CHAPTER 4:

ZACH GARDON'S POV

"Mom, didn't I tell you not to go out alone without me?" I asked seriously while we were at our own restaurant.

We weren't supposed to eat here, but she had been very stubborn. I had no choice but to follow her and pick her up. I still had so much work to do; I was busy preparing for enrollment at Gardon University. As the owner of the University and a professor, I needed to be there. But my mother didn't seem to understand my job; she just wanted us to be together. She was always reminding me of things, which only added to my stress.

"I just went to get groceries, Zach. And I also looked at some baby clothes at the mall," she explained.

She never ran out of explanations. It was hard as my parents got older; even when they were wrong, they still wanted to be right.

"That's the point, Mom. You went out at a time when I was fast asleep. You didn't even ask the driver to go with you. You even took a taxi," I said, feeling annoyed.

I didn't want to lecture her, but sometimes she went too far. It was like she was turning back into a child. I knew this was part of growing old, but with my career, I couldn't handle taking care of her and being a professor at the same time.

"Son, I'm sorry. I just wanted to have some fun. I'm bored at home. That's why I've been asking you to get married. That way, you can give me a grandchild," she said, slipping in her long-time request.

She made it sound like finding a wife was easy. She didn't realize how hard it was to enter a relationship. I was already struggling to find a decent woman, yet she wanted me to get married right away. I had high standards when it came to finding someone to share a home with.

"I don't want to get married yet, Mom. I've told you many times that I'm not ready for that life. I'm too lazy to even look for a girlfriend, now you want me to look for a wife," I told her.

It was the truth. I didn't want a relationship yet. I could barely handle taking care of her; I didn't want to deal with another woman. I wasn't an expert on women, but I knew how they acted. Just dealing with my mother's stubbornness made me feel like I was losing my hair.

"But son, you're in your 30's now. And I'm already a senior citizen. When do you plan to give me a grandchild? When I'm dead? You know I have health problems. Don't you want me to be happy?" she asked softly, sounding hurt.

I was Zach Gardon. I was a Math professor and a businessman. We owned the university where I taught. I loved teaching and I really loved my job. I focused entirely on my work and growing the business, so I didn't have time for a love life. I felt like women were just a headache.

Take earlier, for example-the girl I had bumped into was so talkative. I admitted it was my fault for entering through the exit, but I didn't understand why she had to attack me so fiercely. That was why I didn't want a relationship; I was a serious person and I couldn't handle talking to people like that.

The girl I bumped into was small, so I saw her face clearly. I was sure she was the same girl I had given a thousand dollars to because I thought she was a pregnant beggar. It was a small world. Fate must have been playing with me because that was the second time I had seen her.

"Oh? Why are you staring into space, son? Did you find a girl you like?" Mom asked, pinching my side.

My attention snapped back to her, and the girl disappeared from my mind.

"You're imagining things again, Mom. Can we just eat? I'll take you home after this," I said.

"Whenever I talk about a wife or grandkids, you change the subject. Don't tell me you're gay, son?" Mom asked, judging me.

"Mom, please. I'm not gay. I just don't want to get married yet. And if I do get married, I'll choose a woman who doesn't talk too much so I won't be stressed," I said, taking a drink.

It seemed like no matter what I said, she wouldn't listen. I decided to focus on my food so we could finish and go home. But I suddenly choked when my mother spoke again.

"I met a girl earlier today, son. She dressed and acted very simply, also she's beautiful. And she was very concerned about me, just like you. It's a shame I didn't ask for her name. You two would have been perfect together," she said.

"I'm going to the office, Mom. My head is starting to hurt from all this talk," I said quickly.

I stood up without finishing my meal.

"I'll just call the driver; wait for him here. Okay? Bye, Mom," I said, giving her a kiss on the cheek.

This was my usual excuse whenever she tried to set me up with someone. I didn't have time to listen to her stories. I walked out of the restaurant and headed to my car. I was going to Gardon University. I had an office there, and it was my escape whenever I felt pressured to get married.

I didn't mean to brag, but many women liked me. Many chased me and many waited for me. Sometimes I laughed because even though I was the man, they were the ones trying to court me. But honestly, I didn't like clingy girls. I would rather love a woman who didn't care about me at all.

