CHAPTER 01

I began my morning the same way I did every day for the past twelve months, tying my hair with a cheap ribbon and pretending it held my whole life together.

I slept like a pig last night, but I still felt tired.

Nevertheless, I rushed to work.

Nothing grand. I worked full-time as a waitress in a cafe. Fifteen bucks an hour.

By seven o’clock, the customers were already waiting outside for their daily morning ritual that was a cup of hot coffee.

I quickly wiped down a table, humming softly, but then I became aware of the small group of customers sneaking glances at me or maybe at my ponytail.

Sometimes, I wonder if they come here for the coffee or for me.

Either way, I think I should buy a better ribbon.

“Hey, daydreamer.”

A familiar voice drifted in from behind me.

Warm. Playful. A little cocky, to boot.

I turned around.

It was Ryan.

He slid behind the counter with a grin, holding two cups of caramel latte—one for himself and one for me.

I took it with a smile. “You’re early.”

“I have a girlfriend who gets grumpy without sugar,” he teased, tapping my nose.

I swatted his hand away but could feel warmth blooming in my chest.

With Ryan, everything felt… simple. Soft. Normal. Or at least normal enough.

He leaned on the counter, watching me tug my apron strings tighter. “You’re working a double today, aren’t you?”

“Of course, it’s the weekend,” I said lightly. “And rent doesn’t pay itself. I’ll be here until midnight.”

Ryan frowned. “Why work so hard on your own. If you asked your family—”

“No.” My tone hardened before I could soften it. “I left for a reason.”

He sighed but didn’t push. He never pushed. That’s what I love the most about him. He allowed me to be ordinary unlike my father who always insisted things be done his way.

A large shadow took shape outside the café window, followed by the reverberating purr of an engine much too expensive for this neighborhood.

A black sedan rolled up—luxury gleaming even under sunlight.

The owner of the cafe, Lucia, ran out like a cat chasing pristine meat to greet the rich customer.

The driver stepped out, adjusting his pristine gloves. His eyes darted around until he spotted me through the glass.

I immediately turned away, heart thudding. (Why the hell is that guy here?)

“Did that guy stare at you?” Ryan asked, brows scrunched.

“No. You’re imagining things,” my voice cracked. “This is my first time seeing him.”

“Is that so?” Ryan didn’t push me. “I don’t know why you ran away from your family, but you should reconcile with them.”

“The customer count is increasing. I gotta work.” I took a step to my right.

He held my hand, which he hadn’t done before in the cafe, so I was a bit shocked.

Before I could free myself, he let go of my hand.

“We’re going shopping this morning. I’ll buy a few pairs of clothes for you,” Ryan stated with a smile.

I was not expecting that. It moved my heart more than a bit. “Why so suddenly?”

“I got a promotion.” His smile stretched a little too wide, eyes gleaming in a way I didn’t quite recognize. He sounded both happy and proud of himself.

“That’s great.” I felt happy for him, but I was at work, so I couldn’t give him a hug. “But I… Uh.. I can’t come shopping today. There’s work.”

“I’ll talk with Lucia. You’re not the only waitress here, and we only need two hours at max, so…” he persuaded me with his unrelenting gaze.

And so I ended up nodding with hesitation.

Ryan poured some of his coffee into my cup before heading to Lucia.

Meanwhile, the car driver entered the cafe and came straight to the table I was cleaning.

He sat down and kept looking at me.

“I’m not coming home,” I said in a low voice. “Please tell that to my father.”

He took out his mobile and speed-dialed a number. “Sir, I found Young Miss Elena. She refuses to return home.”

A few seconds passed.

The phone call ended, and the driver spoke once more, “Master Aldridge is sick. He wants to see you.”

My heart shook for a second, but then I quickly snorted, “I’m not a fool. He’s just lying about being sick to trick me into coming home. You should just go home, and don’t tell him that I’m working here!”

“He’s going abroad to get treated for cancer in a few days, and he wishes to see you,” the driver stated, a hint of sadness flowing through his tone.

My expression froze. My hands trembled a little. I put the coffee cup down. My other hand stopped wiping the table.

Just then, Ryan came over and put his hand on my shoulder. “I talked with Lucia. She gave permission. Be ready at 10. We have two hours to shop.” He quickly planted a kiss on my cheek before leaving in a hurry.

“Is he your boyfriend?” the driver asked. “What does he do?”

I swallowed hard, forcing my voice steady. “Tell my father I wish him all the best with his treatment.”

The driver watched me for a long moment before nodding.

As he walked away, I pressed a hand against my apron to keep it from trembling.

I had run from home to escape a marriage.

Now that my father knows where I am, I could feel my ribbon breaking—the life I tied together starting to slip apart.

My throat tightened as awful thoughts crept in before I could stop them.

Am I going to lose this job?

Am I going to lose Ryan?

For the first time in a year… I wasn’t sure I was ready for what came next.