Innocent cravings

Chapter One :The Diner

Alice wiped her damp palms against her apron and adjusted the crooked name tag on her chest. It was nearing midnight, the slowest hour of her shift, when the smell of burnt coffee lingered stronger than the customers. She had two tables left an elderly couple sharing pie, and three men in suits who laughed a little too loudly at their own jokes.

Her back ached, her feet throbbed, and she still had a pile of assignments waiting at home. But rent came first. Rent always came first.

She refilled the coffee cups at the corner booth, nodding politely as the men ignored her, too wrapped up in a conversation about stocks and something called "mergers" that she couldn't quite follow. Not that she needed to. Their voices alone reminded her of how far removed their world was from hers.

The bell above the diner door chimed.

She didn't look up immediately,she was too busy gathering empty plates. But she felt it. The shift in the room, the way the air seemed to straighten itself, tense almost, as though even the walls recognized power when it entered.

When she finally glanced up, her breath caught.

He walked in with the kind of confidence that didn't need announcing. Broad shoulders, tailored suit, wristwatch that gleamed under the fluorescent lights. Every detail screamed wealth. Authority. Untouchable. Even the three men in the corner booth quieted for a second, exchanging quick looks of recognition.

The newcomer scanned the room like it belonged to him, his gaze cool and detached until it landed on her.

For the briefest moment, Alice swore the world slowed down. His eyes, a piercing shade of gray, locked with hers. It wasn't curiosity. It wasn't kindness. It was... interest. Sharp, unsettling, and impossible to ignore.

She quickly looked away, heat rushing to her cheeks. She wasn't the type to catch a man like that staring especially not that kind of man. Maybe he was looking past her, at the menu board or the clock behind her head. Maybe she was imagining things.

Still, her hands trembled as she set the plates on the counter.

"Excuse me," a deep voice said. Smooth, commanding. The kind of voice that made people move before they realized it.

She turned, nearly knocking over the pot of coffee. He stood there now, close enough for her to see the faint shadow of stubble on his jaw, the clean cut of his suit, the faint trace of something expensive in his cologne.

"Do you serve anything that doesn't taste like it's been sitting in a pot for twelve hours?"

Alice blinked. "Uh we have fresh pie."

A corner of his mouth curved upward,not quite a smile, more like an acknowledgment. "Then I'll have that. And coffee. Fresh, if possible."

She nodded quickly, scribbling on her notepad though she already knew the order by heart. Her pen nearly slipped from her fingers when she glanced up again. He was still watching her, eyes steady, as though he had all the time in the world to study a diner waitress in a faded apron.

Trying to calm the flutter in her chest, she busied herself at the counter. She brewed a fresh pot partly because he'd asked, partly because she suddenly cared whether the coffee was any good. Sliding the steaming cup onto a saucer, she carried it to his booth with what she hoped was a steady hand.

"Here you go," she said, placing it in front of him.

"Thank you..." he glanced at her name tag, "Alice."

The way he said her name made her pulse trip. Too smooth. Too intentional.

"You're welcome," she murmured, retreating a step, but his next words stopped her.

"Sit."

She blinked. "Excuse me?"

"Sit," he repeated, as if it were the most natural request in the world. "Unless you're too busy avoiding me."

Her lips parted, stunned. Customers didn't talk to her like that. They barely noticed her, except when they needed more napkins. She wanted to say no, wanted to remind him she was working but something in his gaze pinned her in place.

"I... I shouldn't. I'm on shift," she finally managed.

"Then I'll wait," he said smoothly, lifting the cup to his lips. His eyes never left hers.

Alice's heart thudded so hard she was sure the entire diner could hear it. She turned quickly, fumbling for her order pad just to give her hands something to do. But even as she served the other tables, she felt the weight of his gaze following her every move.

By the time she brought his pie, her nerves were buzzing. He set his phone aside a sleek, top-of-the-line model and gestured to the seat across from him again.

This time, his voice was lower. Softer. "Just five minutes. Indulge me."

She hesitated. Something told her saying yes would be the start of trouble. But something else the part of her that noticed the faint crinkle at the edge of his eyes when he looked at her wanted to know why a man like him would ask.

Against her better judgment, Alice slid into the booth.

"Good girl," he murmured, leaning back with the kind of ease that only came from power. He studied her for a moment, then said, "Tell me, Alice. Do you always work this late?"

She folded her hands in her lap, trying to ignore the way her pulse raced. "Someone has to pay the bills."

His mouth curved, as though her answer amused him. "Honest. I like that."

He didn't ask about the pie, or the coffee. He didn't even touch them. He just... looked at her, as if trying to read every thought running through her head.

And for the first time in her life, Alice felt like she wasn't invisible.

But she also had the distinct feeling that this man wasn't here for pie

Alice shifted in her seat, feeling his gaze linger on her like a question she didn't know how to answer.

The bell above the door jingled again, and a gust of cold air swept through the diner as two more customers walked in. She jumped a little, suddenly remembering where she was and what she was doing.

"I should... get back to work," she said quickly, pushing back from the booth.

He didn't stop her this time. He only nodded once, that unreadable half smile playing on his lips. "Of course. Thank you for indulging me."

Indulging him. The words sounded strange in her ears. Like she had given him something more than a seat at her table.

She hurried to the counter, eager to busy her hands again, but curiosity pulled her eyes back toward his booth more than once. He didn't touch his pie. Barely touched his coffee. He just sat there, scrolling idly through his phone as if he had all the time in the world.

