Lenka's POVI had already put Felix to sleep, keeping him company by reading one of the new books he had just bought and acting out parts of the story with my voice and hand gestures.He seemed to enjoy it, laughing and mimicking my voice, until, without realizing it, he had fallen asleep midway through the book. His breathing was steady, and his eyes were tightly shut.It wasn’t like him to fall asleep before reaching the end of a story. Maybe I had made him work too hard while helping clean up the café.He had been so enthusiastic about helping that he became the life of our little gathering.I gently stroked his hair, watching his face for a moment before placing a soft kiss on his forehead. Pulling the blanket up to his shoulders, I patted him lightly.“Sleep well, Felix.”I stepped out of his room, intending to head to mine and rest, but Jonas was still awake.He was in the living room, sipping wine, and when he saw me, he raised his glass. “Want a drink?”I nodded, walking towar
Anonymous’s POVI walked into the dimly lit space, where the lighting was sparse. A secret place.This place gave me a sense of calm.There wasn’t much furniture—just a single chair, a table, and a set of tools placed deliberately beside it, serving as storage for anything I might need.I pulled the chair closer and sat down.My gaze shifted to the wall nearby. There, several photographs were arranged meticulously, each accompanied by brief pieces of information.All the lines connected in some way, though some stood apart. If counted, I had erased and redrawn many lines over time, removed and replaced countless photos. Yet, one photo had remained on this wall for years.A man who had disrupted my enjoyment. He appeared at a critical moment and nearly drove me to frustration.George.His name suited him perfectly. As a man devoted to justice and prone to meddling, the death he received was well deserved.I had restored my plans to their original course with his demise and erased every
Lenka’s POV"So, Felix? Do you like the new toy that Mommy got for you?"I looked at my son, who was pouting yet still clutching the toy we had just bought.He had been staring at it for quite some time earlier, which was why I decided to buy it for him. But now, he was saying something completely different—expressing his discontent with my actions.I had teased him a little."Mom, I’m not a little kid." He looked at me, lips sticking out in protest.I tapped his nose gently, giving him a small pinch while smiling."But don’t you like being a little kid? Mommy loves seeing Felix having fun with his toys."Felix looked at me, hesitation flickering in his eyes. "Really, Mom?"I nodded, running my fingers through his soft hair."Of course! Isn’t that why I always get you toys, even when you don’t ask for them?"He seemed to ponder my words for a moment before finally nodding, his cheerful smile returning.I had already enrolled Felix in a school in our city, not too far from home. In abo
MichaelMy eyes widened, and my mouth felt frozen. I couldn’t say anything after hearing her words.Lenka watched me in silence. Then, as if deciding something, she turned to leave when she saw me standing there speechless.I immediately reached out and grabbed her hand, stopping her."Wait. What… what did you just say to me, Lenka?"She frowned and pulled her hand away—easily, because I let her. But she didn’t refuse to answer.She let out a deep breath."I said thank you. For helping me. Not just once, but twice now—you saved me and Felix when we needed it."She looked tense, but I could tell her words were genuine.After how she had treated me whenever we met at her coffee shop recently, after our last conversation… this was the first time she had been this kind to me.No anger. No sharp remarks. Just a simple statement. But it meant everything to me.I pressed my lips together, shaking my head as I looked at her."You don’t have to thank me. I’ve made too many mistakes when it com
Michael's POVI was already seated in my usual spot—at Lenka’s coffee shop, with a cup of coffee and a croissant.Nothing was too different, except for a certain feeling that made this visit feel more special than the previous days.After my conversation with that woman, it felt like we had reached an unspoken agreement, as if our hearts had aligned. I truly believed this was the beginning of something good.No arguments. No misunderstandings like before.Maybe we weren’t completely close yet, but I could sense that she was starting to open up to me.She no longer looked at me with cold or sharp eyes. Instead, she was calmer, able to have a conversation with me like any ordinary person would.We weren’t a couple—not yet—but for me, this was already more than enough.I took a sip of my coffee, savoring its distinctive aroma and the bittersweet taste that lingered on my tongue.The croissant smelled even more fragrant, even though it was no longer warm. It was the perfect companion to a
Lenka’s POVLately, I’ve realized that I’ve been paying more attention to Michael than before.That man always seems to be within my line of sight, making me want to look at him even without meaning to. His captivating face, his presence that draws the attention of other women, and the aura he gives off just by sitting there.The usually peaceful and calm atmosphere of the coffee shop feels slightly different with him around. As if my café has somehow become an inseparable part of him.A strange feeling wraps around me.I try to hold myself back, not wanting to show him that I keep watching him—especially when I saw that woman approach him.I also notice that he has been looking at me more often, but I fight the urge to meet his gaze.When the woman finally leaves, he leans back in his chair, looking relaxed. Before I know it, I’m already standing in front of him, staring at him in silence.His eyes widen as he looks at me.I see a glimmer in his gaze as he calls my name.“Lenka?”I h
