CHAPTER 1

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*̥˚ ISABELLA *̥˚

I'm in the middle of a nerve-racking situation. In a moment, I will deliver my last presentation before graduating from university. I sit in the hall corner with my laptop. I'm rekindling my brain, attempting to memorize my presentation.

I've planned my future career and life since I was 17 years old. I want to work for a good company, collect some money, and open my own small restaurant.

God, a girl can hope, right?

Let's say that living with my dad is not good. He never cares for me and accuses me all the time because he thinks I'm the one who caused my mom to die. My mom had already passed away when she delivered me. That makes my dad so stressed, raising a baby alone without the 'love of his life'.

He previously owned a small club named Midnight. His business did not go well, and we literally broke, which made me need to do a part-time job to fund my school money. He only took care of my school until I was in middle school; after that, when I went to high school, I needed to search for money by myself.

Midnight has been sold to some random guy, who claimed he would do a renovation. I never knew him, though, and the club is still untouched. I pass by Midnight every day when I go to university, and I don't see any changes.

The money from selling Midnight has already gone; my dad used it for drinking. My dad does several jobs, but still, the money can only support our daily food and his drinking habits. One thing that I thank God for is that my dad never abused me, although he does drink a lot.

Currently, I live in a broken apartment. Since I work part time too, we both rarely meet at the apartment. When I go back home, he goes, and when he goes back from work, I go to university or work too. Sometimes I only see him when he is off work. Our off days are also not on the same day.

"Ms. Wright? Your turn next." Mrs. Candice calls me to go inside.

I open my presentation and deliver it nicely since this will be my last project. As time passed, I finally finished my last presentation. The result will be announced next week.

I think I will prepare myself to go to my part-time job now. I have a night shift today. I've been working at a restaurant since high school. The routine is always like this: I go to school in the morning and then work in the afternoon; that's how I collect some money for school and college. I rarely get a night shift, but earlier Emma informed me that I needed to do the night shift.

I don't have many friends since I'm always so busy with school and work. Except Emma, who is the owner of the restaurant where I do a part-time job. She is a nice older woman who sometimes also helps me when I run out of money. She always gives me food.

I never have any problems working at Emma's place. Everybody is very nice to me because they pity my young, miserable life. Yeah, life is not really treating me well.

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Ding.

The sound of the restaurant bell rings as soon as I walk inside.

"Hi, Bella..!" Emma greets me when I arrive at the restaurant.

"Hi, Emma. Finally, today I finished my presentation. I can't wait for the result. How is the restaurant today?" I ask.

"Today is busy, just like usual. I'll leave the restaurant's key for you since you will stay at night. Be careful always, Bella. I don't want you to get a night shift, but Joseph was sick. I'm so sorry to inform you urgently."

"That's ok, Emma; I will be ok."

It's already 7 p.m. I see Emma has already packed her bag and waved goodbye to me. Gosh, I will be all alone now.

The restaurant at night is not as busy as it was in the morning or at noon. The night shift is apparently the best; so far today, only two people have come to the restaurant.

So I take my phone from my pocket and scroll through some Instagram posts. I'm busy playing with my phone when suddenly the bell rings again. I thought a new customer was coming, but instead, I see my dad barging inside.

"There, my lovely daughter." He mutters.

"What do you want, Dad?" I ask him.

"Tomorrow you will come with me to meet your future husband's family. We have decided a long time ago to pair you two to marry in the future." He explains.

My eyes widen at his words. Is he drunk? What the fuck is that? I burst out laughing hard.

"Dad, you are too drunk. Gosh, what is that? Too funny, you know."

"I wasn't kidding, and I'm not drunk. Tomorrow, you and I will go meet them to talk about this." He says it sternly. God, he is truly not drunk.

"What the fuck?? No, Dad, I don't want to! I just finished my university presentation, and I don't want to marry a random guy; I want to work for a nice company after I graduate. Who is he anyway??" I reply angrily.

"You don't have a choice. He is a rich person, and his family is also so kind and excellent. Currently, he is still in jail and will be released tomorrow morning."

"What do you mean? Do you pair me with a criminal? What kind of father pairs his own child with a criminal? Jesus..."

"No. He is one of your childhood friends, Anthony Campbell. Remember when we lived happily in New York before I was broke? We live near the Campbell family."

Damn, my short-memory brain is trying to remember that. Anthony? Why does his name sound familiar? I know the Campbell family, but I never heard Anthony's name before.

"I don't remember it; I have so many friends back there, and if I'm not wrong, my age was 2 or 3 something when we lived there."

"Just wear a nice outfit tomorrow; we will meet the Campbell family. I will send the meet-up location. You will have your own restaurant if you marry him." My dad mutters to me as he leaves me.

Jeez, what is that?

This is so messed up, but I'm so tired of living poorly, and his last words made me tempted. Shall I sell my life to... Who is his name again?

Anthony.

I don't even remember his face back then. Gosh, what if he is an ugly old man?

But let's see tomorrow if he is a handsome man. I don't mind, though; I can steal his money and get a handsome man as a husband.

If he is an ugly old man, I will run for the rest of my life and stay away from my dad forever.

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