CHAPTER 3- Curiosity
1082 Words
For the next two weeks, Alexander Valencia became a regular customer at the café.
At first, Sofia convinced herself it was merely coincidence.
The café was located near the business district.
Many executives stopped by for coffee.
There was nothing unusual about it.
At least, that’s what she kept telling herself.
The problem was that Alexander didn’t just stop by occasionally.
He came almost every day.
Sometimes in the morning.
Sometimes in the afternoon.
Sometimes just before closing.
And every single time, he somehow ended up talking to her.
“You’re staring again.”
Sofia nearly jumped when Anna suddenly appeared beside her.
“I am not.”
Anna smirked.
“You absolutely are.”
Sofia looked away from the window.
Unfortunately, Anna had caught her at the exact moment Alexander’s car was pulling into the parking area.
“Maybe you’re the one staring.”
Anna laughed.
“Please. I’m not the one blushing.”
Sofia immediately touched her cheeks.
They felt warm.
Great.
Now she really looked suspicious.
Before she could argue further, the bell above the café door rang.
Alexander entered.
As always, conversations around the room softened.
Several customers recognized him immediately.
Some whispered.
Others secretly took pictures.
Alexander ignored them.
His attention landed directly on Sofia.
And then he smiled.
For reasons she couldn’t explain, her heart skipped a beat.
“Good afternoon.”
“Good afternoon.”
“The usual?”
Alexander nodded.
“The usual.”
Over the past two weeks, Sofia had memorized his order.
One cappuccino.
No sugar.
One turkey sandwich.
Nothing more.
Nothing less.
It was strange.
She struggled to remember some of her classmates’ birthdays.
Yet somehow she remembered every detail about his coffee order.
And that realization bothered her more than she wanted to admit.
Alexander watched Sofia while she prepared his drink.
Not in a creepy way.
At least he hoped not.
He simply found her fascinating.
She wasn’t like the women he normally met.
Most people became nervous around him.
Others tried impressing him.
Some flirted openly.
Sofia did none of those things.
She treated him normally.
Sometimes she even teased him.
And Alexander found himself looking forward to those moments.
More than he should.
Far more than he should.
His phone suddenly vibrated.
The screen displayed his mother’s name.
Instantly, his good mood disappeared.
He answered.
“Hello, Mother.”
“Where are you?”
Alexander sighed internally.
“Getting coffee.”
“Again?”
“Yes.”
A brief silence followed.
Then came the familiar disappointment in her voice.
“You have a dinner tomorrow.”
“With who?”
“You know exactly with who.”
Alexander’s jaw tightened.
Of course he did.
Clara Montenegro.
Daughter of one of the country’s wealthiest businessmen.
The woman his family had been trying to push toward him for years.
The woman they wanted him to marry.
“I’ll be there.”
“You should make an effort.”
“I said I’ll be there.”
His mother sighed.
Then the call ended.
Alexander stared at his phone.
His frustration grew.
Every decision in his life had already been planned.
Every move.
Every relationship.
Every expectation.
Sometimes he felt like a puppet.
A very wealthy puppet.
But a puppet nonetheless.
“Bad news?”
Alexander looked up.
Sofia stood beside his table holding his coffee.
Her expression held genuine concern.
He forced a smile.
“Something like that.”
“Work?”
“Family.”
Sofia immediately understood.
Everyone had family problems.
Money didn’t change that.
She placed the cup in front of him.
“Those are usually worse.”
Alexander laughed.
“You have no idea.”
Later that evening, rain began falling heavily.
The streets quickly became crowded.
Traffic barely moved.
Inside the café, customers waited for the storm to pass.
Sofia stood near the window watching the downpour.
The weather reminded her of childhood.
Of evenings spent beside her father before he passed away.
The memory brought both comfort and sadness.
“Thinking about something?”
She turned.
Alexander stood beside her.
Closer than usual.
Close enough that she could smell his cologne.
A subtle scent.
Expensive.
But not overwhelming.
“Just memories.”
“Good ones?”
“Mostly.”
Alexander nodded.
For a moment, neither spoke.
The rain continued falling outside.
The city lights reflected against the wet pavement.
It felt strangely peaceful.
“Can I ask you something?” Alexander said.
Sofia looked at him.
“What?”
“If money wasn’t a problem, what would you do?”
The question surprised her.
Nobody had ever asked her that.
She thought carefully.
Then smiled.
“I’d take my family traveling.”
Alexander listened quietly.
“Where?”
“Everywhere.”
He laughed.
“That’s not a destination.”
“It is for me.”
She looked outside.
“I’ve spent most of my life worrying about survival.”
Her voice softened.
“Sometimes I just want to see what’s beyond all of this.”
Alexander stared at her.
For the first time, he realized how different their lives truly were.
He had traveled across the world.
Paris.
London.
Tokyo.
New York.
Places Sofia had only seen in photographs.
Yet somehow she seemed more appreciative of life than he was.
The realization stayed with him long after their conversation ended.
That night, Alexander couldn’t sleep.
He lay awake inside his luxurious penthouse staring at the ceiling.
His mind kept drifting back to Sofia.
The way she smiled.
The way she laughed.
The way she talked about her dreams.
Everything about her felt real.
And that terrified him.
Because for the first time in years, he wasn’t merely interested in someone.
He was becoming attached.
Meanwhile, across the city, Sofia couldn’t sleep either.
She kept replaying every conversation they’d shared.
Every joke.
Every smile.
Every moment.
And no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t stop wondering about him.
Not Alexander Valencia the future CEO.
Not Alexander Valencia the billionaire heir.
Just Alexander.
The man behind the title.
The man who seemed lonely despite having everything.
The man she was slowly beginning to care about.
Neither of them realized it yet.
But curiosity was turning into friendship.
And friendship was becoming something much more dangerous.
Something capable of changing both their lives forever.
Because when two hearts begin searching for each other, fate has a way of bringing them closer.
No matter how different their worlds may be.
To be continued in Chapter 4: Different Worlds…
- Writer
