O P H E L I A ' S P O V

"D-Did I say something wrong?" My voice cracked as I looked up at Kace.

I didn't know why, but the mere thought of having done something to upset Mr. Morterez in any way saddened me.

"Of course not, Angel. He's just really busy." He told me softly as he ran his hand up and down my arm comfortingly.

He ran his hand down his face and he almost looked guilty as he hugged.

For what?

"Look, I gotta go and talk to him, your lunch break should be nearing, I'll see you later okay?" He told me as he pulled his phone from his pocket, dialing numbers on it.

"O-Okay," I tried to ignore the light butterflies in my stomach at the attention when he kissed my cheek and left with his phone to his ear.

After he left, I hesitantly headed to Rachel's office, knowing that I'm in for a shouting of the century because once again, not only did I make Mr. Morterez leave, but also Kace.

"Who is it?" Her authoritative voice rang from the other side of the door, which sent a deep tingle down my spine.

"I-It's–" I swallowed. "It's m-me." I stuttered more than usual. "Ophelia." I whispered lastly.

There was a pause on the other side of the door and I can almost hear the sinister smirk forming on her perfectly glossed lips.

"Enter." Her voice sounded slightly deeper, commanding.

I unsurely turned the knob to the door with my sweaty hands and afterward, I shut the door as I entered and stay planted firmly in front of it, waiting for any further instructions.

Rachel sat in her chair, feet resting on the top of her desk as she turned the chair slightly as she looked down at her nails, lightly playing with them.

"That's two times in one week." I flinched when I heard her low voice.

I knew that it was better for Rachel to actually yell when she was angry. Something about when she spoke in such a low, taunting voice had me trembling in my worn out sneakers.

I knew what she was referring to. She meant that for two times this week, I managed to get rid of her customers because of my stupidity.

"I was in here thinking of a suitable punishment for you— and then it hit me." She said as she stopped playing with her nails.

I looked down at my intertwined fingers, waiting frightened for her to continue.

"Your life is all the punishment you need." She laughed lightly. "I mean— you lived in an orphanage, your parents are dead, you work a less-than minimum wage job, you never went to college and you have this thought that if you save up enough money that you will. You live in a worn out house, if you would even call it that, and to top it all off, you barely have enough money to buy food." She laughed loudly.

There it was.

The best punishment for me was simply hearing what my life had become. It was simply hearing how pathetic I was and what I would never accomplish.

Angry tears were already spilling out of my eyes uncontrollably at her words but I didn't let her see them, although I'm sure that she could hear my sniffles.

My heart tightened painfully at the thought of my parents and how I've failed them, how I will never fulfill their dreams of me going to college and making anything of my life.

It all came tumbling down on me that I will never amount to anything.

"That'll be all for now." Rachel shooed me out of her presence with amusement in her voice from my pain.

She checked the time on her phone and looked away from me, "It's your lunch break now, or rather your break since I know you can't afford anything." She mumbled loud enough for me to hear.

I opened the door quickly, my breathing becoming harder to keep up with.

Tears cloud my vision as I made my way around the diner, mistakenly bumping into people to find the bathroom.

Once I found it, I yanked open one of the stalls and sat on the toilet, my loud sobbing filling the entire room. I rested my head in my hands as I rocked back and forth swiftly. I pulled at my hair, biting my knuckles into my mouth to muffle my shouts of frustration.

This was my life.

This will always be my life.

------

L E V I ' S P O V

"Sir, Kace is here to see you." Rosalina, one of my maids, called to me as I put on my dress shoes.

My body became rigid at the name and my first thought was to tell her to don't let him in. I changed my mind at the last minute to hear what the asshole has to say.

"Bring him up," I replied as I looked through my closet for a tie.

She slightly bowed her head before exiting the room.

Minutes later, I heard a knock on the open door and there stood Kace with a thin smile on his face.

"Talk fast, I'm busy." I greeted him as I placed my papers in my briefcase.

I heard him sigh before there was a long pause, "Well firstly, you could have at least told Ophelia that you left. She thought that she was the reason that you stomped out of there." He said in a low voice.

I instantly felt bad at his words but don't let him see, "Well there's a few things that you could have at least done also." I snapped back at him as I fastened my buttons and afterward, tie my tie into a knot.

He paused once again and I knew that I had hit him where it hurt.

Good, now he feels how Ophelia felt.

"That's what I wanted to talk to you about," He awkwardly cleared his throat.

I waited for him to continue.

"What I did and said was wrong of me. I shouldn't have looked or spoke about Ophelia in that way, I'm sorry." He said, his voice low and dripping with sorrow.

I merely gave him a small nod of my head, my face still with a stoic expression.

"So, does that mean that we're cool?" He asked after a while.

I looked at him from the corner of my eye and afterward, turned my whole body in his direction. I sighed at his hopeful expression, "One condition." I raised my eyebrows in his direction.

