Chapter 1: The Lecturer's Proposal
The coffee shop smelled like regret and stale caramel. Molly sat hunched over her textbook, her fingers tracing the words like she was trying to memorize them by touch rather than sight. The fluorescent lights buzzed overhead, casting a sickly yellow glow over the tables, and the hum of conversation around her felt like white noise—something she could tune out if she focused hard enough. She had been here for two hours, pretending to study while actually waiting for the delivery driver to drop off her order.
Her phone buzzed in her pocket. A text from the courier service: *"Package delivered. Sign here."* She exhaled sharply, her breath fogging the screen.