The soft hum of Lily's Café filled the evening air as Maya wiped down the counter, her movements precise and methodical. The warm scent of freshly brewed coffee lingered, mixing with the faint aroma of vanilla and cinnamon. The café had quieted down, with only a few lingering customers finishing their drinks.
At their usual booth, Lily was still deep in her coloring, humming a tune under her breath. Aiden sat across from her, his phone in one hand, his other resting idly on the table. His gaze, however, was not on the screen—it was on Maya.
Something about her had been bothering him lately.
He had noticed the little things—the way she would tense when asked personal questions, the exhaustion that sometimes flickered in her eyes even when she tried to hide it. Tonight, it was the way she had frozen when he brushed the flour off her apron. A normal reaction would have been mild surprise or even amusement. But Maya?
She had gone completely rigid.
Like she was afraid.
Aiden didn't believe in prying into other people's lives, but Maya was a puzzle he couldn't ignore. She was too careful, too guarded. And for the first time, he found himself wanting to understand why.
Unspoken Questions
"You seem tired," Aiden commented, his voice even as he studied her.
Maya, who had just finished stacking a tray of clean cups, paused briefly before responding. "Long shift," she said smoothly, not meeting his gaze.
Aiden leaned back in his seat, arms crossed. "That must be exhausting."
Maya stiffened almost imperceptibly before offering a neutral smile. "It keeps me busy."
That was an answer meant to shut down the conversation. But Aiden wasn't satisfied.
Margaret, who had been watching from the register, snorted. "That's an understatement. She barely takes breaks. I keep telling her she needs to slow down, but does she listen? Nope."
Maya shot Margaret a look, but the older woman only grinned.
Aiden's brow furrowed slightly. Why was she pushing herself so hard? Most people worked like this out of necessity, but Maya never mentioned anything about her life outside the café. No family. No background. Nothing.
"You don't talk much about yourself," he observed.
Maya kept her face carefully neutral. "Not much to tell."
That was a lie. Aiden could see it in her eyes. There was plenty to tell—she just didn't want to.
Lily, oblivious to the tension between the adults, perked up at the conversation. "Miss Mia, do you have a family?"
Maya's breath hitched for just a second, but she quickly masked it with a soft smile. "Everyone has family, Lily."
"But do you live with them?"
Aiden didn't miss the way Maya's fingers curled slightly against the counter.
"I live alone," she said, her voice steady but distant.
Aiden narrowed his eyes. There was something off about the way she said it—like she was hiding something.
Maya quickly changed the subject. "Are you almost done with your masterpiece, Lily?"
Lily beamed, holding up her drawing. "Look! It's a castle! And this is a princess—her name is Maya, like you!"
Maya let out a soft chuckle, grateful for the distraction. "That's beautiful, Lily."
Aiden, however, wasn't distracted. His mind kept circling back to her reaction.
What was she hiding?
A Growing Awareness
As the café emptied out, Maya wiped down the last table, exhaustion creeping into her limbs. Aiden had remained seated, watching her with an unreadable expression.
"Why do you work so much?" he asked suddenly.
Maya blinked, caught off guard. "Excuse me?"
"You work long hours here barely take a breaks. You don't talk about yourself." Aiden's tone was calm but pointed. "Most people don't live like that unless they're running from something."
Maya's breath caught.
Aiden's gaze was steady, unwavering. "Are you?"
Her heart pounded.
She forced a chuckle, shaking her head. "That's a dramatic assumption."
Aiden didn't look convinced.
Maya exhaled, gripping the rag in her hand. "I just like staying busy, Mr. Carter. It's as simple as that."
Aiden studied her for a long moment before finally nodding.
But the suspicion in his eyes didn't fade.
As he stood up and helped Lily gather her things, Maya let out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding.
Aiden Carter was starting to notice her.
And that was dangerous.
A Step Toward the Future
That night, after locking up the café and returning to her small apartment, Maya sat at the tiny desk by the window. The city lights flickered outside, but her focus remained on the screen of her laptop.
Aiden's words echoed in her mind.
"Why do you work so much?"
It wasn't just about keeping busy. It was about survival.
She had spent weeks convincing herself that the café was enough. That she didn't need more.
But reality was cruel.
A single job, especially one with a modest paycheck, wouldn't be enough to secure the future she wanted.
Her life at the café had been simple. Peaceful, even. But peace didn't pay the bills. It didn't secure a future. It didn't give her the stability she so desperately needed—not just for herself, but for the tiny life growing inside her.
Her hand instinctively rested against her stomach. She wasn't showing yet, but time was running out.
She swallowed hard.
Not for her.
Not for her baby.
Maya's fingers hovered over the keyboard, her heart pounding as she stared at the job application form. The soft glow of her laptop screen was the only source of light in her small apartment, casting long shadows against the walls.
Her fingers hovered over the keyboard before she finally clicked on the application.
Position: Administrative Assistant
Her hands trembled slightly as she filled out the form.
She wasn't expecting much.
But she needed this.
Even if it meant stepping into a world she had once sworn to leave behind.
Even if it meant working under the pressure without any experience. can she get the job and that thought, more than anything, make her very much depressed . She resolved herself and said she had to do it.