He let out a breath, "Sure, anything." He rushed out.

Watching his face closely, I spoke. "You must tell Ophelia what you did." I said firmly.

I watched as his face pales, the blood rushing from his cheeks and the way he gulped.

"I—" He chokes on his words. "You know how vulnerable she is— that'll break her heart." He tried to reason with me.

"Well you didn't seem to think much about that when you did what you did. She deserves to know and you're gonna tell her." I pointed my finger at him.

He ran his hands down his face. "You're right, you're right. But can I ask a favour?" He sighed.

"What?" I scowled.

"I doubt that after I tell her she'll want to ride back home with me. Can we tell her here and can you drive her home afterwards?" He asked with a hopeful voice.

I made it seem like I'm thoughtful for a while when I really just want to shout, Yes!

"Okay, tomorrow. You're off from work and I have a few hours to spare. Eleven sharp." I squinted my eyes at him.

He nodded his head at me and left my room seconds later.

T H I R D    P E R S O N      P O V

Ophelia tried to concentrate on cleaning the counter although it was spotless already.

Kace had come a few moments ago and was beating around the bush with asking Ophelia over to Levi's house to talk about what Levi had made him promise to do.

He regretted how he said what he thought to Levi, rather than what he said, since he knew all he said was true.

He truly didn't have any intentions to sleep or get Ophelia in bed, although that was what most people, including Levi, would have thought, especially with how he worded his statement.

He just began to feel defensive to the fact that he knew that Levi had taken a liking to her.

He tried convincing himself that he didn't have any feelings toward Ophelia in any sexual way other than the obvious.

With a beautiful woman like her, who wouldn't be attracted to her?

"So, Ophelia– Levi and I are meeting by his house and we would love it if you could join us." He sent her a nervous smile although she hadn't noticed it.

He nearly made the mistake of calling her by the nickname he gave her, Angel.

Although she didn't know what he had done yet, he was smart enough to understand that that nickname was a privilege. A privilege that he no longer had until Ophelia granted him it again.

Judging by what he did, there was a slim chance that he'd be given it.

"Levi? As in Mr. Morterez?" Ophelia asked just as her heart rate picked up a bit.

She really couldn't help it but just the thought of being in his house or hearing his name did things to her.

It also scared her to some extent.

"Yeah, we promise it won't take long, I just need to talk to you about something." He said as he pulled on his shirt collar. It suddenly became hard for him to breathe.

He hated having to tell her about what he did but he deserved it for what he had done.

That, and then blatantly lying to her about it afterward.

Ophelia, once again, didn't even sense his nervousness as she turned to fully face him.

She tried to ignore the judging eyes on her as she talked to Kace.

Although she was happy that she reunited with Kace in a way, she hated the attention she got whenever Levi or him entered the diner and would immediately focus on her.

"Well, you can just tell me h-here." She tried to reason with him. She wouldn't feel comfortable in someone else's home.

Specifically, a billionaire's.

"Actually— it would go smoother if it wasn't here. Look," He checked his watch. "It's about 10:30 now, we'll leave, talk, and you'd be back before your break was over." He tried to reason with her.

He was really just in a hurry. Other than the noticeable features, the only other thing that Levi developed from his father was his impatience.

Kace didn't know, but he really wouldn't mind Ophelia being late, he couldn't if he tried. He would however, scold Kace for his tardiness.

"Okay, I guess we can g-go," She looked unsurely up at him with her big brown eyes.

"Excellent, let's go quickly." He gently tugged at her hand sending a shiver through her wrist. It was nothing compared to when Levi touched her though. A whole electrifying current would run up her spine at the contact.

They both went outside and headed for Kace's car which was a simple Mercedes Benz A-Class.

However, Ophelia couldn't help but gawk at the sight.

They both got in the car and Kace made his way in a hurry to Levi's house. More so, a mansion.

It was only a twenty-minute drive away from the mansion but Kace preferred to be early.

The car ride was silent as Kace nervously tapped his thumb on the steering wheel.

Ophelia just stared at her surroundings in awe as she fixated her eyes through the window, her hands resting on the glass.

They were in the 'rich' side of town now and Ophelia just gazed lovingly at the structure of the houses and how well they were decorated.

Kace glanced at her momentarily as her eyes wandered from house to house, a small smile settling on his face before it disappeared as quickly as it came.

He was bound to be the reason that that smile would disappear from her face like how his did, and it was all because of what he had done when he was in high school and was blinded by popularity.

Ophelia's eyes widen as the car turned in by two large gates with the letters L.M imprinted on it in bold letters written in cursive.

The house seemed to be the biggest of the entire neighbourhood to Ophelia when in reality, it actually was.

The guard by the hut saw Kace and gave him a smile as he spoke into his walkie-talkie and the large gates opened.

