Chapter 3 The Shadow of Complication

My thoughts were heavier than my feet as I walked home in the cool evening breeze, which smelt of blooming flowers and city grime. Although the streets were alive with horns honking, sellers yelling, and the occasional conversation between couples strolling hand in hand, I was ensnared in my own tempest of doubt. Questions raced through my head, each one eating away at the brittle poise I was trying so hard to keep.

Victoria was who? What did Alexander think of her?

I was haunted by the way she looked at me. The contempt that pervaded her face, as if I were an unwanted intruder in her universe, was more than just the way she gazed at me. Despite my best efforts to convince myself differently, the jealousy that was blazing within of me had been triggered by that fleeting instant. It was indisputable.

Like a marionette with its lines severed, I collapsed onto the tattered couch when I finally arrived at my small apartment. My weight made the springs moan, serving as a sharp reminder of the life I had become used to-one filled with restrictions, concessions, and postponed goals.

I leaned my head back and looked up at the peeling ceiling, letting out a trembling breath. Echoing Alexander's earlier statement that "it's never too late to change direction,"

my thoughts were loud. "Change direction," I said out loud, the word tasting strange. "How in the world does that apply to me?"

My only concern had been surviving for as long as I could remember. Dreaming was a terrible, shimmering vision that seemed like an unaffordable luxury. Not quite within grasp. But Alexander's faith, his certainty that I could somehow change my life for the better, had sown a tiny seed of doubt in the life I had accepted.

But how well-versed in battle was he? About making ends meet with only determination and hard work?

I shook my head, making a bitter laugh. Saying that is simple for you, Alexander Steele. You have money, connections, and everything else that I don't.

His words remained, however. The way he looked at me, as if he saw something in me that I couldn't see myself, was even more telling than what he said. I felt important, like I was more than just a face in the crowd, after getting that gaze.

Unable to get rid of Victoria's uneasiness, I tossed and turned that night. The appearance had shifted. I was unable to fall asleep, and the first rays of sunlight that broke through my curtains the following morning did little to relieve the weight that was pushing against my chest.

A knot of anxiousness tightened in my gut as I got ready for work. I pulled my hair back into a loose ponytail, my hands shaking at the possibility of seeing Alexander again, or worse, Victoria.

Mia welcomed me to the café with her typical unbridled enthusiasm. Her cheeks were already pink with excitement as she bustled behind the desk.

She screamed, "Lorena!" and raised her phone. "You're almost famous now!"

I scowled and put my luggage down. "What are you discussing?"

When she thrust her phone into my face, a grainy Alexander's picture at one of our tables. Alexander Steele was spotted in a nearby café, according to the caption.

My stomach turned over. "Where did you purchase that?"

It must have been snapped yesterday by a customer. It's widely shared on social media! Mia smiled, unaware of the chaos building inside of me. That you were able to serve him is such a blessing!

It made my heart sink. The last thing I wanted was to become the centre of attention for Alexander. "Excellent," I whispered, pulling my apron on. "Just what I needed."

Playfully, Mia nudged me. Oh, hurry up! It is thrilling! Who knows, he might return today.

In part because I didn't share her enthusiasm and in part because I wasn't sure what I wanted, I didn't reply. Was Alexander coming back? Was he going to tell me who Victoria was? Or had we already ended our brief relationship?

The café was bustling with the typical hum of activity, and the hours blended together. The coffee smell permeated the air, clients chattered, and orders came and went. However, the restlessness that was bothering me persisted.

My heart would rise whenever the bell above the door jingled, only to fall when it wasn't him. I was psychologically, emotionally, and physically worn out by midday. Whatever spark had ignited between us was merely a fleeting mirage, I told myself, and Alexander was not returning.

Then, through the commotion, I heard a familiar voice as I was cleaning a table by the window.

"I was thinking you might be here."

I gasped. Alexander Steele was standing at the doorway, demanding attention even in the busy café, when I turned around.

He walked confidently and easily towards me, his sharp eyes meeting mine. For a brief period, the sounds inside the café seemed to drown out the outside world, blending into a far-off hum.

His voice was warm and quiet as he replied, "I hope I'm not intruding."

My heart was pounding as I swallowed hard. "No, absolutely not. I simply didn't think I'd see you again.

A tiny grin pulled at the corner of his mouth. "I felt like I made an impression."

The flush that started to creep up my neck was unavoidable. "That's something you could say."

He pointed to a vacant chair. "May I?"

I nodded as I became acutely conscious of Mia observing us from the counter. Alexander took a seat in the chair and kept his eyes fixed on mine.

He started, "I wanted to apologise for yesterday." "Victoria has a way of complicating things."

I paused, not sure if I wanted to ask further questions. "Do you think she's important?"

A glimmer of vulnerability pierced his polished façade as his expression softened. She is a former acquaintance of mine. Yes, it is complicated, but not in the sense you believe.

His tone carried weight, and it made me curious and want to know more about the man behind the mask. Mia came over with a tray of coffee before I could reply, her smile as broad as ever.

"On the house," she added, winking and putting the drinks down before backing away.

Alexander gave a quiet laugh. "Your coworker is really encouraging."

I couldn't help but smile as I said, "She means well."

We kept talking, alternating between light-hearted jokes and more profound disclosures. Although there was no denying Alexander's charisma, what really captured my attention was his honesty-the glimmers of the guy behind the wealth and influence.

The café seemed less lively by the time he departed, as though he had stolen some of its energy with him.

And his words from the day before, "It's never too late to change direction," replayed in my head as I saw him vanish into the congested roadway.

I dared to think he might be correct for the first time in years.