8 | ☕️ CEO Rules and Coffee Fools ☕
It had been a few days since Anya's first real encounter with Atlas's possessive side, and the memory of it lingered in her mind like an unfinished conversation.
The encounter had left her feeling both uneasy and perplexed.
Could she have misinterpreted the situation?
She could've sworn Atlas was just... being weird. Right?
Still, despite her attempts to brush it off, Anya couldn't shake the feeling that something had changed between them.
His eyes—always intense—seemed to follow her more now, lingering in a way that both made her self-conscious and...
oddly special. His presence, however brief, seemed to fill the entire room.
Anya wasn't sure whether to find it flattering or downright terrifying.
She had spent the past couple of days focusing entirely on work, trying to distract herself from those strange thoughts.
But there was no escaping the fact that whenever she glanced up from the counter, there he was—Atlas, sitting in his usual corner of the café, eyes fixed on her.
His gaze never wavered, his posture unnerving.
He didn't speak much, and when he did, it was almost always short and direct.
But there was something about him that made Anya feel like she was the only person in the room.
He had a way of drawing her in without even saying a word.
And no matter how much she tried to focus on the task at hand, her mind would wander to him.
Her stomach would knot, and she'd immediately dismiss the feeling. She was here to make coffee. He was just a customer. There was no reason to overthink it.
---
The next morning followed the same routine.
Anya hummed a soft tune as she prepped the morning orders, her movements fluid and practiced.
She'd learned over time that the early hours at the café could be hectic, and she preferred to keep herself busy.
Kaia was already busy serving customers, the clink of coffee cups and the murmur of conversations filling the air.
Everything was calm—until the door swung open.
Anya didn't notice at first. Her attention was on the steaming pot of coffee in front of her, but then Kaia's voice broke through her thoughts.
"Anya, get ready. He's here. And I swear, he looks... angrier today."
Anya didn't need to ask who Kaia meant. Her heart fluttered unexpectedly. She rolled her eyes in mock annoyance. "Angry? He always looks angry. It's his thing."
Kaia looked over at Atlas, her eyes wide with concern. "No, seriously. You have no idea what you're dealing with. That man's aura is... terrifying. And don't forget, he's the CEO of a major company. You know, the kind of guy who could bury you with just a glance."
Anya shot her a look. "What? I've got this under control. He's just another customer who likes his coffee strong and his mornings quiet. Besides, I'm here to make it right. Coffee's my superpower."
Kaia threw up her hands in frustration. "Anya, please! You're not getting it! Don't mess with him! He's scary!"
Anya simply grinned, unaffected by Kaia's over-the-top concern. "Chill. It's just coffee. He's fine. I'm fine. We're fine."
Kaia was about to protest again when Anya, ignoring her frantic gestures, made her way toward the counter. She approached with her usual bright smile, ready to serve the coffee, oblivious to the tension building up in the room.
When Anya reached the counter, she greeted Atlas as if he were just another regular customer. "Good morning, Atlas!" Her voice was warm, her tone a bit too chipper for the situation.
She leaned on the counter, trying to sound casual despite the nerves fluttering in her stomach. "How's the day treating you so far? Already in need of coffee?"
Atlas didn't respond immediately. He just stood there, his cold, dark eyes locked on hers, studying her with a quiet intensity that made her feel as though he were seeing through her.
He slid his hands into the pockets of his jacket, his usual nonchalant demeanour masking a deep, almost unnerving presence.
Anya waited, a little unsure of how to proceed, but she kept her smile in place.
"Usual, right? A black coffee?" she asked, trying to keep the mood light.
Atlas didn't answer right away. His fingers twitched slightly, and for a moment, Anya thought he might have something to say. Instead, he signed slowly, his movements deliberate, the quiet gesture almost a command.
Anya blinked, caught off guard. She could feel her smile faltering as she tried to process his words.
"What do you mean? I'm just making coffee, Atlas. You know, coffee-making's kind of my thing."
She tried to deflect with her usual playful tone, but inside, she felt the first stirrings of confusion.
Had he caught on to something? Had she done something wrong?
Atlas raised an eyebrow, clearly unimpressed by her nonchalant attitude. His hands moved again, signing a bit more forcefully this time, the message clear and unambiguous.
Anya furrowed her brow, completely lost. "Rules? What rules?" she asked, genuinely puzzled.
Anya tilted her head, the confusion deepening. Unspoken rules? What was he talking about? She had never heard of any such thing. But as she looked into his unblinking eyes, she couldn't help but wonder if there was something she was missing.
For a moment, she hesitated. She wasn't the type to let things slide—especially not when they were this baffling.
"Atlas, you need to speak in English, not... whatever this is," she teased, a nervous laugh escaping her lips.
"You're gonna make me feel like I've crossed some invisible line again, and I'm pretty sure I don't know where it is."
Atlas didn't smile, nor did he break his intense stare. His posture remained stiff, unwavering. His fingers moved once more, each sign deliberate, as though each word held weight.
