BENEATH THE CREST: A CHARTERHOUSE NOVEL

The week after his dad's "meet the heiress" announcement totally sucked for Jayden. He was walking around school all grumpy, but secretly plotting how to ditch that Stephanie dinner. The idea of his whole life being planned out for him was seriously stressing him out.

He kept seeing Louisa around, and she looked… different. Like, still kinda tired, but also tougher. He knew she was working some crazy job in Hudson Yards. Even the school gossip girls were talking about it.

He felt this weird mix of guilty for being a jerk, impressed that she was actually working her butt off, and just plain curious about her life now. He even found himself wondering if she ever thought about their brief, intense moments at the cove.

That dinner with Stephanie felt like a total chore. He tried to fake being sick, but his dad was all, "Nope, you're going. The Michaelsons are major." Ugh.

As the weekend approached, a restless energy settled over Jayden. The usual distractions – parties, casual hookups – held no appeal. He found himself driving aimlessly through the city, the glittering lights of Hudson Yards drawing him in like a moth to a flame. He knew, logically, that Louisa would likely be working.

The thought of seeing her, serving privileged diners in that opulent setting, sparked a strange impulse within him. He knew Louisa would probably be working. Not a full-blown plan, just this feeling that maybe their totally different worlds weren't so different after all.

He did a U-turn, her determined face stuck in his head. Maybe his "rebellion" wouldn't be some huge drama thing, but just… checking things out.

The sleek black Mercedes slid smoothly into a parking spot a block away from The Gilded Spoon. Jayden told himself he was just bored, killing time before meeting up with Ashtray later. But the truth, a small, insistent voice in his head whispered, was that he wanted to see her.

He walked towards the brightly lit diner, the air outside buzzing with the Saturday night energy of Hudson Yards. The Gilded Spoon's entrance was grand, all polished brass and velvet ropes.

He almost turned back, but then he saw her through the large windows.

Louisa.

She was wearing a crisp black apron over a simple dark dress, her hair pulled back in a neat ponytail. She moved with a surprising efficiency, navigating the crowded floor with a focused intensity he hadn't seen at school.

She took orders with a polite but firm demeanor, her voice clear above the low hum of conversation. She even managed a genuine smile when a small child pointed excitedly at the dessert tray.

Jayden leaned against a nearby lamppost, watching her. It was a side of Louisa he'd never witnessed, a competence and self-assuredness that was both unexpected and… compelling. She wasn't the quiet, slightly overwhelmed scholarship kid he usually saw at Charterhouse. Here, in this different world, she seemed… capable.

He saw a well-dressed man snap his fingers impatiently at her, and Louisa's polite smile didn't waver as she calmly took his order. There was a resilience in her posture, a refusal to be intimidated.

A strange feeling washed over Jayden. It wasn't pity, exactly. More like… respect. He was used to seeing people fawn over his family, his wealth. But Louisa was earning her own way, navigating a demanding job in a world that was likely very different from her own.

He watched her clear a table, her movements quick and efficient. As she turned to head back to the service station, her eyes flicked towards the window and, for a fleeting second, met his.

Her expression shifted almost imperceptibly. A flicker of surprise, maybe even a hint of annoyance, crossed her face before she quickly looked away, disappearing back into the bustling interior of the diner.

Jayden straightened up, a strange mix of emotions swirling within him. He'd seen her. And she'd definitely seen him. He hadn't gone inside, hadn't interrupted her work. He'd just… watched.

He shoved his hands into his pockets and turned away from The Gilded Spoon, the image of Louisa, the working waitress, imprinted in his mind. His earlier rebellious impulse felt different now, less about defiance and more about… understanding.

He still had that stupid dinner with Stephanie looming, but for the first time, a small seed of genuine curiosity about Louisa Wren had taken root.

******

That Wednesday evening, Jayden found himself across a pristine white tablecloth from Stephanie Michaelson in an exclusive, hushed restaurant. Stephanie, impeccably dressed and radiating an air of quiet confidence, had initially greeted him with a polite but somewhat distant demeanor.

"You know," Stephanie said, her gaze softening slightly as she finally met his eyes, "I wasn't particularly thrilled about this arranged meeting. Until now."

A small, almost coy smile played on her lips. "You are even more handsome in person than your photographs suggest."

Jayden, who had been going through the motions with practiced politeness, raised an eyebrow. "Frankly, Stephanie, the feeling is mutual in reverse. I wasn't exactly thrilled about this either. There's someone else I… am interested in." He decided to be blunt, hoping to derail this entire charade.

Stephanie's smile didn't falter. "Oh? And who is this mysterious someone?"

"It's not important," Jayden said dismissively. "Just know that she is far more captivating than you could ever hope to be."

He immediately regretted the harshness of his words, but the suffocating feeling of being trapped fueled his bluntness.

Stephanie chuckled softly, a hint of amusement in her eyes. "Cute! Makes me even more determined. You see, Jayden, we will be engaged soon. You will be my fiancé." Her tone was matter-of-fact, as if it were a done deal.

Jayden scoffed, a humorless laugh escaping his lips. "My father may have forced me into this dinner, Stephanie, but he doesn't get to choose my wife."

"Your attitude is kinda hot, not gonna lie,"Stephanie purred, leaning slightly forward. "Get ready to fall in love with me, Jayden Walton. It's inevitable."

Jayden stood up, a wry smile playing on his own lips this time. He exuded an air of cool composure. "I sincerely wish you luck in your… endeavors, Stephanie. But if you'll excuse me, I have somewhere I need to be."

He turned and gracefully walked away, leaving a slightly bemused but still confident Stephanie at the table. He strode out of the restaurant, the need to see Louisa suddenly overwhelming.

He got into his car and sped through the city, the glittering lights reflecting in his determined eyes. He was heading to The Gilded Spoon. He wouldn't deny it any longer. He needed to see her.