The morning unfolded with a nervous stillness, as though the air itself understood the weight of the hours ahead. Rain clung to the windows like fingerprints, soft and persistent. Celine arrived early, unlocking the café with practiced motion, but her breath hitched when she turned on the lights.

Everything had to be perfect.

Counters wiped. Registers balanced. Receipts aligned.

Not because she feared discovery—but because she refused to crumble under someone else’s pressure.

Liam arrived ...