After Alex dropped her at the cafe, she took out her phone and sent a message to her friend who also came to Paris for holiday.
Maria: Found something wild.
She barely had time to lock her phone before it buzzed again.
Priya: Is it Alex?
Maria shook her head with a small smile.
Of course Priya would guess immediately.
She leaned against the counter, typing back quickly.
Maria: Yeah… something like that.
The reply came almost instantly.
Priya: I need the FULL gist.
I’m coming to your workplace right now.
Maria blinked.
“Right now?” she muttered under her breath.
Before she could even process it, she turned toward Madam Dupert, who was arranging pastries neatly behind the glass display.
“Ma’am,” Maria said, stepping closer, “my friend is coming over… would it be okay if I take a short break?”
Madam Dupont looked up at her, her expression softening into a knowing smile.
“You’ve been working nonstop,” she said warmly.
“Of course.
Go.
Sit.
Talk.
A young lady should not live on work alone.”
Maria let out a small laugh.
“Thank you, ma’am.”
“Just don’t forget to come back,” Madam Dupont added playfully.
“I won’t.”
Maria quickly wiped down the counter, finished the last few tasks she had pending, and untied her apron.
She folded it neatly and placed it aside, smoothing down her dress absentmindedly.
The bell above the café door rang loudly.
“MARIA!”
Heads turned slightly as Priya burst in, her energy filling the room like a sudden gust of wind.
Maria barely had time to react before Priya rushed over, grabbed her arm, and pulled her toward a seat near the window.
“Sit,” Priya ordered dramatically.
“Now tell me everything.”
Maria laughed, trying to catch up with her pace.
“Can you breathe first?”
“No.
Start talking.”
Maria leaned back slightly, crossing her arms before uncrossing them again, unsure where to begin.
“It’s… complicated,” she said.
Priya narrowed her eyes.
“It always is with you.
Start from the beginning.”
Maria sighed, then began.
She told her everything.
How Alex had first come across as intense… almost intimidating.
How she had rejected him the first time, more out of instinct than anything else.
How she had been annoyed—angry, even—at his persistence.
And then… how he showed up again.
Not to argue.
Not to prove a point.
But to help her.
“To rescue you?” Priya interrupted, eyes widening.
Maria nodded slowly.
“At the bar.
friends were angry because I spill wine on him and tell almost get me fired but he stepped in.”
Priya leaned back, processing it.
“Wow.”
Maria looked down at her hands.
“Yeah… I didn’t expect that.”
“You really gave that guy a hard time,” Priya said, shaking her head with a small grin.
“Poor Alex.”
“I was being careful,” Maria defended.
Priya tilted her head.
“Careful is good.
But you’re not in New York anymore.
You’re here.
And not everyone is out to hurt you.”
Maria didn’t respond immediately.
Priya softened her tone.
“Your parents… your family… they’re not here.
You still have to protect yourself, yes.
But you also have to live.”
Maria exhaled slowly.
“I know.”
“And?” Priya pressed.
“Have you given him a chance?”
Maria hesitated for a fraction of a second.
“Yes.”
Priya’s eyes lit up.
“When is the first date?”
Maria looked at her.
Priya blinked.
“Wait… don’t tell me—”
“We already went on one yesterday.”
Priya gasped dramatically, placing a hand on her chest.
“Wow.
Since when do you start keeping big things from me?”
Maria rolled her eyes.
“It just happened.”
“Oh, so this is how it is now?” Priya teased.
“Secrets?
Hidden dates?”
“I wasn’t hiding it!” Maria protested, laughing.
Priya leaned forward, lowering her voice slightly.
“So… how was it?”
Maria paused.
“It was… nice.”
Priya stared at her.
“Nice?”
Maria shrugged, trying to act casual.
“Okay, fine.
It was more than nice.”
Priya squealed softly, grabbing her arm again.
“I knew it.”
They both laughed, the tension easing into something light and warm.
They kept talking, drifting from teasing to serious and back again, losing track of time as the café slowly quieted.
Then Maria’s phone buzzed.
She glanced down.
A message from Alex.
Alex: Would you like to go out with me this evening?
Her heart skipped.
Priya leaned over instantly.
“Alex, right?”
Maria nodded.
Priya grinned.
“Then go.”
Maria hesitated.
“It’s so sudden.”
“So?” Priya said.
“Go.”
Maria looked at the message again.
Then typed.
Okay.
The evening air was cooler and softer.
Maria stood outside the restaurant, smoothing down her simple dress for what felt like the tenth time.
She had chosen something modest.
Nothing flashy.
Nothing too bold.
Still…
I should’ve put on a little more makeup, she thought.
She inhaled, then stepped inside.
The restaurant was elegant but not overwhelming.