And when she returned a few minutes later with the bill, the booth was empty.

Only the untouched plate, a full cup of coffee, and a hundred dollar bill left neatly under the saucer remained.

Alice froze.

She looked toward the door, but he was already gone.

woke up to the sound of my alarm ,I stretched my hands to turn it off, how could it be 7 am so quick.i had a class to attend by 8 so I had to be up. She hurriedly stood up to get a bath,she was running late.

Alice balanced her books on her hands as she hurried around campus dodging a group of students standing. She had just finished from class and was on her way to the diner,she was running late for her next shift.

Her life had become a constant loop of classes, work, and exhaustion. Sleep was a luxury she couldn't afford, but at least she was moving forward. One step closer to her degree. One step closer to leaving behind the never-ending stress of overdue rent notices.

"Ouch", she had just bumped into something hard pulling her out of her thoughts. She saw a nice pair of shoe in front of her and trailed it up till her eyes landed on a very familiar face,the man from the diner.

What are you doing here ?" She asked"

She knew he wasn't here for pie, which left her wondering if he was stalking her.

He arched a brow, that same unreadable half-smile tugging at his lips. "I thought this was a school "

She frowned, clutching her books tighter "for students yes, but you...",she stopped herself her cheeks burning. What was she supposed to say? But you look like you belong in a magazine or some big company and not in a college

He'd stared at her with that unreadable half smile on his lips as though he heard her thoughts before she said it . "Let's just say business brought me to campus." His eyes flicked over her and her books for a second ."Didn't expect to...find you here."

The air between them thickened. Alice looked away first,her cheeks burning hotter than ever.

Finally he spoke " are you through with your classes for the day".

She was about to reply when she realised he wasn't talking to her . He was standing next to a blonde girl,she didn't realise when he left.

She watched them leave. He opened the car door for the blonde, glanced at her for a second before getting into the car driving off

She stood frozen, long after he disappeared ,staring into space.

"Oh shit". I'm late, she muttered before running off.

She walked of with thoughts of what just happened replaying in her head.

Chapter Three: Name revealed

Alice Monroe had never cared much for the grand events her university occasionally hosted. Business galas, charity luncheons, networking nights, those were worlds far removed from her own. She only attended this one because her best friend, Sophie, had bribed her with promises of free food and the chance to "mingle with the ridiculously rich."

"Honestly, Alice, you should thank me," Sophie whispered as they slipped into the chandelier lit hall. "This is where futures are made. You never know, you might meet your prince charming."

"I don't need a prince," Alice muttered, clutching her notebook like a shield. "I just need to pass my finals."

But Sophie wasn't listening. Her eyes were already wide, darting toward the entrance where a hush had fallen over the crowd.

That was when Brian Carter walked in.

He wasn't just handsome; he was magnetic. Tall, broad-shouldered, dressed in a perfectly tailored suit that seemed to command the air around him. His presence turned heads instantly, the kind of man who didn't need to speak to be noticed.

Alice felt her chest tighten as his gaze swept over the crowd,distant, uninterested,until, for the briefest second, his eyes met hers. A spark lit up her veins, startling in its intensity, before he looked away.

"Holy..." Sophie fanned herself dramatically. "That, my dear, is not a prince. That's a king. And I think he just looked at you."

Alice forced a laugh, though her cheeks burned. Men like him didn't look at girls like her.

She was proven right moments later, when a tall blonde,the girl from school,in a glittering gown slid up beside Brian and slipped her hand into his with practiced ease. The room whispered, voices rippling with recognition.

"That's Clarissa Hale," Sophie whispered, leaning close. "Daughter of the Hales, you know, old money, massive empire, scandalously rich. Rumor has it their families have been planning this engagement forever."

Alice's stomach twisted. A fiancé. Of course. Someone like him would never be free.

Brian's expression remained composed as Clarissa smiled up at him, but Alice caught something fleeting in his eyes, something sharp, restless, like a man caged by his own life.

And when his gaze flickered back across the room, landing on Alice again, the world seemed to tilt on its axis.

Sophie nudged her with a wicked grin. "Oh, girl... this is going to be interesting."

Before Alice could argue, Sophie grabbed her wrist and tugged her toward the refreshment table,right where Brian and Clarissa were standing. Alice's heart thundered as Sophie, utterly unbothered, reached past Clarissa to grab a glass of champagne.

"Excuse me," Sophie said with a dazzling smile. "My friend here nearly died running to make it on time tonight. Don't you think she deserves the last croissant?"

Alice's eyes went wide with horror. "Sophie..." she hissed.

But Brian's lips curved ever so slightly, his eyes settling on Alice again. "If she nearly died for it," he said smoothly, his voice low and rich, "then by all means... let her have it."

Alice froze, caught in the weight of his attention. "I-thank you," she managed, clutching the plate Sophie had shoved into her hands.

Clarissa's smile tightened, her grip on Brian's arm sharpening. "Darling, we really should greet the board members," she said pointedly.

Brian didn't look away from Alice immediately. For a heartbeat too long, he held her gaze, unreadable and yet almost... curious. Then he inclined his head slightly, the faintest trace of a smirk lingering on his lips.

"Enjoy the croissant," he murmured.

And then he let Clarissa pull him away, leaving Alice shaken and Sophie grinning like she'd just watched the opening act of her favorite drama.

"Oh, Alice," Sophie whispered, sipping her champagne. "You're in so much trouble."