Time: 3:45 PM
Place: Bella's apartment, an upscale neighborhood overlooking the Eiffel Tower, golden sunlight shyly slipping through silk curtains.
Inside the bedroom
The curtains are half closed, and the atmosphere is quiet except for a distant bird's sound.
In the center of the king-size bed, Bella sleeps under a soft white chocolate-colored blanket.
The bed looks like a small throne.
A light hand knocks on the door, then gently opens. Josephine enters — wearing an elegant gray dress and a white apron — carrying a tray with a cup of milk coffee and small pastries.
Josephine (in a soft whisper):
"Miss… it's nearly four o'clock. This is the time you asked me to wake you."
Bella stretches a little, gives off a lazy motion, then pulls the pillow over her head.
Bella (in a husky, lazy voice):
"Coffee… is it there?"
Josephine:
"Right in front of you, hot, and mixed with milk just how you like it."
Bella (reaching out from under the blanket and pulling another pillow over her face):
> "This is betrayal, waking up at a time like this… Isn't the afternoon meant for naps?"
Josephine (gently):
"But you said you wanted to reach the café before five to begin work."
Suddenly... a light jump on the bed. The white cat, Snow-B, meows softly and nestles under the blanket.
Bella (softly, as she reaches out to hug the cat):
"Even you're against me?"
In the corner, the small gray rabbit hops onto a velvet chair, then lands on a thick carpet. The brown hamster follows, running in a transparent wheel. The yellow duck stands next to the table watching the scene as if thinking: (Is this playtime?)
Bella gets out of bed, walks to the bathroom in a simple long lavender cotton nightgown.
Place: Bella's luxurious bathroom – 3:49 PM
Scene: Start of the daily wellness routine
Dim golden lighting, dried flower petals scattered in the corners, steam rising from lukewarm water inside the marble bathtub.
Classical music gently playing from speakers within the walls.
Bella stands in front of a wide mirror framed in ivory, wearing a long white cashmere towel wrapped elegantly around her body, with a longer almond-colored robe over it and a smaller towel on her coal-black hair.
In front of her, neatly organized shelves:
A bottle of "Le Lait Corporel" body care by Biotherm
A blue bottle of Kérastase Elixir Ultime hair oil
An almond-scented skin scrub from L'Occitane
A body massage brush with a curved wooden handle
Bella (whispering to herself as she holds the bottle and reads the back):
"Promises to soften skin in three minutes… hmm, let the clock begin then."
She stands under a rain shower, soft drops falling like they're from tiny clouds.
She uses the scrub gently, closes her eyes, enjoying the scent.
She massages her hair with foamy shampoo, then runs her fingers through the strands as if playing a quiet instrument.
Place: Dressing room, quiet atmosphere, afternoon sunlight slipping through the curtains
Bella sits on a plush velvet-padded chair, wearing a soft almond-colored robe, her hair wet and spread across her back.
Josephine stands behind her, brushing her hair gently using a wide wooden comb, then begins drying it with a luxurious ionic dryer, its sound soft like a whisper.
The camera focuses on the magazine page in Bella's hand — VOGUE Paris, while her eyes follow an article about summer fashion.
✦ [On the table next to her, a small plate with three hot pastries from a luxury bakery:
– Pain au chocolat
– Mini croissant au beurre
– Chausson aux pommes]
Bella (biting into the pastries, mumbling with delight):
"I swear… this apple inside the dough just changed the course of my day."
Josephine smiles softly as she finishes styling her hair, then brings out a bottle of soft pink nail polish.
Josephine (in a gentle tone):
"Would you prefer 'Rose Mélanie' or 'Summer Beige'?"
Bella (thinking):
"The pink one, it has a soft sarcasm… like my state of mind this week."
Josephine starts applying the polish with precise care, Bella's fingers resting on a small silk cushion.
– Classical music plays again in the background.
– The white cat sleeps on the carpet next to the chair, and the rabbit slowly crawls beside her, as if they too have entered a state of relaxation.
Bella rises slowly, her hair now dry and gently wavy, tied into a low ponytail. She wears her usual green contact lens, her nails shining, her steps quiet on the apartment floor.
Josephine (carrying clothes):
"I've prepared your outfit and placed the new work bag on the sofa."
Bella (skeptically):
"Does it have a fake leather planner that makes me look busy?"
Josephine (smiling):
"I put two."
Bella wears high-waisted jeans, a white shirt with golden buttons, and gray sneakers. Her hair is softly wavy in a low ponytail, and the cat walks behind her like a maid, while she wears a black face mask.
