The two girls snuck back into the apartment complex in hopes Lydia would be too occupied disturbing the other tenants to see them

It was hard enough to make a living in Axen, and Lydia's efforts to make Aya's life a living hell only succeeded under such stringent conditions. For a long time, the girl didn't have anywhere to go and even worse could barely afford the rent.

Now Moon Valley Online had given her a chance.

Lydia's choice to ruin Aya's chances at meeting her family and choosing to blackmail the girl's only living relative made Aya's stomach twist in disgust. Why would she choose to do such a thing when she was already so well off?

Aya and Mars stepped into the apartment as quietly as they could to place the groceries in the fridge.

"Okay I'm ready to go-" Just then she heard the sound of footsteps coming down the staircase just outside the door, she and Mars exchanged looks, rushing to take off their shoes so their feet would land softly on the creaking.

Aya scurried over to the door and pressed her ear to the wooden surface. Mars crept up beside her intending to say something but Aya placed a hand to her lips, shushing Mars who nodded in understanding. She made a zipping motion over her mouth.

Lydia's fist pounded on the door half heartedly already guessing Aya would be at work like most people who had regular employment. As far as the haggish woman knew, Aya still worked at Nue Corp only having time to interact with her in the evenings.

The pair of friends heard Lydia as she walked away after the first few knocks leaving Mars and Aya to breathe a collective sigh of relief.

"How often does she do that now that you've noticed?" Mars asked. Aya thought about it for a second and reasoned she would previously see Lydia one or two times a week, but now she would hear the woman come to her door a certain time every day.

It was like she had been doing it daily without Aya's knowledge.

"I think she does this every day but Mars I had no idea she was this...crazy, you were right she is keeping tabs on me, and for the longest time I didn't have a damn clue," Aya said.

"Well she's not going to have any idea where you're going today," Mars grinned.

----------

They caught the Seelim bus just as it was about to pull away from the bus stop, the driver stopped the vehicle, surprised anyone was even getting on the bus from this particular stop.

Aya understood the lack of maintenance on Lydia's part made it seem like the place was uninhabited. She had previously only taken the morning bus as well, she could only imagine what would be going through the driver's mind.

He must have thought, "What do you mean people live here?"

He offered a hasty greeting and whilst Mars and Aya took their seats he started the trip.

"The Bakery's name is Rolfe's," Mars said, she tapped on her phone a bit and turned to face Aya with a smile.

"I can't wait for you to try these pastries Aya, they're to die for," Mars said with a devilish grin.

They disembark at the bust stop right where the city square brightly plastered screens filled with adverts all over the buildings within the area.

They step into a bakery on the square that Aya recognized as one of the services branded by her company. She stopped to stare at the Nue Corp logo stamped just beside the bakery's name.

"Something wrong?" Mars asked, Aya noticed her friend's worried expression and shook her head.

"No nothing’s wrong, I just never thought I'd see my old company's logo so soon," Aya said stepping forward to join Mars by the entrance to the small and homey styled building.

An adorable bell rung as Mars pushed open the door, the smell of heat and freshly baked goods wafted through the space. Aya breathed in deeply already pulled in by the smell of cakes and sweets.

"Wow,"

The aroma from the pastries was heavenly and reminded her of the same scents while walking through the streets of the Artisan District.

"You look like someone who would like a donut, I'll get us some," Mars said. Aya nodded and continued to glance around the building. The bakery was a lot bigger than the convenience store she'd been in earlier

A grin grew on Aya's face as she breathed in the comforting smell of food deeply, she walked around checking jars of treats covered by bell jars.

A man with jet black hair on the phone stood across the room. Aya recognized the suit but couldn't tell who he was from the back. He could have been one of Nue Corp’s executives or admin people out for a lunch break.

She was about to move on when the figure turned around. Aya let out a gasp at the sight of her former employer.

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"Atlas?" Aya said in surprise, she didn't think she would ever see him again especially since he didn't call. Atlas looked up from his phone at the sound of his name, meeting Aya's cheerful eyes.

A smile pulled out at his lips before recalling he hadn't bothered to call her after she had given him both her number and Moon Valley Online Player ID. He was mortified.

"Aya," He said in equal amounts of surprise and embarrassment

Aya walked forward, approaching the president of her former company with fondness. Upon standing beside him, she drew her hand back and smacked his arm.

"You didn't call me!" she said in a small whisper. Atlas laughed, completely caught off guard by the way she smacked him. His father would have never let something like this fly even playfully.

"I intended to I just forgot," Atlas said lowly. Aya pouted, smacking his arm again.

