One morning in Rever City.
It was ten in the morning on the main street downtown in Rever City. At a small, makeshift stall, a young man was selling fruit.
"Brat! I've told you many times I don't want you near my store. You scare away my customers!" shouted a middle-aged man, impeccably dressed in a tailored suit and leather shoes, as he kicked over the fruit table.
"I'm sorry, Mr. Brown, I don't have anywhere else to put my stall," said the young man as he knelt to pick up the fruit scattered on the ground.
The young man was tall with delicate features, but his long, messy hair, worn-out white shirt, and faded jeans betrayed his poverty. His shoes were very worn; one even had a broken heel. Standing before Mr. Brown, he pleaded, feeling completely humiliated and helpless. His name was Alex King, he was 21 years old, and he was not rich. He lived alone with his mother, as he never knew anything about his father. Some time ago, he had dropped out of his studies to work occasional jobs in the area and help his mother. However, the money was never enough.
Mr. Brown looked at him with narrowed eyes, as if Alex wasn't worthy of his attention. "There are two kinds of problems in this world: my problems and your problems. If you don't have anywhere to sell your junk, that's not my problem. Pick all this up and get lost. If I come out again and see you, don't blame me for being rude," Mr. Brown declared before entering his shop, leaving his bodyguards behind to kick the young man out.
The passersby who witnessed the scene felt sorry for the young man, but no one dared to help him. Everyone knew Mr. Brown's reputation: a man who liked to humiliate those he considered inferior. Street rumors circulated that he fed those who disrespected him to his dogs.
"Alex! Are you okay? Who did this to you?" A beautiful and elegantly dressed young woman approached. It was Lucy Williams. She possessed a captivating beauty, capable of disarming any man with a simple smile. Her appeal was such that many would be willing to give their lives for her.
"Miss Williams, this matter has nothing to do with you. I ask that you please not intervene," explained one of Mr. Brown's bodyguards.
"It's better if you don't get involved, Miss Williams. I don't want to cause you any trouble," said Alex King, embarrassed, as he stood up after picking up the last piece of fruit from the ground.
Alex and she knew each other from university. Although while Alex was studying, they didn't interact much beyond being in some classes together, ever since he dropped out and started selling fruit on the commercial street, Miss Williams had always been very kind. She came to his stall every afternoon to buy fruit and chat with him. She belonged to the wealthy Williams family and, as a pampered second-generation daughter, she had everything, but that hadn't affected her character. She was famous in Rever City for two reasons: being the most beautiful among the wealthy young women of her generation and for her kind heart, coupled with a fervent desire to fight against injustice.
"It doesn't matter if you cause me trouble or not. It's not right for them to throw your things around."
Alex King picked up the table and the basket of fruit, his face downcast and ashamed. "Don't worry, Miss Williams. I... I'll leave now. Thank you."
Lucy Williams rolled her eyes but insisted, "Alex, I've already told you to call me Lucy. Miss Williams sounds too formal."
Just then, a luxurious white car parked on the side of the road, and a handsome young man got out. "Lucy, what are you doing here? Tell me, did this loser do something to you?" The speaker was Edward Robinson, heir to the Robinson family, one of the ten wealthiest families in the region.
Without waiting for Lucy Williams's response, he pushed Alex King, causing his things to fall again. Edward Robinson wanted to show Lucy how dominant he was to win her heart; he had used this strategy for years and, according to him, it had never failed.
"How dare you do that?" Lucy scolded, very angry, as she helped Alex King to his feet.
Edward Robinson couldn't believe his eyes. The girl he was trying to impress was not only ignoring him but helping another man instead. "Lucy, what are you doing? He's just another starving bum. He can't be your friend. Are you going to turn your back on me for him?"
"Who gave you permission to call me by my first name? To you, I am Miss Williams." Edward, beside her, looked annoyed and embarrassed. He said, "Miss Williams, I came to get you on my father's and your father's orders. My family is proposing marriage to yours. You are going to be my wife. Get in my car, and let's go. This afternoon my family will formalize the proposal."
Lucy shook her head. "First, I alone decide who I marry, and I assure you it won't be you. Second, although I will go to dinner tonight to clarify this, I will not get in your car. I have never been alone in a car with a man, and besides, I have my own."
