Episode 2: A Name and a Smile
The next morning, Alecia found herself at the same corner table, sipping her green tea and taking notes from her thick stack of printed research articles. It was her escape from the chaos of hospital boardrooms and the secret consultations she gave as the anonymous miracle doctor.
She didn't expect him to show up again.
But Dominic did.
This time, he didn't linger near the counter. He walked straight to her table, coffee in hand, his smile easy and disarming.
"Mind if I sit?" he asked.
Alecia glanced up, deadpan. "Yes."
Dominic chuckled, pulling out the chair anyway. "You looked like you could use company."
"I look like I want silence," she replied, eyes back on her notes.
He sipped his coffee. "You always this charming?"
Alecia's lips quirked. "Only when I'm interrupted."
A beat passed. Then she looked up again, this time truly seeing him — the gentle eyes, the patience in his voice, the lack of ego despite the aura of wealth that clung to him.
"Dominic," he offered, extending his hand.
"Alecia," she said, but didn't shake it.
He didn't mind.
"You're in med school?" he asked, nodding toward her textbooks.
"Biotech and pre-med. You?"
"Business," he replied vaguely. "Mostly just… running things."
Alecia narrowed her eyes. "You don't look like a student."
Dominic leaned back, amused. "I get that a lot."
Their eyes locked for a moment too long.
Alecia blinked first and looked away. "Well, Dominic, I have to study. So if you'll excuse me—"
"I will. But I'll be back."
She didn't answer.
As he walked away, she stared at the space he left behind. That flutter again.
Annoying.
But undeniable.
To be continued...