Chelsea didn't expect to see them together.
Luis and Mia.
She was only there because Kevin insisted.
"Buy it yourself," he had said lazily from his office chair. "No delivery. You know how I like it."
Specific blend. Extra hot. Two pumps of vanilla. No foam.
She clenched her jaw but obeyed.
As his secretary, she followed.
The café near the Alps Builders office was Kevin's favorite. He liked routine. Control.
But the moment Chelsea stepped inside.
She froze.
At the corner table sat Mia.
And across from her.
Luis Ray.
Anyone in the business world knew him. Wealthy. Influential. Unmarried. Always on magazine covers.
And now he was leaning forward, listening intently to Mia.
They weren't smiling.
They weren't laughing.
But the intensity between them was undeniable.
Chelsea's eyes narrowed.
Why was Mia meeting him privately?
Was she suspicious?
Or worse..
Was she replacing Kevin?
Quietly, Chelsea lifted her phone.
Click.
The picture captured perfectly, Mia leaning slightly forward, Luis focused on her.
Intimate enough to misinterpret.
Perfect.
Chelsea's lips curved faintly.
Let Kevin see this.
Let him feel what it's like to doubt.
She quickly sent the photo.
---
Inside his office, Kevin's phone buzzed.
When he opened the image, his expression darkened.
Luis Ray.
With Mia.
His grip tightened.
What is she doing with him?
Jealousy burned, but not from love.
From control.
Mia was his stepping stone.
His future position.
His access to power.
And Luis Ray was not someone to underestimate.
---
Meanwhile, on the top floor of the building, Michael Alps stood by the window of his office.
"Mia has been moving quickly," he muttered.
The disaster-resilient housing project. The underground reinforcement. The early permits.
Everything aligned too perfectly.
Too urgently.
Helen Alps sat on the couch, watching her husband thoughtfully.
"Let's wait," she said softly. "If she wants to tell us something, she will."
Michael frowned. "Or maybe she's rushing because she wants to marry Kevin."
Helen sighed.
"Michael… I never had a good feeling about that boy."
Michael turned toward her. "You're not the only one."
He lowered his voice.
"Julian Lee mentioned rumors. Something about Kevin and Chelsea Hale."
Helen's brows knit together.
"Julian tried reviewing CCTV footage," Michael continued. "But nothing clear yet. If I get proof… I'll show Mia immediately."
Helen's eyes softened with worry.
"I hope she wakes up soon," she whispered. "Before it's too late."
Outside the window, the city looked calm.
Normal.
But beneath the surface.
Secrets were tightening.
And time was running out.