Bea was stunned into her place for a few seconds because she was so confused by Owell's behavior. She only able to bring back to her cognizance when somebody poked her left shoulder.

When she looked next to her, "Hi," a gay man greeted her. He has a big smile all over his face.

She smiled back, but not wholeheartedly. She was still caught up in wondering why Owell suddenly treated her that way. Owell's harsh statement took her by surprise. Actually, she wanted to run after him and asked him what was the matter, but she was hesitating to do so.

"Girl, have you known Boss O for a long time? Are you two related?" The gay man asked her, "are you close to each other?"

Bea's permanently teenage face went blank. "Who is Boss O?"

"Seriously, girl? You don't know who Boss O is?" The gay man quirked his perfectly made brow.

Bea shook her head. Because of that, plenty of skeptical stare was aimed at her way.

Another staff approached Bea as well. A girl who looks very young, maybe twenty years old. "She's new here, so she probably do not know the other names of people here," and said to the gay man while scanning Bea's profile from head to toe.

"What's your name?" the young girl asked Bea with a haughty face afterwards, crossing her arms over her chest.

"I'm Bea, Bea Ladezma. And yeah, I'm new here. I was just hired yesterday," Bea introduced herself sheepishly. Despite all the strange gestures, she gave everyone a charming smile.

"I knew it," quipped by the girl followed by the tsking of her tongue, as if Bea was pitiful at that moment.

Bea was about to ask what was the problem. But the gay man abruptly grabbed her attention. "I'm Glenn, but call me Glenda so we can be friends," he introduced himself as well, blissfully. "And she is Vanessa, Nessa for short," he added, pointing his well-manicured index finger to the girl.

"Nice meeting you," Bea responded with a slight bow to show that she was happy to meet Nessa.

"Hmmp!" but Nessa snubbed her before she left them.

Glenda chuckled. "Don't mind her. She might be on her monthly period. You know," and he said, trying for a spark of humor. "Anyway, back to the topic. Girl, didn't you really know that you were talking to one of the bosses here at the bar?"

"Are you referring to Rexon-- I mean to Sir Rexon? Yes, of course I knew that he's a boss. He was the one who hired me," Bea casually answered like it was not a big deal. Because she didn't feel awkward with Rexon despite his high position here at the bar. It's easy to get along with Rexon. He will make you feel that he is a friend with you instead of a manager. Actually, when they talked in his office earlier, Rexon had a lot of advice to her about work and life. And when she told him why she took the job wholeheartedly, Rexon said she was always welcome at the bar.

"No, girl. I'm talking about Boss O not Boss R. And for you information, Boss Rexon is not a boss, he's only a manager," Glenda corrected her presumption.

Bea's eyebrows perked up. "Huh?! Who is Boss O then?" she asked puzzled.

"OMG! You really don't know who Boss O is?!" Glenda cupped his cheeks in disbelief. He thought Bea was just joking awhile ago.

Bea shook her head many times to make it clear that she didn't really know who Boss O was.

"Girl, Boss O is Boss Owell. How can you not know? He even came to you and talked to you as if you knew each other very well," Glenda bit out, more astonished.

Bea's face turned pale. Her eyes grew wide in surprise. She was stunned, speechless as she stared at Glenda. Is this gay man serious? How did Owell become a boss? Because she knew that a boss can't do such things Owell made for her yesterday. It's impossible.

"Yes, girl. The one who came in here earlier and talked to you was Boss O. That's why I thought you were relatives or acquaintances or friends," Glenda added on.

Bea shook her head in immediate denial. "No. We just met yesterday and became friends because he saved me from the rude customer."

Glenda's jaw literally dropped. "Seriously, girl? Only yesterday? And you two became close to each other right away?"

Bea bobbed her head. "Y-Yes. Umm.. Maybe. I don't know," but she said, uncertainty was visible in her voice.

"Oh, girl, that's awesome. But if I were you, I will cut off my correlation between Boss O even if it's just a friendship. It's too risky. Madam L will surely get mad at you," Glenda told her, sounding scared. He even hugged himself as if his whole body was trembling.

"If I were you too, Glenda, I would have stopped talking there, or else, Madam L might be also angry with you when she arrived," came Nessa's voice from the locker room. She gave Glenda a warning look.

Again, Glenda put his hand over his mouth, as though he has let a secret slip out. "Sorry, girl, but I think I must avoid you," and he said as he hurriedly walked away from her.

What Bea surprised more was when everyone begin acting more strange, they murmured like bees. They will whisper to each other, then look at her, and then shake their heads as if she was pathetic. They also turned away from her as if she had an infectious disease.

By that, Bea felt awkward. She felt a momentary pang of uneasiness. She also felt shy and isolated, confused and a little scared too. Why does she feel that she has done something wrong? Is it wrong to make friends with boss?

However, she tried to approach her co-workers, especially when they started their work because it's very hard for her when she had no friends, but everyone keep their distance, away from her. In the end she seems to be a loner.

She tried to find Mother Susan. Unfortunately, the milady was not at the bar today. Maybe Mother Susan took a day off.

Bea sighed dramatically. She just decided to still work well even though her co-workers obviously didn't want her.

