《Riches in Disguise》


 Chapter 1

    For our 100th-day anniversary, I rented out Skyway Garden and decorated it for the asion.


    But then I saw Linda and Joshua standing by the garden and taking pictures right in front of my eyes.


    "Who''s the rich man behind this? Renting out the whole garden, it is ridiculous how extravagant this is!" Lina said to Joshua.


    When I heard Lina say that, I could only give a bitter smile. Not wanting to give up thest bit of hope, I called her.


    Lina looked at her phone and immediately hung it up. Then, she turned to Joshua with a yful grin and said, "It''s William."


    Joshua smirked. "Aren''t you afraid that William will get suspicious if you keep ignoring his calls?"


    "He''s a fool," Lina replied confidently.


    She added, "Last time, I ditched William halfway through our date to meet up with you. I told him some excuse about suddenly getting my period, and he believed it. He even went and bought me some warm milk."


    Joshua looked pleased. "So, does that mean I''m more important than William in your eyes?"


    Lina looked shy after he said that. "Of course. I''m so over William. He''s just the son of a fruit vendor, but he always tries to act like some rich kid around me. Not like you. You''re rich and humble."


    I couldn''t help butugh bitterly. So, that was it. Lina despised me for my background!


    What Lina didn''t realize was that it was all a misunderstanding from Joshua.


    During one of my phone calls with my dad, Joshua had overheard him saying, "The fruit stand seems to be doing welltely. I''ve transferred you five hundred dors for pocket money."


    From that, Joshua jumped to conclusions, thinking I was the son of a fruit vendor. He then spread the rumor around.


    In truth, my dad was one of the top fruit tycoons in the country. He owns 18 domestic bases, and the business stretches around the world.


    ...


    I stumbled back to the dorm and felt utterly lost.


    On the day of our 100th-day anniversary, I witnessed Lina''s betrayal in my own eyes. Never in my wildest dreams did I think that something this ridiculous could ever happen to me.


    Lina had been my first love. She was my perfect white rose. I once believed she was the kindest, most innocent girl in the world.


    Now, whether she was kind or not didn''t even matter anymore. What was clear was that I was the biggest fool in the world.


    "Well, Mr. White hase back!"


    "What are you standing around for? Come down here and greet Mr. White. Mr White, here''s some expired milk I didn''t finishst night. Enjoy!"


    As soon as I entered the room, my roommates, Zack and Louis, started to mock


    me.


    They called me "Mr. White", but they didn''t actually think I was the scion of the White family. They were merely mocking me.


    When I''d once tried to exin my dad''s true background, they hadughed it off, thinking I was bragging.


    Since then, they had mockingly called me "Mr. White" whenever they saw me.


    I couldn''t be bothered to exin back then, and today, I had even less patience for it. Ignoring their taunts, I sat at my desk and put on my noise-canceling headphones.


    "Don''t expose him like that. Look at howmitted he is to this act. It''s a skill, you have to know that not everyone can keep up a lie that big with a straight face."


    Blocking out their voices, all I could think about was Lina. The sweet words that used to warm my heart were now like knives, cutting through my pride and dignity.


    I couldn''t believe she had yed me for a fool.


    And then there was Joshua. He not only spread rumors about me, ruining my reputation at school and making me out to be some vain, broken loser, but he had also made a move on Lina.


    My fists were clenched tight. I was furious!


    The urge to get revenge, to make them pay for everything they''d done, burned inside me. I wanted to hurt them just as much as they had hurt me. But then I slowly loosened my grip.


    It was not necessary for me to do such a thing.


    One was a clown who had misunderstood my life, and the other was a gold-digger who only cared about money. Why should I stoop to their level?


    Just then, a notification popped up from our alumni group chat. It was a message from Joshua. Curiosity got the better of me, and I opened it.


    A sharp pain stabbed at my chest.


    "Everyone, take a look and tell me what you think of my girlfriend''s legs." Joshua had posted this caption, along with a picture of Lina''s legs.


    In the photo, Lina''s leg was slim, long, and in a white skirt, while Joshua''s hand rested on her knee.


    I let out a coldugh.


    That white skirt that Lina wore? It was the one I bought her justst week for her birthday. She had been so overjoyed at that time, hugging and kissing me, telling me I was the love of her life.


    Who would''ve thought the first time she''d wear it would be during a date with Joshua?


    "Wow, she''s so fair-skinned and her legs are slender. They are amazing!"


    "Joshua, your taste must be off. My legs are way prettier. I just took a selfie, I''ll send it to you now."


    "Hey, can the beauty above send me a picture too?"


    "Fuck, I was wondering why you didn''t go drinking with us tonight. It turns out you went to pick up girls. How rude of you to forget your friends for the sake of a girl!"


    As the messages flooded the group chat, Joshua casually sent two hundred- dor-vouchers in the group chat, sparking a frenzy as everyone scrambled to im it.


    "Thanks, Joshua!"


    "You''re the best, Joshua!"


    Joshua replied, "Now that you''ve all grabbed the vouchers, please stopining. I''m not the type to ditch my boys for a girl. Today just happens to be our one-month anniversary, so cut me some ck. I''m off to enjoy some leg time, goodbye."


    "Joshua, you''re legendary! No wonder you''re a rich kid. You''re always so generous. Wishing you and Lina a lifetime of happiness!"


    "Come on, now. Joshua''s not the kind of guy to settle for just one girl for life. If you''re gonna wish him anything, wish him a massive harem with kids all over the country!"


    ...


    I took a deep breath and decided to turn off my phone and go to bed early. One more nce at the screen, and I might''ve smashed it into pieces.


    The next morning, a flood of messages appeared as soon as I turned my phone back on. The sender''s name was saved as "Cute Wifey".


    "Sorry, William, I was in a student council meeting when you called and couldn''t pick up."


    She continued, "Why aren''t you replying?"


    "You''re so annoying! I''ve told you a million times how much I hate it when people don''t respond immediately, and you''re still doing it. I don''t care. You have to transfer me five hundred dors to make it up to me," she added. "William? Please say something! If you don''t, I''ll really get mad, and five hundred and twenty dors won''t be enough. It''ll have to be one thousand one hundred and fourteen dors that signifies ''forever"!"


    "You are ignoring me? Fine. It''s always the same with you, saying one thing and doing another. You don''t care about me at all."


    The old me would''ve been terrified by these unreasonable messages and sent her multiple thousand dor transfers without a second thought. Now, though, all I could do was justugh.


    How could she go on a date with Joshua and then immediatelye to me asking for money?


    Without hesitation, I replied, "I''m just the son of a fruit vendor. Don''t you remember? You''ve been tired of me for ages, haven''t you? Why do you care whether I responded to you?


    Lina didn''t reply for a long time until I suddenly heard her voice shouting from downstairs.


    "William! Come down here! What do you mean by that?"


    Lina actually came over and started making a scene in public.


    I frowned, my first instinct being to ignore her. But she kept yelling my name, loud


    enough that even Zack and Louis could hear her.


    It was strange¡ªinstead of using this to mock me, they both looked over at


    Joshua, who was still snoring away.


    Suddenly, it hit me that they knew about Joshua and Lina''s affair all along.

 Chapter 2

    I really couldn''t understand it. Even though I was poor, I hadn''t done anything to provoke them. Where did all these hostilitiese from?


    Lina was still shouting downstairs. It was loud enough for the entire dorm building to hear.


    Zack snickered. "You might as well go down. What''s the point in hiding?"


    Louis took it a step further, yanking the door open and calling out to the crowd in the hallway. "William is right here in the dorm, acting like a coward and too scared toe down!"


    Laughter echoed through the hallway, and I forced myself to act like I didn''t care at all. With their mocking eyes on me, I walked downstairs, step by step, until I stood before Lina.


    I stood still and hadn''t looked up. Then, a stic bag hit me hard.


    "William, this is all the junk you gave me. I''m returning it to you! Don''t bother me again, got it?"


    I looked down at the pile on the ground. Not all the gifts I''d given her were there. The expensive things like nes, phones, shoes, and bags remained with her.


    The only things tossed back at me were the ones I had made for her myself. Among them was the moonmp, which I spent an entire month creating.


    I tried to stay calm, but when I looked up, my vision blurred for a second.


    This was the first time I had loved someone with all my heart. Were all those sweet moments fake?


    I couldn''t ept it.


    "Fine, if we''re breaking up, that''s the conclusion. But Lina, just tell me one thing, you stop loving me, or did you never love me at all?"


    did


    Lina''s eyes flickered with hesitation for a moment.


    But before she could answer, I heard Joshua''s voice behind me, mocking me with


    a high-pitched, whiny tone. "Lina, did you stop loving me, or did you never love me at all?"


    Laughter exploded from the crowd, stabbing into me like knives.


    I was the one who got dumped. I was the one who got cheated on. I was the victim here, not the viin! Why was I the one beingughed at?


    I just didn''t get it.


    As soon as Lina saw Joshua, she immediately clung to him, and her tone toward me turned even more cutting.


    "William, stop pretending you were ever sincere! You were lying to me from the start, acting like you were some rich kid. But your dad''s just a fruit vendor. You make me sick!"


    The crowd''sughter grew louder, people pointing at me as they whispered.


    I couldn''t hear them anymore and didn''t want to. I knelt, picked up the things I''d made, and headed back upstairs.


    When I returned to the dorm, I hoped for peace, but Zack and Louis weren''t about to let it go. They keptughing at me, taunting me with endless insults.


    I finally had enough and mmed my fist onto the table. "Say one more word and see what happens."


    After a long pause, Zack scoffed. "You got dumped, and you''re still trying to act though."


    Finally, they shut up.


    This was my first time going through a breakup. Even though I tried to force myself not to care, I couldn''t suppress the sadness inside.


    Mom called me in the afternoon, but I didn''t answer. She called again in the evening, and I still didn''t pick up.


    By the next day, Mom showed up at school during a ss break to see me.


    I rushed over to her. "Mom, what are you doing here?"


    She looked at me with concern and said, "I called you so many times, but you didn''t answer the call. I was worried. Is someone bullying you at school?"


    "No." I didn''t want her to worry, so I forced a smile. "My ssmates are great and I''ve even made a few new friends."


    The truth was, from the beginning of the semester, Joshua had spread nasty rumors about me. The more I tried to exin, the more my ssmates looked down on me.


    To this day, I hadn''t made a single friend, and my girlfriend had run off with Joshua.


    I felt useless.


    Mom patted my head and smiled in relief. "That''s good. I brought you some things. Do you have enough pocket money? Did you bring the supplementary card I gave you?"


    "I didn''t bring it along, but Dad gave me enough pocket money. Besides, I don''t spend that much in school," I replied.


    We hadn''t talked for long when I noticed people nearby giving Mom a strange and unfriendly look. She didn''t understand those looks, but I had experienced them all too often.


    I quickly led Mom to the school gate and personally made sure she got in the car and left.


    I should''ve had a meal with her. After all, she hade a long way to see me, but


    I really wasn''t in the mood. Plus, I was afraid my act would fall apart before her.


    As I watched Mom drive away, I felt ashamed. Here I was, letting my mom down because of a woman who betrayed me.


    When Mom leaned out the car window and waved at me with a smile, something inside me was suddenly released.


    There were still so many people in this world who loved and understood me. Why waste the time and energy on someone who wasn''t worth it?


    At that moment, I felt a renewed sense of strength. I pulled out my phone and sent Mom a message. "Mom, thank you foring to visit me. It really made me happy. Don''t worry, I''ll focus on my studies and won''t disappoint you and Dad."


    Mom responded quickly, "What are you talking about? All your Dad and I wanted is for you to be happy. That''s all that matters."


    There was truly nothing like family.


    My heart felt warm as I picked up my things and headed back to ss.


    But as soon as I sat down, Joshua''s voice could be heard from the front row.


    "You just got dumped yesterday, and now you''re hiring actors to put on a show? Bringing in some 20-year-old to y the role of your mom? Do you think we''re idiots?"


    "Yes! I was just about to say it, Joshua. If William is going to hire an actress, at least make it believable. That woman couldn''t be older than 27 or 28. If she''s really William''s mom, then what? She had him when she was seven or eight?" "And did you see all the designer clothes she wore and all the fancy stuff she gave William? He''s trying hard to act rich, isn''t he?"


    "Well, she''s pretty. I wouldn''t mind being his stepfather."


    I shot to my feet, stormed over to the guy who made the stepdadment, and


    grabbed his cor, punching him without a second thought.


    If someone insulted me, I can take it. But insulting Mom? That was a line I wouldn''t let anyone cross.


    The guy didn''t expect me to hit him, so he panicked and tried to tear himself away.


    But seeing his pathetic face only made me angrier, and I hit him again.


    The teacher, Brandon, walked in just as I was about to throw a third punch. "William, what are you doing?"


    Seeing Brandon, I took a deep breath and let go of the guy. "Say one more thing about my mom, and I''ll hit you harder next time."


    The entire ss red at me with disgust. "What''s William trying to pull?"


    "We didn''t even call him out by name, and he''s over here acting all offended. What a joke."


    "William can''t take people talking about it? Does he really think that was his mom? Pathetic."


    Brandon stood in front of the room, looking at me with the same cold expression.


    "William, being poor isn''t something to be ashamed of as no one can choose where they were born. However, having a poor character is totally another thing to consider. Since this is your first offense, I''ll let you off with a formal warning. Don''t let it happen again."

 Chapter 3

    I couldn''t help but smirk at the teacher''s words.


    He didn''t even bother to ask why I had hit someone and went straight to handing out punishment. With bias like that, what was the point in saying anything?


    As much as I wanted to storm out of the ssroom, I needed the credits, so I forced myself to stay.


    Thankfully, I had already taught myself most of this material back in senior year, so I didn''t even bother listening. Instead, I pulled out my phone and started scrolling.


    While checking my social media, I came across a post from Joshua.


    What caught my attention was the car in Joshua''s post, which was the same model as mine. That particr car wasn''tmon, so it surprised me that he had one, too.


    But then, something else made me pause. One of the photos in his post looked oddly familiar.


    Wasn''t that a picture of my family''s orchard?


    Not wanting to jump to conclusions, I immediately sent the photo to n, my familywyer.


    n replied quickly, "Yes, this is indeed from our orchard. We took these photos in August for promotional purposes, but they haven''t been released to the public yet."


    How did Joshua get his hands on an unreleased photo of our property? I was stunned.


    I quickly messaged n again. "Could you do a background check on Joshua, my roommate? I have a feeling that something''s not right."


    I couldn''t shake the suspicion that he might have hired a hacker to breach theputer system of my family''s orchard just to mess with me.


    After ss, I headed toward the library. On my way, I passed a bulletin board and noticed arge poster pinned up.


    "The First Starus Creative Entrepreneurship Competition!"


    I had been involved in small business ventures since high school, earning some


    pocket money along the way, so this event piqued my interest.


    I stopped to read the details carefully. It started with signing up and then


    submitting a project proposal, and the grand prize was five hundred thousand dors.


    As I was absorbed in reading, a group suddenly shoved me, nearly knocking me off bnce.


    I turned to see Joshua with his arm around Lina, nked by a few ssmates, all sneering at me.


    My eyes instinctively went to Lina. The clothes, shoes, and bag she was wearing were all gifts from me.


    I didn''t know if she had forgotten or simply didn''t care. She sure had some nerve if


    it was thetter, strutting around in her ex-boyfriend''s things.


    But surprisingly, I didn''t feel that same sting of jealousy anymore. Instead, I felt like she had yed her part well. She''d fooled me into believing she loved me.


    "William, are you seriously thinking about entering thispetition?" Joshua eyed me up and down like he didn''t even know me.


    "Don''t tell me you''ve lost your mind over that five hundred thousand dor prize! Do you even have the capital to start a business? Look closely, this contest is all about creativity and profit. Without money, what business are you going to start off with? If you don''t invest anything, what kind of returns can you expect?"


    One of hisckeys chimed in, "William can always sell those knockoff products. Five dors a piece, and he might actually make a profit."


    Lina couldn''t help butugh at that.


    I ignored them, pulled out my phone, and snapped a picture of the poster before leaving.


    But before I could walk away, Joshua quickly stepped in front of me and blocked my path.


    My temper red instantly.


    "Move!" I snapped.


    "Hold on, William. If you want to act though, I''ll give you the chance. Why don''t we both sign up for this entrepreneurshippetition and see who ranks higher?" Joshua offered.


    Compete with Joshua? Please. He wasn''t worth my time.


    I sidestepped him and kept walking, but he taunted me again. "What''s the matter, are you scared of me?"


    Lina followed and joked in a self-righteous way, "Go on, William, don''t be afraid. Who knows? Maybe miracles do happen, and you might win."


    Joshua crossed his arms. "Tell you what, William. If you win, I promise I''ll stop messing with you for good."


    I felt speechless as Joshua just wouldn''t quit.


    It seemed like the only way to shut him up was to give a lesson. I stopped in my tracks, turned around, and stared at him.


    "Fine. I''llpete with you. But let''s raise the stakes. If I win, you kneel in front of the entire school, apologize to me, and then leave this ce. If I lose, I''ll do the same," I said.


    Everyone around us went silent, stunned by the challenge. They didn''t expect me to take it this far.


    Linaughed awkwardly. "Isn''t that a bit extreme?"


    Joshua just scoffed. "I don''t mind. I''m just worried you''ll back out when the timees."


    I turned to Lina. "When we were together, did I ever break a promise to you?"


    Lina''s face turned red, and she muttered softly after a moment of hesitation. "No." "Then we''re good. Joshua, are you in or not?" I asked.


    "Are you kidding? Will I be afraid of you? Let''s do this, and Lina can be our witness," Joshua replied.


    The bet was sealed.


    Ignoring theirughter, I headed straight to the library to start my research.


    This entrepreneurshippetition wasn''t something that anyone could just breeze through. The person had to show real results and scbility. Plus, having


    a mentor''s rmendation would score him extra points.


    I immediately sought out my professor, Roger Hopkins.


    "An entrepreneurshippetition? Do you want to participate in it?"


    After listening to my idea, Roger pursed his lips andughed disdainfully. "Don''t take this the wrong way, William, but this kind ofpetition isn''t for you. Starting


    a business in college sounds easy, but it takes capital. Do you have any?"


    I didn''t want to lie to him, so I nodded. "I don''t have much, but I can manage to get the capital around ten million. I''m not aiming for anything huge, but just a small project. I was hoping you could write me a rmendation letter."


    "Ten million!" Roger''s eyes widened in disbelief, and for a moment, he just stared at me silently.


    I wasn''t sure if he thought it was a lot of money or too little, so I added, "If you think that''s not enough, I have other ounts I can pull from." "William!" Roger suddenly yelled my name, and his expression grew impatient.


    "Why are you so... vain? You are only a freshman, and you''re already this vain. When you step into the real world, you''re going to run into serious trouble, do you realize that?" Roger snapped.


    I was taken aback and quickly tried to defend myself. "Mr. Hopkins, I''m not lying to you-"


    "Enough!" Roger interrupted and cut me off mid-sentence. He tossed my proposal onto the floor without a second nce.


    "You think the faculty doesn''t know what you''re up to? Let me be honest with you. Everyone''s heard about you. If you don''t have what it takes, stay in yourne. You''re poor and your character''s not any better. I don''t even know what your parents taught you."


    I wanted to ask what exactly he thought was wrong with my character, but arguing wouldn''t help.


    Instead, I pulled out my phone, opened my banking app, and entered my password to show him my bnce.


    Just then, the office door swung open, and Joshua strode in, along with Lina and a few others. Hepletely ignored me, shoving me aside as he smiled at Roger. "Mr. Hopkins, could you help me out with a rmendation letter? I''m entering a startuppetition, and a mentor''s rmendation could really boost my chances."


    "Of course! That''s no problem at all. It''s just a letter, after all." Roger''s tone shifted entirely. He was now warm and friendly, like he was a different personpared to just now.''


    Rofer quickly picked up his pen and easily wrote a rmendation, finishing it with his stamp before kindly asking Joshua, "Do you need a digital copy too?"

 Chapter 4

    "No need for it, thanks, Mr. Hopkins." Joshua said as he grabbed the rmendation letter, then swaggered over to me with a smirk.


    "William, you didn''t have startup capital, and now you don''t have a mentor''s rmendation either. How exactly do you n topete with me? Or are you just waiting for a miracle to fall from the sky? Honestly, you''re such a failure at life. What''s even the point of you being here?"


    With that, Joshua and his crew strutted out of the office, leaving behind his smug words.


    I had no interest in engaging with him. Instead, I turned to Roger and asked, "Mr. Hopkins, you mentioned earlier that I have poor character. You heard what Joshua said to me just now. How would you judge that?"


    Roger barely nced up from what he was doing, and his tone was icy. "William, if one person looks down on you, it might be their problem. But if everyone does, shouldn''t you start reflecting on yourself?"


    He continued, "Why do you think Joshua singles you out? He doesn''t treat anyone else this way. He seems to get along just fine with others."


    Iughed dryly. "So that''s how you see it. Well, Mr. Hopkins, you certainly live up to the ripple of a teacher. I''ve learned a lot."


    Roger suddenly spun around and red at me. "What do you mean by that?


    William, it''s exactly because of your attitude that people find you annoying. Let me tell you¡ª"


    Only an idiot would stick around and let Roger finish ranting. I walked out of the office, not bothering to listen to the tter of whatever he was throwing in frustration behind me.


    On the way back, I got a message from n.


    "Mr. Wilson, I''ve gathered the information on Joshua. Would you like me to send it


    to you now? Interestingly, there''s quite a connection between the two of you."


    A connection between us?


    I immediately replied to n''s request to send it over. Finding a bench, I sat down


    to read, and what I saw left mepletely stunned.


    It turned out Joshua was the one of the beneficiaries of a charitable foundation my dad had set up in my name.


    The foundation supported students, focusing on those with good grades and strong character and grooming them to join our family business and eventually be key figures.


    The ultimate goal was for these students to return to their ruralmunities and help boost the local economy by starting their own businesses.


    Joshua was one of the main beneficiaries.


    That was why his monthly allowance was higher than that of other students.


    But what neither Dad nor I could have ever imagined was that Joshua had been taking the money meant to support him, blowing it on parties and girls, and having a good time instead of focusing on his studies.


    I was speechless. Without hesitation, I messaged n. "Stop all of Dad''s funding to him immediately. I''ll exin everything to Dad."


    "Understood, sir," n replied.


    After that, I called Dad.


    "Hey, William! Did you run out of pocket money? No worries, business has been great this year. I''ll wire you another five hundred."


    The "five hundred" that Dad meant was five hundred thousand dors.


    Joshua overheard that exact statement at the beginning of the semester, triggering the nightmare my life had be ever since.


    I was speechless. "Money''s not an issue, Dad. It''s about Joshua. It turns out he''s


    one of the students we''ve been supporting through the foundation. But his behavior''s terrible, and I don''t think we should keep funding him."


    "The foundation money''s basically your allowance. If that''s your decision, go ahead," Dad replied.


    "Thanks, Dad. By the way, I''m entering an entrepreneurshippetition. I''ve figured out the project, but I need specialized technical help. Could you spare a couple of your team members for me?" I requested.


    Dad chuckled as he was clearly intrigued. "Starting a business in your first year of college? Alright, tell me about the project first. If it sounds solid, we''ll take the next step."


    I exined the idea to Dad, and after hearing me out, he immediately sent over profiles of some of his top employees to choose from. I didn''t hold back and picked three of the best.


    After a long day, I returned to the dorm, only to hear Johsua loudly boasting as soon as I walked in. "You guys have no idea! Lina''s body is insane! I was shaking


    when I held her. I''ve never been with a girl that perfect before!"


    Joshua noticed me walking in, but instead of stopping, he got even more animated.


    "Do you know what the most shocking part is?" Joshua asked.


    Zack and Louis yed along eagerly. "What is it? Spill!"


    "Yeah, don''t keep us hanging, Joshua!" Zack added.


    Joshua smiled smugly. "The most shocking part is that Lina told me she was still a virgin."


    Zack gasped in disbelief. "No way! Haven''t Lina and William been dating forever? Didn''t they get together right when the semester started? And still, nothing happened between them?"


    "Maybe William just can''t perform! Look at him, he always looks so drained and seems powerless!"


    "Lina probably doesn''t even like him! I mean, with her looks, a cute face and a killer body; she''s destined to be a social media star. There''s no way she''d stick around with a poor guy whose family runs a fruit stand."


    I had already stopped caring about Lina, but they still thought using her to get under my skin was funny.


    I felt that they were so pathetic.


    I opened myptop and continued working on my project n.


    Just then, Joshua nced over at me and casually said, "Oh, by the way, I''ve got something to share. I''ve officially secured an investment from Spring Harvest Agro-Tech. My startup''s about to kick off."


    I froze momentarily.


    Spring Harvest Agro-Tech? Wasn''t that Dad''spany?


    I just spoke to n today about cutting off Joshua''s funding. How could they possibly be investing in his startup?


    I looked at Joshua, speechless. The same guy who always used me of putting on airs was clearly doing just that himself.


    Joshua shrugged at me. "What are you staring at? What, do you think I''m pulling strings? I can''t help it! My dad is the owner of Spring Harvest Agro-Tech. I''d be a fool not to use my family''s resources, right?"


    Zack and Louis looked at him with something close to admiration.


    "No way! Does your dad own Spring Harvest Agro-Tech? That''s the biggest orchardpany in the country!" Zack eximed.


    "Well, that exins why you''re so loaded. Your family runs all those orchards!" Louis added.


    Meanwhile, I was speechless. Joshua was unbelievable. He''d gone and imed John, my dad, was his dad.


    How could anyone behave like this? I couldn''t wrap my head around it.


    Joshua walked over and knocked on my desk. "William, if you''d kept your head down at the beginning of the semester, I wouldn''t have bothered with someone


    like you."


    "But no, you just had to show off in front of me and embarrass me in front of that senior. Now, you''re getting what you deserve."


    The senior?


    A scene from the start of the semester shed in my mind.


    A pretty senior helped us find our dorm. Once inside, both Joshua and I handed her a drink at the same time. Mine was more expensive, so she picked mine. After that, she was a bit nicer to me.


    But that was it.


    I looked at Joshua in shock. "So, you started all these rumors and sabotaged me,


    all because of a bottle of soda?"


    Joshua scoffed. "I just couldn''t stand you showing off!"


    "Was it me showing off, or was it you?" I stood up, as I was tired of putting up with


    it. "I''m pretty sure that the owner of Spring Harvest has thest name ''White''. Are you sure he''s your dad?"

 Chapter 5

    Joshua''s expression instantly darkened.


    He clearly hadn''t expected me to know anything about Spring Harvest Agro-Tech, but when Zack and Louis turned their curious gazes toward him, he quickly tried to regain hisposure.


    "You don''t know anything! Sure, thepany''s owner''sst name is White on paper, but my dad owns over thirty percent of the shares."


    "Please don''t talk like you understand when you have no clue! You''re just embarrassing yourself!" Joshua snapped before storming out of the dorm room, not daring to stay a second longer.


    Watching him leave in such a hurry, I couldn''t help but find it amusing.


    "But Joshua, this is just the beginning of your downfall," I thought.


    Over the next few days, Joshua was in a constant rush, barely spending any time in the dorm. And even when he dide back, he was glued to his phone, biting his nails as he furiously sent messages.


    Zack and Louis tried to talk to him and even invited him out for drinks, but he turned them down every time.


    I knew exactly what was going on.


    Two days ago, the foundation sent out the student stipends, but Joshua hasn''t received a dime since I cut off his funding. Of course, suddenly losing his financial support had him panicking.


    With him too busy worrying about hisck of money, I finally had the peace of mind to focus on my startup project.


    Dad had always been there for me, supporting my studies and life, and I wasn''t about to let him down.


    That evening, I returned to the dorm with myptop and found Zack and Louis huddled around Joshua, trying to console him. His eyes were red like he''d just finished crying.


    As I walked in, Zack suddenly piped up. "Look at William-he''s got nothing, broke as hell, and he''s still doing just fine!"


    "Exactly!" Louis agreed to it.


    "If someone like William can make it, what are you even worried about? It is just your family that cut off your allowance, and we can lend you some money to get you through this rough patch. You can sort things out with themter."


    After hearing this, Joshua''s eyes lit up, and he immediately looked at them. "Really? You guys are willing to lend me the money?"


    Zack and Louis, who had been talking big, started to hesitate when it came down to actually lending the money.


    "I don''t have that much left myself," Zack mumbled.


    "I could lend you a thousand dors, but you''ve got to promise you''ll pay me back by next week, or I''ll be starving," Louis offered.


    Joshua pped their shoulders with a confident grin. "Don''t worry! My parents just wanted me to learn to be independent, so they froze my card for a while. It''ll get unfrozen once I talk to them in a few days. Not only will I pay you back the money, but I''ll even throw in some interest."


    As soon as they heard there''d be interest, they quickly transferred one thousand dors to Joshua without hesitation.


    I watched the whole scene unfold, opened my mouth to say something, but then decided against it. They werepletely brainwashed by Joshua.


    Even if I told them the truth now, they''d just use me of being jealous and trying to sabotage him.


    I could already picture the whole mess, with them attacking each otherter. So, whatever. Let them go ahead and y their game of brotherhood.


    The next day, I had just taken a seat in the back row for ss when I noticed Joshua walking around the ssroom, phone in hand, borrowing money from everyone.


    I couldn''t help but feel puzzled.


    Didn''t Zack and Louis just lend him two thousand dorsst night?


    "Sorry, guys. I''ll pay you back in a couple of days. My mom froze my card, and it is Lina''s birthday today. I need to scrape together some cash to buy her a gift, or she''ll definitely throw a fit," Joshua said.


    I froze for a moment and nced at the date, realizing it was indeed Lina''s birthday today.


    I had already prepared a gift for her in advance, a handbag I designed myself,


    with a custom logo from one of my favorite brands.


    But now, it seemed like there was no point in giving it to her anymore.


    After ss, I immediately met with the staff to discuss my startup project. They sent me a concept image and said, "Mr. White, the version is nearlyplete and ready for testing."


    I was excited. This was the first time I had developed something entirely independently, and I was eager for it to seed.


    "Great, keep pushing forward," I replied.


    With their top-tier talent on board, everything was progressing smoothly and efficiently.


    Just then, a round of apuse erupted from the front of the ssroom. I looked up to see Lina had walked in at some point.


    Lina was wearing a light blue skirt, her long hair cascading down her shoulders. With her fair skin and shy smile, she looked as pure and innocent as ever.


    In the past, seeing Lina blush like that would''ve made my heart skip a beat, and I


    wouldn''t have been able to resist hugging and kissing her.


    But now? I didn''t even care to spare her a second nce.


    "Joshua, you''re too sweet to me." Lina held a ne encrusted with small diamonds, and she was thrilled. "Can you help me put it on?"


    Joshua grinned, and amid the pping and whistling from the crowd, he fastened the ne around her neck. The people around them immediately started cheering.


    "Kiss her! Kiss her!"


    As Joshua and Lina slowly leaned in closer, I thought I wouldn''t care. But just before their lips met, I found myself feeling ufortable.


    I was about to look away when Lina suddenly pushed Joshua away; her face flushed, and she ran out of the ssroom in embarrassment.


    It turns out that Brandon has just walked in.


    Seeing themotion, Brandon wasn''t upset at all. He nced at Joshua with a smile and said, "No dating in the ssroom, Joshua. It''s fine that you''re popr, but at least think about the feelings of the single guys here." Everyone burst intoughter, and the atmosphere was light and cheerful.


    But I just sat at the back,pletely disconnected from this fake sense of joy.


    After school, I had just stepped out of the ssroom through the back door when I ran right into Lina.


    The hallway was empty except for the two of us. Instead of giving me her usual scornful look, she paused and nced at me with a hesitant expression, like she wanted to say something but couldn''t.


