BENEATH THE GLASS TOWER ( Chapter 2)
1526 Words
The rest of the morning at Willow Bean Café passed quickly, but Emily Carter found it difficult to focus.
Her hands moved automatically as she served coffee, cleaned tables, and greeted customers, yet her thoughts kept drifting back to the mysterious man who had walked into the café earlier.
Adrian.
Just Adrian.
There had been something unusual about him.
Not just his expensive suit or the calm confidence in the way he carried himself. It was something deeper—something in his quiet voice and the way he had helped her without hesitation.
Most people in New York were too busy to notice others.
But he had noticed.
“Emily!”
Lily snapped her fingers in front of her face.
“You’re daydreaming.”
Emily blinked.
“What?”
“You just gave that customer the wrong order.”
Emily quickly turned back to the counter.
“Oh—sorry!”
She exchanged the drink and apologized to the customer before returning to Lily.
Lily folded her arms suspiciously.
“Okay. What’s going on?”
“Nothing.”
“Something.”
Emily sighed.
“Just tired.”
Lily leaned closer.
“This has something to do with the tall billionaire-looking guy from earlier, doesn’t it?”
Emily rolled her eyes.
“He’s not a billionaire.”
“You saw his watch?”
Emily hesitated.
“Well… it did look expensive.”
Lily smirked.
“Exactly.”
Emily shook her head and returned to the espresso machine, but deep down she knew Lily was right about one thing.
That man definitely didn’t belong to her world.
Across Manhattan, Adrian Blackwood was already back in his office.
The quiet café felt like a distant memory as he stepped once again into the sleek glass tower that housed Blackwood Global Enterprises.
Rachel approached him immediately.
“The board members are waiting.”
Adrian nodded.
Within minutes he was seated at the long conference table, surrounded by executives in expensive suits.
A large screen displayed financial charts and projections.
One of the senior board members spoke.
“The Davidson Group wants a final decision on the merger.”
Adrian rested his hands on the table calmly.
“They’ll have it today.”
Another executive leaned forward.
“Are you sure about this expansion plan? It’s a huge risk.”
Adrian’s gaze sharpened.
“Risk is the price of growth.”
The room fell silent.
No one argued with him for long.
That was the thing about Adrian Blackwood.
When he made a decision, the conversation was usually over.
After the meeting ended, the executives slowly filed out of the room.
Rachel stayed behind.
“You have three interviews with business magazines this afternoon.”
Adrian walked toward the window.
“Cancel two.”
Rachel raised an eyebrow.
“Only two?”
“Yes.”
She tapped quickly on her tablet.
Then she added,
“There’s also a charity gala tonight. You promised the investors you’d attend.”
Adrian sighed quietly.
Another formal event.
Another room full of people pretending to like each other.
“Fine.”
Rachel studied him for a moment.
“You seem distracted today.”
Adrian glanced at her.
“I’m not.”
But Rachel wasn’t convinced.
Meanwhile, Emily’s shift at the café finally ended around noon.
She untied her apron and stretched her tired arms.
“Lunch?” Lily asked.
Emily nodded.
They walked to a small table near the window.
Lily pulled out her phone.
“You know what I just realized?”
“What?”
“You never asked for that guy’s last name.”
Emily laughed.
“Why would I?”
“Because mysterious rich men in suits don’t just walk into our café every day.”
Emily shrugged.
“It was just coffee.”
Lily opened a news app on her phone.
“Maybe he’s famous.”
Emily chuckled.
“Highly unlikely.”
“Let’s see.”
Lily began scrolling through business headlines.
Suddenly she froze.
“Wait.”
“What?”
Lily turned the phone toward her.
“Emily… look at this.”
On the screen was a photo of a man standing in front of a skyscraper during a business interview.
Sharp suit.
Confident posture.
Calm expression.
Emily’s eyes widened.
“That’s him.”
Lily stared at her.
“You’re kidding.”
Emily shook her head slowly.
“That’s the man from the café.”
Lily read the headline aloud.
