On a glorious summer afternoon, I was in a pastry shop. A cup of black coffee on the table. The steam coming out of it slowly faded over time. Again, I looked out the window. At lunchtime, my boyfriend texted me to talk about something.
I looked at the wall clock. Ten minutes had passed. I didn't wanna be anxious or suspicious. So, I ordered two tiramisus. When Xavier comes, I'll let him eat these.
A few minutes later, the waiter arrived. The two tiramisus on the table coincided with a limousine pulled up opposite the shop, near the office.
I stared intently at the vehicle. The person I knew driving the white limousine was Gracella. She's a rich girl from the Lawrence family, who own casinos in Las Vegas.
One month ago she suddenly showed up at the company and introduced herself as an investor. There's nothing wrong with being an investor in a food company. However, the look she gave to Xavier gave me pause. Even though I thought she was a rich girl and must've been matched with someone of her level, I was still wary.
No one came out of the limousine. I was about to look away, but then Xavier appeared. The charming man came out of the office carrying his briefcase. I put on a smile and stood up.
He entered the shop. When I saw his tired face, I resisted the urge to greet him. He sat down and I sat down. We were silent for some time.
Xavier sighed. "You waited a long time, sorry," he regretted.
"No problem. I just arrived. Would you like an Americano? I'll order it."
"No need."
"Plain water?"
Xavier shook his head.
At that moment, I immediately shrank. However, I couldn't demand him to be so considerate of me. There's a project this month and Xavier was involved in it. That project must be draining his energy and mind.
I pushed the plate at him. "You've worked hard. Try this."
Xavier took a long look at the cake. His eyelids lowered slightly. He didn't seem interested. Then, he said, "Avery, thank you for your concern."
I nodded with a smile. My heart swelled every time I heard his praise. We were praising each other after working hard, we were also falling in love and now was two months of our dating. I never knew falling in love could be this sweet.
"From now on you don't have to worry about me."
I looked up. In confusion, I looked at his calm face. A glimpse of those eyes scrolled to the left, peering outside the store. However, that's not what's important now.
"Why?"
Pausing for a moment, Xavier told, "Let's end this relationship."
"What do you mean?" I asked and began to fidget. "Did I do something wrong? What did I do that displeased you?"
"No, there's nothing wrong," Xavier replied. He shook his head in resignation.
"So, what's your excuse?"
"I'm getting married."
"To whom?" I asked quickly. My eyes moved restlessly waiting for a response. Suddenly, someone came to mind. "Grace?"
Xavier nodded.
I wanna speak firmly. But my voice was choked. My throat hurt. "Aren't you guys... since when?"
"Recently."
There was no trace of regret in the voice. I took a breath. I held back the water in my eyes. My vision blurred, but I couldn't cry. Not if this was the end of our relationship.
"Why did you choose her?" I asked again.
"I don't need to tell."
"You do! You need to tell me everything, from the beginning until now." I raised my voice in place of tears.
Xavier's expression turned annoyed. He ruffled his hair. He clucked, "This is why I hate girls like you."
"What?"
"An ordinary girl like you, what can you give me but love?" Xavier spoke in annoyance. This was the first time he used that tone. I was silent for an instant. He spoke again, "You wanna know why I chose her?"
My mouth snapped shut. I couldn't see his expression because of the tears.
"Grace has the world in her hands. Grace gives me everything I want. You're just an ordinary girl. Do you see the difference?"
I bit my lip. My face looked up to force the tears in. Afterward, I looked him right in the eyes. "I found it. I also found the trait that you were hiding."
Xavier picked up his bag and stood up. As he walked past me, I whispered, "You must be great entertainment for her."
I looked straight ahead. The shop bell rang when Xavier opened the door. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed that he went across the street to get into the limousine. Looks like they have a date this afternoon.
My back leaned against the seat. The tears I'd been holding back with all my might finally fell. I covered my face. Damn, I can't cry for that trash. Even though I believed that many times, the tears kept flowing. Double damn!
The glorious summer afternoon turned into a stormy summer. This was the most miserable summer in my 24 years of life.
The ringtone of a phone caught my attention. Between my fingers, I peeked at the person in front of me. His broad back was wrapped in a navy suit. He ruffled his hair for a moment, then picked up the phone.
"You have a boyfriend? Just now? What a coincidence."
