Written by Fate

Episode 1:The night every thing changed

The name’s Sophia Carter, and if a year ago someone had told me that one day I’d come to meet New York’s biggest billionaire I’d have probably laughed and then declared them mad. Life has not been kind to me. I was twenty-four, I worked two jobs to make ends meet, my mother had heart disease and had been very sick for many years now and my younger brother Daniel had just started college, so every new bill that arrived felt like another stone on my chest waiting to crush me. I barely got any sleep most nights.

It started like any other Monday. I woke up to the sound of the alarm ring a few minutes before dawn. I quickly put together breakfast, made sure everyone was fine and then went for my first job as a waitress.

“Good morning, sweetheart,” my mother’s weak voice greeted me as she entered the kitchen.

“Morning, Mom. How are you doing today?” I offered with a warm smile.

“Better than yesterday."

I planted a kiss on her forehead and offered her a cup of tea. “You need to stop working so much, Sophia, my mother advised me. You work like a slave for nothing”. “And who will pay all the expenses if I don’t?” I asked her with a laugh.

Daniel, my lazy, good for nothing, sweet and smart younger brother walked into the kitchen groggy-eyed.

“Morning, sis!” he said with a wide yawn. “Morning, lazy boy,” he took a slice of bread from the plate. “One day I will become a rich man and support you and Mom, “I giggled.

“Really?” I teased him. “Absolutely."

Mom smiled at us. Such small gestures meant everything because they helped me forget the hardships, albeit for just a while.

By 8 o’clock I was in the café as the rest of the waitresses were busy setting up. By the time it became noon, the café was full. “Sophia, table six,” shouted our manager, and I rushed towards table six.

After rushing from one table to another, I had just sat on a chair when my mobile started vibrating: “Hello… Miss Carter, about your mother's medication. It needs to be renewed, and we require payment by tomorrow. “My heart sank a bit. “Tomorrow?”

“Yes,” I said, closing my eyes. “I will." As I ended the conversation, tears almost threatened to overflow. How on earth was I supposed to get money before tomorrow, when I hardly had any for rent.

Suddenly, the words of our manager hit me: “Sophia, do you remember that charity work they required at Grand Royal Hotel for this evening?”

I nodded. “ They are paying well.” “ I will be there!”

That night I was dressed in the plain black uniform the organizers had provided me with and arrived at the Grand Royal Hotel. It looked like a different world; chandeliers dangled from the ceiling, and expensive cars filled every available parking space outside. For once, I saw wealth on display all around.

“Try not to stare much, sweetie,” a girl wearing a similar uniform whispered into my ear. I smiled sheepishly.

“Will try not to!” By now, many people have started to turn into a frantic mess.

“ Oh my god, it’s him!” someone screamed and another asked, “Who?” “Ethan Williams” The name sounded vaguely familiar; I vaguely remember seeing it in business magazines. Williams Group CEO, King of New York, etc. Etc.

I turned my head around and my eyes widened at the sight of the richest man in New York walking amongst the people.

The most attractive, sophisticated man I had ever seen in my entire life. He was tall, handsome, powerful, and he was wearing an extremely sharp, black three-piece suit. The rest of the crowd was practically bowing to him as if he was a royal figure.

Quickly, I diverted my attention away. I know people like him are from a different world altogether, not me. I picked up the tray of champagne glasses that I was holding carefully, and started navigating through the packed room, until suddenly someone had accidentally bumped into me! Before I could react– CRASH!

My tray wobbled precariously, and the sparkling red liquid sprayed all over a man's black three-piece suit.

My heart stopped instantly. Slowly I looked up… and almost collapsed. It was him, Ethan Williams. ‘Oh’s’ echoed throughout the room, and a sense of dread washed over me.

‘She’s finished,’ someone uttered.

‘Oh no,’ ‘Her life is ruined’. I felt myself tremble. “I’m so sorry, sir, I didn’t mean to…” He looked at me and at that moment, everyone in the room seemed to keep quiet, his bodyguard slowly encroaching… and everyone, including myself, expected him to burst out in anger, scream at me or even to publicly humiliated me but instead, he looked at me in the eye, his piercing grey eyes scanning through mine, and he quietly said, “Are you alright?”

“What?”

I uttered, confused. “The glass did it hurt your hand?” I looked at my hand, and realized a tiny little scratch made it bleed. That's it I had not even realized.

“I’m alright,” he then pulled out a clean handkerchief from his pocket and gently tied it around my hand with much delicacy. Everyone in the room had wide eyes—including myself.

“Be careful next time,” he advised with a small smile, and before I could apologize, “About your suit… it seems like I’ve completely messed up? “I stuttered, I just….” He brushed off my apology with his left hand.

“It’s just a suit.” A mere suit?

That single piece of clothing cost way more than what I earned in a year.

And then with a small curve of his lips, that was probably the first authentic smile I had seen in his life, the legendary Ethan Williams smiled at me, and for some strange reason my heart skipped a beat.

That moment I didn’t know it, but

That one small, insignificant accident… It changed my entire life.