The cafe was almost empty when Alina froze in her spot. That one word had dropped from his lips like a stone thrown into water, ripping through her chest.
Manuscript.
Her heart raced. She knew that voice. Not just knew it, had memorized it, fought against it, and been unsettled by it ever since their first meeting. Her breath caught in her throat, the fog in her mind finally lifting.
Her eyes locked on him. It couldn't be a coincidence. The dressing sense, the commanding posture, even when he was silent, like the world bent itself to his rhythm. The way his words sliced, cold, arrogant, unbothered. The silence. The way his presence filled a room even when he wasn't trying.
Piece by piece, the puzzle snapped into place. Her knees felt weak as the realization struck her like a blow. Her breath caught. It's him.
'' Kai..'' The whisper slipped out before she could stop it. The mask still hid his mouth, the cap shadowed his eyes, but it didn't matter anymore. He stood there not moving a bit. By ending the call, he slid his phone into his pocket and turned back.
The same Kai whose words had stung her yesterday. The same man who carried himself with a storm in his chest and ice in his eyes. The same man she had mocked as "Grumpy" when sipping hot chocolate with Maya. And she had been watching him all this time, too blind to connect the dots. A hot flush of embarrassment rushed to her cheeks. How could I not see it?
She pushed back her chair with a screech, ignoring the curious stares from nearby tables, and stormed out into the street. Her heart thumped against her ribs as she spotted him a few steps ahead, his tall frame impossible to miss even in the evening crowd.
"Kai Arden!" she shouted.
He didn't stop. Didn't even flinch. Just tilted his head, eyes glinting as if he had been waiting for this exact moment. The light painted his figure in sharp gold, his shadow stretching long. He pulled his mask down with one gloved hand, revealing the face that had stared at a hundred times in magazines, TV screens, and posters. The star. The man every girl screamed for, every brand chased, every crowd worshipped. And he was standing there like the world itself owed him space.
His lips curved into the faintest smirk, his gaze sliding over her with a lazy sharpness that cut deeper than a knife.
''So,'' he drawled, voice low, smooth, and maddeningly amused. ''The little girl finally used her brain''
Alina blinked, stunned. ''You…''
His gaze pinned her,'' It took you long enough'' Kai stepped closer, his eyes locking onto hers with the kind of intensity that made her spine stiffen.
Alina's fists tightened at her sides. Why hide like this? What's with the mask, the act?
He stepped closer, closer this time, every movement deliberate.'' Because sweetheart, I'm not just anyone'' His smirk deepened.'' I'm Kai Arden. A start. Famous enough that if I walk down the street, people lose their minds''
The words rolled out of him like silk, confident, arrogant, teasing.
Alina blinked, her anger wrestling with shock ''You're unbelievable''
''Unbelievably handsome'' he corrected, without missing a beat. He leaned closer, his voice dropping so only she could hear. ''And don't pretend you didn't notice. Even with a mask, you kept staring.
Alina's breath hitched. Her cheeks heated, not because he was right, but because he said it like that, with that damn smirk
''Don't tell me, you didn't know it was me?'' he teased her. He straightened, slipping his hands casually into his pockets like the whole world was his stage. ''I never lied. Ask your friend Maya. You're the only one walking around clueless."
Her chest tightened. "You…"
He cut her off with a lazy shrug. ''It was you, dummy. You couldn't even recognize a person you've seen me so close.
Kai's gaze flicked over her, cool and dismissive, as though she were no more significant than the dust on his shoe. "You spent days hovering around, staring, muttering ridiculous things about me being Mafia, a criminal, and god knows what else. Yet you couldn't recognize the face plastered on billboards, on book covers, on every damn screen?"
Her breath caught. "You..." She tried again, but her voice trembled
Kai tilted his head, watching her with that ''Careful, sweetheart, your voice is shaking, Don't tell me I make you nervous''
The heat rushed to her cheeks, but before she could bite back, Maya's hand landed on her shoulder.
''Alina, let's go'' Maya's tone was firm, her eyes were nervous between them. This is what she was afraid of; she knew that one day this bomb would explode, not her, but the whole cafe.
But Alina couldn't let go'' You played with me''
Kai chucked, low and amused, stepping just close enough that she had to tilt her chin up to meet his eyes. ''No, darling, I didn't play. It was always me.''
Something else tangled in her chest, a sting of truth. He hadn't lied. Not once. He had never introduced himself with a fake name. He had walked in as Kai Arden, lived as Kai Arden, and the only fool who hadn't seen it… was her.
Her fists trembled at her sides. Her pride wanted to scream back, but the way he looked at her as if she were beneath him stripped the words from her throat. His nearness, the warmth of his voice, the weight of his gaze, it was too much. Too confusing
But Kai wasn't done. His lips curled into that smirk ''Tell me what makes you fall for me? My voice? My style? Or…'' He stopped, and Alina knew why he stopped.
Alina's heart thundered in her ribs. She hated it. She hated how she behaved whenever he was around. She hated how much power he had over her.
Kai moved back, finally giving her space, his expression unreadable. Then almost casually, he added, ''Don't worry. I wouldn't tease you about your stupidity. You're cute when you're clueless''
She can't name her feelings, or she simply refuses to name them. And before she could answer, Maya pulled her back, whispering urgently, ''Alina, not here''
He put his mask back on his face, and then he walked away just like that, hands in pockets, head high. He left Alina trembling, with rage, with confusion. One truth hammered in her mind, clear and merciless. She had uncovered him. But in doing so, she had uncovered her own blindness, too. And that cut deeper than anything Kai Arden had said.