The phone rang for the fourth time.
Florence's heart pounded against her ribs as she held the phone tightly against her ear. Her palms were slightly sweaty, and for a terrifying moment, she wondered if Victor would actually answer.
Then—
"Hello?"
His deep, familiar voice came through the speaker. Hearing it so clearly over the line made Florence's stomach flip. She immediately sat upright on her bed, pulling her knees up to her chest.
"Hi..." she whispered softly.
There was a brief silence on the other end of the line. Then, Victor chuckled softly.
"Florence?"
"Yes."
"You finally called."
A warm smile spread across her face. "How did you know it was me?"
Victor laughed, a low and pleasant sound. "Because I told you, didn't I? This number is exclusive. I always pick up when you call."
Florence covered her blushing face with her free hand, grateful that he couldn't see her through the phone. "You remembered."
"I remember everything you say," Victor replied gently.
Her heart skipped a beat. She cleared her throat, trying her best to sound normal and calm. "So... about tomorrow."
"Yes?"
"Where are we going?"
"I thought you wanted to know more about me," Victor said smoothly.
"I do."
"Then let me take you somewhere where we can actually talk."
Florence smiled, tracing a pattern on her bedsheet. "Okay."
"Tomorrow at eleven?"
"Eleven?"
"Is that too early?" Victor asked.
"No," she replied quickly, not wanting him to change his mind. "Eleven is fine."
"Good. I'll pick you up from your building."
"No, Victor, you can't come here to pick me up!" Florence warned hurriedly. "My parents might see you. Besides, everyone in our apartment building knows each other, and we're friendly with all the neighbors. If anyone sees you and mentions it to my parents, I'll be in huge trouble."
Victor was quiet for a moment, listening.
Florence continued explaining her plan. "I'll tell my parents that I'm meeting up with a friend. I'll go with Scarlett, so my parents will agree easily. I'll involve Scarlett in this whole thing."
Victor chuckled teasingly. "Okay... you're cleverer than you look."
Florence put on a fake angry voice. "What do you mean by that?"
"Okay, calm down, I was just kidding," Victor said laughingly.
Florence couldn't hold back her own giggle. "It's okay."
Just then, her mother's voice echoed from down the hallway, calling out her name to say that dinner was ready.
Florence quickly lowered her phone, cupped her hand over her mouth, and called out, "Coming, Mom!"
Once she heard her mother's footsteps fade away from outside her bedroom door, she spoke back into the phone. "I have to go now, my mom is calling for dinner. Let's meet tomorrow."
"All right. See you tomorrow, Florence."
Florence hung up and walked out to the dining room. Her father and mother were already seated at the table, and Florence took her usual spot across from them. As they began eating, Florence stayed quiet, waiting for the right moment to ask for permission for tomorrow's outing. She needed a good excuse to meet Victor.
Her parents were quite conservative. They rarely allowed her to go out all alone, and they certainly were not in favor of her having a boyfriend at her age or hanging out with boys. If she was going out with a female friend, that was fine, but a boyfriend was something they would never support. They also strongly disliked the modern city culture of late-night parties, clubbing, and smoking. Even though they lived in a big, modern city, her parents maintained traditional, strict values.
Scarlett's parents, on the other hand, were the complete opposite. Scarlett was allowed to go clubbing, attend late-night parties, and enjoy her social life however she wanted. Whenever Scarlett asked Florence to join her for late-night gatherings, Florence always had to decline, or her parents would make excuses not to let her go. This was why Florence knew she had to be extremely careful with her excuse tonight.
Florence stared at her plate, stirring her food thoughtfully with her spoon. Suddenly, her father looked up from his meal and caught her staring blankly at her food.
"What happened, Florence?" her father asked gently. "Are you not liking the food? You've been completely silent, just stirring your spoon in your plate without taking a single bite."
Florence blinked, snapping out of her thoughts. "No, Dad! That's not it at all. I love the food, but it's really hot, so I'm just eating slowly to let it cool down."
Her father nodded and went back to his plate. Florence let out a quiet sigh of relief, thinking to herself, Phew, that was close.
