15 | ☕ Atlas Drops the Bomb Confessions Over Coffee ☕
It had been a week since that unexpected dinner with Atlas.
Anya couldn't get the evening out of her head.
She'd expected a night full of awkward silences and formalities, but instead, it had been one of the most genuine and comfortable experiences of her life.
The way Atlas had spoken to her—no barriers, no intimidating CEO mask.
Just... him.
As the days passed, she found herself looking forward to his daily visits to the café.
It wasn't just because she liked making his coffee right, or because he was, in fact, a billionaire CEO.
No, it was the way he made her feel. His presence wasn't suffocating like everyone else's—it was warm and almost... comforting.
Wait, comforting? Anya slapped her cheeks. What's happening to me?
"Anya! Earth to Anya!" Kaia's voice broke through her internal monologue, and the next thing she knew, her best friend's fingers were snapping right in front of her face.
Anya blinked, momentarily startled. She looked up, meeting Kaia's dramatic eye-roll and her hands on her hips.
"Did you fall into a deep sleep in the middle of making coffee, or are you just daydreaming about someone?" Kaia teased, clearly enjoying the moment.
Anya sighed, feeling the heat in her cheeks only grow. "What? No! I—"
Kaia raised an eyebrow, leaning in closer like she was about to uncover a juicy secret. "Let me guess—Atlas Valtieri. You've got that look on your face, and you've been staring at the door like he's going to show up any minute."
Anya froze. Her heart skipped a beat, and she felt like she had just been caught with her hand in the cookie jar.
Caught. Red-handed. Her throat went dry, and she opened her mouth to protest, but no words came out.
Her mind scrambled for an excuse, a way to deny it, but all she could manage was a weak stammer.
"I—I don't know what you're talking about!"
she finally blurted, though the high-pitched nervousness in her voice did nothing to convince Kaia.
Kaia's smirk only widened, as if she had been waiting for this moment.
She leaned in a little, raising an eyebrow in that teasing way that only she could.
"Don't worry, Anya. I'm not blind. It's pretty obvious."
Her eyes glinted with mischievous amusement as she crossed her arms, clearly enjoying the little drama unfolding in front of her.
Anya's shoulders slumped in defeat, and she let out an exaggerated groan, throwing her hands up as if to signal surrender.
"Fine," she muttered, barely able to look Kaia in the eye.
"I may or may not have... started to like him a little more than just a friend."
She said the words like they were some kind of confession, her face flushing crimson as she realized how much of a mess she was making of it. Was it really that obvious?
Kaia didn't hold back. Her grin grew wider, and the spark of mischief in her eyes was almost palpable.
"More than a little? My dear friend, you're practically in love with the guy!"
she teased, leaning back in her chair like she had just uncovered a huge secret.
She couldn't hide the delight in her voice as she watched Anya squirm.
"I am not!" Anya protested immediately, shaking her head vigorously, as if denying it with every fibre of her being would somehow make it go away.
But deep down, a small, nagging voice told her that Kaia might be onto something.
"I just... I don't know. There's something about him."
Her voice trailed off as she tried to collect her thoughts, but they were scattered, tangled in emotions she didn't fully understand.
"Something I can't explain," she finished quietly, almost to herself, as she stared down at her hands, unwilling to meet Kaia's knowing gaze.
Kaia watched her for a moment, her expression softening just slightly as she saw the vulnerability in her best friend.
But she couldn't resist one last jab. "Anya, I've never seen you so... lost for words over a guy before. He must really be something."
She leaned in conspiratorially, lowering her voice.
"If I didn't know any better, I'd say you're head over heels for him."
Anya just groaned again, burying her face in her hands in mock exasperation.
"This is insane, Kaia. He's... he's Atlas Valtieri. He's so different from everyone else, and I don't even know how I ended up feeling this way."
Her voice was a mix of frustration and confusion as she tried to make sense of the whirlwind of feelings she was experiencing. "It's just so... complicated."
Kaia let out a soft chuckle. "Complicated? Please. You've got a classic case of falling for the guy you least expected."
She nudged Anya with her shoulder in a playful gesture.
"But honestly? I think you're starting to see him for who he really is. Not the CEO, not the business mogul. Just... him. And I think he likes you, too."
