Arrogant Billionaire: Love vs Hate

Chap. 7

"A real friend is one who walks in when the rest of the world walks out"
-Walter Winchell
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His smirk lingered for a moment before his expression hardened again. Suddenly his hand closed around my shoulder, firm enough to stop me from moving. He leaned closer, bringing his face near my ear. "But if you dare to defy my order," he whispered quietly, "I'll make sure to destroy you both."

A cold chill ran down my spine. For a brief second my body froze, the weight of his threat sinking into my bones. But almost immediately another feeling rose to replace that fear—anger. In my entire life, no one had ever dared to question my dignity like this. No one had ever tried to bargain with it as if it were something cheap and disposable. And yet this arrogant jerk stood there acting as though he could trample over people's pride whenever he pleased. The nerve of him. He really believed I would give in to his demand.

I tried to control the storm of anger rising inside me, but his words kept echoing in my head like poison. That was the last straw. Without thinking twice, I turned sharply and walked to the counter where my iced coffee had been placed. The cup felt cold in my hand as I picked it up, the ice cubes clinking softly inside it. Before anyone could understand what I was about to do, I spun around and threw the entire drink straight at him. The dark liquid splashed across his hair, face, and expensive shirt.

For a moment, the entire cafeteria fell silent. A loud collective gasp echoed across the room as dozens of students stared in disbelief.

"What the—"

"First of all, keep your damned mouth shut," I snapped before he could finish. My voice rang through the stunned silence of the cafeteria. "Maybe you can order any student around here and they'll happily obey you. But I'm not one of them." 

My chest rose and fell with anger as I continued, refusing to break eye contact with him. "I would rather die than let someone like you trample on my dignity. People like you disgust me."

Without waiting for his response, I grabbed Clara's hand and pulled her with me as I walked straight out of the cafeteria. Behind us the shocked whispers of students began filling the room again, but I didn't bother looking back. That jerk deserved it. Who did he think he was, threatening people like that just because he had money and power?

Outside the cafeteria, the bright afternoon sunlight felt strangely calm compared to the suffocating tension we had just left behind. Students continued walking around the campus lawns as if nothing had happened, laughing and chatting with their friends. Meanwhile Clara looked completely shaken.

"He'll destroy us, Andy," she said in a trembling voice, tears rolling down her cheeks. "You don't understand how powerful he is. He can go to any extent just to prove his might. We're completely ruined."

I immediately pulled her into a tight hug, rubbing her back gently as she cried against my shoulder. 

"Hey, calm down," I said softly, trying to reassure her even though my own mind was still racing. "Don't worry. I won't let him step all over us that easily."

"But why did you take all of this upon yourself?" she said between sobs. "It wasn't even your fault. You shouldn't have defended me like that. If he does something to you because of me, I'll never be able to forgive myself."

I pulled back slightly and looked at her, shaking my head. "I wasn't bragging when I said I'd be your best friend," I told her gently. "And real friends don't leave each other's side when one of them is in trouble."

She wiped her tears slowly and a small, grateful smile appeared on her face. "Thank you, Andy," she said before hugging me again.

After a few moments, the heavy silence between us returned. I sighed and closed my locker with a dull thud. "I don't think I'll be able to attend the remaining classes today," I admitted. "I really need to clear my head."

Clara nodded in agreement. "Me too. Let's just go home."

By the time I reached home later that evening, exhaustion had settled deep into my body. I had barely changed my clothes before collapsing onto my bed, staring blankly at the ceiling. My mind replayed the entire scene in the cafeteria again and again—Mark's cold smile, his threatening whisper, the dark look in his eyes when I challenged him.

"Honey, is everything alright?"

My mother's worried voice pulled me out of my thoughts. I turned my head and saw her standing near my bed, her face full of concern. "I got a call from your college," she said gently. "They said you didn't attend classes after lunch. You don't look well. Should I call a doctor?"

I forced a small smile. "No, Mom. There's no need for that. I just had a bit of a headache earlier, but I'm fine now. Don't worry."

The lie felt strange coming out of my mouth. I had never lied to my mom before. She wasn't just my mother—she was my closest friend, the one person I always shared everything with. But today was different. I didn't have the courage to tell her what had happened. The last thing I wanted was for her to worry about me or get involved in this mess.

Her worried expression softened as she sat beside me on the bed and gently ran her hand through my hair. "Honey," she said softly, "I don't know what problem you're facing right now, and I'll never force you to tell me. But remember one thing—your mom is always with you, no matter what."

A small tear slipped from the corner of my eye before I could stop it. She had always been like this—supporting me in every phase of my life without hesitation. I hugged her tightly. "I know, Mom. And I love you so much."

"My girl can face any problem," she said with a reassuring smile. "No matter how big it seems."

Her words eased the heaviness in my chest, even if only for a little while. "Don't worry, Mom. I'll never disappoint you." Then suddenly I remembered something and looked up at her. "By the way, how was your job hunt today?"

Her face brightened instantly. "It went well, sweetheart. I got hired as a library in charge downtown."

My eyes widened with excitement. "Really? That's amazing, Mom!"

Seeing her smile made me genuinely happy. After she left the room, I walked over to my bookshelf and pulled out my favorite book, The Alchemist. Usually reading it helped calm my thoughts, but tonight my mind refused to cooperate. My eyes moved over the words on the page, yet none of them stayed long enough to make sense. Instead, Mark's voice kept echoing inside my head.

One night... throw away all that so-called dignity... and I might forget this ever happened.

I shut the book with a frustrated sigh. No matter how hard I tried to forget the incident, it kept replaying in my mind like a broken record. And then there was his warning—If you dare to defy my order, I'll make sure to destroy you both. The memory sent a cold shiver through me. I knew he was powerful. Powerful enough to make life extremely difficult for someone like me. The thought of what he might do next made my stomach twist with unease.

But slowly, another feeling began rising inside me—determination. No. I couldn't let fear control me. I wasn't a coward. Mark Winston wanted me to submit, to be afraid of him, to become another puppet dancing to his commands. But he had clearly underestimated one thing—my will. I sat up straight on my bed, clenching my fists as a stubborn resolve filled my chest.

"Mark Winston," I muttered under my breath. "You may have money, power, and half the college worshipping you... but I'm never bowing down to someone like you. I won't let you break me. Not now. Not ever."