After saying those words, Lucy turned, leaving behind a very annoyed and surprised Edward Robinson. "Alex, tell me where you're going. I'll give you a ride in my car," Lucy said, conveniently forgetting what she had just stated about not getting into a car alone with a man.
Alex King, annoyed at being treated like trash by the powerful, didn't want to miss the chance for subtle revenge against Edward Robinson. "I wouldn't dare get in your car, Lucy," Alex said, deliberately emphasizing her first name. "Besides, didn't you just say you don't share a car with any man?"
Lucy seemed surprised; she hadn't expected Alex King to say something so direct. However, she immediately understood his words were aimed at the arrogant Edward Robinson. With a mischievous smile that enhanced her beauty, she said quickly, "Get in, don't worry about me."
They both got into the car, leaving everyone behind very surprised. Minutes later, Edward Robinson also got into his car and headed towards his father's house. Upon arrival, he called his father to speak privately and told him what happened, greatly exaggerating the details. Being a second-generation rich young man, he had never felt so humiliated and swore he would do everything possible to get revenge on Alex King.
Edward's father, Harry Robinson, a tall, handsome middle-aged man, always dedicated to business and considered a prodigy in it, listened to his son while processing the information.
"Dad, you have to help me get revenge. That starving bum mocked me in front of everyone. Mocking me is mocking the Robinson family. We have to teach him a lesson, or we'll lose face in all of Rever City!"
"Don't worry, son. There's no one in Rever City who dares to mock a member of our family without getting what they deserve. It's just that, for now, we can't do anything. From what you tell me, Lucy Williams has a strong character and is cunning; perhaps she used that starving bum as an excuse to oppose the marriage between our families."
"Dad, what do the Williamses have to do with that Alex King? I don't think they'll find out if we do something to that piece of trash."
"Perhaps under other circumstances, the Williamses wouldn't find out, but with the marriage so close, they are paying close attention to everything our family does. If we start attacking the bride's friends, it won't look good."
"I understand," replied Edward Robinson, very annoyed. "So I'll never get my revenge?"
"You'll have it after the wedding. That will be one of my gifts. For now, just find out everything you can about that trash. This afternoon we need to set the date for the engagement banquet."
...
On the other side of the city.
"Miss Williams, you can drop me off here. I can continue on my own."
"Alex, I can take you all the way home, don't worry. Besides, hadn't we agreed you'd call me Lucy?"
"You don't have to do that, Miss Williams. Here is fine. Thank you very much for today."
"Well, since you insist... I can't force you to stay in my car. But Alex, listen to me: I know you might be going through difficult times, but you have to trust yourself. In the end, everything will be alright."
Alex's expression froze. He murmured, "Thank you, Miss Williams, thank you very much. I will never forget your words."
Alex King had suffered for years. As far back as he could remember, he and his mother had lived in poverty. He never knew anything about his father; whenever he asked, his mother would say it wasn't the right time, so eventually, he stopped asking. His mother fell ill and had been hospitalized for over a year. Alex had nearly exhausted the family savings. The hospital had hinted more than once that he should give up, but Alex's persistence was unwavering. To him, a mother's love was worth any sacrifice. The money barely covered food and rent; he couldn't afford proper treatment for his mother's illness, which worsened daily.
Yesterday, he had gone to the hospital to pay part of the medical expenses in advance. If he lost the chance to work selling fruit, he wouldn't even be able to eat. Today was his 21st birthday, but he had no reason or time to celebrate; he had to go out and work to survive. Everything that happened that day was affecting him deeply. He felt like giving up. He didn't want to see his mother die, and the day's problems, preventing him from working, seemed to have sealed his fate. But Lucy's words were like water to a thirsty man, giving him the strength to go on. If she hadn't appeared, perhaps he wouldn't have continued. Her kindness and encouraging words gave him the necessary boost. Although they might have been just words to her, to Alex, they were golden. He swore he would repay the favor a thousand times over.
As he got out of the car, Alex dropped his cell phone inside Lucy Williams's vehicle without realizing it and walked home. After dropping off Alex King, Lucy Williams drove towards the restaurant where her father was waiting. However, after a few minutes of driving, she heard a noise in the car. The light from Alex's phone screen revealed its location. Lucy realized he had forgotten it and returned to the place where she had dropped him off to return it, but upon arrival, she didn't see Alex anywhere. She decided to give it to him as soon as she had the chance.