From across the street, Lyra Velmora observed everything.
She had arrived early.
Before Andres.
Before the stall.
Before the first sale.
And she had stayed—
Watching.
"…Efficient," she noted silently.
No wasted movement.
No unnecessary interaction.
Everything intentional.
Even the pricing strategy.
It wasn't random.
It was calculated.
But that wasn't what caught her attention most.
It was the consistency.
Every fruit identical.
Perfect.
Unnaturally so.
Her gaze narrowed slightly.
"…So this is your method."
Not confirmed.
But close.
She turned slightly, speaking to the man behind her.
"Did you notice anything unusual?"
The man shook his head.
"Nothing beyond high-quality stock."
Lyra's eyes returned to Andres.
"…Exactly."
That was the problem.
Too perfect.
Too clean.
Too controlled.
"…You're hiding something deeper than skill," she thought.
And that made her curious.
Not cautious.
Curious.
For the first time since hearing about him—
Lyra stepped forward.
Not as an observer.
But as a participant.