    Before I could make sense of it, Joshua and a few other ssmates appeared. Lina quickly ran over to him, leaving me utterly confused.


    Back at the dorm, I was about to change my shoes when I noticed something off.


    My limited-edition sneakers were missing. I searched everywhere but couldn''t find them.


    When Zack and Louis returned, I could only ask them.


    "Who would wear your shoes? Are you out of your mind?" Zack snapped. Unsurprisingly, a simple question turned into an insult.


    Louis, who was sipping his soda with a serious face, chimed in, "There are only two possibilities here. The first possibility is the dorm manager tossed them out as trash; or the second is you made this up just to me us."


    I gave him a cold stare. "There''s a third possibility that Joshua took them."


    There were only four of us in the dorm. If Zack and Louis hadn''t touched them, then left only Joshua. I avoided using the word "stole" to spare him some dignity.


    As soon as I said that, Zack and Louis looked at me like I''d just told them the wildest joke they''d ever heard. Louis even spat his soda all over the floor andughed.


    "Are you serious? Do you think Joshua would wear your shoes? Oh man, I must post this joke in the group chat!" Louis howled.


    Zack shot me a disgusted re. "Do you even realize how much Joshua hates knock-offs? He was a guy that worn designer brands his entire life! You said that Joshua was wearing your shoes? I''d sooner do a headstand and puke."

 Chapter 6

    "You guys are really loyal to Joshua." I felt a mix of admiration and confusion.


    Sure, Joshua had money, but was that really enough to make them fawn over him like this?


    Unable to make sense of it, I went online to search for some answers. "Is itmon for college students to be so superficial?"


    One of the top replies, with over 30 thousand likes, said, "Yes, it''s prettymon. For one, smart people started buildingworks for future jobs. And second, those who get into good universities usually have high ambitions, so it''s natural for them to gravitate towards the powerful."


    I scoffed at that reasoning. Building connections and following the strong? That''s what led me to use my allowance to start a foundation to support students in need.


    Just as I was thinking about this, Mike called me.


    "Mr. White, there''s something I need to report. One of the students we''ve been supporting for the past six years has been diagnosed with leukemia. She''s currently receiving treatment at the Welsington Hospital."


    I frowned. "Who is it?"


    "A girl named Jane. She''s just started her senior year of high school. Her dream is


    to get into your university so she can personally thank you for your help.


    I could tell from Mike''s tone that he had a good impression on Jane, and he


    probably hoped I''d step in to help.


    "How much does the surgery costs?" I asked immediately.


    "The surgery alone will be around three hundred thousand dors, but with other expenses, it could go up to four hundred thousand dors."


    I had that amount saved, so I replied without hesitation, "I''ll visit the hospital tomorrow and personally cover the surgery. There''s no need to go through the foundation for this."


    "Yes, sir. I''ll send you the address and room number."


    After hanging up, I read through Jane''s file and sighed.


    Both of her parents had passed away, and she had been raised by her


    grandmother, who was diagnosed with a terminal illness when Jane was 13. Now,


    at 18, Jane had been struck by leukemia.


    Why did misfortune always seem to find the same people?


    Just as I was lost in thought, the door to the dorm flew open, and Joshua


    stumbled in, reeking of alcohol.


    I stood up immediately and red at him. "Joshua, who gave you the permission to wear my shoes?"


    Zack and Louis, who had already climbed into bed, sat up in shock, staring at Joshua at disbelief.


    Joshua, still reeking of alcohol,zily kicked off my shoes and tossed them at me. "It''s just a pair of shoes. What''s your problem? They''re knock-offs anyway! I only wore them because I noticed my shoes weren''t clean when I left. You should be thankful that I even bothered to wear them."


    Zack heaved a sigh of relief and quickly jumped in to defend Joshua. "Yeah, exactly! You should be grateful. Honestly, you should thank Joshua. Your shoes were knock-offs, but now that he''s worn them, they''ve got some value!"


    I couldn''t help butugh at how shameless Zack had be aplete sycophant at Joshua''s feet.


    I decided I wasn''t going to tolerate Joshua any longer.


    Grabbing him by the cor, I demanded, "Apologize! And pay for my shoes. I don''t want them back after you''ve worn them."


    Joshua, clearly drunk, swayed but couldn''t break free. He grumbled, "Let go of me!"


    Louis jumped down from his bed and red at me fiercely. "William, you''d better let him go. We don''t want to have hurt you."


    Ignoring them both, I looked directly


    at Joshua. "Wearing my shoes without permission is stealing. These shoes are worth 3800 dors, and it is enough to file a police report. I don''t mind calling the police and reporting it to the school. Let''s see how the authorities handle this."


    The mention of the police sobered Joshua up a little. He quickly shrugged off his jacket and broke free from my grip. "Fine! I wore your shoes, okay? I''ll pay you. 3800 dors, right? I''ll send it to you now."


    Joshua pulled out his phone and started transferring the money.


    Zack was visibly upset and tried to protest. "Joshua, don''t listen to him! He''s trying


    to rip you off. Those shoes aren''t even worth a hundred dors."


    But before Zack could finish, Joshua interrupted him, "I''m short on cash. Please transfer six hundred dors to me."


    Zack was caught off guard and became speechless.


    Zackughed awkwardly and said, "Joshua, you still owe me a thousand dors fromst time."


    Joshua grew impatient. "Please be patient. I''ll pay you back next week. Just transfer it to me. You''ve neverined when I treated you to food and drinks before. Now that my credit card has been frozen, you''re going to ignore me? From today onward, please don''t say that you are my friends!"


    "Alright, alright. I''ll send it. But I''m down to myst thousand dors for the month,


    so after I transfer this, I''m broke," Zack said.


    "Yeah, yeah, I got it," Joshua replied.


    After receiving Zack''s transfer, Joshua kept his word and sent me the full 3800


    dors.


    I couldn''t help but shake my head. Joshua was broke but still putting on a show. I


    would never understand his way of thinking.


    Louis snorted disdainfully. "If I were Joshua, I''d teach you a lesson."


    Joshua burped and said, "William isn''t worth my time for it."


    Louis nodded in agreement. "Exactly."


    He then picked up the shoes from the floor and threw them off the balcony without hesitation. "There, problem solved. I tossed those knock-offs for you, Joshua!" Joshua instinctively raised his hand to stop him, but it was toote. He just stood there, staring nkly at Louis, as he was too stunned to say a word.


    Louis, however, looked pleased with himself, thinking he''d done Joshua a favor.


    I almostughed out loud at how ridiculous they were.


    "Hey, Joshua, there''s a new game out that''s really fun. Have you yed it yet?" Louis asked.


    "I don''t have time for that. I''m going to sleep." Joshua yawned.


    As he drifted off, Louis turned to Zack to y the game instead, sting the music


    on speaker. Despite the noise, I didn''t care. I got into bed and fell asleep.


    The following day was Saturday, and I had no ss. I got up early, bought some flowers and fruit, and headed to the hospital.


    When I walked into the ward, Jane, who was lying in the bed, immediately sat up. Her hair had been shaved off, and she looked a bit bloated, likely from the medication.


    "Are you William?" Jane asked, her eyes filling with tears. She quickly covered her head with her hands and grabbed a piece of clothing to hide it. "I''m sorry..."


    I felt a pang of sadness. There was an 18-year-old girl in the prime of her youth, now facing this terrible illness.

 Chapter 7

    I held back my tears and smiled. "Don''t worry about it. I''ll take care of the


    medicine bills. You just focus on getting better."


    I spent the entire morning talking with Jane and learning about her situation. She had no friends or family in Welsington City, and no one visited her while she was in the hospital.


    So, I promised to visit her every other day. Three times a week seemed just right -not too much to disrupt my schedule, and enough to not interfere with her rest and treatment.


    As I was getting ready to leave, Jane suddenly started crying. "Thank you, William. I''ve already spent so much of your time, and now, with this illness, I''ll owe you even more. I don''t know if I''ll ever be able to pay you back."


    "What are you talking about? Who said anything about paying me back?" Iughed, gently pinching her cheek.


    To ease her mind, I decided to tell a little lie. "Besides, it''s not all from me. I crowdfunded it, and lots of kind people chipped in, so you don''t need to feel any pressure."


    "Really?" Jane clearly felt more at ease.


    I was about to nod when Joshua''s voice suddenly came from the doorway. "I wore those shoes yesterday and knew they were real. I was wondering where you got the money to buy something that expensive. William, it turns out you''re embezzling donations!"


    I took a deep breath. How was it possible to run into Joshua even at the hospital? He really was like a bad penny.


    "Jane, you rest up. I''ll be going now." I didn''t want her hearing any more nonsense, so I closed the door behind me and dragged Joshua outside.


    "Joshua, listen to me. This is thest time I''m going to warn you. Stop bothering me, and we''ll call it even. But if you keep this up, I''ll make sure you get exactly what you deserve!"


    I realized I wasn''t very good at threatening people. Even I felt unsatisfied after saying that. Maybe I should practice more.


    Sure enough, Joshua wasn''t fazed at all. In fact, he seemed more cocky than ever. "Why are you so angry? Is it because I caught you doing something shameful? Don''t think that you can just walk away from this. I will tell everyone, including teachers and students. You name it!"


    Just then, a nurse called out from somewhere nearby, "Are there Sophia''s family members here? The patient is about to undergo surgery, and we need you toe over now!"


    Joshua shot me a hateful re before sprinting toward the nurse.


    I was confused. The documents that n gave me didn''t mention that Joshua had any family members in this city. After thinking about it, I followed Joshua''s direction.


    Outside the ward, I asked a passing nurse, "Excuse me, could you tell me what kind of surgery is happening here?"


    The nurse nced at her chart and replied, "It''s an ectopic pregnancy. She''s having an abortion."


    Pregnancy? Abortion? Those words hit me like a ton of bricks. I mean, I was still a virgin!


    My mind raced. So, Joshua had another girlfriend besides Lina? And they''d even had a child together? It was impressive.


    How had the foundation approved so much funding for someone like him?


    Back at school, I expected to be hit with another wave of drama, especially after Joshua had threatened to ruin my reputation at the hospital.


    But for the next few days, Joshua didn''t return to the dorm, giving me some much- needed peace.


    It wasn''t until the results of the entrepreneurshippetition were announced that he finally showed up.


    Severalpanies attended the event, eager to recruit talent.


    My parents didn''t attend to avoid drawing attention, but Dad''s secretary, Carmen, came to support me. She didn''t reveal her identity, sitting quietly in the audience as a family representative, cheering me on.


    ording to the schedule, each participant had five minutes to present their project. Once they finished, the judges would announce the revenue they had reviewed.


    Joshua was one of the first to


    present. He confidently rambled on about this project, not wasting a


    single second of his five minutes. He had good speaking skills, but there


    was no focus in his pitch, making the whole thinge off poorly.


    When Joshua finished, one of the judges stood up and announced, "The ninth contestant''s verified earnings are eight thousand and 63 dors."


    Sparse pping followed. Clearly, Joshua''s project hadn''t done well, and it looked like he would be at the lower ranking.


    Joshua returned to his seat next to Lina, who happened to be sitting right in front


    of me. I tried to ignore them, but their constant cuddling and whispering were hard to miss.


    Fortunately, the event wasn''t too long since it was only open to freshmen, and there weren''t many participants. After half an hour, it was my turn.


    I got up and walked to the stage. My project was a charity game called Evergreen.


    Instead of starting with a speech, I yed a short demo of the game.


    The room filled withughter as the audience watched the fun and engaging gamey.


    Once the video finished, I smiled and began my presentation. "This game might already be familiar to many of you here. I want to thank you all, not for me, but on behalf of the kids who''ve been helped through it."


    "As you can see, this game has attracted over one hundred and 30 thousand yers so far, generating over one hundred and 90 dors in donations through advertisements and levels. This is a purely charitable game."


    I finished my presentation in just three minutes, although I have five minutes of presentation time.


    A judge stood up and announced, "The verified earnings for contestant number 21 are 320,650 dors."


    Thunderous apuse erupted from the audience. My revenue far surpassed everyone else''s, making me the undeniable champion of thepetition.


    As I stood on stage, holding my prize and posing for photos with the sponsors, saw Carmen snapping pictures like crazy, gesturing for me to look at the camera. I figured she was taking them to show Dad. I smiled awkwardly and gave her a thumbs-up.


    Once I stepped off the stage, Carmen rushed over. "You were amazing, Mr. White!


    You totally deserve a round of apuse!"


    I chuckled. "Thanks, but I have to give credit to Dad for lending me three top- notch experts. It wasn''t all from me."


    Carmen smiled and handed me two gifts from her bag. "Mr. White Senior asked


    me to prepare these for you. One''s a congrattory gift, and the other''s a celebration reward. They''re all for you!"


    "Thanks." I gratefully epted the presents. Although Dad had ordered the gifts, I knew Carmen had picked them out for me herself.


    "Well, I won''t take up any more of your time. I need to get back and report to Mr. White Senior," she said with a yful wink before hugging me briefly and leaving.


    Excited to see what she had gotten me, I sat down and began unwrapping the gifts. But before I could finish, Joshua and a group of his friends surrounded me.

 Chapter 8

    Joshua spotted the gift box on myp and reached for it without hesitation. Before I could stop him, he tore it open but froze in shock.


    Inside the box was a Cartier skeleton watch, its crown embedded with a striking blue gemstone, worth around 30 thousand dors. It was impossible to pass this off as a fake. It had to be the real deal.


    Lina''s eyes sparkled as she gasped, "That''s gorgeous!"


    Most of our ssmates came from modest backgrounds and were equally stunned.


    For them, a monthly allowance of over five hundred dors was already considered generous, with some surviving on just a few hundred. Seeing something this expensive was understandably a rare urrence.


    I snatched the watch back and slipped it onto my wrist. Since they were so eager to look, I''ll let them see it more clearly.


    Sure enough, as soon as I put the watch on, Joshua and his friends looked at me like they wanted to eat me alive.


    Joshua''s eyes, especially, turned red with jealousy-he was on the verge of losing it.


    "William, you''ve got some nerve, unting gifts from your sugar mommy. Have you no shame at all?" Joshua sneered.


    "Sugar mommy?" I blinked, caught off guard. What kind of rumor was Joshua cooking up now?


    Joshua let out augh. "Don''t even try to deny it. We all saw you cozying up to that richdy. If that''s not you being kept, then what is it? And don''t try to tell me she''s your sister since I know you''re an only child!"


    The students around us immediately began shooting me disapproving nces.


    Lina spat. "Now, it makes sense how you had the capital to start your business. You''ve been living off some rich woman. I can''t believe I even saw you differently." Zack even gestured crudely at me. "Bet you put on a show for us day by day, but at night, you''re crawling into bed with her, begging for it. What a joke!"


    Hisment drew raucousughter from the crowd.


    I shot Zack a cold look. He knew perfectly well that I attended all my sses and returned to the dorm on time every night. Yet, he had no problem spreading lies to please Joshua. People like him didn''t deserve to share a room with me.


    "Zack, I used to think it was just pathetic how you followed Joshua around. Now I see you deserve it, being hispdog. With your character, that''s all you''ll ever be," I said.


    "What did you say?" Zack was enraged and embarrassed as I had unknowingly struck his nerve. He rushed up to me and wanted to fight with me.


    I was not afraid at all. I grabbed his arm, twisted it behind him, swept his legs from under him, and sent him crashing to the floor with a thud.


    Louisughed when he saw Zack fall. Instead of offering to help Zack, Louis took out his phone to take a photo.


    Zack was not convinced and lunged at me again. But he was no match, and I easily tripped him once more, and he hit the ground hard.


    Feeling defeated, Zack turned to Joshua for help. "Joshua! William is out of control! Let''s take him down together and teach him a lesson!"


    However, Joshua ignored Zack''s suggestion. He gave me a cold stare and said, "Tell you what, William. Hand over those gifts, and we won''t spread any rumors about you being kept by a rich woman."


    The group''s eyes lit up at the suggestion they could already see the money they''d split from selling the watch and the unopened gift. But I knew the truth-Joshua would never share the loot. He was too desperate and poor now.


    I looked at him with pity. "Joshua, there was a time you could''ve earned this watch


    yourself. But you threw that chance away. It''s toote now."


    Joshua was confused by my words. "Stop talking nonsense! Are you giving it to me or not? If not, I''ll ensure everyone in school knows you''re being kept by a sugar mommy."


    "Do whatever you want," I replied. I didn''t care about any of that.


    "But first, let''s settle our bet. You lost thepetition, which means you owe me a kneel and an exit from this school. So, what''s it going to be?" I questioned.


    Joshua didn''t seem the least bit surprised. He had prepared for this moment and immediately put on a smug expression. "A bet? What bet? What are you talking about? It''s ridiculous that I will bet with you!"


    I raised my brow. "Are you nning to just let it go?"


    Joshua raised his arm arrogantly. "I will admit it promised it before. But you can''t just say it without any proof. Since you say I had a bet with you, please show me some proof, William. Do you have any recordings or witnesses? If you can prove it, I''ll honor the deal!"


    Until that moment, I''d thought Joshua, despite his rotten character, was at least a man of his word. After all, he had paid me back for the shoes we''d fought over. But today, he shattered whatever respect I had left for him.


    I turned to Lina. "You were there when we made the bet, Lina. Don''t tell me you''re going to pretend you didn''t hear anything."


    I knew she''d chosen Joshua for his money, and I couldn''t hold that against her. But I couldn''t believe she''d t-out lie to protect him.


    Lina''s face flushed, and she quickly lowered her gaze. "I don''t know what you''re talking about. Whatever happened between you and Joshua has nothing to do with me."


    Joshua burst outughing. "You thought you could scare Lina into backing you up? Are you out of your mind? She''s my girlfriend!"


    I stared at Lina for a long moment before managing a bitter smile. "So that''s who you are. I wasted a whole year on you."


    Lina''s eyes widened in disbelief as if she couldn''t fathom I''d say something so harsh. But the sight of her feigning innocence only deepened my contempt.


    If anyone should be crying right now, it was me.


    I no longer felt the slightest


    sympathy for her. With a final cutting remark, I turned to leave. "Lina, remember what I''m telling you right now. When the truth finally hits you, don''t cry about how unfair life is. You''ll only have yourself to


    me."


    I walked away, letting their insults bounce off me. "Sugar baby! Gold digger!" They could say whatever they wanted. They''d all regret it soon enough. After leaving thepetition, I went straight to Tom. "I need to switch dorms." Tom barely looked up from his notebook. "William, switching dorms won''t solve your problems. If you don''t learn to get along with others, you''ll run into the same issues no matter where you go."


    As I was already boiling with anger, Tom''s words pushed me over the edge. "Get along? You''re telling me I''m the problem here? What exactly did I do wrong?"


    Tom immediatelytched onto my words, like he had caught me in a trap. "Listen to yourself! With that attitude, it''s no wonder you can''t get along with others. How do you expect people not to boycott you?"

 Chapter 9

    I bit my lip, clenching my fits without realizing it while trying to calm myself down.


    Getting angry wouldn''t help. I had to talk it out, hold on, andmunicate.


    After a moment, I finally calmed down.


    After taking a deep breath, I tried to keep my voice steady. "Tom, I just wanted to ask if I could switch dorms. If it''s possible, I''d appreciate your help. If not, that''s fine too."


    "Is that how you ask for help?" Tom''s face was full of displeasure as he grumbled.


    "And besides, you''ve been like this before. Your roommates haven''t evenined about you. Now that you''ve won an award, you suddenly want to switch dorms? Isn''t that a bit too much?" Tom asked.


    I wanted to ask what he meant by "like this before", but I held my tongue. I had no intention of arguing over something so trivial, so I nodded. "Alright, if you don''t want to help, that''s fine. I''ll head back to my dorm."


    "Stop right there!" Tom said as he stood up in a huff.


    "As your counselor, I''m saying this for your good. You don''t have the life of a rich kid, but you sure have the attitude of one! You can just go back and wait for my updates. I''ll see if I can switch things around for you in the next few days. If it works out, I''ll let you know. I''m sure plenty of people are willing to move into Joshua''s dorm."


    Hearing this, I finally felt a little relieved. Even though Ton tended to favor the wealthy, he was not particrly biased.


    I gave him a small bow before leaving his office.


    Despite Zack and Louis constantly mocking me that night, I wasn''t bothered at all. After all, I wouldn''t be living with them much longer.


    Just before I entered ss the next day, I heard an uproar inside. It sounded like a full-on party. "Joshua! Seriously, can we all go?"


    "Of course! I have invited not only you guys but lots of other people, including other alumni, Tom, and even some of the professors. Everyone cane."


    "That''s awesome! Do you think your ce is big enough to hold all of us?"


    Joshuaughed proudly. "Come on, it''s Imperia Manor. It can fit a few hundred more people if we need it to."


    I hadn''t nned on paying any attention to their fawning over Joshua, but when I heard the words "Imperia Manor", I stopped in my tracks and stared at him.


    Noticing my gaze, Joshua gave me a smug thumbs-down. "Don''t even think about it, William. I''d invite a stray dog before I''d invite you."


    Everyone around him burst outughing, throwing mocking nces my way.


    I frowned but held back my irritation and asked, "Joshua, which Imperia Manor are you having the party at?"


    Joshua immediately burst into exaggeratedughter. "Caught you! Pretending to be rich every day, and you don''t even know the Imperia Manor? There''s only one Imperia Manor in the Welsington City. Which one do you think it is?"


    The othersughed too.


    "Always pretending to be a rich kid? I guess William convinced himself at this point."


    "You think Imperia Manor is like a local park or something? There''s more than one?"


    "You don''t know about it? Go search it up online! Even Wikipedia has it. Honestly, I''m embarrassed by your intelligence. Either your brain''s broken, or your ears are."


    I was starting to think there was something wrong with my ears too, because Imperia Manor was my manor!


    As a graduation gift, Mom transferred ownership of the manor to me. I rarely stayed there, so I had Vincent''s family look after it. How on earth had it suddenly be a venue for rent?


    It was ridiculous!


    Before I could make sense of it, Joshua dropped another bombshell. "And tomorrow night, I''m taking my V8 Koenigsegg out to give you guys a ride. We''ll snap some photos too."


    "A Koenigsegg? Isn''t that a luxury car that only appears in Cer?"


    "I heard even a second-hand one costs at least 20 million! Joshua, I thought you were just rich, but now I think you''re one of the richest guys in Welsington City."


    "Joshua, can I get a ride too? I''ve never seen that car in real life."


    I was even more confused. Wasn''t that Mom''s car?


    Before the semester started, Mom had someone bring it to the manor in


    Welsington City, saying I could use it to take my girlfriend for a ride if I ever got


    one.


    I had considered taking Lina for a drive, but it felt too showy, and I figured


    someone as quiet and modest as her wouldn''t be into that.


    How had it be Joshua''s car?


    I pulled out my phone, intending to call Vincent outside the manor, but Joshua


    stopped me before I could leave.


    "William, you''ve been eavesdropping this whole time, and now you''re just going to walk away? If you really want to go, get on your knees,


    apologize, and admit who you''


    are.


    Maybe then I''ll consider giving you a


    chance," Joshua said.


    I didn''t even bother responding and walked off.


    "Forget about him, Joshua! Having him at the party would just ruin it."


    "Exactly! William would probably sneak into the manor, take pictures, and post them on social media, pretending it''s his."


    I found a seat in the back and was about to call Vincent when Mom called me.


    "William, I''ve got some great news! To celebrate your recent win, I''ming to Welsington City to host a party at Imperia Manor. I''ll invite many friends, and I want you to meet them."


    I blinked in surprise and quickly asked, "Imperia Manor? You didn''t rent it out for someone else''s party, did you?"


    Mom chuckled when she heard my words. "What are you talking about? That''s your manor! Why would we ever rent it out? Besides, we don''t need the money."


    So, it wasn''t rented out? So Joshua was lying?


    But with the party tomorrow, how did he n to keep up the charade without getting caught?


    I couldn''t figure it out, so I asked, "Mom, where is your Koenigsegg?"


    She replied, "I sent it for maintenance. Why are you asking this? Do you want to


    use it? If so, I can have it sent back tomorrow."


    "I don''t need it," I replied.


    "Alright, the main car key is with you. If you ever want to drive it, call Sophia Anyway, William, I''m now in the saloon with my friend and about to get my hair done, so I''ll talk to youter."


    Hanging up the phone, I felt like I had uncovered part of the truth, but there were still things I didn''t understand. How was Joshua nning to host the party there after


    all that boasting?


    I hadn''t been too interested in Mom''s party, but now I couldn''t wait to see what would happen.


    That evening, as I was reviewing my notes, Zack and Louis were already dressed and ready to go.


    Leaning on the desk, they whispered, "Do you think we should ask Joshua for the money back after the party? Do you think he''ll pay us?"


    "Why wouldn''t he? He''s loaded. Plus, he promised to pay it back this week."


    "Then you ask first."


    "Why me? You ask!"


    As they bickered, their phones rang, and the moment they saw Joshua''s name,


    they snapped to attention like soldiers before their general.


    "Yes, Joshua! We''re heading over right now!"


    As soon as they left, I got a call from Kate. "Mr. White, this is Sophia. Mrs. White


    asked me to pick you up at the school gate."

 Chapter 10

    Sophia? The name rang a bell, but I couldn''t quite ce it.


    "No need for that, I''ll make my way there myself," I told her.


    There were already too many rumors flying around about me being some kept man by a sugar mommy. If another shy car showed up for me, driven by a female chauffeur who wasn''t even the same one asst time, people would have even wilder things to say.


    I hailed a cab and headed straight to the estate. As I approached the gate, I noticed a group of familiar faces standing by the roadside-they were Joshua and his crew.


    Joshua spotted me first and let out a mockingugh. "William? What, did you change your mind ande to beg me to let you in?"


    Lina frowned, her expression full of disdain. "William, please have some self- respect."


    I wasn''t in the mood to argue, so I walked straight toward the entrance.


    Zack''s voice called out from behind, "Wait, is William trying to sneak in by pretending to be Joshua''s roommate?"


    "How can he be so shameless? Unbelievable!"


    I was speechless after hearing that. I needed to use Joshua''s name to get into my manor? What kind of backward logic was that?


    Without a word, I pulled out my keycard and swiped it at the gate.


    This card was one of only three in existence-one for me, one for my mom, and one for Sophia, Vincent''s daughter.


    I was curious about how Joshua had gotten in, so I lingered near the gate to find out.


    About ten minutester, the gate opened again, and I saw clearly that Joshua was holding a keycard! He had swiped his way in!


    I was stunned. Where did he get that card from? Could it be that after I stopped financially supporting Joshua, Mom secretly stepped in again?


    As I stood there, lost in thought, Joshua and his group approached me.


    "Well, I didn''t expect that you made it inside. But let me guess you''re working as part of the staff for tonight''s event, right?"


    Joshuaughed and turned to the teachers and ssmates behind him. "This manor is usually empty, so we had to hire temporary staff like chefs, waiters, and other staff for the events."


    I am speechless. "And if I were working as a staff, so what? People who work hard deserve respect. What gives you the right to look down on them, Joshua?"


    Joshua burst outughing. "Calm down, William. I was just making a guess, so you don''t need to get so defensive."


    Roger was also behind him. When he heard what I said, he looked sternly at me. "William, let''s be clear-we don''t look down on hard work. We look down on fake people."


    "Exactly, working for a living is one thing, but being all about appearances is something else."


    I scoffed. "I am fake? Isn''t that you guys?"


    Before I could finish, my phone buzzed, and I saw it was Mom calling. I shot them


    all a look before stepping away to meet with Mom.


    "William!" As soon as she saw me, she immediately hugged me excitedly.


    "I''m so proud of you! Carmen told me you not only came in first butpletely dominated thepetition. Dad couldn''t stop bragging about you at his business dinners! We are so happy."


    That brought a small smile to my face. As long as Dad was happy, that was all that mattered. I couldn''t care less what others thought, but I never wanted to disappoint my parents.


    "I wasn''t that impressive, Mom. I had a lot of help from some top talents. Without them, my project wouldn''t have been nearly as good."


    But deep down, I knew even without their help, I would''ve still won-just not by such arge margin.


    "Stop being so modest in front of me." Mom linked her arm with mine as we walked. "Anyway, I''ve arranged three separate party areas for you tonight."


    "The first one is for all the top industry people from Welsington City, near the winery."


    "The second one is for your friends, right by the stables."


    "And the third area is in the front courtyard, which Sophia is in charge of. It''s for your ssmates and teachers."


    "I''ll introduce you to the industry bigwigs first, then you can handle the younger crowd on your own. I''m too old to keep up with you kids."


    I almostughed. Mom looked old? She


    aged incredible for her


    age-so much so that my


    ssmates often thought she was an actress I''d hired for the day.


    Soon, we reached the winery, where Mom proudly introduced me to everyone, singing my praises non-stop.


    The guests were gracious enough to indulge her, and before long, I''d exchanged numbers with several of them.


    After a little more small talk and red wine, Mom excused herself, iming she couldn''t handle any more alcohol.


    Left alone, I wandered around the stables, greeted a few people, and headed toward the front courtyard.


    Just as I was about to decide whether to go in, I heard Joshua''s voice ring out. "Don''t worry, guys! I''m bringing out my Koenigsegg. We''ll take turns going for a spin-tonight''s going to be epic!"


    That caught my attention. I wanted to see what he was ying at.


    Not long after, a car resembling Mom''s Koenigsegg pulled up to the estate''s main entrance.


    I froze. That was definitely Mom''s car! She had it custom-painted, so there was no mistaking it.


    The driver''s door opened and out


    stepped Sophia. She walked right up


    to Joshua and kissed him on the


    ek. "There you go, babe. Got it


    here just for you."


    I felt like I''d been pped in the face.


    So that''s what was going on-Sophia was behind everything.


    Suddenly, it all made sense. The gate card, the spare car key¡ªit was all Sophia.


    Sophia was supposed to be handling the invitations for my schoolmates, and she''d given the task to Joshua, who used it as an opportunity to show off and pretend this whole event was his doing.


    The duplicate key was also given to Sophia by Mom, and Sophia also passed the


    key to Joshua.


    I clenched my fists, ready to storm over and expose Joshua for the fraud he was, while teaching Sophia a lesson. But then I had a better idea.


    Pulling out my phone, I dialed Sophia''s number. "Get over here right now. I''m at the back of the front courtyard."


    Sophia looked panicked as soon as she picked up. After giving Joshua another quick kiss, she hurried off in my direction.


    I saw Lina watching the two of them, clearly jealous. Joshua whispered something


    to her, and she quickly went from sulking toughing.


    Momentster, Sophia arrived, panting. "Mr. White, you wanted to see me?"

 Chapter 11

    I looked at Sophia coldly. "My mom and I trust Vincent, which is why we left the estate in your care. Sophia, you..." Just as I was about to lecture her, an image suddenly shed in my mind.


    I grabbed her wrist without warning. "Did you go to the hospital recently? To inducebor for an ectopic pregnancy?"


    "Mr. White!" Sophia''s face turned ashen with fear. "H-how did you know?"


    So, she was really the one.


    I took a deep breath. "Joshua has treated you so poorly, yet you still took


    advantage of your position by giving him my room card and even my mother''s car keys?"


    Tears streamed down Sophia''s face, and she dropped to her knees in front of me with a thud.


    "Mr. White, I-I''m sorry. I just love him too much. Please forgive me. I can''t lose this job. I''m drowning in credit card debt."


    "Credit card debt?" I couldn''t believe it. "You make nearly 20 thousand a month, and you''re still in debt?"


    Sophia covered her face, sobbing. "Most of my sry goes to Joshua. I got into debt because he forced me to take out cash advances. I have to repay over ten thousand a month, and it''ll take a year and a half to pay it all back."