She picks up the rabbit in her arms and kisses it on the nose.
The hamster is placed inside its small glass house, beside it a walnut as a reward.
The duck makes a quiet sound, as if protesting not being taken along.
Bella (bending to the duck, whispering):
"Don't worry, I'll be back before sunset. No conspiracies today."
Bella stands in front of the apartment door, holding her bag and looking at her pets.
Bella (playfully):
"Be nice to each other, and don't repeat the rabbit-and-hamster-with-the-rug story."
Josephine (opening the door for her):
"Are you taking the car or the bike today?"
Bella (smiling softly):
"Today I want to breathe Paris… I'll walk."
Bella closes the door behind her, walking calmly through the quiet hallway.
As she walks through the streets, the sun reflects on her dark hair, making it appear.
•••
Place: The café – 5:30 PM, warm lighting, few customers, and the place is filled with the scent of vanilla and roasted coffee.
The camera zooms in on "Ellen" – Bella's alias – wearing the work uniform: a white shirt, black apron, and a small café cap hiding some strands of her hair. Round glasses cover her eyes, and a black mask.
At a nearby table, a handsome young man sits, with a simple appearance, soft brown hair, and a shirt open at the collar. He smiles at her with playful confidence.
Customer (raising a small flower in his hand):
"What do you think, Ellen? A flower or a discount on the bill?"
Ellen (blinks at him, smiles calmly):
"I prefer those who pay the full bill, but… flowers aren't bad, they have a nice touch."
Customer (laughs, hands her the flower):
"Then take it. A gift from my heart, not from the check."
Ellen looks at the flower, holding it with her fingertips as if it's something precious despite its simplicity.
Ellen (quietly):
"But I won't put it in water… the other plants might get jealous."
At the same time, Lucian was behind the counter, preparing a drink, his eyes on the scene, his expression stiff but with a narrow gleam in his eye.
Lucian (whispers to himself while frothing the milk):
"A flower? And laughter? Does he think he's a prince from an anime?"
Ellen slowly walks toward the counter, Lucian places the cup in front of her, speaking in a calm tone that hides what he's feeling.
Lucian:
"Do you like that type of person? The ones who laugh a lot… and offer flowers?"
Ellen (raises her eyebrow, in a steady voice):
"I like good coffee and few words. As for flowers… they're fine, when they come without a reason."
Louis passes behind them carrying a tray, laughing as he winks at Lucian:
Louis:
"If a flower changes everything, I suggest we turn this place into a flower shop—we'd make more money."
Lucian (smiles nervously while cleaning the counter with force):
"Work first, leave the jokes aside."
Ellen laughs lightly, turning the flower between her fingers, while "Lucy," her friend Amelie, watches from a distance with a small smile.
Lucy (whispers to her):
"Anime prince, really? I couldn't hold back my laughter."
Ellen (replies calmly, still smiling):
"You shouldn't have… let him simmer a bit."
Lucian's face was calm, yet a hint of tension was noticeable, watching her from afar, smiling without showing his teeth… while whispering inside:
"Strange… why did I feel that this flower… shook something inside me?"
•••
Place: The café, 5:40 PM – the noise is normal, the sounds of cups clinking, and the scent of coffee and vanilla fills the air, while a classic foreign song sneaks in from the speaker above the counter.
Ellen – or rather, Bella in her fake identity – was walking quickly, carrying a tray with three orders. Her expression was focused, but the tension was clearly visible on her face, especially since Lucy – aka Amelie, her childhood friend and undercover secretary – was watching her from afar, stifling a mischievous laugh.
Barely two seconds passed before Ellen's foot hit one of the chair legs, and—
Ellen (internal voice as she tries to keep her balance):
"No, no, no… not now, not in front of them!"
The tray slipped slightly, and Ellen tried to regain her balance, but everything happened faster than her thoughts could catch up… and suddenly, a strong hand reached out and grabbed her arm before she fell.
It was Lucian. He beat everyone to it, even Louis who had been watching with a half-mocking, half-curious smile.
Lucian (his voice very close to her, and his face even closer):
"Ah… got you."
Seconds of silence. The distance between them was nearly nonexistent, and their eyes avoided direct contact, while their breaths were uncomfortably close. Lucian tried to act normal and laughed nervously.
Lucian:
"Seems I've gotten used to saving people from falling… but I didn't expect it to be you today." (he smiles, suddenly averting his gaze)
Ellen lowered her eyes and tried to return to normal quickly. She took the tray in silence and whispered softly:
Ellen (in a low voice):
"… Thank you."
