Chapter one

I entered the restaurant where I currently worked, a place I had been for only three months because I didn't immediately find a job when the first semester of classes started. Our prefinal exams were coming up, so I needed to save money for it.

I went to the back of the restaurant, where the entrance for employees was located. We weren't allowed to enter the main area when coming from outside because it might disturb the customers who were entering.

I took off my small bag and placed it in the locker inside the women's room. There were two rooms here aside from the kitchen entrance. After putting away my belongings, I headed to the kitchen to check who was on duty that day.

My gaze shifted to my coworkers who were gathered together, and it seemed like one of them was checking something on their phone. I approached slowly and whispered in their direction, making sure they could hear me.

"What's going on?" As soon as they heard my voice, they scattered like ants rushing to get back to their tasks. They probably thought it was our manager. I couldn't help but laugh because they immediately returned to work.

"You scared us, Isabella," one of them said while clutching their chest as if they were having a heart attack. I felt like I was possessed by a mischievous spirit, laughing at their epic reactions.

"Enough, Isabella. Find that funny?" Ate Lily sarcastically remarked. Ate Lily was the first one I got close to here, and there was a three-year age gap between us. She trained me on my first day, and she was very kind.

But despite her kindness and cheerfulness, I didn't understand why her child's father left her and looked for someone else. Men.

I wiped away the tears in my eyes from laughing before I faced them. "What are you guys up to? Is there some nationwide issue spreading again? You're getting all curious again, aren't you?"

It was Janny who responded. We were both students, but she attended a different school. We were the same age, so we became close.

"Well, Isa, there's this viral app right now, so we got curious and tried downloading it. They say there are a lot of handsome guys there, and some even win instant iPhones!" I wasn't really into that stuff, so I just responded with a bored expression.

"Is that so? I thought that was money to be earned," I replied and went straight to my locker to get my uniform.

"Again? Don't you want to find a boyfriend? Hey, don't be too focused on your studies, okay? Just be happy in life, okay?" I entered the nearby restroom and put on my uniform. Janny followed me but stayed outside.

"Can I borrow your phone?" she asked from outside the door, making me furrow my brow. I applied some lip tint before stepping out.

"Why? What mischief are you up to now?" I asked, a hint of suspicion in my tone.

She extended her hand toward me. "Just let me borrow it; I need to check something. It's my break time anyway. I'll give it back later after your shift."

I decided not to argue and handed her my phone, which she took swiftly. "Are you in a hurry?" I asked, but she didn't even answer me. She just turned and walked away abruptly. I shrugged it off and headed to the main area.

I smiled at the customers entering the restaurant and greeted them warmly.

"Good day, Ma'am and Sir. Welcome to 'Noble Palette Brasserie.' This way, please," I said with a smile, looking at the couple who seemed affluent based on their attire and demeanor. However, the man didn't even glance at me and walked straight to the reserved area.

"Bella, the Manager asked for you. Ate Lily had to leave early because her child was rushed to the hospital," I heard from someone. I gasped at the news but chose not to respond and quickly made my way to the office. When there are absentees among us, I usually step in because I can adapt to different roles quickly.

When I arrived, I could hear the Manager sounding angry on the phone, so I waited for a moment before knocking on the door.

"Manager, you called for me?" I said, my forehead furrowed. The Manager turned to look at me, still frowning, and then put the phone down.

"You'll have to take over Salmonte's tasks for now, and you need to excel because we have a lot of reservations today. Don't act foolish," the Manager instructed, his tone stern. I felt nervous, but I nodded and bowed slightly.

"Alright, Manager... I'll go now," I replied, and he waved me off with his hand before answering the ringing phone.

I was anxious because Ate Lily had a different role. Patience was required, especially since many wealthy patrons here often didn't follow professional etiquette and could be quite demanding.

My patience wasn't exactly limitless. I took a deep breath before making my way to the main area. I lost track of time as the reservations were full, and I still had work to do at the bar later. It was the weekend, so I was working full-time at the restaurant.

I carefully balanced the champagne tray to serve a group of wealthy guests. I wasn't supposed to be the one delivering this because I had another customer to attend to, but my male coworker insisted, leaving me no choice but to do his job.

