The café was filled with a soft murmur. The cool breeze from outside seeped through the large windows, creating a stark contrast against the café’s warm atmosphere. Inside, the rich aroma of roasted coffee beans filled the air, while the steam rising from scattered cups on wooden tables added a delicate warmth to the melancholic ambiance.
Scharline sat by the window, one leg crossed over the other, slowly sipping her coffee. Her long, slender fingers wrapped around the porcelain cup, and the dark red polish on her nails stood out as a striking detail. Her long, silky dark hair cascaded over her shoulders, slipping down the thin straps of her pale green dress. The sunlight highlighted her sharp facial features—her slightly smudged matte lipstick and defined cheekbones gave her a natural yet striking allure.
Lisa’s voice blended into the surrounding murmur, pulling Scharline back into reality.
“You know, I saw Jessica the other day.” Lisa’s voice was filled with excitement. Stirring her coffee, she fixed her gaze on Scharline, speaking with a dramatic air. “You know how she always has that smug attitude, but now she’s taken it to another level! Apparently, she’s seeing someone new… Someone rich and older. Ah, Schar, if only you were a little smarter about these things. The most important thing in a relationship is stability—at least financially.”
Scharline rolled her eyes. Lisa’s words no longer surprised her. She always talked about wealth, luxury, and the good life. For her, everything was measured by financial security. Scharline took a sip of her coffee, filtering Lisa’s words carefully. As the warm liquid slid down her throat, a faint, amused smile touched the corner of her lips—concealing a trace of irony.
“Is life really all about money, Lisa?” she murmured, turning her gaze outside, watching the hurried steps of people on the street. “If you secure everything, how do you live the rest of your life?”
Lisa raised an eyebrow and pursed her lips. “Freedom comes with money, Schar. Stop with your romantic dreams and wake up to the real world.”
Scharline traced her fingers along the rim of her coffee cup. There was something in her eyes that Lisa couldn’t understand—deep, carrying traces of the past, thoughts that even she herself hadn’t fully unraveled. Was life really only about money and stability, or was it just a journey that lasted until its inevitable end?
“The important thing is to be happy, Lisa,” Scharline said with a faint smile before bringing her coffee to her lips. Her eyes narrowed slightly, and her lips held an amused yet contemplative expression. She spoke the words easily, but she wasn’t sure if she had truly silenced the doubt inside her.
Lisa studied her carefully, raising her eyebrows slightly and tilting her head.
“Can you be happy without money, Schar?” she asked, her tone confident but carrying a hint of challenge.
Scharline didn’t answer. She turned her gaze back outside, spinning the cup lightly in her hands. Across the street, a man walked briskly, his hands in his pockets, head down. Who knew, maybe Lisa was right. Maybe happiness without money was an illusion. Yet, something inside her resisted believing in Lisa’s simple equation.
Braun sat silently across from them. He observed Scharline’s every move from the corner of his eye, listening to the conversation without participating, waiting. He was the type of man who never rushed, always waiting for the right moment.
Scharline could feel Braun’s gaze—it was impossible to ignore. She wasn’t unfamiliar with such looks. Many men had pursued her before, tried to capture her attention. But Braun… Right now, he was the only one close enough, the only one trying to stay by her side.
Braun leaned slightly forward in his chair. His voice was low and smooth, as if he only wanted her to hear.
“Schar,” he said with a faint smile. “Forget what Lisa says. If you really want to be happy, you just need to choose the right man.”
Scharline weighed his words, fixing her gaze on him, the amused glint in her eyes still present.
“Oh, so that would be you?” she asked, tilting her head slightly.
Braun chuckled softly, his voice brimming with confidence yet carrying a hint of challenge.
“You said it, not me.”
Scharline’s lips curled slightly. This was a game she knew how to play well. But she wondered—how well would Braun play?
Just then, the café door opened. A rush of cool air swept inside, the metal chime ringing softly as heavy footsteps approached.
Ethan entered.
Scharline’s gaze instinctively followed him, and for a brief moment, her mind was pulled into the past.
Ethan.
He was the kind of man many young men aspired to be. Money, status, women—he had it all. But most importantly, he knew how to get what he wanted. His ambition had propelled him quickly in the business world, making a name for himself despite his young age. He worked in a modeling agency but was rapidly gaining influence in the industry. His company, known for recruiting new girls, had already built a strong reputation.
As Scharline looked at Ethan, memories surfaced. Back then, everything had seemed simpler… or so she had thought.
Lisa’s eyes lit up the moment she noticed him, and she turned to Braun.
“Look who just walked in… Our handsome prince.”
Ethan lined up to order his coffee, and Lisa wasted no time taking advantage of the gossip opportunity. Her voice dropped slightly, but her excitement was evident.
“Did you guys hear? Ethan and a few others started a company. Something called ‘Hotgirls.’ They’re making a fortune right now. Bringing in new girls and setting them up in the industry.”
Braun let out a mocking laugh. To him, businesses like these always looked glamorous on the outside but were doomed to rot from within.
“Oh, new dolls to play with?” he scoffed, raising an eyebrow.
Lisa ignored his derisive tone, waving her hand dismissively.
“Say what you want, but they’re making serious money. And from what I hear, the girls aren’t earning peanuts either.”
Scharline remained silent, but she listened carefully. Especially when money was mentioned…
A rising urge stirred within her.
She resisted the temptation to ask: How much?
But the questions in her mind were growing.
💭 When will I finally have a comfortable life?19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzaMmtFq2xL
💭 When will my financial struggles end so I can do what I truly want?
These thoughts swirled inside her, wrapping around her like a vortex. No matter how freely she lived, financial reality always loomed over her.
As Lisa and Braun continued their conversation, Scharline kept her gaze fixed on Ethan.
Maybe she had been looking in the wrong place all along… Or maybe the right time just hadn’t come yet.
Scharline took a deep breath, trying to silence the thoughts consuming her. She scolded herself—she shouldn’t be thinking about these things. The past no longer mattered. But Lisa’s words echoed in her mind.
She knew Ethan.
He wasn’t just a name or a distant figure. He had once been Tom’s friend. Their families had been business partners for a time. Their fathers had combined their strengths for a major project. But then… something had happened.
And that partnership had abruptly ended.
Why?
She had never found out. Back then, she was too young, and the world had seemed far less complicated. But she remembered one thing—her mother and Celeste’s heated argument. Words had ricocheted off the walls, anger rising, their meanings unclear to her young mind.
She had never questioned it. It had faded into the mist of the past like an irrelevant detail. But now, seeing Ethan here, right in front of her…
There was no trace of regret in his eyes.19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOfNOXhxg5k
No remnants of an old bond.19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvDLSh10WGd
No memories of the past.
Scharline averted her gaze, tightening her grip on her coffee cup. The cold porcelain pressed against her fingertips as she tried to suppress the unease swelling within her.
Lisa’s voice pulled her back to the present.
“This business is huge, Schar. Ethan and his guys are swimming in money!”
Braun chuckled derisively. “Doesn’t matter to me. These things always exist in the industry. The only question is—who wins, and who loses.”
Scharline tried to focus on their conversation, but her mind was still fixated on Ethan’s presence. Seeing him again had awakened something within her.
And deep down, she knew.
This wouldn’t be easy.
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