From afar, Lucy's voice rose as she tried to stifle her laughter.
Lucy:
"How lovely… if I had my phone, I would've recorded that scene. It's perfect for a short romantic film."
Louis was standing next to the table, clapping slowly with a sarcastic tone.
Louis:
"In other words… your prince saved you before you embarrassed yourself. All that's missing is dramatic music and a spinning camera."
Lucian (scratching his neck and laughing shyly):
"No… it's nothing. I was just close by, and I didn't want her to get hurt in front of me. I mean, even if… even if it's her." (he winks, trying to ease the moment)
Ellen (responding quickly with clear nervousness):
"I was going to balance myself… I wasn't actually about to fall."
Lucy (raising an eyebrow suspiciously):
"Oh really? I personally witnessed your 'expert balancing skills'."
Louis (laughing audibly):
"I bet it was a tactical move just to touch his hand, wasn't it?"
Ellen turned with an annoyed face, her cheeks noticeably red.
Ellen (in a quiet voice, with a frown):
"If you'll excuse me… let me get back to work."
She turned and walked away quickly, but her footsteps sounded oddly rushed. Lucian watched her as she walked off, then turned to Lucy.
Lucian (in a low voice, scratching his hair):
"Is she always like this?"
Lucy (calmly, lifting a shiny cup):
"Always? No… but when she's flustered, she acts like a robot gone haywire."
Louis (winking at Lucian):
"Seems like you need to trip her again… that might get her to talk more."
It ends with Lucian simply laughing, but his eyes shimmer with a faint spark.
It wasn't love… but it was something small, beginning to wake the heart.
•••
Place: Break room – 6:20 PM. The soft sound of the air conditioner, and the faint scent of old coffee hanging in the air. White neon light reflects off the gray floor, and the place is wrapped in silence.
"Ellen" – Bella's alias – was sitting on the couch in the room, opening her leather bag, looking for a lost pen.
Ellen (muttering to herself while flipping through things):
"Where is that pen? I'm sure I put it here…"
While she was searching, she noticed the corner of another bag near the couch – Lucian's bag – slightly open, with a gray notebook peeking out shyly.
Ellen paused, glanced quickly at the bag… hesitated.
Ellen (whispers barely audibly):
"This isn't mine… but, he's the one who left it open… maybe… just a quick look."
She extends her hand carefully, gently pulls out the notebook as if stealing a moment from a time that doesn't belong to her.
✦ [The notebook pages were filled with design sketches, intersecting pencil lines, with notes written in semi-neat handwriting, marked by corrections and circles. There was a note at the corner of the first page:]
"I need to learn how to draw transparent fabrics better. Trying again isn't shameful. I need to be like her."
Ellen raised her eyebrow.
Ellen (whispering):
"Like her?"
She started flipping through the other pages. Some contained designs inspired by noble fashion… others from daily life, and under each design were short lines, like confessions.
"There's a girl I see at the café, always smiling… I want to be someone she's proud of."
"I feel stupid in front of her. But even so, I want to try… even if I'm just one of many she sees."
Bella froze for a moment.
Her fingers stopped flipping… her heart pounded.
Ellen (softly, looking at the page, the silence melting):
"No way he's into a girl… could it be? Who could she be?"
She sighed quietly, a light feeling of guilt and embarrassment slipped into her. She didn't expect this side of Lucian. The quiet, kind… and now, fragile one too. He wasn't just a café employee, or a trainee at her company, or a student she randomly ran into. He was someone… trying, stumbling, writing, and dreaming.
Ellen (whispering, almost a groan):
"Oh Lucian…"
But suddenly, the door opens with a gentle force – the metallic hinge gives a soft creak.
Ellen jumps in her place – startled.
Lucian (enters with quick steps, holding his phone and looking at it):
"Ah! I forgot my phone charger…"
Bella froze, the notebook in her hand. A moment of complete tension. Her breath literally stopped.
Purely on impulse, and without thinking, she quickly hides the notebook inside her bag, trying to act normal like nothing happened.
Ellen (smiling nervously):
"Ah… hey… forgot something?"
Lucian (suddenly lifting his head, smiling lightly):
"Yeah, my charger… I always forget it."
He walks toward the table without suspecting anything. She tries not to meet his eyes.
He took his charger, then looked at her for a moment, noticed her tension.
Lucian (curiously, raising an eyebrow):
"You okay? You seem a little tense."
