Chapter 37 – The Book She Loves Too Much

  The square of Marilon School of Finance buzzed with the usual midday break noise, students gathering in clusters, tapping through holo-notes, complaining about endless assignments.

  At one of the benches beneath the shade of a tall terrace tree, Lunessa slipped her hand into her bag and, for the fourth day in a row, pulled out the same book.

  Lucien’s book.

  She opened it to the middle without even checking the page number.

  Her friends groaned the moment they saw the familiar cover.

  “Oh my gods, Lunessa—again?” one of them complained dramatically. “How many times are you going to read that book? Don’t you get bored?”

  Lunessa didn’t even look up. “You don’t get it like I do.”

  Another friend leaned over her shoulder. “You literally bought a whole stack of copies and gave one to everyone in class! Who does that?”

  A third girl nodded vigorously. “Yeah, the story is great, I’m not denying that, but aren’t you going a little overboard? The story doesn’t change no matter how many times you read it.”

  The girl sitting next to Lunessa sighed and waved a hand dismissively.

  “Let her be, guys. She finally found something she actually likes. Be happy for her.”

  Everyone paused at that, then collectively sighed again.

  “You have to admit,” one girl muttered, “it’s easy for her. She breezes through all the coursework without even trying.”

  “Exactly,” another added, envy creeping into her tone. “Of course finance feels boring to her. It’s too easy. Meanwhile the rest of us are drowning.”

  Several heads nodded in agreement, silent jealousy flickering through them—if only I could understand things like she does…

  Lunessa ignored all of it.

  She was already lost in the book again.

  After a moment, one girl nudged her foot gently.

  “Hey, Lunessa. If you like the book so much, why don’t you go meet the author? Lucien’s from Marilon, right? You could easily find him.”

  Lunessa’s fingers froze on the page.

  She looked up slowly.

  “Well… actually, there’s a fan page. I found it yesterday.”

  The girls exchanged looks.

  “And?” one prompted.

  Lunessa sighed, shoulders dropping a little.

  “They already organized an informal visit. A bunch of them went to meet him at his café. They posted pictures, Q&As, everything.”

  Her tone dipped with regret.

  “I found the page too late. If I’d seen it earlier, I could’ve gone with them. Going with a group wouldn’t feel awkward. But… going alone…”

  Her friends leaned closer, curiosity immediately taking over.

  “Show us the page,” one of them said, already scooting closer.

  Lunessa opened the fan page on her wristlink, and the girls instantly crowded around her.

  There were photos of Café Ashborne—warm lighting, brick walls, handwritten menus, beautiful pastries, steaming coffee cups. The kind of place that looked cozy even through a hologram.

  More pictures popped up—fans smiling beside Lucien, group shots near the counter, someone holding a signed copy of the book, Lucien laughing with a cup of coffee in hand.

  “Ohhh he’s actually pretty cute,” one girl whispered.

  “Look at this picture! The food looks amazing,” another said.

  “The café is adorable,” someone else added. “I want to go just for the pastries.”

  As Lunessa scrolled, one of the girls suddenly sat up straighter.

  “Wait a second… Café Ashborne… I’ve seen this name somewhere recently. But I can’t remember where.”

  Another friend blinked, then nodded slowly.

  “Me too. It feels familiar, but I have no idea from where.”

  A third girl raised an eyebrow.

  “You two always follow Liora Fen and her reviews, right? If you both recognize the name, it’s probably from her page.”

  Both girls froze.

  A moment passed, then both of them snapped their fingers at the same time.

  “Yes! Liora Fen reviewed Café Ashborne just recently!”

  “She praised it like crazy—said it was one of the best new cafés in Marilon!”

  Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.

  “And I heard there was a flood of customers afterward. People lining up outside the door.”

  “I wanted to go too,” the first girl admitted with a sigh. “But with our coursework, I barely have time to breathe.”

  “Same,” the other agreed. “Assignments have been murder. No way I could spare half a day to visit.”

  Another friend leaned forward thoughtfully.

  “Well… now that Lunessa has a reason to go—why don’t we go together sometime when we’re free? We can check out the café, see if it lives up to the hype… and maybe meet the author while we’re there.”

  The whole group paused as the idea settled.

  “So Lunessa can get an autograph or something,” one of them added teasingly. “Since she’s already his number-one fan.”

  Lunessa didn’t answer right away.

  She looked at the pictures again—Lucien smiling in that gentle way he had, the cozy café atmosphere, the fans chatting with him casually as if he were just another student in the neighborhood.

  Lunessa kept staring at the café photos on her wristlink.

  Should she go?

  Before she could spiral deeper, her friends leaned in and immediately began teasing her.

  “Why are you hesitating?” one of them nudged her. “We’re just going to visit the café, not propose marriage!”

  “Yeah!” another chimed in. “You’re acting like we’re asking you to confess to him. Relax!”

  The third laughed. “You’re shy now? The girl who forced all of us to read that book?”

  Lunessa groaned, cheeks warming. “Okay, okay! Stop ganging up on me! and stop saying silly things like marriage and proposals—you don’t understand. Being a fangirl is different!”

  Her friends burst into laughter, delighted by how flustered she’d become.

  “So?” one girl pressed. “Are we going or not?”

  She sighed in defeat. “Fine. Let’s set a time and go visit the café.”

  A wave of excited chatter erupted among the group—talk about pastries, outfits, selfies, whether Lucien would be there, and how crowded Café Ashborne was rumored to be.

  But Lunessa just sat there, a little flustered…and a little excited.

  Later that evening, after replaying the café idea in her head all day Lunessa returned home, washed up, and settled at her desk with her coursework. She worked quickly, focused, her posture upright and neat—the picture of a model student.

