Prologue

Esperin Grenald was a twenty-four year old.

Being at her age, it shocked everyone that she'd not gone to any more than three dates for her entire life excluding the one boyfriend she ever had. She didn't like it that people saw that as a joke, something amusing. But she never really did care. All these while, she thought that it was okay because she hadn't found someone she really liked. She was a jovial person, someone lovable, someone kind and sweet as well as friendly but she never stood out in a crowd and maybe that was the problem.

But at one point in her life, she actually fell in love with someone.

"Grenald. I have reservations for two?" she said and smiled at the receptionist.

The receptionist smiled and nodded. He showed her the way to a table by the corner next to a tinted glass wall that overlooked part of the bustling city of New York. Sure, maybe The Lavish Leisure owned a couple of amazing places but then, The Regalia Parfait was always known as one of the best places to go on dates. For this sole reason alone, she chose this steakhouse to meet with her boss.

The waiter smiled at her and asked, "Can I get you anything, ma'am?"

She shook her head and touched the silverware laid out in front of her. "No, thanks. I'd like to wait."

He nodded as though he understood what she was trying to say.

Esper waited patiently and fought against time as she tried to compose herself. The hands to the clock were ticking on the peach-colored wall and as time passed, she ordered a glass of ice lemon tea to quench her thirst. Of course, one glass led to another and soon enough, she'd finished five whole glasses that were enough to fill her bladder.

She looked around her; the dimly-lit steakhouse was slowly but surely being filled up with people and apparently, people that had come later than her were leaving. She saw the expression on the manager's look as he glanced nervously at her table and tried to explain something over the phone and she saw the sympathy in the eyes of some of the waitresses that were gossiping about her.

Finally, the waiter who had shown her to her table returned to her side; his smile, weak and his tone, soft.

"Miss, perhaps you'd like something to eat now?"

It was clear to her then.

She was twenty-four and she hadn't been on many dates. But if she was blind enough not to see that she'd been stood up by the one man she'd ever liked in so many years, then, she was a pathetic person that didn't deserve to live.

She shook her head at the kind waiter and then, said, "I'd like the bill, please."

Just when the waiter left her side, she placed a twenty-dollar note on the table; too embarrassed by the fact that she was depressed over something she never had.

And when she out on the streets, hailing a cab with teary eyes, she swore to herself that she would never back down without a fight and if that was how he was going to play it, she was more than happy to play along.

And let the game begin.

A/N: Once again I've edited my work... again and again and again... haha. Hopefully, this time i could make the best work out of all.