Chapter One

~Agathe~

"Seduce an old codger with heaps of money so that you can, at long last, fund your mother's surgery."

Settling down the emptied platter of highball glasses on the countertop, I glanced at Grazie to show her my baffled expression. 

"You are in desperate need of cold cash, aren't you? It's all over your pretty face."

I looked down, choking sorrow radiating from my sapphire eyes. Grazie must have detected that something was rattling me ever since this morning.

My mind is in utter shambles. I received a call from the sole hospital in our village.

The chief doctor told me that my mother's condition had gotten worse. Her medications aren't working anymore and she needed to have her surgery as soon as possible. 

And, it must transpire tonight or it would be too late for my poor mother. The sole complication was, I still don't have the ready money.

"I don't know what else to do, Graz." I muttered, and a lone tear fell from my eye. I hastily wiped it. 

Working in a teensy restaurant like this in Snowflake Village and being paid below minimum wage couldn't magically provide me with the amount that I needed. 

Being one of the underprivileged is both a torment and a pain in the rear.

"Agathe." Grazie doesn't know how to comfort me. Words are not enough to justify how heartbroken I was at the jiffy. My mother means the world to me. 

"Just take my advice. Remember that old codger who always strived to talk to you?" 

"Mr. Schneider? God. Hell, no."

The indignation in my tone was evident. That old codger was one of my admirers.

He is kind of well-off and has lived in Stonewood City all his life. Stonewood City is the sparkling city where every affluent clan in this country resides. It only stood beside our village.

Amidst all that, I wouldn't dare seduce him because he is already sixty nine, for Pete's sake! Way older to be my great grandfather! 

"Why not, Agathe?" Grazie's voice woke me up from my chain of thoughts.

"You are beautiful. Use that. Have sex with the old codger once and for all then ask him a hundred million greenbacks for it."

My eyes widened in sheer embarrassment. Needless to say, sex is a taboo subject matter for me.

Everyone in our village is aware that I hadn't been touched or kissed by anyone. Though certainly, every man here fantasizes about me.

In spite of that, no one, forsooth, had captured my heart. Not that I am a hopeless romantic or something.

Or that I believed in one true love and a charming prince would sweep me off of my feet. No. Absolutely not.

I don't believe in love merely because I know it isn't for the likes of me. Who has nothing but my pride and dignity alone? 

I learned the hard way that stinking rich people are only for stinking rich people. 

Most importantly, I had been busy juggling my time to work and study. I have been providing for my mother since I was twelve after my father died in an avalanche.

Since then, I assumed his role in taking care of my mother. She is my lifeline. The only substantial reason I kept enduring this harsh world every single, excruciating day. 

"Grazie, I would not trade my self worth just for the sake of acquiring dirty money from a dirty old codger."

"It wouldn't be called dirty if you worked hard for it. You know what I mean."

Grazie winked at me. I almost puked as censored images invaded my mind. Can't believe she managed to make me picture that scenario. 

I don't know how she became one of my closest friends. Her words always baffle me and catch me off guard. 

"No, thank you. I am waiting for the approval call from Silvestri Medical Hospital. They must sponsor my mother's surgery no matter what happens." 

Grazie shook her head as I filled another batch of glasses with water to be served on tables four and six.

"Do you still hope that will happen? Agathe, it's been months. Besides, your mother never made it to their list." 

My jaw clenched. I don't understand. I never will. Stonewood City was ruled by the Silvestri's for centuries. They are the most loaded and well-heeled clan in that city. 

Their chains of hospitals had been sponsoring poor patients from every village around the city. Unluckily, my mother wasn't chosen to be their beneficiary. 

I did everything to convince them that my mother deserved their sponsorship. However, they kept rejecting my mother's application for some unknown reason.

Something that had me loathing the surname 'Silvestri' for eternity. 

"It will happen. And, if they demand me to pay everything back in the near future, I will." 