A few moments later, she cleared her throat softly. "By the way, Dad... Mom... I wanted to ask for your permission for something."
Both of her parents looked up at her.
"Actually, I got a call from a friend today," Florence said smoothly. "A few of us were on a group conference call, and they wanted to meet up with me and Scarlett tomorrow. So I was planning to meet them. Can I go tomorrow with Scarlett?"
Her father asked calmly, "Which friends? Are they your school friends?"
Florence nodded. "Yup, school friends."
"Is there any night-out kind of thing planned?" her father probed carefully.
"No, Dad, not at all," Florence answered quickly. "It's just a daytime plan at a nearby café."
Her father thought about it for a second. "Okay, you can go if you want. I'll tell the driver to drop you there."
"No need, Dad," Florence replied smoothly. "I'm going with Scarlett, and the café is very close. All of us are meeting up at one place first, and then we'll take a cab together."
Her mother smiled warmly. "That's fine then. You can go, but make sure to be careful."
Inside, Florence's heart danced with joy, but she kept her face completely calm so her parents wouldn't suspect anything. She quickly finished her meal, stood up, and cleared her plate.
"Good night, Mom. Good night, Dad," she said softly before hurrying back to her bedroom.
The moment she stepped inside, she closed her door, turned the lock, and did a little silent happy dance right in the middle of her room. She grabbed her phone, opened her messages, and typed out a text to Victor:
Mission successful! I'm coming tomorrow to meet you! She attached a row of excited, celebrating emojis at the end.
A few seconds later, her phone buzzed with his reply: Eagerly waiting for you. Attached were a couple of heart emojis.
Florence blushed and smiled brightly at her screen. Then, she immediately dialed Scarlett's number.
"Hi, Scarlett! What are you doing?" Florence asked excitedly as soon as the line connected.
"Nothing much," Scarlett replied casually. "I'm in my room watching a series. I just had my dinner. By the way, you sound extremely happy! Is there something great I should know about?"
Florence giggled and opened up completely to her best friend. She explained everything—how the mysterious admirer had finally revealed his identity, how they wanted to get to know each other better, and how they had planned to meet up tomorrow.
Scarlett gasped out loud with joy. "Oh wow! Tell me something about him!"
"Okay, let me meet him properly first," Florence said, her voice filled with excitement. "Once I know him completely, I'll tell you everything. But for now, I can tell you that he is really, really handsome."
"Oh wow!" Scarlett squealed teasingly. "I am so excited to know more about my best friend's boyfriend!"
Florence blushed instantly. "We're not in a relationship yet! But let me see how things work out. Also, Scarlett, I need your help. I told my parents that I'm going out to meet some old school friends with you tomorrow. I'll actually be meeting Victor alone, but since my parents think I'm with you, we need to leave the building and return home at the exact same time. I'll call you as soon as I leave the café."
"Okay, deal!" Scarlett agreed readily. "What time is your meeting?"
"I have to reach the café at eleven in the morning," Florence told her.
The next morning seemed to move unusually slowly for Florence. She had barely slept the previous night. Every time she had closed her eyes, her mind had wandered back to Victor—his handsome smile, his teasing voice, the way he had looked at her in his car, and most of all, the breathtaking moment when their eyes had met beneath the soft dashboard light.
By ten o'clock, she had already changed her outfit three times. She finally stood in front of her full-length mirror, wearing a simple, elegant pastel-colored dress. Her soft hair fell loosely over her shoulders, and she wore a tiny pair of matching earrings.
She looked at her reflection, biting her lip nervously. "Is this too much?"
She immediately shook her head at herself. "No, Florence. It's just lunch."
Yet, the huge, unstoppable smile on her face betrayed how thrilled she truly was.
Her phone suddenly buzzed on her vanity table.
Victor: I am about to reach the cafe.
Florence quickly typed back: Yeah, I am ready too! I'll be there in about half an hour.
Victor: Come fast, I can't wait any longer to meet you.
Florence smiled at the screen: Yes, leaving now! Bye.
