Aristocracy101

Chapter 8

"Come serve me some burgers and fries, and I also need 20 minutes of your time," he commanded, completely indifferent to the customers waiting in line behind him.

"I'm not a waiter, Mr. Johnson... And—"

"Excuse me?" he interrupted, his tone cutting through the air.

Before Bella could finish her sentence, the manager rushed over, a forced smile plastered on his face.

"What brings you here to our humble shop, Mr. Johnson?" the manager asked, attempting to strike up a conversation, though it was clear he was nervous.

"What do you mean, Mr. Manager? Why can't I be here? Last time I checked, this is a fast-food restaurant," Mr. Johnson replied, his voice dripping with arrogance.

"No, no, no... You misunderstood," the manager stammered, waving his hands frantically in a futile attempt to smooth things over. He didn’t want to provoke this powerful man. Mr. Johnson was well-known for being a playboy—changing girlfriends as easily as he changed clothes—but when he got serious or angry, he could be downright frightening.

"I just want to talk to your cashier, but she doesn't seem to agree," he said, trying to backpedal, not wanting to cause too much trouble.

"No problem," the manager said quickly. "Bella, serve Mr. Johnson his order and take an hour break," he instructed, eager to avoid any confrontation.

"But sir, it's my shift; I can't—"

"Do as I say. Someone else can take over for you. Don't keep Mr. Johnson waiting," the manager snapped, clearly growing impatient.

Turning to face Oliver, he apologized profusely. "I'm so sorry. She's new here."

Bella, frightened by the manager's reprimand, quickly changed her uniform, but nobody noticed the smirk playing on her lips.

Step 1 accomplished...

Sitting at the table with Oliver, the food had already been served, but he hadn't touched it.

"Do you not eat this kind of food, your highness?" she asked, sarcasm lacing her words.

"Not really," he replied. "Mom says it’s unhealthy."

"Maybe you should listen to her. Rich kids like you shouldn’t be hanging out with poor people like us," she shot back, bitterness in her voice.

Oliver bristled. "Do you have a problem with me?" he asked, frustration building. He had no idea why this girl seemed to have it out for him—aside from the juice incident, which had been an accident.

"I'm sorry... You're right. I don’t have a problem with you. It’s just... never mind," she muttered, her anger simmering beneath the surface.

Oliver leaned forward, his curiosity piqued. "Why are you here? What do you want from me? If it’s about the slap, I apologize. I was angry that day and took it out on you. But if you want me to pay, I really don’t have money. As you can see, I’m working as a cashier to make ends meet, and I already have three extra jobs I've been juggling for the past month."

"Why do you need so many jobs?" he asked, but before he could finish his question, Bella interrupted.

"What do you want to do, help me?" she scoffed, her tone mocking. "You want to be Prince Charming, saving the damsel in distress? Well, not to burst your bubble, but I’m not interested. I don’t need another rich kid coming into my life and treating me like a toy. I can handle myself."

Her defiance was obvious, but what she didn’t notice was the tears beginning to fall from her eyes.

Oliver felt a pang of empathy, though he couldn’t explain why. He didn’t know her story, but he could sense that something about her made him want to protect her. From what he could gather, Bella had been in a relationship with a guy from a wealthy family. She thought he truly loved her, but he treated her like an object—calling her when it was convenient for him and dismissing her when it wasn’t. What an asshole. It sounded almost like him, but Oliver defended himself—he only dismissed girls when they became too clingy or insincere.

But Bella had confronted him when she finally realized the truth, only to find him with another girl. The argument had escalated, and just like that, their relationship ended.

It was also the same day he had spilled juice on her.

The realization hit him hard. What the hell was wrong with me?

He had never gotten this angry for a girl before—not even for his flings or girlfriends.

From then on, he’d visited every place she worked, hoping for a chance to talk to her. But each time, she treated him like a stranger—cold and distant. He bought her gifts, offered money, but she refused every single time, returning them with a sense of finality. He was confused. Didn’t girls like gifts? Lilian always cherished the smallest tokens he gave her, even though they were practically worthless.

Wasn’t I sincere enough? he questioned himself.

It was after leaving a gift shop, carrying a large teddy bear for Bella, when he heard a scream coming from down the alley.

He tried to ignore it, continuing toward his car.

Another scream.

"Help!" The desperation in her voice was unmistakablen.

Smack!

"Shut up," the man growled, his anger bubbling over. "You should learn your place."

"Please! Someone help!" She cried out again, her voice filled with desperation.

"Hold her, boys!" the man barked. He was a notorious figure in the area, known for his influence and ruthless behavior. He had seen her earlier—playfully teasing him with a look—but when he approached, she had made it clear she wasn't interested. His pride was hurt, and he wasn’t going to let her dismiss him like that. Next time, she would know not to tempt guys.

"If you don’t stop yelling, I’ll make sure you regret it," he threatened, moving closer.

THUD!

Oliver rushed forward, his leg connecting with the man’s midsection, knocking him back. The man stumbled, groaning in pain.

"Who... Who are you?" the man stammered, clearly shocked.

Oliver didn’t waste any more time. He moved quickly, stepping between Bella and the man.

To his surprise, it was Bella—this girl he had been trying to help all along.

His heart raced as he realized how close she had come to danger. What if I hadn't been here? he thought, the fear of the possibility weighing on him.

The underlings, who had been watching in disbelief, now stared at their boss in shock. They couldn’t believe what they had just seen—how their powerful leader had been knocked back so easily.

A second.

A second!

"Get him, you fools!" the man shouted, his voice full of rage. But his henchmen didn’t even get a chance to react before they were brought to the ground. One by one, they were incapacitated quickly, unable to stand against Oliver’s speed and precision.

The man, quite grateful that he only got out with a kick in between the legs.

Turning to Bella, Oliver removed his jacket and gently draped it around her shoulders. He then turned to face the remaining men, his eyes cold and hard. "You’ve got five seconds to get out of here before things get worse."

The men, seeing the determination in his eyes, hesitated for only a moment. Realizing they were no match for him, they scrambled to their feet and fled, leaving the alley as quickly as they could.