C3 THE COFFEE SHOP ENCOUNTER

CHAPTER 3

THE COFFEE SHOP ENCOUNTER

Emily didn't sleep.

Every time she closed her eyes, she saw the messages on her phone.

Stop digging into the past.

You don't know what your father did.

And the last one kept repeating in her mind.

If you keep searching, Adrian won't be the only person who hates you.

By seven in the morning, Emily had already read the old article six times.

She sat at her small desk with her laptop open, searching for anything connected to Carter Industries.

There wasn't much.

Most of the articles were more than ten years old. Some had disappeared entirely. Others contained only a few paragraphs about the company's collapse.

Her father's name appeared again and again.

Daniel Carter.

Founder and CEO of Carter Industries.

Accused of financial fraud.

Company collapsed.

Family lost everything.

Blackwell Holdings acquired the remaining assets.

Emily leaned back in her chair.

"That doesn't make sense."

Her father had never been a businessman in the stories her mother told her.

He had been an accountant.

A hardworking man.

A loving father.

At least, that's what Emily remembered.

But children didn't always know everything about their parents.

Maybe there had been another side of him.

Maybe her mother had hidden it to protect her.

Emily closed the laptop.

She couldn't sit in her room all day.

She needed air.

More importantly, she needed coffee.

She grabbed her backpack and headed toward the small café near the university library.

The morning campus was already crowded.

Students hurried between buildings, carrying books and coffee cups.

Emily walked past them, trying not to think about the previous night.

She failed.

She had barely reached the café when someone called her name.

"Emily!"

She turned.

Mia hurried toward her.

"You're awake early."

"I didn't sleep."

Mia looked concerned.

"Why?"

Emily hesitated.

She hadn't told Mia about the messages.

She wasn't sure she trusted anyone yet.

"First-day nerves."

Mia studied her face.

"You're lying."

"I'm tired."

"That's different."

Emily smiled weakly.

"I'll tell you later."

Mia sighed.

"Fine. But I'm holding you to that."

They entered the café.

The place was warm and crowded, with soft music playing in the background. Students occupied almost every table.

Mia joined the line.

Emily looked around.

Then she saw him.

Adrian.

He sat alone near the window.

A laptop was open in front of him, but he wasn't looking at it.

He was looking directly at her.

Emily's stomach tightened.

Mia followed her gaze.

"Oh, no."

"What?"

"He's here."

"I can see that."

Mia lowered her voice.

"Let's leave."

Emily frowned.

"Why?"

"Because every time you two are in the same room, something happens."

"Nothing happened."

"He threatened you yesterday."

"He warned me."

"That's not better."

Emily almost smiled.

"Relax."

She stepped into the line.

Mia groaned but followed.

Emily tried not to look at Adrian.

She failed.

He was still watching her.

There was something different about him this morning.

Yesterday, his anger had been obvious.

Today, he looked almost thoughtful.

As if he was trying to solve a puzzle.

And Emily had a feeling she was the puzzle.

She turned away.

"What do you want?" Mia asked.

"Coffee."

"I know that. What kind?"

"Black."

Mia stared at her.

"You drink black coffee?"

"Yes."

"You're nineteen. You're supposed to put sugar in it."

Emily laughed.

"I've had enough sweetness in my life."

Mia smiled.

"That's dramatic."

Before Emily could respond, someone stepped beside her.

"Black coffee?"

She immediately recognized the voice.

Adrian.

She turned.

"Do you have a problem with that?"

"No."

"Then why ask?"

His eyes remained on her.

"Because I didn't expect it."

Emily folded her arms.

"You don't know me."

"I know that."

"Then stop acting like you do."

For a moment, Adrian said nothing.

Then his eyes moved toward the counter.

"You shouldn't be here."

Emily laughed.

"That's becoming your favorite sentence."

"I'm serious."

"So am I."

The barista called Emily's name.

She collected her coffee.

Then she turned toward Adrian.

"You know what?"

He looked at her.

"I think you should stop blaming me for whatever my father supposedly did."

Something flashed in his eyes.

Pain.

It disappeared so quickly Emily almost thought she'd imagined it.

"My father lost everything because of yours."

Emily's voice softened.

"I didn't do it."

"I know."

She blinked.

The answer surprised her.

"You know?"

Adrian looked away.

"I know you weren't responsible."

"Then why do you hate me?"

He looked back at her.

"I don't hate you."

Emily's heart skipped.

But before she could respond, he added,

"I hate what your name represents."

The words hurt more than she expected.

She looked away.

"Then maybe you should stop talking to me."

She walked toward the nearest empty table.

Mia followed.

But Adrian's gaze remained on Emily.

He didn't understand himself.

He had planned to ignore her.

He had planned to make sure she stayed away from anything connected to his family.

Instead, he had spent half the night thinking about her.

Her expression.

Her voice.

The way she had looked directly into his eyes without fear.

Most people became nervous around him.

Emily Carter didn't.

She challenged him.

And somehow, that made him want to know her more.

His phone vibrated.

He glanced at the screen.

A message from his investigator.

UNKNOWN PERSON IS ASKING QUESTIONS ABOUT DANIEL CARTER.

Adrian's expression changed.

He typed quickly.

Who?

The reply came seconds later.

Emily Carter.

Adrian looked across the café.

Emily was sitting with Mia, stirring her coffee.

His jaw tightened.

He stood.

Emily noticed.

He walked toward her table.

Mia immediately whispered,

"Here we go again."

Adrian stopped beside Emily.

"You're investigating your father."

Emily looked up slowly.

"How do you know?"

"Answer me."

"No."

His expression hardened.

"Emily."

She stood.

"You don't get to order me around."

"Someone sent you those messages."

Her heart stopped.

"How do you know that?"

Adrian's silence answered her.

Emily stepped closer.

"Are you watching me?"

"No."

"Then how do you know?"

He looked toward the café entrance.

"Because whoever sent them has been watching you."

Emily felt a chill.

Mia looked between them.

"What messages?"

Emily didn't answer.

Adrian lowered his voice.

"Come with me."

"Why?"

"Because this isn't safe."

Emily shook her head.

"I don't trust you."

"You shouldn't."

The honesty in his voice caught her off guard.

Adrian looked directly into her eyes.

"But right now, I'm the person standing between you and whoever wants you to stop asking questions."

Emily stared at him.

For the first time, she saw something beneath his arrogance.

Fear.

Not for himself.

For her.

Then the café door opened.

A man wearing a gray baseball cap walked inside.

He looked around.

His eyes stopped on Emily.

Adrian noticed.

His entire expression changed.

He stepped in front of Emily.

"Don't move."

Emily frowned.

"What?"

Adrian didn't answer.

The man in the gray cap turned and walked back outside.

Adrian immediately followed.

Emily rushed after him.

"Adrian!"

He stopped outside.

The man was already gone.

Adrian looked down the street.

Nothing.

Then his phone vibrated.

He pulled it out.

One new message.

"You're protecting the wrong girl."

Adrian's blood ran cold.

A second message appeared.

"Ask her what her mother knows."

He slowly looked at Emily.

She stood a few feet away, confused and frightened.

"What happened?"

Adrian stared at her.

For the first time, he wondered whether keeping Emily away from his family was actually the wrong decision.

Maybe the danger wasn't coming from her.

Maybe it was coming for her.

And if that was true, someone had been waiting ten years for Emily Carter to return.

Someone who knew exactly what happened to her father.

Someone who was terrified she might finally discover the truth.