Chapter 4 4

The least this guy was going to do was love me. He stood in front of me with a cigarette in his mouth, smiling psychotically. He hadn't said anything since I arrived, holding the pizza in my hand, hair disheveled by the breeze, and an uncomfortable posture.

"I must leave, are you going to pay me now?" I impatiently asked.

"Floyd!" shouted the guy in front of me. "You have to come and pay for the pizza!"

"Great, it wasn't even him who was going to pay," I thought. I had been thinking all along that the brunette in front of me was going to pay me, even believed he was the owner of the place, but that's not the case. Another idiot appeared at the door with a beer can in his hand, signaling his friend to leave, and he did. When I saw him, I knew who he was.

Tall, fair-skinned, black eyes, handsome blond, and slim. He had a spectacular build, his arms were strong but not too much, his nose was slightly upturned, he wore a silver ring on the middle finger, and he was holding his breath at the moment. For him, it was as bad as it was for me to see me like this, working and without any enthusiasm. My hair must have looked like a bird's nest, I probably smelled of seasonings, and I know that's why he wants to laugh. I don't care too much what he thinks of me, I don't care if tomorrow he wants to show up at university shouting at the top of his lungs that I'm working, but I desperately want him to take the damn pizza and leave. I put on my best face, remembering what Gilbert told me, and I try to smile at him, but it comes out as a deformed grimace. But at least, I can say I tried.

"Are you Cora Stace?"

"Yes, Floyd. Just pay me and give a good review to the pizzeria, so we can save ourselves from this hateful moment once and for all."

"Smart, hateful," he commented, starting to walk around me, and I feared for my uniform, thinking his drink would spill on me at any moment, but it didn't happen. "Hmm, maybe pretty."

"We're not here to discuss how we are. Can you pay me?" I asked tiredly. "I want to leave."

"We know each other, Cora. We've talked hundreds of times. Why don't you give it to me for free? A favor between friends."

I opened my mouth indignantly and snorted. "We only talked once in our lives, and just so you know, I don't care who you are. Pay me now and stop being a damn cheapskate."

"Fine, take the pizza," he grumbled. "I've lost my appetite."

"Fine, I'll take it," I concluded.

I turned around to leave, without giving me time to react, Floyd made me turn around and snatched the pizza from my hands. His fingers were cold, and the feeling of his touch against mine was chilling, I immediately stepped back and tried to take the pizza back, but he took out the money from my pocket and handed it to me.

"I'll give a good review because you're not just any girl. Have a good night, Cora."

And without further ado, he closed the door in my face. Regardless of what he did or what I wanted to do, I left with a smile on my way to work, and Julian looked at me confused. Neither of them believed I would succeed, to be honest, I didn't think I would either. I was fully prepared to leave and not say anything more to him. Floyd Jane, he's an arrogant jerk, a millionaire, yes, and an extra jerk.

There are many rumors about him at the university, most of the people there are destined to work in their parents' company, especially the men. Finance is something that can never be lacking in a young person with wealthy parents. I've heard many of them complain about what they'll have to do in the future. They detest the family legacy, and their thing is not sitting in an office, monitoring what the employees are doing. Many want to be singers, dancers, doctors, or lawyers. But not entrepreneurs of that kind. My father has hinted to me on occasion to take responsibility for his businesses, but I don't want to do it. For now, I will continue studying psychology, and perhaps I'll establish a chain of clinics. That sounds much better to me.

I counted the money, and in the midst of it, there was a note. "Take a hundred for yourself, I've given it only for you, don't do anything stupid." My cheeks flushed, and I finished counting the money. It's true, there were a hundred extra dollars. I took what he had told me and informed my boss about what had happened so that he wouldn't think badly of me. At first, he didn't believe me. No one in the place believed me, especially Julian, who was mocking me because I started imagining things. I showed them the note, tired of their comments, and the place fell silent. I know Mr. Gilbert was very happy with what I achieved. His eyes sparkled, and unexpectedly, he hugged me.

"You're amazing, Cora!"

"How did you do it?" Julian asked, confused. "He's a jerk."

"He is," I affirmed. "A narcissistic and self-centered one."

"And then?" he insisted.

"Julian, my boy," Gilbert said. "It doesn't matter how she did it. What matters is that she succeeded."

"But I want to know how to apply it."

"Very well, Cora. Surprise him."

"Are you going to stay there and listen?" I asked fearfully. Mr. Gilbert nodded, and I let out an ironic laugh.

