Aristocracy 101

Chapter 8

“Come serve me some burgers and fries,” Oliver said, completely ignoring the customers waiting behind him. “And I also need twenty minutes of your time.”

Bella stared at him in disbelief.

“I’m not a waiter, Mr. Johnson… and—”

“Excuse me?”

His interruption was sharp enough to make her stop mid-sentence.

Before she could finish, the manager hurried over, a nervous smile already plastered across his face.

“What brings you to our humble shop, Mr. Johnson?” he asked, trying his best to sound welcoming despite the obvious fear in his voice.

Oliver raised an eyebrow, his expression carrying the usual arrogance that came with his name.

“What do you mean? Why can’t I be here? Last time I checked, this was a fast-food restaurant.”

“No, no, no… you misunderstood me,” the manager quickly corrected, waving his hands. “I didn’t mean it like that.”

He was careful with his words. Everyone knew about Oliver Johnson’s reputation. He was a notorious playboy, someone who could change girlfriends as easily as he changed clothes. But that wasn’t what truly frightened people about him.

It was the fact that beneath that careless smile was someone who could become terrifying when provoked.

“I just wanted to talk to your cashier,” Oliver said, glancing at Bella. “But she doesn’t seem interested.”

The manager immediately understood the situation.

“No problem. Bella, serve Mr. Johnson his order and take an hour break.”

Bella’s eyes widened.

“But sir, it’s my shift. I can’t just—”

“Do as I say,” the manager interrupted, his patience thinning. “Someone else can cover for you. Don’t keep Mr. Johnson waiting.”

Bella lowered her head reluctantly.

“Yes, sir.”

The manager turned back to Oliver.

“I apologize. She’s still new here.”

Bella walked away to change her uniform, looking defeated on the outside.

But nobody noticed the small smirk forming on her lips.

Step one accomplished.

When she returned, Oliver was already seated at a table. The food had arrived, but strangely enough, he hadn’t touched it.

Bella sat opposite him and looked at the untouched meal.

“Do you not eat this kind of food, Your Highness?” she asked, sarcasm dripping from her voice.

Oliver glanced at the burger before shrugging.

“Not really. My mom says it’s unhealthy.”

“Maybe you should listen to her.”

Bella leaned back slightly.

“Rich kids like you shouldn’t be hanging around poor people like us.”

The bitterness in her voice didn’t go unnoticed.

Oliver frowned.

“Do you have a problem with me?”

His irritation grew. He genuinely couldn’t understand why this girl seemed to dislike him so much. Aside from the pineapple juice incident, which had been an accident, he didn’t remember doing anything terrible enough to deserve this kind of hostility.

Bella looked away.

“I’m sorry.”

Her voice softened.

“You’re right. I don’t have a problem with you. It’s just…”

She paused.

“Never mind.”

Oliver studied her carefully.

There was something behind those words.

Something she wasn’t saying.

“Why are you here?” she asked.

“What?”

“What do you want from me?”

Her tone wasn’t mocking this time. It was genuine curiosity.

“If this is about the slap, then I apologize. I was angry that day and took it out on you.”

She hesitated before continuing.

“But if you want compensation, I honestly don’t have money to give you.”

Bella almost laughed.

“As you can see, I’m working as a cashier. I have three other jobs I’ve been juggling for the past month just to survive.”

Oliver frowned.

“Why do you need so many jobs?”

Before he could ask anything else, Bella cut him off.

“What are you going to do?”

Her voice was sharp.

“Help me?”

She gave a bitter laugh.

“You want to be Prince Charming and save the poor girl?”

Oliver remained silent.

“Well, sorry to disappoint you, but I’m not interested.”

Her eyes hardened.

“I don’t need another rich kid coming into my life, pretending to care, only to treat me like some toy when they get bored.”

She looked away.

“I can handle myself.”

Her words were confident.

But what she failed to notice were the tears slowly gathering in her eyes.

Oliver froze.

For some reason, seeing her cry affected him more than he expected.

He didn’t know her story, didn’t know what she had been through, but there was something about Bella that made him want to protect her.

From what he could get from her breakdown, she had once dated a wealthy man. She believed he genuinely loved her, only to discover that she had been nothing more than a temporary source of entertainment for him. Someone he called whenever he wanted attention, then ignored whenever he didn’t.

What an asshole.

The thought came naturally.

Almost too naturally.

Because, in some ways, that man reminded him of himself.

But Oliver immediately pushed the comparison away.

He wasn’t like that.

He only walked away when girls became too clingy or when their sweetness turned out to be fake.

Bella, however, had confronted the man when she discovered the truth.

Only to find him f*****g another girl.

The argument that followed ended their relationship completely.

And it was also the same day Oliver had spilled the pineapple juice on her.

The realization struck him.

What the hell was wrong with that man ?

He had never felt this angry for a girl before.

Not for his girlfriends.

Not for any of his flings.

After that day, he found himself searching for her.

Everywhere.

Every place she worked.

Every place she might be.

He bought gifts.

Offered money.

But Bella rejected everything.

Every single time.

He couldn’t understand it.

Didn’t girls like gifts?

Lilian always treasured even the smallest things he gave her, even when they weren’t worth much.

Wasn’t I sincere enough?

It was after leaving a gift shop with a large teddy bear in his arms that Oliver heard the scream.

He stopped.

For a moment, he considered ignoring it.

Another scream echoed through the alley.

“Help!”

The desperation in that voice made his body move before his mind could catch up.

“Shut up!”

The man’s voice was filled with anger.

“You should learn your place.”

Bella struggled, fear filling her eyes.

“Please! Someone help!”

The man’s expression twisted.

“Hold her.”

His men immediately moved forward.

He was someone feared in the area, someone used to getting whatever he wanted. Earlier, he had noticed Bella’s playful expression in calling him and came over but the funny thing is that she rejected him when he did come and his pride couldn’t accept it.

He wanted to teach her a lesson.

“If you don’t stop yelling,” he threatened, stepping closer, “you’ll regret it.”

Before he could move any further—

THUD!

A powerful kick struck his stomach, sending him stumbling backward.

The entire alley went silent.

“Who… who are you?” the man asked, shocked.

Oliver didn’t answer.

He moved forward, placing himself between the girl and the threat.

Then he realized.

It was her.

Bella.

The girl he had been searching for.

The girl he had been trying to understand.

His heart tightened.

What if I hadn’t been here?

The thought alone sent a wave of anger through him.

The men around them stared in disbelief.

Their boss, someone they feared, had been taken down in one move.

“A second.”

“A single second.”

That was all it took.

“Get him, you idiots!” the man roared.

But his men barely had time to react.

One after another, they fell.

Oliver moved with terrifying speed and precision, leaving them unable to fight back.

The man could only consider himself lucky that all he received was a painful kick.

Oliver turned away from them and walked toward Bella.

He removed his jacket and gently placed it over her shoulders.

Then he looked back at the remaining men.

His expression was cold.

“You have five seconds to leave.”

His voice dropped.

“Before things get worse.”

The men hesitated.

But one look at Oliver’s eyes was enough.

They quickly helped each other up and fled the alley.

Leaving Oliver and Bella alone.