"Please ring up these items for me."
On scorching summer days like this, convenience stores are still an excellent choice for many people. The line of customers waiting to pay was long and continuous. The young man at the cash register was swiftly tallying up the purchases, his movements incredibly fast, with constant beeping sounds. At the same time, a bright smile always adorned his face, and the phrase "Welcome to 10&3" was ready to greet each customer who walked in.
Just then, another young man emerged from the changing room, apparently also an employee of 10&3, and had just finished changing into his uniform. He approached the cashier and said, "It's my shift now, Edward. Take a break."
"Okay," Edward replied, glancing at his watch while switching positions with the new arrival. It was precisely one o'clock in the afternoon, and he had to hurry to the Winmart mini supermarket to make it in time for his shift from two in the afternoon until ten in the evening.
"Running another show elsewhere?" the new employee who took over from Edward playfully asked. Edward responded, "That's right, now I'll be moving to another spot."
"Sometimes I wonder if you're human or not. You're too productive; you seem tireless. You truly are a 'part-time king,' working at every part-time job on our campus," the new employee remarked jokingly.
"Thanks, I'll take that as a compliment," Edward replied, quickly heading back to the changing room. He was afraid of being late.
But as Edward was completing the final steps of changing clothes, the notification sound of an email on his phone suddenly chimed. Edward checked his cellphone while putting on his shirt since he usually had many emails to expect.
To his surprise, it was an email from the library. He had applied for the librarian position two weeks ago but didn't expect to receive a response. But this unexpected joy arrived in such a surprising way!
Edward couldn't contain his excitement and jumped up with joy. This is his dream. He has always wanted to work in a place with many books, a quiet place, and even closer to his dormitory. The salary at the library is also very high, equal to all his other part-time jobs combined, so that's what Edward has always dreamed of.
Without much hesitation, he quickly resigns from his old job and prepares to go to the library. On the way, Edward excitedly rode his bike to the library to explore his new job. Arriving at the library, Edward looked around with curious eyes. He had always dreamed of working here because it had many things he liked: books, a quiet space, and immersing himself in the scent of old books, creating an intriguing feeling for him.
While Edward was absorbed in his observations, at that moment, a sweet female voice suddenly sounded, "Hello, are you the new hire?"
Edward, startled, quickly turned towards the source of the voice. His startle, anxiety, and embarrassment made the woman standing before him flinch. She smiled warmly and extended her hand to Edward, saying, "Hello, I'm Olivia, a psychology lecturer and library manager."
Olivia? The name rang in Edward's mind, shocking him. She was a Queen in the school—beautiful, young, talented, and gentle. Although Edward's major also included psychology, he had missed her lectures due to his part-time work.
Edward looked at Olivia, a girl with hazelnut brown hair, gentle curls, and a beautiful and mature face. She wore a purple dress that made her skin stand out even more.
"Oh, hello, I'm Edward. I'm glad to have been accepted for this position," Edward replied.
Olivia nodded and guided him to start his work.
"The work here is also very light. Cleaning the floors and taking out the trash are taken care of by the janitors. Your job is just to organize the bookshelves, do inventory, and clean them up a bit. The first requirement I have for you in this position is that no book should go missing. Pay attention to everyone in the library, see if they return the books to the shelves or come to you to have their names recorded in the borrowing list. The second requirement is to retrieve all the books after the borrowing period, and if you find any late, missing, or damaged books, you should immediately contact the borrowers. And the final requirement is cleanliness. I don't want the books here to be covered in dust or be damaged by insects."
Olivia instructs diligently, and Edward listens attentively.
"Yes, I understand."
"Now, let's start with cleaning and sorting the books on the shelves. Our school has received a considerable number of new books this week. I have a class now, so I can't stay here. Do a good job, and I'll evaluate your performance later."
"Yes."
After speaking, Olivia leaves.
Edward began cleaning and sorting books on the shelves with dedication and enthusiasm. He worked while humming softly.
