Chapter 1

Isabelle Campbell

It’s already the end of the month. Still, the pervert douche ‘My manager’ has refused to give me my last month’s pay.

“I’ll pay last month's and this month’s by the last day of the month” his useless promise rang in my head.

I know I should have taken some actions to make him pay me up. If I didn’t need the money urgently, I wouldn’t have to come to work here. I have my mother’s bakery down the street but business has been slow and I can’t keep up with rent.

I would have gotten a cheaper space and moved out of there, but that bakery holds so much memory of my mum that it’s so hard to let it go. Thinking of my mum changed my mood suddenly and the heaviness I had been trying to keep away was slowly getting in my heart. Too much hurt for this weak heart to bear.

I looked down at the cupcakes I was icing and smiled. I made a happy face on all the cupcakes, even though I was sad and miserable.

I picked up a cupcake and smiled when memories Mum showing me how to ice the cupcakes this way. My train of thought was interrupted by a commotion happening outside the kitchen.

I went out to check what was going on and saw a young man, in a grey, expensive-looking suit looking down at the scared-looking Eliose in anger. His stance and how his fists were curled said a lot about how angry this man is.

I walked up to them. “What’s going on here?” I asked Eloise.

“I—he di-”

“I am the customer here, so you look at me and ask me the question, not this incompetent child behind you” his voice was as cold as ice. Sharp as a knife, they cut through my patience and laid-back act.

I gestured for Eliose to leave then turned to the young, handsome, angry man who was throwing a tantrum.

“Sir, what is the problem?” I asked in the sweetest voice I could muster.

“Well, your workers here can’t get a simple order right” he points in the direction Eliose went in “I asked for tea. Freaking TEA!!! And I was given coffee, even after I made it clear that I hated coffee so much”

My eyes went wide like saucers. He’s the VIP tea guest. Shit!

“We are so sorry for the mix-up sir, please have your seat, let me get the rig-” he put his hand in my face to shut me up.

I hate people’s hand on my face.

“You messed up” his hand went back to his side, thankfully.

“That’s why I want to rectify it. Please have a seat sir, and I’ll get the correct order for you right away” I waited for him to sit but he didn’t, he just stared me down and scoffed.

“I want to speak to your manager” he crossed his arms.

I shook my head. Eliose is in deep shit.

“Sir, it doesn’t have to get to that. I take full responsibility for it. It’s my fault you got that order, it’s a mistake” I tried to convince him, but my heart did a million summersaults as I imagined how harshly the manager would handle Eliose for this mistake. “Please, we can solve it without involving the manager” I plead.

His emotionless eyes scanned my entire appearance and he chuckled nastily.

“Look at you, miserably begging me not to report your incompetency.” He shook his head.

His comments immediately made my blood boil.

Miserable? Incompetent? Who the hell does this guy think he is?

I wanted to lash out but I needed this job and my two month’s pay. I wouldn’t shit on this guy for his slip and wrong choice of words.

Taking in deep breaths and hiding my clenched fist in my apron. I forced a smile on my lips but couldn’t stop the daggers my eyes narrowed his way.

“Sir, I am sorry if you felt that way about our service.” I said in between gritted teeth “This won’t happen again, and I will make sure your order is greatly and carefully made to avoid cases like this from happening”

He picked up his phone from the table. “It wouldn’t happen again” he stated then typed on his phone.

“Yes, it wouldn’t. Let me get your order for you sir” I said, trying to stylishly pry at what he’s doing.

He looked down at me and stopped typing. “That wouldn’t be necessary…” he looked at my chest then back to my face “Belle” my nametag. “I would make sure you’re disciplined mercilessly, then you would sit up and learn to serve your customers well and not be as incomp-”

“The HELL is wrong with YOU?” I yelled, not being able to take it any longer.

I am so proud of my skills and I agree mistakes do happen, doesn’t give him the right to insult me over and over again in my face.

“I apologized, told you we would get your order right this time and you’re just proving to be a stubborn, spoilt rich baby throwing tantrums at the slightest issue arising” I didn’t think when I spoke. I am too angry to know what I am saying to him.

