Chapter 1 Bullied

Arwen glanced at the clock on the café wall, which showed that it was 10:30 a.m.

Half an hour before her shift ended, and there were still customers.

Her small hands, wrapped in plastic gloves, moved nimbly to prepare a regular customer's cappuccino order.

"Thank you for waiting," she said politely, placing the cup on the tray.

At 19 years old, Arwen was already used to this exhausting routine.

Arwen worked part-time at Lionel's family café to pay for her college tuition, even though the scholarship she received was enough to cover her educational expenses.

The long-haired girl strongly believed that every struggle must be rewarded with one's sweat.

The back door of the café opened, and Lionel entered with a relaxed gait. At first glance, the young man glanced at Arwen and smiled seductively.

The tall, athletic young man always caught the attention of many people, especially with his charming smile.

As the captain of the rugby team at their college, Lionel's natural charisma often made him the center of attention.

However, Arwen knew better who Lionel was. She saw another side of Lionel that was not so charming-his careless and overconfident attitude.

"Look who's been working hard today," said Lionel with a smirk, approaching Arwen at the cash register.

Arwen didn't respond. She just nodded briefly before returning her focus to the cash register.

"Lionel!" Mr. Donovan's deep voice echoed from the back room.

Arwen looked up. Mr. Donovan, Lionel's father and the café owner, was walking quickly toward her, his face red. He was carrying a small notebook in his hand.

"Come here now!" he ordered sternly.

Lionel, who had looked relaxed, suddenly stiffened. He followed his father into the back room, and a few seconds later, the sound of an argument could be heard.

"You think I don't know, Lion?!" Mr. Donovan shouted.

"What do you mean, Dad?" Lionel's voice sounded confused.

"Money is always missing from the cash register, and I know you took it! Some witnesses saw you!"

Arwen felt her body freeze. She knew the conversation had something to do with her.

A few days ago, Mr. Donovan had asked her to watch out for anything suspicious secretly.

Without meaning to accuse anyone, Arwen honestly said that she had seen Lionel take money without telling anyone.

However, she didn't expect that statement to cause such a conflict.

"Dad, you believe such slander? Who is the witness?" Lionel's voice sounded angry and demanding.

Arwen felt her heart beating faster. She glanced toward the kitchen, hoping the argument would end soon.

But the sound of heavy footsteps approaching made her jump. Lionel came out of the back room, his face red, and his eyes immediately fixed on Arwen.

He didn't say anything, just stared at Arwen with a sharp gaze that made the girl feel like she had been caught red-handed.

The sharp gaze made Arwen break out in a cold sweat. Accompanied by her heart beating rapidly.

A few moments later.

Arwen wiped the sweat from her forehead while tidying up the brown apron she had just taken off.

After three hours of part-time work at Mr. Donovan's café, Lionel's father, she was finally ready to go to campus.

The girl slung her backpack over her shoulder and stepped out of the café, saying a quick goodbye to her coworkers.

She walked quickly to the bus stop. In her mind, she was already preparing herself for a tiring day at college.

College wasn't easy for Arwen, especially with her status as a full scholarship recipient.

Every eye was on her, as if judging her for not belonging in a campus environment dominated by children from wealthy families. However, Arwen never faltered.

She had big dreams, and every insult only strengthened her resolve. She wanted to dedicate her success to her grandmother, who had raised her since birth without her parents.

When she arrived at the campus, it was already bustling with activity. Some students walked casually to class while others gathered in the park.

Arwen took a deep breath. She tried to ignore her fears and continue her day as usual. She didn't have time to think about anything other than her studies.

However, the campus was not a comfortable place for Arwen. She was used to being the center of attention because of her beauty and intelligence, but that attention was not always positive.

Arwen sighed deeply and headed to the library to prepare for her presentation.

But she stopped when she heard a girl's loud voice behind her.

Arwen stopped in her tracks and reflexively turned toward the source of the voice. And she immediately regretted it. She should have just kept walking without being curious.

Astrid and her friends were sitting on the steps of the campus building when Arwen passed by. Seeing Arwen, Astrid immediately stood up with a cynical smile.

"Oh, look who's here. The smart girl," Astrid teased in a sharp tone.

Arwen pretended not to hear. She turned around and continued walking, but Astrid blocked her way.

"Where are you going? It's rude to pass people without saying hello," continued Astrid, folding her arms across her chest.

Arwen sighed. She knew this wasn't going to end well. "Sorry, I'm in a hurry," she replied briefly.

"In a hurry? Are you afraid of losing your scholarship?" Astrid moved closer, making Arwen step back. "You think you're special? You're just a lucky poor kid."

Astrid's friends laughed, joining in the teasing. Arwen bit her lip, trying to hold back her anger.

"Stop, Astrid," she said softly but firmly. "Don't ever bother me again!"

"Oh, so now you're brave?" Astrid grinned. "You think you're better than me just because Lionel likes you?"

Arwen was surprised. The girl tilted her head slightly and looked at Astrid.

"What?"

"Don't pretend you don't know. You must be happy being the center of Lionel's attention, right?"

"I'm not interested in Lionel," Arwen replied honestly.

But her answer only made Astrid angrier.

"You're lying!" Astrid shouted. She pulled Arwen's bag roughly, scattering books and papers on the floor.

Arwen bent down, trying to pick up her things. But Astrid pushed her, almost knocking her over.

"You should know your place, Arwen," Astrid said coldly.

Arwen bit her lip, holding back tears. She wanted to fight back, but knew fighting Astrid would only worsen things.

Anger mixed with fear overwhelmed Arwen, not caring about Astrid or what she would do next. She hurriedly picked up her books.

Arwen quickly stood up and put the books in her bag. She glared at Astrid, making the bully even angrier.

Astrid raised her hand, as if to slap Arwen. But suddenly, her movement stopped.

Before her hand touched Arwen's face, something stopped her. It took Astrid by surprise.

"Enough."