Love, Lies & Lattes

The next morning, Kiara walked into Brew-tiful Days feeling energized. Her conversations with Ro had become a pleasant distraction from the intense rivalry she faced every day. But her good mood shattered instantly when she saw Meera standing frozen by the café entrance, eyes wide in disbelief.

"What is it?" Kiara asked, dread creeping into her voice.

Wordlessly, Meera handed her a newspaper. On the front page was a picture of Arjun Mehra, the infamous critic, holding an Espresso Empire cup. The headline screamed at her:

"Espresso Empire Delivers the Best Coffee Experience in Town!"

Kiara's stomach twisted painfully as she skimmed the article. Every glowing word praising Rohan's chain felt like a slap in her face.

"That’s it?" she whispered incredulously. "We don’t even get a mention?"

Meera grimaced sympathetically. "Second-best doesn’t make headlines."

Fury surged through Kiara. Gripping the newspaper tightly, she looked through the café windows, directly across the street. Rohan stood at the door of Espresso Empire, shaking hands with smiling customers and holding his head high, confidence radiating from him.

"I can’t believe this," Kiara muttered bitterly. "He practically hijacked our review."

"Maybe Arjun preferred corporate charm," Meera said quietly, watching her carefully. "You know it’s not personal, right?"

Kiara shook her head, eyes blazing defiantly. "No—this feels personal."

Before Meera could reply, Kiara stormed out of the café, marching straight across the street toward Rohan.

He glanced up, expression shifting into wary curiosity as he saw her approach. "Ms. Sharma, I didn’t expect—"

"What did you do?" Kiara demanded sharply, holding up the newspaper. "Was this your idea of fairness?"

Rohan paused, confusion flickering across his face. "I had no control over his review."

"Convenient," she retorted icily. "You practically hovered over him in my café."

He sighed deeply, visibly frustrated. "Believe it or not, Kiara, I didn’t influence Arjun’s opinion."

She scoffed loudly, stepping closer, lowering her voice to avoid causing a scene. "You don't get to act noble now. You wanted to win at all costs, and congratulations—you did."

His eyes hardened slightly, losing their usual teasing warmth. "Be careful, Kiara. Not everything is as simple as you're making it out to be."

She held his gaze fiercely. "Simple or not, you got exactly what you wanted. Enjoy your victory."

Kiara spun on her heel, storming back toward her café without another glance at him, her heart pounding furiously in her chest.

Whatever this rivalry had been before, it had become something darker now, more serious. She wouldn’t underestimate Rohan Kapoor again—and she certainly wouldn’t allow herself to trust him, even for a second.