Ms., Your Identity Has Been Exposed: From Nobody to Somebody

Arabella walked through the front gates of West Academy, clutching her books close to her chest. The early morning breeze did little to cool the nervous energy bubbling inside her. Today was supposed to be just another normal school day. But normal was a luxury she wasn’t granted often. She adjusted the straps of her worn-out backpack and made her way toward the hallway. Kevin, her boyfriend, the boy she had loved since middle school, the one she had fought for, supported, and practically carried on her back, had been acting distant lately. She tried to ignore the uneasy feeling twisting in her gut. Maybe he’s just stressed about school, she told herself. Maybe I’m overthinking things. But deep down, she knew better. As she rounded the corner, laughter rang through the hallway. Her heart nearly stopped. There, leaning against the lockers, stood Kevin. His arm wrapped tightly around Alicia Lim’s waist, the school’s resident princess and the only daughter of the powerful Lim Corporation. Arabella's stomach dropped. Kevin had told her countless times that he loved her, that they would succeed together, that their struggles would one day pay off. But now, he was holding another girl as if Arabella never even existed. She stepped closer, her voice shaking. "Kevin?" He turned, his once warm brown eyes now filled with something she couldn’t quite place, disgust. "What do you want?" he asked coldly. Arabella blinked. "I was looking for you. We have a project to finish…" Alicia scoffed, running her manicured nails over Kevin’s chest. "Oh, come on, Kevin. Why are you still talking to her? Just tell her the truth already." Arabella’s heart pounded. "Truth?" She looked at Kevin, desperate for some kind of explanation. He exhaled sharply, his expression turning hard. "Arabella, let’s not make this awkward. I’ve moved on. You and I? We were never meant to be." The words sliced through her like a blade. "What?" Her voice cracked. "After everything I’ve done for you? You wouldn’t even be in this school if it weren’t for me!" Kevin smirked. "And? Look at you, Ara. You can barely afford a decent meal. You’re embarrassing. I was only with you because I felt sorry for you." Alicia’s friends giggled, whispering among themselves. One of them, Kissy, sneered. "She actually thought she was good enough for Kevin. Pathetic." Arabella felt like she couldn’t breathe. "Kevin… you don’t mean that." He chuckled. "I do. You were just a phase, Ara. It’s time you get that through your head." Tears blurred her vision, but she refused to let them fall. "I can’t believe you…" Before she could finish, Kevin’s palm met her cheek with a sharp slap. A stunned silence filled the air. "Didn’t I tell you to stop embarrassing me?" he snapped. Arabella staggered back, her cheek burning, her ears ringing. Alicia clung to Kevin, smirking. "Poor girl. Maybe next time, aim higher than your league." Then, before Arabella could process what just happened, Kissy grabbed a bottle of water and dumped it over her head. Cold liquid drenched her uniform as laughter erupted around her. She sat there on the ground, dripping wet, as Kevin pulled Alicia closer and kissed her, right in front of her. The humiliation was unbearable. She clenched her fists, fighting the urge to scream. She wanted to disappear. She wanted to run. But her body refused to move. As the crowd started to disperse, her phone rang. With trembling hands, she pulled it out of her pocket. "Is this Ms. Arabella Alcantara?" a man’s voice asked on the other end. She swallowed hard. "Y-Yeah… who’s this?" "Finally, I found you." Her brows furrowed. "What?" "I’m Lance Flores, Mr. Guevara’s executive secretary." "Mr. Guevara?" she repeated, confused. "I don’t know anyone named Guevara. Why are you calling me?" "Ms. Alcantara, Mr. Guevara ordered me to find you. He wants you to be his sole heiress to G-Empire Corporation." Arabella blinked. "Wait… what? G-Empire? The biggest company in the country?" "Yes, Miss. The one and only." She let out a dry, bitter laugh. "Oh, great. Let me guess, I’m also secretly a long-lost princess? Maybe I’ll wake up tomorrow as Queen of the World." She hung up without another word. What a joke. One moment, her boyfriend was cheating on her and humiliating her in front of the whole school. The next, some random guy was claiming she was the heir to a billion-dollar empire. Could this day get any worse? Turns out, it could. When she arrived at her tiny apartment, there was a loud, angry knock at the door. She barely had time to sigh before opening it. Her landlady, a short, plump woman in tight stockings, stood there with her arms crossed. "Arabella Alcantara," she snapped. Arabella forced a smile. "Ah, Ms. Fatty….auh.. I – I mean, Ms. Catty! What a lovely surprise." Ms. Catty narrowed her eyes. "It’s not lovely at all. Where’s my rent? You’re four months behind!" Arabella winced. "Can you give me a few more days?" "A few days?" The woman laughed cruelly. "You have two hours. Either pay up or pack up!" And with that, she stormed off. Arabella leaned against the door, letting out a shaky breath. "Great. Two hours. Where am I supposed to find that kind of money?" Her entire month’s salary from the café was already spent on Kevin’s birthday gift. Now, she had no boyfriend, no dignity, and, soon no place to live. She sank to the floor, staring at the ceiling. "This has to be the worst day of my life." Little did she know, her life was about to change forever.