The Billionaire's Return

ia's

ffee and warm pastries wrapped around me like a familiar blanket as I wiped down the counter. Outsid

d with the villagers from my hometown, especially elderly men

ld son sat, a small rocket in hand, soaring it through an imaginary galaxy. His

verything I had endured. It was where I rebuilt myself piece by pie

rance. I plastered on a warm smile, prepared to greet a regular

el C

mposed than the last time I'd seen him. Six years hadn't dulled the sharpness of his features or the confiden

ped out of a fashion magazine. She clung to his arm, he

s voice as familiar as th

eutral, though my heart felt like it mi

ying me. "Aren't you going to introduce us

" Daniel said, his to

an

eneath me, my hands gripping the edge of the counter to steady myself.

arely glancing at her. "Do you

ou here," he said, ignoring my question. "I just arrived into town now

r six years," I replied,

e made my heart flutter. "I always knew you'd open

ing cups and plates as if the conver

he asked suddenly,

your business." But a second thought occurred to me, "H

his gaze shifted to Mark, who was now busy scribb

and turned back to him. "If you don't need anything else, Da

tly manicured hand resting on Daniel's arm. "We s

is gaze still on me, but the

n't r

espresso machine. Six years. He had disappeared without a word, leaving me to pick up the pieces of my li

ay in the back room, coloring while I cleaned up. I hummed softly to myself, wiping down th

led, breaking

ht customer. Instead, Daniel w

?" I asked sharply, my h

etched with something I couldn't

s voice softer now. "I

distance. "We have nothing

e said firmly,

is is, just leave. I

cing a stack of documents

I asked, my st

it," he said,

ick up the papers. The words blurred for a moment as I

breath caught. I looked up at him, my

e said, his face c

st about him. This was about me-my café, my sanctuary,

é? How? Why?" I finally ch

but the look in hi

ef. The man who had abandoned me, the man behind my pain, the man who had left

ising. "Why are you doing thi

t's not th

lk back into my life after six years, pretend like nothing happened, an

his was your café," he s

t. Why would you? I don't expect you to!

ut I held up a hand, cutting him

e, his eyes filled with som

ermination, "I'm not that naive, timid girl you left, so don't

turned and walked out, the be

y sanctuary, my refuge-it was all at risk. And the man who

t I had left behin