    Good grief. To go this far for a scumbag? I was genuinely astounded.


    Seeing her so fearful, I pulled her up from the ground and pointed toward Joshua, who was proudly showing off his new car to Lina nearby. "Take a good look. Joshua already has a girlfriend.


    "See that girl beside him? That''s her. Is it really worth throwing everything away for a man like him?" I asked.


    Sophia shook her head slowly. "Mr. White, you must be mistaken. Isn''t that girl his sister?"


    Clearly, she knew nothing. I had originally called her over just to scare her, hoping she would expose Joshua''s true colors. I didn''t expect she had been deceived as well.


    I pulled up Joshua''s Instagram page and showed it to her. He had posted several photos with Lina, leaving no room for doubt.


    "T-This is his ount? The one I follow isn''t this one. He has two ounts? He lied to me!"


    Clutching the phone, tears streamed down Sophia''s face.


    I shook my head. I didn''t know how tofort her.


    A short distance away, Joshua was teaching Lina and Zack how to open the car doors. Even Roger and Tom were watching. They all were recording the car eagerly with their phones.


    Lina, her face flushed with excitement, sat in the passenger seat. She then struck different poses for selfies.


    The other students were envious. They stood at the end of the car, sneaking photos while ncing eagerly at Joshua, waiting for him to invite them to take a turn inside.


    Joshua was extremely smug. "Don''t worry, everyone will get a chance tonight. We have time!"


    He then leaned down and whispered in Lina''s ear, "Babe, are you happy tonight? Since you''re happy, how about making me happy too?


    "We''ve been together for a while now. Isn''t it time you finally gave it to me? How about we go to a hotel tonight?" Joshua asked.


    Lina''s face turned even redder. She said shyly, "You''re already home. Why not just use a room in the manor?"


    "Uh... I''m worried my mom might hear us. It wouldn''t be good."


    "Well, alright then."


    "Babe, did you just agree?"


    Joshua was excited. He held her face and moved in to kiss her, but just as he did,


    he felt a sharp pain on the back of his head.

 Chapter 12

    Joshua spun around and saw Sophia standing behind him. He hadn''t noticed when she had arrived.


    He stood up, clearly irritated. "What are you doing? Can''t I kiss my own sister?"


    "Sister? Joshua, do you think I''m stupid? She''s your girlfriend!" Sophia''s anger red, and she pped him hard across the face.


    She continued, "I''ve been giving you my sry, even taking cash advances from my credit card to support your lifestyle, and this is how you repay me?"


    Joshua was momentarily stunned, but he quickly denied it. "You''re talking nonsense!"


    "Nonsense? You won''t own up to what you''ve done before, but what about tonight? You wanted to show off, so I lent you the keycard to Mr. White''s vi.


    "You wanted to look rich, so I brought out Mrs. White''s car for you. And you still betrayed me? Do you even have a conscience?"


    The more Sophia spoke, the angrier she became. She lunged at Joshua, hitting and wing at him in a blind rage.


    The crowd stood frozen in shock.


    "Isn''t Joshua supposed to be a rich kid? Why is he spending a woman''s money?"


    "Wait, did I hear that right? She said the manor and the car aren''t even his, but he''s been using them to show off?"


    "Don''t you remember? She''s the one who drove that car here."


    By now, there were a few scratches on Joshua''s face. In his frustration, he violently shoved Sophia to the ground. "Sophia, have you lost your mind?"


    Sophia copsed to the ground and broke down. "Joshua, how dare you hit me? I had an abortion for you. I lost our child and my health still hasn''t recovered, but now you''re hitting me? How cruel can you be?"


    Lina nearly fainted upon hearing this. A child? An abortion?


    "Joshua, didn''t you say she was your sister?" Lina questioned. Everyone was shocked.


    So, both Sophia and Lina thought the other was Joshua''s sister. Joshua had been two-timing them all this while.


    Even Roger and Tom were stunned. Joshua, who always portrayed himself as a cheerful and well-mannered rich kid, had gotten a woman pregnant outside of the university and caused her to have an abortion.


    Seeing that his lies were unraveling, Joshua panicked. He rushed forward and covered Sophia''s mouth, his face twisted with anger. "Sophia, are you crazy? Shut up! We can talk about this somewhere else. Come with me!"


    Sophia struggled desperately, but she wasn''t strong enough to break free. Joshua yanked her along, dragging her forward. They had barely taken a few steps before n appeared in front of them.


    The moment Joshua saw n, his face turned ghostly pale. For years, n had been the one handling his affairs. n also sent him his monthly living allowance.


    "M-Mr. Dignam, what brings you here?"


    Of course, I had called n over. Tonight, I was determined to strip Joshua of his fa?ade with the help of Sophia, leaving nothing behind.


    n held a folder, his face expressionless. "Joshua, when I informed you that the foundation was terminating your financial support, I also made it clear that you must repay the entrepreneurial loan in full. You had seven days to do so.


    "Today is the third day past the deadline. If you continue to dy it, I will file awsuit against you in court."


    Joshua''s first instinct wasn''t to exin himself to n. Instead, he turned frantically toward Roger, Tom, and Lina.


    They were all staring at him with disbelief and suspicion. In that moment, he felt like his world hade crashing down.

 Chapter 13

    Joshua never thought his carefully constructed image would crumble so quickly.


    "Let me exin! It''s not what you think. It''s Sophia! She''s mad because I lied to her. She set me up!" he babbled, desperate to save his reputation.


    "My dad owns Spring Harvest Agro-Tech! Imperia Manor belongs to me, and so does this car! Don''t fall for her lies-"


    Before Joshua could finish speaking, n pressed a button on a recorder and pointed the microphone at him. "Everything you just said can be used as evidence of debt evasion in court. Joshua, feel free to say more if you''d like."


    Seeing the recorder, Joshua instantly mmed up. Getting caught for fraud couldnd him in jail.


    Still bewildered, Tom stepped forward. "Excuse me, sir. Could I ask whosewyer you are?"


    n responded, "I represent the Spring Harvest Foundation for Poverty Alleviation, and I''m also the personal attorney of the foundation''s founder. My name is n Dignam. Here''s my card."


    Tom took the business card and nced at it. "And how is Joshua rted to this?"


    "Joshua was a recipient of the foundation''s aid. However, due to his misuse of the funds and his dishonest behavior, we terminated his support over a week ago," n replied.


    Over a week ago? Zack and Louis were dumbstruck. That was exactly when Joshua had told them his bank ount had been frozen!


    Watching the looks of shock and anger wash over their faces, I didn''t feel the slightest bit of pity. They had chosen to fawn over Joshua, so now they had to deal with the consequences.


    "Joshua, you lied to us! You owe me 1,800 dors! Pay me back now, damn it!"


    "Same here! You owe me 1,600 dors! Pay it back!"


    Zack and Louis reacted first and lunged at Joshua, aiming to grab his phone.


    Joshua stumbled backward, unable to fend them off. At this point, any hope of salvaging the situation was gone. His only option was to run.


    However, Zack and Louis had cornered him. They pulled and shoved Joshua, not giving him a chance to escape. Soon, the others joined in.


    "Joshua, you owe me 5,000! You said you''d pay it back this week! Where''s my money?"


    "You better pay me back the 2,200 you owe me! Transfer the money to me right now!"


    "I only had 300 left, and you made me send that to you too! Joshua, do you even have a conscience?!"


    Within moments, the crowd swarmed him, knocking him to the ground. He shouted for mercy, "Stop hitting me! Even if you kill me, I don''t have the money! I swear, I don''t have it! Please, stop!"


    Tom and Roger were stunned speechless. It wasn''t just the students who had been duped-teachers, who were knowledgeable and wise, had been fooled too. Suddenly, Joshua broke free from the crowd, his face battered and bruised. As he scrambled away, he pointed at Lina. "You want money? I spent it all on that woman! Go ask her for it!"


    At his words, all eyes turned toward Lina.


    Panic washed over Lina, and she frantically shook her head. "No! He never gave me any money! The most he did was buy me a few gifts, nothing more! I swear!"


    When she saw some people begin to move toward her, she was scared and turned to run. She had barely taken a step before Sophia grabbed her by the hair.

 Chapter 14

    "You bitch! You think you can escape? All the money Joshua used to buy you gifts, he tricked out of me! Hand over everything he gave you!"


    Sophia took out all her anger on Lina. She yanked her by the hair, then kicked and punched her mercilessly. Not only did Sophia take all of Lina''s valuable possessions, but she even tore her dress, leaving her barely covered.


    Meanwhile, Joshua was once again dragged back into the group and beaten.


    Tom and Roger, worried things might get out of control, tried to step in and stop them. However, they were identally knocked down by the frenzied students and were left lying on the ground.


    Chaos engulfed the entire scene.


    I walked past them leisurely. When I reached the vi''s front gates, I took out my phone and made a call to Sophia. "If you want to fight, take it outside. Don''t dirty my ce."


    "Yes, Mr. White," Sophia said. She was still sitting on top of Lina and pping her relentlessly. After ending the call, she pinched Lina''s arm a few more times for good measure before standing up, seemingly satisfied with her work.


    Before long, she called in a group of temporary workers who promptly threw Joshua and the others out of the vi.


    I noticed Joshua''s face was covered in blood, and one of his arms appeared broken.


    When I turned around, I spotted Lina cowering behind a car. She was trembling as she clutched her torn clothes tightly around herself, sobbing uncontrobly. She looked utterly pitiful.


    Seeing some of the men leering at her with unpleasant intentions, I walked over to block their view. Then, I tossed my jacket to her.


    Despite feeling annoyed at the sight of her, I couldn''t just stand by and let her be harassed. We were too far from the city, and if something happened to her here, her life would be over.


    Lina pulled on my jacket and was finally able to stand. She looked at me like she wanted to say something, but I didn''t give her the chance. Without a word, I turned and headed back to the vi.


    In the front courtyard, Sophia sat slumped on the ground, tears streaming down her face.


    "Watering the flowers?" I teased as I approached.


    Sophia quickly wiped her tears and scrambled to her feet. "Mr. White, I''m sorry! I know I messed up this time..."


    "Save it for Vincent," I interrupted. I wasn''t here to hear her apologies. "I just came here to tell you I''m letting this slide this time. Make sure it doesn''t happen again."


    Upon hearing this, Sophia started crying again. After a while, she finally asked, "Mr. White, could I get an advance on three months'' sry?"


    "No," I turned her down without hesitation.


    "I know you''re having it hard, but you''re in this whole mess because you trusted the wrong person. You need to go through this hardship so you don''t make the same mistake again."


    Sophia''s blunder had been so foolish that if she didn''t face the consequences, she wouldn''t learn.


    She lowered her head in disappointment.


    I patted her on the shoulder. "Take some time to reflect on yourself. I''m heading back to the university."


    As I returned to the dormitory building and walked up the stairs, I could hear curses against Joshua echoing from every hallway.


    By the time I reached the door to my room, I could already hear Zack and Louis angrily shouting inside.


    "That bastard fooled uspletely! I''ve got nothing left, not a single penny! I thought I could at least get some money back tonight, but it looks like that''s not happening!"


    "Damn it! They say a man with nothing to lose isn''t afraid of anything. Now I get it. He''s broke, and his family back home is dirt poor too. Even if we beat him to death, there''s no way we''re getting our money back. What the hell are we going to do?"

 Chapter 15

    I pushed open the dormitory door, stepped inside, and sat silently at my desk.


    What now? Nothing, really.


    I couldn''t help but feel a twinge of satisfaction. These two had been helping Joshua plot against me for ages, and now karma was finally biting them back.


    I had been waiting for this moment for what felt like forever. The harsher their insults, the better I felt.


    Zack seemed to notice my smirk and pointed at me while saying contemptuously, "William, don''t get too smug! Joshua might be a scammer, but you''re no saint either!"


    "Right? If Joshua hadn''t exposed your true colors, you probably would have scammed more out of us than he did!" Louis chimed in.


    I opened a bottle of water, took a sip, and simply watched them. I refused to engage. I was content to sit back and let the mad dogs bark.


    I didn''t react to their insults, so it was as if their punch hadnded on a nket. I wasn''t the culprit here so their focus soon shifted back to Joshua, their main target.


    I found their plight amusing. I opened my phone to discover 999 unread messages in our group chat.


    I clicked into the group chat. As expected, the messages were even more vicious.


    "He swindled all my savings! Now he can''t even pay me back a cent! I swear, I''m going to make him pay for this!"


    "+1 to that! If he doesn''t return my money, I''ll make him regret it!"


    "@Lina, say something! How much money did that scammer give you? Hurry up and give it back to help him settle his debts!"


    "This guy is incredible! A broke student posing as a wealthy heir and fooling everyone, including Tom! They follow his every word and even let him be ss monitor and student council president. It''sughable!"


    "And you thought lecturers had integrity? They''re just a bunch of opportunistic fools who bully the weak!"


    I nced at the list of members in the group chat and noticed that several teachers'' side ounts were in the group. I couldn''t help but chuckle, imagining their reactions if I tagged them all.


    Just as I was reveling in their misery, I received a message from Tom. "William, I''ve gotten approval for you to transfer to another dorm. It''s room 303 on the third floor. Pack your things and move in."


    Tom was still working at this hour? Had he been so shaken that he was trying to redeem himself, or was he so furious that he couldn''t sleep and decided to pull an all-nighter?


    I didn''t waste time specting and got straight to packing my things.


    It wasn''t until I pulled out my suitcase that Zack and Louis noticed. They


    immediately re-directed their anger toward me. "William! What are you doing? It''ste, and you''re keeping us awake!"


    As I packed, I exined, "I''ve applied to switch dorms. A new roommate will be moving in with you soon."


    "You''re leaving?" Zack and Louis exchanged stunned nces.


    "Don''t tell me you think Joshua is broke now, so you''re off to find someone else to mooch off?"


    "Seriously? We haven''t even moved out yet, and you''re the first to bail? Joshua didn''t even ask you for money, did he? You idiot!"


    Their words ignited a sudden re of anger within me. "Who are you calling an idiot? I dare you to repeat yourself."


    Faced with my re, Louis quickly fell silent, but not before muttering, "You think I''ll say it just because you want me to? You''re not Joshua, you know?"


    I couldn''t help but chuckle. "Even after all this, you''re still obsessed with Joshua? Is he your dad or something?


    "Let me make this clear-my moving out has nothing to do with Joshua. What I can''t stand is you two being his loyalpdogs. Understand?"

 Chapter 16

    Zack and Louis were taken aback. They seemed shocked that I found them distasteful. In their minds, someone like me-a vain, impoverished wretch-was lucky to be in the same dorm as them.


    When they finally processed my words, they were offended. "Fucking hell! Do you think we want to share a dorm with you?"


    "Damn it! If I had to choose between you and Joshua, I''d pick Joshua any day!"


    "Get lost! And take your junk with you! If you leave anything behind, you can look for it in the trash!"


    Seeing their reaction only fueled my satisfaction. I put on my headphones and yed some music as I packed my things. I was done in no time.


    With my bedding tucked under my arm, I made my way down to the third floor. Upon reaching the door of room 303, I pushed it open to find a guy yelling at his three roommates as if he were scolding children.


    "Finally, I can get away from you three poor losers! Sharing a dorm with you is such a disgrace. You''re all pathetic!


    "You can''t even afford to eat at a decent restaurant, always haggling over a couple of bucks. It''s disgusting! Ugh!"


    A guy with ck-framed sses said quietly, "If you just paid us what you owe, we wouldn''t say anything. We agreed to split the costs, with each person paying 38 dors and 90 cents. Yet, you insist on only paying 38 dors. That''s just not right."


    Hearing this, the guy kicked over a chair in a fit of rage. "Can you just shut up? Your voice makes me want to throw up!"


    The bespectacled guy went silent immediately, visibly shaken.


    At that moment, I knocked on the door and walked into the dorm.


    The guy turned around. When he saw me, he immediately started to curse. "You f


    "Who the hell do you think you''re talking to?"


    I strode up to him, towering over him by half a head, and shot him a fierce look. "You''d better watch your words."


    The guy fell silent upon meeting my intimidating gaze. He turned to grab his belongings and shouted before leaving, "You four broke losers can enjoy your little dorm! From now on, this ce will be called the Loser Dorm!"


    After he yelled, he bolted away.


    I closed the door, a bit exasperated, and turned to face my new roommates.


    They were dressed simply and looked rather ordinary, giving off an impression of being quite timid. They seemed startled by my earlier confrontation, and their eyes were filled with apprehension.


    I tried to ease the tension with a smile. "Hey, I''m William White."


    As I introduced myself, I mentally prepared myself. This was myst attempt to blend into a normal university life. If it didn''t work out, I''d give up and move off- campus, severing ties with these people.


    The bespectacled guy adjusted his sses and said softly, "I''m Benjamin Carter."


    He then pointed to a guy with thinning hair who looked a bit dull-witted. "That''s Liam Harper."


    Thest guy, who was handsome and athletic, introduced himself. "Hi, I''m Matthew Porter."


    My smile brightened even more. This was exactly the kind of mutual introduction I had been hoping for!


    I remembered I was full of anticipation as I introduced myself at the start of the semester, only to be met with mockery from Zack and Louis. They had believed Joshua''s words and thought I was just a vain rich kid, and they ignored me.


    Now, getting my small wish fulfilled felt oddly touching.


    I opened my suitcase and pulled out three notebooks. "I was just informed by Tom about the dorm change, so I didn''t have time to prepare gifts. Here''s a little something for you all. I''ll treat you to dinner tomorrow."


    Benjamin epted the notebook, clearly surprised. "I was actually thinking of getting a notebook! Thank you! Oh, by the way, do you like hot dogs?"

 Chapter 17

    Hot dogs? I honestly didn''t expect him to offer me that, but I didn''t want to disappoint him.


    So, I quickly feigned eagerness. "Sure, I''m actually pretty hungry."


    Liam chimed in right away, "You''re hungry? Why didn''t you say so? I''ve got a bag


    of instant noodles here. Let me make one for you."


    Huh? I was about to decline, but Liam had already torn open the bag.


    Before long, the rich aroma of instant noodles wafted through the dormitory.


    Matthew opened the fridge. "Perfect! I have two packs of meatballs. You can eat those with the noodles."


    These guys weren''t giving me a chance to say anything.


    Still, I eventually sat at the table. I didn''t mind using their cutlery and dug into the noodles.


    My parents had never let me eat stuff like this, but honestly, it tasted just as good as Michelin-starred food. With the addition of the hot dogs and meatballs, the vor was out of this world.


    Benjamin swallowed and grabbed a fork. "Let me have a bite."


    Liam and Matthew leaned in as well. "I want some too!"


    "Just let me have a sip of the soup."


    I watched in shock as they eagerly devoured from the bowl I had just eaten from,pletely unfazed by my saliva.


    Seeing them crowded around me sharing a bowl of noodles, I suddenly felt like I was part of their circle.


    After taking a shower, just as I was about to get into bed, my phone rang. It was a call from Lina. I hesitated but decided to answer. I hoped nothing had happened on her way home.


    "William, can youe down for a moment? I''m returning your clothes."


    So, she was here to return my clothes. Honestly, I didn''t want the items she had worn.


    However, since she hade all this way at such ate hour, it would be rude to send her away. I gave in and went downstairs.


    When I stepped outside, I saw Lina.


    She wasn''t alone. A beautiful girl stood beside her, dressed in a T-shirt and jeans. She was curvy, and her long hair flowed gracefully. She was just as attractive as Lina, though her expression was a bit cold.


    Lina handed me my jacket. Her lips moved as if she wanted to say something, but I raised a hand to signal her to stop.


    "No need to say anything. I''m not interested in hearing it. If there''s nothing else, I''ll head back upstairs."


    At my words, Lina''s face fell, but I didn''t want to deal with it and turned to leave. Just as I walked a few steps away, I felt someone grab my arm.


    "Stop! What''s with your attitude?" The girl apanying Lina red at me, her face filled with righteous indignation.


    "Don''t act like Lina did something wrong! You''re the one who tricked her, and now she can''t even be upset? We came here in the middle of the night to return your clothes, and you couldn''t even say thank you? Don''t you have manners? Is this how your parents raised you?"


    Me,cking manners? I looked at her incredulously. "If I showed up at your dorm in the middle of the night, would youe down willingly? Would you thank me?"


    She raised her chin arrogantly. "Who do you think you are? I don''t know you!"


    I sneered. "That''s exactly what I was thinking. Who do you think you are? I don''t know you!"


    "You!"


    Before she could respond, I forcefully shook off her hand and went back into the dormitory.


    Arguing at the foot of the buildingte at night was simply providing entertainment for everyone. I didn''t want to be the star of the campus drama anymore. With Joshua''s issue resolved, I just wanted to quietly enjoy my ordinary campus life.


    The next morning, when I woke up, my roommates were all gone. I hurriedly got ready and rushed to ss, instinctively heading toward the back row. That was when I heard someone call my name.

 Chapter 18

    "William, over here! We''ve saved you a seat!"


    Someone had saved me a spot? It was an experience I never had before.


    I slid into the chair, feeling grateful. "Thanks, man."


    Benjamin waved the notebook I had given him the night before. "This notebook must be expensive, right? The paper feels amazing to write on."


    "It''s not that expensive, just over 300," I replied casually.


    Liam nearly spat out his drink. "How much?"


    His reaction made me realize that they were probably not wealthy, and 300 was likely a lot for them. I quickly corrected myself. "I think I misremembered. It''s more like 30."


    "That sounds about right," Liam said, patting his chest in relief. "There''s no way a notebook costs over 300! You''re funny."


    I forced a smile, thinking that the very one they were using actually did cost over 300.


    Suddenly, Liam turned serious. "William, we actually know about your situation, and I think it''s unnecessary."


    "Huh?" I raised an eyebrow, confused. "What do you mean by unnecessary?"


    "Uh..." He hesitated and scratched his head.


    "It''s just that... you seem to enjoy acting like you''re wealthy. But that''s your choice, of course. I don''t mean to interfere, but it makes it hard for everyone to connect with you. We can''t rte."


    I was at a loss for words. I wasn''t trying to act rich!


    I nced at the two of them, wanting to exin, but I realized that the rumors had already taken root in their minds. It would be difficult to change their perceptions. I felt a little helpless.


    Upon reflection, it was true that their financial situations were tight. If I revealed my true identity, they might not be so friendly with me anymore. So, I decided to stick to my current path.


    "You''re right. I shouldn''t pretend to be wealthy. From now on, I won''t put on an act anymore." I chuckled.


    "That''s the spirit! Will, we may not have money, but we have dignity! We''re just as good as anyone else. Why should they look down on us?"


    "Exactly!"


    After I said that, they became even friendlier, dropping the formalities and even calling me "Will".


    Once ss began, I noticed Joshua was absent. I wondered if he was injured and recovering in the hospital or if he owed too much money and was too afraid to show up.


    After ss, I wanted to treat my roommates to a meal. I tried to think of a ce to go to that wouldn''t hurt their pride but would still be delicious. Just then, Liam suddenly shouted with excitement.


    "Will, let''s go! I''ll show you something amazing!"


    I was surprised. "What''s so amazing?"


    "Just follow us!"


    On the way back to the dorm, I learned that among the three of us, Matthew was the wealthiest.


    Benjamin only received 500 a month and was on a schrship, while Liam was a bit better off with a monthly allowance of 1,000. Matthew, on the other hand, received 2,500 a month.


    To Benjamin and Liam, that was a fortune!


    Finally, Benjamin sighed and concluded, "So, Matt is the only one in our dorm who''s in a rtionship."


    She was quite attractive. She was slim and had long legs, but her face was slightly elongated, giving her a mature look. However, her beauty was a far cry from Lina''s.

 Chapter 19

    Matthew was visibly excited. "Let me introduce you to my girlfriend, Isabelle Harrington."


    So, she was Matthew''s girlfriend. I was surprised. "You actually brought her here? Didn''t the dorm manager say anything?"


    "She snuck in," he replied with a mischievous grin while scratching his head. He was clearly smitten as his eyes kept darting toward Isabelle.


    Benjamin and Liam, having little experience with girls, were tense. They didn''t know what to say and just stood by the door as if they were being punished.


    Suddenly, Isabelle crossed her arms and frowned. "Matthew, didn''t you say your roommates were good-looking? What''s with this lot?"


    Matthew felt slightly awkward. "Aren''t they? Guys are handsome as long as they''re manly. Don''t set your standards too high."


    "Manly? You call them manly?" Isabelle scoffed, her disdainful gaze shifting between Benjamin and Liam. "One''s a shorty, and the other''s a skinny baldy. That hardly qualifies as manly!"


    Both Benjamin and Liam flushed red with embarrassment, and their heads hung low.


    I felt annoyed and was about to speak up when Isabelle shot me a nce. "And him, the vain loser who got cheated on by Lina. You want me to introduce him to my friends? Are you trying to embarrass me?"


    What the hell! Her words stung, and I took a step forward, ready to retort. Yet, Matthew pulled me back and pleaded with me.


    "Bro, please let it go," he muttered. "I finally managed to win her over."


    Hearing that, I bit my tongue and swallowed my words.


    Fortunately, Matthew didn''t forget his friends after getting a girlfriend and quickly defended me. "They''re my roommates and good friends. Can you please try to be a bit nicer?"


    "Oh, now you''re worried about being nice? Just so you know, my friends can be even harsher with their words. If you can''t even handle what I''m saying, it''s probably best not toe. I''d hate to see you cry in front of everyone!"


    Though I wasn''t sure what they were nning, I had no interest in going anymore.


    So, I said, "You two enjoy yourselves. I''ll eat with Benjamin and Liam."


    Going out with someone like Isabelle would only lead to frustration.


    To my surprise, Benjamin was the first to object. He rushed up to me, covering my mouth and smiling at Isabelle. "Don''t listen to him. We want to go! Please let us join you. If your friends scold us, we''ll just pretend we didn''t hear it!"


    Liam chimed in, "Yeah! We''ve never had a chance to hang out with a group of girls before. Please let us go and see what it''s like! We promise we won''t order any food or drinks¡ªwe''re just there for the experience!"


    It dawned on me that they were hoping to hang out with girls. Even so, how could they choose someone like Isabelle?


    Isabelle huffed. "I can take you guys for Matthew''s sake but let me make this clear. Even if you don''t drink, you''re still splitting the bill. And it''s you guys who will be paying-don''t expect us girls to spend any money."


    Benjamin became anxious immediately. "W-What will it cost?"


    Isabelle rolled her eyes. Matthew quickly stepped in front of Benjamin. "Come on, what''s the point of worrying about money? I''ll treat you!"


    He wrapped his arm around Isabelle, stopping her from speaking further. He then turned around and gave us a wink.


    "Isabelle and I will head out to meet them first. You guys should freshen up a bit and hurry over-don''t bete."


    After they left, Benjamin and Liam immediately began rummaging through their wardrobes.


    I was speechless. I wanted to tell them not to go, but seeing their excitement, I swallowed my words.


    However, when they changed into their outfits, I couldn''t help but be taken aback.

 Chapter 20

    That neon yellow shirt, that bright blue vest, and those mustard yellow pants... I had no idea where they had bought such clothes. If they went out like that, they would undoubtedly be ridiculed by those girls.


    "Why don''t you wear my clothes?" I suggested, tossing them a couple of outfits I had dug out from my wardrobe. "They might not fit perfectly, but at least the girls will like them."


    Benjamin eyed my white T-shirt with skepticism. "Are you serious? You think this looks good? I''d take my yellow shirt over this any day."


    How bad could his taste get? Frustrated, I gave him a light smack on the shoulder. "Hurry up and change!"


    The venue for the social event was a trendy bar near the university. When we arrived, Matthew was already chatting animatedly with the girls while holding Isabelle''s waist.


    I studied the girls and immediately understood why Isabelle said they had sharp tongues.


    They all fit the influencer mold-they were slim, had fair skin, and dyed brown and blonde hair. They were also wearing contact lenses, had their nails done, and wearing revealing outfits.


    These types of beautiful girls typically sought out rich boyfriends since most men couldn''t meet their material demands.


    However, one girl sitting at the edge of the group caught my attention. She was wearing a ck leather jacket over a red tube dress. Her long, dark hair cascaded down her shoulders.


    When she looked up, her sharp features radiated a unique charm.


    However, as soon as I saw her face, a wave of anger surged within me. This was the same girl I had argued with the night before!


    Isabelle patted her shoulder. "Charlotte, it''s not often we get to hang out-can you please put down your phone?"


    So, her name was Charlotte.


    With a smile, Charlotte shook her phone. "I don''t want to, but my dad checks in on me a lot. If I don''t reply quickly, he''ll find out I''m out at night and will freak out."


    "He''s so strict even though you''re already in university? That''sme!"


    "Tell me about it! Get me a beer, and tonight I''ll drink until I drop."


    Just then, Matthew finally noticed us. He immediately stood up and called out, "When did you guys get here? Come sit down!"


    At his words, the girls turned to look at us, including Charlotte.


    My gaze remained fixed on Charlotte. Sure enough, when our eyes met, she stood up immediately. "What are you doing here?"


    I provoked her deliberately. "Why can''t I be here? Do you own this ce?"


    She then said, "Isabelle, why did you invite this loser? Don''t you know about his reputation at the university? He pretends to be some rich heir when he''s obviously poor. Just look at him-he''s all decked out in knockoffs. Doesn''t that disgust you?"


    As expected, her words cut deeper than Isabelle''s.


    Isabelle shot a nce at me before saying in exasperation, "Just go with the flow. I promised Matthew I''d host the event, and I can''t just exclude him!"


    "Fine, you guys enjoy yourselves. I''ll just leave, okay? I''m a germaphobe and can''t stand dirty things!" With that, Charlotte grabbed her bag and wanted to leave.


    Benjamin and Liam were dumbfounded. They thought they would be the ones getting shunned after arriving, but I was the first to take the brunt of her insults instead. They quickly shot me sympathetic looks.


    I red at Charlotte as she hurried away, looking as if she couldn''t wait to escape


    the bar. Suddenly, she collided with a stylishly-dressed man wearing a gold watch on his wrist.

 Chapter 21

    Benjamin whispered to me immediately, "At one nce, I can tell that that man is really rich."


    I disagreed. "Rich people will not choose that watch. That is one of Rolex''s lower- end products. Those who would buy this type of watch are people who spend just to purchase something from the brand.


    "My guess is that he''s new money at most."


    To my surprise, Isabelle harrumphed when she heard myment.


    "How dare you say that he''s new money? Even if he is, that''s better than being a pauper like you."


    I was really tempted to punch her in the face.


    Right at this moment, that man started pestering Charlotte out of the blue.


    She wanted to leave, but he refused to let her go. He pulled her by her wrist and insisted that she drink with him.


    Charlotte wasn''t going to entertain him. She shoved his hand away forcefully, lifted her finger and pointed at his face.


    "Watch it. Don''t you dare touch me again!"


    That warning from her took the man aback. The smile froze on his face.


    After all, those who were sitting around were his friends. Charlotte''s frigid attitude was, without a doubt, humiliating him.


    Soon enough, the look on his face turned sinister.


    "You are the one who should watch it. Let me tell you. You have to drink this today, whether you like it or not!"


    As he said that, he put the ss right by Charlotte''s mouth. Its rim even came into contact with her lips.


    Charlotte tilted her head aside to avoid the ss. In a swift move, she snatched the ss from him and sshed its contents on the man''s face.


    "Here. Drink all you want!" Upon saying that, she turned around and walked away. The man waspletely staggered.


    His friends around him burst intoughter. Even the fewdies nced over at him with mocking gazes.


    The man wiped the alcohol from his face before turning around and roaring, "I dare all of you to keep onughing!"


    Everyone quietened down instantly.


    He red at Charlotte from behind. Through gritted teeth, he ordered, "Find out who that woman was. I want her to see what the consequences are for upsetting me!"