She grabbed her handbag, took a deep breath, and hurried downstairs to the basement parking lot. Scarlett was already waiting for her there.
Florence gave her friend a quick squeeze. "I'm leaving now! If there's any problem or if my parents call you, just let me know right away."
Scarlett gave her a reassuring thumbs-up before driving off toward their bakery shop. Florence stepped out onto the street, hailed a cab, and gave the driver the address of the café where Victor was waiting.
A few minutes later, the cab dropped Florence off in front of a beautiful café tucked away neatly from the noisy main road. It wasn't overly grand or intimidatingly luxurious. Instead, it had a warm, welcoming charm with glowing yellow lights, rustic wooden tables, small green plants near the glass windows, and soft instrumental music playing quietly in the background.
Florence walked up the short flight of steps toward the entrance. As soon as she reached the glass door, she saw Victor standing there, waiting for her.
He was dressed sharply, and his eyes lit up the moment he saw her. In a low, velvety voice, he said, "Welcome, ma'am. You are looking so beautiful today... I honestly can't take my eyes off you."
Florence looked down instantly, tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, and blushed deeply. Victor stepped up beside her, offering his hand for her to hold. Florence gently placed her hand in his. Together, they walked into the cozy café.
Victor guided her to their table and politely pulled out the chair for her. Once Florence sat down, Victor took his seat right across from her.
"It's beautiful here," Florence said, looking around at the charming decor.
"I thought you'd like it," Victor replied with a warm smile.
They had been given a small, intimate table right beside a large window. Florence rested her hands on the polished wooden table. For the first few moments, neither of them said a word; they simply sat there, smiling softly at one another.
Finally, Victor broke the silence. "So..."
"So?" Florence teased lightly.
"We're here to learn about each other," Victor said.
Florence nodded. "Yes."
"Then you go first," he offered.
She laughed quietly. "Why me?"
"Because I'm curious about you."
"Okay," she agreed, thinking for a moment. "My favorite color is lavender. I love rainy weather... although yesterday's heavy rain was definitely a bit too much."
Victor let out a soft laugh. "Fair enough."
"I love baking, obviously," Florence continued, her eyes brightening as she spoke. "I like quiet places. I don't have many friends, but the few people I do have in my life are very important to me."
Victor listened to every word attentively, his gaze fixed on her face.
Florence looked at him meaningful. "And... I really don't like people who lie."
Victor's teasing expression softened into complete sincerity. "I won't lie to you."
Florence looked directly into his dark eyes. "I hope so."
"I promise," Victor said earnestly.
She smiled, feeling a sense of relief wash over her. "What about you?"
Victor leaned back slightly in his chair. "Me?"
"Yes, your turn!"
He paused, contemplating what to share. "Well, I like driving at night. I like coffee much more than tea. I hate crowded places, and I don't talk much with people unless I truly trust them."
Florence's smile grew wider. "So we're actually quite similar."
"Maybe that's why I noticed you in the first place," Victor said smoothly.
Her cheeks warmed up once again.
Victor continued, "I also love music. I used to play the guitar."
Florence raised her eyebrows in genuine surprise. "You did?"
"Yeah."
"I don't believe you," she said playfully.
He raised an eyebrow, amused. "Why not?"
"Because you look like someone who would rather argue with a guitar than play it!"
Victor burst into a loud, genuine laugh that echoed softly in their corner. "That is the very first time anyone has ever described me like that!"
Florence couldn't help but laugh along with him.
Soon, their food arrived at the table, but their conversation didn't pause for a second. They talked about their childhood memories, favorite movies, embarrassing moments from their past, their personal dreams, and little random details they had never shared with anyone else.
As they ate, Victor opened up about his upbringing. He talked about growing up in a wealthy family where affection was rarely shown or expressed.
"My family and I... we're not exactly close," he admitted quietly, his tone dropping slightly. "There were always high expectations. Always arguments about my future. I learned pretty early on that it was just easier to keep my thoughts and feelings to myself."
Florence's cheerful smile faded into a look of deep sympathy. "That must have been really difficult for you."
Victor shrugged, trying to sound indifferent. "I'm used to it."
