บท 31: Catching Lies Like a Pro

Melissa had left early in the morning by leaving a WhatsApp message to Irene that she was going to check up on her friend in the hospital. She had mentioned that she would inform her later about when she was going to return. Apparently, she had prepared breakfast and lunch for themselves and her friend.

By the time Irene woke up, it was already late. She glanced at the clock and hurriedly took a shower and slipped herself in a coffee brown and beige long skirt and a white top. She adjusted its long sleeves once before heading to the kitchen to have breakfast.

Her face brightened at the sight of banana pancakes. She quickly finished her breakfast, locked the home, and made her way toward her friend, Cheryl's bakery.

Cheryl was her friend from high school who had opened her own bakery and coffee shop two years ago. Irene had already asked Cheryl if she would allow her to be at her place for some time to make the pastries.

Irene would have done everything at home had it not been a hundred pastries in question. She bought the needed stuff on her way and by 10 o'clock, she was in Cheryl's bakery.

It was a smaller shop as compared to the ones in the competition in the same lane but it was neat and cute. It had eight round tables with four chairs to each table. The place was equipped with wooden furniture. In the evening, it looked incredibly beautiful with the warm ambience of yellow dim lights.

"Cheryl," Irene chirped as she entered the bakery.

"So long. What's up?" Cheryl was adorning the glass display counter with the visibly delicious cakes when she watched Irene walk in.

"All good." She walked a bit more to give Cheryl a quick hug and placed the bag in her hand on the table nearest to her.

"So, a hundred pastries, huh? Are you throwing a party or what?" Cheryl joked while taking off her apron. "Everything is ready. I have put out everything you would need on the table."

"Cheryyylll... Thank you so much. I love you."

"Haha. Get to work now." Cheryl pointed at the backside. She had a dedicated room where she prepared her cakes, doughnuts, muffins, and the rest.

When Irene reached the cafe, she spotted Ilyan, who had occupied the table near the window from where the activities on the road could be seen.

She covered the distance between them and placed the two huge bags in her hands on the table.

"Are you a detective or a spy or a private investigator or something? Why do you grab this place? To keep an eye on the people on the road?" She was yet to forget when he had mentioned that he had caught her lost figure from the window.

She smiled, pulling the chair across him. As she sat, she was met with the surprise shining in his eyes.

"That's exactly who I am. I am hired to spy on you. Damn it. Now I can't do that." He banged his fist on the table, lightly enough not to invite any unwanted attention.

"Ilyan," she called his name in the 'that-was-lame-tone' while shaking her head.

"Alright. Alright," he laughed and gazed at the bags at the front. "So... you brought me the pastries."

"A hundred of them. I am anticipating to see how you are going to eat all of them." Pressing her elbows on the table, she darted a curious glance at him.

"I never said I am going to eat all of them." A grin plastered all over his face at the curiosity on her face slowly transforming into amusement.

"What does that even mean?" She leaned back in the chair.

His unspoken reply was interrupted by the waiter.

Ilyan glanced at Irene. "What would you take?"

"Eh. Nothing. Thank you." She graciously smiled at the waiter before shaking her head at Ilyan.

"Ah. Have something. I am sure you have spent hours making these pastries. These -"

"I didn't make them. I bought them from the bakery." She swiftly cut him off, silently patting her back for being so smooth with the lie.

A soft, warm smile graced his face as his gaze stared at her composed self. His head slightly bent and his forefinger scratched his forehead.

She had not missed the glint in his eyes before he shifted them down.

He looked up, at her, and the peculiar expression on her face left him smiling even wider.

"Okay, okay, let's talk about this later. Let me put the order first. The weather is cold so I think you should have some soup. This place offers a really good spiced carrot and lentil soup. It's healthy also. Would you like to try that?"

She, for the fact, had zero interest in the soup he was singing praises of but she was definitely intrigued and burning with curiosity as to what that strange smile on his face was all about.

She nodded without blinking her eyes.

Acknowledging her indifferent nod, he placed the order. A grilled cheese sandwich for him and a spiced carrot and lentil soup for her.

As soon as the waiter left after noting down their order, she folded her hands to her chest.

"Alright, so you want to make me believe that it's not your hands but someone else's behind the pastries?"

"I don't want to make you believe anything. It's the truth."

Planting her feet firmly on the ground, she sat there, wearing confidence.

"If you really are speaking the truth, then say it again but this time... by keeping your hand on your heart."

Was he challenging her pretending skills? She internally let out the victory laugh already. He clearly did not know what she was capable of. He certainly did not know that she had spent a lot of her days, pretending to be all cool when she was dying from inside.

She placed her hand on her heart and said aloud what he wanted her to.

Once she was done and took her hands down in her lap, she had the winning glint in her eyes but his smile was still glued to his face.

"I sincerely thank you for proving me right." He bowed his head down.

"When did I do that?" She slapped her hand on the table only to realize that it caught people's weird stares.

Fidgeting with the piece of her dress, she traveled her gaze to the window side, and let it linger there for obvious reasons.

"Relax. Nobody is looking at us."

"Huh." She looked around. Everyone's gazes were back at their tables. Her suspicious eyes went to his smiling ones. "What did you do?"

"Nothing."

"Liar," she muttered under her breath. He definitely did something. It was impossible that nobody was looking at her weirdly anymore.

What must have he done though? He did not even leave his place. Did he just threaten them with his glare?

"Had you not been lying, you would never try to prove yourself. Not especially to a stranger like me... you wouldn't really care but since you were trying to make me believe in your lie, you did what I asked you to."

Just as he reasoned, all that she wished for was earth to split open and swallow her.