The following day, Leila arrived at work early, the sound of the café's old doorbell jingling as she stepped inside. The morning was just beginning to stir, and the faint rays of sunlight streamed through the café's windows, casting a warm glow over the mismatched tables and eclectic décor.
Her shift didn't start for another hour, but she had something on her mind. Something she hadn't been able to forget since the day before.
As she wiped down the counter, her eyes landed on the sleek, dark leather watch she had discovered at the table where Alex Knight had sat. It was the kind of watch that didn't belong in a place like The Blue Willow Café. Expensive, precise, a mark of wealth and status—everything about it screamed luxury.
She had thought about keeping it, at least until she figured out what to do with it. But the longer she stared at it, the more she felt an unexpected twinge of responsibility. The man who had sat at that table, with his polished suit and enigmatic presence, didn't strike her as someone who would forget something so valuable. If he was anything like the type of people who typically visited places like The Blue Willow, he wouldn't want to lose something like that.
So, she decided she would return it.
After all, how hard could it be to drop it off at his office? She would simply leave it with whoever answered the door, make a quick exit, and that would be the end of it. Simple.
Leila tucked the watch into her purse as she finished preparing for her shift. The day passed quickly, with the usual bustle of customers, the sound of espresso machines, and the low murmur of conversations. But her mind kept drifting back to Alex. His sharp, calculating gaze. The way he had looked at her when she had spoken her mind, unafraid of what he might think. And then there was that moment—the brief flicker of something behind his eyes, something she couldn't quite place. Curiosity? Interest?
She pushed the thoughts aside as she finished her shift and grabbed the watch from her bag. She knew she had no reason to be thinking about him. They were from entirely different worlds, after all.
The real question was: Why hadn't he asked for it back? He seemed the type to keep track of everything, to make sure nothing slipped through his fingers. But the fact that he hadn't even realized it was missing had piqued her curiosity.
When Leila arrived at the towering office building that housed the Knight Enterprises headquarters, she found herself standing at the entrance for a moment, momentarily daunted by its sheer size. The marble floors gleamed as she entered, and the tall, polished elevators carried a few suited professionals up and down, their faces void of expression.
She approached the front desk, where a woman with dark hair and a sharp suit sat, typing away at a keyboard.
"Can I help you?" the receptionist asked, barely looking up from her screen.
Leila cleared her throat, trying to ignore the nerves that fluttered in her stomach. "Hi, I'm here to return something to Mr. Knight. I... I think he left it at a café I work at yesterday."
The receptionist finally looked up, her gaze scanning Leila's appearance—a far cry from the high-end professionals who walked through the building's doors every day. But she said nothing, simply motioning toward the elevator.
"Mr. Knight's office is on the 33rd floor," she said coolly. "You'll need to sign in first."
Leila nodded, walking over to the sign-in desk. She scribbled her name, her hands betraying a slight tremor as she did. She hadn't expected to be so... nervous. But there was something about stepping into this world, the world Alex Knight had built, that made her feel out of place.
As the elevator doors closed behind her, Leila leaned against the wall, feeling the pressure of the high-rise weight around her. The ride to the 33rd floor felt interminable, though it lasted only a few moments. When the doors finally opened, she found herself facing a wide corridor, its floors polished and gleaming, the walls adorned with abstract art and sleek design elements that screamed of opulence.
She walked toward the door at the end of the hallway, where a tall, well-dressed man stood behind a reception desk.
"Can I help you?" he asked, his voice professional, his gaze scrutinizing.
"I'm here to return a watch to Mr. Knight," Leila said, holding it out for him. "I believe it's his."
The man didn't take the watch immediately. Instead, he studied her for a moment, then glanced at the watch before nodding.
"Wait here. I'll let him know you're here."
Leila stood there awkwardly, the soft hum of the office air conditioning the only sound. She wasn't sure what to expect next, but the anticipation gnawed at her.
It wasn't long before Alex Knight himself emerged from behind the door. He was dressed in a black suit, the sharp lines of his jacket and trousers giving him an air of cold precision. He seemed different in this environment—taller, more imposing, even more untouchable. But there was also something less guarded about him now, something that reminded her of the brief moment of vulnerability they'd shared at the café.
He stopped in front of her, his eyes narrowing slightly as he took in her presence. For a second, they just stood there, silent. Then his gaze dropped to the watch she was holding, and a small, barely perceptible shift occurred in his demeanor.
"You found it," he said, his voice low and smooth, the edge of surprise in his tone.
Leila nodded, feeling a strange mixture of relief and... something else. "Yeah. It was just sitting on the table when I was cleaning up yesterday. I figured I'd bring it back."
Alex reached out, his fingers brushing lightly against hers as he took the watch from her.
The touch was brief, but it sent a jolt of warmth through her skin, a spark that lingered long after their hands had separated. She quickly pulled her hand back, unsure of what to do with the fluttering feeling in her chest.
"Thank you," he said quietly, meeting her gaze. "I appreciate it."
The sincerity in his voice surprised her. It wasn't the cold, calculated tone she had expected from a man like him. There was something... softer in his words. Maybe it was just her imagination, but it felt real.
"You're welcome," Leila said, her voice steady despite the nerves creeping back up.
There was a beat of silence between them before Alex spoke again, his eyes studying her with a newfound curiosity.
"Are you... sure you work at that café?" he asked, his brow furrowing slightly. "You don't quite fit the usual clientele I've seen around there."
Leila couldn't help but smile. There it was—the same perceptiveness she'd noticed the day before.
"I'm not exactly usual," she said, meeting his gaze with equal parts confidence and wariness. "But that's where I work."
Alex's lips curled slightly at the corners, the hint of a smile tugging at his mouth. For a moment, the ice around him seemed to crack just a little, revealing something... human.
"Well, thank you again for bringing this by. I wasn't expecting that."
Leila shrugged, feeling a little awkward under his gaze. "No problem. I'll just... let you get back to your day."
She turned to leave, but before she could walk away, Alex's voice stopped her.
"Leila," he said, his tone more thoughtful than before.
She turned back to him, arching an eyebrow.
"If you're ever in the area again," he continued, "feel free to stop by. I'll owe you a coffee this time."
The invitation was simple, but the way he said it made her heart flutter in a way she wasn't sure she was ready to understand.
"Maybe I will," she said, offering a small smile, before turning and heading back toward the elevator.
As she walked out of the building, the weight of the watchless hand seemed lighter, and her mind, usually cluttered with the grind of daily life, was filled with thoughts of Alex Knight. What was it about him that felt... different? What was it about him that pulled at something inside her she didn't even know was there?
She had no answers yet. But one thing was clear—she hadn't seen the last of him.
And maybe, just maybe, he hadn't seen the last of her either.