Alpha's Regret After Her Rebirth by Aurora Starling

Chapter 0447

Hannah

I could hardly catch my breath. The chef–the private chef–that Noah had apparently hired was bustling around the kitchen, bags of fresh produce and gourmet ingredients piled in his arms.

I glanced at Noah, still reeling from the shock of it all. We weren’t just staying in some lavish rental, we had our own chef to cook us a gourmet meal. The level of planning behind this trip was beyond anything I had expected for a simple weekend getaway.

“A private chef?” I whispered, leaning close to Noah.

Noah chuckled, slipping an arm casually around my waist. “That’s right,” he said smoothly. “Chef Marco will be teaching us how to cook some gourmet meals. I thought it could be a fun… couples thing.”

My cheeks flushed, but before I could say anything else, the chef turned to us with a jovial smile. “Good evening!” he greeted. “I’m Chef Marco. If you two are ready, you can go ahead and put on your aprons.”

I blinked, still trying to process everything as I returned his smile with a small one of my own. “I hope we’re not in over our heads here,” I admitted. “I’m not exactly the best cook in the world.”

Noah snorted. “I beg to differ. I’m really the one who needs the assistance.”

For the next hour, under the chef’s careful guidance, Noah and I found ourselves chopping, stirring, and sauteing like seasoned chefs. Well, Noah looked the part, anyway. I was still fumbling through the motions, my brows knit together in concentration as I stirred the risotto.

“The key to a perfect risotto is in the stirring,” the chef explained. “It’s all about slowly releasing the starch from the rice, giving it that creamy texture we’re aiming for.”

I followed his instructions, stirring the rice steadily as it absorbed the savory broth, the heady aroma of sauteed mushrooms and white wine filling the air. It was almost hypnotic, the rhythmic motion of the spoon, the soft hiss of the ingredients melding together in the pan.

I glanced over at Noah, who was watching me with a strange glint in his eye.

“What?” I asked.

Noah shrugged and quickly looked away. “Nothing. Carry on as you were.”

Strange, I thought, but I rolled my eyes good–naturedly and returned to my work.

starting to enjoy myself. The chef handed us each a mortar and

intimate experience, cooking with him like this. It felt so… domestic. Something that I still wasn’t used to after feeling like

Noah sneaking glances at me as he ground the herbs, his focus not entirely on the task at hand.” What is it?” I asked again, feeling the heat rise to my

he replied with a smile, his voice soft. “Just… thinking about

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+25 BONUS

Chapter 0447

you’re concentrating.”

impossible, you

“Only for you.”

I accidentally flicked a bit of chocolate batter onto my

still,” he said, walking over to

my nose as he kissed away the chocolate. His tongue darted out briefly, making me gasp in

yelped, half–laughing, half–scandalized. I glanced at Chef Marco, who had tactfully turned away, busying himself with

Noah asked, feigning innocence. “Couldn’t

finished, the table was set with our meal: creamy mushroom risotto, herb–crusted lamb, and the decadent souffle.

bite of the lamb. It was

of wine with that same serene smile as before.

on inside his head, but I managed to clink my glass against

Noah disappeared into the bedroom, only

Fully nude.

to join me in the hot tub?” he asked, holding up the wine bottle as if it

felt a shiver of excitement ripple through me at the sight of him in all

ask.”

was crisp, the stars above twinkling like tiny diamonds scattered across the sky. Noah poured us each a glass of wine while I stripped off my clothes. Yelping at the cold evening air, I jumped into the hot tub before he had a

said, handing me my glass and

I sighed, taking a sip. “Thank you, Noah. But