Chapter 1*Jerk!*Vanessa's POV."Vanessa, take the tray to table no 9," ordered Madam Taylor, the restaurant owner. She was usually short-tempered, irritable, and would charge at anyone for the littlest mistakes, but today she seemed oddly cheerful. It was the first time I saw her prepare a meal all by herself for anyone, it was always done by Samuel, the chef. I heard from the other waitresses that the guests over there were related to her, and she wanted to leave them extremely satisfied after today.I wrapped my messy hair into a loose bun, straightened up my collar, and wiped my tired face with my hand. I barely had any sleep last night because I was on a night shift in my second part-time job and had to rush down here as soon as the clock struck 8 Am.I was about to pick up the tray when she stopped me, "No, no, no. Don't you know anything about hygiene? My son is a picky eater, and he would never taste food from a place where there's no proper hygiene. Wash your hands clean,
Chapter 2*Shit, I lost my job!*Vanessa's POV.It had been an hour since they left and I continued to face queries.I winced in pain as Madam Taylor dragged me by my ear into the kitchen. The hot coffee still stung my face, but the pain in my ear was even worse. I tried to pull away, but her grip was too strong."Madam Taylor, please, let go," I pleaded, tears streaming down my face. "I didn't mean to insult your son, I thought he was just some jerk trying to prank me."She finally released my ear, but her eyes were filled with anger and disappointment. "You thought my own son was a jerk? How dare you? He is the most important person in my life, and you had the audacity to slap him!" I turned mute, and maybe I began to regret my decision for slapping him."What is wrong with you?! I told you my son was at the table and you purposely targeted him, now he would never want to visit me." She cried, hitting me again, not caring if her palm landed on my nose or eyes. I was unsure if I woul
Chapter 3*Settle Your Debt*Vanessa's POV:"That's ridiculous! I don't have that kind of money!""Well, then I guess you'll have to find a way to get it, won't you?" he smirked.I felt a surge of anger rise within me. This guy was impossible. Not only did he get me fired from my job, but now he was demanding an outrageous amount of money from me. I couldn't let him get away with this."I'm not paying you a dime," I said defiantly. "You can take your demands and shove them up your ass."He looked taken aback for a moment, clearly not expecting such a response. But then his expression hardened and he grabbed my arm again, this time with even more force and I struggled to break free."You bitch, I said you're paying, and you will. I will make you.""I already to you I won't give you a dime, quite stressing, I lost my pay check because of you." I accused him."You're giving me the $50,000 and I want it settled from now till the next two months, everything."Andre POV:"$50,000!!! I can't
Chapter 4Andre POV:Who's getting married?!" My sister's excited voice broke through the quiet of the room, startling everyone. I hadn't heard her come in.She must have greeted our Father before now because She hurried to where our stepmother was sitting, and wrapped her in a hug. "Mother, you're back from shopping?" My sister asked, a smile on her face, and then turned to me and my father, "You guys finally found a match for Andre? That's great! What's her last name?" Was the first thing my sister was concerned with. She was like everyone else in my family who only cared about the status of the people we should be associated with."We fixed your marriage, Louisa." I taunted."You're lying, I heard Father talk about your marriage, and by the way, you're the one old enough to get married here, you're thirty, remember? And I'm just twenty-four, why will I get married before you?" She reasoned."I don't mind, Louisa," I turned to my father, "Dad, we should get Louisa married soon, do
Vanessa's POV:My days started pretty early with my brother, Victor, waking me from my sleep. "Vanessa, aren't you going to work today?" he asked, his voice tinged with concern. I rubbed my eyes and tried to shake off the remnants of sleep. He was wearing an apron and I could perceive burnt food in the air. Did he cook? I asked myself and wondered why he went to the kitchen again as I remembered, he was an awful cook.Seeing his stern look, I realized that he asked a question earlier. "Work? I lost-" My tongue slipped, almost revealing my secret. Panic surged through me, and I quickly recovered, "I mean, I'm on off."Victor raised an eyebrow, giving me a suspicious look. "You lost what?""N-nothing," I stammered, my heart racing. "I mean, I didn't say lost. I said I'm on off." I corrected.He stared at me for a moment longer before letting out a sigh. "You're getting so many days off recently. Did you do something wrong?"I swallowed hard, my mind racing to come up with a plausible ex
Chapter 6Andre's POV:The harsh knock on the door woke me up, only to find out that it was 11 am and I was late for work."Shit," I mumbled. My head was still swiveling from the event of last night. I soothed it with my fingers to relieve the pain. I looked down at myself, I was nude with all my clothes off, and all over the place. How and when did I take them off? I had no idea.It took enough effort to get up from the floor and the first thing I did was to put on fresh clothes before coming back to the mess. I made sure to stay clear of the broken bottles. There was a repeated knock on the door and this time it was accompanied by Stanley's voice."Good morning Sir." He greeted.I didn't bother to respond and went ahead to open the door for him.The moment I opened the door, I flooded him with questions."Did you just arrive now? It's 11 am, Stan, how do you expect to get paid if you want to work for me like this?""Uhmm... Boss, I've been here since 7:30," he stuttered, startled by
