The Inheritance Game

❃8❃

"Thanks for coming out so late to fix the window," Zayn expressed his gratitude to the glassmaker, though his mood seemed low. He shuffled his feet, his gaze skirting around as if he was too tired to even make direct eye contact.

"No problem," the glassmaker nodded, his expression unreadable as he tightened the last screw in place. "Good night," he said, his tone carried the weariness of the whole day as he packed away his tools, exchanging a few parting words with Zayn.

I trudged back towards the entrance of the cafe (which was already locked), sighing heavily to myself, the weight of the situation heavy on my shoulders like a sack of bricks. My steps felt like I was wading through quicksand, sinking deeper into my own thoughts. This whole mess was gnawing at my mind, and I was feeling extremely uneasy because of that damn note.

"Are you still worried about that note?" Zayn's voice floated over to me from behind.

"Of course I am!" I spun around to face him, my brows furrowed in concern. "Aren't you?"

He shrugged, a nonchalant smile playing at the corners of his lips. "Come on now! Some loser tried scaring us with a note. What's there to be worried about?" 

Even though I appreciated his attempt of downplaying the situation to ease my nerves, I couldn't shake off the fear and a tinge of paranoia. It was like trying to swat away a persistent fly buzzing around your head—it just wouldn't leave me alone. This was my first encounter with something like this, as ridiculous as it sounds (considering not everyone gets threatening notes on a daily basis). It left me unsettled.

As I maintained my worried expression, Zayn let out a sigh of resignation. "But it looks like you're scared, so I'll try to find out who did it."

"You don't have to." 

"Doesn't that old saying go 'Happy Wife, Happy Life'?" He grinned.

I couldn't help but roll my eyes at his choice of words. "You seriously need to get rid of this heteronormative terminology."

"Fair point," he conceded with a chuckle. "How about 'Happy Partner, Happy Life'?"

"Much better," I agreed, feeling a bit lighter despite the lingering tension.

Zayn's tender expression softened even more. "If we're gonna be around one another, I want you to feel safe with me Liam. Let's head home for the night, yeah? Tomorrow's your first day as manager after all." His touch was gentle as he took my hand while keeping his eyes on me with expectation.

As Zayn's words sank in, I felt a wave of relief sweep over my senses. With his hand in mine, our fingers intertwined like pieces of a puzzle, there was an undeniable sense of security that enveloped me. And honestly, after a day like this, a little bit of reassurance was exactly what I needed. So, with a nod and a faint smile, I followed him, leaving the worries of the day behind.

.·:*¨༺ ༻¨*:·.

I handed the coffee cup to the customer, my smile widened as he took it. "Come again!"

The shop was bustling with customers, the queue stretched beyond the relatively small space. And I was in a good mood because I was spared from those itchy barista uniforms today, strutting around in my own designer outfit instead. Ah, the perks of the CEO life. I may be new to it, but I'm definitely loving it.

As I moved around the cafe, taking orders and handing out cups of coffee, the chaos of the work helped push the note to the back of my mind. But as soon as I acknowledged that fact, it came rushing back like a bad smell in a small room. Oh great, thanks for the reminder, brain.