1- Evania
Men would call me a gold digger or an opportunist.
Women would call me smart.
And Mia Dio, the queen she is, would tell me to go find a rich husband.
The latter of the three was more to my liking.
I say all of this, but at the same time, I was a hopeless introvert who hated the very thought of dating anyone. If I didn't have to work to survive, I would be home relaxing with a book in hand or a new K-drama playing softly on the television. Luckily, my parents were kind enough to lend me the money to open my very own library café. It seemed like the perfect way to lower my social anxiety while also doing something I loved.
I rested my chin in my palm and let my gaze drift back down to the book in front of me.
A marriage of convenience with a brooding billionaire.
My guilty pleasure.
The female lead was clever, stubborn, and broke. She reminded me entirely too much of myself, which was probably why I couldn't put the book down. The male lead was described as cold, devastatingly handsome, and absurdly rich. They hated each other at first, offering a taste of what a true enemies-to-lovers situation would be like. Then they needed each other, creating an unlikely alliance.
I exhaled softly, surprise and longing swirling within me just as a smile tugged at my lips.
It was utterly ridiculous, but I couldn't help how heavy my heart grew with envy. I wanted to fall in love when I least expected it. I wanted the spontaneity and thrill of it. But as much as I wanted all of those things, I had to face the reality that I was far too lazy to actually do them.
I couldn't force myself to go on dates where I would have to learn about another human being. The thought of explaining my favorite food, color, and drink to every prospective boyfriend made me sick. I would rather have my future husband fall out of the sky with a ring in hand, ready to propose.
That was probably why I loved marriage-of-convenience romance books so much. There was something intoxicating about the idea. Not the money—not really—although it was an added bonus. It was the certainty. The clarity of it all. A deal laid out in black and white. No guessing games. No waiting around wondering if someone would choose you. You were chosen because you were needed.
I flipped the page, but my eyes skimmed instead of reading as my thoughts wandered.
What would it be like, I wondered, to have someone look at you and decide - yes, you're the solution? To have your life change because of a contract, a signature, a handshake. To wake up one day and realize you'd stepped into a story that didn't belong to ordinary people like me.
I snorted quietly at myself and shook my head, glancing up to ground myself in reality. My library café hadn't changed. Still, warm wooden shelves lined with books. Still, fairy lights strung lazily across the ceiling beams. Still the same low jazz playlist humming through the speakers.
Still ordinary.
I looked back down at the book, determined to actually read this time—
A sharp clearing of a throat sliced clean through my thoughts.
I startled so badly my elbow knocked into the stack of receipts beside me. Papers slid dangerously close to the edge of the counter as I gasped, fumbling to shove my book aside as if it had personally betrayed me. That's what I got for reading on the job.
"Oh-sorry-hi-" I said all at once, lifting my head far too quickly.
And then I lost the ability to speak.
Dark hair, neatly styled but not overly done. A strong jaw dusted with the faintest hint of stubble. Sharp cheekbones. Eyes—God, his eyes—an impossibly bright shade of blue, focused entirely on me. He was tall, with a commanding presence that made everyone around him seem smaller. He stood directly in front of the counter, close enough that his woodsy scent reached me instantly.
I realized, with a jolt of mortification, that I was staring.
Like... really staring.
My mouth snapped shut, then opened again. "I-I, can I help you?"
Smooth, Evania. Very smooth.
My smile came easily—the practiced one I gave every customer—even though my heart was already misbehaving. I didn't give myself time to think. I could already tell that thinking around him was dangerous. I went straight into autopilot.
"What can I get for you today?"