“Adrian Blackwood Expands Global Tech Empire With Billion-Dollar Investment.”
Emily felt her stomach drop.
“CEO of Blackwood Global Enterprises,” Lily continued reading. “Net worth estimated at several billion dollars.”
Emily leaned back in her chair, stunned.
“That’s impossible.”
Lily looked at her dramatically.
“You served coffee to one of the richest men in New York this morning.”
Emily covered her face.
“Oh my God.”
Her mind raced through every moment of their conversation.
She had spoken to him so casually.
Argued with him about the money.
Had he known she didn’t recognize him?
Probably.
Which somehow made the whole situation even more embarrassing.
Lily grinned mischievously.
“You know what this means, right?”
Emily groaned.
“What?”
“You met a billionaire… and he paid for your spilled coffee.”
Emily laughed nervously.
“That doesn’t mean anything.”
But deep down she wasn’t so sure.
Later that afternoon, Adrian sat alone in his office reviewing documents.
Yet his thoughts kept drifting back to something unusual.
The café.
The smell of fresh coffee.
And the girl behind the counter.
Emily.
Most people treated him differently once they recognized who he was.
Respect.
Fear.
Sometimes fake admiration.
But she hadn’t recognized him.
She had simply spoken to him like a normal person.
It had been strangely refreshing.
Adrian leaned back in his chair thoughtfully.
Then he pressed the intercom.
“Rachel.”
“Yes, Mr. Blackwood?”
“Find something for me.”
“Of course.”
Adrian paused briefly before continuing.
“There’s a small café in Brooklyn called Willow Bean.”
Rachel sounded confused.
“…Alright.”
“I want information about the place.”
Rachel blinked at her tablet.
“For… business reasons?”
Adrian looked out the window again.
“Something like that.”
Back in Brooklyn, Emily finished her shift and stepped outside into the cool evening air.
The sky was turning soft shades of orange and purple as the sun slowly disappeared behind the buildings.
She walked toward the subway station, still thinking about the news Lily had shown her.
Adrian Blackwood.
A billionaire CEO.
One of the most powerful men in the city.
And she had spoken to him like he was just another customer.
Emily laughed quietly to herself.
Lily nudged her with her elbow.
“You’re doing it again.”
“Doing what?”
“Thinking about him.”
Emily rolled her eyes.
“I am not.”
“You are.”
Emily tried to focus on the espresso machine.
“He was just a customer.”
Lily smirked.
“A billionaire customer.”
Emily shook her head.
“He’s probably forgotten about this place already.”
Lily leaned closer.
“Maybe.”
Then she added with a teasing smile,
“Or maybe he’s secretly in love with the café girl.”
Emily laughed.
“That only happens in movies.”
Just then—
The bell above the café door rang.Emily glanced up automatically.
And froze.
Standing near the entrance was Adrian Blackwood.
For a moment the noise of the café seemed to disappear.
He looked exactly the same as yesterday—tall, calm, wearing a dark suit that looked like it belonged in a luxury office building rather than a small Brooklyn café.
Emily’s heart skipped.
Lily whispered loudly,
“OH MY GOD.”
Emily quickly elbowed her.
“Stop.”
Adrian walked toward the counter.
This time, Emily noticed something different.
A few customers had already recognized him.
People were whispering.
Some even pulled out their phones.
But Adrian ignored them.
His eyes settled on Emily.
“Good morning,” he said calmly.
Emily blinked.
“Good… morning.”
Lily slowly backed away.
“I’ll… handle the pastries,” she whispered dramatically before escaping.
Emily tried to act normal.
“What can I get for you?”
Adrian looked at the menu again as if he hadn’t already memorized it.
“Americano.”
Emily smiled faintly.
“Medium again?”
A small hint of amusement appeared in his eyes.
“You remember.”
Emily shrugged.
“It was yesterday.”
She prepared the coffee while trying to ignore the curious looks from customers around them.
Finally she placed the cup on the counter.
“That’ll be four dollars.”
Adrian handed her the money.
Then instead of leaving…
- Writer