The sky turned sad with every step I took toward home. The love story that I thought was forever beautiful turned horrible in an instant. I was dumped because I wasn't rich!I wiped my hand on my nose. Damn, Xavier Clarke! If he knew I wasn't rich, why did he agree to my invitation for a date? He should have picked a richer girl from the start."Fuck you!" I swore as I ruffled my hair until the knot came loose. I looked down. That hairband I always wore, was a gift from my ex. Now, it was as broken as our relationship.I took another step. A French restaurant at the crossroads beckoned with its long queue. I stood on the other side waiting for the crosswalk light. Before I knew it, I was home. Tired of walking for 3 km doesn't feel when your heart is hurting.After the light turned, I stepped quickly towards the restaurant to the side. My house is on the second floor. The restaurant belongs to my mother, Laure Agreste, a talented chef.I opened the door and was immediately greeted by
The next day, I back to Blue Star Food Company. With a confident stride, I headed for the division floor. As I was about to enter, I bumped into Kenneth. His golden hair was shiny as usual, as was his smile. "Good day, Avery." "Good morning." "Beautiful as always." "Thank you." I nodded and Kenneth waltzed into his room. Kenneth Owen was the half-year head of the programming division. His cold nature was public knowledge. It was just that he made a smile every time I met him.I headed for my desk. My gaze went straight to the other side, Xavier's desk. It was already empty. I was sure our internship hasn't ended yet. I wonder, where did he go? Keeping the question to myself, I sat down and turned on the computer. A resigned sigh could be heard from the other side. "We're doomed. Lowly employees like us will be expelled. I have to find a new job." "That's right, we're so ruined that the summer is turning into agony. It's so hot...." I lowered my gaze. The file I analyzed was f
My eyes were glued to my phone all the way home. Upon opening the door, I was jolted by my mother's presence. In her chef's uniform, she was in the kitchen. I turned off my phone and put it in the bag."Isn't it restaurant rush hour?" I asked as I approached her.She glanced at me. "You didn't eat dinner yesterday because I forgot to leave food.""Why didn't you come down to the restaurant yesterday?" she continued.I put my butt on the chair. I kept my hands on my lap. I replied, "The restaurant was crowded and I was tired. So I went straight to bed.""That's why your eyes are swollen."I nodded.She turned off the stove, picked up a plate, and poured the food onto it. She served me five pieces of crepes. "No leftovers," she warned."Okay."Her hurried steps led her to wash her hands, then disappeared quickly behind the door. She was busy, I could tell. Still, I wanted to imagine us eating together.I went to the refrigerator to get some green grapes. Then, the silence that I just re
I spent the following days looking for Ace Company's information and a day off. At first, I thought it would be difficult due to the chaotic state of the office. However, they played dumb and gave me a day off on Thursday.This afternoon, I was practicing answering questions for tomorrow's interview. The time I have was very limited. So, I must work hard to prepare myself.I looked at my reflection in the mirror. My new shirt fits my body perfectly. I tucked my hair behind my ear, then went back to reading the paper taped to the mirror frame."I chose to join this company because the values upheld by the company are very much in line with my values. I believe that this value congruence will allow me to contribute optimally and make a positive impact in a mutually supportive work environment."After the sentence was finished, I flashed a smile. Then, I realized that my sentence was too long and sweet-talking. I came to the mirror to cross out the unnecessary words.Adrien came in meowi
Las Vegas summers ignite the passions of its people. Cafes are not devoid of ice sales, and hotels have guests every second. I was on my way to the subway. It's a long distance from home to Ace Company. It takes three stations to get there.After getting my ticket, I waited for the train to arrive. Today, the station was packed with foreign tourists. They look pleasant in their summer clothes. I hope I get rich and travel the world with satisfaction.The train arrived. I stepped inside while tightening the grip on my bag. My journey will be long. There's a chance I might fall asleep, but I decide to stay awake. In this crowd, it's very possible that there could be pickpockets or something.I stood up and held onto the pole. My eyes scanned each person who was busy looking down at their phone. This was the first time I've used the subway to travel far. Taking a taxi might have been more convenient, but I wasn't that rich."Last night's green wine was delicious. I'm going back to that c
A frown creased my forehead. For a moment, I thought he wanted to offer me a drink. But then I realized he was asking me to get drunk.I smiled slightly, then looked up. My neck reached its limit as I stared at his chin. "Thank you, Mr. Davis, but I'm driving.""So, there's too much dust in your car."I looked down at my shoes. The black color had faded a little during the journey here. I smiled a little. "I haven't cleaned them yet."A strand of my hair was pushed behind my ear. His strong fingers accidentally touched my cheek. He touched the tiny beads of sweat in my hair."Avery Green, what do you want from me?" The low voice was beautiful, an implied warning to me not to misbehave with him. I inhaled, then exhaled slowly. I explained, "I want to work for you and get rich." "What are you getting rich for?" The woodsy scent emanating from him made it hard for me to breathe. He was tall, powerful, and in control here. My mind was stuck from being pushed around by him. I was at a l
The next day, I went back to Ace Company. This time, I took a taxi after getting off at the second station. Just in case, I polished and diligently checked my flat shoes frequently.The yellow taxi driver was trying to drive in the middle of a traffic jam. I looked at my watch. I left early so I wouldn't be late. I also called in sick suddenly to get extra time off. Through the glass, I admire the blue sky of Las Vegas. The king of the sky was on its throne, but the Ace building blocked its light. It was the tallest building, dominating like its owner.The taxi stopped in front of the building. I paid the fare and got out. As I walked there, I wiped my hands with sweat. I wouldn't let Graciano know my lie.The glass door opened automatically as I approached. The same receptionist was still there. This time, she immediately told me Graciano was waiting for me in his room.I went alone to the elevator. Unexpectedly, the two employees were in the same elevator as me. I averted my eyes f
I didn't tell Mother about taking time off work or applying to Ace Company. She just knew I went to work as usual. To pass the time until after work, I took a walk in the park like yesterday before settling down at a restaurant.I chose to sit by the window and immediately regretted it because the wide window reminded me of the moment Xavier decided. A waiter came to ask for the order. I told her a glass of ice Americano and a pastry. Then, I folded my arms and used them as a pillow. I regret signing the contract without reading everything. Even though Graciano said the contract was no different from the others, I was still worried. A powerful man like him might add points that only benefit him. I blamed myself for burning with the spirit of revenge. I should've been wary of his dark gray eyes, mesmerizing, beautiful, and sharp. "I hope he doesn't pursue perfection over success," I whispered. The ice Americano had come. I raised my head and sat up straight. I noticed that the wai