Chapter One: The Birthday Gift

In the late hours of the day when the sky was clothed with dark clouds. It was about to rain heavily like a sudden downpour catching everyone off guard. Even at a time like this, Julius did not mind stepping out of the lecture theater. His life was like a storm brewing on the horizon as he took a deep sigh and stared at the road ahead of him. 

Every day, he had to resume work after lectures as he could not afford to miss his hourly pay, coupled with the fact that he had a strict boss who did not condone lateness.

Checking his broken watch like a groom who could not afford to be late for his own wedding, Julius hurried to his bicycle and jumped on it like a racer ready to take the first position. Hence, he began to aggressively pressure the pedal for the bicycle to go faster.

As the bicycle was going very fast and he could feel the air singing melodies into his ear like he was listening to a church choir singing in harmony, Julius widened his cheeks like a happy kid who was holding his best toy. “It’s her birthday today, and I will give her the Rolex wristwatch she has always asked for,” he said to himself happily.

Every day for the past six months, Julius had been saving up ten dollars from his twenty-dollar hourly wages for the gift he would give to his girlfriend on her birthday. He decided to make her the happiest lady on this day. 

“She would love it so much. I can’t wait to see the smile on her face,” he thought to himself again as he expressed another smile, like a friend receiving an unexpected compliment.

Julius loved Olivia so much, and he was always doing everything that she wanted for her. It did not matter if he never bought anything for himself and all his savings was being spent on her. He took satisfaction in her smile and happiness and would do anything for her again and again.

Arriving at the store where he worked, before stepping in, Julius decided to launch the company’s app to check if any orders were waiting for him to deliver. And indeed, as he launched the app, he saw that an order was already waiting for him to deliver.

“Look, it's a pack of condoms this guy ordered," he said in shock. “What on earth does this guy need a pack of condom for?” he thought as he hurried into the store and picked the pack of condom, dressed it into a nice package, and hurried back to his bicycle outside the store.

Launching the app once again to verify the address the order came from and also to approve the order, “it's the five-star hotel near my school. Is it some student who ordered this pack of condoms?”

“Are they having a kind of sex party?” Julius' mind ran through his thoughts as if he were a detective piecing together a mysterious case.

However, according to the rules and regulations of his job, he did not own the right to judge any order, he must only deliver the order to the client who had ordered it. So, he quickly snapped out of his thoughts and climbed on his bicycle again. 

Almost arriving at the hotel building, Julius decided to use the opportunity to branch at the low-budget store where all kinds of cheap items were sold, as it was boldly written in their logo, which he read at the front of the store: "Every original product you know has cheap similar ones that everybody can afford."

Entering the store, "Hey man, what can I do for you today?" asked the man behind the counter, dressed in a polo top with the same logo Julius had seen on the store wall and the store board outside.

"I want a Rolex wristwatch, sir. It is my girlfriend's birthday today, and I want to make her happy," Julius replied.

"Birthdays are my favorite day, man. I'm glad you want to give your girlfriend this beautiful piece. Did she ask for it herself?" the man asked.

"She had been asking me for a Rolex wristwatch for six months, man. I'm just happy I am able to save up to give it to her on her birthday," Julius answered excitedly.

"Great. What's your budget?" The man asked, stepping out from behind the counter to get closer to Julius. He then began to lead him to the showcases, where various types of Rolex wristwatches were displayed for buyers.

"I have $1800 here. Is there any Rolex here for that price?" said Julius, moving closer to the showcases and staring right through the glass, admiring each watch.

"For a Rolex? No, man! The least expensive Rolex here is $3650," the man said.

"But this is a budget store, and all products here are not original. How is this fake Rolex so expensive?" Julius blurted.

"My dear friend, we sell similar products to the originals. But look at this Rolex; it is as close to the original as possible. No one will be able to tell this is fake if you don't tell them," the man clarified.

"But I really do want to buy this for my girlfriend. What can you do for me, sir? You really have to help me. Today is her 18th birthday, and she deserves everything, most especially what she has always asked for."

"No problem, man. I am a man who believes in love. Pay in installments. Pay the $1800 today and pay the rest later," the man said.

***

Julius could not believe that the man really sold the Rolex watch to him on a part-payment plan, and he smiled to himself like a man who received his first salary from his first-ever job. His wishes had really come true, and all that was left for him was to give the Rolex to Olivia immediately after work.

Arriving at the hotel building was fast. At this moment, his eyes peered at the female receptionist in a suit, pressing a desktop like a computer-savvy on a hacking mission. "Hi, I am Julius, a delivery vendor. I am here to deliver a package to Mr. Alexander Reed."

As if the receptionist had already been informed about his arrival, she pointed towards the elevator in her far left corner. "Yes, Mr. Julius, Mr. Alexander has been waiting for you all along," she said with a gentle smile.

Making his way to the elevator and ascending a grand, beautiful corridor on the third floor, Julius began to hear a familiar, tiny female voice and that of a strange man's deep voice laughing and teasing each other.

"Oh! You are so naughty, Alexander. Stop staring at me with those sexy eyes of yours."

"Forgive me, queen, beautiful. I can't wait to finally let you feel me inside of you. hahaha. Should I lick your toes now?"

"This tiny voice sounds like the voice of Olivia. I guess the rumor about everyone having someone else who sounds like them is true," Julius thought to himself as he walked on gently and slowly. Hence, he continued to express that little smile on his cheek like a simple, unexpected joy.

Getting to the front of room 306, as it had been written on the address, Julius placed his hands gently on the doorbell and rang it like a friend. "Mr. Alexander Reed, it's Julius. I am here to deliver your order," Julius announced.

"Oh, Julius!" Alexander sounded from the room, and almost immediately, he opened the door.

Standing right before Julius was a half-naked man, his hair damp and his chest broad, like a mountain range rising from a misty valley. 

Also right behind him on his bed, and only in a towel, was a lady with a slender frame and her dark hair, which flowed down to her shoulder.

"Olivia?" Julius expressed shock.