I cautiously made my way towards a gathering of exquisitely attired women, their refined poise and elegant dresses making me feel acutely aware of every move I made.In the midst of the group, there was a woman who seemed to radiate grace and sophistication. Her attire was flawless, and her hair was neatly tied. As I approached, she extended her hand to accept the champagne glass from me while I was still walking.

Nervously, I lifted the glass, my heart pounding in my chest as I tried to match the graceful manner in which the other women sipped their drinks.

But before I could even pass the glass to the woman, my trembling fingers betrayed me. The delicate glass suddenly slipped from my grasp.

It felt like time slowed down as the glass descended, and I felt the sharp pain of my fingers brushing against the woman's hand. The fragile stem of the glass shattered on the floor, creating a loud disturbance from my seemingly simple action.

The sound of breaking glass was an abrupt intrusion, silencing nearby conversations and drawing the attention of the gathered guests.

The loud gasps from the people around me filled the air, and I felt the weight of their stares directed at me. My cheeks flushed with embarrassment as I struggled to find the right words to apologize.

The woman's expression, a delicate mix of surprise and mild annoyance, was seared into my memory. Her fingers delicately touched her wrist where my touch had grazed her, and her gaze shifted from the shattered glass to me.

"I'm sorry, ma'am. It was not intentional. I-I'll get a replacement," I stammered out my apology to the woman as I picked up the glass shards from the floor.

"Oh dear, it seems they've let anyone serve here these days," she remarked loudly enough for nearby costumers to hear.

The comment hit me like a blow. I had worked hard to secure this job, and the last thing I needed was humiliation from a customer. I continued cleaning up, trying to maintain my professionalism despite the shame burning in my chest.

She continued to taunt. "Perhaps you should stick to something more suited to your skill set. Bussing tables at a fast-food joint, perhaps?"

The other customers exchanged glances, some smirking in agreement with the woman words. My heart sank, and I bit my lip to hold back tears. I knew that I couldn't let the woman's words get to me, but the humiliation was too much to bear.

I wanted to just run away and cry, but I didn't want to embarrass my coworkers. My gaze was fixed on my male coworker, but he didn't offer any help and simply walked into the kitchen area. Fortunately, Janny came over and apologized on my behalf to the people present because I had fallen silent, consumed by shame.

Later that evening, I was finishing my shift, the owner of the Restaurant Mr.Devis requested my presence in his office. Nervous but hopeful, I entered to find the woman sitting beside him, wearing a triumphant smirk.

"Isabella" Mr. Devis began, his tone grave, "I've received some complaints about your performance tonight. It seems there were concerns about your ability to handle the clientele's needs."

I was taken aback, but I understood what was happening. The woman's mockery had led to formal complaints that were now endangering my job.

"I'm sorry," I stammered. "I understand if you're disappointed in me."

He sighed, his expression pained. "I appreciate your efforts, Isabella, but in this industry, customer satisfaction is paramount. I'm afraid we'll have to let you go."

Tears welled up in my eyes as the reality of my situation hit me. I had worked so hard to prove myself but the woman cruel mockery had sealed my fate.

I walked aimlessly down the street, not knowing where I was headed. I had only been at that job for two months, but I was content because I was earning enough to support my school needs. I wiped away the tears that were welling up in my eyes. What I couldn't understand was why they always noticed the mistakes first. Among the thousands of things I did right, they only saw one thing wrong. Maybe that's just the way the world works. I knew I was wrong, but this was too much. That woman humiliated me, and if I were more aggressive, I might have even lashed out, but that's not who I am. I was afraid to confront them because I didn't want my reputation to be tarnished by immature people.

I hailed a passing car to go back to my apartment. I still had work at the bar later, and my best friends were visiting because they wanted to celebrate the birthday of my cousin's boyfriend. They wanted me to take the day off, but I couldn't. We had an upcoming exam, and I needed to pay for the first exam of the semester.

I felt like I hadn't had a break in days with everything that was going on. I wasn't physically tired, but with the events of the day, it felt like a heavy weight had been placed on my shoulders.

I unlocked my phone and scrolled through my social media accounts. I had received several messages from my coworkers at the restaurant, especially from Ate Lily, who was probably regretting taking the day off.

to them right now. Yes, I was disappointed, but it was partly my fault. I just wanted to clear my mind and rest before heading to the bar later.