I stated all of those things with burning determination in my eyes. Grazie raised her hands to give up convincing me and resumed brewing coffee for our customers. 

"Agathe, why are you just standing there? The man at table fifteen had been waiting for someone to take his order. Chop chop, girls. This isn't a gossip station." 

That was our supervisor, Filo, who always loved to take out her frustration on the waitresses in this restaurant.

She had been an old maid at the age of forty two and she blamed it the most on me. Held me accountable by consistently telling me that I had bewitched all the men in this village.

As if I wanted that to happen in the first place. "Coming right up." I picked up the platter once more and walked past Filo. 

After serving the glasses of water on tables four and six, I picked up my notepad from the pockets of my apron and strutted towards the last table.

It was located at the farthest back of the restaurant and the other tables around it were crowded with customers. 

It was lunchtime and I was already famished. My stomach was rumbling probably because I hadn't eaten anything for breakfast. But, I still had to serve everyone's food first before I could eat. 

Nearing table fifteen, I saw a man in an expensive black suit sitting in his chair like he owned the place. His broad back was facing me, that's why I couldn't see his face.

He was staring at the glass wall, watching how the icy snow beautifully cascaded down from the sky. I halted in my tracks when his manly scent instantaneously attacked my nose.

Oddly enough, he smelled so good I suddenly fancy closing my eyes to savor it. Good thing I halted myself. This isn't the perfect time to be doing that. 

At long last, I stood in front of the man and was about to ask him for his order when I felt something punch me in the gut as soon as I stared back at his stunning, dark amber eyes.

He was remarkably good-looking and it felt like a mortal sin to be looking down on him. He has this perfect square jaw that screams utter authority.

A fine aristocratic nose, thin pinkish lips, long curly eyelashes, and thick brows highlighted his dazzling eyes more. 

My gaze moved further down and even with the suit on, I can still perfectly distinguish how lean and muscular he is underneath those lavish clothing.

When he folded his long sleeves, I almost fainted. Veins popping out from his arms was now my favorite sight on earth. 

Gulping, I cleared my throat. He probably noticed me gawking at him for a good ten seconds, compelling my cheeks to burn. 

Goodness gracious. Who wouldn't? I have never seen such a gorgeous man before in my life. 

Perhaps he was from the other villages? Or, from Stonewood City based on his lavish scent and suit? 

"A fine afternoon, sir. What can I get for you?" 

We locked eyes again and I held my breath. I only hope he wouldn't notice it. He tilted his head and scrutinized my whole existence, taking his time, and resting his chin over his hand. 

"You." 

I blinked, quite confused. What did he say again? "Uhm. Excuse me?" 

His eyes darkened. His gaze never leaves mine. "I want. . you." 

Ohh. I stood still, mouth wide open. How can those three words affect me that much? Perhaps, it was the deep and sexy baritone in his voice. 

I scoffed, trying to conceal the effect of his words on me.

"I beg your pardon? Come again?" Maybe I heard it wrong. 

"You heard me. Don't make me repeat myself." He uttered that without breaking eye contact. 

What the hell? His vexing arrogance was all over the place. 

"Sir, with all due respect." I beamed, a forced one. "I'm asking what you want to order because obviously, this is a restaurant. Not a pick-up bar. And, I'm not a harlot. I'm a waitress." 

The gorgeous guy smirked. The dekko on his dark amber eyes palpably manifested his amusement. 

He was about to respond, but my phone rang in my pocket. "Give me a second, sir." 

I picked up my phone and answered it right away after seeing Dr. Farah's name on the caller's I.D..

"Doc, what is it?" 

"Miss Capucine, it's about your mother. She had another attack once again. I'm sorry."

I unknowingly dropped my phone onto the floor, my whole world crumbling down to pieces. I ran away from there as fast as I could, weeping hard.

Utterly forgetting the gorgeous amber-eyed man. Something I never thought I would unequivocally regret later on.