Chapter 3 — A Dangerous Beginning

Morning arrived slowly over Lagos.

The rain had stopped, but the streets still glistened beneath the pale sunlight. Buses roared through crowded roads while traders arranged fruits, clothes, and electronics along the sidewalks.

Aisha walked toward the bookstore with tired eyes and barely any sleep.

Yet no matter how hard she tried…

Her mind kept returning to Ethan.

His voice.

His smile.

Those strangely sad eyes.

She shook her head immediately.

“This is stupid,” she muttered to herself.

People like Ethan didn’t belong in her world.

Rich.

Mysterious.

Confident.

Meanwhile, she spent most days calculating transport fare and skipping meals to buy her mother’s medicine.

Their lives were too different.

So why did thinking about him make her chest feel warm?

The tiny bookstore smelled of old paper and dust as usual.

Stacks of novels filled the narrow shelves while a small fan spun lazily above the counter.

“Aisha, you’re late.”

Her boss, Mr. Bello, adjusted his glasses while organizing newspapers.

“Sorry, sir. Traffic.”

“Hm.”

He looked unconvinced but returned to work anyway.

Aisha tied her apron quietly and began arranging books.

Hours passed slowly.

Customers came and went.

But around noon, the bell above the shop door rang again.

And suddenly the entire atmosphere changed.

Aisha looked up automatically.

Then froze.

Ethan stood near the entrance wearing a black shirt with rolled sleeves and dark jeans. Sunlight behind him made him look almost unreal.

Too handsome.

Too calm.

Too out of place inside their tiny bookstore.

Mr. Bello blinked in surprise immediately.

“Can I help you, sir?”

Ethan’s eyes found Aisha instantly.

“I’m looking for a book.”

Aisha swallowed nervously.

“What kind?”

He walked slowly toward her.

“Something interesting.”

“You’re in a bookstore. That doesn’t narrow it down.”

A faint smile appeared on his lips.

Mr. Bello suddenly cleared his throat loudly before walking away with suspicious understanding.

Aisha wanted the ground to swallow her whole.

“What are you doing here?” she whispered.

“You asked if you’d see me again.”

“That wasn’t permission to appear at my workplace.”

“So you did want to see me again.”

She opened her mouth.

Then closed it immediately.

Ethan looked far too satisfied with himself.

“You’re annoying,” she muttered.

“You smiled again.”

“You notice everything, don’t you?”

“Only things worth noticing.”

Her heartbeat betrayed her instantly.

This man was dangerous.

Not because he looked threatening.

But because every word from him somehow slipped directly past her defenses.

Ethan wandered through the shelves casually.

“You work here every day?”

“After classes.”

“And before that?”

“I attend university.”

“And after this?”

“I go home.”

“That sounds exhausting.”

“It is.”

Ethan pulled a novel from the shelf absentmindedly.

“You shouldn’t carry everything alone.”

Aisha laughed softly.

“That’s easy for rich people to say.”

The moment the words left her mouth, silence followed.

Ethan’s expression changed slightly.

Not angry.

Just… distant.

“You think money solves loneliness?”

Aisha frowned.

“I didn’t mean—”

“It’s fine.”

But his voice said otherwise.

For the first time since meeting him, the warmth around him faded slightly.

Like invisible walls had suddenly returned.

Aisha studied him carefully.

Who exactly was Ethan Cole?

Because behind his calm smile lived someone deeply unhappy.

Someone hiding something painful.

Before she could ask, the bookstore door burst open violently.

Three rough-looking men entered.

Their leader wore a gold chain and carried the unpleasant confidence of someone used to intimidating others.

Mr. Bello’s face immediately turned pale.

“A-ah… good afternoon…”

“We came for our money,” the man snapped.

Aisha’s stomach tightened.

She had seen these men before.

Loan sharks.

Mr. Bello bowed his head nervously.

“Please… give me more time.”

“You’ve had enough time.”

The man suddenly grabbed Mr. Bello’s shirt aggressively.

Books crashed to the floor.

Aisha stepped forward immediately.

“Stop it!”

One of the men sneered at her.

“Mind your business, girl.”

Fear crawled into her chest.

But before anything else happened—

Ethan moved.

Fast.

So fast Aisha barely processed it.

One second he stood beside the shelf.

The next second he had pulled the man away from Mr. Bello with terrifying force.

The entire bookstore fell silent.

Even the gang members looked shocked.

Ethan stood calmly between them and Mr. Bello.

But his eyes?

Cold.

Completely different from before.

Dangerous.

“Let him go,” Ethan said quietly.

The leader laughed mockingly.

“And who are you supposed to be?”

Ethan didn’t answer.

The man shoved him hard.

Big mistake.

Within seconds, Ethan grabbed his wrist and twisted it painfully. The man cried out while the other two rushed forward.

Aisha gasped.

Everything happened too quickly.

A punch.

A crash.

A bookshelf falling sideways.

Then silence.

The three men stood frozen after Ethan slammed one of them against the wall effortlessly.

No fear.

No panic.

Only calm control.

Ethan released the man slowly.

“If you ever touch him again,” he said quietly, “you’ll regret it.”

Something in his voice made all three men back away immediately.

Not because he shouted.

Because he didn’t need to.

They left moments later.

The bookstore became silent again except for heavy breathing.

Mr. Bello stared in shock.

Aisha stared harder.

Because the man standing before her now looked nothing like the teasing stranger from yesterday.

This Ethan was different.

Stronger.

Darker.

Almost frightening.

Ethan adjusted his sleeve calmly as if nothing happened.

Then he noticed her expression.

And suddenly, something vulnerable crossed his face.

“You okay?”

Aisha blinked rapidly.

“You… who are you?”

The question hung heavily between them.

For the first time…

Ethan looked like he didn’t know how to answer.

That evening, after helping clean the damaged bookstore, Ethan drove Aisha home again.

But this time, silence filled the car.

Not awkward silence.

Heavy silence.

Aisha kept replaying the fight inside her mind.

The speed.

The control.

The coldness in his eyes.

“You’ve been in fights before,” she finally said quietly.

Ethan kept his attention on the road.

“Yes.”

“How many?”

“Too many.”

“You scared them.”

“I meant to.”

Aisha looked at him carefully.

“You’re hiding something.”

A faint smile appeared.

“So are you.”

“That’s different.”

“Not really.”

She crossed her arms.

“You still haven’t answered my question.”

“And you still haven’t answered mine.”

“What question?”

“Why do you look sad even when you smile?”

Her breath caught again.

Every single time.

Every time she thought she understood him…

He somehow understood her more.

The car stopped outside her apartment building.

Neither moved immediately.

Streetlights flickered softly outside while distant music echoed from nearby houses.

Then Ethan finally spoke.

“You should stay away from me, Aisha.”

Her eyebrows pulled together.

“What?”

“I’m serious.”

“Because you defended someone?”

“No.” His voice lowered quietly. “Because people around me get hurt.”

The sadness in his eyes returned again.

Stronger this time.

Aisha’s chest tightened unexpectedly.

“You’re not a bad person, Ethan.”

He looked at her for a long moment.

Then smiled sadly.

“You don’t know that yet.”

Before she could respond, he opened the door for her.

Their eyes met one last time.

And for reasons she couldn’t explain…

Aisha suddenly realized something terrifying.

She was already falling for him.

And deep down…

Ethan knew it too.

To be continue........

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