Chapter 4

I rented a small apartment on the outskirts of the city with only one bedroom. Though it couldn't compare to Camilla's massive luxury apartment, it made me feel a lot more at ease.

At first, everything went smoothly, but I kept running into a wall when it came to finding a job.

Since I still needed to transfer money over to the orphanage regularly, I decided that I would get a part-time job at a restaurant for now.

The restaurant was running an event, so I stood outside the door, handing out flyers.

"Well, well, if it isn't the little deaf boy!"

I turned in the direction of the voice and saw that it was Caleb.

Next to him were Nathan and Camilla, who were arm in arm in an intimate manner.

Upon spotting me, Nathan acted as if he had suddenly realized the awkwardness of the situation and moved to extricate his arm, only for Camilla to tighten her hold on him.

With a condescending sneer, Camilla said, "You were kicking up such a fuss, insistent on leaving me, yet look at where that's gotten you? You're just a lowly waiter at a restaurant!"

Nathan and Caleb burst into laughter at her words.

"Camilla, how about we eat here? Although it's kind of cheap…" Caleb suggested.

After giving it a few seconds of consideration, Camilla agreed.

At first, their decision had nothing to do with me, but then the manager told me that they had specifically requested that I serve them.

When I refused, the manager snatched the flyers from me. "You don't get to refuse."

Technically, she was right in that I couldn't say no.

Camilla and the others were clearly out to get me, either complaining that this dish was too salty or that one was too bland.

My flustered demeanor only caused them to smile in satisfaction.

At last, I lost my temper and snapped back at them, but just as I turned to leave, Nathan called out and stopped me.

Pointing at the arrabbiata pasta on the table, he said gently, "Finish that plate, and we can forget about this matter."

I was allergic to chilli, and I knew that they had specifically chosen to get the extra hot option when placing their orders. Hence, I was about to refuse, but then Camilla ordered Caleb to grab my hands.

She clearly knew that I was allergic, yet she still allowed Nathan to stuff a forkful of pasta into my mouth.

Mustering all my strength, I pulled free of Caleb's grip and shoved Nathan hard, causing the entire plate of pasta to splatter against his suit.

Immediately, the pristine white suit was stained with red.

Nathan turned to Camilla with reddened eyes and an utterly pitiful expression on his face, as though he were the victim here.

Camilla called for the manager, demanding that I apologize even though the one who had been forced was me.

When I stubbornly refused to apologize, the manager ended up firing me.

After ending my shift, I walked out of the restaurant, only to see Camilla's Rolls-Royce parked by the roadside. She was alone inside, with no sign of Nathan beside her.

Upon spotting me, she got out of her car and approached me.

"Get in the car."

Ignoring her, I turned to make my way to the subway station.

She frowned at my action. In the past, I had never once lost my temper at her, so after snubbing her multiple times over the past two days, she was more than a little displeased.

Taking hold of my hand, she forcefully dragged me into the car.

I struggled desperately to open the car door and escape, but she was quick to lock the door. Only then did she speak up.

"If you want to drag Mr. Manon and the orphanage into trouble alongside you, then continue with your tantrum."

My hand froze over the car door handle.

Mr. Manon was the director of the orphanage I had come from and the most important person to me, a fact that she was well aware of, yet here she was, threatening me with him and the orphanage.

Abandoning any attempts to escape, I sat back quietly in my seat, the tense atmosphere in the vehicle almost suffocating me.

Satisfied with my compliance, she reached out to pat my head. "Good boy. Move back in and don't piss me off again, okay? We'll get married next month as planned. You won't be able to survive if you leave me."