I started driving. I listened to music to reduce my stress; it always helped to hear my favorite songs. But suddenly, I slammed on the brakes because I almost hit a puppy. It was a tiny white dog.

"WHITEY!!!" a girl screamed, chasing after the dog.

When she picked it up, I recognized her.

"Oh my god, Whitey! I just bought you, and you already want to leave me," I heard her say, almost crying.

The puppy looked traumatized as it hid against her chest. I wanted to apologize for what happened, but the girl suddenly banged on the hood of my car.

"HEY! WHOEVER YOU ARE, GET OUT! HOW DARE YOU?! DO YOU HAVE ANY MANNERS?!" she screamed.

Here we go again. Our paths had crossed for the third time.

"What?! Are you a coward? Get out here so I can teach you a lesson! Do you think I'll let this go? I'm ready to file a case against you for traumatizing my pet!" she shouted again.

I took a deep breath before facing her.

"It's not my fault if you were careless with your dog. So please, Miss, don't blame me for your own mistakes," I told her.

She raised an eyebrow, clearly hating what I had said.

"You actually have the nerve to talk to me like that?!" she said, her face red with anger.

I secretly smiled at her reaction.

"You know, Miss, you're in the city now. It's a crowded place. You shouldn't bring a dog if you can't watch it properly," I said.

I took out my wallet, grabbed five thousand dollars, and handed it to her.

"Here. If your dog is traumatized, take it to a vet. Now we're even, and this doesn't have to become a bigger problem," I said, hoping she would stop talking.

"You're trying to bribe me? What do you think of me? That you can buy my dignity? Hey-" I didn't let her finish. I turned my back on her.

"Hey! You're so rude! I'm still talking to you!" she screamed after me.

But I didn't look back. I got into my car and drove away. As I passed her, I left the five thousand dollars with her.

"Hey, rude man! I don't need your money!!!" she yelled loudly.

She was like an "angry bird" - always mad.

CHAPTER 5:

JILLIAN'S POV

"AAAHHHHH! SO ANNOYING!" I screamed loudly as soon as I got back to the boarding house.

I felt like the veins in my neck were about to burst because of how loud I was. I didn't care if anyone heard me, not even the landlord. I was feeling so many emotions at once that I simply had to let them out.

"Jillian, what's wrong?" Roxane asked with concern.

I had left the boarding house earlier to buy some groceries. However, I ended up buying a puppy instead because of a kid I met. The child had begged me to buy Whitey because there was no one left to look after him. Since I felt pity, I bought the dog. I loved animals and couldn't resist how cute the puppy was. Back in the province, I used to take care of cats, dogs, and even chickens.

"I met a man. He is so arrogant! I only asked for an apology, but he was so full of himself!" I snapped, explaining my anger.

I didn't know his name, but his body looked familiar. It felt like we had met before, but I wasn't sure if I was just imagining things.

"What exactly happened? And wait, why do you have a puppy? Don't you know the landlord forbids pets?" Roxane asked as she caught sight of the dog.

That was right, pets were not allowed. I knew the landlord would scold me, but my conscience wouldn't let me leave the puppy on the street. No one else wanted to adopt him, so I took him in. I had a soft heart, even if I certainly didn't show that kindness to that man earlier.

"I felt sorry for this puppy, I couldn't just leave him on the road. Anyway, I'm upset because he almost got hit by a car," I continued.

The puppy had slipped from my hands and ran into the middle of the road. He was almost hit. It was partly my fault for being careless, but I couldn't stand that man's attitude. He actually tried to buy me off! Instead of saying sorry, he insisted it was all my fault.

"Then why do you have money? Where did all this cash come from?" Roxane asked, noticing the money in my hand.

I suddenly remembered the five thousand pesos he had given me. Yes, I still took the money. It would have been a waste to leave it on the street. I realized I could use it to buy food for Whitey and help pay my rent.

"He gave it to me. He said it was his payment, so I would stop talking," I said with a pout.

I felt a bit embarrassed because I had let myself take the money after acting so proud in front of him.

"Well, there you go. You should forgive him then. It's rare to find someone who gives money when they make a mistake. Others would just run away. You should be thankful; that's a lot of money," Roxane said, lecturing me.

