The ride to the coffee shop was quiet—too quiet.
Caleb sat in the backseat, one arm draped lazily over the door while his mind ran in circles.
Every second that ticked by felt heavier than the last. Naya drove with her usual calm precision, her eyes fixed on the road, lips pressed in a thin line.
The city outside was alive with motion—sleek cars zipping past, pedestrians bustling along glassy sidewalks—but inside the car, tension hung like a storm cloud.
"You sure about this?" Caleb finally broke the silence.
Naya didn't glance at him. "You want Diego off your back, right? Then yes, I'm sure."
"Fair enough," Caleb muttered, adjusting his sunglasses. "So… how friendly is this guy? Should I expect him to shake my hand or cut it off?"
Naya smirked faintly. "I haven't talked to him in the past, honestly... so I don't know. Depends on what mood he's in—and what you offer him."
Caleb grunted, leaning back as the car slowed to a stop in front of a sleek, modern building with tall glass walls. A discreet golden sign above the entrance read: Velour Coffee House.
The kind of place where a single cup probably cost more than an average al.
Inside, it was even more extravagant.
Soft jazz played in the background, and the warm glow of pendant lights bathed the café in an inviting yet intimidating ambiance.
Polished marble floors reflected the shimring chandeliers above, and the scent of premium roasted beans lingered in the air like perfu.
Caleb slid into a plush leather booth near the back, Naya across from him. She placed her designer bag on the seat beside her, scanning the room with practiced ease.
"He'll be here in fifteen," she said, glancing at her watch. "Order sothing. Don't make it look like we're here for business."
Caleb chuckled softly.
"Right. Because nothing says 'normal' like two overdressed strangers sitting in the most expensive café in town."
With the way they were dressed, Caleb didn't know whether to laugh or cry.
They wanted to avoid attention, yet every detail about them scread for it. On his side, Caleb was annoyingly handso—paired with Naya's jaw-dropping beauty, they were practically a neon sign in human form.
And the disguises? If you could even call them that. Their attempt at blending in was backfiring spectacularly. Dark glasses indoors, designer clothes, and that perfectly polished look—it wasn't subtle. It was suspicious.
Caleb couldn't help but wonder: did they actually not know how to disguise themselves, or had people just started accepting this as the new normal? Because really, if wearing shades inside didn't turn heads, what would?
Before Naya could respond, the soft chi of the doorbell rang—and that's when Caleb noticed her.
A woman walked in—a vision of elegance wrapped in confidence.
Her long black hair cascaded over her shoulders, catching the warm glow of the chandeliers.
A fitted crimson dress hugged her curves without screaming for attention; instead, it whispered danger with every step.
She moved like soone who owned the ground she walked on, her heels clicking softly against the marble floor.
People turned to look—n with admiration, won with envy—but her sharp, calculating eyes ignored them all as if they were nothing more than static.
The mont Caleb's gaze t hers, the system pulsed again in Caleb's mind.
«↑Cardholder Detected↓»
«↑Na: Alice Henderson↓»
'Great. Just what I needed today.'
Caleb forced his expression into sothing neutral as his gaze tracked her subtle movents.
She approached the counter with calm precision, ordered sothing he couldn't hear, and then—without hesitation—started walking toward the back of the café.
'Why does her na sound so familiar?' Caleb wondered, lost in thought. But before he could place it, the woman's eyes t his.
She paused mid-step, tilted her head slightly as if to confirm sothing, and then—slowly—an unmistakable smile spread across her face.
Without hesitation, she glided toward their booth.
"Well, well… isn't this Caleb Morrow?" she said, her voice warm yet laced with sothing playful.
Caleb let out a wry smile. Of course. She just had to say it out loud.
Heads turned instantly. Curious glances, hushed whispers—it was like soone had rung the gossip bell.
"You look familiar," Caleb replied coolly, his tone calm and steady. "Where do I know you from?"
"You don't rember ? What a sha." Alice's lips curled into a teasing pout as she slid gracefully into the seat next to him, completely disregarding the concept of personal space.
