I didn''t need to turn around to know it was that jerk, Julian. I slowly came to a stop and nced at him.


    "Serena, you still love me, don''t you?" Julian called out, hurrying over with gleaming eyes. "I knew you couldn''t bear to leave me."


    I scoffed. "What makes you think that?"


    "Well..." Julian faltered, a little embarrassed. "You''re the heiress of the Hastings family, yet you were willing to work so hard for me and give me all your sry. Isn''t that proof of your love for me? Oh, and you haven''t returned the gift I gave you yesterday. If you''re keeping it, doesn''t that mean you want to reconcile with me?"


    I was left speechless by his sheer audacity and absurd logic.


    "Uh..." L popped her head out hesitantly. "Let me exin. We didn''t throw away the gift you gave her yesterday because I forgot to tell Serena when she came back. If you want it, you can send someone to wait outside our dormter."


    Julian looked confused.


    L continued, "Serena will probably toss it out herself when she gets back." Julian''s expression darkened. "Serena, are you really going to be so heartless?"


    I couldn''t help butugh at his words. "Heartless? Julian, how do you even say that with a straight face?


    "I only liked you because I was blind, and I only worked so hard for you because I was an idiot. But let me make one thing clear-I want nothing to do with you now. The only thing I want is for you to pay back every single cent I spent on you over the years."


    Julian looked at me as if he couldn''t believe what he had just heard. "What? You expect me to pay you back?"


    I nodded firmly. "I''ve done the math. Over the years, I''ve spent a total of 151,000 dors on you. I''ll be generous and round it down to 150 thousand dors."


    The disbelief in his eyes slowly gave way to anger, but I had already grabbed L and walked away.


    "Julian is such a jerk," L fumed when she caught sight of the gift he had sent after we got back. She picked up the box and turned to me. "Serena, can I just throw this out?"


    I nodded without hesitation. "Go ahead. I was nning to toss it anyway."


    Hearing my words, L tossed the box into the trash without a second thought. "What a piece of junk!" she scoffed. How could he use that to ckmail you into getting back together with him? He should take a good look in the mirror and realize he''s punching way above his


    weight."


    I watched L fume, but strangely, I felt calm.


    "Hey!" L marched over to me. "Serena, why are you acting so serious and indifferent? Aren''t you mad about what that jerk said?"


    I took a moment to gather my thoughts before shaking my head. "Honestly, L, I''m not angry. Julian''s just a passing person in my life. There''s no need for me to be upset."


    It was Saturday, and I had to work at the coffee shop. L had offered to cover my shift so that I could stay in the dorm and study, but I turned her down.


    The weather was nice when I left my dorm, and I was in a pretty good mood until I arrived at the coffee shop My mood soured the moment I saw Julian and his friends sitting there.


    Once inside, swapped shifts with my coworker, Sylvia Bloom. Leaning in slightly, she lowered her voice. "Serena, they''ve been here for a while


    tried to take their orders, but get


    that guy kept refusing to a


    anything."


    I knew it was Julian without needing Sylvia to tell me. He was the leader of that


    group.