Chapter 6: Unwanted Attention

The next morning, Isabelle woke up to sunlight streaming through the curtains, a huge difference from the unease that had settled in her chest the night before. She remembered the encounter with Dan, his smug grin and invasive questions lingering on her mind like a bad memory.

She found Mrs. Aldric in the kitchen, humming softly as she stirred a pot of soup. Mrs Aldric greeted her with a warm smile. “Good morning, dear. Sleep well?”

“Better than I thought I would,” Isabelle admitted, though she left out the part where she had tossed and turned at a point worrying about what happened with Dan and if he'll come back and cause trouble for her and Mrs Aldric.

“Good,” Mrs. Aldric said, setting two bowls on the table. “You’ve got a busy day ahead. Saturdays are our busiest at the restaurant, especially with the tourists coming through. So we have to eat before setting out for work.”

Isabelle nodded, grateful for the distraction. Sje needed to work to keep her mind occupied.

---

The restaurant was bustling by mid-morning, the steady hum of conversation and clinking dishes filling the air. Isabelle moved between tables, balancing trays and jotting down orders, her earlier anxiety was now pushed to the back of her mind.

“Isabelle, can we get some more coffee over here?” called a cheerful woman seated with her family. 

“Of course,” Isabelle replied, grabbing the coffee pot and weaving through the crowd.

She was refilling cups at a corner table when she heard the door swing open, followed by a familiar voice.

“Morning, everyone.”

Her heart sank as she turned to see Dan standing in the doorway, his confident swagger drawing attention from the everyone in the restaurant. He scanned the room until his eyes landed on her, a grin spreading across his face.

“There she is,” he said loudly, making his way toward her.

Isabelle froze, the coffee pot trembling in her hand. She had only known him for few days but he had this presence that made her afraid  Mrs. Aldric appeared at her side almost immediately, her expression hardening.

“Dan, what do you want?” she asked sharply.

“Just breakfast, same as everyone else,” he said with feigned innocence, sliding into a seat at the counter. “And maybe a chance to chat with your lovely helper here.”

“She’s busy, also, can't you see that I have customers? Don't cause trouble here.” Mrs. Aldric snapped, placing herself between Isabelle and Dan.

“That’s a shame,” Dan said, leaning back in his chair. “I’d hate to think you were trying to keep pretty Isabelle away from me.”

Isabelle clenched her fists, the familiar feeling of helplessness creeping in. She wanted to stand up for herself, to tell Dan to leave her alone, but the words caught in her throat.

“Isabelle,” Mrs. Aldric said quietly, “why don’t you take a break? I can handle things here.”

She nodded quickly, escaping into the kitchen.

---

In the relative quiet of the kitchen, Isabelle leaned against the counter, trying to steady her breathing. Her mind raced, memories of Richard’s controlling presence blending with the unsettling behavior of Dan.

The door creaked open, and Isabelle tensed, expecting to see Dan. Instead, it was one of the townspeople, a young woman named Clara.

“Hey,” Clara said softly. “You okay?”

“I’m fine,” Isabelle lied.

“Don’t let Dan get to you,” Clara said, crossing her arms. “He’s a pest and a bully, but that’s all he is. He likes to act tough, but he’s actually harmless. He does that everytime a new lady moves into town. I experienced it too, he'll get sick of your rejection and give up soon. Just hang in there.”

“Harmless?” Isabelle asked, her voice bitter. “Men like him are never harmless. They're just time bombs waiting to explode.”

Clara frowned, sensing the weight behind Isabelle’s words. “If he gives you real trouble, let us know. The whole town’s got Mrs. Aldric’s back. And we got yours too”

Isabelle nodded, but the knot in her stomach didn’t ease.

 Clara stretched out her hand for a handshake “ I'm Clara and I'm here if you ever need a fellow young woman to talk to.” 

Isabelle smiled and took Clara's hand. “ I'm Isabelle.” 

---

Later that evening, Isabelle helped Mrs. Aldric close up the restaurant. They worked in silence, the events of the day hanging heavily in the air.

As they finished, Mrs. Aldric turned to her. “I’m sorry about Dan,” she said. “He’s a nuisance, but he’s never gone this far before.”

“It’s not your fault,” Isabelle said. “But I can’t help feeling like he’s not going to stop. I feel like he's going to bring trouble and honestly, I don't want you to be entangled in my problems, I don't want your business to stop functioning wel because he keeps coming here.”

Mrs. Aldric’s lips thinned. “I understand, but he's done it before but not this consistent. You don't have to worry about me, just make sure you protect yourself and don't feel oppressed by him. He’ll learn his place soon enough. And if he doesn’t, we’ll handle him.”

Before Isabelle could respond, there was a knock at the door. They both turned to see Dan standing outside, his face illuminated by the glow of the streetlamp.

Mrs. Aldric muttered a curse under her breath. “What does he want now?”

Isabelle’s heart raced as Mrs. Aldric opened the door a crack. “We've run out of ingredients to cook. We’re closed,” she said firmly.

“Just wanted to apologize,” Dan said, his tone unusually smooth and sober “Didn’t mean to scare anyone earlier.”

Mrs. Aldric didn’t budge. “Apology accepted. Goodnight.”

Dan held up his hands. “Alright, alright. I’ll leave. But I wanted to give this to Isabelle.” He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small box.

Mrs. Aldric snatched it from his hand before he could step inside. “I’ll make sure she gets it,” she said curtly before slamming the door.

Isabelle watched as Mrs. Aldric opened the box. Inside was a simple bracelet, delicate but undeniably expensive.

“What is this supposed to mean?” Mrs. Aldric muttered, her expression dark.

Isabelle felt a chill run down her spine. Whatever Dan’s intentions were, she knew they couldn’t be good.

“ I know Isabelle would like it. All ladies like expensive things. You might think I'm just being a pest, but really, I want to be with Isabelle. Her beauty has captured my heart. Just give us your blessings, Mrs Aldric.”

Mrs Aldric scoffed in surprise. “ You? I should give my blessings? What....”

“Mrs Aldric.” Isabelle finally spoke up, taking one step forward. 

“ This is concerning me. I'll handle this once and for all.” She continued. 

Isabelle faced Dan, who had a smirk on his face, he probably thought Isabelle would accept him because of the expensive bracelet. 

“ Look here, Mr Dan. Why do you keep doing this? Mrs Aldric has made it clear that I want nothing to do you, why do you persist so much? You should spend all this energy and money on improving this town, not on me. I don't need all of this, so leave me alone.” 

“ You're really rejecting me? You'll regret this, Isabelle. I swear. I'll make sure you're mine.” 

 With that, Dan left the shop, implanting a greater fear in Isabelle..