Alexander Vane does not understand the word "no"—or perhaps he understands it perfectly and simply chooses to ignore it. Either way, he appears at Marlene's Corner the very next morning with the casual confidence of someone who believes the entire world is his living room and everyone in it merely guests he hasn't yet decided to acknowledge.
I'm sitting at my usual table by the window with a cup of tea and a slice of Marlene's chocolate cake, trying to recover from yesterday's confrontation. Lucas has gone to the office to handle something urgent, leaving me in Sophie and Kevin's capable hands. Sophie is behind the counter, reorganizing the pastry display with her usual chaotic energy, while Kevin sits in his corner booth with his laptop open and a new spreadsheet titled "Alexander Vane: Post-Encounter Surveillance."
The door chimes, and every head in the café turns.
