86

The coffee shop was nearly deserted when Liana Coleman and Alexander Cole slipped through the thin door, the bell above muffled by the hum of the late-night street. A solitary waiter was buffing the counter under the glow of Edison bulbs, their filaments casting honeyed light over the worn oak tables. The scent of espresso and vanilla lingered on the air, drifting between creased leather banquettes.

Liana folded into a corner chair, shoving a renegade curl back behind her loose bun. The evening strategy session had taken longer than expected; papers filled the tabletop—copies of the supplier agreements, firewall practices notes, photos of Voss Industries' shell companies. Alex folded himself facing her, his fitted blazer draped over the back of the next chair, sleeves rolled up to reveal a starched white shirt lightly rumpled from late nights.

The waiter hovered briefly before retreating, leaving them in a hush broken only by their soft voices and the distant hiss of a coffee machine. Outside, a muted drizzle tapped against the windowpanes, the city’s lights refracted in beads of water.

Liana exhaled, massaging her temples. “I didn’t realize how long we’d been at this,” she murmured, voice hoarse from hours of debate and planning.

Alex offered her a weary smile. He picked up his mug of dark roast—black, no sugar—and brought it to his lips. “Neither did I,” he admitted, tracing the rim with a fingertip. “We’ve…covered a lot of ground tonight.”

She nodded, folding her hands over her lap. "Your tech team's fix is solid. My advice will have the injunction on paper by morning." She clicked a pen against the notepad. "If we coordinate the release with Leo's board meeting, we'll regain the story.".

Alex's gaze drifted to the window, watching raindrops race each other down the glass. "Leo's strength…he reminds me of someone," he whispered, almost to himself.

Liana looked up, interest sparking her tired eyes. "Someone you know?"

He paused, stirring his coffee. "I was a different person then," he began, his voice low. "High school, actually. I made a mistake—a scandal that nearly killed me."

Her eyebrow went up. "I didn't know that."

He set down the mug, slouching forward. Cozy café light curled around his profile, smoothing out the corners. "I—I hacked the grade records from the school. It was idiotic revenge on someone who'd humiliated me." He raked a hand through his hair, winching at a hurt expression on his face. "It snowballed. I never expected I'd ever be able to let it go. My father cut me off—publicly rebuked me in the boardroom table.". The press had a field day.” He laughed, but it was brittle. “I was 16 and convinced no one would ever let me live it down.”

Liana’s heart clenched. She had known Alex as a polished CEO, unshakeable—never this raw. “I’m sorry,” she whispered. “That must have been…terrible.”

He shrugged, a wry twist of his shoulders. "It was a wake-up call. But the worst of it was my father's disappointment. He's…he's so driven. Expectations were always sky-high." Alex's hand trembled as he ran his fingers through his hair. "I've spent my life trying to prove I'm more than that screw-up. But sometimes I wonder if it's ever enough."

Liana felt a tug of sympathy. She set down her own mug—now cold—and leaned forward. "I know pressure," she whispered. "My parents…they're pillars of business and philanthropy. Their names carry weight wherever I go." She paused, meeting his eyes. "I've been scared of letting them down."

Alex regarded her, the lines around his eyes easing. "You've never struck me as being afraid," he said.

She shook her head, a wistful smile twisting her lips. "They see me as the daughter who will carry on the legacy. I'm meant to be strong—for them, for the company. But sometimes I find myself wondering: what if I'm not strong enough?" Her voice cracked. "What if one mistake ruins everything they've built?"

There was a stillness between them, rainstorm turbulence beyond in contrast to the fragile intimacy at their table. Alex leaned across, hesitating for a moment before placing his hand on top of hers. The action was light, safe, as if he meant to reassure her without words.

Liana felt the heat rise up through her chest. His skin was cold at first but had become a warm comfort. She looked down at their joined hands, then let her gaze travel back to his face. His grey eyes were genuine in the gentle light of the café, unadorned by the steel she had seen in boardrooms and courtrooms.

They remained there, breaths mingled in the quiet. Liana sensed the hum of possibility thrumming between them—a silent request. The air around them seemed to pull in, enveloping them in a bubble of solitude from the clinking dishes and far-off buzz of the waiter refilling spoons.

As if drawn by the same power, they moved closer. Liana's hair brushed against Alex's arm; he swept up a strand that had come loose and pushed it behind her ear. His finger grazed her cheek in the softest caress. Liana's heart thudded. She gazed into his eyes, feeling a thrill of anticipation.

But before their faces could lock the final inches of space, Alex's phone suddenly jolted on the table. The shuddering ring of responsibility shattered the trance. He retreated, wide-eyed in guilty surprise, and picked up the device.

Liana's heart skipped a beat as Alex held the screen up to her. His forehead furrowed over the headline that glowed on the black background:

"Breaking: Legal Filing Filed Against Hartmann Foundation—Embezzlement Allegations Arise."

His voice tensed as he scrolled. "It's from a New York legal newsletter—someone's sued for misusing donor funds." He looked up, jaw clenched. "This is Voss's new strategy—smear tactics."

Liana's breath caught, her chest tightening. She stepped back, the naked vulnerability between them disintegrating under the weight of duty. "We have to go see Leo," she said, speaking firmly though there was a shake in her throat.

Alex gulped, pushing the phone into his pocket. Squeezed his lips tight, nodded. "Together."

They stood and gathered their files, pushing their chairs back, the cafe's dull darkness trampled over by fresh tension. The waiter blinked at the empty table, then returned to polishing.

Outside, the rain increased, the street gleaming with a sheen of twinkling headlights. Alex opened the door, and Liana stepped out into the downpour, water creating a bead on her hair. He extended his coat. She threaded an arm through the sleeve, and he drew it across her shoulders, his warmth seeping around her into the cold.

They sprinted through the downpour to Alex's car, the city's neon lights rippling on wet ground. When Alex swung open the car door, Liana glanced over her shoulder toward the blackened café window for a moment, missing for an instant the fragile connection they had almost created.

Inside the vehicle, Alex turned on the engine, the electric hum softer than the noise of their frantic minds. Liana clutched her tablet, already choreographing action sequences in her mind. "We must reach Leo's home office," she glided in beside him. "He'll have to move fast.".

Alex nodded, shifting the car into drive. Rain pounded down the windshield as he navigated the empty streets. In the passenger seat beside him, their resolve reignited—no stolen kiss, no gentle confession could tip the scales against the danger hanging over a family they both loved.