  Her father returned from a long day at the company. When he stepped into her room and found her studying so earnestly, his whole face softened into a warm, silly, proud smile.

  Lunessa noticed immediately.

  She didn’t even lift her head.

  “Why are you making that ridiculous face at me?” she asked dryly. “Don’t you have any work to do, Dad?”

  Caught red-handed, he froze.

  “N–Nothing,” he replied sheepishly.

  Despite being the CEO of his company, a stern, commanding presence feared by his employees…

  …in front of Lunessa, he melted like soft bread.

  She was his kryptonite.

  His Achilles’ heel.

  His soft spot.

  He could lecture entire teams of employees into trembling obedience—but his daughter only had to pout or well up with tears, and he would surrender instantly.

  And she knew it.

  She often used her secret weapon shamelessly.

  And he, fully aware of it, still fell for it every single time.

  He cleared his throat, trying to regain composure.

  “I was just… thinking about your future,” he said, attempting a serious tone. “Work arrangements… internships… or if you want to continue with higher studies.”

  “I’m still thinking about it,” Lunessa replied casually, not looking up from her slate.

  He perked up immediately.

  “Well, you don’t need to think too hard. You can just do your internship at our company, you know. Why go elsewhere and fight for a position like everyone else? You have me, you have the company—”

  “No.”

  He blinked. “…No?”

  “No,” she repeated firmly. “I’ll eventually work at our company anyway. Why should I go there from now itself? I’d rather intern somewhere else and actually get experience.”

  His panic flared.

  “But—but why go through all that trouble? You can just—listen, Lunessa—”

  He launched into a speech about safety, convenience, opportunities, networking, how other companies weren’t good enough for her, and—

  “Daaaaad.”

  He shut up instantly.

  He rubbed the back of his neck, defeated.

  “…Right. Sorry.”

  Lunessa smiled slightly and continued.

  She finished explaining that she wanted experience outside their own company, but her dad still looked troubled. She sighed, set her stylus down, and finally turned fully toward him.

  “Dad… listen. It’s not just about experience.”

  He raised an eyebrow, concerned. “Then what is it?”

  She hesitated for a moment, then spoke honestly.

  “If I go straight into our company right after graduating, everyone will assume I only got the position because I’m your daughter. Even if I work hard… even if I do everything perfectly… people won’t recognize it. They’ll talk behind my back. They’ll say it’s all connections.”

  Her voice remained calm, but her dad’s expression darkened instantly.

  “Who dares say that?” he snapped. “Just tell me one name. I will fire them on the spot. I’ll show them exactly how wrong they—”

  “See?” Lunessa cut in, exasperated. “This is exactly what I mean!”

  He blinked, thrown off. “What do you mean?”

  “You got angry just from me describing a possibility,” she said, pointing at him. “Imagine what you’ll do if it actually happens. You’ll turn the entire company upside down and wreak havoc over one comment.”

  He opened his mouth, then closed it again.

  He knew she was right.

  He would do that.

  He couldn’t help it.

  “No one has the right to underestimate my daughter,” he muttered stubbornly.

  “And they won’t,” Lunessa said firmly. “Because I’m going to prove myself elsewhere first. Then, when I eventually join the company, no one will dare say anything.”

  He frowned, still visibly upset but trying to understand.

  “Don’t worry, Dad,” she added gently. “I’m not saying I’ll never work at our company. Just… let me gain experience at other companies first. Then I’ll think about coming to ours. It’s not a rejection. It’s just… the smarter path.”

  He sighed deeply, shoulders slumping in reluctant acceptance.

  “Well… if that’s what you want, then okay. Let’s do that.”

  Then his eyes lit up with fresh determination. “Should I call a few of my friends? They run excellent companies. I have good relationships with many firms. If I give them one call, you’ll get the internship immediately—no need for interviews or—”

  “Daaaaad.”

  He froze.

  She glared.

  “What did I literally JUST say?”

  He tried to reply, faltered, tried again… and finally surrendered, realizing he had no argument left.

  She raised an eyebrow.

  He finally burst into a helpless laugh. “Alright, alright! I get it. No special treatment.”

  “That’s right,” she said, smiling and returning to her assignments.

  He watched her for a moment, eyes soft with love and pride.

  He lingered a moment longer, watching her work. Then, as if remembering something important, he cleared his throat.

  “And also,” he added, slipping into his fatherly lecture mode, “don’t just stick to studying all the time. Try to relax a little. Learn something new like a hobby and something fun. You’re already one of the top students and I’m not worried about your grades at all.”

  Lunessa didn’t look up. “I did try a bunch of things recently. Nothing really stuck.”

  He frowned thoughtfully. “Nothing?”

  She finally glanced at him, a tiny smile forming. “Well… I did find a novel I really like. I’ve been reading it a lot.”

  He blinked, then his entire face brightened with a father’s exaggerated enthusiasm.

  “Oh! That’s good. Good! Very good!” he said, nodding rapidly. “See? That’s already something. Reading is a wonderful hobby. Excellent. I approve.”

  Lunessa flipped her stylus once between her fingers before adding casually,

  “And also… my friends and I are planning to visit a café that’s gotten really popular recently. We want to check it out.”

  His eyes lit up instantly.

  “Yes! Yes, you should! Go out with your friends more and explore, relax, have fun. That’s very good. Very healthy!” He was nodding again, overly enthusiastic, as if she had just announced she’d won a scholarship.

  Lunessa smiled faintly. “I’ll bring something back for you too, don’t worry.”

  He beamed—absolutely beamed.

  “Of course! My daughter would never forget her old man,” he said proudly, puffing out his chest like he had just won something.

  Lunessa laughed under her breath, shaking her head at how easily pleased he was.

  He stayed there a moment longer, smiling like a fool before leaving her to her studies.