    Right after hearing that, Isabelle harrumphed coldly. "What does he want to find out? Who does he think he is? Does he actually think he''s the real deal?"


    The few women next to her had disdainful looks on their faces too. "Exactly. There are only a handful of patrons at bars like this who are actually wealthy. Those with power and authority would go to ssier bars."


    Isabelle urged the group, "Gather around. Ignore them. Let''s continue drinking."


    Matthew noticed that Benjamin, Liam, and I were still standing. So, he waved to us. "Come over here. Don''t be shy. Have a seat!"


    Benjamin and Liam trotted over with silly grins on their faces. They didn''t seem to be bothered by the looks of disdain from those women.


    Looking at this scene in front of me, I felt frustrated.


    There are so many women in the world. Why did they still have to be so enthusiastic when they were already given the cold shoulder?


    Frankly speaking, I really wanted to leave.


    But, if I left, Benjamin and Liam would probably end up in an even more awkward situation. It would be even less likely for people to take any notice of them.


    So, I had no choice but to brave it out, go over, and sit down.


    As expected, Benjamin and Liam started bombarding me with questions the moment I sat down with them.


    "William, what are these?"


    "A box of beer caps."


    "What is it they''re drinking? It looks pretty interesting."


    "It''s Corona, a type of beer."


    A woman with straight bangs overheard our conversation. Suddenly, she raised a brow at me. "You''re pretty knowledgeable, aren''t you?"


    Without waiting for my answer, another woman interrupted, "Knowledgeable my foot! Don''t you know who he is? He''s William White, that pretentious man whom Lina dumped."


    "Oh? He''s William?"


    "Yeah! I was stunned to see hime over. I really have no idea how he can be shameless enough toe here.


    "Not only is he dressed in counterfeit goods, he''s got the two ugly ducklings from


    his dorm to change into counterfeit outfits too. What a joke."


    That briefment tickled the group of women. They startedughing and directing mocking gazes toward us.

 Chapter 22

    The woman with straight bangs had a sly smirk on her face as she turned the camera toward us and snapped a photo.


    She didn''t even disable her camera sh.


    Benjamin''s and Liam''s faces flushed red after being mocked and photographed out of the blue. They lowered their heads and wished that they could hide their faces in their shirts, as if they were children who had done something wrong.


    I really couldn''t bear to continue watching. I walked right before that woman andmanded, "Delete the photo."


    "What''s wrong?" She furrowed her brows and red at me. "I didn''t take any photos of you. Can you just get your head out of the clouds?"


    I leaned in toward her and threatened, "Are you deleting it, or no?"


    Seeing as I was genuinely mad, Matthew shot to his feet to mediate the situation. "Alright, William, that''s enough. Don''t get so worked up.


    "We''re all friends here. Be nice. Isabelle, say a word or two to persuade Lainey."


    Reluctantly, Isabelle said to Lainey, "Lainey, just delete the photo. There''s no need to fight with people like them."


    Lainey let out a grunt. Then, she unlocked her phone and deleted that photo.


    Seeing as I had returned to my seat, she remarked, "Ugly people are troublesome indeed."


    Words that came from her mouth were filthy indeed!


    Spending a night sitting with people like this angered me so much that I might actually fall sick.


    So, I got up and said to Benjamin and Liam, "Enjoy your time here, both of you. I''m heading back."


    After getting back to the dorm, I took a shower. Just as Iy down, I received a call from the hospital.


    "Mr. White, I have good news for you. We found a bone marrow that is a match for Jane!"


    I sat right up out of excitement. "When can the surgery be done, then?"


    "We''d need a few days to prepare. I will inform you immediately once we''re able to proceed with the surgery."


    "Thank you. For her surgery, please ensure that she''s given the best in all aspects, and ensure that her operation is a sess. I will make sure that you people won''t have to worry about the costs."


    After hanging up, I dialed the number to my mom''s jewelry shop.


    "Does your shop carry any nes that represent good luck? One that is worth around ten to 20 thousand dors will do. Please deliver it to Welsington Hospital tomorrow."


    When I woke up the next morning, I realized that only Benjamin and Liam were in the dorm.


    Out of curiosity, I asked, "Where''s Matthew?"


    Benjamin hummed in response. "Of course he''s gone to hang out with his girlfriend."


    "Oh, I see." I got it immediately.


    After getting out of bed, I asked them, "How did it go after I leftst night?"


    Liam handed a milk biscuit to me. "How else could it have gone? Those few women were soon chatted up and taken away by other men.


    "In the end, Matthew left with Isabelle too, so the both of us could onlye back here."


    Right after that, I responded, "I knew that would''ve been the case. Let''s not go for any other socials like this in the future. It''ll be a waste of time even if we went." "No way!" Liam objected firmly.


    "If we went, we would at least have a sliver of a chance. If we don''t, we won''t stand a chance at all."


    This dude. He was still dreaming of having a chance?


    I really wanted to say that they wouldn''t stand a chance even if the world came to


    an end. Yet, I was afraid that saying so would hurt both their self-esteem.


    So, I simply shook my head, and decided to go to the hospital to visit Jane for


    now.


    ...


    "Will!"


    Jane sat up in bed immediately once she saw me.


    She had been undergoing continuous treatment recently. Her pretty face was now swollen.


    My heart ached for her, and I didn''t know what to say. So, I could only put the ne, which I had delivered, around her neck personally.


    "What''s this, Will?"


    "This is a lucky charm that I''m giving to you. You will always have good luck as long as you keep this ne on, and your operation would be a great sess. "Besides that, you will be the luckiest girl in the world moving forward."


    Upon hearing that, Jane''s tears started rolling down her face. She threw her arms around me.


    "Is that true, Will? I won''t have to die? Actually, I''m really scared... Please don''t forget me if I died, okay? Please don''t forget me..."

 Chapter 23

    I quickly hugged Jane back tightly. "That''s nonsense. You won''t die. Even if you don''t trust the doctors, don''t you trust me?


    "I''m saying that you will not die, so that actually means that you will not die!"


    Jane held onto me and continued sobbing until she fell asleep from being worn out. Then, I lowered her gently onto the bed.


    I sighed. She was going through too much suffering.


    Once she underwent surgery sessfully, I would make her my godsister and have her move into my ce to enjoy life as a richdy.


    With a heavy heart, I returned to the dorm. Though, I couldn''t get the image of Jane''s sobbing face out of my mind.


    I could hear some whispering soundsing from beside me. Right as I lifted my head, I spotted Matthew, Liam, and Benjamin huddling together and whispering to one another.


    "What are you three talking about?"


    After being gaslit by Zack and Louis for a long period, for a split second, I was even suspecting them of talking behind my back.


    Matthew gestured to me to go over. In a soft voice, he shared, "We''re talking about Charlotte."


    I wasn''t too interested in that, but I asked casually, "What''s up with her?"


    In a mysterious tone, Matthew asked, "Do you remember that she sshed a drink on a wealthy man''s facest night?"


    I nodded. "I remember."


    Truth be told, I did admire her at the time. At the very least, she wasn''t like most women who didn''t know what to do the moment they met a man with a Rolex watch.


    Matthew said, "That man isn''t an average Joe. He''s a scion of Arnoult Group!"


    Benjamin and Liam gasped. "I really didn''t expect that a scion like him woulde to a bar near our campus. Shouldn''t he be going to one of those ssier bars?"


    Matthew remarked smugly, "Of course you people wouldn''t know that. No doubt he came here to pick up college women. It''s only at small bars like this that he would have a chance to pick up virgins."


    "Hold on," I chimed in and directed the conversation back to its main point.


    "You''ve veered off from earlier. That man is a scion of Arnoult Group. And then?"


    Matthew scoffed. "What else can there be? Charlotte sshed a drink on him. Of course he would teach her a lesson!


    "I heard that he instructed dozens of people to trash the hotel run by Charlotte''s familyst night itself. Not only was the ce destroyedpletely, Charlotte''s father even sustained an injury to his eyes.


    "Plus, that man threatened to incapacitate her father and rape Charlotte herself. She was so terrified that she didn''t dare to go to her sses today. She has been hiding in her dorm the entire time."


    "He''s not a scion of Arnoult Group. He''s just a hooligan!"


    Benjamin and Liam widened their eyes in shock.


    Matthew harrumphed. "He used to run a karaoke business, the kind that has female escorts. After that, he wasn''t able to continue running that business as there were changes in that field.


    "So, he opened apany of his own. What do you think he is?"


    Upon hearing that, I understood it immediately. Arnoult Group was run by someone who used to work in the underground world.


    Indeed, it was difficult to get away once someone like this had been offended.


    Fearfully, Liam gulped. "Oh my goodness. In that case, is Charlotte done for?"


    Matthew sighed. "I can only say that she''s more or less done for."


    "Can''t Charlotte apologize andpensate that man?"


    Matthew shook his head. He had a solemn look on his face.


    "Charlotte wouldn''t be crying her eyes out until now if it were that easy to negotiate with him. I will be frank with all of you. He has given her an offer.


    "He wants her to spend a night with him. Not only that, she''s not allowed to resist no matter what he does to her. Otherwise, he will go teach her father a lesson tonight."


    Suddenly, Benjamin mmed the table, making the three of us jump.


    With a righteous expression on his face, he eximed, "That''s ridiculous! It was just a drink. Does he have to go to that extent? How about we go over to protect Charlotte?"

 Chapter 24

    The three of us looked at Benjamin as if he were an idiot.


    Matthew tugged at him to make him sit. "Lower your voice. It will not end well for you if you went, trust me. When he got his people to trash the hotel, they went over with machetes."


    Liam gulped. "Does this mean that Charlotte has no other choice but to sleep with that man? In that case... In that case, she should just go ahead.


    "She should just treat it as her unlucky day. It''s not like she would lose a limb."


    "Just go ahead? You''re too simple-minded!" Matthew was stirred up.


    "When that man said he wanted her to spend the night with him, he didn''t mean that he just wanted to sleep with her. I''m certain he wants to engage in all sorts of y.


    "Haven''t you guys heard? There was a female celebrity who got sent to the hospital in the middle of the night because of how he yed with her."


    I was amused, and let out a chuckle unintentionally.


    Matthew looked toward me immediately. A smirk came across his face.


    "After Charlotte treated you that way yesterday, she''s found herself in trouble today. You''re delighted, aren''t you?"


    I stopped myself from smiling immediately. "Not really. I don''t hate her that much." Just as I was saying that, Matthew''s phone started ringing out of the blue.


    His attitude turned smug right away. "It''s my girlfriend, Isabelle. Even after I spent the entire nightst night with her, she still hasn''t had enough and is calling me today."


    He sighed and continued, "Look, this is what it looks like to be charming!"


    After saying that, he answered the call and put his phone on loudspeaker. "Hey, babe? Miss me already?"


    From the other end of the call, Isabelle shouted angrily, "Miss you my foot! Come over quickly and helpe up with something. Charlotte is going to cry her eyes out!"


    "Okay, okay. I''ll go over now."


    After hanging up, Matthew got to his feet. He urged the three of us, "Come along. Let''s check up on Charlotte together."


    Benjamin and Liam were extremely enthusiastic about it. They got up and tagged along behind Matthew. They even gestured to me to go along with them.


    I was speechless.


    "Why are both of you tagging along? Those women weren''t even willing to interact with us."


    With a displeased look on his face, Liam said, "William, you''re never going to get a girlfriend if you''re always going to have a mindset like that.


    "They''re unwilling to interact with us now, but that doesn''t mean that they will be unwilling to do so forever. As long as we act more proactively and help them out where we can, I''m sure they will be touched by our sincerity."


    Heck!


    I got it. They were nning to bep dogs.


    If they continued beingp dogs, they would have nothing at the end of it all.


    Yet, Liam didn''t give me a chance to disagree with him. He pulled me out of the dorm forcefully and locked the door.


    I had no choice but to go with them to the female dormitory.


    Matthew was familiar with the ce. After registering ourselves at the dormitory''s security desk downstairs, he led the way upstairs.


    Along the way, Benjamin and Liam were extremely excited. It was also my first time in the female students'' dormitory, so I couldn''t help but to take a few extra nces around.


    The moment we stepped into Charlotte''s dorm, we were all stunned.


    The room actually smelled nice!


    That was strange. Didn''t their feet smell?


    A group of females were surrounding Charlotte at the table and consoling her gently.


    Charlotte was crying so hard that she was struggling to catch her breath. Even so, she continued to wipe her tears away.


    Her face was so red and swollen that I almost couldn''t recognize her.


    That said, she didn''t seem to have expected any male visitors. She was wearing a


    fitting singlet and a pair of shorts that entuated her voluptuous figure.


    I couldn''t help but steal a few looks. The moment I lifted my eyes, my gaze happened to meet her swollen eyes.


    "What are you doing here?"

 Chapter 25

    Charlotte jumped to her feet suddenly. She grabbed a doll from the tabletop and hurled it at me.


    Instinctively, I caught the doll. In a helpless voice, I asked, "What did I do to you this time?"


    "What did you do? If it weren''t for you, would I have left like thatst night? If it weren''t for you, would I have been in a bad mood, or have sshed that drink on him? All of this is because of you!"


    After saying that, Charlotte buried her face on the table and wailed.


    In that instant, all the women in the dorm room shot fierce res at me.


    I felt extremely helpless. This ended up being my fault?


    Besides, if we wanted to pursue the real culprit, that would be Lina, not me.


    However, as I was about to voice out, I noticed that Lina was also among the group of women. But, she looked a little haggard. It seemed like she wasn''t doing that well mentally.


    So, I chose to keep quiet.


    Matthew stepped in front of me and tried to mediate the situation. He sighed. "There''s no use saying all these now. We should all just think of ways to help Charlotte out."


    Liam mustered up his courage and suggested, "If nothing works, just call the cops."


    Nheless, many people rolled their eyes at him right after he said that. "Just shut up if you don''t know what you''re talking about. Would we be sitting around here, feeling troubled, if we could have called the cops?"


    "What use is there when it was gang members who trashed the hotel? They will be the ones who will get arrested while Arnoult Group will just bite back with an even greater vengeance!"


    Liam lowered his head immediately, looking dejected.


    Isabelle prompted, "Look, let''s snap out of it. There''s no use spacing out. We should see if there''s anyone we know who can help with connecting us with anyone."


    "That''s right, that''s right! I''ll take a look at my call records. Look through yours too, Lina. Aren''t you acquainted with quite a number of people from wealthy families?"


    Lina furrowed her brows slightly. "I do know a few, but Arnoult Group is too influential in Welsington City. No one dares to get on their bad side. But, let me try."


    Soon enough, everyone started making calls of their own.


    "Hello? Mr. Wright, do you know anyone in Arnoult Group? A friend of mine got on the bad side of one of their scions, so I was thinking of asking you for help.


    "Ah, you can''t help? Alright, that''s okay. Bye for now, then."


    "May, you know Mr. Barber, don''t you? Could you call him to see if he knows the boss of Arnoult Group? Oh, you and him have broken up? It''s alright, then."


    ...


    I was the only one who remained still by the side.


    If I were to lend a hand, the problem could definitely be resolved.


    But, I was afraid that if I were to make that call, everyone in the room would give me k, saying that I was being pretentious.


    I didn''t want others to misunderstand my good intentions nor did I want to get a dressing down for no good reason.


    Right at this moment, Lina suddenly asked, "Charlotte, do you want to try asking Lucas Bet?"


    "Lucas? That''s right. How could I forget him?"


    Out of curiosity, Matthew inquired, "Who''s Lucas Bet?"


    Agitatedly, Isabelle answered, "He''s a senior of ours who used to pursue Charlotte. His father is the CEO of Remsea Corporation. He''s a really rich guy." Remsea Corporation?


    I knew about this corporation. When they approached my father for a partnership back then, they had even given me a gold tier membership to a tennis club so that the partnership could work out.


    At that, I quickly pointed out, "Remsea Corporation isn''t as big as Arnoult Group is. Lucas'' father is only the corporation''s CEO. I''m certain he won''t be able to put in a word."


    To my surprise, my good intentioned warning attracted a wave of reproach.


    "Don''t try to tell us what to do if you don''t know anything. If Lucas can''t help, would you be able to? If you can, make some calls! Don''t just be all talk and no action."


    "Exactly. All you do is talk. You''re just a useless piece of trash. You just skip out on the bill when we go to the bar. Being with a pauper like you really lowers our ss."


    Oh?


    I skipped out on the bill?


    It was only at this moment that I remembered that we might have agreed to share the cost before we went to the barst night. I had forgotten about this after I left.


    It seemed like Matthew and the others had paid, but they hadn''t included me in splitting the bill.


    Right at this moment, Isabelle had an upset look on her face as she flew into a rage at Matthew.


    "Matthew, stop bringing him along with you when I call you out next time. If you''re going to bring him with you again, you won''t be wee either!"

 Chapter 26

    Seeing as Matthew had also be a target just because of something I said, I raised both my hands immediately.


    "Hold it right there. Don''t chew Matthew out. I''ll leave."


    Upon saying that, I left the dorm.


    "William!"


    Benjamin and Liam quickly came out after me. With a smile on my face, I shoved them back into the room. "They weren''t against either of you. Just go back in there and stay there."


    I waved my meal card at them and said, "I''m gonna go eat."


    Feeling more at ease, Benjamin and Liam returned to the female students'' dorm.


    I put my meal card back into my pocket, took my phone out, and rang my father up. "Dad, one of my schoolmates is being taken advantage of by Arnoult Group''s scion. Could you help out with this?"


    My dad did not hesitate at all. He replied, "No problem. I''ll make a call and give my instructions now. I wouldn''t need to attend to a small matter like this personally. A phone call is enough to settle the problem."


    "Thanks, Dad."


    I exhaled softly after hanging up.


    I still wanted to help even after being scolded. What was wrong with me?


    That being said, I had my reasons for helping Charlotte.


    For one, it was true that I was somewhat rted to what happened to herst night. Secondly, that man from Arnoult Group was really too much.


    There could have been other ways to teach Charlotte a lesson. Did he have to ruin her reputation for the rest of her life?


    Even if it was a stranger who was treated like this, I would lend a hand wherever I could. What was more, Charlotte was someone I knew.


    A few minutester, my father sent me a message.


    It read, "Will, I''ve contacted the president of Welsington Business Association about it. He said that he will get to it immediately.


    "He will be able to settle the issue within 30 minutes, so don''t worry about it." That was quick.


    It seemed like Arnoult Group truly wouldn''t make it.


    I sent 200 dors to my dad as his allowance. "Here''s some remuneration for your hard work."


    My father replied to me with an emoji of a smiley face. That cheered me up, and I felt much more rxed.


    I took a walk along the boulevard before finally sitting down on a bench to bask in the sun.


    Without Joshua bothering me, the days had been pretty good. I just didn''t know what he had been up to these two days.


    Though, it was a little scary to not hear from him at all.


    While I was sitting on the benchfortably, Matthew called.


    "William, where are you?"


    "I''m sunbathing."


    "Ah, get out of the sun ande over to Gxie Hotel! Charlotte is treating everyone to a meal. She gave special permission for you toe over too."


    What did he mean that she gave me special permission to go over?


    Why did that make me feel so ufortable?


    I was reminded of the attitude that those women were giving. I turned him down right away. "Forget it. It''s really ufortable eating with them. I''d rather eat at the cafeteria."


    "Hey, juste on over. Why are you being so calctive with a bunch of women? They might be sharp-tongued, but they''re kind people on the inside.


    "It''ll be fine after you spend more time with them. See, even Benjamin and Liam have also started to get along with them."


    Benjamin and Liam got along with them? What nonsense.


    If Matthew weren''t there, that bunch of women wouldn''t even nce at Benjamin or Liam.


    I really didn''t want to go. However, at this moment, Benjamin and Liam came to


    the phone and said, "Come over, William. You''re the only one in our group who''s absent. Don''t miss our group activity."


    "Yeah. Without you here, Liam and I feel quite uneasy. Come join us."


    Since my dorm mates had said so, it would be too pretentious of me not to go over. I had no choice but to g a cab to get to Gxie Hotel.

 Chapter 27

    Matthew was waiting for me at the entrance to the hotel. The moment he saw me, he threw his arms around my neck.


    "Let me tell you what a coincidence it was! Right after you left, Charlotte''s issue was settled. I heard that the scion of Arnoult Group apologized in person. He evenpensated her arge sum of money. Charlotte is over the moon."


    Then, he even leaned into my ear and whispered, "ording to Isabelle, Charlotte''s father had been pressuring Charlotte to go to that man sincest night. It was fortunate that she didn''t go."


    Deep down, I knew it wasn''t a coincidence.


    The issue got resolved after I left because I was the one who resolved it!


    But, whatever.


    I didn''t help Charlotte out so that I could receive her gratitude and have her repay me. It was all good as long as she was fine.


    After entering the private room, I noticed two empty seats next to each other. So, I went over and sat down.


    A few women were sitting at the table. The moment they saw that I had sat down, they started showing an attitude again.


    Lainey was the first to snigger. "What''s this jinx doing here? How shameless."


    Immediately, Matthew urged, "Save it, will you? Charlotte was the one who invited him."


    Lainey harrumphed. "That was only because you did all you could to put in a good word for him. He didn''t even contribute to solving the problem.


    "In fact, the issue got resolved right after he left. I fear that his unluckiness will rub off on me if I had a meal with a jinx like him!"


    I was about to argue back when Matthew kicked my leg under the table. He kept shooting me a look.


    I could see what he was mouthing. He was asking me not to lower myself to those women''s levels.


    But, I really couldn''t concede.


    Why would I have to be insulted by them in such a wrongful manner? I didn''t owe them anything.


    At this moment, Charlotte walked in with a menu in her hands. She plopped herself down next to me.


    "Is there anyone else here who wants to ce their orders? Hurry up and add on your orders if there are any. I''ve just ced some orders with the restaurant."


    Isabelle took the menu from her. "Let me have another look."


    gave Charlotte''s appearance a quick scan and noticed that she looked radiant. Even though her eyes were still red and swollen, she now had a twinkle in her eyes. She even had light makeup on.


    It seemed like that issue had been resolvedpletely.


    When Charlotte saw that I was sitting by her side, she looked askance at me coldly and didn''t say anything.


    Subsequently, dishes were served. The atmosphere livened up after everyone had a few drinks.


    Suddenly, Lina asked, "Charlotte, who was it who settled Arnoult Group for you? I heard that Arnoult Group''s boss and the scion went to your father personally and apologized.


    "It must have been a big shot of all the big shots who managed to achieve something like this."


    Upon hearing that, everyone at the table had their interests piqued instantly. "Exactly! Which big shot was it?"


    "Charlotte must''ve gotten acquainted with someone from a rich family behind our backs. Hmph, how petty. How could you not introduce that person to us?"


    "I don''t think that person is merely someone from a rich family if they''re able to scare the wits out of Arnoult Group''s boss and scion. Could it be someone who has a family member who''s an official?"


    Charlotte was so ttered that she became arrogant.


    "It might not be a friend or mine either. Who knows if it was someone whom my dad found? He had also been trying hard to get someone to help out."


    Right after that, Isabelle suggested, "How about you give your father a call and ask him? If it''s a friend of yours, you should thank them properly. Otherwise, it wouldn''t be as easy to get their help again in the future."


    Once Charlotte heard that, she took her phone out and dialed her father''s number.


    Everyone around the table held their breaths and focused on watching Charlotte with concerned gazes.


    I was the only one who continued eating the escargots nonchntly.


    I didn''t care because she wouldn''t be able to get any answers. Whenever my father did such things, he wouldn''t be so dumb as to reveal his identity.


    After Charlotte''s call went through, she put her phone on loudspeaker.


    To everyone''s surprise, her father said, "I wasn''t the one who put in a word with


    the president of the Business Association. I''m not that capable. I actually thought that it was someone you sought help from!"


    Charlotte quickly asked, "Dad, it wasn''t a friend of yours?"


    "I''ve contacted all my rtives and friends, but none of them were able to help. Otherwise, would I have asked you to go to that man? I did all that for the sake of our family!"

 Chapter 28

    Charlotte paused in surprise. "Dad, did you say that it was the president of the Business Association who helped out?"


    "Yeah. ording to him, someone reached out to him for help, but he''s unwilling to share who that person was. Lottie, could it be one of your pursuers?"


    When I heard the word "pursuer", I almost spit my escargot out.


    What a joke. I would never pursue Charlotte.


    "It was Lucas Bet!" Isabelle shouted out of the blue. She had a confident look on her face.


    "It must have been Lucas. Charlotte, have you forgotten that Lucas was thest person you contacted? He must''ve been the one who lent a hand."


    I put the escargot down immediately and red at Isabelle.


    I was speechless. Was she dumb?


    If it were Lucas who helped out, wouldn''t he have contacted Charlotte to im credit?


    To my surprise, Charlotte also had a look of sudden realization on her face after she put her cell phone down. "You''re right. It must have been Lucas. It can''t possibly be anyone else other than him."


    I was at a loss for words.


    Even though I didn''t want to take credit for what I did, I didn''t want someone else to take my credit.


    I looked toward Charlotte. Just as I was about to speak up, a man''s voice came from Charlotte''s phone. "Babe? Is your problem settled yet?"


    "Lucas, I was just about to ask you about it. Today, the president of the Business Association resolved the matter with Arnoult Group. Were you the one who did that?"


    There was clearly a sense of hesitation in Lucas'' voice. "The president of the Business Association? Indeed, my father knows him. They''ve had a meal together before."


    Upon hearing that, Charlotte beamed. She was so touched that her eyes glistened with tears. "It must have been you, then! Lucas, I''m dining at Gxie Hotel right now. Would you like to join us?"


    Benjamin, who was next to me, whispered to me, "He lent such great help. I reckon that Charlotte is going to give herself to him."


    Liam chimed in, "Of course she has to! If it weren''t for Lucas, she would still be sobbing right now."


    He sighed and continued, "How great it is to be rich and powerful, unlike the three of us poor losers who weren''t able to do our bit even though we wanted to."


    As I stared at that look of anticipation and shyness on Charlotte''s face, a wave of anger suddenly swept across me.


    Initially, I really didn''t want to say anything.


    But, I couldn''t allow Charlotte to misunderstand and give herself to Lucas no matter what.


    As such, I took a deep breath. Despite the risk of being humiliated, I spoke up calmly, "Charlotte, I need to tell you something."


    Charlotte looked toward me with a skeptical gaze when she heard me. Following


    that, a disdainful expression came across her face.


    "What''s up? Don''t tell me you''re wanting to ask me out."


    I was enraged. "Why would I ask you out?"


    "What do you have to tell me then? Hurry up and spill!"


    "I¡ª"


    I paused. Just as I was about to continue, the door to the private room was shoved open suddenly. In the next moment, a man, whom I had never seen before, strutted in.


    He had a brown jacket and a pair of limited edition sneakers on. He even had a pair of shades hanging from his cor. At one nce, he looked like a trendy man.


    "Lucas!"


    Charlotte got to her feet immediately after she saw the man who arrived. She was really emotional.


    "How did you get here so quickly?"


    Lucas smiled. "I was having a meal on the third floor. I came over right after I got your call."


    With a few steps, he walked to the table. With ascivious look on his eyes, he looked Charlotte up and down, then gave her a smile of satisfaction.


    Following that, he looked toward everyone sitting at the table.


    "I see you''re having a get-together here. It looks like there isn''t a ce for me here."


    Charlotte was taken aback to hear that. It was only at this moment that she realized that she had forgotten to make space for Lucas after calling him over at thest minute.


    She was extremely nervous. She quickly scanned the room, and her gazended


    on me.


    "William, why are you spacing out right there? Quick, get up and give Lucas your seat!"

 Chapter 29

    "Charlotte, you''re going too far!"


    Upon hearing that, Benjamin got to his feet immediately.


    Liam followed suit. "No worries, Will. We''ll leave with you."


    Ever since entering university, this was the first time having someone standing up for me. I was really touched.


    However, I was aware that Benjamin and Liam surely wished to stay back for that meal. The spread on the table was scrumptious indeed, and they might not even get to eat something like this at least once a year.


    Thus, I went up to them and sat them back down on their seats. "Sit down, both of you. It''s no big deal. I happen to be done eating, so I''ll just go out for a walk. Just stay and eat, both of you."


    As I said that, I walked right to the door.


    Charlotte''s voice then came from behind me. "William, why are you leaving? You can just sit on the couch and eat.


    "There are so many dishes here, so you can just take whatever you want and eat over there. Why are you sulking?"


    "I know, right? He should be thankful that he could even be here. Why is he showing an attitude?"


    "People are finally taking some notice of him. Shouldn''t he at least put on an act?"


    I continued walking and left the private room.


    Helping Charlotte out was because I felt that she was too pitiful to have been bullied like that. But, considering the way she was acting now, I would never lend her a helping hand again.


    After leaving the hotel, I rubbed my hand on my stomach. I was only half-full. Just as I was contemting where to go to fill the rest of my stomach, my dad called. "Will, are you free tonight? The president of the Business Association heard that you''re in Welsington City, and said that he wanted to see you.


    "He''s just lent you a hand, so how about you show some respect bying over?"


    "Sure."


    By chance, I would get to eat when I was there, so I agreed without any hesitation.


    "Where are you at the moment? He''s waiting to pick you up."


    "Dad, just tell him that it''s fine. There are cabs lined up by the road. I will just g one down and head over."


    My father pondered over my reply briefly. "Alright, then. I''ll share your contact number with him. By the way, aren''t you still starting up your business, Will? It wouldn''t be a bad idea to get to know him.


    "His name is Gordon Zimmer. You can just address him as Mr. Zimmer."


    "Got it!"


    Not long after hanging up, Gordon called.


    He sounded courteous toward me over the phone. Even I felt bad about that.


    After all, it was my father who was the powerful one. I was just a regr university student.


    The hotel of Gordon''s choice was called Welsington Hotel, one of the top three hotels in Welsington City.


    They were highly ranked not only because of their high-ss ingredients and skilled chefs. Most importantly, it was because they provided excellent privacy for their patrons.


    Whenever big shots dined with them or organized get-togethers, they wouldn''t be photographed by outsiders.


    The elevator doors opened. Just as I was about to step into the elevator, I heard the sound of urgently cking heelsing from behind me.


    In the next moment, someone bumped right into me, making me stumble. My body almost mmed into the wall.


    Nevertheless, the person who bumped into me didn''t have any intention of apologizing. They entered the elevator and started mming on the button to close the doors.


    They were being too nonchnt about that, weren''t they?


    I picked up my pace and stepped into the elevator. My eyes lit up instantly when I looked at that person.


    I hadn''t expected her to be such a beauty!


    She was different from the pure and innocent belles at school. At one nce, I could tell that she was in her mid-20s.


    She had a zer over her. Underneath that zer was a white singlet and a fitting pencil skirt around her curvaceous figure, giving her the air of a sexy and beautiful professional working woman.


    I had always felt like I wasn''t considered a lustful person. But, I would have to admit that all my feelings of displeasure toward her vanished the moment I saw her figure and that stunning face of hers.


    That being said, not flying into a rage was one thing, but I still had to reason with her.


    "Miss, you bumped into me earlier."


    It was only after I said that that she turned and looked at me.


    She lifted the corners of her lips slightly and asked, "You''re a university student, aren''t you? Are you here to interview for a part-time job?"


    Great, just great.


    Not only did she not apologize after bumping into me, she was looking down on


    me.


    I emphasized, "I am here to dine at this ce."


    A sarcastic look came across her eyes, as if she had seen through me. "Young man, do your own research online before you start bragging. You''re here to dine at this ce? Do you know what this ce is?"


    I harrumphed coldly. "I don''t, but looking at the way you''re dressed, I''m guessing that this is a club?"

 Chapter 30

    The woman''s face fell the moment she heard my response.


