Chapter 2 Meet Zack

"I'm going to the restroom first," Jenny said, getting up from her seat, leaving Tiffany sitting alone once more.

The sound of Jenny's footsteps faded, growing dimmer, as if pulling away the only support Tiffany had at that moment. The room felt cold; the AC blasted bone-chilling air, yet Tiffany felt a burning heat in her chest. Her mother still lay helpless behind that white door, connected to tubes and machines that pulsed softly, sustaining a life now hanging by a thread.

Her hands trembled as she pulled her phone from her jacket pocket. Dozens of times she had tried calling her father, but only voicemail answered.

"Dad... why won't you pick up my calls?" she whispered hoarsely, tears she had been holding back now forcing their way out, streaming down her cheeks.

The mounting hospital bills also loomed over her, crushing her with bitter reality.

---

Meanwhile, at the end of the corridor, Jenny halted when her foot stepped on something.

Jenny picked it up, her eyes studying it in confusion. "A button?" Her fingers traced the texture of the button. She felt an intricate engraving and discovered the letters "AV" etched in the center of a royal crown silhouette. This was no ordinary button. Its deep black onyx material emitted a mysterious gleam, and its size-slightly larger than typical suit buttons-made it feel significant in her palm.

Jenny glanced behind her, scanning the surroundings to make sure no one else was around.

But the dim, shadowy corridor made it hard to see clearly. Only a faint glow from the emergency light at the far end illuminated the space.

"No one's here. Whose shirt button could this be?"

---

Staring at his reflection in the mirror, his sharp eyes narrowed as he realized he had forgotten to fasten his button.

"W-what? Ah, it must be in my jacket." He strode over and grabbed the jacket lying on the bed. Upon inspecting it, he found the button missing. It was the last button from a special set given by his late grandfather-a symbol of lineage that could never be replaced.

"Oh no! I swear I had the button with me earlier. Why isn't it here now!" He grumbled in frustration, tapping his forehead, trying to think back. Cold sweat began to bead on his temples. He clearly remembered the feel of the button in his hand when he was in a hurry earlier.

"What if... the button fell there?" His eyes widened in shock. He nodded confidently, certain that he had dashed out of the room.

That button was vital. The royal crown logo was exclusive to his family crest.

"No one must find my button! If my family identity is exposed, it'll be a disaster!" he muttered, pressing the gas pedal, accelerating his car.

---

"Empty?" Celine stared blankly into her empty refrigerator. She clicked her tongue in annoyance. If this was the case, she'd have to go shopping at the minimart.

Since the minimart was quite far, Celine chose the red sports car her father rarely used.

After arriving at the minimart, Celine picked up several ingredients for cooking.

A smile lingered on her lips. After double-checking that she had everything, she carried a basket filled with vegetables to the cashier.

Celine took her wallet from her shoulder bag and handed a gold card to the cashier.

After swiping Celine's card, the cashier looked at her hesitantly. "I'm sorry, ma'am, but your card can't be processed. Do you have another card? Or would you like to pay with cash?"

"Huh? What do you mean it can't be processed? Try again," Celine snapped. That gold card was the only asset she always carried with her.

Again and again-the third time-the cashier shook her head. "It's not working. Do you have another card? It seems this one has been blocked." She returned the gold card to Celine.

Celine let out an exasperated sigh. *'Great. All my money is transferred to this gold card,'* she muttered inwardly.

"I'll pay for it. How much is the total?"

Celine quickly turned to see a tall man, his face hidden under a cap.

"Four hundred and fifty thousand rupiah."

He handed over five hundred-thousand-rupiah bills, then simply walked away.

"Wait!" Celine called out, clutching her plastic bag as she chased after the man.

But the stranger who had helped her had already gotten into a taxi and left.

"Whoever he was, I owe him one," Celine breathed a sigh of relief. She had almost been embarrassed, unable to pay for her own groceries just because her gold card was blocked.

Meanwhile, sitting in the back seat of the taxi, the man smiled to himself.

"So... she really is that beautiful."

His voice was unfamiliar, yet it carried a note of satisfaction.

---

It took Celine two hours to cook the stir-fried vegetables. Once it was done, she plated it, garnishing it with sausage and egg toppings shaped into a sweet smiley face.

"I hope Zack likes it," Celine murmured proudly. The taste was perfect. She planned to give it to him for lunch, her beloved boyfriend. The smile on her lips wouldn't fade as she imagined Zack's reaction.

At the University of Indonesia. Celine made her way to the Faculty of Economics. At 9 a.m., Zack would surely still be teaching.

And sure enough, when Celine peeked through the window, Zack was lecturing his students. Her eyes sparkled with affection-finally, she could see Zack again. She had missed him so much. Not long after, the class ended. Several students filed out, glancing curiously at Celine standing in front of the economics classroom as if waiting for someone. Whispers began to ripple among them, making Celine feel slightly uncomfortable, but she ignored it-all for Zack.

Zack walked with his head lowered, adjusting his glasses, until he bumped into someone. He looked up at the person, and Celine?

"You?" Zack asked in surprise, his tone flat, devoid of emotion, causing the smile on Celine's lips to fade slightly. Her sudden appearance made him wary; he glanced around nervously, as if afraid someone might see them together.

"Follow me," Zack said, walking ahead. He had already noticed several students alternating their gazes between him and Celine, clearly curious about who she was.

But the way Zack spoke and walked-as if Celine was a disgrace-pierced her heart.

"Where? Don't run away from me!" Celine called out, annoyed, jogging to keep up with Zack from behind. The man stood around 195 cm tall.

At a secluded spot behind the campus. Only Zack and Celine. Silence filled the space between them, but this time it was suffocating, thick with unspoken tension. Zack kept his back to Celine, his shoulders rigid, as if unwilling to face her.

Unable to bear the silence any longer, Celine gathered her courage. "I brought you lunch," she said, holding out the stacked food container-three tiers-toward Zack.

Zack raised an eyebrow, eyeing the container Celine offered. But he quickly looked away.

"Why are you here?" Zack asked seriously. His voice was colder than before.

"I miss you. Is that not allowed?" Celine replied weakly, tilting her head up to look at Zack, who refused to meet her gaze. She longed to wrap her arms around him, but she held back.