Upon arrival, they both exited the car and Ophelia's feet stayed roughly planted on the ground as she waited for further instructions from Kace.

He placed his hand on the small of her back as he ushered her to the door which was twice the size of her in both length and width.

The door swung open and a maid both escorted them in the sitting room where they were to wait for Levi.

Seconds later, he entered and Ophelia watched as power practically radiated from him.

His hair was slightly dishevelled and he was dressed in a suit-pants with a white dress shirt that did wonders to his muscles.

He dug his hands in his pocket as he sat right in front of them.

Anyone who took a look at him would immediately think that he seemed calm and collected, including Kace and Ophelia.

However, he was having a mental battle with himself.

Should he really go on and let Kace tell Ophelia what he had done?

Surely that would break her heart, especially since she looked up to Kace and thought of him as her role model.

Levi spoke with his eyes as he looked at Kace and afterward, took his eyes to Ophelia who still hadn't taken a seat.

"Good morning, s-sir." She looked down at her hands as they shook slightly.

She felt that because it was his house, she shouldn't sit until told to by him.

For the nth time, Levi had to remind her to call him by his first name, "Please, Levi." He said.

That was a privilege that no one other than Matilda or his family and friends had.

"You can sit if you'd like." He spoke gently to her and it made Kace look at him confusingly but he ignored it.

She trembled as she smoothed out her working dress and took a seat.

Kace turned to her and audibly swallowed.

He took her hand in his and Levi's eyes followed the action, refraining from ripping their hands apart.

"I— haven't been completely honest with you," He admitted.

Ophelia looked at him confused and waited for him to continue.

Kace adjusted his seating before speaking once again, "I didn't actually— per-say, change my phone or my number.

Ophelia still hadn't caught on to what he had meant.

She wasn't the sharpest pencil in the box.

"So then how—" She started.

"That's the thing, I blocked your number because I thought it would be best for you to make new friends and I would sometimes want to go with my friends instead of—" He gulped. "—spending time with you.

Kace thought that he should just spit it all out and get it over with.

It was easier that way.

It suddenly started to dawn on Ophelia and she slowly withdrew her hand from his as her breath hitched.

Kace tried to continue in a way that wouldn't make him look so bad so he quickly rushed out, "It was stupid though and—"

Ophelia looked down to her lap as she then looked back at him with a single tear on her cheek which made him stop and choke on his words.

"Was I that i-irritating?" Her voice shook and she formed her lips in a thin line in an attempt to stop the tears.

Levi's hands itched to just get up and punch the fucker's face in for making Ophelia cry or to just comfort her but this was between both of them.

"N-No, never Ophelia. I just a—" He tried explaining but stopped when she abruptly stood up which made two pairs of eyes snap to her.

She furiously wiped her eyes with her hands although she wasn't angry.

She was crushed and upset.

She was crushed because her high school crush found her annoying and upset because she now found herself annoying as she thought back to all of the times she depended on him.

"I-I'm sorry for being a burden to you." She felt her heart break just a bit before she rushed outside, tears clouding her vision.

She momentarily thought about how she would get back to work but she had decided she would just walk. She was used to it anyway.

Although she didn't fully know the way, she would find it, she had about an hour left of break.

As she rushed outside, she heard someone calling her name and she immediately assumed it was Kace and so, she sped up her pace.

Someone then laid a hand on her upper arm and spun her around and she made out that it was Levi who had stopped her.

She tried to compose herself as Levi stared at her with worried eyes but yet, he still found her breathtakingly beautiful.

"S-Sorry for leaving without thanking you for your hospitality," She locked her jaw.

He didn't understand what she had to thank him for, "I could give you a ride back to work." He whispered as she fidgeted.

There really was no point in denying him because he was a very persuasive man so she reluctantly agreed.

He opened the door for her and she got in before they both were in the car and drove out of the gate and toward their destination.

Ophelia leaned her head on the window as she closed her eyes.

She was truly exhausted and didn't feel like working but that wasn't an option.

Levi made a left turn as he watched Ophelia in his peripheral vision to ensure that she was okay.

She spoke up once she realised that this wasn't the way to Vincent's.

She thought that he had maybe forgotten.

"Y-You made a wrong turn," She looked at him.

He adjusted his hand on the steering wheel and then looked at her momentarily.

"I just assumed that you'd be hungry, I was hoping that we could grab a bite to eat." He tried hard not to sound too needy.

Although he was hungry and could simply grab something from the diner once he dropped her off, he wanted to activate a conversation between them without the prying eyes on them at the diner.

She blushed and looked down. She was indeed hungry, starving actually.

As she's about to decline his offer, he spoke, "I'm not taking no for an answer." He smiled cheekily with a grin that made her forget about her many problems.

She looked down as she pushed a curly strand of hair that fell out of her bun from her face.

"Okay," She responded.

This was the first step for them.