Some people may find it through being extremely ruthless and don't mind being disliked in order to achieve what they desire. Others may use the nice card, keep their teeth's white and only use the manners that their parents have taught to attain what they want.

I was the latter.

Three years ago, I was known for being the 'nicest' teacher and during a staff awards evening, I was bestowed that title. I carried it proudly, knowing that my students loved me.

And three years later, nothing has changed. Expect my thinning patience for a certain boy who has been dutifully avoiding me all week. And it was time I confronted him. But before that, I needed my cup of tea.

The aroma of grounded coffee beans flooded my nose as I entered the staff room. It was only 8:40 and I knew the staff room would be empty at this time.

I could safely avoid any human encounter. I had the tendency to be cranky before caffeine hit my system.

This morning was almost a disaster, I was afraid the minor setback would have costed me a whole hour of my time. My stupid car was lagging. It was time I scraped that thing and invested in something new and better. If only my bank account let me.

"Morning Bella," greeted a friendly voice. I jumped slightly turning to the voice. I didn't expect anyone to be here at this time. Carlos Jiménez smiled at me, waving his fingers at me. He had cut his long hair after getting bullied from both staff and student. He looked decent and like himself again.

"Hey Carlos," I greeted back. "I didn't expect anyone to be here,"

He inched his body to the left slightly and that's when I saw him. His back was turned, paying attention to the news as a woman spoke. "Hey Jeremiah," I called for his attention, feeling my face flush a little.

He faced me at the mention of his name, revealing his pearly white teeth with a nod in my direction. "Hey Bells," he answered, his eyes scanning down my attire for a second. "You look good," his eyes met mine creasing at the edges.

You look good too. I never said it. Today, his black hair was braided and he wore a black waist coat with his dark blue shirt. He even matched his tie and shoe lace with it – my favourite quality about him. God, Jeremiah always looked handsome and his dimples didn't help with my growing infatuation.

He was my first friend when I joined Trinity Academy and he was so polite, helpful and handsome. With his enchanting smile and slap-stick humour, there was a reason he was everyone's (second) favourite teacher after me. Even some of the sixth form girls had a crush on him. I don't blame them.

Besides, he was just a work crush – nothing more. Nothing less.

"Aren't both of you supposed to be with your tutor groups?" I inquired, raising an eyebrow.

They both nodded. Carlos was the first to speak, "I just came in to get myself a coffee but Jeremiah here was watching the interview and it caught my attention," he stated, taking a quick glance back at the tv.

"What interview?" I turned the kettle on, searching my pigeon hole for my rose herbal teabags. They tasted like heaven inside my mouth.

Jeremiah slightly chuckled to himself, knowing I never kept up with the business side of things. That was more if his forte and he specialised in that subject well. "Billionaire Dimitri Asterio's interview,"

Carlos took a quick sip from his mug that had world's best form tutor inked on it. It was a gift from his group and a very thoughtful gesture. He gulped a big one before speaking, "The British News Service has been on his back for months now trying to get this exclusive interview from him. And only three months ago he finally agreed,"

"That's nice," I commented my enthusiasm lacking as I placed the teabag into my mug, waiting for the kettle to finish bubbling.

Jeremiah and Carlos both craned their heads at me, their expressions a mixture of offense and astonishment. "Nice?" they screeched simultaneously.

Carlos' left hand threaded through his dirty blonde hair, frustrated, "Nice Bella? Do you not understand how much of big deal this is?"

I shrugged, pressing my lips together vividly unimpressed with the fascination of another billionaire. There was no way billionaires abided socially to ethics and morality. They had no virtue, altruism nor morality. To accumulate that type of money, they MUST exploit and quite frankly, I was not okay with that.

And trust me, I would know.

I roll my eyes at their hardening stares, "He's just another business tycoon in London," I berated, taking a quiet sip from my mug. "They're all the same."

Carlos walks over to the sink, places his cup down and leans against it. Carlos pursues his lips together, deep in thought. "True," he says after a beat. "But imagine being financially stable." he chuckled humourlessly.

Jeremiah passed a quick glance, smirking, his attention glued to the television. "He's more than financially stable."

Carlos rolled his eyes, "My teacher's salary could never." he snorted and I laughed at the crude remark almost choking on my warm liquid.

"Is Theodore Terio in your tutor group?" I stared at Carlos' face, waiting for him to reply.

He made a face, sighing in disappoint at his mention, "Unfortunately, yes."

Jeremiah flipped around completely, his mouth dropping open. "C'mon, he's not that bad." he waved his hand in a dismissing tone.

"Yes, only because he likes you more than me and I've had him for five years. I'm his form tutor!" he pointed to himself.

