Chapter 5

MAYA'S POV

I woke up to the sound of my alarm, feeling groggy and exhausted after the long night I had with Alexander. As I rubbed my eyes, I couldn't help but think about Alexander's proposition from the night before. The idea of becoming his personal assistant was tempting, but also daunting. I wondered if I was really qualified for such a job and if I was ready to take on such a big responsibility.

As I lay in bed and stared at the ceiling, I couldn't help but think about Alexander asking me out to also be his girlfriend. I had always been attracted to him, but the thought of dating someone who might be my boss made her nervous. I didn't want to risk making things awkward if it didn't work out, but at the same time, I couldn't deny the chemistry between them. I was afraid that one of the two wouldn’t work out, and it would get weird at work.

I reached for the business card he had given me after he saved me from the bar and examined it closely. It was sleek and professional, with his name and contact information printed in bold letters. CEO ARMSTRONG INCORPORATED. I wondered what it would be like to work for him, and whether it would be worth the risk.

After a few minutes of deliberation, I decided to put the decision on hold for now. I had enough to worry about with her job at the coffee shop and didn't want to make any rash decisions, especially now that Phoebe was starting to give me some more responsibility. In fact, she asked me to open today instead of Danielle. I got out of bed and headed to the shower, hoping the hot water would help me wake up and clear my head.

The hot water was soothing, and I felt clean as I scrubbed every inch of my body but all I could think about was the kiss last night. I kept replaying it again and again. Billionaire Alexander Armstrong asked me out on a date, KISSED ME, and then asked me to be his girlfriend. I was shocked, and I was excited.

I looked in my small mirror. It’s not like there was particularly anything special about me. My brown hair was wet and hung weirdly on my head because I just came out of the shower, and I did not have time to style it since I was opening today, and I needed to get to the café by six am because that was when the early risers showed up. For the first time, I noticed the eyebags under my eyes, and how much darker my eyes looked. I had lost significant weight since I moved out. I felt tired and hungry.

I got dressed and headed to work at the coffee shop, hoping that the busy day ahead would distract me from my thoughts. But as soon as I arrived, I knew it was going to be a tough day. As I arrived at the coffee shop, I could already see a long line of customers forming outside. My heart sank at the sight. No wonder Danielle is always complaining about how demanding the job was. My shifts usually started around nine in the morning and by then, most people were at work so only the people with remote jobs came in.

I took a deep breath, put on my best smile, and headed to the counter after opening. "Good morning, how can I help you?" I greeted the first customer in line.

"I want a caramel latte with extra caramel and whipped cream," the customer said impatiently.

"Sure thing, that'll be just a moment," I said as I hurried to the espresso machine to start brewing the coffee. Our café prided itself on making fresh coffee and it always tasted good. That was why people kept coming back.

As I was preparing the drink, another customer approached the counter. "Excuse me, miss, can I get a large black coffee?"

"Of course, right away," I replied, trying to keep up with the influx of orders.

The line grew longer and the customers grew more impatient. My hands were shaking as I poured hot water into the coffee filter, causing some of the grounds to spill onto the counter.

"Watch it, you almost spilled coffee on my shirt!" A customer shouted angrily. Frustration started to build up in my chest.

"I'm so sorry, sir," I apologized as I quickly cleaned up the mess.

Just as I finished making another drink, a group of teenagers walked in and started talking loudly, making it difficult for me to hear the orders from the other customers.

"Can you please keep it down a little?" I asked politely.

The teenagers ignored me and continued to chat among themselves. I sighed and looked at the growing line of customers. I was feeling overwhelmed and exhausted. It had never been like this before even when I had my own café, but to be fair, my café was never as successful.

As I handed a customer their order, another one shouted from the back of the line. "Hey, how much longer do I have to wait? I want my usual!”

I felt a pang of frustration but tried to remain calm. I didn’t even know what his usual was. I didn’t want to believe that the man couldn’t tell the difference between Danielle and me. "I'm sorry, sir, we're doing our best to keep up with the orders. It won't be much longer."

The customer huffed and crossed his arms, clearly unhappy with the wait. I could feel her anxiety rising with each passing moment. I knew that it was going to be a long and challenging day.

As the morning rush continued, I couldn't help but wonder why she was putting up with this. Yes, I had dreams of opening her own coffee shop one day, but was this really worth it? I felt exhausted, drained, and unappreciated. I just couldn't wait for her shift to be over so I could go home and take a well-deserved break.

By mid-morning, I was exhausted. Her feet hurt because I didn’t even get a chance to sit down, and my hands were sore from all the work I had been doing. I took a moment to rest, leaning against the counter and taking deep breaths to calm myself down so I wouldn’t break down in front of all these people.

But I couldn't rest for long. The customers kept coming, demanding more and more of my time and attention. I pushed myself to keep going, fueled by a determination to get through the day no matter what. When the bakers finished with the pastries, I had a croissant to help me get fueled for the rest of the day.

Finally, Danielle came in, her eyes lighting up as soon as she saw me. "Maya, tell me everything about your date with Alexander!" she said, practically bouncing up and down with excitement, her voice shrill.

I let out a deep sigh. I had been expecting this but I was too exhausted to even play along. "I don't want to talk about it, Danielle."

"Why not? Did he finally take you to his penthouse?" Danielle giggled.

I rolled my eyes. "It's not like that. We just went to dinner."

Danielle's grin faded. "Come on, Maya. You can't just give me a little bit of juicy gossip? You didn’t learn anything new about him?"

I shook my head. "No, Danielle. It was a private night between me and Alexander. I don't feel comfortable sharing that with you." Besides, she would only act jealous again and I didn’t want to deal with that at all.

