Chapter 233: The Little Things
For perhaps the first time in his life, he found himself at a complete loss for words.
On the other end of the line, Maya remained equally silent.
Then, to Damien’s growing irritation, she laughed.
Not loudly.
Just enough to make it clear she found the situation far more amusing than she should have.
“What?”
Maya tried to suppress her laughter.
“Nothing.”
Damien frowned.
“Maya…”
Another laugh escaped her. This time, much louder and completely unrestrained.
“Okay, okay. I’m sorry.”
His expression darkened slightly.
“I asked a simple question.”
“Exactly!” Maya said before quickly covering her mouth. “I mean… it just caught me off guard a little.”
The amusement gradually faded from her voice.
After their last misunderstanding, she knew Damien had been making an effort.
An effort that clearly did not come naturally to him.
Now she felt slightly guilty for bursting that bubble.
Clearing her throat, she shifted on the couch.
“Okay. I’m serious now.”
Damien remained silent.
“So…” Maya tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear. “About your question.”
“Forget it.”
“No, no. Wait a second, Mister.” Maya sat up immediately. “You can’t take it back now.”
“Can’t I?”
“No.”
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Chapter 233 The Little Things
“Why not?”
“Because I already have an answer.”
That finally seemed to catch his attention.
“Oh?”
A smile spread across Maya’s face as she settled back against the couch.
“Yes. I do want something.”
A brief pause followed.
“But only on one condition.”
“What condition?”
“You have to get it yourself.”
Damien frowned.
“I just said I would.”
“No.” Maya shook her head even though he couldn’t see it. “I mean actually get it yourself.”
A faint crease appeared between his brows.
Maya grinned.
“You know… walk into the store. Stand in line. Order it yourself.”
“That’s your condition?”
“Yes.”
Damien glanced toward the waiting vehicle parked at the curb.
“That’s easy.”
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“Good.” Maya sounded entirely too pleased with herself. “Then I want a slice of peean Cheesecake and an
iced white chocolate mocha with oat milk, an extra shot of espresso, and light ice.”
A brief pause followed.
“Oh! And one less pump of white chocolate.”
Damien was silent.
“What?” Maya asked. “Do you need me to repeat that? Actually, wait. I can just text it to you.”
“No need. I got it.”
A faint smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.
“You’ve clearly spent time thinking about this.”
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“Well, yes,” Maya said unapologetically. “I’ve been craving cheesecake all week.”
“You could have asked for one.”
“I know.”
“Then why didn’t you?”
“Because I didn’t need one.”
Damien pinched the bridge of his nose.
“That logic makes no sense.”
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“It makes perfect sense,” Maya argued. “Craving it means I want it. It doesn’t mean I need it. You asked if I needed something.”
A beat passed.
“Now I think I need it.”
“No. It doesn’t.”
Maya laughed.
Then she added, “There’s a little café called Bean & Barrel about ten minutes from the manor. They make it
properly.”
“Bean & Barrel,” Damien repeated.
“Mm–hmm. Just tell them exactly what I ordered. They’ll know what to do.”
This time, Damien allowed himself a small smile.
“Anything else, love?”
“Mmmm…” Maya pretended to think about it. “Nope. That’s all.”
A second later, she gasped.
“Oh! I do want one more thing.”
“What?”
“Evidence.”
Damien frowned.
“Evidence of what?”
“That you actually got it yourself.”
A reluctant chuckle escaped him.
“You don’t trust me?”
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Chapter 233 The Little Things
“trust you,” Maya said immediately. “I just don’t trust you not to send someone else.”
Damien shook his head.
“Fine. You’ll get your evidence.”
“Yay!”
The excitement in her voice made his smile deepen.
“Thank you, love.”
“You’re welcome.”
“Now you better get going,” Maya added. “Dinner will be served soon.”
“I’ll see you shortly.”
“Drive safe.”
A brief silence settled between them.
Then Damien said quietly,
“I love you.”
The response came without hesitation.
“I love you too.”
A moment later, the line disconnected.
Damien lowered the phone from his ear just as someone cleared their throat behind him.
“Excuse me, Sir.”
Turning, Damien found James standing a few feet away.
Clam
Judging by the look on his face, he had been there long enough to hear far more of the conversation than
Damien would have preferred.
“What are you standing there for?”
James straightened immediately.
“The arrangements have been finalized, Sir.”
“Then what are you waiting for?”
Without waiting for an answer, Damien started toward the vehicle.
“Let’s go.”
“Of course, Sir.”
James fell into step beside him.
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Chapter 233 The Little Things
By the time they reached the curb, the driver had already stepped out and opened the rear door.
Damien entered the vehicle while James slid into the front passenger seat.
A moment later, the vehicle pulled away from the curb and merged smoothly into traffic.
Several seconds passed before James spoke.
“I’ve already informed the manager that we’ll be stopping by shortly, Sir.”
Damien looked up from his phone.
“Let them know I’m going in myself.”
“Understood.”
Pulling out his phone, James quickly sent another message.
Almost immediately, he felt a twinge of sympathy for the store manager.
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Earlier that day, Damien had already placed the order online with explicit instructions that everything be prepared for collection that evening.
Naturally, James had assumed he would be the one handling the pickup.
That was how such things usually worked.
He would arrive, collect the order, verify everything was correct, and return to the vehicle.
Simple. Efficient. Routine.
At no point had it occurred to James that his boss intended to enter the store personally.
Under normal circumstances, any establishment receiving advance notice of Damien Blackwood’s arrival would immediately begin preparing a private area and limiting unnecessary access to ensure his privacy.
For most managers, such preparations were standard procedure.
Unfortunately for this particular store, the latest instruction would require a complete change of plans.
If Damien intended to enter the store himself, every detail would need to be perfect before he arrived.
And with less than thirty minutes remaining, James could only hope the manager was capable of making the necessary adjustments in time.
His gaze briefly shifted toward the back seat.
Damien appeared to be in an unusually good mood.
James had worked for him long enough to know such occasions were rare.
It would be deeply unfortunate for everyone involved if that mood were ruined by something preventable.
James glanced at his phone.
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Chapter 233–The Little Things
Then a thought occurred to him.
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If everything somehow went catastrophically wrong, he could always send Maya a message and ask her
to call.
Experience had proven that she possessed a remarkable ability to improve Damien’s mood.
In fact, it had become effective often enough that James found the possibility oddly reassuring.
Surely his backup plan would work.
Hopefully, it wouldn’t be necessary.
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Cedella
Cedella is a passionate storyteller known for her bold romantic and spicy novels that keep readers hooked from the very first chapter. With a flair for crafting emotionally intense plots and unforgettable characters, she blends love, desire, and drama into every story she writes. Cedella’s storytelling style is immersive and addictive—perfect for fans of heated romances and heart-pounding twists.