Chapter 1

• Chloe’s POV
• My name is Chloe Addison. I am 18 years old and had just graduated from high school a few days ago. I had thought this was going to be the best time of the year for me, but it became the worst.
• I sat down on the small desk in my room going through some list I had made a few days ago.
• "300 dollars, 400 dollars..." I loudly calculated the amount of money I had left before I got enough for my university tuition since I had just graduated from high school a few weeks ago.
• "This isn't enough, not near..." I exhaled sharply, leaning my chin to my hands, scribbling words into my notepad.
• I held my breath as my eyes dilated when I saw the time on my wristwatch. "Oh my gosh!" I jerked up to my feet tossing the notepad into my opened drawers.
• "I am late..."I said loudly, grabbing my coat and bag, I put on my sneakers and made my way out of the door swiftly.
• I made a run to the bus stop, the wind behind my back, and the sun was high, not one of my favorite days to be out, but what else could I do but leave for my part-time job that was the only source of income right now?
• I got into the bus that was already about to depart, panting, almost out of breath. I sat down in the back seat, inhaling and exhaling sharply as I leaned by the window, staring at the busy street.
• This summer I had turned eighteen and had thought life would be better when I finally became an adult and graduated high school, but it was different since I had to bear a lot on my shoulder.
• I took a deep breath and refused to think about the things I had to go through just to make it to the university. I had resolved to myself that I was not the first to pass through all these.
• The bus stopped and I made my way out of it. I looked up at the expensive restaurant I had recently started working part-time at. It was big and luxurious, and I was glad to have gotten a part-time job here.
• I rushed inside through the back door to avoid running into my supervisor, I made my way to the female dressing room.
• "Hey, Chloe, you have to hurry, the supervisor was just asking after you a few minutes ago."One of my colleagues told me as she handed my uniform over to me.
• "Should I be worried?" I asked in fright, stripping off my dress and jumping into the black skirt and white shirt that is the restaurant uniform.
• "Not yet, I lied to him that you were serving a customer." I breathed a sigh of relief.
• "Thank you so much," I told her and she flashed me a smile and we made our way out of the female room while avoiding running into the supervisor.
• I spotted a group of female waitresses chattering about something with smiles on their faces. I was curious and turned to the girl I had been with.
• "Hey, what are they talking about?" I asked her, pointing in the direction of the others.
• "You haven't heard the news that is going on around the City lately?" She exclaimed, breaking into a grin and her eyeballs dilated with gladness.
• "No, what is it about?" I bent down to tie my shoelace properly before getting up to stare into the girl's eyes waiting for her answers.
• "A Billionaire would be getting married here this week." She exclaimed again. "I am surprised you are not aware of it, this is the talk of everyone in the city."
• I made my way towards the place where the others stood. I glanced over my shoulder to make sure my supervisor was not around to catch us in our little gossip.
• "Have you seen the Billionaire's bride?"
• "No, have you?"
• "No idea, but whoever she was, she must be beautiful..."
• "Of course, she should be, I heard she is also from a wealthy home..."
• "Why else would a Billionaire want to marry a lady if she isn't from a wealthy home..."
• "I wish I was her..."
• "You can't be here, you work in a restaurant as a waitress..."
• "Whoever she is, then I am so jealous of her..."
• "Me too, I envy her and wish I could be her..."
• "I heard she is beautiful and classy, a high-class person and career-oriented..."
• "This is why she is more fit to be a billionaire's bride."
• I heard all their constant chattering as I stood there listening to their back-and-forth whispers.
• "Hey, the supervisor is coming." One of the waitresses who was keeping watch whispered and the small group scattered rushing to start their job of the day, but there were still smiles on their faces.
• I served the customers present with smiles on my face, while I served them, I could still hear a few customers talking about the billionaire's wedding, I decided to take my mind off it, this City has a lot of rich people and I was not one bit interested in it because I only had one thought on my mind, and that is to make enough money for my university tuition.
• It was finally 8:00 in the evening and the end of the big day at work. We were all gathered by the supervisor who glanced at us with his scary dark eyes, making us look down at our feet. He was a man that was feared by all the workers and to us, he was arrogant and scary.
• "You all have worked hard and I am sure it has come to your notice that a billionaire would be having his wedding at this restaurant." He paused, there was silence, and no one dared to speak when he spoke. "I want to bring to your notice that the restaurant will be closed starting today."
• I looked up at the supervisor in surprise, I was not expecting to hear this, but I looked down immediately when my eyes met the penetrating gaze of the supervisor.
• I mentally started calculating the next part-time job I would do during the week.
• "Everyone is dismissed, your paychecks will be sent to your credit card at the end of today." He finished addressing us and we all left to go change into our normal dresses.
• I told the last person in the dressing room goodbye and picked up my bag to leave the room. When I heard footsteps approaching me, I turned around shocked to see my supervisor in there.
• "Sir..." I lowered my gaze immediately. "W-why are you here?"
