Chapter Three — The First Promise
987 Words
Chapter Three — The First Promise
Sandra woke before sunrise the next morning.
She had barely slept.
Every time she closed her eyes, she saw Emma standing outside her apartment, smiling at her as though the entire world had disappeared.
She knew she was getting too attached.
That was dangerous.
People like Emma did not belong in her world.
She had reminded herself of that several times before leaving for work, but the moment she entered the café and saw him sitting at the same table near the window, all her carefully built defenses disappeared.
Emma looked up.
His face immediately brightened.
“Good morning.”
Sandra tried to hide her smile.
“You came early.”
“I wanted to see you.”
“You really don’t give up, do you?”
“Not when something matters to me.”
Sandra looked away.
Those words touched a part of her heart she had tried to keep protected.
She placed his coffee on the table.
“Your coffee.”
Emma looked at the cup, then back at her.
“That’s all?”
“What else do you want?”
“Five minutes with you after your shift.”
Sandra raised an eyebrow.
“Five minutes?”
“Maybe ten.”
She laughed.
“You’re negotiating already?”
“I’m willing to negotiate for you.”
She shook her head, smiling.
“You are impossible.”
“And you’re smiling.”
Sandra immediately stopped.
Emma laughed.
The hours passed quickly.
Every time Sandra looked toward the window, Emma was there.
He wasn’t demanding her attention. He simply waited.
When her shift finally ended, she changed her clothes and walked outside.
Emma was leaning against his car.
“You waited?”
“I promised.”
Sandra looked at the expensive car.
“You could have gone home.”
“I could have.”
“Then why didn’t you?”
“Because I wanted to keep my promise.”
She looked at him quietly.
“Where are we going?”
“Somewhere.”
“That’s not an answer.”
“You’ll see.”
Emma opened the passenger door for her.
Sandra hesitated before getting inside.
He drove away from the busy streets and toward the quieter side of the city.
After several minutes, they arrived at a beautiful hill overlooking the city.
Sandra stepped out of the car.
She stared at the view.
The entire city stretched beneath them, glowing beneath the afternoon sun.
“I’ve never been here before,” she whispered.
“I come here when I need to think.”
Sandra turned toward him.
“What do you think about?”
Emma looked at the city.
“How strange life is.”
“Why?”
“Because two people can live in the same city and have completely different lives.”
Sandra smiled sadly.
“That’s true.”
Emma looked at her.
“Do you think money makes people better?”
“No.”
“Then what does?”
Sandra thought for a moment.
“How they treat people who can do nothing for them.”
Emma smiled.
“That’s why I like you.”
Sandra’s heart skipped.
“You barely know me.”
“I know enough.”
He stepped closer.
Sandra didn’t move.
“I don’t care about how much money you have,” she whispered.
“I know.”
“I don’t care about your family.”
“I know.”
“And I don’t want you to think I’m with you because of what you can give me.”
Emma gently took her hand.
“I’ve never thought that.”
Sandra looked into his eyes.
“Then what do you think?”
Emma’s voice softened.
“I think you are the first person I’ve met who sees me instead of my surname.”
Her eyes filled with emotion.
Emma squeezed her hand.
“I don’t know where this is going.”
“Neither do I.”
“But I don’t want to stop.”
Sandra swallowed.
“Neither do I.”
Emma slowly leaned closer.
Sandra closed her eyes.
Their lips met in a gentle kiss.
It wasn’t hurried.
It wasn’t perfect.
It was simply theirs.
When they pulled apart, Sandra rested her forehead against his.
“I’m scared,” she whispered.
“Of me?”
“Of losing you.”
Emma’s expression softened.
“You won’t.”
“You can’t promise that.”
“Then I’ll promise something else.”
“What?”
“I’ll fight for us.”
Sandra looked into his eyes.
“Even against your family?”
“Even against my family.”
She smiled through the tears gathering in her eyes.
“Then I’ll fight too.”
Emma kissed her forehead.
And for a moment, they believed love would be enough.
But neither of them knew that someone had already discovered where they were.
Across the road, a black car was parked beneath the trees.
Inside sat Richard Hayes.
He had followed his son.
His eyes were fixed on Emma and Sandra.
When he saw them kiss, his face hardened.
“She’s going to destroy everything,” he said coldly.
The man sitting in the driver’s seat remained silent.
Richard reached for his phone.
“Find out everything about her.”
“Everything?”
“Her family. Her father. Her job. Where she lives. Who she knows.”
He paused.
“And find out what she needs.”
The driver nodded.
Richard looked once more toward the hill.
His son was smiling.
He hadn’t seen Emma look that happy in years.
Instead of making him happy, it frightened him.
Because Richard knew something Emma didn’t.
In his world, love was never just love.
It was power.
It was reputation.
It was family.
And if Sandra stood between his son and the future Richard had planned, he would make sure she understood exactly how expensive loving Emma could become.
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