In the morning, I watched the busy street, cars and motorcycles rushing past in front of me. Right now, I was sitting on a bus stop bench along with a few others who were also waiting to start their day.
My hair was tied neatly into a ponytail with a simple black ribbon, making me look tidy but still casual.
"Hopefully today, and the days after, will be good ones," I muttered to myself.
Every now and then, I brushed away strands of hair sticking to my temple, staring at the traffic with a mix of sleepiness and curiosity.
Around me, people were absorbed in their own little worlds; some glued to their phones, some chatting casually.
I took a deep breath, trying to take in the buzz of the morning.
"Work again, work again… why can't money just fall into my lap without working?" I sighed under my breath.
Not long after, the bus arrived. I hurried to get on before anyone could cut in line. Just finding an empty seat felt like a battle of its own.
Once I managed to claim one, I sat down with a satisfied smile. "Finally."
Leaning back, I closed my eyes. My thoughts drifted back to the man I stumbled upon last night—unexpectedly. Lying there weak, covered in blood… What kind of madman would do something like that?
Pulling my phone from my shoulder bag, I typed his name: Noah Grant.
My eyes widened at the search results. Article after article popped up:
"A young and successful entrepreneur."
"Noah spotted dating model XXX??"
"Noah Grant breaks another record."
There were plenty of positive articles, and a few negative ones as well. I turned off my phone and stared out the window.
So he's not just some random guy… But why was he bleeding like that? Is it because he's too rich and has too many enemies? I wondered to myself.
A few minutes later, the bus finally reached my stop. I got off and walked a short distance to my workplace. I worked as a waitress in a restaurant.
After a while, I arrived. I took a deep breath, calming myself before opening the door. The faint clinking of glasses and plates could already be heard from inside—the sound of the restaurant getting ready for the day.
Another waitress, Serine, greeted me with a warm smile. "Morning, Elena!"
I nodded and smiled back. "Morning, Serine. How's your day so far?"
Serine just shrugged. "Nothing special. Wake up, work, sleep, repeat."
I chuckled softly and started getting ready, slipping off the jacket covering my uniform. "Yeah, feels like we were born just for that," I teased lightly.
Serine nodded while touching up her face with a small mirror. "Well, to survive, I guess."
"Honestly, if some rich guy suddenly asked me to marry him, I'd say yes on the spot."
"Exactly. No more stressing about money!" I replied with a laugh.
And it was true—growing up meant realizing that the main goal in life revolved around money, money, and more money. If you wanted to rule the world, you needed money. Even in death, money was still required. Isn't that right?
I began arranging plates and glasses on the tables, making sure everything was neat as I carried on with my usual tasks.
Not long after, a customer called out to me. "Excuse me, miss!"
I quickly walked over with a smile. "Yes, what can I get for you?"
The customer began listing the dishes he wanted. I remembered them carefully, jotting them down on the small notepad I always carried, all while keeping my smile steady.
The rest of the day went by in the usual routine—taking orders, serving meals, wiping down tables. But no matter how hard I tried, my mind refused to stay focused. Half of it was on work, the other half stuck on that unforgettable moment from last night.
While I was serving another table, I caught Serine glancing at me. Her look was sharp, almost as if she could read my thoughts. She gave me a faint smile. "Everything okay?" she asked.
I shrugged and let out a soft laugh. "Yeah… just a little tired."
She nodded, understanding, but didn't press further. Still, the question kept echoing in my head: Why was that man so badly hurt? Who attacked him?
I tried pushing the thoughts away, forcing myself to focus on my job. But the images from last night haunted me like shadows.
After finishing a delivery, I walked over to Serine. "Serine, can I ask you something?"
She perked up instantly. "Of course! What is it?"
"Do you know Noah Grant?"
Her eyes lit up with excitement, which instantly made me curious.
"Noah Grant is a handsome, ridiculously wealthy man! His face is everywhere. You really don't know him? How's that even possible?" she looked at me in disbelief, explaining about him with so much enthusiasm.
I scratched the back of my neck, laughing awkwardly. "Well… I met him last night."
Serine immediately dropped the cloth and spray bottle she was holding and leaned closer, looking ready for gossip.
"Seriously?" she asked, her tone bursting with excitement.
I nodded slowly. "Yeah… but… I found him covered in blood. His stomach looked like it had been stabbed."
The girl beside me gasped, covering her mouth in shock. She then leaned even closer, whispering dramatically.
"Don't tell me… Mr. Grant is actually…"
I stared at her, waiting for her to finish.
"…a ruthless mafia boss with enemies everywhere, killing anyone who stands in his way," she said in a spooky, exaggerated tone.
I pushed her away with a laugh, waving my hand dismissively. "Oh, come on! Who even believes that kind of stuff these days? No way!"
Serine burst into laughter, clutching her stomach. "Who knows? You never really know, right?"
I could only shake my head with a small laugh. A mafia? In this day and age? Impossible. It was absurd, almost laughable. With that, Serine and I went back to our own tasks, the restaurant buzzing around us as usual.