Ellen (shakes her head quickly, raises her hand as if waving off the embarrassment):
"No no, I just… thought of something silly, everything's fine."
Lucian (smiles):
"Mmm, alright… see you in a bit."
He left, and the door closed gently.
Ellen let out a heavy sigh, rested her head against the wall, reflecting on what just happened.
✦ [POV – Ellen]:
"Why does my heart feel tight like this? I shouldn't have touched something that belongs to him… but his words… his feelings… he really is kind-hearted."
"And me? I'm the one hiding my real name."
She closed her eyes, clutching her bag… Lucian's notebook now inside it. And inside her, a feeling of guilt, and a pain she didn't know whether it came from the truth… or the lie.
•••
Time: 6:48 PM, Place: The café's break room
"Ellen" – Bella's fake name – sits on the farthest chair, pretending to flip through an old coffee magazine, while her eyes scan the room left and right... Her bag is in front of her, and inside it, an illegal treasure: Lucian's notebook.
Bella (inner thoughts – in a broken, sarcastic tone):
"Oh God… Every time I try to return the notebook, life decides to say: No, sweetheart, suffer a little."
As she remembers what happened:
✧ First attempt: She reached for his bag, Louis walks in yelling:
> "Who ate the croissant I hid under the fridge?!"
He throws an accusing look at her, then leaves just as he came.
✧ Second attempt: She slides half the book inside the bag, a waitress walks in loudly eating a biscuit:
> "There's a cockroach on the counter, but I let it live its life. I couldn't kill it."
She laughs and leaves… Bella freezes.
✧ Third attempt: That's it, that's it, I'll just leave it!
> The old chef walks in, stands for no reason, stares at the wall, then says:
"I came to say something… but I forgot."
And walks out.
✧ Fourth attempt: She pulls herself together and says "now's the right time," then Lucian enters with a bright smile like sun after a coffee cloud:
"Ellen! You're alone? Great… let me sit for a bit, my back is killing me."
She sat down, dying inside.
___
Now, they sit together at the table. Lucian sips an orange juice – because he's tired of coffee – and slowly moves his eyes, then suddenly says:
Lucian (with innocent excitement):
"Ellen, you know? My dream is to become a world-famous fashion designer. Like… my designs showcased in Milan, Paris, New York, everywhere."
Bella stares at the empty cup in front of her. Her heart starts beating weirdly… something in his voice, his ambition, even his innocence… made her swallow.
Bella (in a sarcastic, frustrated inner voice):
"Beautiful. And my only dream right now… is to return the notebook before my guilt explodes."
She looks back at him. He's smiling, speaking with a funny confidence like life was tailored for him.
Lucian (looks at her kindly):
"But you didn't tell me… what's your dream?"
Bella waves her hand lightly, responds after a small silence.
Ellen (soft voice):
"Not everyone dreams, Lucian… some people… are too tired to dream."
Silence fell.
Lucian's gaze suddenly changed. The smile disappeared, and he looked at her like she was an abstract painting – not understood, but meaningful.
Lucian (inner voice):
"It's like she's not just saying words… like there's something deeper, something that hurts her… but she still smiles."
"Weird… why did my heart feel her?"
A voice cuts through the silence from outside.
External voice from one of the staff:
"Lucian, the machine's broken again! We need you!"
Lucian (stands quickly):
"Ah, that stubborn machine… Come on, Ellen, I want you to help me, you seem to know your stuff."
He laughs as he walks.
Bella hesitates, but walks behind him… forgetting for a few seconds about the hidden notebook.
___
In the back corner of the café, where the large coffee machine is – rain sounds outside, the street nearly empty. Lamp light dances on the wet glass.
Lucian opens the machine lid, pulls out some parts, and Bella stands beside him arranging cups.
Lucian (blows on the steam, looks inside the machine):
"This machine has an evil spirit, I'm sure."
Ellen (laughs):
"If it had a soul, it would've written a resignation letter and taped it to the door."
Lucian laughs, but suddenly – as he fits a part – some coffee spills on his shirt.
Lucian:
"Aaah! Girl! The coffee attacked!"
Ellen (grabs tissues, laughing):
"You're the one who opened the door for it, what did you expect?"
He brings his face closer to hers, she tries to wipe the coffee, but he gently stops her hand.
Lucian (softer voice):
"You seem used to caring for people… but no one cares for you the same way, right?"
Silence… looks.
Ellen (tries to laugh):
"Don't make me smack you with the cup right now, don't go all dramatic."