I pursue my lips, smirking at their bickering. "I have to agree with Jeremiah on this one. That boy is quite a charmer," I whistle. Not in a creepy way but I'll give Theodore credit for being an on quote ladies man. He would casually flirt with the girls who sat on his table and they would always giggle at their remarks and I've noticed, he was rather smooth with his words. That boy was going to be real trouble once he got out into the world, I could already see it.

Besides that, he had the whole package and was passionate my favourite subject.

Carlos threw his hands up, pointing accusingly at me. "Only because he has a crush on you," Jeremiah caught Carlos' eyes who looked rather alarmed. Then Carlos smirks, almost trying to mimic the Chesire Cat.

It was no surprise and I'd heard it all. Some of the boys in my sixth form class had called me 'peng' when I walked past them. I was flattered that they found me attractive but always grow uncomfortable when their gaze trailed down my body and they me seized me. Yes, I abided to the work wear and dressed accordingly.

Albeit, I was surrounded by teenagers and their hormones so it was what I expected.

I rolled my eyes. He joined his middle and forefinger together, creating pretend speech marks. "You're his favourite teacher," he mocked.

I beamed shamelessly at him. "What can I say? I was voted the nicest teacher." I batted my eyelashes at him feigning innocence.

"Could you tell Theodore to stop by my classroom at break. I need to have a word with him and he's been avoiding me all week," he nodded.

Jeremiah laughed, "I wonder why."

I rolled my eyes, holding my finer up at him, warning him to not start. My patience was thinner than a strand of hair with that boy.

"Speaking of crushes..." Carlos began again as Jeremiah glared at him. "You know it's very healthy to confess feelings and let the other person know how you're feeling instead of harbouring and dying from the inside from the inner turmoil and the feeling of getting rejected by someone specific," he said almost robotically, locking his eyes on Jeremiah. Jeremiah looked like he was about to have a fit any second now.

"Isn't that right, Bella?" Carlos smiled at me.

My eyebrow creased as I looked back and forth between both of them, "uh - yes?"

"See! Even she agrees with it, Jeremiah!" Carlos fake gasp, tipping Jeremiah over to the edge. "¡Nos vemos más tarde! Gotta go now, my tutor group is probably hanging off the ceiling at this rate," he stalks out of the room leaving Jeremiah and me alone in an uncomfortable silence.

Jeremiah looks widely uncomfortable and out of place. I laugh trying to ease the tension between us. "It's alright. He was trying to tip you over." He meets my eyes, smiling gently.

He messages the back of his neck, "Yes, I know. I'm sorry about him,"

I tell him it's fine but in reality, it's not fine.

"Don't you need to get back to your tutor group too?" I inquire. His eyes widen, glancing down at his watch. He takes one last look at the plasma on the wall before grabbing his cup of tea and walking past me on his way out.

"Hey, Bella?" he abruptly says. Both of us turn around meeting each other.

"Yes, Jeremiah?" I feel my throat constrict and my heart is beating louder than any drum.

"I was just wondering..." he stops in his tracks, searching for the correct words. "Wondering if you'd like to grab lunch with me today? Of course, you can say no but I'd be nice, you know and–"

My heart drops and I smile like a lunatic. "Yes, Jeremiah. I'd love too."

"Oh okay, that's fin– what?" he blink at me, his expression blank.

I beam at him, "Yes. I said yes."

He sighs a breath, letting his anxiety go. He looks visibly relieved. "Great! I'll come to your class and we'll go?"

I nod in return and he beams at me. Stay calm, stay calm. Then he opens the door and walks out. After he's gone, I erupt into a mini dance party because my fucking work crush has asked me to grab lunch with him! Jesus, I thought this day would never come.

My body moves to non-existent music until I remind myself that I'm a bloody crazy bitch. I straighten out my clothes and take a few deep breaths. This was only lunch, not a date...

Regardless, it was a step in the right direction.

Enough fantasising about Jeremiah. I needed to prepare for my lessons. I walk over to my pigeon hole, searching for essay planning sheets that I need to distribute to my students for my class after break. Two hours with them were going to be a wild ride, I can already sense it.

"About myself?" a rich, raspy voice asks. I crane my head towards the plasma tv. The camera flicks from the interview to the billionaire and that's when I see him for the first time.

Dimitri Asterio sat back in his chair, wearing a navy blazer and a dark blue tie against his white shirt. The whole attire moulded into him, creating the sharp broad silhouette of his shoulders. He was tanned, chiselled and a well-groomed stubble decorated his jaw. He had a narrow nose, hooded dark blue eyes that regarded the interviewer with some tinge of humour and lush pink lips. His dark hair was trimmed short, a strand fell over his eyebrow and he didn't make the effort to move it back.

