Chapter three (part 1)

MAXEN

The scent of brewed coffee and toasted bread drifted through the house, but Maxen wasn't in a hurry. He sat at his desk, the papers spread before him demanding his attention. His café acquisition was nearly complete—one more meeting, and it would officially be his.

His first business.

Only two people knew—his mother and Mr. Colm, the seller. Even his mother didn't know why he was buying it.

Most people wouldn't understand. It wasn't about profits or ambition.

It was about stillness.

A space where people could sit without expectation, where time stretched between the warmth of a coffee cup and the murmur of quiet conversation. Where strangers could settle into the soft hum of the world without feeling like they had to rush through it.

A place he would have wanted.

He ran his thumb over the rough edge of the contract, grounding himself in its weight.

Maybe, in some way, it made up for the fact that he didn't have many friends.

Not that he'd ever say that out loud.

His mother's voice drifted through his thoughts.

"The charity program needs more hands."

She always said that. Never pushed. Never guilted. Just offered.

And yet, last week… he went.

His fingers pressed against the papers. He still didn't know why.

But he knew it was because of him.

Adrian.

Maxen hadn't even meant to stay. He was supposed to drop something off for his mother and leave.

Then he saw him.

The guy with too much energy, sleeves rolled up, hands moving fast as he spoke. His presence filled the space like sunlight creeping into forgotten corners, warming everything it touched.

There was something about the way Adrian listened, like every word mattered, like the people around him weren't just faces in the crowd but stories worth hearing.

And when Adrian smiled… it wasn't just polite. It was real. The kind that made you want to believe in something.

Maxen had told himself he was just watching, just passing time. But when Adrian had turned that smile on him—bright, open, inviting—he forgot why he was supposed to leave.

He stayed for two hours.

And when he finally said goodbye, he caught it—just for a second. The slight, almost imperceptible flinch, like Adrian had expected him to walk away and never come back.

That look stayed with him longer than it should have.

"Maxen!" His mother's voice rang up the stairs. "Breakfast is getting cold!"

He sighed, pushing back his chair. The papers would still be there when he returned.

---

Downstairs, his mother sat at the dining table, tea in hand, her expression warm yet sharp—the kind that saw too much.

Maxen slid into his usual seat, fingers curling around his coffee cup.

"So," she began, casual but calculated, "how's the café acquisition going with Colm?"

He took a sip before answering. "Finalizing it tomorrow."

She hummed, nodding in approval as she buttered her toast. Then, just as smoothly, she set down the knife and glanced at him with a teasing glint.

"And the charity program?" she asked, feigning innocence. "Will you be making another unexpected visit?"

His spoon hovered over his plate for a fraction too long. He exhaled through his nose, picked up his fork, and took a bite. "That was a one-time thing."

His mother stirred her tea, a small, knowing smile curling at the edges of her lips. "Hmm. We'll see."

She didn't push, but the look she gave him was enough.

She had her suspicions.

Maybe even more than he did.

---

The drive to the community center felt longer than usual.

Maxen's fingers tapped against the steering wheel, the rhythm uneven. His mother's words clung to him.

Will you be making another unexpected visit?

He didn't even know why he was going.

He could still turn around. Go home. Forget about it.

His knuckles whitened against the leather of the steering wheel, the skin stretched taut as he fought the urge to swerve, to turn back.

But then he saw it again—Adrian's hands, moving expressively as he spoke about the people they were helping, the way his eyes flickered with something fierce yet fragile.

And that tiny flinch.

Maxen's jaw tightened.

He couldn't back down now.

Not when Adrian had looked at him like that.

Not when he'd already said he'd return.

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TO BE CONTINUED...

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