Chapter 3
1067 Words
"TLING!" The cafe doorbell rang, signaling a customer had entered.
"Welcome," Aruna greeted.
"One Americano," the man said.
"Okay, one Americano. Excuse me, sir, would you like something else like dessert? We have a variety of desserts to sweeten your Americano," Aruna said again politely, typing on the cash register.
The man looked at Aruna, a beautiful girl with a ponytail and a feminine-looking cafe uniform.
"Yes, please. Choose the sweetest one," the man said.
"Yes, sir, I'll take your order. Please wait a moment," Aruna said, smiling.
"TLING!" The doorbell rang again.
"Welcome," Aruna greeted again.
"Mr. Vincenzo, you should return. Mr. Leonardo Valtieri will be having a Zoom meeting with you shortly to discuss the hotel project being built in City R," said a beautiful woman in work attire who had just arrived.
"I'm waiting for my Americano and dessert," Vincenzo said.
"I'll bring it, sir," the woman replied.
Vincenzo glanced at Aruna, who was still busy preparing the order. A spark of emotion arose in his heart, recognizing the beauty of the girl he had just met. In his travels to various countries, this was the first time Vincenzo had encountered such a pure and alluring, energetic girl.
Aruna's skin was clear and smooth, and her long neck was exposed, making Vincenzo glance at her several times. Aruna's slender body and innocent, pure face were a perfect combination.
Even without makeup, Vincenzo admired her beauty.
"Okay. Take it to the Blue Sea Hotel," Vincenzo said to Franceska.
Then Vincenzo left the cafe.
A few moments later, Aruna finished preparing the order.
"I'll bring it; that was my boss," Franceska said.
"Aaah... Okay, thank you," Aruna said kindly.
"But was this dessert also ordered?"
"Yes, it's paid," Aruna replied.
"That's strange. Mr. Vincenzo usually doesn't like sweets," Franceska muttered as she walked away, leaving the cafe with a questioning look on her face.
Time passed quickly. The cafe had been relatively quiet all day. Usually, it was bustling with office workers or students, but perhaps today many were busy with work and exams.
Aruna started packing up to go home when Cristian tapped her on the shoulder.
"Want me to drive you?" Cristian asked.
Aruna shook her head confidently with a smile.
"I'm so disappointed, you keep turning me down," Cristian said.
"I don't want Sellena to keep misunderstanding me," Aruna replied.
Cristian nodded slowly. "Okay. Be careful."
Aruna nodded and smiled gently. After getting on the bus, Cristian's phone vibrated. He looked at the caller and his expression turned annoyed.
"Yes. Where?" he asked.
"Okay, I'll be there," Cristian replied.
Then Cristian put on his full-face helmet and started his sports bike, speeding towards where the caller was.
It didn't take long for Cristian to arrive at a popular bar. He entered and looked for someone waiting for him. Upon seeing his target, Cristian approached and tapped the glass bar counter with his finger.
"Cristiannn... I knew you'd come," said Sellena, smiling.
Selena poured a beer into a glass, handed it to Cristian, then patted the seat next to her—signaling for Cristian to sit beside her.
"I didn't come to drink," Cristian said flatly.
Selena looked confused.
"I told you, never hurt Aruna again. She's not to blame for my rejection of you. I've told you many times that I was never interested in you, and don't involve Aruna just because my feelings aren't the same as yours," Cristian said, staring at Sellena sharply.
Selena swallowed hard, tears starting to flow, which she quickly wiped away.
"Okay... I understand. But... why Aruna?" Sellena asked softly.
"Why Aruna? I don't know either. But my heart belongs only to Aruna," Cristian said honestly.
Selena held back her tears to prevent them from falling. She then downed her beer in one gulp, then slammed the glass down hard.
"BRAKK!!!"
"I assume you understand. Don't ever bother Aruna again!" Cristian said, then left Sellena, who was now growling angrily.
Selena, sitting alone, then squeezed her glass.
"You're wrong, Cristian... The more you protect her, the more I will torture her. I'll even kill her if necessary. If I can't have you, then Aruna won't have her either," she whispered vengefully.
Finally, in the middle of the night, Sellena came home completely drunk. She continued to curse and insult Aruna, her state completely chaotic.
"Aruna bastard!"
"Aruna stupid!"
"Aruna... Aruna... Aruna... I'm sick of that name!"
"Just wait, when I get home, I'll destroy you!"
"BRAAAKKK!!!" Sellena slammed the door shut and staggered toward Aruna's room.
"BRASH!!!" The door being opened roughly startled Aruna, even though she had just fallen asleep.
"What's wrong with you?" Aruna asked, confused.
"Damn it!!!" Sellena screamed, then jumped onto Aruna's bed. She immediately grabbed Aruna's neck tightly.
"Sellena... Sellena..." Aruna couldn't speak, her voice choked. She tried to struggle, but Sellena's strength was too strong.
"Die! You're dead, Aruna!!!" Sellena screamed, continuing to squeeze Aruna's neck.
The noise woke Claudia, their mother. She rushed to the room and was shocked to see Sellena strangling Aruna.
"Sellena! Sellena! What are you doing?!" Claudia screamed in panic, afraid that Aruna would die not out of pity, but because she was afraid of being imprisoned.
"Mom!" Sellena stopped strangling her and immediately hugged Claudia.
"Uhhukkk... uhhukkk... uhhukkk..." Aruna coughed, holding her reddened neck as she struggled to catch her breath.
"Mom... Cristian rejected me again. He said he hates me because I was rude to Aruna. Aruna must have told him! Now Cristian hates me, Mom! I'm so angry! You know, Mom, I've loved Cristian since I first saw him at school!" Sellena wailed in her mother's arms.
Claudia glared at Aruna with a sharp, hateful glare.
"You... always causing trouble! You always make Sellena hate everyone! You always pretend to be weak so everyone loves you, right?! You don't know what it's like to take care of a child who wasn't born from my womb!" Claudia glared.
Aruna struggled to her feet. "I don't just eat and sleep in this house either! The laundry is still running because I do it, and the money goes into your pocket!"
"What did you say!!? Sellena, go to your room! Let me teach this shameless child a lesson!" Claudia snapped.
"Okay, Mom..." Sellena replied, then left Aruna's room.
Claudia grabbed a broom from the living room and carried it to Aruna's room with an angry expression.
- Writer
