayson hesitated before saying, “She says she likes your cooking and wants you to come cook at the house.” After a brief pause, she added, “I know you’re busy with your own place. You don’t have to go just because she asked.”
