THE FIRST ENCOUNTER
1214 Words
Adriel Matthias had never been a man who acted on impulse.
Every decision he made was calculated. He
studied contracts before signing them and opportunities before investing his money.
But that morning, as he sat behind his desk staring at Jelina Mayfair's photograph, he made a decision without consulting anyone.
He was going to meet her.
Not because he wanted a relationship with her.
He simply needed to see the woman carrying his child.
That was all.At least, that was what he told himself.
“Cancel my afternoon appointments,” he instructed his assistant.
She looked surprised.“All of them?”
“Yes.”
“Is everything okay?”
“Yes.”
She nodded and left.
Adriel picked up his phone.
“Have the car brought around.”
At the Pastry Shop, Jelina was having one of those mornings when everything seemed to go wrong.
A customer complained about an order.
One of her employees called in sick.
She accidentally dropped an entire tray of cupcakes.
She stared at the mess on the floor.“Oh, come on.”
She crouched down and began picking them up.
Her phone rang.
It was Kevin.
“Hello?”
“Where are you?”
“At the shop.”
“I'll come by later.”
“Okay.”
There was a pause.
“How are you feeling?”
Jelina smiled.“Fine.”
“Any symptoms?”
She knew what he meant.“Nothing”
“Don't test early.”
“I won't.”
“You promise?”
“I promise.”
They ended the call.
Jelina placed the phone on the counter.
She looked at the calendar.
Only three more days until she could finally know.
She couldn't remember the last time she had been this hopeful.
A black Mercedes stopped outside the pastry shop shortly after noon.
Adriel stepped out. He wore a dark suit, a white shirt and an expression that discouraged unnecessary conversation.
His driver opened the door.
“Do you want me to come in?”
“No.”
Adriel looked through the glass window.
There she was.
Jelina.
She was standing behind the counter, wearing a simple cream blouse beneath a brown apron.
She wasn't what he had expected.
He wasn't sure what he had expected.
Perhaps someone sophisticated.
Instead, she looked ordinary.
Beautiful in a way that didn't seem deliberate.
Adriel frowned at himself.
He had no business noticing her appearance.
He walked inside.
The door bell chimed.
Jelina looked up.
“Good afternoon. Welcome to Sweet Crumbs.”
Adriel approached the counter.
“I'd like a coffee.”
“Sure.”
“And one of those.”
He pointed toward a chocolate pastry.
Jelina smiled.
“That's our chocolate hazelnut tart.”
“I'll take one.”
“Good choice.”
She turned around to prepare his order.
Adriel watched her.
There was something strangely familiar about her.
Not her face.
Something else.
Perhaps the calmness in her movements.
She returned with his coffee and pastry. “That will be twelve dollars.”
Adriel handed her a fifty-dollar bill.
Jelina looked at it.
“Do you have anything smaller?”
He raised an eyebrow. “No.”
She smiled. “Then I'll give you change.”
He nodded.
As she counted the money, a customer walked into the shop and accidentally bumped into Jelina.
The cup in her hand tipped.
Adriel reacted instinctively. He caught it before it hit her.
Their hands touched.
Jelina looked up.
For a second, neither spoke.
“Thank you,” she whispered.
Adriel released the cup. “You're welcome.”
She smiled.
“I'm Jelina, by the way.”
He hesitated.
“Adriel.”
Just his first name. Nothing more.
“Nice to meet you, Adriel.”
“Likewise.”
He took his coffee and moved toward a corner table.
Jelina returned to work.
Neither knew she was already carrying the child of the man who sat quietly in the corner.
Adriel remained for thirty minutes.
He watched her interact with customers.
She was patient.
Kind.
When an elderly customer struggled to carry her bags, Jelina walked around the counter and helped her.
When a little boy stared at the pastries, she gave him a cookie.
She laughed easily.
Adriel found himself watching her more than he intended.
His phone vibrated.
His attorney.
Adriel stepped outside to answer.
“Did you find out anything?”
“Yes.”
“And?”
“The clinic has confirmed that Mrs. Mayfair hasn't been told.”
Adriel glanced through the window.
Jelina was arranging pastries.
“Does she know who I am?”
“No.”
Adriel was silent.
“Sir?”
“I'm here.”
“Should I arrange a formal meeting?”
Adriel looked at Jelina again. “No.”
“Then what do you want to do?”
“I'll handle it myself.”
He ended the call.
Inside, Jelina noticed the man leaving.
She watched him through the window.
There was something about him she couldn't explain.
He seemed distant, but not rude.
Powerful, but strangely restrained.
She shook the thought away.
She had more important things to think about.
Her baby. If there was a baby.
She placed a hand against her stomach.
“Three days,” she whispered.
That evening, Adriel returned to his penthouse.
He removed his jacket and tossed it over a chair.
A photograph of Jelina remained open on his phone.
He stared at it.
He had gone to the pastry shop expecting to satisfy his curiosity.
Instead, he had left with more questions.
Why had he felt so comfortable watching her?
And why had seeing her made the situation suddenly feel more personal?
He poured himself a drink and walked toward the window.
He had told himself he didn't want complications.
Yet complications had already found him.
His phone rang.
It was the clinic's director.
Adriel answered.
“We've confirmed something.”
“What?”
“The patient underwent the procedure successfully.”
Adriel's grip tightened around the phone.
“Meaning?”
“The pregnancy test is scheduled soon.”
He stared into the darkness.
“And if she's pregnant?”
The director hesitated. “Then, Mr. Matthias, you'll officially be the biological father.”
Adriel said nothing.
The director continued. “There is another issue.”
“What?”
“Because of the circumstances, we strongly advise that you do not approach Mrs. Mayfair until we've completed our legal review.”
Adriel's eyes hardened. “That's late.”
“Why?”
“I've already met her.”
Silence.
The director's voice dropped.
“You met her?”
“Yes.”
“Does she know who you were?”
“No.” Adriel ended the call.
He walked back to the window.
For the first time, the reality of the situation settled heavily on him.
A woman he had never known was possibly carrying his child.
And he just met her without saying.
Meanwhile, in her small apartment, Jelina stood before the bathroom mirror.
Her hands trembling, she had secretly bought a test kit that afternoon.
She knew she was supposed to wait.
But she couldn't.
She took a deep breath.
Then she looked down at the test.
Two faint pink lines were beginning to appear.
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