CHAPTER 004 - BLACK, NO SUGAR
1229 Words
SABRINA'S POV
The city felt different.
It was calmer, nicer and brighter.
Or maybe it was me that was different. Maybe it was me that had changed.
Two Years had gone by already.
Two years since I moved to a new City with my best friend, Natalie, and bought our first home together.
A charming lakeside cottage with a blooming garden out front, where Natalie and I spend our evenings sipping tea, with our girl cat, Mochi.
“Bae, are you ready?” Natalie's voice echoed from the living room, downstairs. I could already hear the familiar jingle of her car keys.
“Yes, yes, yes… Just a minute, Boo!” I answered, slipping my bag over my shoulder.
Mochi meowed from the windowsill, yawning and stretching lazily as I rushed past her.
But I couldn't resist. I rushed back to her, planting several kisses on her fluffy, snowy face. “Bye, Mochi.”
“I’m coming, Boo,” I smiled mischievously, finally running out of the room.
Natalie and I had built a simple, beautiful rhythm here.
Every morning, she would drop me off at work before heading to her's, the car filled with our chatter, and soft music.
Natalie was working as a Chief Marketing Officer at one of the Country's top companies. While I owned a blooming cozy café called Christian's Corner. One that won Best New Café of the year at the City's food and lifestyle awards, barely six months after opening. And has also won two other awards so far.
I made sure to learn every regular customer's name. I knew who wanted extra sugar, who preferred their latte strong, who came in just to talk.
But today, there was someone I didn't recognize, no matter how hard I racked my brain.
A man.
He was tall, dressed in a tailored dark suit that didn't quite fit the easy air of my cozy café.
Everything about him seemed sharp and controlled, like a man who never needed to raise his voice to be obeyed.
And yet, for some reason, he was here. In my café.
I sighed, deciding to go back to work.
But about ten minutes passed, and he was still standing at the same spot, his arms crossed over his chest as he looked around with etched brows, like a predator aiming to catch his prey.
“Uhh!” I sighed with uneasiness. I dropped the mug I had been wiping behind the counter, and walked over to him.
“Good Morning,” I said, forcing my usual smile. “What can I get you?”
He didn't answer right away. So I waited.
I lifted my gaze, catching just a glimpse of his face… and my lips parted in quiet awe. His skin looked warm and honey-toned. It was practical glowing… and smooth, like he knew what moisturizer was, and actually used it.
I kept looking at him until my eyes abruptly shot wide open..
Sabrina!
What the hell was I just doing? Admiring a man? Seriously?
It might have been two years ago, but why was I already standing on the edge of another trap?
I cleared my throat, and straightened my back.
His eyes swept across the room again before they finally landed on me.
“Do you own this place?”
“Yes,” I said quickly, a little thrown off. “Is there a problem?”
He shook his head slightly. “No problem, just observing.”
“Well, maybe do that while sitting, with a cup of cappuccino?” I said, trying to keep things light. “We make the best around here.”
He smiled faintly. “You should. This is the only café downtown.”
I blinked. Wow. Rude much?
Still, I managed a polite smile. “Then lucky you. You found the best by accident.”
“Black. No sugar.” He added, as if ordering a servant.
I raised a brow but nodded. “Coming right up.”
As I turned toward the counter, I couldn't help muttering under my breath. “Someone definitely skipped their morning dose of manners."
When I handed him his cup of coffee a few minutes later, he whispered a “Thank You” that barely made it out.
He drank the coffee slowly, constantly checking something on his phone. And then like ten minutes later, he stood up, placed a crisp note on the table, and looked at me. “Enjoy your morning, Ms…?”
“Quinn. Sabrina Quinn.” I said quickly, straightening unconsciously.
He gave a faint nod. “Ms. Quinn.” Then, he turned to walk away.
“And you are?” The words slipped out of my mouth before I realized it.
“Leon Royce.” Then he turned swiftly, walking away, like he was avoiding further conversations with me.
His name sounded familiar. But I shrugged it off. It was probably just another cold businessman passing through.
The day rolled by quickly. Evening had settled in, and I was getting ready to close up. Natalie had texted that she would be here soon to pick me up.
I was cleaning the counter when a group of men walked in wearing safety vests and holding measuring tapes. They started moving around, whispering to themselves, and pointing at the walls.
“Excuse me?” I called, frowning. “Can I help you all?”
One of them looked at me, confused. Like I was the one out of place here. “We're just checking the dimensions for tomorrow's demolition.”
I blinked. “The what?”
“The demolition,” He repeated casually. “This building's coming down tomorrow.”
For a moment, I couldn't even process the words. “That's impossible.” I said finally. “This is my shop. I've paid my rent. Nobody told me anything about a demolition.”
He looked uncomfortable, scratching the back of his head. “Sorry, ma'am. Notices went out last week. The new owner signed off on it. Some Mr… Leon Royce. The CEO of Royce Holdings.”
Royce Holdings? That was the company Natalie was working for.
My mind flashed back to that morning, and my eyes went wide. “Leon Royce?” I whispered, the name hitting me like a punch to the gut.
The worker nodded. “Owns the property now. Big project coming up. Said the entire block's getting cleared. The other shop owners in the building are aware.”
A strangled gasp escaped from my lungs.
“Sorry, ma'am. We just follow orders. We don't make the call.” He gave a small, apologetic smile before turning back to his team.
Then they left… leaving behind big chalk marks on my walls and the smell of dust.
I just stood there.
So, I had spent minutes, foolishly admiring the man who was planning how to destroy my world.
My throat tightened as I looked at the sign outside through the window. Christian's Corner. His name, and my reason for living.
The thought of bulldozers smashing through that sign made my blood boil.
Before I knew it, I had ripped off my apron, grabbed my phone, and stormed toward the door.
I didn't know what exactly I planned to do, but I knew who I was going to find.
Leon Royce.
“You snake!” I muttered under my breath.
- Writer
