Amara's POV:
It's the end of my last day at this beautiful office. Yes, I am saying this, although my initial reviews about this company were quite different. However, after working here for so long and learning, I can't deny the fact that I truly enjoyed my time here. After lunch, we had a little meeting where we all gathered, and I was given a little farewell. So now it's time to say goodbye. I wanted to have ice cream, not because I was stressed, yeah, in the morning I was, but now I am fine.
"Jia, where are you?" I asked Jia on the phone. "I am jogging," she replied sarcastically. "Hahaha, so funny, I want to have ice cream, so I will be waiting for you at Brew & Cream. Ok," I told her as if she owed me. I quickly grabbed my stuff and left for the cafe.
I reached Brew & Cream a little earlier than expected, so I ordered a vanilla choco-chip sundae and settled into the corner table by the window. The little bell at the door chimed, and I didn't bother to look up until I heard a familiar voice placing his order.
"One black coffee, no sugar."
I froze mid-bite. That voice… no, it couldn't be. Slowly, I lifted my eyes, and there he was—Mr. Vihaan Mickelson. Of all places, why here? He spotted me too, and to my horror—or maybe secret relief—he actually walked towards my table.
"Miss Amara," he greeted, that calm smile tugging at his lips. "Didn't expect to meet you here."
"Yeah… me neither," I managed, almost choking on my sundae spoon. Great, Amara. Smooth.
He chuckled softly, and for a second, it felt like the café grew quieter, like the world had shifted just a little. He asked if he could sit, and I nodded, because what else do you do when a man like him casually decides to share your table?
I kept stirring my sundae unnecessarily, the spoon clinking against the glass as if it could distract me from the man sitting across from me. Why is he here? Why with me?
"Do you always eat ice cream after work?" he asked casually, his coffee cup resting untouched in front of him.
"Not always," I said, finally daring to look up at him. His blue eyes caught mine instantly, and I looked away just as fast. "Just today felt like… a treat-yourself day."
"That's good," he said, and there was something in his tone—like he wasn't just talking about ice cream.
Before I could decode it, the café bell chimed again. I glanced up and spotted Jia, her ponytail bouncing, her eyes searching the room until they landed on us.
Her steps faltered for a moment.
"Jia!" I waved enthusiastically, relieved she was finally here. "Over here."
She walked toward us, her eyes flicking from me to Vihaan. I caught the tiny curve of confusion—and curiosity—on her lips.
"Good evening, Jia," Vihaan said politely, standing slightly as she approached. His formality made me shift uncomfortably.
"Good evening, Sir," Jia replied, almost too quickly, her voice a mix of respect and… was that surprise? She sat beside me, her gaze darting to my sundae, then to his untouched coffee.
"So… you two ran into each other?" Jia asked, trying to sound casual but failing miserably.
"Yes," Vihaan answered smoothly before I could. "Quite a coincidence."
"Yeah, just a coincidence," I added, almost defensively. Why did I sound like I was hiding something when there was nothing to hide?
The three of us sat there, the silence stretching. I shoved a spoonful of ice cream into my mouth to break it, and instantly regretted it when the cold hit my teeth.
Vihaan, noticing my struggle, finally chuckled. "Careful, Miss Amara. Ice cream can be dangerous."
Jia's eyes narrowed—not in anger, but in that sharp, calculating way only she has when she's piecing a puzzle together.
I knew what she was thinking. And I hated it.
Because to me, this was nothing.But to her… it looked like everything.
After a while, Vihaan's phone buzzed. He glanced at the screen, then at me, his eyes lingering for a second longer than necessary. "I should get going. Duty calls," he said, standing up with that calm authority that seemed stitched into his every move.
"See you, Sir," Jia said politely.
"Goodbye, Miss Amara," he added, and something about the way he said my name made my pulse trip for a moment. I quickly looked away, fiddling with the last melted bit of my sundae.
And then—he was gone.
The café instantly felt a little quieter, but before I could fully exhale, another voice sliced through the air.
"Well, well… look who's here. Sitting and enjoying like some queen."
I froze. My cousin, Julian.
He walked over with that arrogant half-smile, his words dripping with mockery. "Amara, I never thought I'd see you this… happy. Shouldn't you be back home, being the dutiful one, instead of wasting time here?"
I clenched my fists under the table but forced a calm smile. "Hello, Julian. Nice to see you too."
"Oh, don't act so innocent," he sneered. "You always pretend to be the perfect one, but we all know you're not as flawless as you act."
I felt my breath hitch, but I swallowed it down. I wouldn't let him see me break. Not here. Not now.
But before I could respond, Jia slammed her spoon down on the table.
"That's enough, Julian." Her voice was sharp, firmer than I'd ever heard it in public. "If you don't have anything good to say, you can leave. No one here is interested in your bitterness."
Julian raised an eyebrow, scoffed, and muttered, "Same old Amara, hiding behind others." Then he turned on his heel and walked out, leaving behind a trail of unwanted tension.
I inhaled slowly, trying to steady myself. "Jia… you didn't have to—"
"Yes, I did," she cut in, her eyes blazing. "No one gets to talk to you like that. Not while I'm here."
For a moment, I didn't know what to say. So I just smiled faintly while a tear welled up in one of eyes.
Jia's POV:
I stirred my drink long after Julian had left, my thoughts running wild like they always do.
First Vihaan. The way he looked at Amara, the way he said her name… I've worked in his office for three months, and never—not once—has he looked at me like that. But with her, it was effortless, natural. And it stung. God, it stung.
Then Julian. I hated him. I hated the way he tried to break Ama's light, like he had some right to put her down. But more than that, I hated how much it hurt me to see her in the middle of it all. She stayed calm, as if used to swallowing storms, while I boiled with anger.
And somewhere inside me, a darker thought whispered: What if I'm no better than Julian?
Because wasn't I, too, letting jealousy eat me alive? Not the same way, but still… every time Ama shines, every time someone notices her, I feel like I'm fading into the background. Like I'm just Jia—the shadow, the side character.
But then I look at her. My Amara. My anchor. And I know she doesn't see me like that. She never has.
So why can't I just let go of this jealousy? Why can't I be happy for her without feeling so small?
I hate myself for it. For even letting such feelings exist.
But I love her too much to ever let them show.
So tonight, I'll smile. I'll laugh with her. I'll be her Jia.And silently, I'll fight the shadows alone.