Danielle let out an exasperated sigh. "Fine, be that way. But you know, Maya, you're nobody that thinks she's somebody just because she's dating a billionaire."

I felt a twinge of hurt in her chest. "What do you mean by that?"

"I mean, you act like you're too good for us now. Like you're too good to work here and too good to hang out with me," Danielle said, her voice laced with bitterness.

"That's not true, Danielle. I'm still the same person I've always been, and it’s just been one date." I said, trying to keep her voice calm. I was already exhausted from the aggressive morning rush and I didn’t want to argue about this man I barely knew.

"Are you? Because it seems like you're willing to throw everything away just for a chance to be with Alexander," Danielle said, crossing her arms.

I felt my frustration boil over. "You don't know what you're talking about, Danielle. You have no idea how I feel. You don’t know the half of it"

"Then tell me, Maya. What's going on with you and Alexander?" Danielle pressed.

I shook my head. "I can't talk about it, Danielle. I'm sorry."

Danielle let out a sigh. "Fine, Maya. Whatever. Just don't forget where you came from. Cause when he dumps you, you’ll be back at square one."

I felt guilty, but I couldn't help the way I was feeling. I was already struggling with my own emotions, and I didn't want to have to deal with anyone else's. Plus, she was saying some really vile things to me.

As the day wore on, things only got worse. I was exhausted and frustrated, and I couldn't wait for my shift to be over. But when I finally got home, I was met with another source of stress.

My best friend Heather had left me a long email, upset that I hadn't been responding to her calls and texts.

From: [e-mail]

Subject: The Truth You Need to Hear

Maya,

I don't know why I'm even bothering to write this email because you'll probably just ignore it like you do all my calls and texts. But I can't stay quiet anymore. I've been watching you since high school, and I always knew you were a fake. You think you're so special because you moved to the city and work at some crappy coffee shop, but you're just a pathetic failure.

I've been trying to get in touch with you for weeks now, but you've been too busy chasing after your stupid dreams. And now I see why – because you're a failure. You always have been, and you always will be. And you were scared I’d see through your pathetic lifestyle.

Remember how you were always trying so hard to fit in during high school? It was pathetic. And now you're doing the same thing, but in New York City. You can't even make it as a barista at some crappy coffee shop. You've been there for months and what do you have to show for it? Nothing. You're still living hand to mouth.

And let's not forget about your failed relationship. What happened there? Did he finally realize what a loser you are? I'm not surprised. You've always been a people pleaser, never standing up for yourself. You thought he was your soulmate, but he dumped you after a few months because you're nothing but a clingy, needy mess. You were always so desperate for attention, but no one wants to be around someone like that. I’m sure he only proposed because of pity, and when your café shut down, that was the perfect time for him to abandon your sunken ship on fire.

And now, instead of working on yourself and trying to improve your life, you're still stuck in that dead-end job, serving coffee to people who don't even know your name. You're scared of taking risks and scared of success, which is why you'll never amount to anything.

I heard from a mutual friend that you're still living in that tiny apartment and eating ramen every night. You're so pathetic, Maya. You'll never make anything of yourself, and you'll always be a nobody.

I know you're scared of success, that's why you never left home. You're afraid of what could happen if you actually tried to do something with your life. But here's the truth: you're never going to amount to anything. You're always going to be a failure. You've always been jealous of me, and now you're just jealous of my success. Do you think rubbing shoulders with Thalia is going to help you be successful? Let me burst your bubble right now, you are just destined to be a poor, pathetic, and mediocre loser.

I hope this wakes you up and helps you see the reality of your situation. YOU ARE A USELESS FAILURE. You have nothing to show for your wretched life and I’m so glad I don’t have to see your pathetic face ever again. But knowing you, you'll probably just ignore this email and keep living your pathetic life.

Don't bother replying.

I sat at my desk, staring blankly at the computer screen in front of me. I couldn't stop thinking about the email Heather had sent me. My own best friend had said some hurtful things, but deep down, I couldn't help but wonder if there was some truth to what she had said. Was I really a failure? Was this cafe dream just a pipe dream that I would never be able to achieve?

I slumped onto my beanbag, feeling defeated. I couldn't stop thinking about the email from Heather and the harsh words that had cut deep. I started to doubt myself and wonder if I was making a mistake by pursuing my dream of opening a coffee shop. Maybe Heather was right, maybe I was just a failure who would never amount to anything.

As I sat there, lost in thought, my mind wandered to Alexander's proposition. I had been hesitant at first, but now I was starting to have feelings for him. I wondered how I could juggle being his girlfriend and working for him, but I couldn't deny that the idea of being with him was exciting.

My phone beeped. It was a message from Alexander. "Good evening Maya. How was your day?" I couldn't help but smile at the message. I had been thinking about him a lot lately.

I looked at the business card Alexander had given her again. On one hand, working for him would mean financial stability and an opportunity to learn from someone successful. On the other hand, it would mean giving up on my dream and accepting that I wasn't good enough to make it on her own. It was a tough decision and one that I wasn't sure I was ready to make.

But then again, today had been a terrible day at the cafe. I had dealt with angry customers, had to work alone, and I was now feeling defeated after Heather's email. Maybe it was time to accept Alexander's offer and start a new chapter in her life. I could always come back to the cafe dream later when I had more experience and knowledge, and most importantly, more money.

With a sigh, I reached for my phone and typed out a response to Alexander. "Good evening, Alexander. I had a lot on my mind last night, but I slept okay. About your proposition...I think I'm ready to accept it." It was a scary decision, but also an exciting one. I was curious to see where this would lead me.