    She took two steps forward and got right before me. Then, she raised her hand and pped me on the face.


    "Has your mother never taught you not to say such indecent things to women?"


    I was stunned by her p, and a ball of fury rose within me.


    "You were the one who first made fun of me "


    Before I could finish my sentence, the elevator bell dinged and its doors opened.


    She gave me a fierce re. "You little bastard, you''d better not be part-timing here. Otherwise, I will teach you a lesson every time I see you."


    After saying that, she strutted out of the elevator in her heels.


    I ran after her immediately and shouted from behind her, "You''d better not be working here either. Otherwise, I will appoint you every time I see you!"


    Soon enough, she walked around a corner and disappeared.


    I took my phone out and checked my face with its front camera. Fortunately, she didn''t leave a mark on my face.


    If she did, I wouldn''t know how to exin myself to Gordon when I met himter.


    After circling the ce twice, I finally managed to find the private room. Seeing as the door was open, I walked right in.


    "Wee, Mr. William!"


    The moment I stepped in, more than ten people bowed and greeted me as if they were shouting a slogan. I was staggered.


    "Please, you don''t have to call me Mr. William. Just call me William."


    At the door, a potbellied, middle-aged man shook my hand firmly. "Mr. William, wee to Welsington City. I am Welsington Business Association''s president.


    "On behalf of everyone in the Business Association and all the businessmen in Welsington City, I would like to extend our warmest wee!"


    He pped. Everyone apuded enthusiastically too.


    I felt really out of ce. I thought I was justing over for a simple meal. I didn''t expect there to be such a spectacle.


    Even though I would have to face such situations in the future, at the very least, circumstances like this still made me feel a little ufortable at the moment.


    "Mr. Zimmer, please don''t stand on ceremony. We''re all on the same side. Everyone, please take it easy."


    "Pleasee with me, Mr. William. Let me introduce you to our association''s vice-president. This is Ricky Kramer."


    Ricky shook hands with me immediately.


    After going around the entire table, my hand had almost gone numb from all the hand-shaking. It was finally thest person''s turn.


    "This is my daughter, Lucy Zimmer. When she heard that I would be able to meet you tonight, she called me thrice consecutively, insisting that she wanted toe and have a toast with you."


    I looked at Lucy and smiled.


    We really couldn''t avoid our enemies, could we?


    Wasn''t she that beautiful woman who just gave me a p in the elevator, then threatened me not to work here part-time after stepping out of the elevator? Lucy recognized me too. At this very moment, her face was flushed red as she stood there, motionless, as if she had frozen still.


    "Lucy, Lucy! What are you doing? Say hello to Mr. William!"


    Gordon''s face was full of urgency when he saw Lucy standing there like a statue. Red-faced, Lucy extended her hand toward me. "Nice to meet you, Mr. William."


    At first, I considered teasing her. But, seeing as her hands were shaking out of nervousness, I couldn''t bear to do so.


    So, I extended my hand too. After shaking hands, she let out an obvious sigh of relief.


    "Have a seat, Mr. William. All the dishes I ordered for tonight are Welsington City''s specialties. I''m sure that they''ll be to your liking.


    "Lucy, make sure that Mr. William is well taken care of."


    After leaving me in Lucy''s care, Gordon and the others startedplimenting my father.


    All that ttery probably made my dad''s face go red.


    I nodded from time to time and hummed acknowledgements here and there. I focused on being part of this gathering, but my main mission was to eat.


    Lucy sat next to me. Attentively, she filled my ss, peeled my prawns, changed my tes, and handed napkins to me.


    She was like apletely different person from that arrogant woman in the elevator.

 Chapter 31

    As I ate a prawn which Lucy had peeled personally, I mocked, "Youngdy, you''re two-faced, aren''t you?"


    It hadn''t been long since Lucyposed herself. Once again, her face reddened. "Mr. William, stop pulling my leg. I will definitely make it up to you after this meal."


    I clicked my tongue. She was honest indeed.


    If only she was as honest as this in the elevator.


    By the time I was full, the elders around the table were already looking drained.


    They were individuals who were experienced in the business world. Spending time with clients was a piece of cake for them, but having a meal with a young man indeed rendered them a little helpless.


    Out of good intentions, I stood up. "Alright, that''s all for tonight. I''m full from dinner, and I really enjoyed the meal. It''s time for me to head back to school. I''ve got a curfew."


    The group of elders got to their feet immediately, as if they were relieved that they were being spared.


    "Alright, alright. Let''s not make Mr. William stay up toote. He''s the future of our country, so he needs to rest early and focus on his studies."


    They sent me off downstairs, and I waved goodbye to them.


    Just as I took a few steps forward, I noticed that Lucy was following behind me.


    She asked, "Mr. William, did you drive here?"


    "I took a cab."


    "Lying low?"


    She smiled. "Shall I send you back, then? It isn''t easy to g a cab at this hour."


    "Sure."


    If I turned her down, she definitely would assume that I was still holding a grudge against her behavior.


    Truth be told, she had been attending to me the entire meal. I had already forgiven her.


    After getting into the car, she hurled her zer to the back seat. The sleeveless top was the only top she had on. Under the dim lighting, her fair skin looked even more alluring.


    She pulled out a perfume and spritzed it slightly. Then, she put on some soothing, jazz music.


    After that, she turned toward me. The gleam in her eyes was mystifying.


    Truth be told, I panicked a little.


    I kept getting the feeling that she was creating this atmosphere on purpose to mess with me.


    I even started wondering what I should do if she threw herself at me. Should I go with it? Or, should I resist? Or, should I y hard to get?


    In the end, she uttered calmly, "Mr. White, you haven''t buckled your seat belt." "Oh? Oh, right."


    In that instant, I felt extremely awkward. I buckled my seat belt as quickly as possible.


    "Mr. White, I was indeed in the wrong tonight. My heels broke when I was on my way here, so I had no choice but to go home and change into a different pair.


    "Seeing as I was going to bete, I was very rushed. I was afraid that I would leave a bad impression on our first meeting...


    "In the end, it all backfired."


    I let out a cough to try and hide the uneasiness from earlier. "It''s all in the past now. I''m not such a narrow-minded person. But, you don''t have to call me Mr. White. Just call me William."


    "Okay. Sure, William."


    She became more at ease and started to get friendly with me.


    "I heard that you approached my dad for help to save a woman. Is she your girlfriend?"


    "Nope."


    Her mentioning this reminded me of Charlotte and how she chased me away. Deep down, that incident did upset me somewhat.


    "She''s just a schoolmate of mine."


    "In that case, you''re purely trying to rescue her? That''s really kind of you. Out of all the scions of wealthy families whom I know, there aren''t many who would be willing to lend a helping hand when it doesn''t concern them."


    I opened the car window and enjoyed the breeze. With a carefree look on my face, I said, "I''m just helping her this once. I won''t help her out again."


    "Why not? Did she offend you?"

 Chapter 32

    I sighed. I had been keeping all that frustration within me as I didn''t have anyone to rant to.


    Perhaps it was because of the ambient music, or the fragrance of her perfume that smelled nice, but I ended up sharing all that had happened with her.


    After listening to my sharing, she was floored. "I can''t believe that such a thing happened. In that case, it really isn''t that suitable for you to reveal who you are.


    "Shall I get my dad to give her a call?"


    "No need for that. I''ll just let this go."


    As we neared my school, I requested her to stop the car. "I don''t want people in school to see that a beauty gave me a ride back. I don''t want rumors about me having a sugar mommy to go around again."


    Although Joshua had been missing in action for a number of days, I still felt afraid.


    Lucy burst outughing. She took a nce at me and said, "If both of us were to get together, I can''t be sure who would actually be sugaring who."


    Oh?


    Was she flirting with me?


    Without waiting for me to respond, she opened the door and got out of the car. Then, she opened the trunk and handed a small box to me.


    "This is a gift that I prepared for our first meeting. It''s just some imported fruits. Don''t refuse. Take it back with you and share it with your dorm mates."


    Since it was just fruits, I epted them from her.


    "Thanks."


    I had wanted to see her off, but to my surprise, she simply leaned back on her car and stared straight at me after handing the fruits to me.


    Feeling embarrassed being stared at like that, I scratched my head and said, "I''ll be heading back to school now, then."


    Just as I got to the university entrance and was about to walk in, I saw Matthew, Benjamin, and Liam running out hastily. They even almost bumped into me.


    "What are all of you doing thiste at night?"


    "Will, your timing is impable. Come along, Charlotte was hurt and she''s been hospitalized!"


    Oh?


    Without giving me time to ask my questions, the three of them dragged me into a cab and rushed straight for the hospital.


    Along the way, I found out what had happened.


    It turned out that Charlotte and Lucas went on a date after dinner.


    Lucas liked to participate in underground racingpetitions that were organized privately. In order to show off to Charlotte, he brought her along specially to apetition tonight.


    As a result, he got too excited and wasn''t able to step on the brake in time, causing them to crash and end up in the hospital.


    I probed urgently, "Was the crash bad?"


    She had been too unlucky, hadn''t she? Bad things kept happening to her one after another.


    However, she couldn''t me it on me this time.


    Matthew sighed. "Who knows? I only found out after Isabelle called me. But Will, Charlotte was truly in the wrong today.


    "After you left, the few of us gave her a dressing down."


    I chuckled. "No need for that. I''ve let it go."


    "This woman... How should I say this? Truth be told, she''s not one of those snobbish women. That being said, she has been attractive and the center of attention ever since she was young.


    "She has always had men revolving around her, so she''s a little biased against poor losers. She''s quite polite toward women who are poor, though."


    Hah. So, I was a poor loser to her?


    I took a quick look at Matthew. I really wanted to tell him to quit trying to rify things. He was just making things worse.


    The moment I stepped into the hospital ward, I saw Charlotte leaning back against the headboard of her bed. She had bandages wrapped around her head, and her lips were extremely swollen.


    It looked like she had also injured her arm as her arm was in a sling.


    Isabelle and Lina were present too. They were right by Charlotte''s hospital bed,forting her.


    Matthew went up and ced a box of milk, which he had prepared earlier, onto the table.


    It was at this moment that I noticed that even Benjamin and Liam had bought a fruit basket each. I didn''t have any time to prepare anything as I was forced toe over spontaneously. This thought didn''t evene across my mind.


    I took a nce at the box in my hands. I pondered over whether someone at Lucy''s level would have given me bad quality fruits just to go through the motions.


    I figured not, so I put the box of fruits on the table too.


    Charlotte didn''t even take a look at the other items that the others had ced on the table.


    To my surprise, she turned her head to examine the box from me.


    After that, she lifted her head and stared at me. For some reason, she had a sarcastic tone in her voice. "What''s this?"

 Chapter 33

    I didn''t know what to say. So, I answered Charlotte, "These are fruits. They''re not poisoned, don''t worry."


    She harrumphed. "These are from you, so, that''s hard to say."


    I...


    I really shouldn''t havee here!


    At this moment, the few women by Charlotte''s bed became interested. They came over and scrutinized my gift, as if the gift from me would be something weird.


    Isabelle took out a handful of fruits from the box. "What''s this? Why haven''t I seen it before? Are these mulberries? Doesn''t look like it!"


    "I''ve never seen it before either."


    "It looks like some wild berry. Mulberries are gross enough. This looks like it tastes worse than mulberries."


    "Can these even be eaten? This brat even specified that these are not poisoned. This isn''t the Streisand effect, is it?"


    I inhaled softly. I was about to argue back when Matthew pulled me aside. "Forget it, just leave them be. They are just a bunch of women. Don''t stoop down to their level."


    I was about to nod when I heard Charlotte say, "I don''t have the guts to eat the things he brought. Youdies go ahead."


    Lainey shook her head hard. "I''m afraid to eat them too. I keep having the feeling that he just got a box from somewhere randomly, then picked some wild berries from some bushes by the side of the road to put this together."


    The other women nodded vigorously in agreement. "How dare he do something like this?"


    Lina was the only one who stood silently by the side. She didn''t say a word.


    Ever since that incident with Joshua, she was always like this. She would lie low. Even if she came out with these women, she almost never said or did anything.


    She would just remain silent just like that.


    It seemed like she was greatly affected by Joshua.


    I had no idea whether she had contacted Joshua these past few days.


    Right when I was unconsciously staring at Lina spacing out, a few women suddenly stepped right in front of Lina, and red at me with scornful gazes.


    "What are you looking at? How dare a stingy man like you check a woman out? Even if you''re not willing to spend that money, you could''ve just gotten two pounds of apples. You''re even worse than that ugly dorm mate of yours."


    She insulted both of us at once.


    I tugged at Matthew. This time, I could no longer hold it in. I needed to fight back.


    Matthew chuckled bitterly. As he was afraid that I would start a fight with those women, he tried to back me up.


    "That''s enough, all of you. We''re all here at this hour to visit Charlotte. It''s the thought that counts."


    Charlotte snorted. "I didn''t ask him toe over."


    "I was the one who got him toe along, okay?"


    Matthew finally lost it.


    "Aren''t all of you going overboard? Why are you all always targeting William? It''s not like he has provoked any of you."


    The expression on Charlotte''s face turned cold. She sat up straight immediately. "Who''s targeting him? Are you people delusional? Would someone like him be worth me targeting him?


    "Okay! You say that I''m targeting him, yes? Fine, I targeted him. So what?"


    As she said that, she waved her arm, sweeping the box on the table, along with the fruits within, onto the floor.


    "See this? This is what targeting looks like! But, I never thought of treating him like this. He was the one who asked for it."


    I clenched my fists immediately.


    That was a gift that Lucy had given to me!


    If Charlotte hadn''t looked so pitiful, I wouldn''t even have considered giving the fruits to her.


    Not wanting Lucy''s kind gesture to go to waste, I walked over to clean up the fruits. Nevertheless, I only managed to pick up one fruit before Matthew grabbed me and made me stand up to my feet.


    "Leave it, William. Don''t devalue yourself. They will see you as a joke. It was my mistake. I shouldn''t have brought you here tonight."


    Matthew really med himself.


    Of course I wasn''t ming him. I was sure he wouldn''t have expected Charlotte tosh out at me even in that injured state of hers.


    But, I wasn''t devaluing myself by picking the fruits back up, was I?

 Chapter 34

    I was about to continue picking the fruits up when I heard Lucas'' voiceing from the door to the hospital ward.


    "Babe, are you feeling better?"


    As he walked in with his crutches, he gave me a re. He had a scornful look on his face, as if I was standing in his way. So, I could only get up and make way for him.


    They were a couple and they were patients. They had the right to have their way.


    Liam pulled me toward the wall beside. He whispered, "Did you hear his question? It hasn''t even been an hour since Charlotte was hospitalized. How could she be feeling better?"


    Benjamin chimed in, "That shows that he isn''t actually concerned about Charlotte. He was just asking out of courtesy."


    Lucas disregarded uspletely. With the help of his crutches, he walked to the side of the bed and looked at the injured Charlotte with a regretful look on his face.


    "I''m sorry. It was all my fault. You ended up seriously injured because of me."


    "Don''t say this, Lucas. If it weren''t for you, I would''ve been in an even worse state. Plus, I had a lot of fun tonight. It was really thrilling. It was worth the injury."


    Charlotte smiled. Even though her lips were swollen, she still had a pretty smile. "You''re too nice, babe."


    "No, Lucas. I''m only nice to you because you were good to me."


    I couldn''t help but make a gagging face at Liam and Benjamin. That tickled both of them.


    When we startedughing, we became the center of attention in the ward once again. Everyone looked in our direction. Though, without a doubt, the looks in their eyes were unfriendly.


    I shut myself up immediately.


    "Lottie. Lottie, are you okay?"


    Right when we were about to leave, a middle-aged woman charged into the room. Seeing Charlotte covered in injuries, she grabbed Lucas by his cor immediately.


    "It was you! You were the bastard who hurt Lottie!"


    "Aunt Bonnie, don''t!" Charlotte cried out immediately.


    "He was the person who helped us resolve the issue with Arnoult Group. Let go of him, please."


    "He is?" The middle aged woman looked Lucas up and down. "Are you sure? Based on what I see, he doesn''t look like someone that powerful. Have you verified this information?"


    In a helpless voice, Charlotte answered, "Do I still have to verify it? There''s no one else who could''ve done it other than him."


    "That just means that you haven''t verified it, right?" Helplessness was written all over Bonnie''s face.


    She continued, "How could you be so careless with such a major issue? If you thanked the wrong person, not only would you be wasting your time and energy, you would also upset the person who actually helped you out."


    After saying that, she red at Lucas. "Was it you who helped Charlotte out? Are you sure about that?"


    With a confident look on his face, Lucas said, "Of course. Other than myself, there is no one else amongst our schoolmates who would be able to get the help of the president of the Business Association."


    "It might not be one of your schoolmates who did it. Who knows if it might have actually been a friend of my brother-inw? Young man, don''t im credit out of nowhere.


    "I think it''d be better for you to call and verify this."


    Upon hearing that, Lucas'' face became a little gloomy.


    He had already admitted publicly that it was his contribution. Now, there was


    someone who stepped forward and doubted his words.


    He definitely felt humiliated by that.


    I was different. I was just watching the drama go down.


    I would like to see whether he would continue impersonating me shamelessly after making that call, or if he would admit openly that he wasn''t the person who helped out.


    He pulled out his phone and dialed a number.


    "Hello? Dad, I just wanted to ask about that favor I asked from you regarding Arnoult Group. How did it go?"


    He paused. Suddenly, he said, "Oh, I see. Bye."


    After hanging up, he held his head high immediately and said, "My dad said that he was the one who did it!"


    I cracked up in anger when I heard that.


    Why was Lucas and his father joining hands? Not only did his father not set a good example, they were both working together to con others.

 Chapter 35

    Previously, I could still say that Charlotte was the one who misunderstood the situation. Right now, however, Lucas was actually lying.


    Nevertheless, I soon noticed the slight stiffness in Lucas'' expression.


    If he and his father were in on the lie together, he wouldn''t have had such a strange expression after ending the call.


    So, my guess is that his father told him the truth, but he was the one who decided to lie through his teeth till the end.


    At this moment, an apologetic look came across Charlotte''s face. "I''m sorry, Lucas. Aunt Bonnie didn''t have any ill intentions. Please don''t hold it against her."


    Lucasughed awkwardly. "No worries."


    At the end of the day, Bonnie was someone who had been around the block. She scrutinized Lucas for a moment with a skeptical gaze.


    But, she didn''t say much to his face.


    "Okay, all''s good as long as you''re fine. I can be at ease now. I''m gonna leave."


    Charlotte nodded. "Aunt Bonnie, take these fruits and milk back for your little one. There''s too much for me to finish."


    "Alright, then."


    She started picking the items up from the table. She took the two fruit baskets and the box of milk. She was about to leave when she suddenly noticed the fruits that had scattered on the floor.


    "This is..."


    In shock, she crouched down, picked up a handful of fruits, and examined it carefully.


    Upon seeing that, Charlotte felt extremely awkward. "Aunt Bonnie, that''s just some trash that a poor loser from my school gave to me. I was about to throw it all away."


    I opened my mouth to speak, but hesitated.


    Excuse me, that so-called "poor loser" hadn''t left. Couldn''t she have been more polite in the face of this poor loser?


    That being said, Bonnie suddenly gasped. "Trash? Lottie, don''t you know what this is? These are premium bilberries, which are good for the brain.


    "My, my. This has been really popr in affluent women''s circles!"


    "They might look like mulberries, but their nutritional and remedial values areparable to that of salmon and kale, and they''re extremely delicious.


    "But, these tiny fruits are really expensive. A handful of these cost a few hundred dors, which means a box like this would cost over ten thousand dors."


    Premium bilberries?


    Wow, this was even my first time hearing of it.


    If it were that tasty, I should ask Lucy to buy some for me so that I could have my mom try them.


    With a look of disbelief on her face, Charlotte asked, "What are you saying, Aunt Bonnie? You''ve probably misidentified it. How could that be so valuable?"


    "Hey, why would I lie to you? I saw it when I went to a client''s house recently. They really made my mouth water. I''m going to have some. Come, you should try some too."


    Bonnie ate a handful while she fed some to Charlotte.


    Skeptically, Charlotte took a bite. Instantly, her eyes lit up. "Oh? It''s actually really delicious. They taste different from mulberries. They taste a little like abination of blueberries and cherries."


    "Right?" Bonnie smiled. "See, would I lie to you? Also, how could you say that it


    was a poor loser who gave this to you? Would a poor loser be able to afford giving you this? You''re really unlearned."


    Upon hearing that, Charlotte and everyone else in the room looked in my direction.


    Even so, they still had unfriendly looks in their eyes.


    ine even questioned, "William, where did you steal this from? How bold of you!"


    I scoffed. "How about you try to steal one?"


    "What do you mean by that?" Lainey crossed her arms as she looked at me condescendingly. "You''re not trying to say that you bought this, are you?"


    Just looking at her made me feel like hitting her. I simply turned my head away so that I didn''t have to look at her.


    I answered, "It''s none of your business. I''m sure you won''t be able to buy it anyway."


    "Why, you!" she blew her top instantly.


    "What''s with that act? Isn''t it just a box of fruits? Who knows where you got it from? Based on your character, it wouldn''t be surprising if you actually stole it.


    "You''re dressed in counterfeit goods and you just brag all day. Did you think that bringing a box of slightly valuable fruits would change the way we look at you? Dream on!"


    I gave her a scornful look. "I don''t care about whether you change the way you look at me. I''d live a longer life if you don''t look at me."


    "William White!"

 Chapter 36

    Suddenly, Charlotte cut me off mid-sentence. She shouted, "How dare you disrespect my friend like that? You''re not wee here anymore! Get out!"


    The room fell into silence at her words. However, Lucas was unfazed and chimed in with a smug tone, "Wow, imagine being so shameless that you''d stick around even after being told to leave."


    I gave Charlotte onest meaningful look before saying, "Fine, I''ll go," and walked out of the room.


    These past few days, I helped her handle the Arnoult Group issue, but she turned against me. Then, I offered her some fruits, only for them to be thrown out.


    I could not me her for the first incident since I had chosen to keep things under wraps, but this second slight was unforgivable. Charlotte knew perfectly well that I had brought those fruits, and she had heard her friend provoke me first, yet she still chose to treat me unfairly.


    It would be pathetic to keep trying to please her after this, letting her treat me coldly while I remained warm and friendly. When I left, Benjamin and Liam followed me out, while Matthew stayed behind with his girlfriend-which I understoodpletely.


    "William!" Lina''s voice suddenly called out from behind.


    I had barely stopped walking when Benjamin and Liam exchanged knowing looks before quietly slipping away.


    I turned to face Lina, mainly wanting to ask about Joshua, who had vanished sopletely that it made me uneasy. I could not shake the feeling he was lurking somewhere, waiting to stab me in the back for revenge.


    "William, don''t be mad at Charlotte. She''s just extremely loyal to her friends. She''s not targeting you because of your family background-it''s because she thinks you wronged me."


    I sighed in frustration. "Everyone keeps telling me not to be mad at her, but has anyone considered how I feel? Am I not human too? Should I just ept being insulted for no reason?"


    "That''s not what I meant..." Lina trailed off. She hesitated before looking up at me with what seemed like sincere concern.


    She continued, "William, now that Joshua''s gone, we could have a fresh start. Why do you keep up with these bad habits? Was that expensive box of fruits really necessary?"


    I stared at her, confused. "What do you mean ''necessary''?"


    Lina continued with her condescending tone, "Did you really need to spend that much just to show off? Your parents run a small fruit stand and work so hard for their money, yet here you are, blowing it all just to look wealthy. How can that possibly make you happy?"


    I could not help butugh at her words. The irony was just too much.


    "Lina, if you really cared about me, you should return all the designer jewelry, clothes, shoes, and bags I bought you. Instead, you stayed quiet when I gave you gifts but now want to act all righteous when I give them to someone else," I retorted.


    When we were dating, she always assumed I was pretending to be rich. Even so, she had no problem epting expensive gifts without ever suggesting I save money. I might have fallen for her act in the past, but thanks to her, I had wisened up and could see right through her maniption.


    My words clearly struck a nerve. Yet, instead ofshing out as most would, Lina put on that familiar wounded expression I had seen hundreds of times before¡ª pale face and teary eyes, looking helpless and fragile.


    "William, you''re so mean! All the girls in our dorm hate you, and I''m the only one defending you. Yet here you are, attacking me when I''m trying to help. No wonder everyone looks down on you-you deserve it!"

 Chapter 37

    With those words, Lina ran away in tears. However, I felt nothing. In fact, watching her put on that crying act only made me feel disgusted.


    I thought the whole Joshua incident might have changed her, but I guess some people never learn. She was bound to keep chasing after money and end up getting scammed by guys.


    Back in my dorm room, I took a shower and was about to crash when I heard Benjamin, Liam, and Matthew''s excited voices from the lower bunk.


    "She''s live!"


    "She''s so hot!" "That beauty filter is working overtime though-she doesn''t look this good in real life."


    Curious, I peeked down at them and asked, "Who are you guys watching?"


    Matthew replied, "You know Felicia Cylon from ss 3? She just started live- streaming, and she''s dancing. Here, I''ll send you her channel link."


    "Which tform?"


    ''OnlyKitties!"


    I actually enjoyed watching attractive streamers, but Lina had forbidden it when we were dating. After our breakup, I was too caught up in other things to care, so it had been ages since I had watched any streams.


    When I found her channel, I had to admit I was impressed. While I barely remembered Felicia, the girl on screen was undeniably sexy. She wore pink bunny ears and a tight-fitting swimsuit-style dress that showed off her figure perfectly.


    Her figure was terrific-slim but with curves in all the right ces, a total knockout. No one would have guessed she was hiding such an amazing body under her modest everyday clothes.


    Right now, she was dancing to a song by a girl group. While Felicia was not the best dancer, she knew how to emphasize the right moves and work the camera. I could not take my eyes off the screen.


    After finishing the dance, Felicia sat close to the camera with a cutesy smile. "For just a bouquet of roses, you can request any dance you want-if I know it!"


    "How much is that?" Matthew asked curiously.


    "It''s 520 credits," Liam replied immediately.


    Matthew whistled. "That''s crazy expensive!"


    For a new live streamer with no following, to ask for 520 credits seemed pretty steep. Sure enough, no one sent anything for a while. Nheless, the chat was still active, but it seemed like most of the viewers were our ssmates.


    "Felicia, it''sn Wace from ss 2! We ran into each other at the cafeteria the other day, and I said hi. Do you remember me?"


    I had tough at that. This guy was seriously overestimating how memorable he was, but Felicia yed along perfectly.


    "Of course, I remember you,n! Thanks for watching. Could you send me a little star gift?" she responded with a bright smile.


    Just then, a message spammed across the chat. "Felicia, I''m Liam Harper, Liam Harper, Liam Harper, Liam Harper!"


    I nearly burst outughing and looked at him. "Liam, what the hell are you doing?"


    Liam grinned sheepishly. "Just trying to get noticed!"


    I thought he was an idiot. Obviously, spamming messages would not get her


    attention. He would need to send her gifts for that.


    Sure enough, Felicia responded sweetly, "Liam, I''ll only remember you if you send


    gifts! One rose bouquet, and I''ll dance just for you!"


    "Sorry, but I couldn''t spend it on this even if I had the money! I have to feed


    myself, you know! How about I send you some kitty treats?"

 Chapter 38

    I could not help butugh again. Kitty treats were free gifts on the tform-was he trying to piss off Felicia?


    Another message appeared, clearly mocking Liam. "Which broke loser announces they''re sending free gifts? You''ll be single forever! Felicia, I''ll show you what real gifts look like. "


    Several others piled on, joining in the insults.


    "Oh, it''s Liam from ss 1! He''s famous for being the poorest guy in our department, always begging the lunchdies for extra food."


    "Of course, it''s Liam-his whole dorm is known for being broke!"


    Liam grumbled, "I could send a gift if I wanted to. I just don''t think it''s worth it."


    Matthew was getting bitter. "Let me log in and tell that jerk off! He knows everyone watching the livestream is our ssmates, yet he still wants to embarrass us."


    Benjamin chimed in angrily, "He''s definitely doing this on purpose!"


    Suddenly, a virtual firework exploded across the screen. The system announced, "Lord of Welsington City has sent a firework, wishing the gorgeousdy to shine as brightly!"


    One firework costs 99 dors. Liam perked up at seeing this and said, "Hmph! I''ve got a hundred dors too-no need to show off."


    Just as he finished speaking, the system notifications started flooding the screen.


    "Lord of Welsington City has sent a firework!"


    "Lord of Welsington City has sent a firework!"


    "Lord of Welsington City has sent a firework!"


    ...


    Lord of Welsington City sent not one but ten fireworks in a row-nearly 1,000 dors worth of gifts!


    Felicia immediately started blowing kisses and making heart signs with her hands. "Thank you so much for the fireworks, Lord of Welsington City! This is the biggest gift I''ve ever received. Would you like me to dance for you?"


    Lord of Welsington City responded, "Felicia, aren''t you going to ask who I am?"


    Felicia giggled cutely and replied, "That''s because I know who you are! You must be Jason Payne, right?"


    "Jason!" Liam''s face darkened instantly.


    I asked, "Who''s Jason?"


    Liam exined angrily, "He''s that show-off who switched dorms with you. He used to follow Joshua around everywhere like a puppy. He''s been chasing after Felicia for ages."


    "That guy?" The memory of Jason''s arrogant attitude when we switched dorms immediately soured my mood.


    Felicia had started ignoring all other messages, focusing solely on Jason as she began dancing for him. While I was not particrly interested in Felicia, I had to admit she was incredibly well-endowed, and her dancing showed that off perfectly. Jason kept taunting in the chat while enjoying the show, "Get out of here, broke losers. I paid for this dance-what right do you have to watch?"


    Then another message, aimed directly at Liam. "You hear that, Liam? Get lost!"


    Right after that, the system popped up again with a new announcement. "Lord of Welsington City has sent a firework!"


    ...


    This time, Jason sent five more fireworks, totaling 1,500 dors. Meanwhile, Liam''s entire monthly budget was 1,500 dors. As a result, he lost all the courage to snap back at Jason.


    Seeing Jason''s generosity, other viewers started kissing up to him and joining in on mocking Liam.


    Matthew was furious and cursed, "What a bunch of suck-ups! It''s just 1,500 dors! I''ll show him!"

 Chapter 39

    Benjamin quickly grabbed Matthew, pulling him back from doing anything rash. "Matt, don''t! Isabelle will be angry if she finds out you''re sending gifts to


    livestreamers. Besides, dating is already expensive enough. You don''t have to do this just to get back on them."


    Matthew protested, "But they''re being such jerks about it!"


    I had to agree. They were acting like total show-offs. It was not like Jason had dropped millions. He only spent 1,500 dors, and they were treating him like a king. I just did not get why people were fawning over him.


    As I watched Jason repeatedly spam messages telling Liam to leave, I decided to act. Without hesitation, I loaded up my ount.


    Suddenly, the screen exploded with color as a giant aircraft carrier roared across the screen, taking up everyone''s view. The special effects covered Felicia''s face and all the chat messages. Even the system announcement was in bold, vibrant letters.


    "Anonymous has sent an aircraft carrier, wishing the streamer sess and happiness!"


    "Holy crap, who sent an aircraft carrier?!" Liam eximed in shock.


    Matthew''s jaw dropped. "Isn''t that thing like 10,000 dors? Wait, let me check... It''s 8,800 dors! Who the hell is that?"


    Benjamin said confidently, "It can''t be anyone from our department. Joshua was the only rich kid, and he''s gone now-running from his debts."


    I had to smile at that. Little did they know, there was another wealthy student right in their dorm room.


    Even popr streamers rarely received gifts this expensive in a single night, and when they did, they usually had to split it with their top donors. Hence, Felicia receiving such a valuable gift on her first stream was practically unheard of.