She had a point. Even if he was rude, he was willing to pay for his mistake. But that didn't mean we were okay. If we met again, I wouldn't let him look down on me. He couldn't just solve everything with money next time. I didn't say anything because I knew Roxane was right, but my blood still boiled just thinking about him.

Later, I gave Whitey a bath to make sure he was clean. I didn't know how I would hide him. If the landlord saw him, she would definitely yell at me. Her mouth had no filter, especially when she was losing at her card games. She was only calm when she was winning.

"Whitey, stay quiet, okay? Don't be noisy, or that grumpy lady will hit you," I whispered to the dog in a sweet voice.

They say that if you talk to animals seriously, they become obedient. Honestly, puppies are like babies-very sweet. You don't feel alone when you have a dog. He was like a best friend.

"Jillian, I'm heading to work. I'll leave you to it," Roxane said.

There were four of us in the room. I wasn't close to the other, they also worked at a call center like Roxane. I thought about applying for a call center job, too, but I knew it would be hard to adjust since school was starting soon. I didn't know my schedule yet because I hadn't received my class forms.

The day ended after so much had happened. I survived, and I was slowly getting used to the people in the city. I knew they were very different from the people in the province, but I was adjusting little by little.

The next morning, I went back to the restaurant where I had applied. I got the job as a server! It was a perfect part-time job while waiting for enrollment. If my schedule allowed it, I could even work during my vacant hours.

Whenever I went to work, I left Whitey with Roxane. My shift was only six hours, so when I returned to the boarding house, Roxane would head to work. It warmed my heart how kind she was to me. We were starting to feel like real sisters - like family.

"Jillian, move faster. We have a lot of customers," the manager called out.

I felt a bit panicked because I didn't know who to serve first. The restaurant was very popular and always crowded. I wasn't surprised the owner was so successful. I really wanted to meet our boss.

"Yes, Ma'am," I replied politely.

I served the food to the tables. Even though I was walking back and forth, I didn't mind the exhaustion.

"Good day, Ma'am. Enjoy your lunch," I said with a smile.

I was often tasked with talking to customers because the manager said I was friendly. In this line of work, you had to be friendly to avoid problems.

"Jillian, I need to use the restroom. Can you assist the customers coming in for a moment?" a coworker asked.

She was the greeter at the main door, so I nodded immediately. "Sure. No worries," I answered. It wasn't a hard task, and I enjoyed talking to people. I went to her position and greeted the people entering one by one.

"Welcome to Z. Restaurant!" I said cheerfully.

The place was called Z. Restaurant. They said the 'Z' stood for Zach, the owner. I was excited to meet him because I felt grateful he had given me this job. I imagined him to be a very kind person.

However, my smile disappeared when a well-built, handsome man walked in. I recognized his face immediately. I would never forget it.

"You're not welcome here, Mr. Rude," I said firmly.

I lost all my politeness. I couldn't forget how arrogant he was. If he thought I'd forget what he did to Whitey, he was wrong.

"I said, you can't come in. You aren't welcome in this restaurant if you're going to be a jerk," I said, blocking his path.

I raised an eyebrow to look tough. But the man just looked at me, completely unfazed by my glare.

"This is a restaurant, right? Anyone can enter. So, Miss, move aside," he said seriously.

"No," I replied shortly.

Our eyes met, and I challenged him with a stare.

"Where is your manager? I need to speak with her. I don't think I like the employees she's hiring," he said, looking for my boss.

He probably thought I was afraid of the manager.

"Even if you complain to the owner of this restaurant, I don't care. If I were you, I'd leave and eat somewhere else," I answered bravely.

I had been intimidated before, but I wouldn't let it happen again. I promised myself I wouldn't lose.

"Okay. I see. I'll leave then, Miss. See you again," he said, looking like he was about to laugh.

"What do you mean, 'see you again'? Idiot! We aren't meeting again!" I shouted as he walked away.

He was so annoying! "See you again," as if I ever wanted to see him! He was so full of himself and rude. He had every bad trait I hated in a man. He completely ruined my mood!

CHAPTER 6:

JILLIAN'S POV

My workday ended with a big smile on my face. It felt great to get back at someone who was mean to me. My anger went away and I felt very happy.

