Chapter 6

  The next morning, Vanessa was back at The Sweet House, going about her usual routine, but today, everything felt different. The warmth from last night lingered, and even though her hands worked at the counter, shaping dough and arranging trays of pastries, her mind kept drifting back to the conversation she’d had with Lucien. The quiet intensity in his gaze, the sincerity in his words… She still couldn’t believe it had happened.

  As the sun climbed higher in the sky, casting soft light through the bakery windows, the doorbell chimed once more. Vanessa glanced up, her heart doing its now-familiar flutter. And there he was—Lucien—stepping inside the bakery with that same calm, deliberate stride, his sharp eyes scanning the room before they settled on her.

  For a moment, neither of them said anything. Lucien walked up to the counter, his gaze never leaving hers, and Vanessa felt her pulse quicken. She could feel her cheeks heating up, still not used to this strange, thrilling dynamic between them.

  “Good morning,” she greeted softly, a small, shy smile tugging at her lips.

  Lucien nodded, his expression as serious as ever but with that subtle softness she had begun to notice more and more. “Morning.”

  As she prepared his usual tea, Vanessa couldn’t help but feel the weight of his gaze on her. It wasn’t uncomfortable, but it was... intense. Lucien wasn’t the type to make small talk, and she had grown accustomed to the quietness between them. But today, there was something different—something like curiosity in his eyes.

  When she placed the tea in front of him, Lucien didn’t immediately pick it up. Instead, he leaned forward slightly, his eyes still fixed on her.

  “I don’t know much about you,” he said quietly, his voice low but deliberate.

  Vanessa blinked, momentarily taken aback by his directness. “What do you mean?”

  Lucien’s gaze didn’t waver. “I’ve been coming here for a while,” he said. “And we’ve talked on our date yesterday... but I don’t know much about you.”

  Vanessa felt her heart skip a beat, her mind scrambling to process his words. Lucien Vale, asking about her? It was still such a foreign concept, but the sincerity in his voice told her that he genuinely wanted to know more.

  She bit her lip, feeling a bit self-conscious. “There’s not much to know,” she said, her voice soft but hesitant. “I’m just... well, I’m just me.”

  Lucien’s brow furrowed slightly, clearly not satisfied with that answer. “Tell me,” he said, his tone insistent but not unkind. “What do you like? What’s important to you?”

  Vanessa stared at him for a moment, surprised by the question. She wasn’t used to people asking her things like that. Most of the time, she felt like she was just the quiet baker in the background, the one who worked behind the counter and didn’t make waves. But now, here was Lucien, really asking her about herself.

  She took a deep breath, trying to steady her nerves. “Well, I guess... I like baking, obviously,” she said with a small laugh, gesturing to the trays of pastries behind her. “It’s something I’ve always enjoyed. My mom taught me when I was younger, and it just... stuck. It’s calming, in a way.”

  Lucien listened intently, his eyes focused on her, not interrupting. His attention, as always, was sharp and unwavering, and it made Vanessa feel a little more at ease.

  “I also really love tea,” Vanessa continued, her voice growing a bit more confident as she spoke. “I’m kind of obsessed with it, actually. Different blends, different flavors... I spend way too much time thinking about it.”

  Lucien’s lips twitched slightly, as if he found that amusing, but he didn’t comment. Instead, he gestured for her to continue.

  Vanessa hesitated for a moment, unsure of what else to say. She didn’t think her life was particularly interesting, but Lucien’s calm patience encouraged her to keep going. “Other than that, I guess... I’ve always liked quiet things. I don’t like crowds much. I prefer reading or just spending time with people I’m close to. I’ve never been one for excitement.”

  Lucien nodded, still listening carefully. “What about your family?”

  Vanessa’s expression softened at the mention of her mother. “My mom, Vivian... she’s everything to me. It’s always just been the two of us. She’s the one who started this bakery in the first place. She’s... well, you’ve met her, so you know she’s a bit over the top.”

  Lucien’s eyes flickered with the smallest hint of amusement. “A bit.”

  Vanessa laughed softly, her nerves easing even more. “She’s a force of nature, but she means well. She just wants me to be happy, you know?”