As she waited for the wine order, which the bartender was already making, she roamed her gaze around. And she can tell that all customers are very happy and enjoying the night. They are all happy in this revelry, but dark world.

Obviously she was the only one who wasn't.

Well, she doesn't really like this world because she just came to this place because she just need the money. So it's fine.

When Bea took the order, she felt glad at least because someone gave her a tip, and it was dollars.

She really didn't make a mistake in her decision, to swallow her pride for this job. At least, even though she feels like she doesn't belong in this world, this work will be a great help for her mother. It's okay for her to be alone and without friends in this world, what's important is that she earns a lot for her dear mother. Maybe she will just accumulate a lot of patience for her co-workers.

"You look happy, huh?" A voice from next to her cut her momentum. And when she looked at where the voice came from, she was surprised to see Owell standing next to her.

The truth was, her heart was throbbing inside her chest out of sheer happiness just by seeing him. She admitted, she was happy to see Owell again. But because she abruptly remembered what Glenda had said earlier, that Owell was one of the bosses here at the bar, she restrained her excitement. She gripped herself.

She only liked Owell because she actually thought that Owell was Rexon's friend only. So, now that she already knew that Owell was one of the bosses, this is another story. In fact, she felt a bit ashamed now of him. She no longer comfortable with him.

"I heard something about you. Is it true?" she asked.

"What is it?"

Bea looked around. And she was relieved when she saw that no one was looking at them. After that, she grabbed hold of Owell's arm and pulled him back away from the crowd. She wants to talk to him privately. She wants Owell himself to tell her that he is really a boss. Because she still couldn't believe it.

"Hey!" Owell was surprised but still lent his hand.

"We need to talk," Bea said. But since she didn't know where they could talk without anyone seeing them, she tried to pull Owell into the ladies room.

That's where Owell opposed. "Wait! Wait! I don't want to go in there!"

"But we need to talk and this is the only place I can think of that no one will see us," she stated seriously.

"But why?"

"Let's go inside first before someone will see us."

"I know a perfect place for talking and it is definitely not a Comfort Room. Come with me."

Suddenly, it was Owell now pulling Bea in the wrist. Soon they entered through the fire exit door and climbed the steel stairs. Until they got to the rooftop. They were met by the cold wind on a dark night.

Gradually, Bea's lips slightly parted with awe. She was amazed at the beauty of what she sees. The stars in the sky seemed to go down due to the lights of various buildings and establishments.

"Wow! It's nice here! Beautiful!" she exclaimed with pleasure as she continued roaming her eyes around. She lets her hair blown by the wind.

Hands in his pockets, Owell stood behind Bea. And a gentle smile tugged at his mouth. He admired Bea more because Bea proved to him that she's really a simple lady. That her happiness is shallow. Unlike other women she met before, that the only likes were expensive things and social places.

"Oh, I almost forgot," Bea bit out all of a sudden.

Owell's face returned to seriousness when Bea turned back to him.

Bewildered, Bea stared at Owell for a moment before she asked, "Is it true that you are one of the bosses here at the bar?"

Owell scratched the middle of his brow. "Why do you ask such things?"

"I just want to know so that I would know what I'm doing," she reasoned out.

"Why? Does it matter if I am a boss? Is something going to change?"

Bea seemed to have a sour food in her mouth that she tasted. "So, it is true?"

Owell chewed his lower lip before he gave a slight nod. "Actually, not really a boss. I only have a few shares."

"Oh, God! You're my boss and I'm treating you like an ordinary staff only! What a shame--" Bea was almost in a panic.

"Bea, there's nothing wrong with it. I am a friend of yours. Keep that in mind, okay?" but Owell quickly cut back on what Bea was saying.

Bea paused. Speechless, she stared at him and Owell stared back.

"Remember, last night we became friends. Nothing will change," Owell trailed off. Like a child who doesn't want to lose a promise. "Yes. Nothing will change. How you treated me yesterday, I want you to treat me the same today and in the days ahead."

Instead of being happy or felt relief, Bea nuzzled her nape because of perplexity. Because she thought that what Owell wanted to happen was awkward. It was nice if they had been friends with Owell before, but they had barely known each other in less than two days, so how was that?

"By the way, I'm sorry for what I've done a while ago. It's just an act so that the staffs will not think bad about us, especially to you," Owell said in a hushed tone when Bea still didn't say anything.

After a moment, Bea gasped. "Glenda was right that I should avoid you because you are one of my bosses. It is really bad to see an employee and the boss being friends because other staff may think different. Sorry, but we can't be friends," and she said, lowering her head to hide her sadness.

Somehow she was already comfortable with Owell, but now that she knew how different their statuses in life were, she realized that it was wrong.

She sighed. She felt more alone in this place, in this job. She felt that she lost a friend... again.

"What? But why?!" Owell was really shock, disbelief was visible in his tone. "I told you already that nothing will change. Aren't you listening?"

Instead of answering, Bea turned away. She brought her gaze back around. Sadly, the stars seemed to be dimming in her eyes now. The glittering lights seemed to sympathize with her sadness.

Owell also chose not to say anything for a moment, he just stared at Bea's pirm back. Deep inside, he already knows why Glenda had advised Bea to avoid him, it was because of Lucy...