“Excuse me,” I force a small smile and gesture toward the back. “I just need a minute.”
I barely wait for their response before heading toward the bathroom, my steps brisk and my heart hammering against my ribs.
The second the door clicks shut behind me, I grip the edge of the sink, my breath coming in ragged gasps. The floodgates open.
He’s really here.
My mind spirals, my worst fears unravelling in front of me. He hates me and now he’s come back to destroy what’s left of my life—my mum’s business, the cafe, everything we’ve worked so hard to build. I grip the sink, blinking fast. Not now. Not here. But the hurt crashes in anyway. Get it together, Lila. You can fall apart later, when you’re home, alone, and safe from questions you can’t answer.
I take a deep breath and splash cold water on my face, the chill jolting me back to reality. I glance in the mirror, brushing away the stray tears that cling stubbornly to my lashes. My eyes are red-rimmed, my cheeks flushed, but I’m calmer now. Composed.
Almost.
I fix my ponytail, straighten my blazer, and take one last breath before stepping back into the cafe. Everything’s fine. No one needs to know.
But the second I walk out, Willow and Sophie are waiting for me, their eyes filled with concern.
“You okay?” Willow asks softly, her gaze scanning my face.
“Yeah,” I say too quickly, forcing a smile that feels more like a grimace. “I’m fine. It’s just… stress. You know how it is.”
“Lila,” Sophie says, stepping closer and placing a hand on my arm. “You don’t have to pretend with us. Whatever is going on, we’re here.”
For a moment, I consider telling them everything. The truth about Ben, but the words stick in my throat. Not now. Not yet.
Instead, I nod and take a breath. “Thanks. I just needed aminute to regroup.”
Sophie smiles gently. “Take all the time you need. We’ve got your back.”
Olivia nods. “Always.”
Their support should make me feel lighter, but the knot in my chest only tightens. Because I know this isn’t over. Not even close.
5
Ben
I step out of the cafe; the door swinging shut behind me with a soft click, but the tension follows me out like a shadow. The scent of coffee and roses lingers in the air, clinging to my skin, as if I haven’t truly left.
Lila.
I’ve sat through hundreds of business meetings—some tense, some brutal, some downright hostile. But none of them felt like this.
None of them left me so off-balance.
I hadn’t planned to play it that cold. I told myself on the way up here that I’d acknowledge her, keep it polite, light. Acknowledge our past without getting lost in it. Maybe even throw in a wry comment, something that said I remembered everything but wasn’t holding onto it.
But then I walked in, saw her standing there, a goddess. Composed, fierce, her eyes already locked on me and I choked.
My instincts kicked in, cold, controlled, professional. It’s what I do best.
Now it just feels like shit.
I saw it. The flicker of recognition in her eyes, the way her lips parted like she was about to say something.
Then it was gone.
The light dimmed, her guard snapping back into place so fast it was almost a physical thing. Her shoulders tightened, her eyes hardened, and she smiled that perfectly polite, distant smile. The same one I’d given her.
