Rhea's life is a picture of quiet bliss-working in her cozy bakery, surrounded by the sweet smells of fresh pastries, and living a life full of sunlight and simple pleasures. But there's one person who disturbs her peace every day: Keane, the enigma...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
Rhea leaned against the counter, her eyes heavy from another sleepless night. She'd spent hours tossing and turning, her mind tangled in thoughts of Keane. The way he had lingered in the bakery, the intensity in his gaze, and that strange gift left behind for her—all of it felt... off. She hated how he made her feel both safe and unsettled at the same time.
As morning light spilled through the windows, she sighed, trying to shake the fog from her mind. The bakery was quiet, save for the gentle hum of the oven warming up and the faint music playing from the radio. She tried to distract herself, shaping dough into neat rolls and arranging fresh pastries in the display case. But her mind kept circling back to him, to the feeling that something was closing in around her.
Just as she was lost in thought, the bell over the door chimed, and she looked up, heart skipping a beat. It was him. Keane.
His tall, dark figure filled the doorway, casting a shadow across the floor. His expression was unreadable as he stepped inside, his gaze fixed on her in that same, intense way. She felt a shiver crawl up her spine, but she forced a smile, trying to steady herself.
"Good morning, Keane," she greeted him, her voice soft.
He nodded, his eyes never leaving hers. "Good morning, Rhea."
They stood in silence for a moment, the quiet almost oppressive. She was keenly aware of every detail—the subtle rise and fall of his chest, the flicker of something unreadable in his dark eyes, the way his presence seemed to fill the room. She wanted to say something, anything, to break the silence.
"Thank you for the cupcake," she finally said, her voice catching. "It was... a nice surprise."
Keane's lips curved into that faint, enigmatic smile. "I thought you'd like it. You work so hard—someone should appreciate that."
Her cheeks warmed at his words, but a part of her couldn't shake the unease lingering beneath his gaze. "It was thoughtful of you," she replied, carefully choosing her words. "But... how did you get into the bakery so early?"
He raised an eyebrow, his gaze sharpening. "I have my ways."
She blinked, caught off guard by his bluntness. She tried to laugh it off, but the tension between them only thickened. "Well... I appreciate it, Keane. I do."
They stood in silence once more, the weight of his stare pressing down on her. She felt her throat tighten, a strange mix of fear and fascination bubbling up inside her. She wanted to look away, to break the spell he seemed to have over her, but she couldn't. She was drawn to him, no matter how much she tried to resist.
He took a slow step closer, his eyes narrowing slightly as he looked down at her. "You didn't sleep well," he observed, his voice soft, almost tender.
Rhea swallowed, taken aback. "How... how did you know?"
"I can see it in your eyes," he said, his gaze flickering with something that almost looked like concern. "Is something bothering you?"
She hesitated, her mind flashing back to the strange sounds, the feeling of being watched. She wanted to tell him, to confide in someone, but a small voice in the back of her mind warned her to keep quiet.
"No," she lied, forcing a smile. "Just a busy week, I guess."
Keane watched her carefully, as if weighing her words. She felt her pulse quicken under his gaze, and for a moment, she thought he might press further. But he only nodded, his expression unreadable.
"If you ever need anything," he murmured, his voice low, "you can always come to me."
She nodded, a nervous smile crossing her face. "Thank you, Keane. That means a lot." ——————————————————————————————————————————— Sorry this one is a little bad my ai decided to delete all my ideas and stuff😭🙏 so I have to use a new one and it doesn't know the back story so wish me luck as I type it out all over again