    However, I didn''t do it for her. I did it for my friends, just to put Jason in his ce. And it worked perfectly-both Felicia and the chat instantly forgot about Jason, focusing instead on specting about the mysterious donor.


    "Anonymous''? That''s such a cool username! The person is rich but humble¡ª definitely old money."


    "Do we have someone that loaded in our department? Could it be Joshua?"


    "Joshua better not show his face around here he still owes me money! If Joshua had the nerve to send gifts, I''d track him down and make him pay!"


    "Felicia, do you know Anonymous? Is this a fake donation?"


    "Must be her sugar daddy."


    The chat spiraled into spection, with some even suggesting I was Felicia''s secret sponsor. Meanwhile, Felicia sat there speechless, repeatedly refreshing her dashboard to verify if the donation was real.


    She sat there, staring at the screen, clutching her chest, too overwhelmed to even remember her job-thanking the gift sender.


    Only after confirming she would receive 60% of the gift''s value, about 5,000 dors, did she snap out of it. She stammered, "Thank you, Anonymous, for the gift. I-I don''t even know what to say..."


    Before she could finish, I lit up the screen again. If Jason wanted to see a real power move, I would show him how it''s done.


    "Anonymous has sent an aircraft carrier, wishing the streamer sess and happiness!"


    "Anonymous has sent an aircraft carrier, wishing the streamer sess and happiness!"


    "Anonymous has sent an aircraft carrier, wishing the streamer sess and happiness!"


    ...

 Chapter 40

    Just as Jason had sent 15 fireworks, I responded with 15 aircraft carriers. There was no deeper meaning to it-I simply wanted to crush his egopletely. If he enjoyed humiliating others with money, it was time for him to taste his own medicine.


    Right after I finished sending the gifts, Benjamin let out a yelp. However, he had jumped up in excitement and identally hit his head.


    Liam bounced around with his phone, shouting, "Who is this person? 15 aircraft carriers... H-How much is that? I can''t even calcte how much that costs!"


    Matthew whispered in awe, "It''s about 130 thousand dors. That''s enough for my brother''s entire wedding!"


    Suddenly, a shout echoed outside the hallway, "Anonymous, where are you? Are you in this dorm? Come out!"


    I nearly choked on my own spit. This was getting ridiculous-not only had the chat gone wild, but guys from our department were losing it in real life too.


    I guess I could understand. After all, 130 thousand dors was a lot of money to them.


    Soon, the chat exploded with spection.


    "Anonymous can''t be from our department!"


    "Felicia, you must know who Anonymous is, right? Why else would they send such expensive gifts?"


    "No wonder we barely see Felicia anymore¡ªshe''s got herself a sugar daddy!" Felicia''sposure was impressive. Instead of responding to the usations, she stayed focused on her dashboard, verifying the donation amounts.


    She would get at least 80 thousand dors from the 130 thousand dors. For her first night streaming, this was an incredible windfall.


    "Thank you, thank you so much, Anonymous," she suddenly choked up. "Actually, I''m not doing this for myself. My grandpa needs expensive surgery, but my parents can''t afford it, and they were going to give up on treatment."


    She continued through tears, "I grew up in a small town with my grandpa while my parents worked in the city. I can''t bear seeing him being abandoned now, so I started streaming, hoping to earn enough for his surgery. Anonymous, you''ve saved both my grandfather and me. Thank you so much."


    At that point, Felicia covered her mouth and started crying. I had not expected such a serious reason behind her streaming debut, and I was stunned.


    However, I could not help but wonder if the 80 thousand dors was enough for her grandfather''s surgery. Looking at her tearful face on the screen, I decided to top it off and send her five more aircraft carriers.


    Afterward, I typed out my first message in the chat. "How much does your grandpa need for surgery?"


    "It''s 130 thousand dors, but please don''t send more, Anonymous! I have saved up about 10,000 dors from working odd jobs after graduating, and my parents have 20,000 dors saved up too. We have enough now."


    Usually, when streamers begged for more donations, I ignored them. But since Felicia was asking me to stop, I decided to send ten more aircraft carriers. With that, it would be enough to cover the surgery with extra for recovery care.


    After sending these gifts, I suddenly noticed the chat had gonepletely silent. Even my roommates had fallen quiet.


    I peered at them and found all three huddled around their phones, frozen in ce. "What''s going on? Why did everyone stop chatting? Did they all leave?"


    Matthew slowly looked up at me, his eyes wide with shock. "Are you kidding? Nobody left-everyone''s here! Haven''t you checked the department group chat? The entire department is watching, including our advisors and professors!"

 Chapter 41

    When I heard that the advisors and professors were watching, I could not help but think it was inappropriate. After all, it seemed strange for educators to watch their students in such suggestive livestreams.


    "That''s strange. So why isn''t anyone talking? Did Felicia clear the chat?" I asked.


    "Who could even speak after that? Anonymous justpletely destroyed everyone!" Liam mumbled.


    Benjamin added with augh, "While we were fighting over thousand-dor gifts, this whale dropped 270 thousand like it''s nothing. What a world we live in..."


    It finally hit me that they were all stunned by the sheer amount I had spent. Before long, the chat slowly came back to life, with messages flooding in.


    "Who is this rich dude?"


    "Anonymous, are you from our school? Give us a hint!"


    "Anonymous, need a girlfriend? 38-22-36, DM me for pics!"


    Felicia was sobbing into her hands, but she quickly wiped her tears away and shed a sweet smile. "Thank you so much, Anonymous. Would you like me to dance? If not, I''d love to perform my favorite dance for you-one I''ve never shown anyone else."


    "Wait," I typed, and Felicia immediately responded, "Would you like to request a specific dance?"


    "No," I replied. While I sympathized with her situation and had donated to help with the surgery costs, I had not forgotten my original purpose.


    "I don''t want anyone freeloading off the dance I paid for. Could you kick that broke poser Jason out of the stream?"


    Matthew erupted in cheers when he saw my message. "Yes! The whale is on our side! Liam, you lucky dog-you''ve got a rich defender!"


    Liam''s face turned red with excitement. "Whoever this person is, I''ll marry him if I have to!"


    I cringed at thatment, fighting the urge to throw my pillow at him.


    "Of course, Anonymous," Felicia responded immediately. "From now on, I''m


    yours. I''ll do whatever you want."


    After that suggestivement, she quickly muted Jason, blocked him, and kicked him from the stream.


    It was satisfying. Soon, the chat exploded again.


    "Wait, why does this whale have it out for Jason? Are they really defending Liam?"


    "So Liam''s the main character here?"


    "I''d go gay for someone this generous!"


    Hold on! They were getting the wrong idea.


    I quickly typed, "This isn''t just about Liam. It''s about fairness. At our age, where does our moneye from? Our parents."


    I continued, "Some of us, including me, were just lucky to be born into wealth. But does that mean those who weren''t should be disrespected?"


    "Even though I''m rich, I don''t think that way. I''m happy to be friends with people regardless of their wealth. Besides, fortunes can change with hard work and the right opportunity, and anyone could be wealthy overnight. Keep pushing forward, everyone."


    Matthew was nearly crying after reading my messages. "Now, this is what you call having ss! This is a real character!"


    Liam was still in full devotion mode. "I wish I could be real friends with someone like this whale, but would they even give me the chance?"


    I had to smile at that. I wanted to tell him we were already friends, but I held back.


    I did not want things to be awkward between us.

 Chapter 42

    Not only my roommates, but the entire chat was also moved by my message. The atmosphere shifted instantly frompetitive flexing, sucking up to Jason, and insulting Felicia to genuine positivity and joy.


    Felicia smiled warmly. "That was beautifully said, Anonymous. I''ll take those words to heart. Would you like to see my dance now?"


    I immediately typed back, "Go ahead."


    Felicia immediately blew a kiss at the camera before starting her performance. As she struck her first pose, I felt warm all over as it was incredibly seductive.


    The music and lyrics were equally sensual, perfectly matching her sultry movements. Any guy watching would have found it impossible to staypletely unmoved by her performance.


    When she finished, she was slightly sweaty, her face flushed. However, it only made her look sexier. She sat back down in front of the camera and asked shyly, "Did you like it, Anonymous?"


    "I loved it," I replied politely.


    Felicia blushed and bit her lip. "I-If you would like to meet in person, I could perform this dance for you privately. From now on, I''ll only dance for you."


    No, thanks. I could easily hire professional dancers if I wanted a private show. Nheless, it would not be the same, as there''s a massive difference between paying forpany and making a genuine connection.


    Besides, I was not looking to throw money at influencers for a fling-I was still hoping for something more natural, sincere, and meaningful in love. Just as I was thinking of politely turning Felicia down without embarrassing her, the door to her room suddenly opened, and Lina walked in.


    I was shocked, wondering what she was doing there. Felicia seemed equally surprised.


    She asked Lina, "What are you doing here?"


    Lina strode up to the camera and waved, saying, "Hi everyone! It''s Lina Smith. Anonymous, I''m nning to start streaming, too-will you support me?"


    Everyone was stunned by her brazen behavior-my roommates, the chat, and especially Felicia. This was beyond merepetition.


    Felicia jumped up, trying to block Lina from the camera. "Lina, what are you trying to do?"


    Lina smirked. "What''s wrong? Afraid I''ll steal Anonymous? If Anonymous likes me better, that''s not stealing-and if they don''t, I couldn''t steal them anyway. So why are you so worried?"


    "L-lina!" Felicia stammered, unable to counter Lina''s twisted logic. Then, she started crying out of sheer frustration.


    I was shocked again by Lina''s shamelessness. That night when Joshua disappeared, when she brought me clothes in the dark, I had thought she had changed. Clearly, I was naive¡ªa leopard really doesn''t change its spots.


    As thedies continued arguing, I quickly typed, "Felicia, I came here just to watch you. You must be tired, so you should get some rest."


    After that, I left the stream, not wanting to see any more of Lina''s antics.


    From below, I heard Liam''sughter. "Ha! Serves her right. Anonymous left! That''s what she gets!"

 Chapter 43

    Benjamin remarked, "Lina''s unbelievable! If she wants to stream, she could do it on her own channel. Why did she barge into Felicia''s room to steal her top


    supporter?"


    Matthew scoffed. "That''s just how she is. She betrayed William by hooking up with his roommate, and now she''s betraying her friend to chase after money. She''ll get what''sing to her eventually!"


    Matthew had voiced exactly what I was thinking. With that kind of attitude, karma would catch up to Lina sooner orter.


    The next day, as we walked into ss, we could hear everyone buzzing about Anonymous. Meanwhile, Felicia was back to her usual self, with her hair tied up in a ponytail, wearing ck-framed sses, and a baggy t-shirt and jeans. She looked nothing like the sultry image from the streamst night.


    As she sat at her desk, Felicia scanned the ssroom intently, probably looking for her mysterious supporter. When she noticed us walk in, our eyes met briefly. Instead of the usual look of disgust most girls gave me, she offered a friendly smile before continuing her search.


    I was a little surprised. Knowing my reputation, the fact that Felicia could still smile at me was unexpected. I bet she would have never guessed that I was actually Anonymous.


    I also noticed Jason, usually so arrogant, now slumped at his desk with headphones on, ying games on his phone. His usual crowd of friends had abandoned him to join the spection about Anonymous'' identity.


    Just then, Felicia stood up, breaking the chatter. "I know most of you watched my streamst night. If Anonymous is here, could you let me know privately? I just want to thank you in person. I won''t bother you, I promise."


    After that, she bowed nervously to the ss before quickly sitting back down, clearly ufortable with the attention. Seeing such a shy girl force herself to stream for her grandfather''s sake was touching.


    Looking at her sincere expression, I decided to message her through our college''s messaging tform. "I''m Anonymous."


    She epted my message request immediately and responded excitedly, "You''re Anonymous? Really? Who are you?"


    "I''m William White," I replied. From where I sat, I could see her face cycle through shock and disbelief.


    There was no response for a long time, but I did not me her for her reaction. My reputation in the department was not great-I was known for being arrogant and showy. So, she was probably wondering if I was just messing with her, considering how many guys had likely tried to trick her sincest night.


    I quickly sent another message. "I can prove it over lunch. I''ll show you my ount."


    "Okay, I''ll wait for you at the gate," she replied.


    I chuckled. We were in the same ssroom, yet she wanted to meet far from prying eyes. She clearly did not want to be seen with me.


    Nheless, I did not call her out and simply typed, "Sure."


    After ss, I said goodbye to Matthew and the others and headed to the school


    gate. Sure enough, Felicia was there, nervously looking around. When she spotted me, she hurried over.


    "William White..." she squinted through her thick sses. "Is it really you?" "Yes," I replied simply.

 Chapter 44

    I pulled out my phone and opened OnlyKitties to show Felicia my ount and all the transaction history I made on the tform. Her eyes widened, and she gasped. "It really is you! But... but..."


    "But what? You thought I was broke, vain, and only wore knockoffs?" I could not help but smile.


    I wanted to reveal my true identity but decided against it. If I told Felicia, I feared she would be unable to keep the secret.


    While I did not mind if others found out, I was worried about my three roommates -they might be ufortable around me, hesitate to ask for help when needed, and eventually, our friendship would drift apart.


    So, I simply exined, "Actually, I received prize money from that entrepreneurshippetition, and I decided to spend it on you."


    Felicia''s eyes widened in surprise. "Oh, thatpetition where you won first ce! The prize was 50 thousand dors right?"


    "Yeah." I nodded.


    "And you... you gave me over 20 thousand dors? More than half of it? Thank you so much." Felicia was clearly touched and at a loss for words.


    I could understand her reaction. After all, no one in their right mind would take 50 thousand dors in prize money and donate almost 28 thousand dors to a streamer they did not even know personally.


    "Let me treat you to a meal then!" she offered.


    "Sure," I agreed.


    Since breaking up with Lina, this was my first time eating alone with a girl, and I felt a bit excited. Especially after seeing Felicia''s streaming outfit and her curvy figurest night, I could not help but feel a bit distracted.


    At the restaurant, I tried to control my wandering eyes and focused on ordering food instead.


    Halfway through the meal, Felicia suddenly asked, "So, I heard you and Lina started dating right when the semester started. Can I ask what you saw in her?"


    I paused for a moment before answering honestly, "She''s beautiful. It was love at first sight."


    Unlike the polished beauty of other socialites I knew, Lina had a natural, unspoiled charm that caught my attention.


    Felicia chuckled. "Typical guy!"


    "It''s not about gender. Don''t women go crazy over hot guys too?"


    "Not me!" Felicia quickly defended herself. "I''m not into pretty boys."


    I chuckled and asked, "Then what''s your type? Older men?"


    It would not be too surprising if she had a thing for older men-plenty of girls did.


    Felicia winked at me. "I like guys like you."


    I froze. I was unsure if she was just teasing me or if she was actually being serious. My heart started racing, but I tried to stay realistic.


    I knew I was not handsome enough for love at first sight, and Felicia had never shown interest in me before. Even this morning, she barely looked at me when saying hello. If she did like me, it was probably because of my donations, not the real me.


    After that reality check, I calmed down. I replied yfully, "Don''t flirt with me. I just got out of a rtionship, and if I fall for you, I might not let go."


    Felicia adjusted her sses and smirked. "Yeah, right! I can tell you''re not interested in me at all!"

 Chapter 45

    That was true. While I found her physically attractive, that was just biology-any guy would find her attractive, but it was not the same as having real feelings.


    After lunch, we headed back to campus together. At the entrance, I instinctively started walking in a different direction, but to my surprise, she followed me.


    "William, where are you going?" she called out.


    I stopped and turned to her, confused about why she was following me. "I thought you wanted to keep your distance from me on campus."


    Her face turned bright red at myment. "That''s not true! I-I just wasn''t sure if you were really Anonymous this morning. Now that I know it''s you, why would I keep my distance? I actually want to get closer to you."


    While pondering whether she was telling the truth and had changed her mind, I did not dwell on it. After all, it would be nice to have another friend besides Benjamin, Liam, and Matthew.


    As we walked together through campus, I told her, "Keep the fact that I''m Anonymous between us for now."


    She gave me a sad smile. "I get it. It''s embarrassing to admit you spent money on a girl like me, right?"


    "That''s not what I meant at all," I protested, wondering where she got the idea.


    "It''s okay, you don''t need to exin. I understand," she insisted.


    What exactly did she understand? I sighed and tried to rify, "I honestly don''t think it''s embarrassing. You¡ª"


    Before I could finish exining, Felicia suddenly grabbed my hand. "William, look!" she eximed, pointing ahead.


    I looked up to see Lina wearing a pink dress and carrying a white crossbody bag. The sight irritated me-everything from her clothes to her shoes, bag, and even her hair clip were things I had bought her.


    Lina stood there looking flirtatious and shy in front of a guy I had never seen before. After she said something, his face lit up with excitement, and he quickly opened the passenger door of his BMW X5 for her.


    It was not the most expensive car, but for a college student, it was pretty impressive.


    "William, do you know who that guy is?" Felicia asked.


    I shook my head, and she gave me a sympathetic look. "That''s Ryan Hudson.


    He''s been Lina''s backup n."


    "Oh, why should I care?" I replied.


    "You should! He''s been pursuing Lina forever-even before you dated her, and he kept at it even when she cheated with Joshua. Looks like he finally got what he wanted!"


    I stood there dumbfounded. It dawned on me that while Lina was dating me, she was not just cheating with Joshua but also keeping Ryan on the hook.


    "What is she, some kind of time management expert? How did she juggle three guys without getting caught?" I blurted out in disbelief.


    "Three? There were at least seven of them! Only a fool like you couldn''t see through her games." Felicia scoffed.


    I felt like I was wearing a neon sign that said "sucker" as I watched the BMW drive away, suddenly impressed by Ryan''s persistence.


    "So Ryan saw her date me and cheat with Joshua, and he still stuck around?"


    Felicia snorted. "That''s because Lina''s a master maniptor. She kept telling Ryan that your rtionship was rocky and would end soon, so he just kept waiting like an idiot! Then, when she got with Joshua, she imed Joshua forced her into it. Ryan felt so bad for her but was too scared to confront Joshua, so he just put up with it."


    "Damn," was all I could say.

 Chapter 46

    Lina was something else, and Ryan was just as bad. They were perfect for each other¡ªa lying woman and a desperate man.


    I thought I had seen Lina''s true colors when I caught her with Joshua, but that was just the tip of the iceberg. The memory of her acting all pure and shy in front of me made me want to throw up, and I could not believe how blind I was to let her y me like that.


    While walking Felicia back to her dorm, she told me more about Lina. Apparently, Lina had been badmouthing me in the girls'' dorm and ruining my reputation, especially to Charlotte, who had wanted to hire someone to beat me up several times.


    My blood was boiling, finally realizing that Charlotte hated me so much, all because of Lina''s doing behind my back. Every time I went to see Charlotte, Lina actedpletely innocent, and if Felicia had not told me the truth today, I would never have suspected her.


    "And you know the night Joshua got in trouble? When she asked for her jacket back? Good thing you ignored her. She told uster that she was testing you. If you''d shown even the slightest interest in getting back together, she would ask you for money."


    It turned out that after Joshua had scammed her and borrowed a lot of money, she had been desperate for cash and thought of targeting me again. My heart sank¡ªI had almost yed the sucker again.


    "Thanks for telling me all this," I said, feeling like my whole worldview had been shaken.


    Felicia replied righteously, "It''s nothing. I''ve always hated how they act-forming cliques, bullying others, using their looks to scam people for free stuff, and ying with people''s feelings."


    "Sure, my livestreaming isn''t exactly honorable, but at least I''m not lying to anyone. If guys give me money, it''s because they want to."


    I smiled. "You''ve got a point."


    Felicia blushed. "Though I can stop if you don''t want me to stream anymore. I''ve got enough for my grandpa''s surgery now anyway."


    No way! If she stopped streaming, we would miss out on all the fun. I quickly said, "Keep streaming if you want to. I might drop by sometimes and send you gifts to help boost your views."


    I thought Felicia would be happy to hear this, but her smile vanished instantly instead. I was puzzled, thinking if she did not want my support.


    When we reached her dorm building, I waved goodbye. "Go ahead. I''ll go back to my dorm too."


    Just as I was leaving, she called out, "William, are we friends now?"


    "Of course." I gave her a bright smile and a definitive answer.


    "Then... can we have lunch together tomorrow too?"


    The way she said it made it sound like I was some kind of prize. It felt nice, so I immediately replied, "You treated me today, so tomorrow lunch is on me. Let''s go somewhere fancy."


    Her face lit up with joy. "It''s a deal!"


    The next day, as soon as ss ended, I called out to Felicia, "Let''s go get lunch."


    Felicia packed her things and ran over to link her arm with mine. I felt a bit awkward about the physical contact as it seemed too intimate.


    However, I did not push her away since I was single anyway, and no one would be jealous of this act. Plus, she seemed so happy; I did not want to hurt her feelings by rejecting her.


    The other students in ss immediately started whispering when they saw us together.


    "What''s going on with Felicia and William? Are they dating?"


    "No way. Felicia''s doing those sexy streams now, so she''d surely prefer a rich guy. She''d never go for a nobody like William."

 Chapter 47

    "True that! She''s probably just like Lina, trying to squeeze some cash out of William."


    "What a sucker. He was burned once and still didn''t learn his lesson, falling into the same trap twice."


    I was used to thesements and did not let them bother me. However, Felicia''s face turned from red to pale as she quietly let go of my arm.


    I felt guilty immediately. She just wanted to have lunch with me, yet she had to endure their insults. I had initially nned to take her to a nice restaurant, but now I changed my mind. We were definitely going to ck Dragon, the Michelin-


    starred ce.


    As we reached the campus gate, I spotted a familiar car-Ryan''s red BMW X5. Before I could say anything, a familiar perfume wafted by, and Lina rushed eagerly toward the car. She was running like she was in some cheesy teen drama, looking all innocent and pretty.


    Ryan stepped out of his car, wearing a leather jacket despite the heat, trying to look cool in his sunsses.


    "Ryan, have you been waiting long?" Lina asked sweetly.


    "Babe, waiting for you is never a problem. Who else would I wait for? Didn''t I tell you? I could wait for you forever."


    "You''re so sweet. You''re like my guardian angel, always watching over me."


    "I''d rather be your knight."


    "You''re not just my knight, you''re my prince."


    "I''m gonna be sick," I muttered under my breath. Then, I asked Felicia, "Do they always talk like this?"


    Felicia nodded with visible disgust. "It''s even worse when they''re on the phone. They''ll baby-talk and make kissing noises for hours."


    I felt even more sympathy for Felicia now. If Matthew ever sat in our dorm making kissy noises to Isabelle on the phone, Benjamin, Liam, and I would probably gag him with a sock.


    "Come on, let''s grab some good food. Ever heard of ck Dragon?" I needed to leave before I lost my appetitepletely.


    "The Michelin-starred restaurant?" Felicia''s eyes went wide. "We can''t go there! Have you seen their prices? Even an appetizer costs over 100 dors!"


    Of course, I knew. Not only that, but just reserving a decent table costs an extra 300 dors in service fees. Mom had taken me there once, and the food was decent, but the ambiance was unique-definitely Instagram-worthy, so I figured she would like it.


    "Don''t worry about it. I can afford it," I said as we got into a cab headed for ck Dragon.


    The whole way there, Felicia was nervous, constantly trying to talk me out of it. When we arrived, she gasped and grabbed my arm again.


    "William, seriously, let''s not do this! We don''t belong in ces like this. We could just go to Basil Garden or something!"


    I was not taking her to some random diner. Even if it was not ck Dragon, it had to be something nice. After all, we were already here.


    "It''s fine. Think of it as an experience. Besides, what else am I going to do with that prize money? Just think of it as keeping mepany while I check this ce out, okay?"


    Seeing how determined I was, Felicia reluctantly let go of my arm. She looked down self-consciously, tugging at her t-shirt. "But people will judge me for wearing this..."

 Chapter 48

    I finally took a good look at her outfit. She was wearing the same oversized navy blue T-shirt from ss, baggy pants that were worn from wear and tear, and dirty red sneakers. She was right. She did look a bit rough around the edges.


    I nced around and noticed a decent women''s boutique nearby. Without thinking much, I led her in.


    "Can you help her pick out an outfit? We''re going out for lunch," I told the sales assistant.


    The sales assistant was clearly experienced and smiled warmly at my request. "Leave it to me."


    "William! William,e here!" Felicia called out urgently from the clothing racks.


    I thought she was picking out clothes, but when I walked over, she just showed me the price tags. "This light jacket is 3,000 dors, and this tank top is 1,900! Let''s get out of here!"


    I could not help butugh as I thought Felicia was such a simple girl. Even if we could not afford it, there was nothing wrong with browsing around.


    "Don''t worry about the prices. Just go try things on-remember, I''ve got money," I reminded her.


    Felicia''s eyes widened, and her face suddenly turned red. "William, d-didn''t you say you weren''t interested in me? Why are you trying to woo me?"


    I nearly choked. "Who''s wooing you?"


    "If you''re not, then why are you sending me gifts on stream, taking me to meals, and buying me clothes?"


    Before I could exin this coincidence, Felicia suddenly hugged my waist. "I''m okay with it!"


    Wait, what? What was she okay with?


    I quickly pushed her away. "That''s not what I meant at all. Just try on the clothes. I''m just being a friend."


    "Oh, okay." Seeing my firm rejection, she glumly followed the sales assistant.


    While waiting on the couch, I scrolled through my phone and came across Lina''s Instagram post. The photos showed only her with fancy tableware and food at ck Dragon-no Ryan in sight.


    Her caption read, "Back at ck Dragon! The lobster here is still sweet, but I can''t handle raw seafood. Street food is still the best. I still prefer street food."


    In the past, I would have thought this made her different from other gold-diggers. However, I had already seen through her fake modesty and knew this was just bait to make her less wealthy admirers feel morefortable. Talk about ying the long game.


    Sure enough, herments were filled with guys fawning over her.


    "Let me take you for street food sometime!"


    "Yeah, fancy food is nd. Those food trucks are where it''s at!"


    "You''re so beautiful!"


    I was getting secondhand embarrassment from reading theirments. These poor guys were just fish in her tank, but at least they had not been caught, gutted, and thrown back like I had been. I was even more pathetic.


    "William, how do I look?"


    Felicia''s voice snapped me out of my thoughts. I looked up and almost choked again from the sexy outfit.


    Her figure was on full disy¡ªno, actually, it was way too much on disy. From where I was sitting, her curves cast dramatic shadows, blocking the overhead lights.

 Chapter 49

    As I thought about the view from above, I quickly stood up. Sure enough, the sight was spectacr.


    Felicia''s dress was way too tight and revealing. I quickly averted my eyes, worried I might actually get a nosebleed if I kept staring.


    Felicia noticed my reaction and giggled. "Why are you acting like you''ve never seen anything like this before?"


    "Because I haven''t!" I protested.


    "You''re lying. Lina''s breasts are pretty huge."


    "I wouldn''t know-I never saw anything."


    Felicia froze, then grabbed my face to make me look at her. "William, are you serious? Lina never showed you?"


    I shook my head helplessly. "We kept it pretty innocent, just kissing." Even then, my hands had stayed firmly nted on her waist like they were welded there.


    Felicia looked shocked for a moment, then suddenly lifted my hand and ced it on her chest. I jumped back like a startled schoolgirl,pletely panicked.


    "What are you doing?"


    Felicia blushed. "Since you''ve never seen or touched them before... I wanted to be your first. Don''t forget, William-the first one you ever touched was mine..."


    I felt my own face heat up. Just then, a calctor appeared in front of me. The sales assistant smiled brightly and said, "That''ll be 6,800 dors."


    I handed over my credit card without hesitation. I thought it was money well spent. Even if it was only for the view at dinner tonight, it was totally worth it.


    After buying the outfit, Felicia finally rxed and linked her arm with mine as we walked into the restaurant. I felt like I was in a dream-her arm was so soft, like pressing against a cushiony cloud.


    Honestly, when I dated Lina, I was pretty innocent. While I wanted to hug and kiss her, I never had those kinds of urges. Yet, I was feeling things despite not having romantic feelings for Felicia. I could not help but wonder if there was a yer hiding inside me.


    While I was lost in thought, Felicia suddenly covered her mouth. "William, I''m so nervous, and I feel sick!"


    "Why are you nervous?" I asked, surprised.


    "It''s too fancy here, and I''m scared!"


    "We''re just here to eat, not rob the ce. What''s there to be scared of?"


    "I''ve never been somewhere this fancy before... I need to use the restroom!" She turned to run.


    I quickly grabbed her. "The bathroom''s that way. Here, I''ll show you."


    Felicia rushed into thedies'' room while I waited outside, washing my hands and checking the mirror. After a while, I saw no sign of her, so I wondered if she was doing number two.


    When I used to go out with Lina, she would alwayse up with excuses rather than admit she needed to do her business. I thought girls were probably all like that.


    "William, what are you doing here?"


    A hand grabbed my shoulder, and I turned to find Lina standing right before me.

 Chapter 50

    I could not believe it-of all the ces in this huge restaurant, I had to run into


    her.


    "Didn''t you hear me? What are you doing here?" she pressed.


    Annoyed, I shot back, "What do you think people do in restrooms? We''re not here to eat out of the toilet, are we?"


    Lina frowned. "You''re so crude!"


    I scoffed. "We''re nothing to each other anymore, so why do you care how I talk?"


    "William..." Lina put on her usual damsel-in-distress act. "Don''t be like this. Even if we can''t be together, I still want us to be friends. I''m sorry if I was harsh the other day. Please don''t hold it against me."


    If I had not learned about her true nature from Felicia earlier today, I might have fallen for it. Her helpless, innocent act could melt any guy''s heart, but thankfully, I was now immune.


    "Drop the act. I''m not buying it anymore, and I definitely don''t want to be friends with someone like you."


    Lina froze, her expression changing instantly. "What do you mean, someone like me?"


    "Fake," I said bluntly.


    "I''m fake? Look who''s talking, William! You pretended to be rich in front of me... Wait, why are you at ck Dragon anyway? Are you working here part-time?"


    She was getting worked up, talking faster. "What''s the hourly rate here? 30, 50 dors? Sure, it''s a Michelin restaurant, so it probably pays better than regr ces, but do you really think you fit in here? The servers are all so elegant and polite¡ªyou''d just drag down their image!"


    Lina was finally showing her true colors and going full mean girl. I found her pathetic and started walking toward the men''s room, not wanting to waste any more time on her.


    However, I ran into Ryaning out. He recognized me immediately and blurted out, "William?"


    Immediately after, his eyes darted to Lina usingly. "What''s going on here? Are you talking to him again?"


    "No! Don''t misunderstand. We just happened to run into each other. He''s working here part-time. We''repletely over," Lina rushed to exin.


    Wait, who said anything about a part-time job? Lina was saying whatever she could to clear her name. The habitual liar seemed to not know when to stop.


    Ryan still looked tense as he wrapped his arm around Lina''s waist possessively, ring at me like I was trying to steal her. I thought they deserved each other and hoped they would stay together forever rather than hurt other people.


    Suddenly, Ryan looked me up and down. "William, I thought you actually had some money. You were so generous with Lina, buying her whatever she wanted. Turns out you were just working odd jobs in secret. Why live such a fake life?"


    I had been heading to the restroom, but hearing that stopped me in my tracks. I turned to Ryan and said coldly, "At least I could afford to buy her things. You''ve been pursuing her for a year, but did you even spend a tenth of what I spent on her?"


    Ryan froze and looked at Lina for confirmation. Clearly, he had spent quite a bit on her too.


    Lina sensed an opportunity to squeeze more money out of Ryan, and she put on her maniptive smile. "Ryan, he only bought me things to show off. He never really loved me like you do. Don''tpare yourself to him. Sure, he bought me many things, like this whole outfit I''m wearing today."


