Chapter 4 A Coffee and a Conversation

The café was quieter this time, the late afternoon lull settling over the space. Emma and Mark took a corner table, the scent of roasted coffee beans wrapping around them like warmth on a cold day.

"So, what's the story?" Emma asked, nodding toward his notebook.

Mark smirked. "That's classified."

She arched a brow. "Oh, so now you're some kind of secret agent?"

He chuckled, stirring his coffee. "Nothing that exciting. Just following up on a lead. Corruption, money, power-the usual villains."

Emma took a sip of her latte. "And do you ever write about something a little... lighter?"

Mark tilted his head. "What, like love stories?"

She shrugged. "Why not? You seem to enjoy people's stories."

He studied her for a moment. "Maybe. But I like the truth more."

Emma smirked. "Spoken like a true journalist."

Mark leaned forward slightly, his gaze steady. "And what about you? Do you ever design something just for the sake of beauty, or does everything have to be groundbreaking?"

Emma hesitated, surprised by the question. "Architecture is about function and purpose. But... there's beauty in that too."

He nodded. "Sounds like we're not so different."

Their eyes met, and for the first time, Emma felt something shift. The conversation wasn't just words-it was a connection.

And neither of them was quite ready to walk away from it.