Chapter 3 The Cafe

• On the way to Chels Tower, Xavier decided he needed to grab a coffee.
• He needed something to cool the fire raging in his mind.
• Lila’s harsh words echoed in his head, and the sting wouldn’t fade.
• It hurt.
• Deeply.
• Was this why her responses to his letters had stopped?
• The SUV pulled up in front of a cozy café not far from the tower they were headed to.
• It featured nice glass windows, and the aroma of freshly ground coffee wafted out each time a customer walked in or out.
• Xavier stepped out of the SUV, moving with calm purpose.
• Gerald stayed behind the wheel, silently observing as his boss adjusted his charcoal coat and walked into the café.
• Inside, warm yellow lights bathed the rustic wooden tables in a cozy glow, with hanging potted ferns adding a touch of life.
• A few early risers sipped lattes while typing away on their laptops. Xavier’s keen eyes scanned the room, quickly taking in everything and everyone.
• He joined the line at the counter, quietly ordering a black coffee. As he waited, his gaze drifted to a table by the window where a young woman was on the phone.
• She looked tense, her long hair framing her face as she tapped her fingernails anxiously on the table.
• “…I told you, Mason, if this goes public, the board will strip me of my position!” she hissed into her phone, her voice calm but laced with anger.
• “Find another way to shut him up.”
• Xavier studied her closely. Valerie Kim. Her name was printed on a leather portfolio next to her laptop. She wore a navy pantsuit that highlighted her slim yet athletic frame, paired with delicate pearl earrings.
• She looked different from seven years ago.
• He was surprised.
• This was the same woman he had intended to see at Chels Towers.
• His order arrived, and he grabbed his cup, pausing to glance at Valerie again.
• Something about her clenched jaw and furrowed brows told him she was backed into a corner.
• He took a slow sip of his coffee, observing her closely.
• “Listen to me,” Valerie snapped into her phone, her voice rising slightly.
• “If Harold Park leaks those documents, Chels Global will collapse overnight. I’m not going to let that happen, do you hear me?”
• She hung up abruptly, tossing her phone onto the table with a frustrated sigh. Her eyes closed for a moment, and her shoulders slumped as if the weight of the world was resting on them.
• Then, gathering herself, she sat up straight and reached for her laptop. Her fingers trembled slightly as she scrolled through emails, her eyes darting across the screen with sharp focus.
• Xavier kept watching her.
• He remembered Valerie from years ago, the intern who had boldly challenged senior executives with strategic alternatives during board presentations.
• Back then, people had laughed at her confidence. Now, she was the CEO of one of New York’s largest holding companies.
• His companies had some dealings with hers.
• That’s why he felt compelled to reach out after seeing the notification on his phone earlier.
• It seemed the takeover news was more serious than he initially thought.
• Turning away, he settled at an empty table nearby. As he got comfortable, he overheard her quiet muttering.
• “I won’t let you destroy everything I’ve built,” she whispered under her breath, her eyes narrowing at the screen. “If marrying you is the only way to save this company, then so be it.”
• Xavier frowned slightly. Marry him?
• His phone buzzed with a message from Gerald:
• “Harold Park is cornering her. He’s threatening to leak falsified financial statements if she refuses his proposal. Brute coercion tactics, I must say.”
• Gerald was always resourceful.
• He had eyes everywhere.
• Xavier’s thumb hovered over the screen as he glanced back at Valerie. Her shoulders were trembling slightly now. She clenched her fists against the table, her jaw tight.
• She’s trapped, he thought.
• But she’s not backing down.
• How impressive.
• He stood and walked back to the counter, ordering another coffee. As the barista prepared it, he pulled out his black titanium card, sliding it across the counter without a word. When the coffee was ready, he picked it up and headed toward Valerie’s table.
• “Excuse me,” he said softly, placing the cup in front of her.
• Valerie looked up, startled. Confusion flickered in her sharp brown eyes as she studied his face.
• “I didn’t order this,” she said, her voice wary yet polite.
• “I know,” Xavier replied calmly, meeting her gaze without flinching. “You looked like you needed it.”
• Her eyes dropped to the cup, then back to his face. “Do I know you?”
• “No,” he said simply. “But I can recognize someone who’s cornered.”
• She stiffened, her back straightening defensively. “Excuse me?”
• Xavier slipped his hands into his coat pockets, maintaining a calm expression. “If you’re marrying Harold Park to save Chels Global, think carefully. Men like him always find new ways to tighten the leash after the ring is on your finger.”
• Valerie’s lips parted slightly, her eyes widening. “Who… who are you?”
• “Just someone who knows how this game is played,” he replied softly.
• For a brief moment, silence hung between them. Valerie’s eyes searched his face for answers she couldn’t find. Just then, her phone buzzed again, vibrating loudly on the table.
• She glanced at it, her face paling as she read the screen. Without another word to Xavier, she picked up the cup he’d given her and took a sip, as if needing the warmth to steady herself.
• “Thank you… whoever you are,” she murmured quietly.
• Xavier nodded once, then turned and walked out of the café into the crisp morning air.
• He took a deep breath, his mind calm and focused.
• First Lila. Now Valerie Kim. Both caught in games they thought they controlled.
• Lila had no idea he was the CEO she thought fancied her.
• He slipped back into the SUV, and Gerald smoothly pulled into traffic.
• “Where to next, sir?” Gerald asked softly.
• Xavier’s gaze remained fixed on the crowded streets ahead. “Chels Tower, but later,” he said quietly.
• “But make sure she is in before we go. It’s time to give Ms. Valerie Kim an alternative to her desperation.”
• “For now, I’d like to rest at home,” he added.