• "I can be wherever I want to be." He looked around the female-dressed room, perhaps noticing that we were alone, he looked at me again. "Chloe, go on a date with me." He walked close to me and I pressed my lips together taking a step back.
• I glanced at the doorway, it was far from where I stood, and he was standing next to me and there was no way for me to flee if I wanted to.
• "Sir, I..."
• "It is just a date, Chloe." The supervisor held my hand, and with his other hand he raised my chin, I could feel his rogue breath close to my face. "You are very pretty and the kind of girl I want to go out on a date with, so please go on a date with me Chloe." He leaned his face close to me, but I looked away.
• "No sir, I can't." I voiced out this time, I wished someone would come in right now, but I knew the others had left and we were the only ones inside, now I regret not leaving with the others.
• The supervisor's eyes darkened and he left my hands forcefully. "If you won't then, then you will have to be punished." His eyes held so much coldness that made me shiver.
• How would I be punished? I was scared as I peeked through my lashes to see my supervisor smirk.
• "You should clean this whole restaurant tonight before leaving, if there is any spot then you won't be getting your paycheck."
• "Sir..." I looked up, my chin quivering. Hearing the words that came out of my supervisor's mouth brought tears to my eyes. "Please..."
• "Make sure there is no spot." He said coldly and walked out of the room.
• I clutched my bag and slid down my locker, burying my face in my hands. I truly needed that money and by the words, my supervisor had said I knew he was not kidding her, if I didn't do it then I was not going to get paid.
• I wiped off the tears in my eyes, I knew I had to clean up if I wanted to leave tonight.
• I put my bag down and walked out of the female room to begin the task I had been given. This was better than going out with my supervisor who was older than me.
• I wiped off the sweat pulse that had formed on my forehead as I continued scrubbing the floor. I had been working for over two hours now and the place was too big and the cleaning seemed endless.
• I halted when I heard a loud sound coming from the entrance of the restaurant. I was a bit scared, gently putting down the vacuum cleaner. I made my way towards the door slowly.
• I gently opened the door even in the darkness I could see a man sitting close to the entrance of the door.
• "Hey," I called out and rushed over to him. "Are you okay?" I covered my nose when I smelt the strong smell of liquor coming from his lips, I figured out he was drunk.
• Could he be a drunk beggar? I scrutinized him.
• He was dressed in a suit and accessories with famous brand logos indicating he was not an average beggar, but I shook the thoughts that were gently forming in her head.
• "Hey, you can't be here," I said softly but the man didn't respond to me. "Aish, this isn't what I want to do right now, he must be a beggar."
• I glanced over my shoulder, it was quiet and dark outside so I got up to return to the restaurant but paused.
• "It is cold out here and he is drunk."I bite down my lips hating myself for always thinking of others in a situation like this. I turned my head back to look at him.
• I exhaled softly and walked back to him, tapping his shoulder. "Hey, it is cold out here, you should leave..." I ran my hands through my hair in frustration when he did not respond to me.
• I placed my hands around his waist to keep him steady and his hands on my shoulders. I helped him up, leading him into the restaurant.
• The man staggered, he was strong and I tried my best to keep them steady, leading him to the female room, there was a bed in there and since there would be no one in this restaurant I could lend him my bed just for this night.
• I gently helped him on the bed, he groaned with his eyes still closed. "He is wasted." I shook my head, placing a pillow under his head. Since it was cold, I used a blanket to cover his body.
• I crossed my arms and stared at him for a long while. "He is dressed properly but drunk, he could also have something that had made him this way, just one night, he can stay just one night here." I wiped off the tears in the corner of my eyes and left the room to continue my task.
• I exhaled sharply, I knew I would have to spend the night here when I was done, it was already late and dark outside, and there was no way to leave now, whereas I had a stranger in the female room.
• "I will have to stay here for tonight, then hand over the keys to the supervisor, take my paycheck, and go find another part-time job." I nodded and put away the vacuum cleaner.
• I was very exhausted and sleepy, today had been a long day, and cleaning this whole restaurant was not an easy job to do.
• I located a chair and decided to rest for a bit. I took out my notepad and scribbled in some words a plan for the next day, but unknown to me I dozed off.
• I heard a loud sound and my eyes fluttered open. I jerked up immediately, looking out of the window, it was already sunny, I wiped off the drool on the corner of my lips, my supervisor might be here or supposedly anyone.
• I remembered the man in the female room and rushed over to send him away before anyone saw him, but to my surprise, there was no one on the bed.
• I looked around the room and fear gripped her. Could it be that he stole something? I quickly looked into my bag, I breathed a sigh of relief when my money was still there.
• My eyes flickered to the desk next to the bed, I saw something and gently walked over to the desk to discover a small note with a cell phone number.
• I picked them up and read the words written on them. "Thank you very much for your kindness last night, call this cell phone number to reach out to me. I would like to thank you properly."