The News

Fifteen minutes. That was my countdown to the end of this shift

I was weaving through the cafe with a tray of lattes balanced on my hand, dodging the elbows of people who paid for coffee with hundred-dollar bills that was how expensive this place is.

Then, my pocket buzzed. The sound was A sharp, annoying jolt. I knew I shouldn’t have reached for it, but I did. I looked down for just a second, and that was my mistake I should have completely ignored it.

The tray tilted. I snapped my wrist back to save the glasses, but a dark splash of espresso jumped over the rim. It landed right on a girl’s pale pink silk dress.

“Oh no, no! You ruined it!”

She didn't just speak to me, she screamed at me. She stood over me, watching the stain spread across her expensive dress.

Every conversation in the room stopped.

“Look what you’ve done!”

She spun around to the man behind her.

“William, look! She just ruined my dress!”

“It was an accident, Juliana. You were moving too fast and you bumped into her.”

His voice was deep, calm, and cut right through her panic. I finally looked up.

“I’m so sorry,” I whispered. My hands were shaking.

“But she should have been paying attention!” Juliana snapped, her face turning red.

“An apology doesn't fix my dress!”

“Let’s go to the restroom and see if we can clean it,” the man said. He stepped into the light, and I actually forgot to breathe.

He looked like he was made of power. His white shirt was perfectly pressed, his hair was perfectly styled, and he didn't even look at me. He wasn't mad; he was just... bored. He looked like he owned the whole building. I looked like a girl who lived above a hair salon and worked three jobs just to survive.

“It’s just a stain, Juliana. Don’t make a scene,” he added.

He led her away by the elbow but, He never looked back. To him, I was just a glitch in his day.

I went back to the kitchen, my chest feeling tight. I finished the rest of my shift like a ghost, cleaning machines and stacking mugs until my manager finally gave me the nod.

“You’re done for the night. Go home.”

I didn't wait. I pushed through the back door and leaned against the cold brick wall in the alley, finally pulling the phone from my pocket.

Five missed calls. One text.

I got married!

I read it three times. The city noise felt like it was fading away. Married? My mother had been chasing "soulmates" for years, but this was different. No warning. No name. Just a text message.

“Everything okay, Bel?”

Dave, another server, was holding the door open. I stuffed the phone away and forced a smile.

“Yeah. Just tired.”

An hour later, I was sitting on my bed. The springs creaked as I moved, and the air smelled like hairspray and floral shampoo from Aunt Joey’s salon downstairs. This room, with its old furniture and cracked window, had been my safe space since I was twelve—the year my mom decided a daughter didn't fit her travel schedule.

The phone buzzed again. A new message.

His name is Arthur Sterling. He’s booked your flight, Bel. You leave for London in forty-eight hours.

I stared at the screen until the light hurt my eyes. Then the phone started ringing, vibrating in my hand.

My mother wasn't going to wait. I swiped the screen, my heart racing.

"Mom?"

"Bel! Oh, thank goodness you finally picked up!"

Sarah’s voice was like fake sugar—sweet and totally hollow. In the background, I could hear ice clinking in a glass and fancy classical music.

"Did you see? Can you believe it? I’m a Sterling now!"

"A Sterling? As in Arthur Sterling? The billionaire?" I repeated the name, feeling totally numb.

"Mom, you’ve been in London for four months. How do you even know him, let alone marry him?"

"It was fate, darling! He’s everything I’ve ever wanted. He’s stable, he’s brilliant, and he wants to take care of us. No more living in that tiny apartment, Bel. No more scrubbing floors or serving coffee."

I closed my eyes, feeling sick. "I like my life here, Mom. I like Joey. And I have a plan. I’ve worked three jobs for three years to get into that London college program. I don't need a billionaire to 'save' me."

"Don't be a martyr, Isabel. It’s annoying." Her voice turned cold for a second. "

I know your bank account balance. I know you’re five thousand pounds short for your tuition, and the college won't hold your spot after this month. Arthur checked into everything."

A cold chill ran through me. "He looked at my bank account? Why?"

"Because he wants to help! He’s offered you a job, Bel. An internship at Sterling Global. The pay covers your tuition and more. You’ll live here at the estate. You just have to get on the plane. It leaves tomorrow night."

Tomorrow night. Forty-eight hours to leave the only home I knew.

"I can't just leave Joey. She’s the one who stayed, Mom. She was there when you weren't."

"Joey is fine, Bel. Arthur is even going to invest in her salon. But he can't do that if you’re being stubborn. Think about your future. Do you want to be a waitress forever?"

I looked at my hands. They were red and dry from cleaning supplies. My back hurt, and I was exhausted. I thought of the man from the cafe—William. The way he looked right through me.

"Who would I be working for?"

"Arthur’s son. He’s a bit... intense. But he’s brilliant. You’ll be working right in his department. It’s a huge head start."

"I’ll think about it," I whispered.

"Don't think too long. The driver will be at your door at 4:00 PM tomorrow. I love you, Bel. This is for the best."

The line went dead. I sat in the silence for a long time, until the door creaked open.