Wram 375

Wram 375 Summary

 

In the café, Madison found herself engulfed in a mid-morning lull, using the quiet time to prepare for lunch and distract herself from the emotional turmoil of the previous day. The unexpected appearance of Alexander after years stirred conflicting feelings within her; while part of her yearned to embrace him, another part felt anger and betrayal. As she tried to maintain her composure, her colleague Mark noticed her distraction and offered to help, but Madison insisted she was fine, despite the anxiety churning in her stomach.

 

As the lunch rush began, Madison immersed herself in the familiar rhythm of orders and service, momentarily convincing herself that Alexander’s visit was a fleeting moment. However, her peace was shattered when she spotted Alexander’s Aston Martin parked across the street. Frozen in place, she watched him sit in the car, seemingly gathering his thoughts, which only heightened her frustration and uncertainty about his intentions. Despite her attempts to focus on work, she found it increasingly difficult to ignore his presence.

 

When Alexander finally entered the café, he commanded attention effortlessly, ordering a coffee without acknowledging Madison. His indifference left her feeling disappointed, as it contrasted sharply with the emotional weight of their past. Despite her desire for him to remain a stranger, the brief interaction stirred unresolved feelings within her, making her question her own desires and the impact of his presence on her life.

 

The afternoon dragged on painfully slow for Madison, each new customer causing her to hope it was Alexander returning. As the day wore on, she decided to leave the café, her mind racing with questions about his motives and the implications of his sudden reappearance. The drive home felt longer than usual, filled with uncertainty about what Alexander’s visit meant for her and whether she could truly move on from their shared past.

 

Continue Regular Chapter Reading Below

Madison 

The café settled into its mid–morning lull. A few customers trickled in and out, but nothing demanding. I used the quiet time to prep for lunch, checking inventory and planning tomorrow’s specials. 

I reorganized the pastry case, restocked the cream and sugar station, and wiped down already–clean tables. 

Anything to keep my hands busy and my mind off yesterday. 

Off Alexander showing up after years like it was nothing. Off the way, my traitorous heart had stuttered when I saw him standing on the sidewalk. Off the fact that part of me had wanted to throw myself into his arms, while another part wanted to throw my coffee in his face. 

“Boss?” Mark’s voice pulled me from my thoughts. “You okay? You’ve been wiping that same table for like five minutes.” 

I looked down at the spotless surface. “Just being thorough.” 

“Uh huh.” He didn’t look convinced. “Want me to handle the counter for a bit? You could take a break.” 

“I’m fine.” 

But I wasn’t fine. My stomach churned with anxiety I refused to acknowledge. Because acknowledging it meant admitting that seeing Alexander again had affected me. Those five years hadn’t erased him from my system like I’d convinced myself. 

That I was still, pathetically, in love with a man who’d never loved me back. 

The lunch rush provided a blessed distraction. Orders flew fast, keeping all of us moving. Sandwiches, soups, salads, coffee, 

coffee, more coffee. The familiar rhythm soothed my frayed nerves. 

By two o’clock, I’d almost convinced myself yesterday was an aberration. A weird blip. Alexander had gotten his non–answer and gone back to his Manhattan life. 

Then I heard it. 

The unmistakable purr of an Aston Martin engine. 

I froze mid–wipe, cloth suspended over the counter. Through the window, I watched the car glide into the parking spot across the street. The same spot as yesterday. 

My eyes tracked Alexander as he cut the engine and sat there, hands still on the wheel. He wasn’t looking at the café. Just staring straight ahead like he was gathering his nerve. 

Good. Let him sit there and think about what a waste of time this was. 

Minutes ticked by. Five. Ten. Fifteen. 

“Is he coming in?” Ellie asked, now openly watching along with me. 

“Apparently not.” 

“Maybe he’s lost?” 

“He’s not lost,” I said flatly. “He’s just dramatic ” 

1/4 

Another five minutes passed. I forced myself to focus on actual work, restocking cups, checking inventory, anything to avoid staring at that car like some lovesick teenager. 

Another twenty minutes crawled by. The lunch crowd thinned. Alexander remained in his car like some kind of well–dressed 

stalker. 

What was his game? Show up, sit in his expensive car, and what? Hope I’d come running out to beg him to stay? 

Not happening. 

I had a business to rum, a son to pick up from preschool in two hours, and zero interest in whatever midlife crisis was causing Alexander Knight to haunt my caté. 

“Boss?” Ellie appeared at my elbow. “You okay? You’ve been glaring at that car for like five minutes straight.” 

“I’m fine.” 

“Uh huh.” She didn’t sound convinced. “Want me to call the cops? Get him towed for loitering?” 

The image of Alexander’s shock when a tow truck showed up almost made me smile. “No, that’s okay. He’ll leave eventually.” 

“If you say so.” 

But he didn’t leave. Not at two thirty. Not at three. 

