Suddenly, I Am Rich

A few days passed, but for Gray, nothing really felt settled in.

He still had too much on his plate, but thankfully, the fog in his head had finally disappeared.

And after days of reading, now he was here.

Gray was standing outside a quiet cafe, a few streets from their old university district. The place had big glass windows and a crooked wooden sign hanging over the entrance. The place looked vintage and old.

It looked the same as it did years ago.

The memory hit him unexpectedly. He remembered that the last time he stood out here, he had just finished a presentation, and Mara was waiting inside with two cold drinks.

He'd laughed back then whenever he saw her. But now, his hand hesitated on the door.

He wasn't sure if it was nerves or if he just thought that it had been a long time.

Still, he stepped in.

The smell hit him first. The smell of coffee and butter from the pastries filled the air.

Afternoon light poured through the tall windows, warming the wooden floors and casting long and quiet shadows across the tables.

And there she was.

Mara was sitting by the window with legs folded under the table. She was wearing a familiar pair of wired headphones looped around her neck. Her hair was shorter than before but a little messier.

There was an untouched latte in front of her, and her laptop screen was half-open.

It looked like she hadn't seen him yet.

He took a second to look at her.

Mara's face still had that same soft sharpness to it. Her brows were furrowed in focus, and there was a tiny crease between them that only ever showed up when she was deep in thought.

Her skin was a little tanner than he remembered, and there were faint freckles on her nose that hadn't been there before.

Mara hadn't changed much, but at the same time, she had.

She was wearing a plain black shirt tucked into loose denim jeans with the sleeves slightly rolled up. She was wearing no makeup. And yet, somehow, she still looked presentable.

Gray let out a sigh before walking over to her.

"Mara," he said.

Her head turned.

And for a moment, the café went still, and silence surrounded them.

"…Wow." Her eyes flicked over him, and a faint smirk curved on her lips. "You actually showed up."

"You thought I'd ghost you again?" Gray let out a short breath.

"Yes." Mara closed her laptop, then tilted her head. "Sit down, idiot."

"I'm not an idiot." Gray scoffed, but after a second, he did sit down.

They stared at each other for a second.

Gray tried to find something funny to say, but nothing came out. There were too many things in his throat that he wanted to say but didn't know where to start.

"…You look the same," he said instead.

Mara snorted. "You look like someone ran you over."

"I've been in hell."

"I can tell."

Mara chuckled softly. She leaned back in her seat and studied him a little longer. There was something gentle about the way she looked at him.

"So… are you okay?" she asked.

Gray looked down at the table, then shrugged.

"Getting there."

"Mm." Mara hummed, then took a sip from her now-lukewarm latte.

"So, what's life been like for the great Gray Adams?"

"Tsk," He let out a weak snort.

"There's just stress. Too much stress. My to-do list's trying to kill me. I haven't slept properly in days. My sister is also so energetic that it's giving me headaches sometimes."

Mara laughed out loud at that. Her voice was neither smooth nor soft. Instead, it was a little deep and hoarse.

"It was really hard, huh?"

"It was." Gray shrugged. "One day, I was broke. Then the next day I owned produce."

She blinked again, then burst out laughing.

"God. You're so stupid."

"I'm aware."

"Right. At twenty years old."

Gray shook his head, a half-laugh leaving his lips.

"I told you. I've been in hell."

Mara smiled behind her cup. "And here I thought I was the one falling apart."

"Oh yeah?" he glanced at her. "How's your side going? Are you still studying?"

She leaned her chin on her hand. "Let's see. I stopped going to classes last sem. But I'm doing a few freelance jobs. I spent the last few months just doing small projects for rent money."

"You still coding?"

"Unfortunately."

He huffed. "What a pity life you have?"

"Yes. And I still hate when people talk over it."

Gray grinned when he heard the annoyance in her tone.

"It's comforting how some things never change."

They looked at each other then, and for a moment, the noise of the café faded again. The silence felt less awkward now, like it was the kind of quiet that only came with someone who used to know you too well.

Gray was about to say something else when Mara suddenly spoke.

"Yes."

"Uh… what?"

"I said yes." She crossed her arms, her expression deadpan. "Aren't you here to offer me work? I'm saying yes already. You idiot."

"You—wait, how did you—" Gray blinked.

"Gray. You called me out of nowhere. You asked how I was. You said you were running a business. Then you asked to meet. What did you think this was? A reunion arc?" Mara raised an eyebrow.

"I mean… yes? Kinda?"

"Well, congratulations. You don't need to do the awkward pitch now." She rolled her eyes but smiled anyway.

"…So you're seriously saying yes?"

"I am." She leaned back, arms behind her head. "I trust you."

Gray blinked again. His brain was still buffering.

"…Huh."

Mara tilted her head. "You okay?"

"I just… I thought I'd have to ask you and explain to you."

"You still might," she said dryly. "Depending on how bad the job is."

Gray chuckled under his breath and leaned back in his chair. The tension in his shoulders, the stuff he hadn't even realized he was carrying, finally started to ease.

"Thank you," he said quietly.

Mara grinned. "You're welcome. But I expect snacks."

"Noted. Snacks are part of the contract now." Gray laughed.

"Damn right."

[Ding!]

[Mission Complete!]

He didn't know that it was so easy.

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A/N: Just the start of the month, and Golden Tickets are already pouring!

Shout out to those who dropped Golden Tickets and gifts in the novel:

Kribb0871, Sheunopa_Matambo_4926, DPhantom, PatD, Jason_Blanchette_1856, pea_one, Gnimod_Tipmud, TrashSkill, Savatagio, DaoistcLLT97, Oonyx2409, Macronimus, Onay_Manalansan, Dieshard101, daniel_effiong, Ancien_Soulmaster.