Chapter 65
“Are you gonna sko the interview?” Avery asked, her vore coming through the quiet hom of the cafe as I waved goodbye to a regular customer at
ell above the door lingles as they left, and 1 lingered in the aftermaths, trying to shake off the weight of the moment.
“Interview(“Lasked my mind still on the pile of ngs I needed to do, not fully registering her words nutil the realization hit me. “Oh, for the new pastry chef. Are they coming in today?”
“Wes. Three of them” Avery said, looking over the schedule on the casuter, eyes scanning the list before they licked back to me. She was already on edge, Leould tell from the way her shoulders were stiff and the furrow in her bow.
“Well, can you handle it?” I asked, glancing at the kitchen. There was already way too muur le work here. It would be good if I could just stay and work
ch of Sips and Stories and it had been a massive hit with the
customers, he wanted to discuss expanding the brand to other locationis.
“Of course I can” Avery said, though there was a strain in her voice. “Besides, don’t you have a meeting scheduled with Connor Warren today?” “Yes” I replied, my stomach tightening as I thought of the looming meeting. My to–do list had already doubled, and this morning had only just begun “1 go to his office straight from here. Just wanted to drop by and check how things are running
he going to need more staff.” She said, not looking up from the list, but her words hit me like a stap. I had been busy between this partnership and everything. She’s doing my part of the job as well which was indeed stressful. The strain in her voice was unmistakable.
“I know” I said, my chest tightening. It wasn’t just about the staff–it was everything piling up, day after day. “Just put out another advertisement. You find the right people, and I’ll hire them. And we’ll talk about your raise first thing tomorrow morning, okay?”
“Yes. Now go away” She muntered, smiling, almost dismissive as if she knew she was going to refuse. Avery didn’t care for money. She was a single woman in her mid hhties with no family of her own. She just loved doing this jola bout this time I was going to light her and make her accept the raise. She could take a nice varation or buy something nier for or anything she wished to. She had earned it
“Okay” I said, half–smiling, already turning to head for the door.
But then, just as I stepped forward, the familiar weight of dread sculed on my shoulders. The door swung open again. And my heart froze as 1 watched who walked in through those doors.
There he was
The person I never wanted to see again.
My breath caught in my throat, and I stopped mid–step, every muscle in my body tensing as if my very presence in the room was under siege. My momach churned at the sight of the man I had shared space with once.
“Hi, Freya” He said, his voice to casual, to smooth, as if nothing had changed. As nothing had ever happened.
“What in God’s name are you doing here?” I asked, my voice tiglat, my pulse hammering in my
“I came to talk to you” His woier, as always, was calm, measured, but underneath, I could feel the desperation in his words, even if it wasn’t obvious Ho aliyor ele
I shook any head, unwilling to entertain the possibility of any conversation with him. “We have nothing to talk about.”
“Please, just hear the out oure” He said, his tone almost pleasing, but I could see the impatience simmering behind his eyes. His posture was tense -he wasn’t just here for sine inocent conversation And I had no interest in whatever he had to say.
“Get out of larre” I saul, my voter kow, a warning more than a plea. My heart was rating, and every Trouldn’t move. I was frozen to the spot, trapped between who I used to be and the woman I was now.
ery instinct told me to walk away, to escape this, but
“I went to the opening of Sips and Stories” He said, his words coming out too quickly, like he thought they might make a difference. And it did. It lad my lucking attriboji
I could feel the walls closing in The mention of that night–the night I tried to forget–brought a familiar ache, deep in my chest. I was right. It wasnt stress, it wasit alcohol either. I had seen him there, not some fragment of my imagination.
“I saw you. What the
Jack do you want?” I steered before a more troubling thought but me “Are you following me?”
His words turned desperate, his voice taking on a defensive edge, as if he didn’t want to admit what was happening. “No” Hel
The blurted almost too. quickly, shaking his head. The wild look in his eyes gave him away–be wasn’t there by accident. “I just Look, I need to talk to you for a quick
“Make it quick“I supped, my patience already running thin. I didn’t want him here. The faster he was done saying whatever he had to, the faster he would get lost from my sight
“I need some money” He said, his voice almost flat, the words hanging in the air like a slaps
I stared at him unsure whether I’d heard him right. “Sorry, what?” My breath caught in my throat. The way he was behaving till now like he had something ungsortant to say, was this what that talk was about? Did he seriously think I’d help him after everything!
“Your boyfriend threw me out of my jole and made sure that I land a job nowhere in the fucking States. He said, the bitterness dripping from his words, and I felt a flash of anger rive within me.
I wanted to scream at him. It’s not my fault you screwed up your life. But instead, I tightened my grip on the edge of the counter. “I borrowed money from some men” He continued, voice dropping lower as if to conceal the weight of his admission. “But they’re dangerous, and I need to pay them bark
“That’s completely your problem, I shot back, each word coming out colder than the last. My hands were shaking, but I clenched my fists tight enough to stop them. “Why are you telling me this!”
built. “You’ve taken on such big
“I know your business is doing well.” He said, his gaze flicking around the café, almost too aware of the success I’d b collaborations. You’re making the big bucks, You have to help me.”
The audacity of it. He’s delusional. My blood boiled at the thought,
“I have to?” My voice was low and controlled, but underneath, fury simmered. “I don’t have to do fucking anything.”
ties, you
u do. He insisted, his voice raising slightly, as if guilt could still get to me. “It’s your fault that I’m in this position
I took a deep breath, forcing myself to stay calm. But inside, something snapped. I wasn’t the same person who let him manipulate me before. “Oh not” I said, my voice icy. “Absolutely not. You brought yourself here. I didn’t ask you to hit me, did I? So I do not have any obligation to help you.” “Look, I’m saying please. He said, his voice softening, trying to play on the years we’d spent together. But it felt hollow, like a cheap trick. “We were together for two years. Doesn’t that mean anything to your
“No, it doesn’t,” I said, my heart pounding in my chest. He had the nerve to use our relationship to Pathetic, “Now get out”
to create so
some sentimental ground for him.
*Frey-
“Get the hell out!” I interrupted, my voice as slurp as a blade. The tremor in my hands betrayed me, but my words were firm. “Or I’m gonna call security as you”
The cafe was busy, lots of customers were there for breakfast or coffee. Some of them had turned into our conversation but I was way past caring about the kind of brage it was creating for my business. My only concern was to throw him out of here as soon as possible.
His face twisted with rage: “Stupid bitch!” He muntered, storming out of the cafe.
The door slammed slum behind him, and I let out a shaky breath, the tension in my body slowly unraveling-
“Freya” Avery « voire called softly from behind me. She was watching me, her expression a mix of concern and wariness.
I said, though the words felt hollow, as if they were coming from someone else.
that
1 fucking was okay. I was a nervous as just folding it together somehow. I was probably an attempt to suppress the bad thoughts th followed, douglas that said that no matter how much I wished, this wasn’t the last time I would see him.
