Chapter 32

Helen stood by the main door watching as her friends safely drove off before closing the door so no one could enter. Finally, the day she had been planning for more than a year had come and gone. It was strange how much time and effort you invest in something only for it to pass in the blink of an eye. Countless worrying all for one day to be over so quickly.

The waiters were currently cleaning off the tables ahead of their shift for tomorrow while the chefs talked about the best and least liked dishes.

Helen felt like a child who received a treat for being good. There was no greater feeling than investing in a dream and watching it blossom right before your eyes. It was a small start to her big plans but it was a good beginning. She never believed as a child she would be able to generate money from her own business but instead would be slaving away working for someone else.

"Thinking about how you're going to take over Harlow city?" Eli questioned making his presence known as it appeared Helen was lost in wonderland. He saw a fire burning in her eyes to achieve much more. He admired her determination to create a name for herself in a cutthroat city like Harlow

"You have no idea," Helen replied already thinking of her next step. "Every day I'm getting closer to my empire. It's going to be a hard journey but I know I'll get there. Maybe sooner than I expect if I plan carefully."

Eli crossed his toned arms and stated, "You have the fire inside of you to accomplish it. I don't see why you won't be a household name in the next few years."

"Maybe I'll take you off your pedestal and be the talk of the town business tycoon," Helen said jokingly. She knew he had too much of a head start when it came to owning businesses to even measure up to competing with him in this lifetime.

"I'll let you enjoy your successful day rather than humbling you. I don't want to see you crying after a good day. Because sweetheart, no one is going to take me off anything," He promised her. Others have tried many schemes to bring him down and have yet to successfully obtain their goal. However, Eli welcomed her with open arms to attempt. "I'm always free to offer advice."

Helen squinted her eyes at Eli at the offer of advice. "What's the price? Nothing in the world comes without a price. What do you want in exchange? And don't say you're just being a gentleman."

"Then, let's say you'll just owe me a favor in the future."

"Nothing sexual," She added. She wasn't that desperate or eager to know his business tips if it meant she had to sleep with him in the future. He could keep all his tips if that would be the case. Helen wouldn't sleep with someone just to gain knowledge.

"What do you take me for?" Eli mused at the accusation the favor would be sexual. He had no use for sexual favors. There were too many women in his circle offering themselves for him to need a sexual favor.

But it was good she brought that up. He knew many others who the favor would be sexual but he would steer her away from those people. Not that he really needed to considering she had a good head on her shoulders where she would not accept the offer.

"Well, I don't know you good enough to know what your favors are. It could be sex, killing someone, money, or worst, my land!" She exclaimed with a loud gasp pointing her finger at him accusingly. "I'm unto you.'

'This woman,' Eli thought with a growing grin appearing on his face while he was in disbelief by her words. When would she let the land thing go and why was killing someone added to the list?

"Cross my heart nothing sexual," He promised but wondered if these promises meant something a semi-dead heart. He still crossed his heart to show he was serious.

"Good! Before we go I want to talk to my staff," She told Eli who offered to drive her home earlier. Helen planned to just hitch a ride with Jennifer home but this was better.

"I'll be in the car out front," He said, leaving the restaurant so she could have a private moment with her employees.

"Thank you."

"Can I have everyone in the main room!" Helen loudly yelled for everyone to know she wanted them to meet right now. "Sasha, Jacob!"

Cody, Nicole, and Marc were already here, she just needed Jacob and Sasha to come out of the kitchen. Once everyone had gathered she proceeded to thank them for a job well done on their first day.

"Thank you everyone for working so hard and helping me achieve my dream. I am extremely proud to see how hard you guys worked today and can't wait to enjoy the future of Essence with all of you. I look to all of you like family," Helen almost teared up feeling moved by their work ethic today but she didn't want her mascara to run. "I love you guys."

"Anything for you boss," The twins simultaneously said then looked at each other. They hated when they both talk at the same time.

"Why are you always copying me? Wasn't my face enough?" Cody accused his brother Jacob.

"I said it first plus I'm older than you so it's you who keeps copying me," replied Jacob.

"That doesn't even make sense and we don't know if you're older."

"Well, you keep acting childish."

"Here we go," Helen sighed rubbing her temples to rid the growing frustration. "Jacob and Cody please go home and stop arguing. I'm going to have a headache if you two carry on for much longer."

Still having a stare down the twins both agreed to head home for the night. They weren't tired but needed some time to relax in their natural state. Pretending to be human was painful.

"Sasha you should head home too. You'll be here early tomorrow," Helen told her head chef. Sasha worked extremely hard with Jacob pushing out all those dishes today. "When the workload becomes too much please tell me so I could look into hiring more help for you in the kitchen."

"No problem. See you tomorrow boss," came Sasha's response with her usual monotone voice. Helen first believed the woman was a robot with the way she talked and her behavior.

"You can leave right now boss. I will close up tonight as practice for the days when you won't be here," Marc notified Helen. He still felt like he had more to prove to Helen when it came to being a good manager.

"Are you sure?" Helen asked not wanting to leave Marc here alone to turn off the lights and close the main door. "It won't take long-"

"You have someone waiting for you outside who's been here the whole day. Go enjoy the presence of having Eli King slowly wrapping around your finger," Marc teased Helen who smiled in return.

"Okay. I'm putting my faith in you to close up properly. You'll have to do it in the future when I'm not here anyway. You better not leave the door open or I'll hunt you down," Warned Helen and she meant every word. She'll kick his ass if he leaves her doors unlocked.

The last thing she needed right now would be her manager not locking up properly. Helen was paranoid a lot of the time and didn't put too much faith in someone but this was her manager and she had to trust him.

"Goodnight," She hugged Marc then strutted out of the door but closed it back before she left. Helen took one final look at the inside Essence which was still lit up before she finally walked over to Eli's car.

She noticed his car door open when he seemingly realized she was coming out and wanted to open her door but she stopped him. There was no reason for him to get out of the car just to open her door although she did appreciate his manners.

Opening her car door herself, she sat inside the same car from her first date.

"I wonder how all your fans would react to you being my date the whole day and taking me home," Helen teased putting on her seatbelt.

"I have no fans. I don't need crazy people being interested in my life. I now believe that interview was a mistake," Admitted Eli as he brought the car to life. Noah had notified him of a few fake social accounts made for him. It was a nuisance.

"Come on, you don't like being loved by so many people?"

"That has nothing to do with love more like infatuation or an obsession. They take interest in you one day and then they're interested in someone the next. Keep me out of it," He said wanting no parts of being sought after by random people all for his looks.