  Lucien nodded again, his expression unreadable but not cold. “And are you?”

  Vanessa blinked at the question, surprised by the directness of it. It wasn’t something she had expected him to ask, and it caught her off guard. Was she happy? She hadn’t really thought about it in those terms before.

  “I... I think so,” she said slowly, her brow furrowing as she considered the question. “I mean, I love what I do. I love baking, and I love this place. But sometimes... I don’t know. I guess I feel a little stuck. Like I’m just going through the motions.”

  Lucien’s gaze didn’t leave hers, but he didn’t press her for more. He simply nodded, his expression thoughtful. “It’s easy to get stuck,” he said quietly. “Especially when everything around you has been chaos for so long.”

  Vanessa felt her chest tighten at his words. Lucien knew chaos better than anyone—he had lived through it, fought through it, and survived it. And yet, here he was, standing in her bakery, asking about her life.

  “I never really thought about it that way,” Vanessa admitted softly. “I guess... I’ve just been trying to find some kind of normal.”

  Lucien nodded, his eyes softening slightly. “Normal is... rare these days.”

  For a moment, they stood in silence, the weight of their conversation hanging in the air between them. Vanessa had never expected to open up like this—not to him. But the way he listened, the way he asked—there was something about him that made her feel... safe. Like she could tell him anything, and he wouldn’t judge her for it.

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  “I’m glad you told me,” Lucien said quietly, his voice cutting through the silence. “I wanted to know.”

  Vanessa smiled, feeling a warmth spread through her chest. “Thank you,” she whispered, her voice soft but sincere.

  Lucien gave her a small nod, his expression calm but thoughtful. And in that moment, Vanessa realized something—Lucien wasn’t just interested in her for superficial reasons. He wanted to know her, to understand her. And that, more than anything, made her feel like maybe, just maybe, this connection between them was something real.

  Because Lucien Vale didn’t waste his time on things that didn’t matter.

  And right now, to him, she mattered.

  …

  Vanessa’s world had started to shift since Lucien had entered her life. It wasn’t something she could explain easily, but there was a noticeable change within her—a quiet confidence that hadn’t been there before. Ever since their date and the steady visits to the bakery, she had begun to feel more comfortable in her own skin. She found herself putting more effort into her appearance, something she hadn’t done in a long time.

  Where she used to throw on whatever was practical for work, now she was wearing makeup more regularly, simple but tasteful jewelry, and choosing outfits that made her feel confident. Her hair, which had once always been tied back, now flowed freely more often, and she carried herself with a subtle grace that even she had started to notice.

  And it wasn’t just Lucien who noticed.

  The regular customers at The Sweet House—men who had previously ignored her in favor of Robin or Emma—were now starting to pay attention to her. Vanessa had never been the one to catch people’s eyes when they came in, never the one to be flirted with or complimented. That had always been Robin or Emma, the girls with their perfect hair and effortlessly charming personalities.

  But now, when she stood behind the counter, there was a new kind of attention directed her way.

  It started subtly at first. A few more lingering glances from customers, compliments on her baking with smiles that seemed a bit too warm. A comment here, a lingering look there, and soon, Vanessa realized something had shifted. She had gone from being invisible to being noticed—and not just by Lucien.

  One afternoon, while she was arranging pastries behind the counter, a customer—one of the regulars—leaned over with a friendly grin. "You’re looking really nice today, Vanessa," he said smoothly, his eyes sweeping over her in a way that made her cheeks flush.

  Vanessa blinked, caught off guard. “Oh! Uh, thank you,” she stammered, trying to suppress the wave of flustered confusion washing over her. She wasn’t used to this—at all. Normally, customers barely noticed her, their attention almost always focused on her more outgoing coworkers. But now, there was a shift in the air, and it left her feeling out of her depth.

  Robin, who was standing nearby, smirked knowingly as she elbowed Vanessa lightly. “Told you so,” she whispered, her voice teasing. “You’re glowing lately, Ness.”

  Vanessa’s face turned a deeper shade of red as she shook her head. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she muttered under her breath, though even she couldn’t deny it anymore. Something had changed, and now she was the one catching people’s attention.

