Chapter 1: THE NIGHT WE MET.

Nova’s POV;

“No, No, No…It can’t be! Tell me I’m seeing this wrong! Tell me it’s not what I think!”

Alex looked at me in confusion, his eyes filled with terror and his hands trembling as he handed me his phone.

I took the phone from him and stared at the screen for minutes, unable to say a word. One of the men in the picture was Williams, his father.

“What?” Alex asked. “Say something..”

I swallowed hard. “Um…” I hesitated, trying to catch my breath. “It looks like your father is having an affair.”

He stared at me, his face going pale.

“WITH A MAN.”

BEFORE EVERYTHING HAPPENED…

It was supposed to be an ordinary Friday. I had no idea it would be the beginning of everything, if i had known, i would’ve stayed back home.

I stood in front of my mirror, looking at myself. I didn’t look put together to go to a gala event but well, I wasn’t a guest. I was to serve as a waitress.

My phone buzzed on the bed behind me and I took a quick glance. It was a message from Zara.

Zara: You’re still coming tonight, right?

I sighed. The gala event was the last place I didn’t want to be. The thought of spending hours surrounded by wealthy strangers who I was once like only this time I’d be serving them was embarrassing to me.

Danielle sat beside me. “You’re still not contemplating, are you?”

I turned towards her. “You need the money, it’s only for a night Nova.”

I knew she was right. I looked at the dress hanging beside me. “Fine,” I muttered, reaching for it.

Zara: ..

I picked up my phone smiling slightly.

Me: Yes, I’m coming.

I put my phone down and got dressed. Minutes later, I walked into the living room, where Danielle was waiting for me.

“Finally,” she said, I was beginning to think you’d change your mind. You look really beautiful.”

“Thank you, Elle” I said, smiling softly “And yes, I almost did change my mind.”

“But you didn’t.”

I grabbed my purse, admiring myself one more time before stepping out of the door and waving her goodbye.

The event was being held in the biggest hotel in the city. Everywhere was crowded as I got there. Cars filled the parking lot, and people dressed in expensive clothes walked through the entrance.

Even the music was rich. I looked down at my simple black dress, feeling undressed. I was lost in thought when I got a tap on my shoulder.

“You’re definitely one of the waitresses, right?” She looked at me from head to toe then added. “Oh don’t even answer that, you definitely are.”

“Yes ma.” I answered anyway.

She pointed toward the hallway. “Go to the back. The others are getting ready.”

I nodded and followed the direction she pointed toward. I was walking down when Zara saw me.

“Nova, WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?” She asked, handing me the clothes to change into.

“My bad, I got lost for a second.”

“Don’t overthink this okay? it’s just for a night and by the way you don’t know which of these rich men would have interest in you.”

“In a waitress? Oh please!”

“You never know. And after today you might not even see half of these people ever again.”

“Right, right.” I said, trying to play the part.

I quickly changed into the waitress uniform that was given to me and was just conversing with Zara when my number got called.

“Number 12! It’s your turn to serve.”

“Yes ma.” I said, taking the tray of wine glasses from her hands, heading to the table I was assigned to serve.

“Wait! You’re serving THE ALEXANDER WOLFE??? Zara asked with her eyes lifting up with excitement.

“Uh..who’s that??”

“Girl, you must be joking because there’s no way someone doesn’t know Alexander Wolfe.”

“Helloooo??? I don’t.”

I could tell she was shocked but I just didn’t care enough to even ask about him further .

“Number 12! What are you waiting for?? Hurry up!”

I headed rushingly, not minding if I got the orders mixed up or not, balancing the drinks carefully in my hands.

The moment I got closer, I noticed something. Everyone at the table seemed to be focused on the man sitting at the head of it. They laughed a little too hard at his jokes, listened and nodded whenever he spoke and seemed desperate to keep his attention.

Honestly, he was hot as hell. Expensive outfit, expensive shoes, expensive wrist watch, basically everything screamed money. It was then I guessed he was Alexander Wolfe.

