Love Letter Written in Winter

Chapter 1- Who is the Mysterious Girl

Drake and I have been married for years now. Our elder daughter, Rose, is eleven years old, while our younger son, Russell, is just three. There is a reason for this age gap between these two kids. Some four years ago, we were almost on the verge of separation. There was no third party involved. It's just that we felt very tired while adjusting to each other. But somehow, we managed to save our almost-broken marriage. That was the time we decided to start our life anew with our son, Russell. Ever since then, everything has been going so well. Now I can barely believe that once we were about to get separated.
Drake and I had a love marriage some twelve years ago. We were like a very typical couple. I don't remember ever complimenting Drake. Even though sometimes, he might compliment me whenever I wore traditional clothes on special occasions. In response, I used to get shy and change the topic and avoid him. Even though I never complimented him, I knew Drake was really attractive. He was very fit, even muscular in his forties. He had a dusky skin tone and a very neatly trimmed beard that made him even more handsome. He was very tall, slim, and had a very sharp jawline and nose. Overall, his face was handsome. I felt like I was nothing in front of him. Neither my face was that sharp nor beautiful. Plus, I was always messy, barely made an effort to look good. I was always busy with my kids, and even when not busy, I would just sit idle and scroll social media. But always staying very neat and beautiful? Nah! It was never my cup of tea.
It was a very normal Friday morning like any other. Drake chose to wear a light blue shirt. No doubt he looked very handsome. But, just like our usual habit, I didn't compliment him, and neither was he expecting it. Drake left for work.
Fridays are always a bit of a stress relief. The continuous thinking about the upcoming two-day holiday releases an extra wave of dopamine. Drake used to go to a roadside café beside his office. He used to have his lunch there with two chicken sandwiches, a coke, and an extra cup of cold coffee.
The best part was always the cold coffee. The chilling sensation of the ice-cold drink, the flavor of coffee, and that delicious smell of it. Just like every Friday, Drake was totally immersed in his coffee and scrolling his phone. He didn't even pay attention when a new customer entered the café. The tinkling sound of the entrance glass barely reached his ears. The customer entered and quietly searched for a single table. But it was already 1:30. Peak hour. Most of the offices around the café were having their lunch break, and most of the seats were reserved. After searching for five minutes, she finally saw an eight-seater long table to be the only one empty and available. She had no other choice but to sit there itself.
But within a fraction of a second, a big group of seven boys and girls entered the café. They were really loud, so loud that it was creating annoyance for other customers. This time, even Drake looked up to see what was happening. Then again, he became busy with his phone. The group moved towards that calm customer who was sitting alone at the eight-seater table. They wanted to sit there, but they could see the customer's disliking for their loud chaos. Somehow, they didn't have the guts to ask her to move on their own.