The tranquil space allowed him to immerse himself in his thoughts and melodies. Most of the students who came here were for studying, so apart from the sounds of keyboard typing, page flipping, and note-taking, there were hardly any other noises.
At that moment, when Edward looked up, he suddenly caught sight of a familiar figure passing by. She seemed so normal, almost like his girlfriend. Edward hurriedly chased after the girl, but when he stepped out from the bookshelves, the figure had disappeared. He touched his head, and suddenly, he remembered something.
Edward took out his phone and opened the messaging app. His girlfriend's messages were always pinned at the top, and this morning at nine o'clock; she messaged him, saying she would come to the library to study in the afternoon.
But she might have already left, and that figure could have been her or not. Edward thought it wasn't a big deal; everyone should have their own private space, and so did his girlfriend.
Thinking that way, he immediately returned to his work. As the evening approached, Edward began tidying up and preparing to leave. However, before leaving the library, he used the men's restroom for a quick break.
But as he approached, he heard a strange sound from the women's restroom.
At first, Edward didn't know what to do. His heart raced within his chest, and curiosity filled his mind.
But the sound grew louder and more intense, making it impossible for Edward to pretend he knew nothing. And then, in this increasingly silent space, he heard a man's voice and a woman's moans.
This compelled Edward to go inside.
What if a girl was in danger in there?
Recently, incidents of sexual abuse on university campuses have increased. Without thinking much, Edward rushed towards the restroom, where the noises came from.
He pushed open the door, but at that moment, the scene that unfolded before his eyes left him wide-eyed, shocked, disbelieving, and the world around him seemed to collapse.
Perhaps even in his wildest dreams, Edward had never dreamt of such a horrifying nightmare. What he saw before him was his girlfriend, Janet. She was in the most vulnerable state, entwined with another man, and her moans of desire filled the air.She had told him she was studying, but in reality, she was having an affair with someone else. Edward couldn't believe what he was seeing, and as he opened the restroom door, both turned to look at him, including the man Edward recognized as Jeff is one of the young heirs of a wealthy family in this city. The reason why Edward knows Jeff is that Jeff's mother is a member of the board of directors at this university, while his father is the owner of a company.This scene struck him with a tremendous shock. "Janet!?" Edward exclaimed, his voice trembling. "What is all this? Is this all true?"Edward clutched his head with his hands, unable to accept this reality, retreating further and further within himself. How would he confront Janet, and
Leaving the library, Edward returns to his dormitory. However, as he entered the room, his roommate, Harry, greeted him with a sad and panicked expression."Oh, Edward, what happened to you? Where were you? Do you know what's going on? The whole school forum is buzzing about you going into the women's restroom in the library and spying! I can't believe this!"Edward's heart tightened as he realized the seriousness of the situation.Did those people post about him on social media already? They were so fast that they didn't listen to Olivia's words. Yes, they took pictures of him, and someone even recorded a video. Those cameras were like guns, and social media were the most extensive courtroom where anyone could be condemned.Edward hurriedly sat down at his desk and turned on his computer. Despite mentally preparing himself, he couldn't help but fall silent when he accessed the university forum.He had become the target of gossip and false accusations, and now, terrible insults were b
The following day, due to staying up late the previous night and having no classes in the morning, Edward allowed himself to sleep in. He also requested time off from his library job because he knew that his presence there would cause a stir.However, as Edward was deeply immersed in his slumber, the telephone sound suddenly pierced through the room, resonating in the air. Gradually awakening, Edward reached out to fumble for the phone, his mind filled with questions. Who could be calling him at this hour? Could it be a terrorist threat from someone?Edward brought the phone to eye level, and upon seeing an unknown phone number, he hesitated. But at that moment, his heart suddenly started pounding, and deep within him, a sense of worry urged him to answer the call. Finally, Edward decided to press the answer button."Hello," he said."Hello, is this Edward Sherwood?" a gentle voice on the other end inquired."Yes, that's correct. What's this about?" Edward's voice trembled as he reali