Warm lights.
Soft music.
A quiet hum of conversations blending together.
She found the table Alex had reserved and sat down.
Waiting.
Her fingers tapped lightly against the table.
A minute passed.
Then another.
Suddenly—
The lights went out.
A soft murmur spread across the room.
Then a single spotlight flickered on, illuminating the small stage.
Maria’s breath caught.
Alex stepped into the light.
And he began to sing.
A love song.
Just for her.
Her heart pounded as every word seemed directed straight at her, every note carrying something unspoken.
The room faded away.
It was just him.
And her.
When he finished, applause erupted.
But Maria barely heard it.
He stepped down from the stage, walked straight to her, and held out his hand.
She hesitated only for a second before taking it.
He led her onto the stage.
The music shifted into something softer.
They danced.
Slowly.
The world watching.
But somehow, it didn’t matter.
Then—
He stopped.
And knelt.
“You’ve been the love of my life since the day I met you at that café,” he said.
“You’re the one I think of… the one I wish for… the one I love.
Will you be my girlfriend?”
The crowd erupted.
“Say yes!
Say yes!
Say yes!”
Maria covered her face, overwhelmed, her heart racing faster than she could control.
She nodded.
“Yes… I’ll be your girlfriend.”
Alex stood, smiling, and gently clasped a beautiful necklace around her neck.
Applause filled the room again.
This time, she felt it.
They returned to their table, laughter slipping easily between them now, the earlier nerves melting into something softer.
Until—
A shadow fell across their table.
“Wow,” a woman’s voice said.
“I was watching from afar and realized… it is you, Alex.”
Alex’s expression changed instantly.
“Sophia,” he said, his tone guarded.
“Long time no see.”
“I kinda missed you.”
“I didn’t.”
The bluntness hung in the air.
Sophia’s gaze shifted to Maria.
“And who’s she?”
“My girlfriend,” Alex said firmly.
“Maria.”
Sophia tilted her head slightly.
“Wow.
Moved on fast.”
“Life doesn’t wait for anyone,” Alex replied.
Sophia smiled thinly.
“I was his first love… but not anymore.”
“Yeah, whatever,” Alex cut in.
“You’ve said hi.
You can leave now.”
Sophia’s eyes lingered on Maria just a second too long.
“Have a nice day, Maria.”
The look she gave her was not kind.
Not friendly.
A challenge.
Maria felt it instantly.
Her stomach tightened.
Oh… this again, the kind of look Jessica always gave me when she planning something.
she thought.
Later, Maria excused herself to the restroom.
She stood at the sink, washing her hands slowly, trying to steady her thoughts.
The door opened.
Sophia walked in.
Maria didn’t turn.
“Looking at you…” Sophia began, her tone light but sharp underneath, “you don’t know Alex too well, do you?”
Maria met her gaze through the mirror.
“Maybe his background,” Sophia continued.
“You don’t even know him.”
She flipped her hair casually.
“I’ve known him for years.”
Maria dried her hands calmly.
“Well,” she said evenly, “the past is in the past.
When he’s ready to open up to me, he will.”
Sophia let out a small laugh.
“Wow.
You’re so naive.”
Maria said nothing.
“You don’t know what he’s hiding,” Sophia added, her voice dropping slightly.
“And when his family find out … you won’t have a choice.
He’ll dump you.”
She smiled.
Then walked out.
Maria stood still.
Her reflection staring back at her.
What is Alex hiding from me?
She inhaled slowly, then left the restroom.
Back at the table, Alex looked up.
“You done?”
“Yeah.”
She sat down, hesitating.
“Alex…”
He watched her carefully.
“Can you tell me something about your family?”
A pause.
“I’m not ready to open up about that yet.”
Maria’s fingers curled slightly.
“But I’m your girlfriend now,” she said softly.
“Aren’t you going to tell me?”
“I will,” he replied.
“When I’m ready.”
She looked down.
“Oh, Sophia…” she muttered under her breath.
Alex’s head snapped up.
“Wait—what does Sophia have to do with this?”
Maria shook her head quickly.
“Nothing.”
He didn’t look convinced.
But she stood.
“I’m tired,” she said.
“Can you take me home?”
He studied her for a moment.
Then nodded.
“Alright.”
He paid.
They left together.
The ride was quiet.
When they reached her apartment, Maria stepped out, pausing before closing the door.
“Goodnight,” she said softly.
“Goodnight.”
She turned to go.
“Maria.”
She looked back.
“Don’t worry about what others say,” Alex said.
“When I’m ready… I’ll tell you everything.”
She nodded.
Then walked inside.
Alex watched the door close.
Then drove off.
And Maria stood on the other side of that door… her mind anything but at peace.