Her eyes then shifted to Naya—and that's when her expression changed.
"Naya Lucy? You're here too?" Her voice held genuine surprise.
Naya stiffened, brows knitting together as her gaze scanned Alice's face.
Caleb and Naya exchanged a quick glance. Both of them had the sa thought: She looks familiar… but from where?
"You two are honestly disappointing," Alice said with a soft laugh, crossing her legs with effortless elegance. She reached for the cup of steaming coffee she'd ordered earlier, lifting it to her lips before speaking again.
"I'm Alice. Bavord College. Ring a bell?"
The na hit like a light switch flicking on. Caleb and Naya's mories snapped into place.
Alice Henderson—the girl everyone whispered about back then. Not because of her beauty—though she had plenty of that—but because of what she could do.
She wasn't just smart. She was extraordinary.
A healer. A rare gift that made her a legend among dical students.
She'd graduated top of her class, with offers from every prestigious hospital lined up before the ink dried on her diploma. And then—poof. Gone. Like smoke.
Until now.
Caleb felt his chest tighten.
'Seriously? Is the system trying to ss with ?! Every damn girl I et now is a cardholder?'
First, it was the two sisters… and now Alice?
'How the hell am I supposed to sleep with all of them? Damn it, I knew I should've read a few harem novels back then!'
Frustration bubbled inside him. Who would've thought he'd end up tossed into so high-end fantasy ga where his "mission" involved sleeping with every main heroine?
He forced himself to shake off the thought and turned his attention back to Alice.
"So, how's it been all this ti?" Alice asked with a smile that held a glimr of intrigue. Her gaze lingered on him—admiring, almost captivated by the sharpness of his features.
"They've been… major improvents over the past few years," Caleb replied smoothly.
'Improvents? Yeah, right. After almost getting my dick sliced off, dealing with a mirror freak, and bidding against a damn billionaire at an auction, I think I've unlocked every trauma achievent there is! Haven't I had enough character developnt already?!'
On the outside, his calm smile never faltered.
He was still trying to figure out what to do about Helene and Sophia—that alone was a full-ti headache. Now Alice had entered the mix… and things were spiraling.
"What about you? What brings you here?" Caleb asked, his tone casual.
Alice's lips curled into a self-assured smile.
"Well, I ca here to et a client," she said, her voice dripping with authority. "He's wasting my ti, though. Said he'd be here soon… but I've been waiting longer than I expected."
The way she said it—sharp and commanding—made it sound like the client was her assistant rather than soone paying for her services.
"You really look amazing. You've been treating yourself nicely, I guess," Naya added, her tone soft yet admiring as her eyes swept over Alice's flawless appearance.
Alice's lips curved into a pleased smile.
"Thank you, dear."
The three of them continued their casual exchange when the café door suddenly swung open with a soft chi.
This ti, a figure stepped in with quiet confidence.
His black hair was neatly swept to the side, and his sharp gaze scanned the room with effortless authority—until it settled on Alice and Naya.
A warm, practiced smile spread across his face as he strode toward their table.
"Miss Alice, sorry for keeping you waiting," he said politely as he approached. Then, his eyes shifted to Naya.
"Miss Naya… you look just as stunning as in your magazines. Are you always in the studio?"
Caleb turned his head, and their eyes t. The newcor stared at him with a cool, condescending gaze, as if the very act of breathing the sa air was beneath him.
The tension was thick enough to choke on, and Naya caught it instantly. She broke the silence with a quick introduction.
"Derren, this is Caleb Morrow. Caleb, this is Prince Derren," she said smoothly.
"Prince Derren," Caleb echoed, masking his irritation behind a calm smile as he extended his hand for a shake.
Derren's eyes flicked down to Caleb's hand for the briefest mont… then shifted back to Naya as if Caleb didn't exist.
"So," Derren began, his tone dripping with arrogance, "tell —what do you need from ?"
Caleb slowly lowered his hand, his smile tightening.
'Great,' he thought bitterly. 'This guy's gonna be a pain in the ass.'rrsffvjvvgf
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