Alex drove straight to the Richardson mansion and went straight to Sir Richardson’s study.
There he met his father wearing his eyeglasses while studying documents.
Alex: Dad.
Did you bring Sophia back?”
Dad: “Yes, I did.
I brought her back.
Why?”
Alex: “I thought you had cancelled the engagement.
The betrothal.”
Dad: “Yes, I did.
But now when I saw you leading straight, I decided to bring her back.”
Alex: “Why?
Dad: You didn’t— You think I didn’t know your little romance with the waitress in the cafe?
I won’t let that happen.
I won’t let you smear the family name.”
Alex: “But Dad—”
Dad: “No.
It’s either you leave that girl or I disown you.
If not, Sophia was still being in the picture.”
Alex: “But Dad, I thought Sophia has agreed to be with Luke.”
Dad: “Yes, she agreed.
But that doesn’t mean I can’t tell her to destroy your little romance with her waitress.”
Alex: “Why, Father?
Why would you do this to yourself?”
Dad: “I’ve done a lot for you.
Allowing you to race— that doesn’t mean I’ll allow you to marry someone below the family standard.
You get that?
Now get out and let me focus.”
Alex stared at his father in anger, then stormed out.
Out there he saw his stepbrother Luke leaning against the wall, smirking.
Luke: “Yeah, that’s right.
Fight for your love and let father disown you and let me be the only son of the family.”
He laughed and went to his room, leaving Alex in anger.
Alex roughed his hair and pulled out his phone and called Mathew.
“Hey buddy, I need you to come to our usual bar now”.
“Ahhh, why now of all time?
I am coming”
Alex hung up and left the mansion to the usual spot of the bar.
“Hey bro, get me the usual” he said to the bartender
“On it” and the bartender brought the wine leaving Alex alone to sip and wait for Mathew few minutes later, Mathew arrived and sat opposite him after exchanging brotherly handshake.
“What is it buddy?” Mathew asked
“It is Sophia” Alex answered
“What happen to her?”
“My dad brought her back to destroy my relationship”.
“Which relationship are you talking about?
Wait!!
You have a girlfriend?” Mathew stared at Alex in disbelief
“Yeah and now Sophia have already planted a seed of distrust into her mind by telling her that she is my betrothed”
“But isn’t she betrothed to Luke ?”
“She is but my dad sent her to do this and now my girlfriend doesn’t want to see me if I have no proper explanation to her” Alex said massaging his forehead gently.
” Then tell her everything she needs to know about you” Matthew answered” I will try” After that they drink their wine when they were done and ready to go home, Alex spoke” I am sleeping at your place tonight ”
” No way ”
” Why?”
“My girlfriend is around”
“And what?
You think she will be attracted to me?”
“No, you Will be ruining my moment with her!!”
“Whatever, I will be sleeping far away from you guys.
So, take me home”
“Ahhh, I should have ignore you and stayed with my babe.
Now you have destroy everything ” but Alex ignore him and entered his car leaving Mathew no choice but to drive Alex to his house.
The next day, Maria was taking orders and attending to customers when the door of the cafe open and she instinctively look at person coming in and she froze as her skip a beat. The source of this chapter is novelping.com.
It was Alex but she quickly returned and act normally.
Alex took a seat and she approached him and acted professionally” Good morning sir, what is your order?”
” The usual ”
And Maria went and came back with his order, dropped it and turns to go but Alex was quick to hold her hand.
” Please can I speak with you for a few minutes ” Alex pleaded and Maria didn’t say anything but sat down quietly” What Sophia send wasn’t true, she is betrothed to my stepbrother and we have nothing going on.
I swear.”
” Then who are you?” Maria asked” I am Alex Richardson the heir of Richardson corporation and my mom is late” Alex said
“I am sorry about your mom” Maria said
“No need she was the only one who care for me but now I have found you” Alex said
Maria’s fingers twitched slightly in his grasp, but she did not pull away immediately.
Her eyes searched his face, as if trying to peel back layers of truth from whatever mask he had worn before.
The café buzzed faintly around them—cups clinking, low chatter, the hum of a coffee machine—but at that moment, it felt distant, like noise from another world.
“Why didn’t you tell me before?” she asked quietly.
Alex exhaled, his shoulders dropping a little.
“Because I didn’t want you to look at me differently.
I didn’t want you to see the name first… before you saw me.”
Maria looked down at the table, her brows knitting together.
“And what was I supposed to think when a woman shows up claiming to be your fiancee?”
“I know,” Alex said quickly.
“I know it looked bad.
I should have told you everything from the start.
I thought I had time… I didn’t think my father would interfere like this.”
Maria let out a small, bitter laugh.
“Your father seems very involved in your life.”
“He controls everything,” Alex replied.
“Or at least he tries to.”
There was a pause.
Maria slowly pulled her hand away, resting it on her lap.
The absence of contact made Alex’s chest tighten.
“And Sophia?” she asked again.
“What does she want?”
“She’s doing what she was told,” Alex said.
“She’s not the problem… my father is.
He thinks you’re not good enough for me.”
Maria’s eyes flickered, something sharp passing through them.
“Not good enough,” she repeated softly.
“That’s not what I think,” Alex said immediately.
“Listen to me, Maria.
I don’t care about status or wealth or any of that.
I care about you.”
Maria shook her head slightly, as if trying to steady her thoughts.
“It’s easy for you to say that.
You can walk away from this café, from everything, and still have a life waiting for you.
I don’t have that luxury.”
“I’m not asking you to change your life,” Alex said.
“I’m asking you to give me a chance to be part of it.”
There was conflict in her expression—hurt, doubt, but also something softer that refused to disappear.
“And if your father disowns you?” she asked.
Alex didn’t hesitate.
“Then so be it.”
Maria blinked, clearly not expecting that answer.
“You’d really throw everything away?” she asked.
“I already decided,” Alex said.
“The moment he gave me that ultimatum and I have a racing career to get me by.”
Silence settled between them again, heavier this time.
A customer called out for service, but Maria didn’t move.
“You should go back to work,” Alex said gently.
“I don’t want to cause trouble for you here.”
Maria nodded slowly, though she didn’t stand immediately.
“I need time,” she said at last.
“I understand,” Alex replied.
“Take all the time you need.
Just… don’t shut me out completely.”
She hesitated, then gave a small nod.
Alex stood up, leaving some money on the table even though he barely touched his drink.
He glanced at her one last time before turning to leave.
As the door of the café closed behind him, Maria finally released the breath she had been holding.
The rest of her shift passed in a blur.
She moved deligently, taking orders, serving customers, responding to calls, but her mind was elsewhere.
Every word Alex had said replayed over and over again.
By the time her shift ended, the sun was already dipping low, casting warm golden light across the streets.
She stepped outside, hugging herself lightly as the evening breeze brushed against her skin.
“Maria!”
She turned at the sound of her name and saw Priya walking toward her, a curious look on her face.
“You look like you’ve just seen a ghost,” Priya said.
Maria sighed.
“Not a ghost… just someone complicated.”
Priya raised an eyebrow.
“Alex?”
Maria nodded.
“And?” Priya pressed.
“He told me everything,” Maria said.
“About who he is… his family… Sophia.”
Priya folded her arms.
“And do you believe him?”
Maria looked down at the ground.
“I want to.”
Priya studied her for a moment, then softened slightly.
“That’s dangerous, you know.”
“I know,” Maria whispered.