And shit, Asterio was very aware of how good looking he was. The camera caught all his angles perfectly and he merely sat back relaxed. He played the part of an attractive eligible bachelor perfectly. He graces the backdrop of the London Eye, holding the floor of the conversation.

I'll give him credit, he was handsome. I'll be honest, a couple of minutes ago I wasn't interested in Dimitri Asterio's interview. But that question piqued my interest in this man.

I cross my arms, watching the conversation with some skepticism. He chuckles, "I don't see there's much to tell about myself. I'm a very private person. Besides, Ms Monroe, that's your job."

The hell? Arrogant bastard. He chuckled to himself silently, his eyes narrowing.

That's it. The fascination died out simultaneously as it came. I didn't like the way he acted. Ignorant, obnoxious and demeaning. Claire Monroe – BNS's top journalist was just trying to get a interview out of him and there he sat, humiliating her.

Monroe looks flushed and mildly embarrassed and I did not like it one bit. Despite that, she moves forward with grace, trying to penetrate his barrier.

"About your workaholism. Three years ago, you had a scandal regarding you and supermodel Jelena Jardins." The camera pans to his face purposefully. His mouth presses into a terse line at the supermodel's mention. Sore subject? "You stated it was an entanglement, she claimed otherwise but it cost you a lawsuit of twenty-seven million. Claims have reported that Asterio Industries are still recovering from that loss. Are these allegations true, Mr Asterio?"

The billionaire looks mildly insulted before a demeaning smirk passes over his face. "The public and some disreputable tabloids have me labelled as a workaholic and yes I am proud of that. I have generated billions and I reassure you with my help Asterio Industries runs smoothly. My personal affairs do not in any way, shape or form affect Asterio Industries. These allegations are not true." He firmly shuts it down.

Monroe notes something down, her eyes flicking up and continuing, "It's crazy and quite remarkable how you've taken over from your Father and made billions. What is the secret to your success?"

He chuckles, "If I told you that we'd all be billionaires now." Oh, give me a break. It was weak attempt at a joke on his behalf.

He shrugs, clasping his hands together. "Mindset. It's key to anything you do."

"Also, you need to be passionate. Passion is what drives a person. If I wasn't passion, I wouldn't be where I am right now. Simple as that."

Passionate? Passionate about your job? Or passionate about making money? There's a thin line between both of them.

"Mr Asterio, I'm sure you've heard the rumours by now..."

He cuts her off swiftly, his tone menial. "The ones about me not being self-made? And me not deserving the billions that I own?" He arches his eyebrow, staring dead at her.

No, he's not self–made. His father handed it down to him and he's help from numerous investors and an acre worth of funding from his father. Also, I remember reading claims from a shady news outlet that Asterio did not pay workers in Bangladesh. A hub for exploitation and profit where so-called millionaires can produce goods quickly and sell even quicker.

Three days after the story broke, Asterio Industries came out with a statement denying these rumour and showed receipts. It was a good move their behalf because integrity is everything to the customer. A business' values are built upon it. Albeit, ignoring the fact they choose to stop partner with Jardins&Co.

It makes me wonder why they stopped all productions with Jardins&Co. Was it because it's his ex girlfriend's brand? Or because he discovered something sinister? Shady move, indeed. Soon after the scandal, the attention was swiftly moved to Jelena Jardins in which she avoided the public eye at all costs.

"What do you have to say in response to that?" He oozed charisma, passion and confidence. He was perhaps a bit too confident.

"If they can't be with you, they hate you. And Ms Monroe, I reassure that I am far too busy to care. I have a billion-pound empire to run, and it's quite simple. My competitors don't like that."

"And to actually answer your question: I am self-made." He clips firmly.

"Yes, I may have had the privilege of Asterio Industries of being passed down to me but everything after that cost me sleep, sweat and hours of hard work. I believe everything is possible."

Monroe smiles generously, "If I may comment per public request, you're an eligible bachelor." He rolls his eyes. Trust me buddy, you and me both.

"Any lucky women in your life?" Monroe's tone turns playful, regarding him with some humour

"For a short answer, no. I choose not to comment on my personal life." Of course, you don't. You demand privacy after placing yourself in the public eye and then suddenly become infuriated that everyone knows your business.

He shrugs, "If I ever did find someone to date, those sleazy tabloids would be the first to know." Slightly infuriated, I cut the TV and it switches to black. Something about the interview, or maybe his words irked me.

Men like him could not be trusted.

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