Lydia POV
The café is deliberately ordinary.
That’s the first thing I notice when the car stops outside.
No photographers. No velvet ropes. No elite clientele pretending not to stare. Just glass windows, warm lighting, and people who don’t recognize me immediately.
Neutral ground.
Carefully chosen.
Adrian’s security team protested when I approved the meeting. I approved it anyway.
Not because I trust Selene.
Because I refuse to hide.
I step out of the car, aware of the discreet distance maintained by security. Close enough to intervene. Far enough to pretend privacy exists.
Inside, the air smells like coffee and citrus polish.
Selene is already there.
She sits near the window, one hand resting lightly over her stomach, posture composed in a way that looks natural until you real
