OPHELIA'S POV
Hi, as you might have realized by now, I am Ophelia Ryte. I do not have much going in my life as of the moment. The truth is that I live a seemingly ordinary life -- one with a lot of debt.
Romance, you say? I have no time for that. Sure, I look around and I am not blind. Some of the people I meet everyday are snooty and some are smooth-talking liars but they are undoubtedly good looking. It's just that -- they don't really interest me.
I don't even know what I actually want in life. Except be someone, do something. Be significant and somehow thrive and not just survive-- yes, but who should I be? What should I do? How can I be -- significant? How can I thrive? Yes, yes, I know that existential crisis is a thing nowadays but I swear, I am not doing this on purpose.
Let's just start with what I do and maybe go back to the whole romance thing later.
What I do.
I am the general custodian for Aurelius House Publishing.
So yes, I earn enough for a single woman to survive, however, I have an indulgent side that racked me in debt and might break my back for the next 12 years. What's worse is that it's not like I spent money on items I can sell like luxury items. No. I spent them on food, wine, art supplies, online novel subscriptions, skincare, and rent money for my apartment. It's a studio apartment but it does have air-conditioning, a smart home system, and it's inside a mid-rise building so there's a doorman and a receptionist. Did I mention there's a balcony?
You might be thinking that I should have opted for something cheaper but I cannot leave in humid heat with all my skincare products, and that receptionist and doorman are my daily dose of social interaction outside of the office. Also, if you haven't realized it yet, being the general custodian for a publishing company means that I like living in a certain setting, a chaos only I can understand -- and a robot to assist me, hence the smart home system. Not to mention, the office is just three blocks away and walking is my only form of exercise, veiling, of course, the fact that I hate to commute.
Oops, I got lost in my thoughts there; back to what I do.
Being the general custodian for Aurelius House Publishing means that I am the manager of a whole department. I manage five different teams: archival, supplies, logistics, building maintenance, and sanitation. Each team has a leader and although they all have their "quirks," I have yet to meet any push back. As I have said, not much is happening and you can even say it's boring but I appreciate the safety of a comfort zone. Yes, from time to time, there are office problems but these are obstacles that anyone working in an office and managing five teams, would have.
So, since I am the general manager for the custodial department, I know how each department works. I know where everything is. I am updated on the supplies that are in each floor. I know which has been sent where. I know every nook and cranny of the 10-storey building, 11 if we count the rooftop. I know who is assigned where. Lastly, I do not shy away in delegating tasks. That's my skill level.
Now, about the debt.
My total debt as of today is $689,460. My apartment alone costs $3,500 per month with utilities reaching $3,900. My other monthly bills about $12,000, my credit card bills have a total monthly minimum of $30,000 and my online lending debts need to be funded at least $85,000 per month to keep it going.
You see the problem, don't you? I do get paid $15,000 a month from the office and an extra $5,400 for managing a bar at night but even together, that's way off my mark.
My debts grew when I got involved in online lending apps and get rich quick schemes.
This is how I am living right now: So, I pay off the minimum amount on my credit cards and encash the remaining credit via that money transfer app, PayPerSun. Then I pay the monthly bills on the (numerous) online lending apps, and reloan the amount with interest. That is also how I managed to pay my bills until now. Online lending apps have a limit, after all. And I can only get approved in a handful of them.
About my relationships.
Describing the state of my relations to other people is not as complex as explaining my existential crisis because I essentially have none -- no relationships, whatsoever.
If you'd notice, when listing my debts, it did not include any family, friends, nor colleagues to whom I owe money because I don't have any.
My dad was an orphan who fell in love, signed a marriage contract, and was widowed when I was born. Mom used to have a printing business but seemingly gave that up for dad. Dad died of cancer when I was 16. Nobody took me in and I fended for myself. I lived off dad's money (which he left in my closet, like actual cold-hard cash in a duffel bag) until I was 18, then I started getting jobs. Honestly, you should be praising me for my restraint of not going through $250,000 in a week!
No, relatives from my mother's side of the family did not come to my rescue. The truth is that I don't know anything about her, just that her name was 'Liliana Elise' and took dad's name 'Ryte' when they got married. I think when dad signed me up for bank documents before he passed away when I was still a minor, he mentioned my mother's maiden name to start with a 'V' -- or was it a 'W'? That's hazy, and that's why I never changed any documents in my bank. I just waived off any changes or updates (-- to keep my credit cards, as well. Wink!)
I do talk to the receptionist and the doorman from time to time but it's all small talk. People from work are the same. I don't stick my head out so much. I am respectful to them but stern as a manager. After all, I come to the office for work, and not for friendship.
Yes, I am a passive introvert-- if that even is a thing. If it is, it's just redundant but yes.
My hobbies and the things on which I spend money.
Hobbies are expensive but who can live without them?
I have two jobs: a day job with eight hours and a night shift with six hours. I sleep for eight hours on a good night, so yes, I still have time for hobbies.
I mean, it's not like it would take a lot of time. I have subscriptions to streaming services since I like watching light horror series and crime dramas. That pretty much gets me to sleep on weekdays.
On weekends, I read online novels and doodle the scenes in my notebooks. It just helps me understand the plot and put a face on the characters, or a picture of the scene. I am a voracious reader so subscribing to the online novel platform is not a question at all -- it's an answer.
I also make it a point to have the latest large-screened phone for watching and reading.
My notebooks are arranged in a shelf as if they were encyclopedia, my pens are sorted in a drawer. Yes, I have a lot of notebooks and pens, enough to fill a six-tier utility shelf. I assure you, all pens are working and I don't start using another notebook unless the current one is completely used up.
As a reward for working two shifts, I don't shy away from having good food delivered. I mean, I worked diligently and avoid any absences. I deserve fillet mignon and wine! I also deserve a deep-dish pizza and two large boba drinks. Yes, I eat a lot! I am young, so no worries about slow metabolism.
Another well-deserved reward is skincare. I use a facial mask in the morning and in the evening and I am deeply religious about going through a complete routine every night -- from foams to serums. There's no backstory behind it, I just love my face.
Romance.
I don't even know why I am discussing this. It's not like I have anyone on my horizon and I haven't really looked at anybody with such type of interest.
Guys in the office are respectful and courteous. They invite me out from time to time, but who has time for that? I'd rather stay home and binge on online novels, doodle the scenarios in my countless notebooks using my countless pens while a facial mask pulls the toxins out of my skin.
Still, as I have said, I am not blind. Some guys in the office are easy on the eyes, and some guys from the bar can only be described as novel-worthy but why would they look my way? For all I know, they are in the office or in the bar for employment, the same as me. So why would I look their way?
I have more important things to bother with.
Like getting on top of this mountain of debt.
Or getting through this eviction notice in my hand.