Lenka's POVI sat across from Michael, still struggling to process his earlier words. I couldn't believe it.I already knew that he never ended up marrying Ava—he had confirmed it himself. But beyond that, I had never sought out any more information about them.Their relationship had never seemed anything but harmonious in my eyes.Well, that woman always exaggerated their affection, flaunting it in a way that only deepened my pain, while he never rejected her advances.Years ago, I had assumed they would end up together and that their two groups would unite. But reality was far different from what I had imagined.Instead, she caused trouble and ran away. She never became the partner Michael had always claimed to want and cherish.What really happened between them?I looked at him, forcing myself to stay composed. "Didn’t you have a good relationship with that woman?"He met my gaze, raising an eyebrow."Did it seem that way? From the very beginning, she was the one who wanted our rel
Lenka’s POV“Won’t you be serving that cake, miss?”I snapped out of my thoughts, blinking and then looking toward Tina, then at my hand holding the tongs.I was supposed to have served the cake to the guest my staff was attending to, but there was no longer a line at the cashier, and he was just staring at me, waiting for me to serve his order.It seemed like I had been standing still, doing nothing, for quite some time.I swallowed, took the cake, arranged it on a plate, and handed it to Tina. “Sorry, I almost forgot about it.”“It’s alright, miss.”She quickly took the cake to a guest, while I stood there in silence.My conversation with the man still lingered in my mind. I felt frustrated, but I also couldn’t fully blame him for taking the opportunity.He was the type of person he was—a mafia boss and businessman who knew exactly what steps to take. I thought that he probably applied the same approach when dealing with me.I wasn’t as skilled as he was, and the only business I had
Lenka“Look, Lenka, I’ve prepared it perfectly.”That wide smile is etched clearly in my memory. At that moment, I couldn’t forget what Michael did. He lit up countless fireworks in the sky when we accidentally stayed overnight at the villa because of a heavy storm.That caught my eyes. I truly admired what he did—it was an incredibly beautiful sight.[You prepared this?]I moved my hands, and Michael, ever attentive, understood what I meant. He nodded and held my hand, then pulled me into an embrace.“Yes. I want to propose to you.”That’s right—it was a memory of when he proposed to me. I remember it clearly, and I believed that with him, I would experience an extraordinary happiness.At the time, I gave him my answer with excitement—I swear it was because I truly felt he loved me.A slight bitterness filled my mouth as I recalled what happened afterward. A married life that turned out to be so harsh, cold, and painful. So much so that I repeatedly wondered if I was trapped in a lon
Lenka's POVI didn’t expect that we would be playing in the park.There was a fountain nearby, and there weren’t many people around us. I sat down while Felix and the man were playing with the water.I laughed.My son sprayed Michael with water, and so did the man. They attacked each other until I got splashed too, but I didn’t complain. I felt like, at this moment, there were no boundaries between us.I was just accompanying my son as he played, Felix looking like he was having fun, and the man doing both things at once.I enjoyed my time while wringing out the hem of my drenched shirt from their game."You made mom’s clothes wet, Felix."I finally protested, but my son didn’t seem to care. He kept laughing, running around with the man. He clearly seemed happy, not really paying attention to his surroundings or listening to me.I just snorted and smiled lightly, but then I saw Michael stop the attack. He brought Felix closer so I could clearly see what happened to him.His clothes we
Lenka's POVI had just finished my bath and stepped out of my room to check on my son. But when I arrived in his room, Felix was nowhere to be seen."Felix?"I called out, searching for my son, who did not respond.He should have said something if he had heard my voice, but there was only silence. My heart pounded faster, and my palms began to sweat.I shook my head, trying to push away the overwhelming anxiety creeping in. This was the first time I had experienced something like this, and with the added stress of having been confined to the house for so long, it only made things worse."No, it’s fine. Everything is fine."I took a deep breath and began searching through every room in the house, calling his name and even checking the rooms he rarely visited.Still, there was no sign of him. I bit my lip, my eyes darting around as I tried to think. "Where are you, Felix?"There was only one place left to check. Outside.I hurried out and immediately spotted him.Felix was standing near
