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.

lamb–I was actually starting to enjoy myself. The chef handed us each a mortar and pestle, explaining the importance of

herbs filling the space between us. It was an oddly intimate experience, cooking with him like this. It felt so… domestic. Something that

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 cheeks under

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

1/3

+25 BONUS

Chapter 0447

you’re concentrating.”

impossible, you

“Only for you.”

the kitchen. That was, until I accidentally flicked a bit of chocolate batter

still,” he said, walking over to

his lips brushing the tip of my nose as he kissed

at Chef Marco, who

asked, feigning innocence. “Couldn’t let that chocolate go to

with our meal: creamy mushroom risotto, herb–crusted lamb, and the

I marveled, taking a bite of the lamb. It was perfect–tender, juicy, and

raised his glass of wine with that

reddened, wondering what on Earth was going on inside his head, but I

Melody sound asleep in her crib, Noah disappeared into the bedroom, only to return with a bottle of wine

Fully nude.

tub?” he asked, holding up the wine bottle as if it were an invitation to

a shiver of excitement ripple through me at the sight of

ask.”

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

Noah said, handing me my glass and climbing in beside

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