BREWING TRUTHS AND BLENDING FEELINGS
753 Words
*Café Aurelle, Noon — Valemont City*
*The soft hum of conversation and the gentle clinking of cups filled the upscale café. Sunlight streamed through floor-to-ceiling windows, casting warm glows across polished wooden tables. Vici arrived dressed in a sleek beige blazer over a black fitted dress—subtle but commanding. Her heels clicked against the marble floor as she scanned for Selene.*
*Selene (waving):*
“Over here, Boss Lady!”
*Vici offered a half-smile and slid into the seat across from her best friend. A steaming flat white was already waiting for her.*
*Vici:*
“Thoughtful as always.”
*Selene (grinning):*
“I know your order better than I know my own.”
*They both chuckled, but Selene’s expression turned serious almost instantly.*
*Selene:*
“So… the date.”
*Vici (leaning back, sighing):*
“It wasn’t exactly a date. More like… a tense corporate chess game disguised as dinner.”
*Selene:*
“Tense *how*? Did he touch your hand? Was there wine? Was there… prolonged eye contact?”
*Vici (smirking):*
“There was wine. And eye contact. But no touching. He’s... reserved. Intense. Smart.”
*Selene (raising an eyebrow):*
“Smart can be dangerous.”
*Vici:*
“He’s definitely not someone to underestimate. And the way he looked at me... like he was searching for something under the surface.”
*Selene:*
“That’s because he *is*. Vici, you said you’d play it safe. This man doesn’t just come to meetings—he comes with a past and an agenda.”
*Vici (stirring her drink):*
“I know. And yet, I couldn’t help but wonder… does he recognize me? Or is it just curiosity?”
*Selene:*
“Well, you’re unforgettable, so I’d bet on both.”
*They sip in silence for a moment, the air thick with tension, yet comforting in their shared loyalty.*
*Selene (softly):*
“I did some digging, by the way. On Donovan.”
*Vici (looking up sharply):*
“And?”
*Selene:*
“He was sent to the States by his father when he was 20. Built his first company from scratch. Cold. Calculated. But… fair. There’s no mess on record, but that’s what makes it strange.”
*Vici:*
“No mess at all?”
*Selene:*
“Not even rumors. Which means whatever he’s hiding… it’s well hidden.”
*Vici (nodding slowly):*
“I’m starting to see that.”
*Selene:*
“So, what now? What’s your next move?”
*Vici (quietly, with a smirk):*
“I let him keep playing his game. He thinks he’s gathering data—but so am I.”
---
*As their conversation deepened, something began to stir inside Vici—something faint but persistent.*
*Vici (gazing into her cup, tone softer):*
“There’s something about him, Selene. Like... I’ve met someone like him before. Or maybe just the way he moves, speaks... it’s oddly familiar.”
*Selene (narrowing her eyes):*
“You don’t mean—?”
*Vici (cutting in, quickly):*
“No. Not him. Not Lucas.”
*A pause lingered between them at the mention of her ex. Lucas—the name neither of them enjoyed saying out loud. Vici exhaled slowly, her grip tightening slightly around her coffee cup.*
*Vici:*
“But… there’s a chill. Not the same, but it reminds me of how Lucas made me question everything. That ability to look you in the eye and still make you feel like a puzzle being solved.”
*Selene (immediately alert):*
“Then we’re doing this the smart way. I’ll run a deeper check on Donovan—background, connections, the works. Just in case.”
*Vici (shaking her head):*
“No, Selene. I don’t want to go down that road again. You remember what digging too deep cost me last time.”
*Selene (softly):*
“Yes. But remember what *not* digging cost you too.”
*Vici didn’t reply. She simply looked away, knowing Selene was right in ways she didn’t want to admit.*
---
*One Week Later…*
*The soft ping of an email interrupted Vici’s train of thought in her office. She glanced at the screen—and saw the subject line.*
*"CONFIDENTIAL: Donovan Grey — Full Profile."*
*Her brows furrowed. Her fingers hesitated above the mouse. Selene hadn’t said anything about sending it.*
*She opened it. Her eyes scanned the first few lines. Then stopped.*
*Confusion crept into her features. A tightening of her jaw. A slow, almost imperceptible shake of the head. But her eyes—wide with shock—never left the screen.*
*Vici (whispering to herself):*
“…what?”
---
- Writer