Finally, at three fifteen, the driver’s door opened. 

Alexander emerged, adjusting his suit jacket in that particular way that meant he was steeling himself for something. He looked up at the café, our eyes meeting through the window for a brief, electric moment. 

Then he started across the street. 

The bell chimed as Alexander entered. Every head in the café turned to look at him. He had that effect on people, commanding attention just by existing. 

He walked to the counter with measured steps, neither rushing nor hesitating. Just pure, confident Alexander Knight. 

“Welcome to Harper’s Haven,” Ellie chirped before I could say anything. “What can I get you?” 

“Black coffee. Large. To go.” His eyes flicked to mine for a fraction of a second before returning to Ellie. 

“Coming right up!” 

I busied myself with the pastry case, rearranging muffins that didn’t need rearranging. He wasn’t here to talk. Good. Perfect. Exactly what I wanted. 

So why did I feel disappointed? 

“That’ll be $375,” Ellie announced. 

I heard the rustle of bills, the clink of change in the tip jar. Footsteps moving away froin the counter 

Don’t look up. Don’t look up. Don’t 

I looked up. 

2/4 

Alexander was already at the door, coffee in hand, not even glancing back. The bell chimed as he left, and just like that, he was 

gone. 

“Huh,” Ellie said. “That was anticlimactic.” 

“Yeah.” 

“Kind of rude, actually. Didn’t even say thank you.‘ 

11 

“He’s a busy man.” The words came out more defensive than I’d intended. 

Ellie gave me a curious look but said nothing, which somehow made it worse. 

I busied myself wiping down the espresso machine for the third time that hour, my mind refusing to settle. Why hadn’t 

Alexander said anything? Just ordered coffee like a stranger passing through. Like we’d never shared anything more than a 

professional relationship. 

Which was exactly what I wanted. Right? 

The afternoon crawled by with agonizing slowness. Each time the door opened, my head snapped up, half expecting to see Alexander striding back in. But it was always someone else. 

Not billionaire CEOS from my past showing up unannounced. 

By four o’clock, I’d had enough. “I’m heading out,” I announced, untying my apron. “Call if anything urgent comes up.” 

“We’ll be fine,” Ellie assured me. 

The drive home felt longer than usual, my thoughts circling like vultures. What was Alexander doing here? What did he want? 

Conclusion

 

As the day drew to a close, Madison found herself wrestling with a whirlwind of emotions. The brief encounter with Alexander had stirred up a tempest of unresolved feelings, leaving her both frustrated and bewildered. She had convinced herself that she was over him, yet his mere presence had reignited the flickering flame of hope within her heart. The disappointment of his impersonal visit weighed heavily on her, a stark reminder of the distance that had grown between them. The café, once a sanctuary, now felt like a cage, echoing with the memories of a love that had never fully bloomed. Madison’s resolve to move on was tested as she grappled with the reality that perhaps, despite the years and the hurt, she still craved a connection with the man who had once meant everything to her.

 

Driving home, the world outside blurred into a haze, mirroring the chaos of her thoughts. Each passing moment felt laden with the unspoken questions that lingered in the air like an unfinished melody. What had brought Alexander back into her life, even if only for a fleeting moment? Did he feel the same pull, or was she merely a chapter in his past? The uncertainty gnawed at her, a bittersweet reminder that some ties are never truly severed. As she parked her car and stepped into the familiar embrace of her home, Madison knew that the encounter had changed her. She was no longer the woman who could easily dismiss the past; she was a woman faced with the possibility of rekindled feelings, standing at a crossroads where love and self-preservation collided. The journey ahead would require courage, but for the first time in years, she felt the stirrings of hope that perhaps, just perhaps, there was still a chance for something more.

 

What to Expect in Next Chapter?

 

In the next chapter, readers can expect the tension between Madison and Alexander to reach a new boiling point. After their brief and unsettling encounter at the café, Madison is left grappling with a whirlwind of emotions. The lingering questions of why Alexander has returned will haunt her thoughts, and the unresolved feelings she thought she had buried will resurface with a vengeance. Will she confront him about their past, or will she continue to bury her heart beneath layers of denial? As Madison navigates her daily life, the specter of Alexander’s unexpected presence looms large, complicating her already chaotic world.

 

Moreover, as the chapter unfolds, the stakes will rise dramatically. Madison’s resolve will be tested when she finds herself in a situation that forces her to face Alexander head-on. A chance encounter, a mutual friend, or perhaps an unexpected event could set the stage for a confrontation that neither of them is truly prepared for. Will Madison find the courage to voice her feelings, or will she retreat into her familiar patterns of avoidance? The chapter promises to delve deeper into their shared history, revealing secrets and emotions that could alter the course of their lives forever. Buckle up for an emotional rollercoaster as Madison grapples with her past and the possibility of a future she never anticipated.