The café had gradually emptied.
The afternoon light was already beginning to change, becoming softer through the windows. The shadows of passersby slid across the café floor like silent silhouettes.
Aïnis was still watching the street.
Blake was still there.
Motionless.
Patient.
As if he had all the time in the world.
But she knew that wasn't true.
Six days.
The thought kept coming back.
Sofia noticed Aïnis's fixed gaze.
— Well… I think we all know why you've been staring out the window for ten minutes.
Aïnis looked away.
— That's not true.
Maya smiled slightly.
— Yes, it is. But it's okay.
Sofia rested her elbows on the table.
— Do you know what you should do?
Aïnis sighed.
— I never like it when you start a sentence like that.
— Talk to him.
Aïnis froze slightly.
— I talk to him every day.
— Not like that.
Sofia shook her head.
— Not really.
A silence fell between them.
Because all three of them knew what Sofia meant.
Aïnis looked at her empty cup.
— It's not that simple.
— Nothing is ever simple with you, Sofia said softly.
Maya calmly placed her hand on the table.
— Maybe you don't need to say everything.
Aïnis looked up.
— What do you mean?
— Sometimes… people understand even when you don't say the words.
Aïnis thought for a few seconds.
Then she looked at the street again.
Blake had just glanced at his watch.
He had probably noticed how long it had been.
She suddenly stood up.
— We should head back.
Sofia smiled immediately.
— Ah.
— What?
— Nothing.
But her smile clearly said otherwise.
Outside
When they left the café, the air was cooler.
Blake lifted his head slightly when he saw them.
His gaze passed briefly over Sofia and Maya…
Then stopped on Aïnis.
As always.
He stepped forward a few paces.
— Everything went well?
— Yes.
Sofia whispered to Maya:
— Officially, he talks like a secret agent.
Maya stifled a small laugh.
Aïnis gave her friends a quick look.
— I'm going inside.
Sofia nodded.
— See you tomorrow.
— Yes.
Her two friends walked off in the opposite direction.
For a few seconds…
Aïnis and Blake were alone on the sidewalk.
Silence settled.
Blake opened the car door.
— After you.
She got into the passenger seat.
He gently closed the door.
Then walked around the car and got behind the wheel.
In the car
The engine started softly.
The car merged into the afternoon traffic.
Aïnis looked out the window.
Buildings passed slowly.
Blake drove calmly, his eyes focused on the road.
But his mind was elsewhere.
He kept thinking about the way she had looked at him through the café window.
That look had lasted longer than usual.
As if something had changed.
Finally, Aïnis spoke.
— Have you been waiting long?
— Not really.
She nodded.
Another silence.
Then she murmured:
— You're always waiting.
Blake shot a brief glance at her.
— It's my job.
She gave a slight smile.
— You say that a lot.
— Because it's true.
But even he heard that her voice lacked a little conviction.
Aïnis finally turned her head toward him.
— Are you always like this?
— How?
— So calm.
Blake thought for a few seconds.
— No.
— Ah.
She seemed surprised.
— But I've learned to be.
Aïnis observed his profile.
His firm hands on the wheel.
His concentration.
His way of always staying… distant.
— Why?
Blake remained silent for a moment.
Then replied simply:
— Because my job requires it.
She didn't ask another question.
But she felt that it wasn't the whole truth.
The car stopped at a red light.
For a few seconds, the silence grew heavier.
Then Aïnis murmured:
— Five days left.
Blake's fingers tightened slightly on the wheel.
The light turned green.
The car started moving again.
He didn't answer immediately.
But in his mind, the phrase echoed.
Five days.
It was even worse when she said it.
Finally, he spoke.
— Yes.
His voice was calm.
But internally… nothing was calm.
In the car – Blake's thoughts
He had made his decision.
The promotion.
The departure.
It was the right thing to do.
But for the past few days…
everything had become more complicated.
Because she had started to change.
She spoke to him more.
She looked at him longer.
And those little things… were dangerous.
Because every time she did that…
he forgot the rules a little more.
He tightened his jaw slightly.
He mustn't forget why he was there.
Protect Victor Morel's daughter.
Not fall in love with her.
And yet…
the line was becoming increasingly blurred.
In front of the house
The car stopped in front of the large house.
Blake turned off the engine.
Silence returned immediately.
Aïnis didn't get out right away.
She looked at her hands.
As if she were thinking about something.
Then she looked up at him.
— Blake.
— Yes?
She hesitated.
One second. Two seconds. Three seconds.
Then she shook her head slightly.
— Nothing.
She opened the door.
Stepped out of the car.
And began walking toward the house entrance.
Blake watched her leave.
But before opening the door…
Aïnis turned around.
Their eyes met one last time.
And in that gaze…
there was something new.
A question.
A hesitation.
Or maybe…
the beginning of a confession.
Blake stayed still for a few seconds.
Then he murmured to himself:
— This is getting dangerous.
Because for the first time…
he wasn't sure he wanted to leave anymore.
Blake watched the door close behind Aïnis.
Heart racing, he remained seated for a few seconds, hands on the wheel. Every breath seemed too loud, every silence too long.
He had always known that staying professional would be difficult… but now, everything was becoming more complicated. Everything.
Aïnis… he thought.
She wasn't just beautiful. Not just charming or smart. She was… unpredictable. Free. And she had just shown him, with a single look, that she knew. That she knew everything.
And the idea both terrified and fascinated him.
Inside the house
Aïnis placed her bag on the couch and breathed deeply.
Six days. That was all that remained.
She remembered the café, Blake outside, his eyes never leaving her. She knew time was pressing. She knew her feelings… were no longer just silent thoughts.
She felt them intensely.
She sat down, head in her hands.
— What do I do? she murmured.
The truth was clear and burning: she wanted to tell him.
But… what if it was too late? What if her words changed everything before he left? What if… he didn't feel the same way?
These questions made her tremble. Yet she knew she couldn't leave without telling him. Not after everything they had shared.
In the car – Blake's thoughts
He had started the engine but hadn't left.
Every image of Aïnis haunted him: her laughter at the café, her gaze toward the window, the way her hands played with the spoon.
Every little gesture became an obsession.
He remembered what he had promised Victor Morel.
Protect Aïnis. Stay distant. Never cross certain lines.
But now… he didn't know anymore.
He wanted to stay. He wanted to be near her. Even if it was dangerous. Even if it meant losing everything.
And a terrifying thought crossed his mind: what if she felt the same way?
The idea made him smile… and shiver at the same time.
The next day – Six days left
The next morning, Aïnis woke up early, unable to sleep. Her thoughts kept returning to Blake.
She decided that this time… she had to take a step.
Not tomorrow. Not at the end. But today.
Because if she waited, time would slip away. And he would leave. And she could never go back.
She picked up her phone and typed a message, deleting it several times before finally sending it:
"Can you come by this afternoon? I have something to tell you."
Then she sat down, heart racing.
She knew it was dangerous. She knew it was risky. But for the first time… she felt ready.
In Blake's mind
A few hours later, he read Aïnis's message.
He stayed still for a few seconds. Then a slight smile spread across his lips.
— What could she want to tell me… he thought.
He knew every second mattered now. Especially since he had to ask permission to see his girlfriend that evening. Every gesture, every word could change everything.
And somewhere deep inside… he wasn't sure he wanted to leave anymore.
He quickly sent a reply:
"Alright, my lady. I also have something to ask you."
When Aïnis read his message, her heart raced. She wondered if maybe… he also wanted to confess his feelings.
At that thought, she couldn't wait for the afternoon to come.