The only thing was I couldn’t have cared less, the only thing that mattered to me was to work and get paid.

He was on his phone, completely lost in whatever was on the screen when I walked up to him.

“Your drink, sir.” I said as I placed the drink on his table.

He didn’t even look up, he didn’t nod. I turned to leave when he finally spoke up.

“Wait!”

I stopped and turned immediately.

“This isn’t what I ordered. I ordered whiskey. Neat, not ice.” He continued, “take this out of my sight.”

He said as he picked up the glass, staring at it for seconds with disgust. Then his head finally looked up to me.

“I’m really sorry, I’d replace it now.”

He tightened his hands against the glass. I stretched my hand reaching for the glass but he pulled it slightly away.

“Can I have it back? I need to correct my mistakes but you’re not letting me. Don’t you want your whiskey neat anymore?”

“Do you always bring people whatever you feel like serving them?” He asked, adjusting his wrist watch.”

“Rude much? I already apologized to you, it was clearly a mistake.” I continued “anyway to answer your question, No.. I do not.”

The table suddenly went quiet. I looked around to see all of them looking at me in disbelief.

“Oh, God.” A woman muttered. She genuinely looked horrified while everyone else stopped drinking. They were all staring in concentration like they were watching a movie.

“What?” I asked myself .

“What was even the big deal? He was a customer who I served wrongly and immediately apologized for that. That’s all.” I asked everyone.

“You don’t seem very sorry.” He said.

Now I was pissed. He had been testing my patience , making it a much bigger deal than it should have been.

“What’d you want me to do? Cry about it? Bow down for you? What is even with you rich people?”

Everyone at the table coughed like they were choking. He gave me a soft smile. One that didn’t reach his eyes.

He finally put his phone down, looking at me properly.

“You have quite an attitude problem, you know that little girl?”

Little girl?? Me?? At that moment I could see that nobody had ever stood up to him before and I intended to be the first.

“And you have quite a problem with a little ice in your drink, little boy.”

“I doubt she knows who she’s speaking to, otherwise she wouldn’t have the guts to do this.” One of the men said.

I turned to him. “I do know who he is, Alexander Wolfe.”

The silence that followed was loud. Nobody spoke, nobody moved, everyone pretended to be busy with someone. He looked at me a certain way, like he found me attractive.

“So, do you want the whiskey or not?” I asked.

He smirked, handing me the drink back while the corner of his mouth twitched. “Neat.”

“See that wasn’t so hard now, was it?” I said, taking the drink and turning away.

I had noticed how everyone treated him. How everyone felt intimidated by him but that didn’t mean anything to me. Respect is reciprocal, it has nothing to do with status.

As much as I hated his guts, I couldn’t deny not finding him attractive but I didn’t show him that.

As I walked away, I could hear murmurs and stares from people but I just kept walking. Zara had been waiting for me throughout it all.

“What the hell is wrong with you? Why did you speak to him that way?? He could hurt you and even get you fired right now.”

“Didn’t you see that he spoke to me that way first?” I knew I could lose my job but damn speaking to him like he was nothing felt good.

“Does that matter?”

“Yes it does. So because he’s rich I should let him disrespect me?”

Zara folded her arms. “No, I’m not saying that. All I’m saying is that sometimes you just have to play dumb in order to get what you want.”

“Not in my world, Z.” I rolled my eyes.

I poured his drink correctly this time and asked Zara to help me serve him instead.

“I’m really sorry for my friend’s behavior Sir please forgive her.” She said as she served him the drink.

“It’s okay, What’s her name?” He asked as he took a sip.

“Ah! Sir please, she didn’t mean it that way I promise you.” Zara pleaded, almost going on her knees.

He laughed. “I’m not asking for her name to hurt her, I just want to know her name. She seems interesting.”

“Her name is Nova Montgomery, sir.”

“What a rich name for a nobody.” He said as he walked out of the table to make a statement.

Zara froze.