Chapter 7Vanessa's POV:The memory of my last conversation with Claire echoed in my mind as I waited for her to return from work. I desperately needed help to deal with the financial mess I was in. The burden of my mother's medication expenses and the threat looming over the stupid car were pushing me to a breaking point. I knew Claire was the only person who could possibly help me out of this mess, but I had to be careful not to push her too hard.I waited for her to come back from work before going to see her.Finally, Claire burst into the room, in a rush to get changed, preparing to head out. "Babe, you're here. I'm going out, we'll see later," she hurriedly said without sparing me a glance, clearly preoccupied."Don't leave, I need your help, Claire,"Her expression shifted slightly, and she asked with a hint of annoyance, "What do you want?"I took a deep breath, summoning all the courage I had left. "Borrow me some money."She looked at me skeptically, "Huh, for what?"I hesit
Chapter 8Andre's POV:The sun's soft rays filtered through the curtains, casting a gentle glow across the room. With a sense of purpose, I readied myself for the day's challenges, my mind already focused on the responsibilities awaiting me at work. I held my necktie loose, going out to find one of the maids to help me knot it when I heard faint sounds of commotion coming from the main gate and I went to the balcony to see who it was. Seeing my mother with the guard, I asked myself why she came here, did she lose all her shame and decide to come so she could be roasted by the Garcias'?"Please, let me see him," she pleaded with the guard at the entrance, desperation evident in her eyes. The guard's stern expression remained unchanged."Madam, my job's on the line if I let you in," he firmly responded. I stood in front of the balcony the whole time, perplexed by how she managed to pass through the estate gate.Watching her plead to see me, a strange sense of satisfaction unfurled. I
Chapter 67Vanessa's POV:I woke up with swollen eyes and a pounding headache.My pillow was damp, a map of my tears and questions I had no answers to. I hadn’t slept properly, not even for an hour. My body ached, and my mind felt like it had run a marathon through every version of last night—except the one where I said yes.I said no.And I ran.I am grateful he isn't in the room now. I cannot bear the shame of looking at him after what happened last night. Thousands of thoughts flooded my mind. Why would he fall for me of all people? He had been a bully for as long as I can remember—always taunting and making sure I had a miserable time. Or was this advanced manipulation?But I found no answers to any of my questions, including the reason why I had been crying so foolishly.I figured he wouldn't come to the room since he didn't return last night, and I packed our luggage, including the teddy, which for some reason I had gotten attached to, and then got prepared for our trip back.An
Chapter 66Vanessa's POV:Inside were luxury bags and shoes, dresses... Two Hermès Birkin bags. One beige, one red. I heard they cost a fortune, and I couldn't help but think why he'd get them for me.The shoes looked like they were made from diamonds and angel feathers. Shiny bracelets and matching earrings, and then designer dresses with the softest fabrics I had ever felt.I blinked. “No… no, I can’t take these. I haven’t done anything to deserve this.”Andre leaned forward, voice stretched, and I could swear I sensed his irritation there. “It’s rude to reject a gift, Vanessa.”“But—”“Vanessa,” he cut me off softly. “Just accept them. Please...”I stared at the bags. At the perfect bows. My fingers trembled. All my life, I'd never gotten anything for free from strangers. If he was giving this much, clearly he'd want something in return, and I had none—nothing to give back.When I looked up again, he was no longer seated.He had walked around the table, picked up a single red rose
Chapter 65Vanessa's POV:It was Sunday. The last day here. The day before we’d fly back to our normal lives, back to work, stress, and the chaos that followed. And perhaps, he'd go back to his former asshole, bossy, jerk self which I kinda miss.I woke up late—so late that I thought I had somehow slept through half the day. The curtains were partly drawn, allowing thin slivers of gold morning sunlight to pierce through. But what jolted me wasn’t the time. It was the absence.His absence.The bed beside me was empty. Cold, like he'd left for hours. His coat, which he had tossed over the chair last night, was gone. No sign of him. I sat up, rubbing the sleep from my eyes, my hair tangled and puffed from the pillow. I blinked at the emptiness, trying to ask too much questions on his whereabouts. Maybe he just went out. Maybe he had a meeting.I shook the thought away quickly. There was a knock on the door. Room service.“Miss Williams,” a female voice chirped politely. “You’re schedule