  It wasn’t just that one customer. Soon enough, more of the men who frequented the bakery were beginning to flirt with her, offering compliments, asking more about her day, and giving her looks that made her heart race in ways she wasn’t used to. And every time it happened, she couldn’t help but feel… flabbergasted.

  She wasn’t Robin or Emma. She had always been the quieter, more reserved one. But now, as she smiled more, as she carried herself with more confidence, people were noticing her. And while part of her was still shy and uncertain, another part of her—the part that Lucien had unknowingly brought out—began to accept that maybe, just maybe, she was more than she had once thought.

  But as the days passed and the attention grew, there was one person who wasn’t as thrilled about it.

  Lucien.

  He had always been a regular presence in the bakery, stopping by for his tea and roll, his calm demeanor hiding the depth of his thoughts. But Vanessa couldn’t help but notice that lately, his visits were accompanied by a subtle shift in his mood. He wasn’t just calm and composed—there was something else brewing beneath the surface. A tension that she hadn’t seen before.

  It became clear one afternoon when a man at the counter—a customer who had been particularly bold with his compliments—leaned in a little too closely as he spoke to Vanessa. "You know, if you ever need some help around here, I’d be more than happy to give you a hand,” the man said, his tone playful, but with an edge that made Vanessa uncomfortable.

  Before Vanessa could respond, a familiar presence appeared behind her.

  Lucien.

  He didn’t say a word at first, but his presence was enough to make the air in the room shift. His sharp grey eyes, usually calm and unreadable, had hardened as he stared at the man, and the intensity in his gaze was unmistakable. Vanessa could feel the tension rolling off him, even though he remained perfectly still.

  The man, oblivious to the change in atmosphere, smiled at Vanessa again, clearly unaware of Lucien’s darkening mood. “So, what do you think? Maybe we could—”

  “She’s not interested.”

  Lucien’s voice cut through the air like a blade, low and cold, leaving no room for argument. The man froze, his smile faltering as he finally turned to look at Lucien. The intensity in Lucien’s gaze was enough to make the man take a small step back, his confidence quickly draining away.

  “Oh, uh, I didn’t—” the man stammered, clearly flustered now.

  Lucien’s eyes narrowed, his tone clipped and sharp. “You did.”

  The silence that followed was thick with tension, and the man, clearly recognizing that he had crossed a line, quickly mumbled something incoherent before making a hasty exit. As soon as he was gone, the air in the bakery seemed to return to normal, but Vanessa could still feel the lingering tension in the space between her and Lucien.

  She turned to look at him, her heart pounding in her chest. "Lucien," she started, her voice soft and hesitant.

  But Lucien wasn’t looking at her. His gaze was still fixed on the door where the man had exited, his expression unreadable but the tightness in his posture giving him away. There was no mistaking it—Lucien was jealous.

  It took him a moment to finally speak, his voice low and controlled. “Seems like the attention’s shifted,” he muttered, his eyes finally meeting hers.

  Vanessa felt her cheeks flush, her heart racing. “I didn’t—” she hesitated, unsure of how to respond. She hadn’t meant for this to happen. She hadn’t expected anyone to notice her, let alone Lucien, and now this sudden surge of attention was overwhelming. But there was one thing she knew for sure: she didn’t care about the attention from those other men. She only cared about Lucien.

  “I don’t want their attention,” Vanessa said quietly, her voice trembling slightly as she spoke. “I just… I just want you.”

  Lucien’s eyes softened at her words, the tension in his posture easing as he let out a quiet sigh. For a moment, they stood there, the unspoken understanding between them settling into something deeper. Lucien had never been one to show his emotions easily, but Vanessa could see it now—the way his eyes softened when he looked at her, the way he stood just a little closer, the way he had stepped in to protect her without hesitation.

  Lucien reached out, his hand brushing against hers in a gesture that was both simple and meaningful. “Good,” he said quietly, his voice steady but filled with a quiet intensity. “Because I’m not letting them take you.”

  Vanessa smiled, her heart swelling with warmth. And in that moment, surrounded by the quiet hum of the bakery, she realized that Lucien had seen her from the very beginning. And no matter who else noticed her now, it was Lucien who mattered most.