"Hey, I used to be your boss you know,"

"Key word being used to!" Aya said.

From the counter Mars stood glaring at the man Aya approached, she watched them interact, frowning.

'What the hell is he doing here?' She wondered.

Mars had enough of watching the two and walked toward them steadily with caution, she kept her eyes on Atlas watching him like a hawk. She sauntered forward, slinking an arm around Aya's shoulder.

Atlas noticed the dark haired girl from out of the corner of his eye and pressed his lips into a line, above Aya's head Mars smirked and put a finger to her lips telling him to be quiet about her identity.

Atlas glared.

"Huh? Do you too know each other?" Aya asked tilting her head curiously. Mars shrugged.

Atlas shook his head albeit unconvincingly.

"Who's she? A friend of yours," He asked staring pointedly at Mars. Aya nodded beaming.

"Well yes, we're having a day out," Aya said already starting to have her own suspicions that they were not telling her the truth. The air was too thick with distrust for them to just be strangers.

"I'm going to check on our donuts, you two stay and...chat," Mars said narrowing her eyes into slits as she walked past them and back up to the counter.

Atlas guided Aya towards one of the seats in the bakery and pulled up a chair for her.

"Thank you,"

Atlas took a seat of his own.

"How have you been Aya, I heard you caused quite a stir at the company the day you decided to quit," he said with a chuckle. "I wish I could have been there to see it, Viviana's had quite the attitude change since you left,"

"Really?" Aya asked lifting her brow. An attitude change from Viviana was honestly the thing she had expected least.

Atlas leaned back into his chair with a sigh. Looking at the only friendly face at the company made his heart sour. Aya had been the only person who'd spoken to him normally. She had none of the sycophantic simperings he'd come to tolerate from Viviana or the other executives trying to get to his father through him.

He watched her stare out the window at the busy street in awe, her brown eyes lit up with every new branded ad for a gadget or PacBook that flashed across the giant screens of the city square.

Atlas propped his chin on his hand staying silent.

"Ah sorry I was lost in the view," Aya said with a giggle. He matched her smile and wondered if she would be interested in a position as his assistant.

"How are you Aya?"

"I've been fine, it hasn't been that long since I quit. Quite a lot of my time has been freed up now that I don't have to commute so much or push a trolley up into the elevator," Aya confessed.

Atlas cringed but Aya didn't seem bitter about her past job, the fact that she was talking to him let him know she still thought of him cordially at least.

"Do you still play Moon Valley? The game you were telling me about?" Atlas asked. Aya nodded eagerly, he noticed a light in her eyes as if he'd touched on a topic she was deeply interested in.

"I love it!"

"I've heard so much about it, it's changed people's lives seemingly overnight, I never knew virtual items and food would be such a hot commodity in the digital market," Atlas said with a laugh.

"Do you play? I don't think you answered the last time I asked," Aya asked hopefully.

"Only a little, I don't really have a lot of time to. I'm so busy with my father's company," Atlas explained.

"What do you think about it so far?"

"I think it's a very interesting investment opportunity," Atlas said. Now if only his father would open his eyes and see that Nue Corp could be more than just another financial tech company.

"I've made quite a large sum playing too, it's been so helpful trying to cover rent this month. It's honestly one of the best things that’s ever happened to me!" Aya said.

"Rent?" Atlas' face softened, before she left he had offered her a raise, while looking at the account records he looked through hers and noticed she had been collecting a paltry sum for such hard work.

Not even up to what he used to receive as pocket change when he was younger. His weekly transactions were more than what she would make in three months.

"Yes, I've gotta pay rent and bills Atlas, I have to look after myself,"

As he was about to say something Mars returned with a bag filled with amazing smelling pastries.

"Wow Mars these smell incredible," Aya said, she opened her paper bag to find a golden glazed donut dripping with warm syrup. The mild scent of honey wafted through the air.

"Just wait until you taste them," she replied. The dark haired girl noticed Atlas staring at her, she handed him a bag too. He accepted it, glancing inside with great suspicion.

He gasped.

"You remembered," He said, lowering his voice so only Mars could hear, she refused to meet his gaze and instead pulled up a chair to sit beside Aya who already had a mouthful of donuts, staining her cheeks with syrup as she nibbled.

"If you choke I'll leave you," Mars warned. Aya whined, presumably trying to say she would indeed not choke. Mars gave her another warning, tapping her nose the way she had come to do often.

Atlas watched them unable to say anything as he bit into his own donut. Mars was ignoring him, after disappearing for months and making headlines in Gaming news circles she suddenly showed up again.

With Aya of all people.