Morning sunlight filtered through the café windows. The soft hum of a coffee machine filled the room while the smell of roasted beans drifted through the air. Behind the counter, Ivy worked like always. Calm. Normal. Unbothered. But her mind wasn't peaceful.
Because last night had changed something.
Alexander had seen her.
Not clearly. Not enough to prove anything. But enough to suspect. And men like him didn't let go of suspicion easily.
The bell above the door chimed. Ivy didn't look up immediately.
"Welcome—"
She stopped mid-sentence. Standing in the doorway was Alexander Morozov. Black suit. Sharp eyes. Danger written in every movement. He walked inside like he owned the place. Which, in a way, he almost did. He sat down at the same table as always. The corner table. The one that gave him a clear view of the entire café. Ivy walked over. Her face perfectly neutral.
"What can I get you?"
"Black coffee," Alexander said. The same order. The same tone. But this time his eyes didn't leave her face. Studying. Observing. Searching.
Ivy met his gaze calmly. As if she had absolutely nothing to hide. A few minutes later she placed the coffee in front of him. Alexander took a sip. "Busy morning?" he asked casually.
"Normal morning," Ivy replied.
He tapped his fingers lightly on the table.
"You seem very calm."
"Should I be nervous?"
Alexander leaned back slightly.
"That depends."
"On?"
"Whether you're hiding something." For a moment the café felt strangely quiet. But Ivy simply shrugged.
"I run a café, not a criminal empire." Alexander chuckled softly.
"That's exactly what someone hiding something would say."
Ivy crossed her arms.
"And what exactly do you think I'm hiding, Mr…?"
He raised an eyebrow.
"You don't know my name?"
"You never told me."
Alexander stared at her for a second.
Then slowly said,
"Alexander."
"Ivy."
"I know."
Her eyes narrowed slightly.
"Oh?"
"I tend to learn the names of interesting people."
Ivy tilted her head.
"And I'm interesting?"
Alexander smirked.
"You slammed a man's face into a counter without blinking."
She smiled slightly.
"He deserved it."
"That's not the interesting part."
Alexander leaned forward.
"What's interesting is that you moved like someone who's trained." The tension between them thickened. But Ivy didn't look worried. If anything—
She looked amused.
"You watch too many action movies."
Across the street, Victor sat in a car watching through binoculars. He sighed.
"He's flirting with the suspect."
One of the guards beside him looked confused.
"Isn't he interrogating her?" Victor shook his head.
"With Alexander… it's usually both."
Inside the café, Alexander stood up. He placed money on the table. Then leaned slightly closer to Ivy.
"Tell me something," he said quietly.
"What?"
"Why did I see someone with your eyes on a rooftop last night?"
For the first time— A very small pause. Barely noticeable. But Alexander caught it. Ivy looked straight at him.
"You must be imagining things."
Alexander's smirk returned. "Maybe."
He turned and started walking toward the door. But just before leaving, he stopped. Without looking back, he said,
"I'll be back tomorrow." The door bell chimed as he left. Ivy stood behind the counter. Completely still. After a few seconds she sighed softly. "He's not going to stop…" She looked toward the window where Alexander's car was parked. "…until he knows the truth." And Ivy knew something else.
If Alexander Morozov kept digging… Sooner or later—
He would discover that the girl serving him coffee…Was the same assassin he was hunting in the shadows.