2025-07-10 10:16:31The bell above the café door jingled as Amber stepped in, keys jingling in one hand, her tote bag in the other. The place was quiet, save for the distant hum of the refrigerator.
She made her way to the back room to drop her bag, already mentally listing everything she had to clean before the 7 a.m. crowd poured in.
She pushed the door open… then froze.
“Xavier?”
There he was, slumped over their boss’s desk, still in the same navy-blue shirt he’d worn in the video that is now circulating the Internet. His head was resting on his arms, the room dim and musty.
Amber frowned, glanced at her wristwatch. “Xav… it’s 6:04 in the morning. What the hell?”
She stepped closer and tapped him, once, twice.
He jerked up, blinking hard, looking like he’d just been dropped out of a bad dream.
“Jesus,” he muttered, rubbing his eyes.
“Did you… did you sleep here?”
He said nothing.
“I saw the video.” Her voice was firmer now. “Xavier, what were you thinking about going live on TikTok? The entire world watched you fall apart in real time.”
He exhaled. “I didn’t plan for it to go that way. I just… I thought…”
He swallowed hard. “I thought it was gonna be a big moment. I planned it. I cooked. I set it all up. I just… I wanted to ask her to be my wife. Start a family the proper way.”
Amber sat across from him, her voice softer now. “I cannot imagine what you are going through right now. But Xavier… damn. I thought Lisa loved you. I really did.”
He nodded, eyes glassy.
“So did I.”
“And Emerald?”
His face dropped as the events from last night came crawling back
“She’s still mine. I don’t care what Lisa says. I held her before she even opened her eyes. That’s my little girl.”
Amber reached over and squeezed his arm. “You need to go home. Shower. Eat. Sleep. I’ll cover for you. Just go sort yourself out.”
Xavier shook his head. “I can’t. I can’t face Lisa now. If I go home now… I’ll break completely. I need to stay here. I need the noise.”
“You’re lucky it was me who opened up. If Old Mike found you here, you’d be out of a job too in the blink of an eye.”
He gave a dry chuckle. “Yeah. That would complete the tragedy.”
Amber stood. “We’ve got coffee to make before the early crowd shows up. Pull yourself together, man.”
After splashing cold water on his face and changing into a clean shirt he kept at work, Xavier joined her behind the counter. Amber kept casting worried glances his way.
Just then...
A loud crash echoed from across the café.
“Why can’t anyone get my order right!? Same mistake every time I come here!”
Heads turned. A girl at one of the corner tables had slammed her cup down so hard, the liquid spilled onto the saucer. Her two friends exchanged awkward glances, clearly used to this.
Amber and Xavier rushed over.
"Is there a problem, miss?" Amber asked carefully.
The girl pointed accusingly at Xavier. "He took my order." She raised her cup. "I said almond milk latte. Not oat. What is this nonsense?"
Xavier opened his mouth, but she cut him off.
"This is the third time in a row. Do you guys not listen, or are you just dumb?"
Amber stepped in with her professional smile. "We’re really sorry about that, miss. I’ll get that fixed right away."
“No,” the girl shot back, “Let him fix it. He’s the one who took the order, right?”
She folded her arms and glared at Xavier.
“Can’t even get a coffee right. What’s the point of having you behind a counter?”
Xavier just stared, lips tight. The words bounced him off.
“What?” she mocked. “You can’t speak now? Or is the oat milk too heavy on your brain?”
Amber’s jaw tightened. “Miss, please…”
Xavier cleared his throat. "I–I’m sorry. But I’m pretty sure you said "oat”. He reached out to grab the cup. “I'll fix it right now.”
“Wait a minute…”
One of the girl's friends squinted at Xavier, pulling out her phone.
“Oh my God,” she whispered. “I knew I’d seen that face before…”
Xavier winced.
“No, you’re mistaking me for…”
“No way! Look at his face!” She whipped out her phone and shoved it at her friends.
“That’s him! The simp who got dumped with candles and roses! The failed proposal guy from TikTok whose live stream proposal is currently trending!”
Everyone turned.
The rude girl turned slowly, eyes widening as she looked at Xavier again. “No freaking way. You’re that guy?”
She burst out laughing.
“Damn. Not only can’t you make coffee, you can’t even keep a girl. That’s embarrassing.”
Customers nearby were watching now. All their phones were out, cameras rolling trying to capture the moment.
“How does it feel, bro?” one man called out from a table. “Eight years down the drain. Must suck to be a walking meme.”
Amber stepped forward. “That’s enough! You’re invading his privacy. This isn’t a show”
“But it’s entertainment,” someone else laughed. “We’re just fans of his failed love story.”
Xavier stared at them all, humiliation burning his skin.
Hands were shaking and his jaw clenched.
And then…
The mean girl leaned in close, too close, eyes dancing with cruelty.
“You’re trending all over again, coffee boy.”
“Smile for the camera.”
