Maya couldn't focus.
Every slice of the knife, every sound of sizzling oil felt too loud, too sharp. Adrian's words echoed in her mind —
> "Then don't let me walk away."
She wanted to be angry, she wanted to push him out of her thoughts, but his voice had carved its place deep within her.
When her assistant called her name for the third time, Maya blinked.
"Chef? The order's burning!"
"Oh—" she turned quickly, switching off the stove. "Sorry. My mind's somewhere else."
Somewhere named Adrian King.
---
That evening, the restaurant was busier than ever.
And as fate liked to tease her, the man she was trying to forget walked right in — perfectly dressed, impossibly calm, and… not alone.
A woman was with him.
Tall, elegant, with the kind of beauty that screamed expensive taste and old money.
Maya froze at the kitchen window, watching him pull out a chair for her, the faintest smile on his lips.
That smile hurt more than she wanted to admit.
The waitress beside her whispered, "Isn't that the CEO from King Enterprises? Who's the woman?"
Maya forced a smile. "Probably someone important. Focus on the orders."
But her hands trembled as she plated the dish.
The knife nearly slipped — the same knife she'd used to cut vegetables a thousand times without fail.From across the restaurant, Adrian noticed.
Even as his dinner companion — Veronica, his company's investor — spoke about business, his eyes kept drifting toward the kitchen.
Maya was pretending not to see him, but her flushed face gave her away.
Veronica leaned closer, her tone teasing. "You keep staring that way, Adrian. Should I be jealous?"
He leaned back, his expression cool. "You know me better than that."
"Do I?" she asked softly. "You've changed lately. There's something… or someone… distracting you."
He didn't answer.
Because she was right.
---
After an hour, he finally stood to leave.
As he passed the counter, Maya looked up briefly — their eyes met for one tense second.
"Dinner was good," he said, his voice quiet, almost personal.
"Glad you enjoyed it," she replied flatly. "Your guest seemed to enjoy it too."
Adrian blinked. Was that… jealousy in her tone?
He almost smiled. "She's an investor, Maya. Nothing more."
"Of course," she said quickly. "Your personal life isn't my concern."
But her eyes told another story — one she couldn't hide.
---
That night, Maya sat alone on her balcony, a mug of tea in hand.
The city lights glimmered below, cold and distant.
She hated how easily he affected her — how one look, one half-smile could twist her entire day.
Maybe she was the fool here, waiting for something that had already broken once before.Her phone buzzed.
Adrian: You left your scarf in my car that night. Want me to drop it off?
She typed back quickly.
Maya: Keep it.
There was a pause.
Then another message —
Adrian: I'd rather return it in person.
Maya's heart skipped.
She didn't reply.
Because deep down, she already knew — he wasn't done, and neither was she.