They both laugh together, and the rain outside gets heavier.
In the corner, two people are watching.
Louis (whispers to Lucy):
"There's something going on between those two… not normal."
Lucy (low voice while chewing gum):
"I didn't expect it… but it's obvious there's a connection. How? When? Why?"
Louis (winks):
"You and I need to investigate. Make them confess, by force if needed."
Lucy:
"Not a word, we observe first, strike later."
They look at each other… nodding like they're planning a crime.
Lucian and Bella finish fixing the machine. He smiles at her, and she looks at him with a small, rare smile… from her heart.
Bella (thinking):
"Life… has a simple side. Maybe… not everything has to be complicated."
•••
Place: Outside the café – 7:22 PM. The rain falls gently, no storms or thunder, but the atmosphere is soaked with silent sadness. The orange streetlights flicker on the wet sidewalks.
Ellen – Bella's fake name – stands in front of the café door, looking up at the overcast sky, holding her bag, her shirt damp at the edges.
Ellen (thinking internally, looking at the rain):
"Amelie went with the girls… and the umbrella? Ah… I think I left it on the table."
She tries to send a message, but the phone has no signal. She sighs. She puts her bag over her head and starts running down the street.
Her dark hair strands get soaked, and the mask fades on her face from the humidity. She runs along a side alley, and suddenly… she sees him.
Lucian was walking under the opposite walkway, holding a large gray umbrella, walking slowly.
Ellen stops, panting from the run. He notices her, meets her eyes without saying a word. He approaches.
Lucian (looking at her, voice low):
"You don't have an umbrella?"
She shakes her head no, not knowing what to say. He brings the umbrella closer, shifting slightly to the side so she stays drier.
They walk together. Silence… then the sound of raindrops hitting the fabric above their heads.
Lucian's face is calm, but his eyes are lost in thought.
Ellen (noticing the distraction, softly):
"You're… not yourself today. What's going on?"
He sighs. Suddenly stops at the edge of the sidewalk, looking down.
Lucian (voice low and angry):
"My notebook disappeared… the book I was carrying, where I put everything… my thoughts, my plans, my feelings. It's gone."
Ellen feels a strike in her chest.
Ellen (hesitantly whispering):
"Lucian… about what you said… I…"
"I'm the one who… took it."
He quickly looks up at her.
Ellen (takes the book out of her bag, offers it to him nervously):
"I didn't mean to… but… I was going to return it, I swear. I was just… a bit curious, and I messed up."
He grabs it quickly, with force. His eyes were burning.
Lucian (exploding, voice raising for the first time):
"You messed up?! Ellen, this isn't a coloring book! This is my life. The moments I never told anyone… and you read them!"
Ellen (steps back, shocked):
"I'm sorry! But… don't yell!"
Lucian (waving the book, voice trembling from anger):
"I'm not yelling… but believe me, if you were in my place, you'd fall apart! I was exposed in front of you, and you… read everything!"
Ellen (tries to respond with defensive anger):
"I wasn't trying to hurt you! If I were really cruel, I would've taken photos of the pages and posted them!"
Lucian (looks at her coldly):
"And is that supposed to make me thank you?!"
Silence… the rain hits the ground. She breathes heavily, her face wet, from the rain or from her emotions—she doesn't know.
Ellen (angrily, bitterly):
"I made a mistake… but you have no right to hurt me like this. I was apologizing… but clearly, you prefer shouting over listening."
He doesn't respond, gives her one last look… then turns his back.
Lucian (softly, as he walks away):
"I didn't expect this from you, even as a stranger."
She freezes in place. Watches him walk away… and the umbrella disappears around the corner.
She's left alone, the rain pouring down mercilessly.
POV Bella:
"I could've apologized better… calmly… with my real voice."
"But I acted like I was against him, not with him."
"Now… he hates me. He really hates me."
She walks slowly through the rain, not caring about her clothes or her hair.
Under the streetlight, Bella stands alone. Her wet hair, her clothes soaked completely… and the water quietly pouring down her face. She tries to smile, fails.
"Seems the rain… washes everything, except guilt."
•••
A week after that incident
[Place: The café – 3:00 PM, Wednesday.]
[The lighting is warm, but Lucian's heart?... Dark like the bottom of a coffee cup left to be forgotten for an hour.]
✦ [Lucian's POV]
"How many days passed without seeing her? Three? Four? … No, seven.
Even when I closed my eyes last night, I wasn't trying to forget, but to remember…
How she laughed, not how she looked at me like I tore something inside her."