Anya felt her chest tighten, her pulse quickening at the thought. "You really think so?" she asked, her voice small, hesitant. Despite the teasing, Kaia had a way of reading people, and the idea that Atlas might actually return her feelings sent a rush of warmth through her chest.
Kaia's grin softened into something more genuine, her tone turning a little more serious. "Oh, I know so. But I'll tell you this much—if you're not careful, that guy will sweep you off your feet without even trying."
Anya's stomach flipped at the idea, but she couldn't help the way her heart fluttered in response. If? When? She shook her head, trying to focus. "I just need to figure things out. I'm not sure I'm ready for all of this."
Kaia shrugged, the smile never quite leaving her face. "Don't worry, Anya. You don't have to be 'ready.' Sometimes, you just have to let things happen." She stood up, giving Anya a playful pat on the shoulder. "But for now, try not to look so obvious every time he walks through the door."
Anya shot her a pointed look. "I'll try," she said dryly, though she couldn't help but laugh at herself. The situation was anything but simple, but somehow, Kaia's words seemed to help untangle the mess in her mind, even if just a little.
Kaia leaned back in her chair, clearly enjoying Anya's flustered state.
Her lips curled into a knowing smirk as she watched her best friend struggle to put up a fa?ade.
"I can see it. He's different when he's with you," she said, her voice smooth and teasing.
"I've never seen him smile that much before. Not to mention—he doesn't look at anyone the way he looks at you."
Anya froze. Her heart gave an unexpected lurch at Kaia's words.
Does he really look at me that way? she thought, her mind racing.
The question seemed to hang in the air, but she couldn't find the courage to voice it.
Instead, she swallowed hard, trying to push down the anxiety that threatened to bubble up.
She kept her gaze focused on the counter, avoiding Kaia's knowing eyes as she asked quietly, almost in a whisper, "You think so?"
Kaia didn't hesitate for a second. Her confidence was unwavering as she leaned in, her expression turning slightly more serious. "Oh, I'm sure. And if you're not careful, that guy might just sweep you off your feet."
Anya's breath caught in her throat. She tried to brush off the sentiment, rolling her eyes with a forced chuckle. "It's not like that. He's just... being nice. He's a nice guy."
That evening, as Anya wiped down the counters and cleaned up the café after another busy day, she found herself distracted, thoughts swirling around Atlas like a storm she couldn't quite control.
The café was quiet, save for the soft clink of plates and the gentle hum of the refrigerator in the corner.
She was just finishing organizing a stack of napkins when the familiar sound of the doorbell chimed, signalling the arrival of a new customer.
The sound had become something of a personal cue for her—a reminder that it was almost time for Atlas to walk through the door.
But this time, as she turned to see who had entered, she was caught off guard.
It wasn't one of the usual regulars. It wasn't even a tourist. No. It was him. Atlas.
It wasn't unusual for him to show up around this time; Anya had grown accustomed to the rhythm of his visits.
The evening felt just like any other, quiet and calm, with the soft glow of the café lights casting gentle shadows.
But tonight, something was different. Atlas's eyes weren't their usual casual or playful self.
They weren't the eyes of the confident CEO who sauntered in for his daily coffee, exchanging light-hearted banter.
No, tonight his gaze was intense—almost piercing, as if he was focused on something, or someone—her.
There was an unsettling weight in his stare, like he was searching for something deeper, something more than just the surface of her.
As if he could see through the walls she had carefully built around herself.
The usual comfort of his presence was gone, replaced by something that sent a ripple of unease through her.
It was as if he was trying to understand her in a way that made her feel... exposed.
Anya felt the familiar flutter in her chest, but it was tinged with something unfamiliar—something deeper. She smiled and waved, doing her best to keep her voice steady. "Hey, Atlas. Coffee as usual?"
He nodded, but the way he did it was different. There was no quick glance around, no distraction—his attention was fully fixed on her. His gaze never left hers, not even for a second.
The distance between them seemed to shrink in those moments, and as he walked closer to the counter, Anya felt the space between them grow smaller, tighter.
The air itself seemed to thicken, charged with a quiet tension she couldn't quite name.
She took a half-step back, but only because she realized how close he was.
His height, his presence—everything about him felt more potent tonight.
He leaned casually on the counter, but the casualness felt forced, almost too deliberate. The way he positioned himself, so tall, so close—there was an undeniable intimacy in the space they now shared.