God, I didn't want my boss to hear the way I treated Floyd. It wasn't the best way to make him like me. I don't know what goes through that guy's mind, and I don't know if he genuinely likes me or if he did it mockingly. He's an idiot, and I hate him. I hate the way he thinks the world revolves around him. It infuriates me when he walks through the hallways with such confidence. All the girls drool over him; they would give up a kidney to sleep with Floyd Jane, the most arrogant spoiled brat that exists.

He's haughty and distant. The rumors circulating in the school say he had an amazing childhood, which is why he turned out like this. Because his parents spoiled him so much, they created a monster. It might be true, or maybe not to that extent. But I don't care. Since I set foot in the school and saw him, I knew we would never be friends.

People say he's hiding a secret, a big one. I can't imagine what kind of secret someone like him could be hiding. He doesn't seem like a guy with dark secrets; he appears to be superficial, the type of guy who tells everything to his friends. He's even the kind of guy who sleeps with a girl and almost publishes it in the newspapers.

Mr. Gilbert smiled at me, trying to encourage me, while Julian impatiently tapped his leg, waiting for me to say something, to tell him what happened so we can win over a client like him.

"Well... I, um, I made him feel comfortable and not threatened," I said, though I didn't do that. I think I yelled at him more times than I should have, and I might have even threatened him a couple of times. I clicked my tongue and tilted my head. "I wouldn't say that he didn't feel threatened, but rather that he didn't feel threatened by me."

"Isn't it the same thing?" my coworker asked, and I shook my head?

"In the first case, it means that I threatened him, and that's why he feels that way. In the second case, it means that he thinks I'm a stalker and feels threatened by me. I'm terrible at explanations, but I think you understand," I explained.

"We got it, Cora. And what did you do?"

"The second one," I confirmed.

I wasn't lying to them about anything, or at least not much. I don't think I lied to them at all. Their faces seemed satisfied with the answer. The threat part was true, at least in my perception. I did threaten him a couple of times, and that's why he didn't feel threatened. On second thought, I think I applied both approaches, and it wasn't wrong to do so. It was the best I could do in my life because that's how I achieved what I achieved.

My phone rings, and I see that there's a new review for the pizzeria. And it's from him... My heart stops for a moment, and I'm scared to read it. By now, the others have returned to their work, and I'm serving some tables. Nervously, I decided to read the review after attending to a table of a group of guys who just entered a few minutes ago.

"Here, take this to table five," Skay tells me.

I nod and make my way there. At the table, there are only two people who seem like a couple of lovers. I deliver what they ordered and leave. When I finally pick up my phone, I start reading with fear what that idiot Floyd has written.

"The pizzas are amazing, they have a unique flavor that lingers in your mouth for a long time. As for the service, it's great, especially when the pizza is delivered by the sexy girl with copper hair."

I open my mouth wide when I see that he called me sexy, and I stop entertaining strange ideas. He promised to give me a good review, and that's what he did. Well, partially. My shift ends, and I go home exhausted. I hate having to work like this; it would be so much better if my mother came to her senses. I could request a narrower shift, and I'm sure Mr. Gilbert wouldn't have a problem with that.

I open the front door and immediately notice that Dad's things are gone. There's nothing here anymore, nothing that belongs to him. My mother enters through the door and looks at me with a smile. She's dressed in one of her favorite outfits, looking better than in the morning.

"How was your day?" she asks.

"Fine, I didn't die in the process, although I had a pain-in-the-ass client today," I replied.

"The language," she mutters.

"Seriously, Mom? You've never cared about that before."

"She's right," I thought. My mother never asked me how my day was after school or about anything in general. I could be gone for hours, and she wouldn't know where I was. On the other hand, Dad was more involved with me, even though he was always caught up in work. He always made sure I had everything I needed.

"Fine, Mom," I said in a neutral tone. "What do you want or what has happened?"

"I got a job, and I start tomorrow. I won't let us starve because of your father's deceit. We could be better off if I take charge. I have connections, we'll have the same amount of money as before or even more."

"More?" I laughed ironically. "We'll never have more money than before, not even the same amount," I countered. "It's not as simple as it sounds, Mom."

"At least I'm trying," she shouted.

"If that's how you see it, I'll quit my job."

"Not yet, Cora, stop being so reckless."

"You were reckless this morning," I snapped.

I hurried to my room, leaving her at the entrance. I couldn't believe I had said that. She had never worked, never really done anything with her life. How could she say such a foolish thing? I was the one who had worked my butt off for months. Dad had been waiting for her to change her mind, but she never did. And that was fine; that's the only thing I agree with her on.