    "What!" Ryan immediately pulled out his wallet and handed Lina all three of his credit cards. "Use all my money! Tonight, we''ll throw out everything he bought you. We don''t need his things!"


    I shook my head, finally encountering someone who was even more foolish than I


    was.

 Chapter 51

    "William, stop right there!" Ryan yelled from behind me.


    My temper red. "Are you done? Do you think you''re worthy of calling my name?"


    I was prepared to p that idiot if he called my name again.


    However, Ryan suddenly picked up a paper napkin in an exaggerated manner and tossed it away. I watched the paper napkin drift to the ground, when he suddenly looked at me in a challenging, disdainful manner. "Pick it up and wipe my leather shoes clean."


    Lina snorted withughter. "You''re so mean, Ryan."


    Ryan looked exceptionally gleeful. "Ha, isn''t he a waiter here? I''ve got to make as much use of him as I can! You''d better move quickly. If you make me unhappy and Iin about you, you might not even have the money to get a cab back to school!"


    Lina said, "Ryan, you''re so dumb! He''s so poor! How can he afford to get a cab? He''s definitely going to take the bus."


    "Oh, you''re right! I''m so sorry, I''ve just never taken the bus or anything like that in my life. I know nothing about it at all!"


    I looked at the two of them and took a deep breath. "If you really have nothing to do, you can go in and eat shit. Don''t talk crap around me."


    "What did you say?" Ryan did not seem to have expected me to talk back. He looked furious.


    "How dare you insult me? Are you tired of living? Where''s the manager? I want the manager! Call him out at once! I''m going to make aint about you! I''m also going toin about your manager so that it''ll be impossible for you to keep working here!"


    "Lina? Ryan?" Felicia walked out at that moment.


    Lina was surprised to see her. "What are you doing here? Oh, I know. You''re here to work too?"


    Felicia gritted her teeth and said, "I came to eat here!"


    She did not seem afraid that Lina would make fun of her at all. She walked straight over to me and took my arm. "I came with William."


    "You came here to eat? You? Ha!" Lina covered her mouth with her hand andughed sardonically. "Do you know what kind of ce this is and how much it costs per person? Did you check on the Inte beforeing? You can''t possibly think that this is some kind of buffet restaurant that only costs a couple of bucks, do you?"


    Felicia turned red, and she said, "Of course I do! Isn''t this a Michelin-star restaurant? It''s not like you''reing here and paying with your own money. You only got in here because you''re riding on the coattails of some guy. What are you so cocky about?"


    "Felicia!" Lina''s expression changed. "Watch your mouth! So what if I''m riding on a man''s coattails? I''m able to do it because I''m capable of doing so! You try doing it if you can! However, you''ll have to see whether they''ll want you or not first!"


    Ryan immediatelyughed contemptuously. "I wouldn''t even deign to look at a country bumpkin like that, not even if she threw herself at me!"


    Felicia did not back down at all. "I wouldn''t want you, either! You''re just an ugly upstart with no ss!"


    "Say that again if you dare!" Felicia seemed to have touched a nerve. Ryan suddenly pushed Lina aside and rushed over, looking ready toe to blows with Felicia.


    I hastily pulled Felicia behind me and reached out to shove Ryan away. Ryan stumbled from the force of my shove, and the look on his face became even more contorted as he gathered all his strength and rushed toward me once more.


    I did not show any leniency toward him at all, and Inded a kick on his stomach.


    There was a thump as Ryan slipped and fell to his knees.


    "Ryan!" Lina shouted loudly when she saw that Ryan was no match for me. "Somebody, help! There''s a fight going on! Come here! Your VIP customer is getting beaten up! Help, help!"

 Chapter 52

    I was exasperated.


    Was Lina really going to start calling for reinforcements just because Ryan was unable to win against me?


    Were we still in elementary school?


    Wasn''t that too cowardly of them?


    A whole bunch of people rushed toward us very quickly.


    Apart from the manager and a few waiters, there were also a few nosy diners.


    When Lina saw that there were more people around, she finally had the courage to go up to Ryan and help him to his feet. She put on a piteous look once more. "Please stand up for us, everyone! We only came here to have a meal, and my boyfriend is actually a VIP customer here. However, we bumped into these two nobodies who popped up out of nowhere while we were on our way to the restrooms. They beat my boyfriend up!"


    She added, "The two of them aren''t here to eat at all, especially the one who struck the first blow. He''s dressed in fake branded clothes from head to toe. He just sneaked in to take photos so that he could show off!"


    The other diners immediately looked Felicia and I up and down.


    Felicia said agitatedly, "No, it''s not like that! We came here to eat too."


    "Eat?" Ryan snorted. "Do you know that the ck Dragon restaurant only caters for guests who have made reservations? Do you have a reservation? If you don''t, then you''re obviously a liar!"


    Felicia immediately looked at me. "William, you insisted on bringing me here to eat. You made a reservation, right?"


    I said in resignation, "No, I didn''t¡ª"


    Before I could finish, Ryan burst intoughter and interrupted me. "I knew it! He''s not worthy of dining at the ck Dragon at all! He doesn''t even know that he needs to make a reservation beforeing, and he''s just trying to show off in front of a beautiful woman! Everyone, don''t you think we should kick them out?"


    The onlookers had clearly been influenced by him, and they immediately began calling out together, "Yes, we should!"


    "Before you get lost, you should apologize to him, shouldn''t you? How dare you beat him up?"


    "I bet they came in to take photos so that they could post it on social media and boast about eating here while pretending to be rich. I''ve seen plenty of people like them."


    "It might even be a scam. That woman is dressed so provocatively. She''s clearly up to no good!"


    "Look at that woman! She''s wearing such high-end branded clothes with a pair of scruffy canvas sneakers. What a joke! I bet she stole those clothes."


    Some diners even took out their phones to take photos of Felicia and I.


    Felicia was about to cry. She gripped my arm tightly. "William, let''s go! You didn''t make a reservation, so we won''t be able to eat here. Let''s just go!" She was trembling with fear, and she buried her face on my back, too afraid to look up. "Don''t be scared," Iforted her gently. I took out my VIP card and handed it to the manager. "I didn''t make a reservation because I don''t need to."


    The manager had already raised his walkie-talkie to his mouth to contact security, but his expression changed drastically when he saw me hold out the card.


    "You''re the owner of this card?"


    "Yes."


    The manager did not seem to believe me. He looked closely at me. "I need verification."


    Iughed coldly. "You''re just a manager here. You''re not authorized to verify my card. If you want to verify it, tell Mr. Yale toe out and see me."


    The manager''s expression changed yet again.


    The person in charge of the ck Dragon was supposed to be a general


    manager named Oswald Warner, but the person who was really in control was Jordan Yale.


    Jordan had given me this card personally.


    However, the manager still looked disbelieving. "Please wait a moment. I''ll give Mr. Yale a call."


    He picked up his phone immediately and walked over to the side.


    Lina looked suspiciously at me. "What did you give him?"

 Chapter 53

    I did not want to pay Lina any attention. Why was someone who had never even


    seen the ck Dragon''s VIP card pretending to be a VIP? Just giving her a second nce would be more than she deserved.


    "William! I''m talking to you! Can''t you be more polite?"


    How could she have the audacity to talk to me about being polite? I''d show her what manners wereter.


    The manager walked back very quickly, and when he looked at me, his eyes were full of respect. He even bowed to me at once. "I''m very sorry, Mr. White. We were negligent in our treatment of you. I''ve verified this with Mr. Yale, and your VIP card is authentic. Mr. Yale instructed me to apologize properly to you."


    "No matter what kind of request you make today, we will do our best to fulfill it. Your meal tonight will be on the house. Will that be alright with you?"


    I said expressionlessly, "I don''t need you to give me a free meal. Just kick them out. I don''t want to see vomit-inducing people while I''m eating here."


    "What did you say?" Ryan was furious. He immediately red viciously at the manager. "I don''t care what kind of card he has. I''ve already spent 700 to 800 thousand at your restaurant! I demand that you kick him out right now!"


    Both of us had made the same request, which was to kick the other out.


    Now, it was up to the manager.


    The onlookers were no longer criticizing me. Instead, they were staring curiously at us, wondering how things would progress from there.


    Felicia and Lina both looked nervous as they stared fixedly at the manager.


    The manager did not even hesitate as he held out his hand to Ryan.


    Ryan looked delighted. Heughed and said, "What did I tell you, William? How can you evenpete with me?"


    However, the manager''s next sentencepletely humiliated Ryan. "Sir, Madam, you have disrupted our VIP guest''s dining experience. Please settle the bill and leave our restaurant immediately." He turned and said to the waiter, "Obtain their images from the security footage and put them on the cklist forever. We will refuse service to them."


    The waiter nodded at once. "Alright. I''ll get it done right now."


    Lina''s expression darkened. "How dare you refuse service to us? Are you doing that just because of what he said? What kind of card does he have? Don''t you think you''re being too snobbish?"


    Being too snobbish?


    Ha! Who was she calling a snob?


    If she hadn''t tried to bully me, I wouldn''t have bothered targeting her at all.


    "I''m not leaving! I''m going to call the customer hotline toin about your restaurant! How dare you kick us out? You don''t have the authority to do so!"


    The manager said expressionlessly, "If you want to call them, please do so outside. Otherwise, I''m going to call security."


    "You-! Your restaurant is bullying us! You''re only allowing patrons with cards to dine here, and you''re treating us contemptuously just because we don''t have a card! I''m going to take a video and post it on the Inte. I''m going to expose your ugly ways." Lina had gone mad with anger. She hadpletely lost all her rationality and was actually trying to threaten the ck Dragon.


    She had just lost her cash cow, Joshua, and had even been scammed out of a sum of money when they broke up. She had been down in the dumps when she''dtched onto Ryan instead.


    Now that she''d boasted about it and posted on her social media, how could she bear to be kicked out?


    She was determined to stay, even if she had to throw a tantrum to get her way.


    I knew her too well, and when I saw her throwing a fit, I knew exactly what she wanted.


    It was a pity that managers who worked at Michelin-rate restaurants like the ck Dragon weren''t easy to deal with, either. They were perfectly at home in dealing with situations like that.


    "You want to be exposed, do you? No problem. Wade, get the security footage at once and extract the video of how these two were provoking our VIP guests just now. Censor their faces and put it on our official website."


    "The patrons who are on our official website are all wealthy people. Let''s give them some entertainment today."


    The waiter nodded at once. Ryan and Lina panicked immediately.


    Only putting a censor bar over their eyes would make it very easy to recognize them.

 Chapter 54

    Besides, Lina and Ryan had been deliberately trying to cause trouble for me. I


    had done nothing wrong.


    I smiled at them.


    I wanted to see what they would do now that they had been foiled.


    Lina grabbed the waiter''s arm. "You can''t go! You-you have no right to publish a video of me!"


    The manager smiled and said, "Once we censor it, there will be no legal problems at all."


    "You - You..."


    "Stop talking!" Ryan snapped suddenly while Lina was stuttering.


    He knew that it would be very difficult for him toe out of this unscathed, so he said sullenly, "I''ll pay the bill and leave at once. Let''s just settle the matter."


    He walked straight toward the cashier.


    Immediately, everyone''s eyes turned to Lina. The onlookers even began mocking


    her.


    "Oh, I see that you''re a freeloader. She was so cocky just now that I thought she was the one paying."


    "She obviously isn''t a decent woman. She''s probably a gold-digging influencer."


    "That''s right! Those women are always pretending to be decent and pure when they''re total sluts inside, just like her."


    Lina turned red, then her expression became thunderous. She clenched her teeth and red at me as tears ran down her cheeks. She looked extremely wronged as she wiped away her tears and ran off.


    I shook my head. I did not feel any sympathy for her at all.


    If she had been polite at the start, things would never have gotten this far.


    She had deserved what she got.


    As soon as they left, the manager apologized to me again.


    I said carelessly, "It''s okay. I brought a friend here to eat, but I''m not in a great mood right now. Make sure nothing goes wrong with your serviceter."


    "Oh no, no. I guarantee that there will be no problems!"


    I took Felicia upstairs and we sat down. She still looked in disbelief.


    She leaned against the window and said excitedly, "William,e and see! The night view here is beautiful!"


    The view wasn''t anything special, and I had seen many more that were much nicer, so I didn''t bother getting up. However, I knew that all women liked getting their photos taken, so I took out my phone.


    "Shall I help you take a photo?"


    "Okay!" She immediately began striking poses by the window.


    I had to admit that she was a professional when it came to posing for the camera. After I took the photos, I nced at them and said, "You could be a model."


    Feliciaughed shyly. "I couldn''t do that. I don''t mind getting photos taken by people I''m close to, but I get very awkward when there are strangers around."


    I was startled. Did she think of me as someone close to her?


    After she took her seat, she looked at me hesitantly. "William, can I post this on my social media?"


    "Go ahead."


    "Will you think that I''m materialistic?"


    I was amused. "Why would I? When I go to a particrly nice restaurant to eat, I like taking photos and sharing too."


    Posting on social media to share about a new experience waspletely different from posting to show off.


    She immediately looked reassured and posted a coge at once.


    As soon as she posted it, she received more than a dozenments.

 Chapter 55

    "Wow, wow! I didn''t see that logo wrongly, did I? Is it the ck Dragon? Felicity,


    are you together with Mr. Top Dog? What are you doing having dinner at the ck Dragon?"


    "Don''t be silly! The ck Dragon? That''s the VIP room at the ck Dragon! Only people with a VIP card can enter."


    "Damn! Felicia, you''ve made it!"


    "Who are you eating with, Felicia? Fine dining restaurants like that are only good to look at. You''d be better off eating tacos."


    "Nonsense! The ck Dragon is a Mishelin grade restaurant! Didn''t you see the gold caviar Felicia posted? Do you know how much that costs?"


    Felicia was delighted when she saw thements.


    It was only then that I realized that even though she was very endearing and charming while doing her livestream, she was still a timid, antisocial loser in real life.


    That was why she still neededpliments and approval from others whening to a restaurant like this. It seemed to encourage her greatly.


    After we ate, we went back to school, and I sent Felicia back to the female dormitories. We passed a small path on the way there, and I suddenly heard a familiar voice. It was Ryan.


    Before I could take another step, Felicia grabbed me and yanked me behind a long bench. She put a finger to her lips.


    I lowered my voice in confusion. "What are you doing?"


    Felicia replied in a low voice, "Don''t you want to hear what he''s saying?"


    I wasn''t interested at all. However, Ryan suddenly turned and walked over. He sat down on the bench in front of us. Felicia and I held our breaths.


    We hadn''t done anything wrong, but now we felt strangely guilty.


    "Damn, don''t even mention it to me! I had to spend so much tonight to take that bitch to the ck Dragon. It was a pinch, but I paid 8,300 because I nned to get a room with her afterward.


    "She looked like she was going to agree and everything seemed to be going well, but guess what? Someone unexpected appeared out of nowhere and messed it all up!" Ryan was speaking very loudly through gritted teeth.


    I was startled. Was he talking about me?


    "That bitch was furious! She didn''t say a word on the way back, and she just got out and left when we reached the university. She didn''t even say bye to me. I don''t even know if she''ll agree to another date.


    "I''m guessing I''ll have to spend more money on buying presents for her over the next couple of days. That bitch is a total gold digger. Sweet words mean nothing to her, and she won''t give you so much as a smile unless you give her money and presents.


    "Don''t worry. She''s already been used by two men. Does she think I''m going to treat her like a treasure? She''s out as soon as I get her!"


    Ryan understood Lina very well. She was exactly what he had described. If she was angry, it didn''t matter what one said. However, she would immediately be back in a good mood once you gave her money or a present.


    Just as I was nodding in agreement, Felicia leaned sideways and suddenly fell on me. I was afraid that Ryan would discover us, so I hastily caught her.


    When I reached out, I touched something I shouldn''t have. It was so soft that I felt as if an electric shock had just run through me. However, I could not let go.


    If I did, Felicia would fall, and Ryan would definitely notice us. If he did, we would not be able to exin ourselves.


    I could only say in a small voice, "Crouch down properly."


    Felicia leaned against me and said in a soft voice, "My legs are numb and I can''t move."


    She couldn''t lean on me just because her legs were numb! Didn''t she know what kind of figure she had?


    Luckily, Ryan finished his call and stood up, still grumbling as he walked away from the bench.


    I hastily pulled back my hand. Without any kind of support, Felicia''s full weight fell on me, and it almost seemed as if she was tackling me on purpose.


    "Sorry, sorry."


    She scrambled to her feet, her hand pressing against my abdomen as she did so.


    I let out a silent scream of pain in the dark.

 Chapter 56

    Felicia and I both scrambled to our feet, looking disheveled. Our eyes met, and we both smiled wryly.


    "You are much too careless."


    Felicia took out a pair of ck-framed sses from her bag and put them on. "I wasn''t wearing sses, and I always feel unsafe without them. Even my sense of bnce bes worse. You won''t understand because you''re not short-sighted."


    She was right. I didn''t understand, but I was more determined than ever to get her surgery for her eyesight.


    When we were almost at the female dormitories, Felicia got a call from Lina. She nced at it and put it on speaker mode on purpose.


    "Hello, Lina? What is it?"


    "Where are you? I want to talk to you."


    "Oh, I''m at the flowerbeds beside the oak tree."


    "Stay there and don''t move. I''lle to you!" With that, she hung up.


    Felicia grabbed hold of me. "William, don''t go yet. Just hide behind there. I want


    you to see Lina''s true colors for yourself."


    I was exasperated. Did she want me to lurk around yet again?


    "It''s alright. I already know what she''s really like."


    "No! She''s much too good at being maniptive. I want you to see clearly. Otherwise, you''ll definitely be tricked by her again.


    "Just listen to me and watch what happenster. She''s apletely different person around womenpared to when she''s around men!"


    Then, she pushed me behind the oak tree. The tree was more than a century old and was enormous. It would have concealed three or four people without any problem at all.


    However, I still felt like I was sneaking around like a burr. Just as I was debating about whether or not I should leave, Lina appeared.


    She walked up to Felicia and suddenly pped her across the face. I admit that it shocked me.


    Although I had known that Lina was a bitch and that she was a total flirt who was also very materialistic and power-hungry, I had never expected her to actually strike someone. She always looked so frail.


    Felicia clutched her face but did not seem at all surprised that Lina had hit her. "Why did you hit me? What happened tonight had nothing to do with me."


    "Nothing to do with you? Felicia, you''ve gotten on my nerves time and time again. Why are you doing that? During yourst livestream, you refused to let me have Mr. Top Dog, and this time you brought William along to humiliate me.


    "Who do you think you are? Do you think that you can trample all over me just because you''re a couple of pounds heavier than I am?"


    She pped her again. "Do you want to quit school?"


    My scalp prickled. Was this really Lina? This was clearly some kind of female thug who had popped up out of nowhere.


    Felicia said piteously, "I don''t want to quit school."


    "If you don''t want to quit school, then tell me the truth about what happened tonight. How did William get the card that he showed the manager?"


    Felicia shook her head. "I don''t know. He didn''t tell me."


    Lina advanced upon her and twisted her ear. "If he didn''t tell you, then ask! Send him a message right now and ask him!"


    I immediately took out my phone and put it on silent mode.


    Felicia''s message popped up almost immediately. "William, how did you get that card?"

 Chapter 57

    The truth was that I really wanted to just go and rescue Felicia. However, that would mean that she had endured two ps for nothing. Even if I had seen Lina''s true colors, I could not bring myself to hit her.


    I dithered for a while and finally sent a casual reply. "I just picked it up by chance."


    Linaughed coldly. "So he just came across it! Ha, I knew that he wouldn''t have gotten it on his own merit. Ask him where he got the imported fruits that he bought for Charlotte."


    Felicia bit her lip. "Lina, that''s enough. Is this really necessary? The two of you have broken up. You have nothing to do with him anymore."


    "Do you want to get pped again? Do what I tell you to!"


    Felicia sent another message. I sighed and gave her an answer that would not trigger any more questions. "I got 500 thousand from the prize money for starting my ownpany. I bought the fruits."


    Lina snatched Felicia''s phone away, and her eyes lit up when she saw the message. "500 thousand! That''s right! Why didn''t I think of that? I should have treated him better.


    "Damn it! The point is that I didn''t know that Joshua was a fake wealthy heir at the time either. Hmph. It''s alright. I can seduce someone at his level within minutes!"


    She tossed the phone back to Felicia and looked her up and down smugly. "I advise you to go back to your suggestive livestreams. If you try to take my man, I''ll only make you regret it." Then, she stalked off arrogantly.


    As soon as she left, I walked out. "Felicia, are you alright?"


    I turned on the torch on my phone to look at her face. Luckily, Lina wasn''t very strong, so Felicia''s face was only slightly reddened and hadn''t swollen up.


    Feliciaughed bitterly. "You saw that, didn''t you? That''s what she''s like in front of women. Things in the female dormitories are much moreplicated than the men''s dormitories.


    "In there, there are three main forces of power. She, Isabelle, and Charlotte are part of the Seven Fairies, and there''s also a bunch of women who have the Dragon Club as allies who are even cockier."


    Ordinary girls would be left in peace if they just went to ss, meekly ran errands for them, and tried to avoid them if possible.


    However, women who were pretty and attracted the attention of a few men, or who did not seem to avoid them would be targeted and harassed.


    This included women who happened to use theundry machine whenever they wanted to or took the best spots when they wanted to hang their nkets out to dry.


    I was bbergasted by what Felicia told me. "Isn''t that bullying?"


    Felicia nodded. "You could say that."


    Damn. I had no idea howplicated it was in the female dormitories. I had been bullied before, but only verbally. These women were actually physically attacking the others.


    "Alright. Don''t worry. I''m fine. I let you see this and I''m telling you this only because I''m afraid that you''ll be deceived by women, especially Lina. She''s the best at tricking people. You mustn''t fall for it."


    I sighed. "You suffered because of me. Is it worth it?"


    "That''s what I should be asking you. You didn''t get arge amount of prize money, but you spent pretty much all of it on me. Was it worth it?"


    I smiled and said, "Yes."


    She blushed at once. I didn''t want her to overthink it, so I quickly added, "We''re friends, and we help each other out. Alright. You''d better get home and get some rest now. It''s prettyte."


    The next day, I went to ss with Benjamin and the others. As soon as I sat down, I spotted Felicia turning back to wave at me, and I smiled at her.


    Liam immediately got so jealous that he pinched my arm. "William, when did you secretly get so close to Felicia? Can''t you introduce her to us?"


    "Alright, alright! Don''t pinch me! I''ll ask her to have lunch with us this afternoon. How about that?"


    Benjamin nodded vigorously in excitement. "Okay! I recorded the livestream from that night, and I watch it every night before I sleep. Felicia is my dream woman."


    I was rendered speechless. Wasn''t that a little overboard? I mean, she was our ssmate after all.

 Chapter 58

    There were so many suggestive vloggers out there. Why did Benjamin have to watch Felicia''s?


    As soon as ss ended, Matthew pulled out his phone to call Isabelle. Benjamin, Liam, and I yed a round of Landlord Wars on our phones.


    We were allpeting to get the main female character when a feminine, sickly sweet voice came from behind us.


    "William, William! Come out for a while."


    I turned back and saw that it was Lina. She hadn''t spoken to me in that kind of tone for such a long time that I hadn''t even recognized her.


    When I thought about what had happenedst night, I scoffed inwardly and walked over. I wanted to see how she was nning to seduce me.


    When we reached the back door, I couldn''t help being startled by how Lina was dressed.


    Her ck hair had been curled and was pulled up in a side ponytail. She had on a pink tank top with a short, white skirt. It made her look very girly and sweet as if she was a flower that had just been plucked from a field.


    I had to admit that Lina understood me very well. I liked the innocent, youthful type.


    She smiled shyly at me. "William, were you very angryst night?"


    "I wasn''t angry."


    It was just that I had gotten to know her more, and it had made me even more disappointed in her.


    Lina took my wrist and swung it gently back and forth. "I know that I crossed the line a little, but do you know why I said that?"


    Was she putting on her act already?


    I asked obligingly, "Why?"


    "Because I was jealous when I saw you and Felicia together. I was so jealous of her at the time that I lost my rationality.


    "William, can I have lunch with you today? We haven''t had lunch together for a long time. I still remember that spicy food is your favorite, but you''re always so cheeky! Whenever you eat spicy food, you kiss me, even though you know that I don''t like it."


    Tears shone in her eyes, making her look delicate and charming. If I hadn''t known what she was really like, I might really have been won over by her emotional ploy.


    After all, we had had many sweet moments together when things between us had been going well.


    "Okay, William?" She began swinging my wrist again, and then she leaned gently on my arm. "I know that you must me me for how I acted, but..."


    She stood on her tiptoes and said softly in my ear, "I''ve never even kissed Joshua, and obviously I wouldn''t let him touch me. Ryan''s never kissed me either. You''re my first kiss, and you were also thest person I kissed."


    My pupils constricted. I would have believed it if she said she hadn''t lost her virginity yet, but had she really just said that she''d never kissed Joshua? That was impossible.


    When she saw that I didn''t believe her, she said confidently, "You can ask Charlotte if you don''t believe me. You can also ask Felicia. I am definitely not lying


    to you.


    "I was only using Joshua, and I didn''t like him at all. As for Ryan, I didn''t even agree to date him. William, you''re the only one who was ever in my heart."


    I opened my mouth to say something, but she stood on her tiptoes and kissed me, which made mepletely forget what I had been nning to say. What did I want to say again?


    "ss is about to start. I''m going back to the ssroom. I''ll text youter." She smiled brightly at me and ran off, her hands stuck out to her sides like a little penguin.


    I took a deep breath. She was a true expert! She really was!

 Chapter 59

    When ss ended that afternoon, we reached the ssroom door to find that Lina was already waiting there.


    A few concerned nces swept toward me at once. Felicia was so agitated that she sent me a message immediately.


    "She''s lying to you! Don''t believe her!"


    However, I still left with Lina, because I wanted to see how she would carry out her act. I hadn''t expected her to take me straight to the ck Dragon.


    I was amused. "Lina, why did you bring me here? Are you going to buy me lunch?"


    Lina choked slightly. "Where would I get the money to treat you to a meal at a ce like this? It''s just that we had a misunderstanding here yesterday, didn''t we? This restaurant put me on the cklist, right? Go and tell them to take me off the cklist."


    "Me? I don''t have that kind of authority."


    "Don''t you have a VIP card?" She was agitated, and her voice had be louder. She had forgotten to make herself sound sweet.


    I found it funny, so I said impassively, "I''ve already given the VIP card back to the restaurant. It''s probably been returned to its rightful owner already."


    "What? You gave it back? Y-you were lucky enough toe across it! Why would you give it back?" She stamped her foot, looking anxious.


    I shrugged. "I picked up something that belonged to someone else. Isn''t returning


    it to its owner the normal thing to do? What belongs to someone else will always belong to someone else.


    "No matter how poor we are, we can''t covet other people''s money. Don''t you think that materialistic people are disgusting?"


    Upon hearing this, Lina smiled awkwardly and remained silent. Then, she thought for a moment and pulled me toward another restaurant, which was only slightly less expensive than the ck Dragon.


    "William, treat me to a meal. Didn''t you get 500 thousand in prize money for your business? You haven''t treated me to a meal yet."


    Iughed coldly to myself. If I was going to buy a meal for anyone, it wouldn''t be for her.


    On the outside, I kept up my innocent demeanor. "I wanted to buy you a meal too, but you didn''t give me the chance to. Didn''t you dump me? You kept looking down on me, and you mocked me whenever we met."


    Lina blushed and immediately hugged my arm. "I did all of that on purpose. I like you! I still like you, William. Really."


    She cupped my face in her hands and looked tenderly at me. "Let''s make up, alright? I promise that if you make me feel that you really love me, I''m willing to give you my first time."


    I put an arm around her waist and smiled as I asked, "Really? I think you''ve got the order wrong though. You''ve always known that I like you. However, whether you like me or not is hard to say. Don''t you need to prove it to me?"


    Lina said at once, "How do you want me to prove it?"


    "How about you give Ryan a call and tell him you don''t like him and will never see him again? If you do that, I''ll believe you."


    Ryan had been Lina''s biggest safety so far. Besides, Ryan had caused trouble for mest night, and I hadn''t taught him a lesson yet. I''d be killing two birds with one stone.


    Lina immediately bit her lip hard. It was clear that Ryan wasn''t that important to her because she was seriously considering getting rid of him. However, she was still hesitating.


    I smiled. "It''s okay if you don''t want to. I know that I can neverpare to him in your heart. After all, I don''t even have a car."


    "No, it''s not like that." Lina was in a dilemma.


    On the one hand, she could y the long game and catch herself a wealthy heir who wasn''t that generous to her.


    On the other, she could get a poor devil like me who was generous to her and had 500 thousand in prize money. Which would she choose?


    In the end, she gritted her teeth and said, "Alright. I''ll call him."

 Chapter 60

    Lina took out her phone and called Ryan at once. In order to prove it to me, she put it on speaker mode.


    "Hello, babe. You''ve finally contacted me. Where are you?" Ryan''s cheesy- sounding voice came over the phone.


    However, Lina immediately said, "Ryan, nevere looking for me again. I don''t want to see you anymore. Goodbye!" With that, she hung up.


    Then, she took a deep breath and looked at me. "Are you satisfied now, William?"


    I could tell that she had given herself some leeway. However, it was impressive for her to even have done that much.


    I nodded. "I''m satisfied."


    "Can we make up now?"


    I nodded again. "Yes."


    She smiled at once and hugged me around my waist. "That''s great, William! You don''t know how long I''ve been waiting for this day. I miss you so much! Kiss me, will you?"


    She lifted her face to mine and closed her eyes happily.


    I hadn''t expected her to be so proactive. I immediately suspected the truth of what she had said about never kissing Joshua or Ryan.


    I had to admit that I was tempted when I looked at her innocent-looking face and those sweet lips of hers.


    However, if I didn''t even have that amount of self-control, there would be no difference between me and a beast.


    Therefore, I smiled and said, "I can kiss you, but there''s something that I have to tell you first."


    Lina opened her eyes and said curiously, "What is it?"


    "I''ve donated the 500 thousand."


    "What..." It wouldn''t be an exaggeration to say that Lina looked devastated. She actually turned pale.


    Iughed casually and said, "After I got the prize money, I donated it to a woman who needed an operation for leukemia. I only have less than ten thousand left, and I bought some other things recently, so I''ve spent it all."


    Lina stared at me in shock, and could not speak for a while. I stepped forward and slipped my arm around her waist. I pinched her chin and leaned down to kiss her.


    She looked startled for a moment, then immediately pushed me away hard with both hands. "William, are you crazy? Don''t you know how poor you are? You finally got yourself 500 thousand and you actually donated it? Why didn''t you donate it to yourself or to your parents?"


    I spread my hands. "I don''t need money, and neither do my parents."


    "You don''t need money? You don''t even have a car! All your clothes are fakes, yet you have the cheek to say that you don''t need money?


    "Don''t you see the kind of life that Ryan lives? He can spend 300 to 400 on just a meal! How could you say that you don''t need money?"


    Lina was furious at herself. She red at me viciously before turning on her heel and leaving.


    I almostughed out loud. I rushed up to her and grabbed her wrist. "Where are you going, Lina? I thought we''d made up with each other. Let''s go and eat! Oh but, I don''t have money for food anymore. You''ll have to pay."


    Lina looked as if she was about to explode with anger, and she flung my hand aside.


    She looked intently at me. "William, listen to me. I really did have feelings for you in the past, but love without materialistic goods is a fragile thing.


    "If you truly like me, then work hard to earn money. Come back and see me when you have money. I''ll be waiting for you."


    She gged down a cab and left in it. How ruthless.