The words hit her like a sudden gust of wind, leaving her speechless. She felt a strange mix of confusion and something else—something that felt like warning bells ringing in the pit of her stomach.
Anya blinked, unsure of how to respond. "So... I shouldn't talk to other people the way I talk to you?"
She was still trying to make sense of what was happening, trying to grasp the meaning behind his cryptic words.
"You know, with the smiling and the being nice?"
she added, trying to lighten the atmosphere.
Atlas didn't immediately answer. Instead, he simply watched her, his expression unreadable. Then, a slight smirk tugged at the corner of his lips, but there was nothing playful about it. It was a warning—sharp and clear.
"Okay, okay," Anya muttered, finally finding her voice. "I'll just stick to the coffee-making." She nodded, trying to ease the discomfort she felt, but deep down, she knew this interaction had shifted something between them.
Atlas nodded once, his expression still unreadable. Before he turned to leave, he shot her one last, piercing look that made her feel as if he were assessing every inch of her being. Anya felt a wave of self-consciousness wash over her. Was she being too careless? Did she overstep somehow?
Anya stood frozen, staring at the spot where Atlas had just been, her mind doing its best impression of a hamster on a wheel.
The guy was... intense. She hadn't expected that.
The whole "unspoken rules" thing? That was news to her.
And now, she was pretty sure she'd just walked straight into something way bigger than she realized—because Atlas had looked at her like she had just unknowingly issued a challenge.
"Okay, okay. What just happened?" she muttered to herself, blinking a few times. She shook her head, trying to process. Did he just—
Kaia, however, was way ahead of her, leaning over the counter with a look on her face that said she had seen this coming from a mile away.
"Anya... are you seriously not getting it?" Kaia raised an eyebrow, arms crossed like she was about to deliver a life-altering lecture. "You just poked a bear, and you don't even know you were holding a stick."
Anya squinted. "What? No, no. I didn't provoke anyone. I just smiled and gave him his coffee—nothing out of the ordinary."
Kaia let out a dramatic sigh, resting her chin in her palm. "Sweetie, no. You don't get it. You can't just... be normal with him. He's Atlas. He doesn't do normal."
Anya frowned, still a little lost. "What, like he's some kind of secret crime lord or something? Is he going to disappear into the shadows any second now?"
She looked around, half-expecting him to dramatically vanish into thin air.
"Maybe he's got a dark past—no, wait, did he just order black coffee? No cream, no sugar? This is so confusing."
Kaia rolled her eyes so hard Anya almost thought they were going to fall out. "Anya, you've been watching too many spy thrillers. But seriously, he's not like the other regulars. He doesn't just want your smile. He's interested."
Anya blinked. "Interested... like, interested interested?"
"Duh," Kaia said, as if this were the most obvious thing in the world. "I mean, you've been handing him coffee like it's some kind of love language every single day. The guy probably thinks you're secretly in a slow-burn romance with him."
Anya's cheeks turned pink, the horror of what Kaia was suggesting sinking in. "Wait, wait, no. That's not it. I don't like him like that. I'm literally just trying to be nice."
Kaia stared at her for a long moment before groaning. "Okay, fine. If you don't like him like that, then you've been giving him really strong 'I'm playing hard to get' energy."
Anya crossed her arms, suddenly feeling like a walking disaster. "So you're telling me that I've somehow led him on by—what? Smiling at him?"
Kaia leaned in closer, lowering her voice like she was sharing a great secret.
"Let me break it down for you, Anya. Atlas isn't the type to just be nice back. He reads between the lines. And right now? He thinks there is something between the lines. Because you keep treating him like he's just a regular guy who orders a regular coffee, when he knows he's not."
Anya let out a deep sigh, running a hand through her hair. "So, what do I do now? Should I just stop smiling at him? Should I give him a nod of acknowledgment instead?"
Kaia gave her a look that was equal parts exasperation and amusement. "Well, no. Don't go full 'ice queen.' That's the last thing you want. If you act like you suddenly don't care, that's when he'll start chasing."
Anya raised an eyebrow. "Chasing?"
Kaia smirked. "Oh, honey. You have no idea."
Anya exhaled, trying to process all of this. "Okay, fine. I'll just... keep it neutral. Not flirty. Not too friendly. Just... normal."
Kaia pointed at her. "Exactly. But, y'know, good luck with that. Because I think Atlas already made up his mind about you."
Anya hesitated. "And what does that mean?"
Kaia just grinned. "It means, sweetheart, that you might think you're in control of this little coffee shop dynamic, but Atlas? Atlas is already playing a whole different game."
Anya groaned, dropping her head into her hands. "Great. Fantastic. Love that for me."
Kaia just laughed. "Hey, at least he drinks his coffee black. That's a power move."
Anya shot her a glare. "Or a red flag."
Kaia wiggled her eyebrows. "Maybe both."
And with that, Anya stood a little taller, ready to face the next awkward run-in with Atlas—armed with the knowledge that whatever game he was playing, she was already part of it.