Love, Lies & Lattes

Kiara woke up the next morning to her phone buzzing repeatedly. Groaning, she rubbed her eyes, fumbling blindly on her nightstand until she found her phone.

42 notifications.

"What the heck?" she murmured, sitting upright instantly. She clicked on the notifications and nearly dropped her phone.

Viral Coffee Disaster! Espresso Empire CEO vs. Local Barista!

"Oh, you've got to be kidding me," Kiara whispered, her eyes widening as she clicked play. The video played out exactly as she remembered—except worse. Her horrified face, dripping apron, and the stranger’s smug expression were perfectly framed, edited, and captioned dramatically. It already had thousands of likes and hundreds of comments.

She scrolled through the comments with growing dread:

• "Ouch, he did her dirty!"
• "She looks ready to murder him with a muffin. LOL!"
• "Team Barista! Down with Espresso Empire!"

"Well, at least I have fans," she muttered sarcastically, tossing her phone aside.

---

An hour later, she walked into Brew-tiful Days, determined to put yesterday behind her. But her optimism was short-lived as she found Meera, her best friend and café assistant, leaning dramatically on the counter, phone in hand.

"You’re famous!" Meera squealed, waving the phone. "Kiara, seriously, you're trending!"

Kiara rolled her eyes. "Not funny. I look like a coffee-soaked gremlin."

"Exactly," Meera grinned wickedly. "A cute, relatable, coffee-soaked gremlin. Think of the publicity!"

"Publicity? I run a café, Meera—not a soap opera."

Meera shrugged, setting her phone down. "Speaking of soap operas, have you figured out who your nemesis is yet?"

Kiara tied her apron defiantly. "No idea, and I don’t care. He’s just another arrogant corporate type."

"Well, that arrogant corporate type," Meera said slowly, nodding toward the window, "just walked into your café."

Kiara spun around. Sure enough, there he stood—impeccably dressed, sunglasses perched arrogantly atop his perfectly styled hair, scanning her menu as though it were beneath him.

"What is he doing here?" Kiara hissed under her breath.

Meera nudged her playfully. "Probably here for a muffin showdown."

Kiara shot her a glare, took a deep breath, and strode purposefully toward her rival. He glanced up as she approached, a playful smirk already tugging at his lips.

"Welcome to Brew-tiful Days," she said through a forced smile. "Can I get you a towel, or maybe a coffee-proof suit?"

He chuckled lightly, removing his sunglasses and fixing his dark, amused eyes directly onto hers.

"No, thank you. But I'll take a cappuccino, please—provided it stays in the cup this time."

Kiara clenched her teeth, her customer-service smile unwavering.

"One cappuccino coming right up. No promises."

She turned sharply, storming behind the counter, determined not to give him the satisfaction of rattling her again.

---

Minutes later, she handed him the steaming cappuccino, pointedly placing it as far away from him as possible. "Careful. It’s hot."

He reached for the cup, their fingers accidentally brushing. Kiara quickly withdrew her hand, startled by the unexpected jolt that shot through her. Annoyed by her reaction, she frowned.

He raised an eyebrow, his smirk deepening. "Still holding a grudge, Ms. Sharma?"

She crossed her arms defiantly. "So, you googled me? Flattered."

"Actually," he replied smoothly, taking a careful sip, "your name tag gave it away."

Kiara felt her cheeks flush in embarrassment. "Well, you clearly have me at a disadvantage."

"Rohan Kapoor," he introduced himself, extending his hand with exaggerated politeness. "Owner of Espresso Empire. Pleasure to meet you properly."

Kiara stared at his outstretched hand for a second before shaking it hesitantly. "Kiara Sharma. Owner of the apron you ruined."

Rohan laughed openly at that, his eyes sparkling mischievously. "I’ll send over a replacement."

"No, thanks," she replied firmly, drawing her hand away quickly. "I prefer to wash out my own problems."

His smile widened. "Stubborn. I admire that."

"Is there anything else I can get you, Mr. Kapoor?" she asked sharply, ignoring the fluttering irritation she felt in her stomach.

"No," he said, rising slowly, leaving some cash on the counter. "But feel free to drop by Espresso Empire. I promise our coffee stays in the cups."

She forced a smile again. "Tempting. But no."

He chuckled lightly as he exited, leaving her glaring at his retreating back, fuming yet undeniably curious.

---

Meera nudged Kiara as she watched him disappear across the street. "Well?"

Kiara sighed, annoyed. "Well, he’s arrogant, smug, and completely infuriating."

Meera smiled knowingly. "So, exactly your type?"

Kiara's jaw dropped. "What? No!"

Meera winked. "We'll see."

Kiara shook her head, walking away before Meera could continue.