My Ex-Crush, My Husband

The morning rain draped the city in silver, soft and relentless. Pavements shimmered, the air carried a damp chill, and the steady patter of raindrops on tin roofs filled the quiet streets with an almost hypnotic rhythm. Inside Serene Brew, a small café tucked between aging shop houses, warmth reigned. The rich aroma of roasted beans lingered in the air, blending with the sweetness of freshly baked pastries. Customers chatted in low tones, sipping comfort from steaming cups, shielded from the storm outside. Behind the counter, Ana wiped down a table with careful precision. Her movements were practiced, steady — but her eyes told another story. Tired, yet alert. Gentle, yet shadowed. Her long black hair was tied back, though damp strands clung stubbornly to her face. “Morning, Ana!” Mira, her coworker, called cheerfully as she dropped an empty tray near the sink. Ana glanced up with a small smile. “Morning.” To anyone else, it was an ordinary reply. But Mira had worked beside her long enough to notice the heaviness Ana carried like a second skin. It wasn’t exhaustion alone. It was the kind of weight born from wounds no one talked about. Ana arranged cups on the shelf, though her mind wasn’t on the porcelain in her hands. Memories had a way of creeping in when she least wanted them. Memories of a boy she once admired… a boy who had broken her in ways she never admitted to anyone. Roy. Even thinking his name sent a faint tremor through her chest. She hated that. Hated that the scar still ached. “He probably doesn’t even remember me. And yet, after all these years, I sometimes catch myself wishing… for an apology that will never come.” She shook her head, banishing the thought. The last thing she needed was to drown in ghosts while she was on shift. An Arrival That Stole Her Breath The bell above the café door chimed, and a new customer stepped in, bringing a rush of cool air with him. Ana turned instinctively. The sight made her heart stumble. A tall man in a tailored black suit walked in with effortless poise. His hair was neatly styled, every detail of his appearance immaculate. Confidence clung to him like a second skin. The room seemed to tilt toward his presence — customers paused mid-conversation, their eyes following him without realizing. Ana’s pulse spiked. The glass in her hand nearly slipped. It couldn’t be. But it was. Roy. Older now. Sharper. His once-boyish charm had hardened into something far more dangerous — a cold authority that filled the space around him. Ana forced her gaze downward, pretending to busy herself with the notepad in her apron. Her throat tightened as his footsteps carried him to the corner seat, his preferred spot years ago when life was simpler, crueller. “Welcome, sir,” she managed, her voice polite though it wavered slightly. Roy’s gaze landed on her, cool and unwavering. A faint smirk tugged at his lips, but he said nothing at first. He sat, set his phone neatly on the table, and leaned back like a king surveying his domain. The First Words After Years Ana inhaled deeply, gathering courage. Notepad in hand, she walked toward him. Each step echoed louder in her chest than in the café. “What would you like to order, sir?” she asked, tone professional, her eyes fixed on the page instead of his face. Roy looked up at her, and for the first time in years, their eyes met. His voice was smooth, deep, and deliberate. “Black coffee. Same as before.” The words cut sharper than they should have. He remembered. And worse — he wanted her to know that he did. Ana’s chest constricted, but she forced her hand to stay steady as she scribbled the order. “One black coffee,” she murmured before turning away. “Ana.” Her steps faltered. That voice. That name. Spoken with familiarity, heavy with unspoken meaning. Slowly, she turned back. “Yes?” Roy crossed his arms, watching her with a gaze that pierced straight through years of silence. “It’s been a while.” Simple words. Yet they tore through her composure, stirring the storm she had fought so long to keep buried. Old Scars As the coffee brewed, the café blurred around her. Ana’s mind dragged her backward — to classrooms filled with laughter, to the day she had gathered all her courage and handed him a folded note. “I like you.” His response had not been kindness. It had been laughter. Mockery loud enough for others to hear. Friends had joined in, ridiculing her until the shame burned hotter than any flame. She had hidden in the restroom, sobbing quietly, swearing to herself that she would never show weakness again. And she had kept that promise. Except now, the one person she had vowed to forget sat a few feet away, sipping coffee as though fate had decided her scars weren’t deep enough. A Conversation That Shouldn’t Exist She placed the cup before him with steady hands, though her insides quaked. “Your coffee, sir.” Roy’s eyes never left her. He stirred the dark liquid slowly, then said, almost casually, “You still drink coffee, don’t you?” Ana’s breath caught. She glanced at him sharply, masking her shock with coldness. “What does that have to do with you?” Roy leaned back, studying her as though she were a puzzle only he could solve. “I remember. You used to stay up all night studying, with coffee as your companion. You’re still the same, Ana.” Her heart twisted painfully. Memories she had buried clawed to the surface. But she forced her tone to harden. “That’s none of your concern. Please enjoy your coffee.” She turned and walked away before her voice could betray her. Cliffhanger Roy lifted the cup to his lips, his smirk deepening ever so slightly. “Ana… you have no idea. I didn’t come back for coffee. This is only the beginning.” At the counter, Ana gripped the wood so tightly her knuckles whitened. Her chest ached with the weight of unspoken words, her eyes stung with unshed tears. She knew. His reappearance wasn’t chance. And whatever his reason… it would change everything.