Chapter 64Third POV:Rain came without warning that afternoon. The skies, once clear and blue, turned a soft, moody grey. The clouds hung low over the rooftops, and a light drizzle began to tap on cobblestones and storefront awnings. It wasn’t long before the drizzle turned into steady rain, soaking the city with its gentle persistence.Vanessa hadn’t expected the sudden change. She stood at the corner of a quiet street, just outside a vintage bookstore, her arms tucked close to her body as the chill from the rain crept under her cardigan. Droplets of water speckled her hair and eyelashes. She didn’t complain, just stood there, uncertain what to do next.And then, as if he had been watching all along, Andre appeared beside her. Tall, composed, and striking in a dark overcoat that didn’t seem to mind the rain.He said nothing at first. Instead, he removed his coat without hesitation and draped it over her shoulders, the warmth and scent of it instantly wrapping her like a quiet embrac
Chapter 63Vanessa's POV:I don’t know how long I stayed in the gazebo, but it was the only place I could find that gave me even a little bit of cover. The shadows clung to me, hiding my flushed face and jittery hands. The kiss had happened so fast, and yet it lingered on my lips like some kind of invisible mark. I could still feel the weight of his touch, the heat of his palm on my back. My heart hadn’t stopped racing.I didn’t want him to find me, but at the same time, I wanted him to. It didn’t make sense.The sounds of the violins echoed. I was stuck in a bubble that had popped and scattered everything I thought I knew about Mr. Garcia—about myself. What he meant by all these.Then I heard footsteps. Slow, steady, like someone who knew exactly where I was. I didn’t have to look to know it was him.“Hiding from me?” his voice came, soft and teasing.I looked up, and there he was, holding a huge, French-dressed fluffy teddy bear almost half his size. It had a red bow and sleepy butt
Chapter 62Vanessa's POV:I've barely been to parties all my life, but nothing… absolutely nothing could’ve prepared me for Genevieve Laurent’s party.From the second we stepped out of the car, I felt swallowed by a whole different world. Like I had walked straight into a dream... or a movie. Everything glittered. The lights, the dresses, the jewelry—even the champagne shimmered in its glass. The mansion itself looked like it was carved from gold and secrets—tall ceilings, grand staircases, chandeliers that sparkled like falling stars. Every corner buzzed with laughter, clinking glasses, French accents, and perfume that smelled like money.I froze at the entrance. Just stood there like a misplaced child in a palace. I wore a nude silk dress Mr. Garcia had sent earlier—tight in places I wasn’t used to. I wasn’t dressed wrong, but I felt wrong. Like everyone here had grown up sipping champagne while I was still figuring out how to pay rent on time.Mr. Garcia stood beside me like I belo
Chapter 61Vanessa's POV:When I woke up, the first thing I noticed was the absence of weight in the air.No subtle scent of woodsy cologne. No sound of faint typing or movement. No silent, looming presence behind me.Just… silence.The kind that made me blink rapidly as I sat up slowly, my body sinking into something softer than the firm couch cushion I had laid on the night before. That’s when it hit me.I wasn’t on the couch anymore.I ran my fingers over the sheets, confused and dazed. My head turned quickly toward the now neatly folded couch blanket resting in a corner, as if someone had gently peeled it off me in the middle of the night.Andre Garcia.It had to be him. He must’ve carried me to the bed while I slept. The idea of his hands under me, lifting me—his scent barely clinging to the pillow beside me—sent a confusing rush straight to my chest.Why would he do that?I rubbed my face and flung my legs over the edge of the bed, taking in the empty room. The tall, sheer curta
Chapter 60Vanessa's POV:I sat stiffly at the round table, the heavy silverware shining under the warm glow of the restaurant’s chandeliers. The conversation between Mr. Garcia and his business partners flowed smoothly, but I felt like a decorative piece—smiling when expected, nodding politely, and pretending that I belonged here.I tried to stay invisible, focusing on the perfectly cooked steak on my plate and avoiding too much eye contact. But of course, things never stayed simple around him.As I reached for my glass of water, Mr. Garcia leaned forward slightly, a playful look in his eyes as he assisted, passing the water to me.“Ah, young love,” Mr. Laurent mused, smiling as if he’d just discovered our biggest secret.I nearly choked.I set my glass down quickly and glanced at my boss, hoping—begging—he’d correct the misunderstanding.Genevieve chuckled softly and placed her hand over her husband’s. “It’s lovely to see Andre with someone who makes him… human. You bring a softness
Chapter 59Vanessa's POV:Later that night, back at the hotel, I tried to keep my distance. But he was everywhere, partially suffocating my space.I was barely out of the shower when there was a knock at the door. I wrapped the robe tighter around me before opening it slightly, only to find him standing there, hands in his pockets.“Did you forget about the dinner?” he asked, his eyes scanning me briefly before stepping inside without invitation. “You need to get dressed.”I gestured to the dress I had already picked out. “I’m wearing this.”The dress I had chosen was a simple black one—elegant but modest.He gave it one look and dismissed it with a shake of his head. “No.”Frustration bubbled. “What’s wrong with it?”Instead of answering, he lifted the shopping bags with him. I blinked. He had lots of bags, and I wondered if he picked half the store."I got more than five dresses. Try them on.”“You expect me to try all of these?" He didn't respond, so I started opening the bags and