C6 Faces Behind the Facade

"What's the deal?" William questioned Penelope from behind her clique, his voice firm as he joined them, noting their focused attention on Isabella and Alex departing.

"Uh, nothing," Penelope stammered, visibly surprised as she turned to meet William's gaze. "Just observing Isabella and Alex. They seem awfully chummy, almost like a couple."

Penelope observed a flicker of something in William's eyes as he watched Isabella with Alex, prompting her to intentionally choose her words to incite him against Isabella.

"Indeed, they do seem rather cozy together. It's curious why Isabella still has her sights set on someone else's boyfriend," Mia interjected, furthering the insinuations made by Penelope.

"She's nothing but a slut," another omega chimed in, contributing to the derogatory remarks.

William cast a piercing glare at her, his disdain evident in his eyes as he listened to the disrespectful words aimed at Isabella.

"Ariana, that's uncalled for. You can't go around slandering Isabella without any proof," Penelope interjected sharply.

"But Penelope..." Mia attempted to protest Penelope scolding her own omega for insulting Isabella, but Penelope interrupted her.

"No excuses. I detest baseless character assassination. Just apologize."

"I apologize, Alpha William," Ariana said with a bowed head.

"You owe her an apology too," he instructed sharply before walking away.

The omegas raised their heads and glanced at Penelope, sharing a triumphant smirk before erupting into laughter, having successfully provoked William. With a sense of accomplishment, they parted ways, each heading to their respective places of interest, exchanging high-fives as they went.

Later that evening, Isabella found herself working at West Dine Pub, a part-time job she held to support her bread. To her dismay, the group she least wanted to encounter walked in.

"Hey Penelope, isn't that Isabella from your high-end club?" Sam, a human friend of Penelope, remarked, eyeing Isabella.

"Yeah, that's her," Penelope replied, her gaze sharp as she looked at Isabella. 'Why does this wretched woman always seem to cross my path?' she thought with disdain.

"Damn, she's hot. How come I never noticed before?" he commented, eyeing Isabella lustfully as she moved gracefully in her short, tight skirt and revealing top, part of her waitress uniform.

"Hot? She's nothing but a seductive siren, prowling around and luring in rich guys," Mia spat out hatefully.

"Easy there, Mia. She's still an acquaintance we grew up with," Penelope said with a smirk, exchanging a knowing wink with Mia.

Taking the cue from Penelope's subtle signal, Mia called out to Isabella. "Hey Isabella, who knew you worked here as a waitress?"

Memories of her previous life flooded back to Isabella, reminding her of the times when Penelope and Mia not only bullied her at her workplace but also caused her to trip and spill drinks, resulting in Penelope faking an injury and causing Isabella to lose her job.

'I won't allow them to repeat those actions,' Isabella thought resolutely, sighing as she composed herself and adopted a stony expression. "How may I assist you?" she asked, her voice firm and unwavering as she met their gazes head-on.

"What a snippy server, you could at least greet your old pals," Ariana remarked.

'Pals? That's rich,' Isabella thought wryly. "If you're not ready to place an order, I'll attend to other guests. Jack will take care of you. Jack, can you handle this group?" She beckoned a tall, muscular guy in a server's uniform.

"Hey, don't make it tough on Isabella, guys," Sam chimed in quickly, not wanting Isabella to leave.

"Sam's got a point, guys. Lay off Isabella. Let her serve us and rake in some decent tips," Penelope chimed in, eager to keep Isabella around and not miss out on the opportunity to needle her further.

"Bring us some Bloody Marys."

A few minutes later, Isabella returned with the order for the affluent group, already anticipating their next request.

"Gross, this smells terrible."

"Yeah, did she tamper with our drinks?"

"Her mere touch ruined everything..."

They all made derogatory remarks to humiliate her, laughing loudly. Isabella could only shoot them fiery glares and clench her fists to contain her anger.

"Quit gawking and fetch us double shots of Sunrise Tequila," Penelope commanded arrogantly.

"Shouldn't you help Isabella?" Jeremy questioned William, who observed the situation from a distant table, seething with anger.