Previous Chapter
Latest Chapter
The Captive Queen
Celeste’s head throbbed like she’d been hit with a hammer. The sharp pain pulsed behind her eyes, spreading through her skull until it felt as if her brain was trying to claw its way out. Her tongue was dry and heavy, her throat raw like she’d swallowed sandpaper. When she tried to move, a cold shock ran through her spine, and her wrists and ankles refused to cooperate.Her eyelids fluttered open to the soft gleam of a chandelier above. The ceiling wasn’t familiar, neither were the silk sheets beneath her or the faint smell of vanilla and disinfectant in the air. This wasn’t the resort she’d been in earlier. This wasn’t her suite.Panic crawled up her chest. She jerked against the restraints, her breath quickening. Then she heard a deep, almost amused voice from across the room.“Need some water?”Her eyes darted toward the sound. The man leaned casually against the wall near the minibar, the same male stripper from the night before. Only now, he was dressed differently with no gliste
The Fall Of The Queen
The ocean breeze drifted through the open balcony doors of Celeste’s private suite, she sat in a silk robe, legs crossed, glass of champagne in hand, her laughter echoing faintly as soft music played in the background.“Teacher really outdid himself this time,” she muttered to herself, gazing at the wide stretch of blue. “A private resort, personal guards, and a weekend without chaos. Finally.”A knock at the door. Celeste didn’t bother asking who it was, her guards had already been instructed.“Come in.”The man who entered was tall, muscled, with a teasing smile and eyes that lingered a second too long. He wore a white shirt unbuttoned halfway, black pants hugging his frame.“You must be the entertainment,” Celeste said, her lips curling.“That depends,” the man replied smoothly. “Do you feel entertained yet?”She gave a throaty laugh. “Not yet. But you’re easy on the eyes.”He stepped closer, a bag in hand. “I was told you like surprises.”“Oh, I love surprises,” Celeste said, swir
Loyalty For Sale
“Don’t stand there and talk like you’re the victim, Xavier,” Antonio said finally, his tone sharp but not raised. “You think you were the only one who bled? You think you were the only one betrayed?”Xavier turned to face him, his eyes blazing. “Don’t start that nonsense with me. Every move I took against you was justified. You ruined me, Antonio. I was dragged through the mud. The trolls, the public disgrace, the mockery, you think I forgot?”Antonio tilted his head slightly, his lips curving into something between pity and amusement. “You think I set out to ruin you? Lisa made her choice, that's not on me."“Her Choice?” Xavier laughed bitterly. “Cheating on me with you is what you call choice? Not having the decency to come online and clear my name when I was being ridiculed online is what you call choice? You stood by and watched me crumble. Watched me lose everything, my job, my home, my dignity. Do you have any idea what it feels like to have everything stripped from you and the
Men With Bruised Ego
They had moved to this secluded place for privacy — and maybe because both of them knew they couldn’t afford to be seen together. The last hour had been spent in silence, with Antonio pacing and Xavier thinking.Finally, Xavier broke the quiet.“So,” he said, voice calm but edged. “Now that we know Teacher has eyes on us, what do you suggest we do? How do we move from here? Because like it or not, we’re standing on the same side of the line now against him.”Antonio stopped pacing, turned, and gave a low chuckle that didn’t reach his eyes. “You know, I never thought I’d live to see the day Xavier Lancelot asks me for help.”Xavier’s jaw tensed. “Don’t twist my words.”“Oh, come on,” Antonio said, spreading his arms. “Let me enjoy the irony for a moment. The mighty Xavier, the golden man with his empire, the man who took everything I built now standing here, talking alliance with the man planning to destroy.”Xavier pushed off the beam, took a step closer. “You think this is about iron
A Common Enemy
Antonio stopped a few feet away, hands in his pockets. He looked cleaner than the last time he was outside with his hair combed, jacket buttoned, but his eyes were raw. He gave a crooked, tired smile.“You called me a liar,” Antonio said without preamble. “So why did you ask to meet me?”Xavier’s voice was flat, low. “I don’t waste my time on liars. You either have something true to say, or you’re here to make trouble.”Antonio’s laugh was humorless. “You don’t get to judge me after everything. You called me liar in your office, remember? You said I was there to manipulate, to set up a scene. Fine. You were right then. But now... now it’s not a game. I’m not performing. I’m warning you.”“Why?” Xavier cut in. “Why warn me? You told me last time that whatever happens to me is not your problem. Now you play guardian? What changed?”Antonio looked past him, toward a corner where a delivery truck idled. “My little girl, Emerald” he said simply. “She thinks the world of you. She calls you
A Broken Man's Play List
Lisa looked at him, pity and fury fighting in her face. “You have a choice,” she said. “You always did. Violence is not the only currency. You can run. You can go somewhere they can’t find you. You can make Emerald forget you for a while, in a way that protects her. But killing him, if you do this, there’s no coming back. You think Celeste will let you live afterward? Teacher will make sure you’re the example.”Antonio laughed, a small, unbelieving sound. “You always had a way of cutting through the bullshit.”“You made your bed, Antonio.” She stepped closer now, lowering her voice. “You chose the life that bought you power and men who would do your bidding. You chose people like Teacher. There is no clean exit after you signed those blanks.”He turned his face to the ceiling and closed his eyes. “I didn’t think it would be like this. I thought I could control it. I thought I could stop at a line and go back to being a father. I was wrong.”“Then don’t go,” Lisa said simply. “If you m
You may also like
From Darkness to Light: Darwin's Rise
Magical Inspirations73.0K viewsRise Of The Supreme General
Anakin Detour78.3K viewsTop Expert in Floraville
Earth at Dawn165.0K viewsRise Of The Student Billionaire
Dragon Sly197.7K viewsThe Tycoon Heir
Ruthy Ideas4.3K viewsThe King Of War Returns
Anakin Detour129.8K viewsTHE HUMILIATED GROOM RETURNS AS A DEITY GOD.
Llamanipulatrice172 viewsFredrick's Betrayal
Pen-Goddess110 views