Elliana’s eyes flicked to the wads of cash-easily ten grand a bundle. Cole probably spent more on neckties. But to these locals, it was rent, bills, maybe even a fresh start. The room shifted from grumbles to quiet gratitude as they took the cash and slipped out with hesitant smiles.
Moments later, the once-bustling diner stood hollow-emptied out like a stage waiting for its lead actor.
Part of Elliana wanted to slip out before things escalated, but the untouched meal in front of her said otherwise. She’d waited too long for that food to just walk away. Anyway, she would linger to figure out what kind of game Cole was trying to pull.
Just as her fork hovered over the plate, Hugh swaggered up and tapped her shoulder. “Hey, you waitress, break time’s over. My boss is on his way. Tables need clearing. Chairs need wiping. Let’s go!”
The food was right there-one bite away-but Elliana sighed and set her fork aside, irritation bubbling under her calm. As much as she wanted to snap, this wasn’t her turf, and she wasn’t about to stir up trouble for Hailee’s family. With the diner’s apron on, it made sense they’d mistake her for a waitress.
With a resigned shrug, Elliana stood up and began stacking plates and wiping surfaces.
Hailee rushed over, trying to intervene. “Elli-“
A quick raise of Elliana’s hand cut Hailee off. She didn’t want her name to fly around-not now.
Puzzled, Hailee leaned in close and whispered, “Elliana, you’re not staff. You’re here to eat. I’ll tell them-once they know, they’ll leave you alone.”
Before Elliana could even reply, Hugh shouted, “What’re you two waitresses yapping about? Hurry up and clean!”
“It’s fine,” Elliana murmured, gently squeezing Hailee’s hand. “Let’s just roll with it.”
With a breath and a quiet huff, Elliana rolled up her sleeves and got to work, clearing plates like she’d done it a hundred times.
Briggs, realizing this crew meant business, clammed up and joined the cleanup.
Throwing an apologetic glance Elliana’s way, Hailee grabbed a tray and fell into step beside her.
Once Elliana, Hailee, and Briggs had every table gleaming, Cole walked in with his usual shine, bodyguards trailing behind him. At his side was a woman who carried herself with a kind of charm that didn’t have to try
With the last table wiped down, Elliana considered slipping into the kitchen to avoid attention-but one step into that oven-like heat had her retreating. Instead, she quietly slid behind the counter, hoping to stay unnoticed.
The moment Cole entered, Elliana lowered her gaze, her hair falling like a curtain to shield her face. But curiosity got the better of her when she caught a glimpse of a striking woman hanging off his arm. Dressed in tailored black slacks and a sleek shirt to match, Cole moved like a storm wrapped in silk. His tall silhouette and sharply cut features carried an unmistakable chill that instantly stole the room’s attention.
Elliana could tell something was off about him. His appearance hadn’t changed, but the energy around him was no longer familiar-it pulsed with something bolder, darker. She remembered him as calm, a little rebellious maybe, but subtle-never one to flaunt his power. He was the type to fly under the radar, not show up with fanfare and bodyguards at a diner tucked into a working-class street.
Today, though, Cole’s eyes held a dangerous gleam-carefree and arrogant. He walked like the world was his and no one could tell him otherwise.
Elliana couldn’t pinpoint what had flipped the switch in him, but every instinct screamed that this version of Cole spelled nothing but trouble. Best to keep her distance.
Clinging to Cole’s side, the woman was all curves and confidence, barely covered in a tight red tank and shorts that left little to the imagination, strutting in heels like she was walking a runway straight into chaos.
Where others might’ve fallen under the woman’s spell, Elliana felt only discomfort. The woman’s overpowering perfume smothered the air, making her stomach turn. This was Cole’s type now? She nearly rolled her eyes.
In Elliana’s mind, she was already tearing him apart with relentless sarcasm.
Loftus’s Comfort Eats stood right in the center of blue-collar Willow Lane. The tables and chairs, while clean as could be, clearly wore the marks of time.
The woman gave the place a single glance and curled her nose in distaste. “Mr. Evans, don’t you think this place is a little shabby?” she asked, her voice dripping with so much fake sweetness that Elliana got goosebumps.
After everything that had happened the night before, Elliana couldn’t help but wonder-had the drugged Cole been with this woman and fallen for her?
As Elliana continued firing silent daggers with her eyes, Cole and the woman made themselves comfortable at a table.
Cole’s tone was oddly gentle, the kind of calm that didn’t match the chaos. “All that luxury stuff is flash and noise. This place? It’s got soul. Feels good to change it up.”
With a honey-sweet smile, the woman leaned closer, her voice a silky purr as she said, “Didn’t peg you for the humble type, Mr. Evans. But if you’re around, even diner food tastes like heaven.”
Mid-sentence, the woman made a show of adjusting her top, lowering it even further-as if she were inviting Cole to admire the view. There was zero shame in her game. She played to the crowd and dared them to look.
The bodyguards dropped their gazes to the floor, steering clear of the moment like that was part of the assignment.
Nearby, Aron and Hugh shared a split-second grimace, while Myles just arched an eyebrow, clearly wondering what planet this woman came from.
Myles, Aron, and Hugh had assumed Cole’s visit to Willow Lane was all about finding Elliana. But then, out of the blue, Cole had phoned Manley with a request to send a woman over. Then, this woman had arrived, wrapped in red and attitude, and left the whole team quietly stunned. Seriously? This type? None of them thought Cole would give her the time of day. Yet, there she was, not just tagging along-seated beside Cole like she belonged.
Trying to read Cole was like chasing smoke-no one had the slightest clue what he was playing at.
Elliana, still camped behind the counter, had the misfortune of witnessing every exaggerated pout, every eyelash flutter from the woman, and the occasional smirk from Cole. It was stomach-turning.
As the woman leaned in again, clearly angling for more attention, Cole gave a slow smile and murmured, “Let’s eat first. I’ll get us a hotel after.”
The meaning behind that line wasn’t lost on anyone.
The woman shifted in her seat with giddy energy, her eyes lighting up like she’d just won a prize.
Elliana couldn’t help the eye-roll. Seriously? Cole was actually buying into all that fake sweetness? Pathetic.
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.