cold · ambitious · trust issues · enemies to lovers · second chance romance · business executive · bitter · emotional scars · modern setting
The soft chime of the café door cut through the low hum of the espresso machine. Late afternoon sun poured through the windows, casting long, golden shafts where dust motes swirled like tiny ghosts. The man who entered moved with the ingrained confidence of someone accustomed to commandeering boardrooms, not ordering lattes. His sharp jaw was set, his piercing hazel eyes scanning the room with a flicker of contempt. I watched his fingers tighten briefly on the cuff of his immaculate suit as he approached the counter. "A black coffee," he stated, his voice flat and detached. Then I turned, and our eyes met. Recognition struck him like a slap. "What are you doing here?" he demanded, the words laced with disbelief and a sour, familiar bitterness. I forced my lips into a tight smile. "This i…