Chapter 3

Eleanor swiped through Tristan Vance's file on her iPad.

The screen was covered in red notes detailing his emotional triggers and psychological weak points.

She picked up her black coffee and took a sip. The bitter liquid burned her tongue, helping her snap into the "soulmate" persona Tristan paid for.

The bell above the door chimed again.

A tall figure hunched his shoulders and moved quickly into the shop.

He wore a massive black hoodie. A baseball cap was pulled low over his sunglasses. His entire body screamed, Don't look at me.

Eleanor didn't even need to look up. His terrible attempt at a disguise gave him away instantly. It was Tristan, her highest-paying active client.

Tristan walked straight to her corner booth. He collapsed onto the leather bench across from her and let out a heavy, rattling sigh.

He ripped off his sunglasses. His blue eyes-the ones that covered magazines worldwide-were completely bloodshot. He looked exhausted to his bones.

Eleanor immediately closed his file. She opened the PDF of his upcoming HBO limited series script.

She didn't act overly excited to see him. She slid a napkin across the table.

"Paparazzi again?" she asked, her voice soft and steady.

Tristan aggressively ran his hands through his hair. He complained that his agent, Brenda, was forcing him to play this twisted, dark character.

He said his chest felt tight. He couldn't find the serial killer's psychological motive. He was terrified he was going to ruin his career.

Eleanor heard the deep self-doubt in his voice. This was exactly what she was hired for.

She didn't offer empty comfort. She scrolled to page 42 of the script. She pointed at a monologue.

She lowered her voice. She mimicked the exact sick, suppressed tone the character needed. The air around their table instantly felt heavier.

Tristan froze. The panic in his eyes vanished. He stared at her mouth, completely captivated.

Eleanor broke down the character's psychology. She explained that it wasn't pure evil, but a desperate, suffocating need for control born from a lack of love.

Her words sliced through his confusion like a scalpel. She hit the exact spot in his soul that craved validation.

Tristan's defensive posture melted. He leaned across the table. He pressed his palms flat against the wood. His eyes grew feverish and dependent.

"You're the only one who actually gets me," he breathed out. "Those Hollywood directors are blind."

Eleanor mentally calculated the bonus percentage this emotional breakthrough would earn her. On the outside, she gave him a warm, forgiving smile.

She reached out and lightly tapped the back of his hand. It was a split-second touch, but it visibly calmed his nerves.

Tristan flipped his hand over, trying to grab her fingers.

Eleanor smoothly pulled her hand back to grab her coffee cup. She dodged the boundary violation effortlessly.

A flash of disappointment crossed Tristan's face. But he quickly rationalized it. He thought she was just protecting the purity of their soul connection.

He leaned in closer. He demanded they go back to his SoHo apartment right now to rehearse. He felt the inspiration hitting him.

Eleanor checked her watch. This counted as overtime. She nodded.

They both started to stand up.

Suddenly, Eleanor looked out the front window.

A man in a tailored suit was walking past the glass. It was one of the Wall Street liquidators who had dismantled the Love Foundation. He knew what Eleanor really looked like.

Eleanor's heart slammed against her ribs. Her blood ran cold. If he saw her here, her entire hidden identity would be exposed.

She had to block his line of sight.

Without a second thought, she violently swept her hand across the table, intentionally knocking her hot coffee straight into Tristan's lap.

Tristan let out a shocked yelp, instinctively jumping up and leaning over the table as the dark liquid soaked his jeans. In the exact same fluid motion, Eleanor dropped out of her seat and ducked under the table, supposedly to grab napkins, but perfectly using the wooden partition and Tristan's standing body to completely shield herself from the window.

From the outside, Tristan's panicked, hunched posture and her sudden disappearance under the table created a chaotic, confusing scene that completely obscured her face.