"But being used to something doesn't mean it didn't hurt," Florence pointed out softly.
Victor stared at her. For a long moment, he didn't say anything at all. Then, a faint, tender smile appeared on his lips.
"You really are different," he murmured.
"Different how?"
"You actually listen."
Florence smiled warmly. "Because I want to know you, Victor. The real you... not the version everyone else sees from the outside."
His eyes softened completely. "And I want to know the real you, too."
Florence lowered her eyes shyly. For a few sweet seconds, the only sound between them was the gentle instrumental music playing softly from the café speakers.
Then, Victor reached across the small table. His long fingers lightly brushed against hers. Florence looked down at their hands resting on the wooden table. She didn't pull away. Instead, she slowly turned her palm upward, letting him wrap his fingers around hers.
Victor smiled, feeling her skin. "Your hands are cold."
Florence smiled shyly, glancing up at him through her lashes. "Maybe because I'm nervous."
"Nervous because of me?"
She nodded softly. "Maybe."
Victor gently squeezed her hand. "You don't have to be."
"I know," she whispered, looking straight into his eyes. "But... I kind of like being nervous around you."
Victor's smile turned playful. "That's dangerous."
"Why?"
"Because I might start liking it, too."
Florence laughed softly, her heart fluttering wild inside her chest. Their eyes locked again, and this time, neither of them looked away.
After finishing their main course, neither of them seemed ready to end the afternoon or leave the café. They decided to order dessert and agreed to share a single slice of rich chocolate cake.
When the dessert arrived, Victor picked up his dessert fork and took a small bite. Florence watched his face intently, waiting for his reaction.
"Well?" she prompted eagerly.
He nodded approvingly. "It's good."
She smiled proudly, tilting her head. "I could make it much better."
Victor looked at her, an amused glint in his eyes. "Are you challenging me, baker girl?"
"No," she replied with a playful grin. "I'm just telling you the truth."
"Then I suppose I'll just have to visit your bakery much more often," Victor said smoothly.
"Only if you pay for what you eat," Florence shot back.
Victor dramatically placed his hand over his heart, acting deeply offended. "After everything I've done for you?"
Florence laughed heartily. "You mean carrying me through the heavy rain?"
"Exactly!"
"And secretly following me in your car for weeks?"
Victor's smile faltered for a fraction of a second, a look of comical panic crossing his face. "Okay... maybe don't remind me about that part."
Florence giggled uncontrollably. "I still haven't fully decided whether I should forgive you for that stalker behavior or not."
Victor leaned in a little closer across the table, his voice dropping to a warm whisper. "Then I'll just have to give you plenty of more reasons to forgive me."
Her soft giggle quieted down, replaced by a gentle, fond smile. "You already are."
Victor looked at her in silence for a few seconds, his expression turning completely earnest. "Florence..."
"Hmm?"
"I'm really, really glad I met you."
Her eyes filled with warmth. "I'm glad I met you too, Victor."
He reached out his hand and gently brushed a stray strand of hair away from her face, his fingers lingering near her cheek for a brief second. Florence's breath caught in her throat.
Victor smiled mischievously. "You're blushing again."
She immediately looked away, covering her cheeks with her hands. "Stop noticing everything!"
"I can't," he murmured.
"Why not?"
"Because I can't seem to stop noticing you."
Florence looked back up at him, her heart bursting with happiness. And this time, she couldn't stop smiling if she tried.
Outside the café window, the bright afternoon sunlight streamed through the glass, casting a warm, golden glow across their table. For the first time, Florence wasn't sitting across from an anonymous, mysterious stranger she had spent weeks wondering about in her dreams.
She was sitting across from Victor.
A real person. A man with a complicated past, a guarded heart, and a surprisingly gentle, loving smile.
And somehow, after sharing just one quiet afternoon together, Florence felt in her heart as though she had known him for a lifetime. Neither of them knew what the future held for them, but for that moment, sitting closely together in their cozy corner of the café, they were simply two people slowly discovering each other—one story, one smile, and one heartbeat at a time.
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Thanks for reading!!