"Let me open the door," Emily said.After three knocks on the door, Emily finally stood up. She didn't know who was knocking, and whoever it was, they couldn't have come at a worse time during this chaotic and private moment for her family.Emily reached out and opened the door, raising her gaze. But as soon as she saw who it was, her expression immediately turned cold and changed.Her first words were not a greeting or an invitation into the house, as she had imagined in her head. Instead, she asked, "What are you doing here?"It was Edward who had arrived, someone who was not welcomed in this house. And Emily's words also notified the other three people inside the house of his presence.Edward glanced inside the house that had once been so familiar to him, where he had lived from birth until eight. It has changed significantly, with luxurious and eye-catching decorations, and even the people living within it have changed.Yes, he carried the Sherwood name and was also one of the "me
These were the most extended moments in Edward's life. He stood there, bewildered, looking at his stepfather and stepmother while Emily and Jasper exclaimed, "Father, mother, are you mistaken? This is absurd, impossible! How could you agree to lend him money!?" "That's right; I don't agree with this at all. He's shameless..." As Jasper and Emily continued to voice their anger, Mrs. Sherwood raised her hand, gesturing for them to quiet down. Then, Mrs. Sherwood and Mr. Sherwood helped Edward to his feet, leaving him in astonishment and confusion. Mrs. Sherwood placed a hand on Edward's shoulder. "My son, I consider you my own, and I hope you know that. And of course, as you said, we wouldn't give you anything for free. I also hope that you will become an independent man rather than relying on money given to you by others..." Hearing Mrs. Sherwood's words, Edward felt a sense of revelation in his heart. It wasn't that they suddenly changed their minds; they discovered he had value
Edward's consciousness finally returned, though he had no idea how much time had passed. He wondered what had happened to him after he had blacked out. Did the people around him do something to him? Was he still alive?Slowly, he began to feel the weight of his body, starting with his hands and feet. He could sense the heaviness, dampness, and a dull ache. Edward's eyes fluttered open, and before him was a blur of white, the ceiling of a plasterboard room. Then, his hearing started to come back as well. He caught a whiff of antiseptic, the distinctive smell of a hospital.A hospital?At this moment, Edward fully realized he was in a hospital. His gaze felt like a foggy lens being cleared as he struggled to sit and take in his surroundings. It was a spacious room, resembling more of a hotel suite than a hospital room. There was only one bed in the room, and in the middle, there was a settee, a cabinet, a TV, and various medical equipment."This is... a VIP ward?" Edward questioned, his
Three days later,After receiving the inheritance, Edward moved his mother to a VIP hospital room for better care. Then, he also moved into a new house, a mansion in the affluent neighborhood of this city.A new life... one that he had never thought of before.In reality, when this situation arose, Edward also thought that he would pay $200,000 to the Sherwood family and set aside the wedding ceremony, having nothing to do with that family anymore.But then, he reconsidered. If he did that, it wouldn't be right because he had promised them and agreed to the exchange. At that time, when Edward had nothing in his hands, no matter how you put it, the Sherwood family had saved him so that he could save his mother in time.Edward knew he couldn't go back on his word. If he did that, he wouldn't be different from his father.Moreover, marrying Felicia Swan was also the first step in the revenge plan of his family. With their wealth, company, and influence, the Swan family was alright, even q
That must be Felicia Swan and her father, Mr. Swan.Felicia is a girl with a pleasant and gentle face. She has long, lightly curled black hair that falls on her shoulders. Her skin is fair like snow, and her facial features are not considered stunningly beautiful or overly sharp, but everything is harmonious and balanced. Her nose is not too high but straight, and she has big, round, sparkling eyes with long natural eyelashes. Her eyebrows are delicate, and she has heart-shaped lips. Her figure is also well-proportioned, not too tall or too thin. She is wearing a simple off-the-shoulder wedding dress and holding a white wedding bouquet.At first glance, aside from the slight flaw in her eyes, Felicia doesn't have any other imperfections.Edward walks to her side, and it seems like she senses his presence as she turns to face him. Edward holds her hand, and in the complex gaze of everyone around, her writing feels soft, like cotton, and warm. He raises his hand to his arm, allowing her