Lucian sits behind the counter, stirring his spoon in a cup absentmindedly.
The sugar? Forgotten. The milk? Forgotten. Everything forgotten… except her.
Louis (leaning on the counter, waving a spoon in Lucian's face):
"Hello? Lucian? I told you twice that Lucy hasn't returned to work… and neither has Ellen. Are you even listening?"
Lucian (blinks, as if waking from hibernation):
"Ellen? Ah… Ellen… she's not back yet?"
Louis (raises an eyebrow):
"Nope. And the place's quieter than usual… no one throwing lame jokes like she does. I miss her."
Lucian tries to laugh, but only lets out a faint "heh..."
"Ellen… likes flowers. Likes pasta... and reads notes…
But… better not to be notes that belong to others, right?"
"I could've replied calmly, maybe even joked… but no, I chose to yell like a lead in a Korean drama."
Lucian remembers the moment. Ellen, soaked in the rain, handing him his notebook, her eyes regretful, and his voice? Thunder.
"I exploded. And with that explosion… everything vanished. I haven't seen her since."
He tries to return to work. Prepares an order, but forgets the cream… and puts salt instead of sugar.
Customer (returns the cup, smiling kindly):
"Bro… is this espresso or seafood soup?"
Lucian (looks at the cup, slightly shocked):
"Ah… sorry. I was thinking about… the weather."
Customer:
"…But the rain stopped yesterday."
Lucian (smiles awkwardly):
"Exactly… the weather's confused. Just like… (whispers) my heart."
Louis mumbles from afar, laughing:
"If Ellen were here, she would've laughed till she dropped… or splashed water at you saying: 'Snap out of it, boy.'"
A few minutes later, Lucian's working behind the counter, seeming lost.
Then he suddenly lifts his head upon hearing the door sound.
The bell rings. Footsteps enter.
Lucian (stands quickly, hopeful):
"Ellen?!"
But the one who entered is just one of the waitresses. She smiles politely and goes to her work.
Lucian (returns to his place slowly, sighs):
"No… it's not her."
"Even my face learned to smile for a second… then shut down quickly. Like an on/off switch… overused."
___
Lucian was strange this past week, where:
Day One:
He checks under the counter ten times.
Louis: "What are you looking for?"
Lucian (with odd seriousness): "For Ellen."
Louis (quickly steps away, looking side to side): "No one saw me with him… no one!"
Day Three:
He sees her chair empty. Imagines her shadow sitting on it.
Sits in her place, stares at the ceiling… as if life would answer him.
Day Five:
He talks to the plant in the corner Ellen used to take care of:
"Did you tell her something? Did she travel? Does she love me?"
The waiters look at him in surprise, the old chef gasps silently, while Louis turns his back pretending not to know him.
Day Six:
He hears a sound on the street:
"Ellen!"
He rushes to the door…
Finds a white cat sitting beside a garbage bin, its collar reads: "Ellen."
He returns inside, shoulders collapsed.
While Louis and another waiter stare at him in confusion.
Day Seven:
He opens his notebook. First sentence?
"I'm the fool… who lost a smile."
Lucian returns slowly. Looks at the clean tables, the arranged chairs, the faint sound of the coffee machine.
Then he sits in the corner, alone.
Lucian (looks at the door for the tenth time that day):
"She can't just disappear forever… right?"
[Silence.]
•••
Lucian was in the back of the café throwing out the trash, then sighs in relief that the garbage task is done.
Then he looks at the street with sadness, as if remembering the scene between him and Ellen a week ago.
Then speaks to himself, in a sad whisper:
"If she comes back… I'll apologize.
Maybe I'm late, but she'll hear it… calmly.
And maybe I'll buy her a flower too."
"…And if she laughs, I'll know I'm breathing again."
He lifts his head to the clear sky and says in a calm voice:
"I miss you… Ellen."
To be continued… 😏
Did you like this episode? I Hope so.
Question for the day:
Could you forgive someone who read your diary without your knowledge, then came and honestly confessed?
As for me:
Honestly? It depends on the intention and the sincerity of the confession.
If the person read it out of a moment of curiosity, then felt guilty afterward and confessed without being pressured—facing me with the truth instead of going in circles… I'd definitely be shocked, and I'd feel angry and hurt.
But…
If I saw real remorse in their eyes—not acting—and they apologized from the heart, not just because they got caught, there's a good chance I'd forgive them with time.
But trust? That would take a long time to rebuild.