Chapter 1

Edward was going around the crowded hall with a tray in his hand that was filled with drinks.

It was just another busy night for a waiter like him. He tried to stay focused on what he was doing as he just lost his job and he couldn’t afford to lose that either.

“What the f*ck!” One of the well-dressed guests screamed as she angrily looked at Edward.

Unfortunately, he accidentally tripped over a chair and spilled a glass of red wine onto the dress of the guest.

“I am so—”

But before he could finish apologizing, a sound of a slap resounded in his ears.

“Stupid!” The woman said her eyes squinted. “Do you know how much this dress cost? Even if you work all your life you cannot afford to pay this!” The woman’s hand landed in his other cheek again.

Edward felt his both cheeks were burning. He was so shocked that he couldn’t move from where he was standing.

“Why are they hiring such incapable employees like you? Where is your supervisor?” The woman ignored his apologies. It was as if what she did to him was not enough.

It didn’t take long and his supervisor came near them. But what he saw from him was far from what Edward expected.

His supervisor’s face was full of disappointment.

“You’ve caused enough trouble, Edward,” he sneered. The anger in his voice couldn’t be hidden. “I can’t believe that you will be doing this on your first day! How can you be so careless and ruin a beautiful dress of one of the guests? You not only owe this guest an apology! But you also need to pay for the damage.”

“I can’t believe that you have hired a stupid person like him. You should have fired him instead!” The woman spoke again. “It looked like he didn’t even want to take responsibility for what he had done!”

Edward couldn’t help but feel bitter with the fate that he had. He rolled his fist and heaved a deep sigh as he nodded even if it was against his will.

He felt like his whole world had crashed in front of him. 

Edward just finished taking his break after that humiliating scene when his phone suddenly rang. 

“Hello, is this Mr. Edward Smith?” A woman’s voice was heard from the other line.

“Yes, speaking. How can I help?”

“This is from the Union Charter Bank. This call is a reminder that you need to pay your loan from us within 3 business days or else, your collateral will be seized,” the voice was devoid of emotions.

Panic was all over Edward. How could he reach that point?

“Is it possible for me to ask for a payment extension? I am just really having some financial difficulties but I should be able to pay you once I get a new job,” he pleaded.

“Sir, you should know that the bank has rules. You have signed a contract. It is not for you to decide when to pay,” the woman said without a trace of sympathy. “Upon checking you haven’t been paying your amortization for four months already. You keep on giving promissory notes and that’s not how it works.”

“I understand that there are rules but maybe,” Edward said in a shaky voice. “ Can you please check if there is something that we can do? I have worked so hard for this house. I am trying my best to get a new job.”

“I am sorry, Sir but there is nothing we can do from here. If you fail to make a payment to the said deadline we have no other choice but to take the necessary actions as per the contract,” the woman answered in a cold voice.

“Ma’am, please? Can we check this with your supervisor? There must probably a wa—-”

But before he could even finish what he was saying, the line was cut.

Edward felt like there were a thousand needless things that were buried inside his heart. The house was the place where he had built his life together with his wife. How could fate be so cruel to him? He had taken every job that he could find. But why was it still not enough?

“Who’s that?” His colleague asked who just entered the room. “Are you okay? Just forget what happened earlier. That really happens sometimes in our job.”

Edward heaved a deep sigh. “It’s the bank. They called in asking me to pay for the outstanding due for my loan. I don’t know what I should be doing. They will seize my house, ” he suddenly said. He just met his colleague but he felt like he needed someone to talk to about his problems. “I cannot tell my wife about it because I don’t want her to get worried. The bank loan was used for her album. I know if those will be sold out,  we can pay back the bank.”

“I see.”

Edward was getting ready to go back to the hall to serve the guest. He was praying hard that nothing would happen again.

It didn’t take long and he started serving the guests again.

“Drinks, Ma’am, sir,” he offered each guest that he passed by. He was smiling widely to each and everyone hoping no one would humiliate him like what happened last time.

“Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. We are glad to have you here as our guests and witness something big tonight,” the emcee started.

The sound of the clap of the crowd filled the whole room.

The special guests went up the stage one by one. He couldn’t help but look up the direction as well as he continued to serve the guests with drinks.

“Let’s take a moment to celebrate love. Tonight, we will be witnessing the engagement of two souls that found love amidst this chaotic life. With great pleasure, we are inviting Mr. Donovan along with his fiancee, Miss Isabella,” the emcee continued.

The couple made their way to the center of the stage and they were greeted by the people and their claps.

“Tonight,” Donovan started. “I am here in front of you to show my devotion to Isabella. I have chosen this moment so you can all witness the love and commitment that I have for our relationship. Isabella, I choose you to be my wife. I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Will you marry me?”

“Yes, of course,” the woman said in a crack voice which made the crowd become so loud again.

Edward was about to go back to fill in his empty tray when he suddenly froze as his heart skipped a beat when he recognized the woman beside the man.

It was Isabella. The love of his life whom he had vowed to protect and support no matter how hard it could be for him.

“No, it can’t be…” Edward whispered to himself while his eyes were still darted to the woman.

He saw how shocked the woman was to see him there. Isabella was looking in his direction and the woman didn’t expect to see him at the place. Edward didn’t notice that the glasses on the tray already slipped and these all shattered into pieces.