Lenka’s POVI was playing with Felix in the room.Several books were stacked up—some we had already finished reading together, while others remained untouched. Scattered around were toy cars and a chessboard we had played with earlier.My son’s face grew gloomier by the minute.It seemed like he couldn’t hold back any longer and finally decided to speak his mind. His gaze no longer sparkled with excitement as it usually did.“Mom, why have we been staying at home all the time lately? I’m so bored. I want to go outside.”I looked at him with a small smile, knowing this moment would come sooner or later.No matter how much I tried to keep him occupied, there was only so much patience a child could have when it came to playing indoors. He needed space, an open area—not just the confines of our home.Gently stroking his head, I tried to soothe him. “Mom just wants to rest for a while. And the weather outside isn’t good, so it wouldn’t be a good idea to spend time outdoors, Felix.”My son
Lenka’s POVI remained silent on the way home, still unable to believe that I had spent the entire day playing with Felix and that man.My son had enjoyed it the most, but I had no real complaints—so long as Michael kept his mouth shut and didn’t speak to me.For the most part, he focused on my son, taking him to multiple rides, while I spent most of my time waiting in one spot. I used exhaustion as an excuse, not wanting to cause any trouble while Felix was having fun.He was the one who drove us home.I wanted to refuse, but my son was too exhausted to wait for a ride, and I didn’t have enough money to book a taxi.Within minutes, we arrived in front of our house.Felix immediately stepped out after politely thanking him, and Michael accepted it well—but he didn’t extend the same courtesy to me."Wait."I was just about to step out, without a word, when he stopped me. I glanced at his hand, making him quickly withdraw it before turning his gaze toward me.He raised an eyebrow. "Aren
Lenka’s POVI walked out of the Ferris wheel and immediately exhaled a long breath.That was the most thrilling experience of my life, which, in reality, was not dangerous, but it made it impossible for me to feel at ease.I tried to act normal, but the fear still wouldn’t go away.In the end, I gave up and continued holding onto Michael, who was accompanying my son to enjoy the Ferris wheel’s atmosphere, while I kept my eyes on the floor.Felix followed me down after I got off, reaching for my still-trembling hand and holding it. His gaze was directed at me, looking curious."Are you scared of the Ferris wheel, Mom? I shouldn't have asked you to ride with me. Your face looks pale."I closed my eyes for a moment before looking back at him and shaking my head. I didn’t want to make my son regret asking me to join him on this ride.A faint smile appeared on my face."I'm fine. It’s just that I didn’t have breakfast this morning."His eyes widened. "Really? But you always tell me not to
Lenka's POVIf it weren't for Felix's request, Lenka wouldn't have wanted to fulfill her child's wish. The three of them walking together seemed like a small family.Felix had invited both her and Michael to a festival in the city.He was in between us, holding each of our hands and swinging them joyfully. He was truly happy.I couldn't bring myself to protest again when my child invited that man once more."Mom, Mr. Michael saved us. I want to take him out so he doesn't just stay at the café all the time. So, please don't refuse."From there, my child truly knew how to stun me. Even with an excuse he had used many times, which was true.It was me who couldn't be honest about the real reason behind my resistance when facing Michael.I just stayed silent, not saying much during our journey until we finally arrived. My mind was wandering, and I didn't want to keep looking at that man.Still, it was Michael who broke my thoughts."Would you like some gelato?"I looked at him and then at
Lenka’s POV“Won’t you be serving that cake, miss?”I snapped out of my thoughts, blinking and then looking toward Tina, then at my hand holding the tongs.I was supposed to have served the cake to the guest my staff was attending to, but there was no longer a line at the cashier, and he was just staring at me, waiting for me to serve his order.It seemed like I had been standing still, doing nothing, for quite some time.I swallowed, took the cake, arranged it on a plate, and handed it to Tina. “Sorry, I almost forgot about it.”“It’s alright, miss.”She quickly took the cake to a guest, while I stood there in silence.My conversation with the man still lingered in my mind. I felt frustrated, but I also couldn’t fully blame him for taking the opportunity.He was the type of person he was—a mafia boss and businessman who knew exactly what steps to take. I thought that he probably applied the same approach when dealing with me.I wasn’t as skilled as he was, and the only business I had
Lenka's POVI sat across from Michael, still struggling to process his earlier words. I couldn't believe it.I already knew that he never ended up marrying Ava—he had confirmed it himself. But beyond that, I had never sought out any more information about them.Their relationship had never seemed anything but harmonious in my eyes.Well, that woman always exaggerated their affection, flaunting it in a way that only deepened my pain, while he never rejected her advances.Years ago, I had assumed they would end up together and that their two groups would unite. But reality was far different from what I had imagined.Instead, she caused trouble and ran away. She never became the partner Michael had always claimed to want and cherish.What really happened between them?I looked at him, forcing myself to stay composed. "Didn’t you have a good relationship with that woman?"He met my gaze, raising an eyebrow."Did it seem that way? From the very beginning, she was the one who wanted our rel