I had chased away the man who almost hit Whitey. He did not even fight back; he was probably scared of me. I made sure to guard the door so he could not come inside the restaurant. I even changed jobs with the girl at the door to make sure he did not sneak past me.

It was funny because I acted like I owned the place, but at least I kept that rude man out.

"Hi Roxane, how was work? Did you eat yet? By the way, thanks for watching Whitey. I feel bad for giving you extra work," I said to my friend when I got home.

She had just arrived while I was putting makeup on my face.

"As usual, the call center is tiring and keeps me up all night. You need a lot of luck for that job. And about Whitey, do not worry, it is a small help. Besides, I am starting to like him," she replied.

Since I started my part-time job, she was the person I asked to watch the puppy. It was good to hear she liked him. I was worried Whitey would be a problem, but he actually made her happy.

"Thank you so much. I will bring you some food later when I get home. The food at the restaurant tastes really good; I promise you will like it," I told her. I wanted to give Roxane a treat to show I was thankful. It was a simple gift from my heart.

"All right, I will wait for you. Be safe at work, sis," she said as she took off her shoes. I could see she was very tired.

"I will! Bye, I am leaving now," I called back. I finished my lipstick and I looked good enough.

My work started at 8:00 AM and ended at 7:00 PM. I had to be at the restaurant before 8:00 AM because our manager was very strict. If we were late four times, we were fired right away.

Business was business. Time was important.

"Good morning!" I said to my coworkers when I arrived the next day.

However, the way they looked at me made me feel nervous. It was as if they wanted to hurt me.

"Jillian, I am glad you are finally here. I have been waiting for you," our manager said. I was confused. It was only 7:30 AM; why did she need me so early? I was not even a cook.

"Ma'am?" I asked, surprised.

"What do you mean 'Ma'am'? You work here! We have a VIP customer, and I want you to help him with his order," she explained.

"A VIP customer? Is there such a person?" I asked. I thought all customers were the same, but the manager sounded annoyed.

"Yes, there is. Stop asking questions and just go to work," she said.

I scratched my head and followed her orders. I could not complain because I was just a waitress. But before I started, I looked at my coworkers again. I still did not understand them.

Yesterday, we were friends, but today everything felt different. Were they jealous? Or did I look bad?

I wanted to ask them, but I was getting nervous because the manager was shouting. I quickly put down my bag and took a menu. I went to the VIP table where a man was sitting. He looked like he had been waiting for a long time.

"Good morning, Sir! Here is the menu. You can choose what you want to eat," I said politely.

I could not see his face because he was reading a newspaper. He did not hear me, so I spoke again and waved my hand in front of him. He slowly lowered the newspaper, and I finally saw his face.

"Oh... forgive me, Father," I said quietly when I saw him.

"You?! Wait, are you here to get back at me?" I asked loudly. That was the first thing I thought. It was the man from yesterday. The one I had kicked out. And now, he was back.

"Do you really think that is why I am here?" he asked with a mean smile.

"Well, I do not know! You should leave. You do not belong here. This place will be bad if a person like you is here," I said.

"Is that how you talk to people who eat here? You do not know how to respect a customer," he said.

"Wow, you are talking about respect? You? No way! Respect is something you have to earn!" I said angrily.

"In that case, I will call the manager to teach you a lesson," he said to scare me.

"You are an idiot! And a suck-up, too! You think you are special. Well, for your information, it's not you who pays me!" I yelled.

My voice was so loud that the manager heard me and came over.

"What is wrong, Jillian? Why are you fighting with our customer?" she asked.

"You are wrong, Ma'am! He is the one fighting with me. He is a very mean person. I swear." I said, pointing at him.

"Jillian, have some shame. You should not be mean to customers," the manager yelled at me.

"I am not being mean, Ma'am," I tried to say to defend myself.

"Stop it, Jillian. Do not explain. You should say sorry if you do not want to lose your job," she said. I was very frustrated. I did not want to say sorry, but I needed this job. I needed the money.

"I am sorry, Sir. It will not happen again," I said, but I did not mean it. I only said it so I would not get fired.

"So, you know to say sorry. That is good. Keep doing that," he said. He looked like he wanted to burst out his laugh.

Was something funny about me? I did not see anything funny! That man was crazy to laugh for no reason.