“I wonder how you handle crisis at work when the littlest thing gets you, this worked up and makes you throw tantrums” My gaze burned through his cold eyes. “That’s if you work and mummy doesn’t feed you” I muttered.

In a flash, the coldness in his eyes now burned with anger. I swore I saw fire in his eyes when I said those words. Probably hit a nerve then.

He took a step towards me and pointed to himself. “You dare talk to me like this?” his voice became dangerously low, deeper, and this time, fire wrapped around his angry question.

I’m scared now. “You don’t talk to people badly if you don’t want to be spoken to in that way” My voice sounded so mild and I think I squeaked the words out.

He chuckled, his eyes still held the fire in them and his expression turned emotionless. He wanted to say something but then I heard my manager’s voice from behind me and that’s when I knew I was screwed.

“Answer me, Campbell? Is it true you disrespected our VIP guest?”

My heart is beating so hard, having a heart attack would not be a surprise.

I turned around to face Mr. Freeman whose face was red in anger, like it would explode in seconds. He was looking at me like I killed someone or stole from the bank. Like a wicked king about to banish an innocent little girl for senseless reasons.

“Mr. Freeman, I wa-” he raised his hand for me to stop then pushed me aside to apologize to the jerk behind me.

“I will make sure she’s disciplined right away,” he said in the kindest tone ever.

“I want her fired this instant or you lose a big customer” his voice sliced through my heart like a sharp knife.

I whipped around like the breeze did the magic, my eyes wide open upon hearing his ridiculous request. My eyes went to Mr. Freeman who is now looking at me with eyes that have never looked at me kindly since I started working here.

“You heard the man, get out and every one of your pay is canceled because you nearly cost this shop a valued customer” he points to the door “Out of here before I have you thrown out by Big Nelly” he pointed to the big guy sitting by the door and pushed me so I can leave.

I looked at the arrogant man who made me lose my job by a simple command. He was now seated scrolling on his phone as my now pathetic ex-manager tried to talk to him and probably interest him with the new snacks I started making for the shop.

My blood boiled, my fist clenched by my side, my teeth gritted and my eyes glared hatefully at him. I wish the sky fell on his head and something bad happened to him for what he did to me.

I turned around and went to pack my belongings then left the only place that would have saved my mum’s bakery.

It was still morning, so I headed for the bakery just stayed there, and asked my mum to strengthen me. On my way, I got a text from a former customer asking for a thousand cupcakes and muffins delivered to her tomorrow for a retreat she’s doing tomorrow evening.

My mood instantly changed and I wasn’t gloating over what I just lost. The money might not be up to my salary of two months but it’s enough to put a down payment till I can get the rest.

I rushed to the bakery to start working on the order, I dialed my best friend/manager of the bakery to come help me out if she was not busy with her new job. I pressed the call button and looked at the front of the bakery. I stopped in my tracks when I saw the majority of my equipment laid carelessly on the floor, someone picked up one of the expensive pans and ran in the opposite direction.

“Hey!” I walked in between the equipment, careful not to damage anything. I looked inside and saw Mr. Darren coming out of the door with two guys carrying out the oven. They dumped it outside the door and Mr. Darren locked the door. “What is all this sir?” I looked at the equipment and then back at him.

He threw a paper at me and pointed to me. “I warned you. Told you I would take it out by the end of the month if you don’t have the money ready”

My heart clenched when I read the quick notice he threw at me. “I said I would get it for you today” My voice shook, my eyes watered and I had to blink them to clear my sight.

“Do you have the money now?” I shook my head “It’s the end of the month, you didn’t keep to your end of the agreement and I did, so bye” he turned around to leave but I stopped him.

“I just lost my job, give me more time. I would pay it up” I cried.

He hissed and gave me a once-over. “No more time and this begging doesn’t look good on you. Get some other place you can manage and stop disturbing the market for me” he smiled and spoke, a hint of greed in his tone “Someone would come in tomorrow to check the place out and hopefully buy it off for good” he laughed then turned and walked away from me.

I sat on the floor and read the notice again. My eyes were filled with tears and I didn’t hold them back this time, I let it fall as I sob. I heard footsteps again and when I looked up, it was the same person who had stolen some equipment of mine. The person took another pan and ran away.

I didn’t have the strength to stop him anymore.