Page 62 of King of Rage

He gave her one last knowing look before finally turning toward the exit.

As he walked out of the apartment, Stella watched him disappear through the door.

Only then did she release the breath she had been holding.

Her shoulders sagged with relief, and she pressed a hand against her chest.

She hadn't even realized how tense she had been until he was finally gone.

‘God, why does he have to be so fucking infuriating?’

She drew in another deep breath, trying to calm her racing heart.

***

A few hours later, Stella arrived at the café.

Ana was standing behind the counter, preparing a cup of coffee. There were only a few customers inside at that hour, and the other employees were more than capable of handling the morning rush.

The moment Ana spotted Stella walking in, her face brightened.

“There you are!” she exclaimed, flashing her a welcoming smile. “I've been waiting for you.”

Stella smiled back as she set her bag down.

“Good morning.”

She headed to the back to put away her things before returning to the counter.

“Are you tired?” she asked, looking at Ana. “When did you come in? There were plenty of employees here to handle the morning crowd.”

“I’m fine.” Ana waved her off. “I was just getting bored at home. Mason has gone on a business trip, so I had nothing to do. I thought I'd come here for a while.”

She picked up a cup of coffee and took a sip, her eyes gleaming with sudden interest.

Then she leaned slightly toward Stella.

“You know what? I've heard some news.”

Stella raised an eyebrow.

“News?”

Ana nodded, taking another sip of her coffee as a mischievous smile spread across her face.

Stella looked at her, raising her eyebrows.

“What are you talking about?”

Ana's expression brightened with interest.

“Last night, Mason went to a business party. You know, how people get together, have a few drinks, and end up talking about everyone's business?” She leaned closer to Stella, lowering her voice. “Some of Lucius’s friends were there, and Mason overheard something interesting.”

Stella picked up her coffee, watching her expectantly.

“What did he hear?”

“They were saying that Lucius has invested in Licius for a woman he likes.”