Chapter 43 Meeting Mia

Chapter 43 Meeting Mia
Daphne pushed the door open and froze just a moment at the warmth inside. The smell of garlic and wood hit her first, followed by Lila’s bright voice.

“Look at that chandelier! Can you believe it?” Lila said, twirling a hand toward the ceiling.

Michael’s eyes scanned the room, quiet and alert. “Let’s grab a corner,” he said, already stepping ahead.

Daphne followed, keeping her shoulders back, pretending she wasn’t a little tense.

They had been chuckling over the evening menu when a polite voice cut through the low hum of chatter. “Hi, is anyone sitting here?”

Daphne looked up. A girl stood at the edge of their table, dark hair pulled into a loose braid, her hands folded in front of her. She had a calm, careful air, like she was testing if she belonged before stepping forward. She didn’t smile too widely, didn’t make a show of herself, but there was a quiet attention in the way she observed each of them.

Lila jumped in instantly. “Oh, no! Please, join us.”

The girl nodded, stepping closer. “Thanks. I came alone. Thought I’d see if I could join your table.”

“I’m Mia,” the girl said, extending a hand to each of them. She lingered just a second longer on Lila. “Love your makeup. It's so elegant it really suits you.”

Lila leaned closer, smiling. “Thank you! That’s sweet of you.”

Michael’s smile stayed neutral, polite, a small nod. Nothing else. Daphne noticed how he subtly stayed ahead of her, like an invisible shield.

“So, you’re an art student?” Mia asked casually, her eyes flicking toward Michael and Lila.

“Yeah,” Lila said. “Michael’s the same. I’m, well, you know…I'm learning to keep up with them.” She laughed softly.

Mia tilted her head, a faint smile. “You two make a good team.” She glanced at Daphne briefly. “And you?”

“Business management,” Daphne said, keeping her tone steady. She didn’t look at Mia.

Daphne forced herself to smile, even though the pit in her stomach didn’t ease. She told herself she didn’t care. She really didn’t. But she kept watching anyway, aware of the way Mia’s eyes moved, noting the group without seeming obvious.

Michael stayed quiet. His polite attentiveness to Mia was just that, nothing more. He responded to her comments with nods and small smiles, nothing that indicated interest. Daphne observed the small distinction carefully. He wasn’t reacting the way he might with someone he liked.

Mia leaned slightly toward Lila when she spoke, a small tilt, hands moving minimally. Daphne’s jaw tightened without realizing it. It wasn’t obvious, Mia wasn’t encroaching but the precision, the measurement, it felt deliberate.

When the waiter brought the food, Mia passed over her card for the bill. “I’ll cover the bill,” she said, soft, composed.

“Thanks,” Lila said, taking the card. “That’s really nice.”

“You’re welcome,” Mia said. She smiled sweetly as nothing could rattle her.

Mia’s demeanor never faltered. She was easy, calm, and collected. Daphne felt the tightness in her chest return.

\~~~

As they stepped into the cool evening air, Mia’s friend appeared at the entrance. Mia gave a small wave.

“Hey,” the friend said softly.

“Evening,” Mia replied, her tone polite, measured.

Daphne lingered a step behind, watching as they started walking toward the curb. Lila jabbered about something silly, and Michael kept a steady pace beside her. Mia and her friend fell slightly ahead, moving with easy grace.

“Did you see her?” the friend asked quietly.

Mia glanced at the streetlights ahead, then back at Daphne with a silly smirk. “People like her,” she said softly, “always fall eventually,” Mia said, her tone light, teasing, but under it, a quiet certainty lingered. Daphne had heard what she said, she froze, taking a half-step back. The words settled on her like a thin but heavy weight.

Michael noticed her hesitation and put a hand on her shoulder. “Hey,” he said quietly. “What's wrong?”

“Did you just hear what she said?” She asked in a low tone pointing in Mia's direction

“No, did she say anything bad?” Michael asked in return

“No. Don't worry, it's fine,” Daphne said, not to cause trouble, but she couldn’t push the words out of her mind. She had no idea who Mia was, had never met her formally before today, yet there was a deliberate edge to her introduction, a precision in her behavior, that made Daphne’s stomach knot in a way she hadn’t expected.

She felt the subtle calculation, the awareness, even through the polite smiles and measured compliments. It wasn’t direct, but she knew instinctively that Mia had already sized her up. Daphne had been in enough situations, had faced enough quiet threats, to recognize one.

The night air was cold, brushing against her cheeks, but Daphne barely felt it. She kept glancing at Mia as she walked slightly ahead with her friend. Michael stayed beside her, still calm, still not showing the worry that Daphne felt pressing in her chest. Lila chattered, oblivious to the tension growing within Daphne.

Daphne clenched her hands, not knowing what she could do with the unease curling through her. Mia’s presence alone hadn’t threatened her directly, but the quiet, deliberate way the girl had entered the table, complimented Lila, and measured her silently had planted the seed. A seed that whispered in the back of her mind: she would have to be careful.