"Nope, she needs to learn to handle them on her own," William replied icily, taking a swig of his drink.

"Bloody, cold-hearted alpha..." Jeremy muttered to himself, taking a sip of his drink while watching the drama unfold.

Isabella approached their table with the drinks ordered by Penelope, her mind flashing back to a similar incident from her previous life. As she walked, she noticed Ariana attempting to trip her, just like before. However, this time, Isabella swiftly sidestepped the obstacle and gave Ariana a subtle shove, causing her to stumble and spill her drink on a well-dressed man seated at the neighboring table.

"What the heck, are you blind?" The wealthy man stood up angrily, and his companions, including Penelope and her friends, rose in surprise.

William remained a silent observer, somewhat taken aback by the sudden commotion.

"I... I did nothing. It's her; she pushed me!" Ariana stammered, intimidated by the wealthy patron.

"You tripped on someone, spilt their drink, and soiled their suit; what has it to do with me?" Isabella retorted confidently.

Penelope and her friends were momentarily stunned. Their plan to ensnare Isabella had backfired, and now their friend was caught in the crossfire.

"Yeah, she definitely pushed Ariana. I saw it," Penelope quickly lied, coming to Ariana's defense.

"Penelope, cut the charade. My hands were full of drinks; there's no way I could've pushed her," Isabella countered confidently, shifting the blame back to Penelope's camp. Though she did use her elbow, she hadn't anticipated Ariana falling onto a customer and causing such a ruckus.

"That's it; I don't care if she was pushed or not. She not only ruined my suit but also spoiled my celebration. She has to make this right," the man declared angrily, pointing his finger squarely at Ariana's nose.

While the patrons of the pub were typically indifferent to the commotion, the escalating situation was drawing considerable attention. Ariana, visibly frightened, pleaded with Penelope silently, seeking her intervention.

"Get your manager here, now!" The man's booming voice reverberated through the pub, disrupting the atmosphere and drawing even more onlookers to the unfolding scene.

The staff quickly assembled, attempting to quell the rising conflict, but their interventions were fruitless. The man persisted in his demands for restitution for perceived damages.

Penelope, incensed by the situation, took a stand for her friend. "Cut the crap! We're not refusing to pay, but why should we when we're not to blame? It was this waitress who caused the damage. She should foot the bill for your ruined suit and be fired for her incompetence."

"Penelope, you're being unreasonable. Ariana tripped and fell on someone who has nothing to do with me," Isabella retorted.

"It was you who pushed her," Penelope insisted.

"I don't care who's at fault; I just want my compensation and the guilty party held accountable," the man bellowed once more.

"Alright, I will review the surveillance footage to determine what happened. Please wait patiently in the meantime," the manager said calmly, trying to diffuse the tension.

"Fine..." The man nodded his head in agreement, and a palpable silence hung in the air as everyone awaited the outcome.

Isabella cursed inwardly, realizing the establishment had security cameras. 'I should have dodged Ariana instead of retaliating,' she thought, feeling the weight of the situation.

Penelope and her cohorts shared a similar sentiment. They regretted not considering the possibility of surveillance footage. If it showed Ariana's attempt to trip Isabella, their plan would backfire spectacularly. It was a sobering realization, but there was no reversing their actions now.

"What's happening here?" The long silent spectator William finally intervened.

"Is that William Ashwood?"

Most of the people rose respectfully at the mention of William Ashwood, the renowned alpha in the supernatural realm and the youngest business tycoon in the business world, following his parents' early passing.

"There's no need to cause a ruckus over a suit. You'll be compensated. Is that clear?" William's tone was firm as he addressed the man.

"Absolutely, boss..." The general manager of Ashwood Company maintained his air of arrogance, albeit toning it down in William's presence.

"You all head home," William commanded, his eyes sternly fixed on Penelope and her friends.

They obediently filed out, with Penelope feeling a sense of relief, thinking William had come to her aid.

"As for you, come with me," William stated, directing his attention to Isabella.

"I can't," Isabella responded firmly, surprising everyone with her defiance.