The next day, soft morning chatter of Café de Luna grew quiet, the moment the bell above the door of café chimed when someone entered.

The person who had stepped inside, only his presence itself demanded attention without even uttering a single word.

And there he was standing right on the entrance of the café.

A man in a dark in a black custom suit that clung to him perfectly. Tall, broad shoulders and commanding, walked into the café.

Alfonso Rodríguez.

Two guards were standing behind him, silent, dressed in black, eyes scanning the room without any hint of emotion. Looking at them, it seems like statues got life.

He seems to be in his late thirties but he looked perfect. His warm honey-toned complexion glowed under the golden café lights.

His jet-black hair, styled back with effortless precision and a faint cut on his left eyebrow, a small, permanent scar that only made him more charming.

The light beard, dusting his sharp jawline added more handsomeness to his already commanding aura, making it clear he was no young boy.

But a man, who had seen things, done things and walked through hell without flinching.

He was the living example of perfectionism.

Customers instinctively fell quiet, eyes flicking toward the unfamiliar yet charming man.

Conversations died down, coffee cups were set back on saucers. Even those who didn’t know who he was could feel what he was.

Power

Ignoring everyone's stares which he was used to of getting. He never enjoyed it like some people, he never enjoyed that attention.

He quietly moved forward to the counter.

Andrea was wiping the counter when the sudden silence settled over the café.

Her brows furrowed at the sudden stillness around her, only glancing up out of curiosity.

And then she saw him.

Her breath caught without meaning to.

Dark eyes, so sharp they cut through her without touching her, locked onto her the moment she looked his way.

He knew she had noticed him.

And he loved it.

Alfonso's lips twitched into the faintest smirk, but he did nothing, letting her drown in that brief moment of weakness.

He walked forward with his usual rythm, slow and deliberate, every step echoing against the tiled floor.

Andrea didn’t know why, but in her mind she was admiring his handsomeness. But she tried to brush her thoughts away but it was not easy to look away.

Andrea's heart was tapping lightly against her ribs, eyes still fixed on him as if the world had faded around her.

By the time he reached the counter, she was still looking at him, completely lost in the view, in front of her.

He looked at her straight in her hazel eyes never breaking eye contact, he said in a calm tone

" Espresso. Black."

She didn't reply and kept staring at him.

He then tapped the counter with his finger and leaned in just a little, voice low and smooth.

" Señorita...? "

The deep, accented voice snapped her out of her trance.

Andrea's cheeks flushed instantly, her eyes flickering away as if she had been caught red-handed.

" Oh... I... I'm sorry, what can I get for you? "

She stammered, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, trying to sound composed while the heat on her cheeks betrayed her.

He liked that blush, a reaction she couldn't hide even if she wanted to.

" Espresso. Black."

Alfonso's smirk deepened as he repeated his order.

Andrea nodded quickly, writing down the order. She wanted the earth to open so that she can hide, because of this kind of embarrassment, she was facing.

She needed something, anything, to break the tension wrapping around her.

Neither of them spoke.

Neither of them needed to.

Alfonso's eyes stayed on her the entire time, examining her soft and delicate features.

The way her fingers trembled slightly when she reached for the cup.

By the time she slid the coffee across the counter, she was nervous because of getting caught on the spot, because of second hand embarrassment and her cheeks were still tinted pink.

Alfonso wrapped his fingers around the cup, letting the moment stretch.

He didn't speak.

He didn't need to.

Because the satisfaction was already there in his smirk, written in the way that Andrea is halfway there.

He had won the first round.

Without a single touch, without a single threat, he had made her notice him as he had planned.

Holding his coffee, he simply walked to an empty table in the corner, his presence alone had shifted the atmosphere.

Unlike the usual customers. He sat quiet drinking his coffee.

The other customers had lowered their voices.

Even Olivia hesitated to approach him like she always did.

While he was sitting in the corner having his coffee. Andrea stole a glance while refilling cups at the counter.

Sharp eyes. Strong jaw. Calm, yet undeniably powerful presence.

He wasn’t speaking much, just observing everything like he owned the place.

For some reason, she felt a chill, but not of fear.

Just being aware that someone is present in the moment.

And now, he thought, he'd give her just enough time to let her feel safe around him only,

Before he made another move.

And this time, more than just a customer.

.............

Next day.

Andrea was wiping down the counter, lost in her own rhythm, when the bell above the door chimed.

Alfonso

He entered the cafe but without looking here and there he moved straight to the corner table.

His presence noticeable as he had decided, without much of an effort. He sat in his spot like yesterday.

The café hummed with soft conversations, the warm scent of coffee lingering in the air.

Olivia came back from serving a table, flipping her hair over her shoulder. She was about to speak when her eyes locked onto him who was now looking out of the window.

Her lips parted slightly, and she leaned closer to Andrea, voice dropping into a whisper.

" Andrea... I think the one sitting..."

Her gaze flicked back to see who Olivia is referring to then she saw

Alfonso.

His dark eyes were now on them, calm yet calculating, like he knew exactly what they are talking about.

Olivia's playful grin stretched wide.

" You see... He is so handsome...

What’s with the café, nowadays . I'm absolutely loving it."

She leaned even closer, still watching him through her lashes.

" I think I’m falling in love... again."

Andrea, already used to Olivia's flirty antics, chuckled under her breath.

The soft sound made her dimples peek out, something so natural, so unintentional, yet it was enough to make Alfonso’s fingers freeze mid-tap against the table.

His eyes locked onto her, and for the first time in years, he felt a real pull towards someone, something rare to him, completely unusual and unfamiliar.

He wasn’t lost, but was surely mesmerized.

It was barely a second, just a flicker moment.

Then he snapped out of it, masking it with a slow blink, letting his knuckles tap rhythmically against the table again.

Olivia headed toward his table, her signature playful smile already in place, ready to flirt.

But before she could speak, Andrea followed quickly, stopping her with a nervous smile.

" Apologies, Señor "

Andrea's voice wavered slightly, unsure of how he'd react. He was an unfamiliar presence, and something about him made her tread carefully.

He didn't seem like the type to lash out.

But... who knew?

Alfonso's eyes flicked between them, unreadable, as if deciding whether to say anything or not.

Without waiting for a response, Andrea gently pulled Olivia back by the arm, whispering sharply,

" Not this one. Olivia."

Olivia squinted ber eyes at her wiggling her eyebrows.

"Why not this one?"

Andrea's lips curved, already stacking cups without looking up.

" He’s way older than you and he is not even your type."

" So? "

Andrea smirked.

" What about the cute boy from flower shop?

Or the one from the bookstore?

Oh... and that kid, what was his name again? "

Olivia's face dropped.

" Hey! He wasn’t a kid! "

Andrea finally glanced up, brow furrowed.

" Then why he isn’t eighteen yet."

Olivia smacked her arm lightly, groaning, explaining her, that kid wasn't a kid but Andrea kept on teasing her.

Neither of them noticed the faint curve at the corner of Alfonso's lips, the rarest hint of amusement flickering there.

He leaned back, fingers tapping slower.

He wasn't the type to smile often.

But the way, she laughed at the little things with ease, enjoy every little moment making things light and bright without any effort, made him want her exactly like that.

As the world he belonged to was dark and gray, where laughter was a rare sound, unless it was filled with hypocrisy.

But hearing a genuine one felt like a lost treasure.

And the way Andrea had dismissed him, without even trying to caught his attention, only made him more intrigued.

She had no idea she already had all of it.

And now...

He planned to keep it that way.

For a little while longer, until she came to him.

And now, his interest was at its peak.