The restaurant glowed with warm lights and soft jazz playing in the background.
Maya sat by the window, dressed in a simple black dress — elegant, calm, and a little nervous.
Across from her sat Ryan, charming as ever, speaking with the kind of confidence that filled every silence.
"You really surprised everyone today," he said, swirling his wine. "I've never seen anyone command a kitchen like that."
Maya smiled politely. "I just love what I do."
Ryan leaned forward. "Passion like that is rare. You remind me of someone I used to know."
She tilted her head. "Someone who cooked?"He chuckled. "No. Someone who made everything around them feel alive."
---
The compliment made her blush slightly, but her smile faded when her phone buzzed.
It was a message from Alex:
> "He's coming. Don't freak out."
Her stomach dropped. He?
She looked up just in time to see Adrian Blackwood walk into the restaurant.
Black suit, rain-damp hair, eyes sharp as steel —
and yet, his expression wasn't business.
It was something far more dangerous: jealous calm.
---
Ryan turned. "Adrian! What a surprise."
Of course — Ryan was one of Adrian's company investors.
Adrian smiled thinly. "Didn't expect to see my business partner having dinner with my… chef."Maya froze. My chef? The possessive tone sent heat up her neck.
Ryan laughed, oblivious to the tension. "Small world, huh? We were just discussing a potential partnership."
Adrian took a seat at the next table. "Don't let me interrupt."
But his eyes never left Maya. Not once.
---
Throughout dinner, she tried to focus on Ryan's conversation — but every time she looked up, Adrian's gaze met hers.
Sharp. Burning. Unspoken.
When Ryan excused himself to take a call, the silence between them filled the air.
Maya exhaled, setting down her fork.
"You're unbelievable."
Adrian raised an eyebrow. "For showing up?"
"For acting like you didn't do it on purpose."
He leaned forward slightly. "You think I'd let you go on a date with someone I don't trust?"
Her jaw tightened. "You don't own me, Adrian."
"I know," he said quietly. "But try telling that to my heart."Her breath caught.
For a second, she saw the real him — not the CEO, not the cold man — but someone hurting, wanting, trying.
"Why now?" she whispered. "Why say this now?"
He smiled sadly. "Because it's too late to pretend I don't care."
Before she could reply, Ryan returned, breaking the moment.
Adrian stood, his voice calm again.
"Good luck with your deal, Ryan," he said, glancing once more at Maya.
"And Maya…" he paused, eyes softening.
> "Don't let anyone treat your passion like a business transaction."
And then he walked out — leaving her speechless, her heart torn between anger and longing.
---
Later, Maya stepped outside into the cool night air.
Rain had just stopped, and the scent of wet earth filled the breeze.
She looked up at the cloudy sky and whispered to herself:> "If this isn't love, then what is?"
---
Meanwhile, in the quiet of the university garden, Lila watched Max reading under the lamp.
She smiled softly and asked, "Do you believe people meet twice — once by chance and once by choice?"
He looked up, eyes thoughtful. "Maybe. But I think the second time… it's always fate's way of asking if we're ready now."
She smiled, her heart skipping a beat.
Maybe they were.
---