    I crossed my arms and shook my head. She had actually tried to manipte me into earning money and had even lied that she would wait for me. She clearly thought I was some kind of clown.


    If she knew that I didn''t just have 500 thousand on my card but five million or even


    50 million, what would she do?


    I suspected that she might actually strip right in front of me!

 Chapter 61

    After seeing Lina off, I initially wanted to head straight back to school and tell Felicia about it for augh. But then, I got a call from the hospital.


    Jane''s surgery was scheduled for this afternoon, and the doctor asked if I wanted toe by.


    Of course, I had to go. She had no family around. If I didn''t go, who would?


    In the sterile ward, Jane was already dressed in her surgical gown and socks.


    She looked weighed down and ufortable as she curled up on the bed. Her gaze was nk, and it seemed like she was lost in thought.


    I couldn''t go inside, so I waved to her through therge ss window.


    "William!" As soon as she saw me, her face lit up with a smile.


    Though I couldn''t hear her, I could tell she was calling my name by the shape of her lips. I made a bunch of encouraging hand gestures, and her smile grew even brighter.


    "You''re the patient''s family, right? Can we talk?"


    Just then, the doctor walked over and called me into the office. He went over the surgery and post-op care in detail.


    Overall, the procedure was simpler than I expected. No surgery was needed. They just had to give her a bone marrow injection. However, whether it would seed depended on the aftercare.


    The surgical fees I paid earlier would be used up today, and aftercare was the real challenge. I understood what he was getting at-he wanted me to pay more.


    Without hesitation, I said, "Give her the best treatment n. I''ll cover whatever it costs."


    After we finished talking, I went ahead and paid another 20 thousand dors.


    Just as I was about to leave, I saw Joshua stepping out of the elevator. He was apanied by a somewhat overweight woman in her 40s, dressed mboyantly and adorned with jewelry on her neck and wrists.


    As I pondered whether she was a rtive of his, I suddenly saw him lean in and kiss her, his hands roaming over her body.


    That woman immediately leaned against his shoulder, and they looked incredibly sweet together.


    In that instant, I was covered in goosebumps. I was taken aback, questioning whether he was really ying the boy toy for a rich olddy. I couldn''tprehend how Joshua had sunk to this level.


    Ever since that incident, he hadn''t returned to school. I didn''t know if he nned to drop outpletely or if he just wanted to avoid dealing with things for a while. Taking a deep breath, I pretended not to see him and turned back toward school. Back in the dorm, I held a simple meeting with the new staff I had just hired.


    The charity mini-game we had developed had be a problem. It only took yers two or three days to finish, and the rey value was low. The number of yers had dwindled significantlytely.


    If this continued, we would be losing money within two months, and the game would have to be shut down.


    The team suggested that I prepare for this eventuality.


    This was our only business, and if the game shut down, thepany would have


    to close with it. This was my first startup, and I didn''t want it to end like this.


    "Then let''s get started on a new game right now!" I dered.


    "This one doesn''t have to be a charity project. We should focus on female college students and create games that are cute, visually appealing, easy to y, and genuinely fun. We can focus on travel games, fashion games, and dating games."


    One employee quickly interjected, "Mr. White, we don''t have any developers in ourpany."


    Another added, "Yeah, we''re all just game maintenance staff. Weck experience in game development and need someone to guide us.


    "If you want to make a change, I suggest we hire more people right away. We can''t manage this with just the few of us."

 Chapter 62

    They had a point. After the experts Dad sent over returned, my new hires were all maintenance staff with average skills. Relying on them to transform thepany wasn''t going to work.


    I couldn''t help but wonder where I could find talent. Even if I managed to find someone qualified, they probably wouldn''t want to join my small, half-bakedpany.


    Just when I was feeling frustrated, I suddenly got a call from Mom.


    "Will, Pgos Estates is pretty popr right now. I''ve found a nice ce. Why don''t you go pay for it and handle the transfer paperwork?"


    I shook my head. "Mom, I already have Imperia Manor. I don''t need another vi."


    "But you never go there! You obviously don''t like it. Let me buy you another one, okay? Think of it as an investment in real estate."


    I couldn''t argue with Mom, so I took a taxi to the Pgos Estates. This area was quite far from the school, and I ended up spending over a hundred dors just on the ride.


    However, Mom had a good eye. The vimunity was beautifullyndscaped and looked like a modern neighborhood.


    Itbined modern architecture with traditional garden elegance. A long stream ran between the twones at the entrance, adding to the overall harmony of the ce. For investment purposes, it truly was a great choice.


    When I arrived at the sales office, I walked up to the front desk and requested a brochure to look through. Suddenly, I overheard a couple chatting nearby.


    "Honey, there''s nowhere as stunning as this ce. I really want to buy it," the woman said.


    "My savings only cover the down payment. I''d be stuck paying over a thousand dors a month after that. It''s just too much," the man replied.


    "Come on! You''re one of the founders of the hit game ''Lover''s Promise''. How can you possibly be broke? Don''t try to fool me! You just don''t want to buy me something nice," the woman insisted.


    I was surprised to learn that the man was one of the founders of "Lover''s Promise".


    I knew that game. It was quite popr among girls. If he was one of its founders,


    he had to be incredibly talented and have a solid grasp of the market. I needed to recruit him for mypany.


    While I was thinking about how to approach him, a beautiful woman suddenly mmed the brochure right into my face.


    "What are you staring at?"


    I was taken aback. "I wasn''t looking at you."


    "Don''t y dumb! You''ve been staring at me without blinking for ages. Do you think I''m blind?"


    She was wearing a tight red dress that looked like it was about to burst at the


    seams.


    To be honest, I hadn''t really noticed her at first, but now I couldn''t help but steal a few more nces.


    Her dress was way too tight. Not only was her bust almost spilling out, but it also left a red mark on her thigh. The quality of that red dress was impressive. It hadn''t ripped apart despite the strain.


    When the beauty saw me still looking, she turned to her husband toin. "Honey, that poor loser has been staring at me!"


    Her husband, dressed in a ck striped suit with arge gold ring on his finger, was chatting with the sales staff. He had a look that was neither too fancy nor too shabby.


    Upon hearing herint, he shot me a re.


    "What the hell are you looking at? Never seen a beautiful woman before? If you want to see one, go find your own. If you have no game, then get lost! Stop ogling my girlfriend, or I swear I''ll gouge your eyes out!"


    With their loud outburst, I became the center of attention in the crowd. Even the couple I had overheard earlier turned to look at me.


    I didn''t want to be misunderstood, so I quickly exined, "I wasn''t staring at her! I''m here to buy a vi!"

 Chapter 63

    "You''re buying a vi?" The real estate agent, who had been talking to the man in the suit, looked me up and down with a condescending smirk. "How old are you? You look like a college student."


    Iughed. "What''s wrong with a college student buying a house?"


    The saleswomanughed mockingly. "Well, there''s no rule against it, but do you even know what kind of houses we''re selling here? Do you know how much the down payment is or the monthly mortgage?"


    She pointed at the brochure in my hand and gave me a contemptuous look. "The cheapest unit still avable is 750 thousand dors. The down payment is 230 thousand dors, and the monthly payment is 3 thousand dors. Are you sure you can afford that?"


    I scoffed. In my family, we had never taken out loans for houses.


    Just as I was about to respond, the woman in the red dress got excited and eximed, "We want this house! Honey, haven''t you talked to them yet?


    "There are so many people here. If you don''t act fast, someone else will snatch it up! Hurry up and pay the down payment!"


    The man in the pinstriped suit looked distressed. "Sweetheart, we''re actually here to buy the one that costs 500 thousand dors."


    "That one has already been sold! Are you really going to walk away empty- handed? If you don''t buy now, there won''t be any left next time, not even the 750 thousand-dor ones!"


    She clung to him, yfully nagging and showering his cheek with lipstick kisses. "Come on, sweetheart, don''t be stingy. Everyone who lives here is either wealthy or well-connected, and that could really boost your career.


    "I could meet a lot of wealthy friends, and maybe we can even climb the socialdder. Just tough it out and buy it!"


    Even with the beautiful woman saying all that, the man still sighed heavily. "It''s not that I don''t want to buy it. I just can''t scrape together enough for the down payment. I can''t sell my parents'' house just to buy this ce, can I?"


    The beauty''s eyes lit up. "That''s a great idea! Your parents are getting older. They can live anywhere. Honestly, you should just sell their house!"


    Upon hearing that, the man in the pinstriped suit actually seemed to consider it seriously. He frowned and made a significant decision.


    "Can you hold this house for me? I''ll go back and sell my family''s house. Once I raise enough money, I''lle back to pay the down payment."


    The real estate agent smiled slightly. "That''s fine, but to reserve the house, you''ll still need to pay a deposit of 20 percent of the house''s price. If you back out, the deposit will not be refunded."


    "20 percent! That''s 140 thousand dors!"


    The agent grinned. "Actually, it''s 150 thousand dors."


    "Ah!" the man eximed, his eyes wide with shock. "I-I don''t have enough money for the deposit."


    The woman in the red dress stamped her foot in frustration. "If you don''t have enough, why don''t you borrow some from your parents? They must have retirement savings. Just borrow the money for the deposit first! Seriously, stop dawdling!"


    I was surprised that she was actually criticizing her man.


    The man''s face turned red as he hurried off to make a phone call for a loan.


    I shook my head in disbelief as I listened to him plead on the phone. If he couldn''t afford it, he should just go for a more affordable house. It was ridiculous that he would prioritize a woman over his own parents. What a jerk.


    At that moment, I noticed the couple I had overheard earlier whispering to each other. "Honey, can''t we buy this vi?"


    "No, dear. I don''t have enough for the down payment either. I didn''t realize these houses were selling so fast. The cheapest one is still 750 thousand dors. We should look elsewhere."


    "Alright, dear. Don''t be upset. It''s just a setback. Who knows, it might turn out for the best?"


    The wife of the tech guy was surprisingly sensible. I noticed how reluctant he was to leave, and an idea sparked in my mind. I finally had a way to recruit some talent for mypany.

 Chapter 64

    I stepped forward and said, "I''ll take the vi for 750 thousand dors."


    As soon as the words left my mouth, everyone around turned to stare at me. It made me feel a bit embarrassed. I hadn''t even raised my voice.


    "Um, I''m serious. I want it," I said.


    "Pfft!"


    Before I could finish, the woman in the red dressughed mockingly and approached me. "Know your ce, kid! Can you evene up with a 200 thousand dor down payment?


    "You''re just here to joke around, aren''t you? You must be out of your mind!"


    The sales agent''s expression was equally cold, and she didn''t seem interested in talking to me at all. She just shot me a disdainful nce.


    I felt my temper re. "Didn''t you hear me? I want to buy this vi."


    Only then did the sales agent respondzily, "I just told you, if you want to reserve it, you need to pay a 150 thousand dor deposit. To buy it, you have to put down a 230 thousand dor down payment-those are in thousands! Got it?"


    Now I understood what it meant to be looked down upon. Even if I really didn''t have the money, they shouldn''t treat me like this.


    I decided to ignore her and scanned the area until my gazended on a young, quiet girl standing by the model disy.


    "Are you a sales agent?"


    The girl looked taken aback but quickly nodded. "Yes, sir. I''m Cecilia Sinir. I just got promoted a few days ago, so I''m still learning the ropes. Is there anything you need, sir?"


    I replied, "If I buy a house from you, will the sale count toward your performance?"


    Cecilia nodded slowly. "Of course, sir. The sale will count toward my performance, and I''ll also be your after-sales representative. You cane to me with any issues."


    She was polite, using "sir" at every turn, which put me in a better mood. I replied, "Great, then help me with the paperwork for this vi priced at 750 thousand dors. I''m buying it in cash."


    With that, I pulled out my gold card and handed it to her.


    Cecilia''s eyes widened in surprise as she took the card. "Is this really the legendary gold card? I''ve only heard about it, but I''ve never seen one!"


    I smiled. "Yep. Just swipe it."


    When the people around saw the gold card in Cecilia''s hand, their expressions shifted to shock. Suddenly, the mocking voices fell silent.


    It seemed that the gold card had a bit of a reputation. The sales agent who had looked down on me gulped hard and hurried over, saying, "Sir, are you really going to buy that vi for 750 thousand dors in full?"


    "I already told her to swipe the card. Is there any doubt?"


    "It''s just that you came here without even looking at the house. Who buys a property without seeing it first? How about I show you the ce? If you like it, I can help you with the paperwork," she suggested.


    I scoffed. Besides, I had already asked Cecilia to handle my payment. I couldn''t stand this kind of workce bullying, where one employee tried to intercept another''s client.


    I said, "I don''t need to see it. Ms. Sinir, just go ahead and swipe the card."


    Cecilia shot me a grateful look and quickly rushed off to make sure she didn''t lose her client to her colleague.


    Honestly, no one would buy a house without checking it out first. The wealthier the buyer, the less likely they were to be taken for a ride. It was usually the nouveau riche who unted their money and pretended not to care about the details.

 Chapter 65

    I wasn''t buying this house for myself. I was doing it to recruit that tech guy. Whether I checked it out or not didn''t matter. What was important was whether they liked it.


    Cecilia quickly ran over to me with the machine. "Sir, please enter your password."


    Throughout the entire process of entering my password and printing the receipt, no one moved or left. Everyone stared wide-eyed, afraid to miss even the smallest detail.


    It was rare to see someone buy a house outright these days, especially when the buyer looked like a young college student. So, their curiosity was understandable. Once all the paperwork waspleted, Cecilia ced a set of keys in my palm. "Congrattions, Mr. White! This house now belongs to you. Here''s the basic information about the property.


    "If you have any questions after you get home, feel free to contact me. If it''s convenient, I can take you to the property management office the day after tomorrow toplete the purchase. Does that work for you?"


    I nodded. "Sure."


    Cecilia looked genuinely grateful.


    The other salespeople gazed at her with envy. I had bought the house outright. If all went as expected, she would easily earn 20 thousand dors from themission. Some generous agencies would even allow her to pocket up to 40 thousand dors.


    The red-dress beauty looked at me with none of the earlier arrogance or disdain. Instead, there was eagerness in her eyes, as if she wanted to strike up a conversation.


    However, I couldn''t be bothered with her and turned to the tech guy instead.


    "Hello, I''m William White, the owner of a gamepany. I bought this house to serve as employee housing.


    "If you''re willing to talk with me and I sessfully hire you, I can guarantee you free amodation in this house during your employment."


    As soon as I finished speaking, a gasp erupted from behind me.


    "Are you kidding me? He bought this house to use as employee housing?"


    "Is he out of his mind? A 750-thousand-dor house for employee housing? What kind of employee is that? Not even a royal guard would qualify to live in a ce like this!"


    "He''s got no regard for money at all! I''m once again reminded of the vast differences in this world."


    The tech guy lookedpletely stunned. "Did you just say you bought this house for me to live in?"


    I smiled. "To be honest, mypany needs talent. I just overheard you talking about how much you liked this house, and then that beauty misunderstood and thought I was staring at her."


    Upon hearing this, the woman in the red dress flushed and quickly looked down. The crowd around us red at her.


    "Are you kidding me? I even defended her earlier!"


    "So it turns out she was just being overly sentimental. How ridiculous!"


    "Anyone can see he''s rich. Why would he be interested in a woman like her?"


    The man in the striped suit looked utterly miserable. He realized that staying here would only lead to more humiliation, so he turned and stormed off.


    The woman in red nced at her boyfriend but surprisingly didn''t follow him. Instead, she stayed behind and stared at me.


    I felt a bit ufortable under her gaze, so I changed the subject. "But do you have what it takes to join mypany? I still need to assess your skills. Can you give me your contact information? I''ll have someone from HR reach out to you."


    "Of course!" he replied eagerly.


    These days, there were plenty of bosses who treated their talent well. However, there were very few like me in the whole country. Talented individuals who weren''t foolish would definitely seize this opportunity.


    After giving me his contact information, he looked a bit worried. "Mr. White, if you''ve bought the house for me to live in, what about you?"


    I smiled. "I didn''te here just to buy that house."


    With that, I turned to Cecilia. "Do you still have thergest standalone vi in thismunity?"


    Cecilia paused for a moment before responding, "Yes, we do. Someone put down a deposit but then backed out. There was quite amotion to get the deposit back, so we no longer allow reservations.


    "If someone wants to buy, they have to pay immediately. Many people have inquired recently, but no one has made a payment yet."

 Chapter 66

    I immediately said, "Alright. I''ll take it."


    My mom had already hired an expert to inspect the vi in advance, and


    everything had already been checked out. She sent me today to pay directly and take a look at it.


    But honestly, I didn''t care to look. As long as she liked it, that was enough. I didn''t n on living there anyway.


    Cecilia was stunned. "Are you sure you want to buy this vi? The down payment alone is 6 million dors!"


    I couldn''t help butugh. "Who makes a down payment on a vi? I''ll pay in full."


    There was a collective gasp from those around us. I was used to it by now. Nationally, my family might not rank in the top ten, but in Welsington City, we were definitely among the wealthiest. I had grown up surrounded by these envious looks andments. It didn''t faze me at all.


    Cecilia stammered, "If you''re paying in full, our policy offers a discount, bringing the price down to 20 million dors. That includes the surrounding garden andnd. The vi has already undergone initial renovations, and all the venttion..."


    Cecilia nervously began reciting the details of the property, and I found her flustered demeanor kind of cute. However, I really didn''t want to hear the same


    old spiel.


    "You don''t need to go through the details. My family already had it inspected. Just process the payment and transfer the ownership," I said.


    "S-sure!" she stammered.


    "Alright!"


    Cecilia took the gold card again, looking a bit dazed as she handled the paperwork.


    The way people looked at me kept changing, and it was quite amusing. At first, they thought I was broke, so they mocked and insulted me freely.


    After all, it didn''t cost them anything to kick someone they believed was poor. It was easy to vent frustrations on someone they considered beneath them.


    When they realized I had money, the insults stopped, and envy took its ce. Some were even outright jealous.


    The woman in the red dress, who had looked like she wanted to tear me apart earlier, now seemed desperate to cozy up to me.


    Now that they knew I was truly wealthy, even the jealousy had vanished. All that remained was awe.


    The woman in the red dress had gone from anger to pure fear-the kind of fear a lesser person naturally felt for someone above them.


    Through it all, I hadn''t changed at all. I simply pulled out a gold card, showcasing the power of money. This was the reality-the stark, brutal reality.


    I recalled a saying that went something like "People scramble frantically for just a few coins, yet those coins can ease countless worries in the world".


    I had once dismissed such notions, thinking that money wasn''t everything and couldn''t truly influence human emotions.


    Compared to the shy, materialistic circles of the wealthy, I longed for the warmth and sincerity found among the poor.


    After working hard to enter university and trying to blend in with ordinary people, I discovered that the materialism of the average person was quite simr to that of the rich, perhaps even worse. Those with a little money but not enough often looked down on others the most.


    Pretending to be poor turned out to be quite amusing. I was finally starting to enjoy myself.

 Chapter 67

    While I was handling the paperwork, the property manager came over personally. We exchanged pleasantries and took some photos, and he insisted on treating me to dinner, which I declined. I nned to head straight back to school.


    They apanied me to the entrance, and as I reached the roadside to call a taxi, a sudden honking caught my attention. I looked up to see an Audi pulling up.


    A woman with a ponytail leaned out the window and shouted, "Are you blind? What are you doing standing in the middle of the entrance? Move it!"


    I turned to look back. I was clearly standing to the side of the door, not in the middle. She should just admit she had bad driving skills instead of ming me for blocking the road.


    I ignored her, but to my surprise, the woman had quite a temper. She flung open her car door and stepped out as if she was ready to fight me. Another woman in white quickly followed and rushed in front of her, apologizing profusely.


    "I''m so sorry! She''s in a bad mood today."


    Since the woman in white had a decent attitude, I decided not to pursue the matter. Just as I was about to nod in acknowledgment, the woman in white suddenly opened her wallet and threw a red bill my way.


    "Take this and buy yourself a drink."


    Before I could process what had happened, she dragged her fiery friend back into the car. I stood there, stunned. Did she mean that as a gesture of goodwill, or was it a sign of disdain? I couldn''t quite tell.


    Then I heard the woman in white say to the angry girl, "Come on. Stop making a scene. We need to finish selling the house and go see Charlotte.


    "She''s been in the hospital for so long, and as her sister, you haven''t visited her. Isn''t that a bit much?"


    I was taken aback when I heard them mention Charlotte. It turned out that the fiery woman was Charlotte''s sister, which exined her unreasonable attitude. I shook my head and went back to calling a taxi.


    Just then, my phone lit up with a call from Lucy. She was Gordon Zimmer''s daughter, the president of the business association.


    She had invited me to dinner at the Wellington Hotelst time, but we hadn''t been


    in touch since. I wondered why she was calling me now.


    Nevertheless, I answered the call.


    "Mr. White, where are you having fun today?"


    I chuckled. "I''m just an ordinary student. What fun could I possibly be having?"


    "Not having fun? Then I''lle find you and liven things up a bit!"


    I couldn''t help but wonder what kind of conversation this was. I felt both amused and confused. "What do you want?" I asked.


    "I want to have some fun with you!" she replied.


    I got straight to the point and asked, "Cut it out. What''s the real reason for your call?"


    "You''re so young, yet you sound so serious!" Lucy Zimmer''s voice was yful. "Where are you? I''d like to bring you a little gift to apologize for how I actedst time we met."


    "No need for that," I declined.


    "Oh,e on! Just send me your address."


    I reluctantly provided her with the address for Pgos Estates.


    About 20 minutester, a brand-new Rolls-Royce pulled up in front of me.


    She stepped out in a white shirt and jeans, her hair styled in a bun on top of her head. She looked fresh and capable, though it was hard to ignore that three buttons of her shirt were deliberately left undone.


    Most women would look sexy with just two buttons undone, but I was taken aback by her boldness in leaving three open.

 Chapter 68

    Though she wore a white tank top underneath, her curves swayed as she moved.


    I felt my face flush, and my eyes were drawn to them.


    She seemed to notice my gaze and deliberately crossed her arms, making them even more pronounced.


    "Mr. White, what do you think? Do you like it?"


    I found myself responding without thinking, "Yeah. I like it."


    "Do you want to touch it?"


    "What?" I finally looked up, shock registering on my face as I took in her beautiful features. "T-touch it? Are you serious?"


    To be honest, I wasn''t interested when other women said things like that. However, her figure was simply too stunning. My heart raced a little.


    Lucy blinked and walked over to the front of the car, patting its surface. "I


    personally picked out this sports car for you. It has excellent performance and a good price. You like it, so why not touch it?"


    I nearly choked on my drink. She was talking about the car.


    I nced at the Rolls-Royce Ghost she had picked. It was a stunning car. Its


    ssic curves exuded elegance, and it had a solid, powerful presence with quick, smooth eleration. My dad owned one just like it.


    If I remembered correctly, this car cost over 5 million dors. Given our rtionship, I couldn''t just take such an expensive gift from her.


    "I appreciate your gesture, but¡ª"


    "Don''t give me any buts! This car is mine. I''m not giving it to you. I''m just lending it to you. You can drive it however you want during your four years of college. When you''re ready to buy a new car or leave Welsington, just return it to me."


    With that, she ced the car keys right in my palm.


    "This is from my dad, and he''s already talked to your dad about it. If you don''t believe me, call your dad and ask."


    I couldn''t help but question if that was really the case.


    I called my dad, and he immediately said, "Just ept it. Mr. Zimmer just asked me for a small favor. He doesn''t want to owe me anything, so he figured this would be a way to settle it. He''s not giving it to you, so just drive it."


    However, I had just begun to enjoy pretending to be poor and didn''t want to reveal my true identity yet. Still, the thought of the vi I had just purchased eased my mind. I could always park the car in the garage there.


    When I parked the car and took a taxi back to the city with Lucy, I noticed her expression turning frantic.


    "Why are you taking a taxi instead of driving the car I gave you? What kind of quirk is that?"


    I smiled at her. "You know my situation. If I suddenly showed up in a Ghost, my ssmates would freak out. I just want to get through these four years quietly."


    She sighed. "If you think pretending to be poor will help you make real friends, I advise you to give that up.


    "Once they find out you''re wealthy, their attitude will change in an instant. You and they just won''t be from the same world, so why force it?"


    "We''ll deal with that when the timees. For now, I''m just happy."


    "Okay. As long as you''re happy," she replied with a smile before looking at me. "So, do you see me as just another one of those rich women you can''t stand?"


    I quickly shook my head. "No, of course not! You''re different!"


    She raised an eyebrow. "Oh? How am I different?"


    "You''re prettier, and your figure is better."


    She burst outughing and yfully pinched my cheek. "Don''t tter me like that.


    I have zero resistance to sweet young guys like you. I could just gobble you up!"


    My cheeks flushed as I pushed her hand away. "Don''t treat me like a little boy! I''m only two years younger than you!"


    "If you don''t want me to treat you like a little boy..." Suddenly, she leaned in closer, blowing softly in my ear while her hand rested on my thigh. "Then you''ll have to show me your manly side."

 Chapter 69

    "Let''s not do this..."


    I didn''t mind her teasing, but when she leaned in closer and started getting a little too handsy, it made me ufortable.


    She giggled and said, "Alright. I won''t tease you anymore. I know boys your age like the innocent, flirty type. When you grow into a real man, you''ll appreciate women like me. I believe that day isn''t far off."


    With that, she winked at me and asked me to drop her off on the sidewalk, waving goodbye as I left.


    I liked her, but there wasn''t that spark. I had to admit that since starting college, the only woman who had truly made my heart race was Lina. Unfortunately, she was unattainable.


    Back at school, I stretched and took a quick nap. When dinner time rolled around, I noticed Benjamin and the others hadn''t returned yet. I wondered where they had gone.


    Feeling both curious and a little worried, I called Benjamin.


    "William, we''re having dinner with Charlotte and the others. Do you want to join us?"


    Charlotte again. I chuckled to myself, "Not interested. You all go ahead."


    Just as I was about to hang up, I heard Matthew''s voicee through, "William, you have toe! We''re at the bar right now. I really need to talk to you!"


    "If you have something to say, just tell me now..."


    "No way! You need toe! I''ll be waiting for you!"


    He hung up before I could respond. Matthew was too presumptuous.


    The thought of facing Charlotte and her friends, who would surely mock me, made


    me hesitant to go. However, Matthew was waiting for me.


    With no other choice, I got out of bed, washed my face, put on my shoes, and headed straight for the bar.


    As soon as I arrived, I spotted Matthew. He was really waiting at the entrance for me. I was at a loss for words.


    "Why did you insist Ie? Just tell me what you need."


    It would be best if we could talk right here so I could leave before running into Charlotte.


    Matthewughed. "What''s with you? Are you that scared of Charlotte? You practically bolt at the sound of her name! Don''t worry, she''s not here."


    I felt a wave of relief when I heard she wasn''t there.


    "Who''s scared of Charlotte? I just don''t want to deal with her," I retorted.


    Matthew wrapped his arm around me and pulled me inside with an exaggerated sigh. "I get it, I get it.


    "I''ll tell you this. Charlotte is actually one of the better ones among her friends. Otherwise, Isabelle wouldn''t be friends with her."


    I thought to myself that Isabelle wasn''t exactly a saint either. Of course, I wouldn''t say that to Matthew.


    "She''s just been misled by Lina. She thinks you''re the one who hurt Lina, which is why she has a grudge against you. Once that misunderstanding is cleared up, everything will be fine."


    That misunderstanding wasn''t going to be cleared up anytime soon. People often stubbornly clung to their own assumptions, and even when you presented them with the truth, they refused to believe it.


    I feltpletely at ease once we settled down. Charlotte truly wasn''t there. Only a


    few of us from the dorm and Isabelle were at the table.


    Benjamin looked at me with concern. "William, where did you run off to this morning? You just got back now."

 Chapter 70

    If I mentioned that I went to buy a vi, I would definitely be theughingstock. I could onlye up with a simple lie and said, "I just went out for a stroll to clear my head."


    "Why didn''t you invite us?" Benjamin asked.


    Matthew suddenly chimed in. "Let''s talk about Charlotte instead."


    I was taken aback. Why discuss her?


    "William, you probably don''t know this, but Charlotte is a volunteer at our school. She goes to nursing homes and orphanages to help out every month."


    I really didn''t know that. However, given the way Charlotte and her friends acted, I figured they were just doing it for a good reputation. I couldn''t believe she would do it purely out of kindness.


    Liam added, "Charlotte''s actually really nice. When we first started college and had military training, she even served me mushroom soup."


    I wondered if that was really something worth mentioning.


    While I was mentally criticizing Charlotte, Isabelle said, "She''s just been led astray by Lina. She was pretty nice at the beginning of the semester. William, don''t me us for treating you badly. It''s just that your reputation among the girls isn''t great. We don''t treat others like that."


    "Ahem."


    Matthew suddenly cleared his throat, prompting Isabelle to quickly add, "That was just a misunderstanding! I realize now that you''re a good person, so we won''t treat you like that anymore."


    I waspletely confused. Just as I was about to ask, Matthew suddenly


    wrapped his arm around my shoulder.


    "We''re nning to set you up with Charlotte."


    I spat out my tea in shock and looked at Matthew in horror. "What did you just say?"


    "Don''t freak out! It''s true. I discussed it with Isabelle, and we think you two would be a good match. Plus, she''s really pretty!


    "You know beautiful girls can be a bit feisty. Just be patient with her, and once you''re together, she''ll be sweet and obedient!"


    I couldn''t help but wonder what these people were thinking. I quickly stood up.


    "Don''t y matchmaker! I have no interest in Charlotte, and I don''t want anything to do with her!"


    "It''s not random matchmaking."


    Matthew pulled me back down into my seat.


    "Isabelle and I have talked about it for a long time. We really think you two would be a good fit. William, you''re a man. Don''t dwell on the past.


    "When Charlotte gets here, we''ll find a chance for you two to talk alone and clear up any misunderstandings."


    I took a deep breath, feeling utterly frustrated.


    Just then, Isabelle''s phone rang. "It''s Charlotte! She''s probably on her way. I''ll go get her. You all better convince William not to mess this up!" With that, she headed for the door.


    As soon as she left, I spoke up. "Matthew, are you kidding me? Can''t you see how much I don''t get along with Charlotte? Even if I tried to cooperate, she wouldn''t take it seriously. Please don''t make this any moreplicated for me!"


    "Trust me! I''ll help you win Charlotte over today!"


    Just then, I received a notification for a money transfer. I opened it and saw that Matthew had sent me one hundred dors.


    "What''s this about?" I asked.


    Matthew smiled. "When Charlotte arrives, buy her something nice. Be generous. It''s important to make a good first impression. Once you two are together, you won''t need to worry about this anymore."


    I was at a loss for words. Did he really think I didn''t have money to buy gifts for a girl on a date? It was even more ridiculous that he wanted to set me up with someone like Charlotte.


    I couldn''t help but wonder what they were thinking.


    "I''m going to check on Isabelle," I said, feeling overwhelmed. I needed to leave this situation. I just wanted to head back to the dorm and sort things out.

 Chapter 71

    As I was exiting the bar, I heard Matthew and Isabelle talking outside.


    "So, is Charlotteing or not?"


    "Of course she is. I invited her myself, but she was reluctant at first, so I had to do


    a lot of convincing. If she seems uninterested in Williamter, make sure tofort him, okay?"


    "I really can''t believe Charlotte got together with Lucas. Even if he helped her, there''s no need for her to offer herself as gratitude. This isn''t the olden days anymore!"


    "What can we do? Women easily fall for the people who help them."


    I was even more confused as I listened to their conversation.


    Charlotte and Lucas were together? They didn''t like Lucas, so they wanted to set me up with Charlotte? What the heck was going on?


    Just as I was about to go up and ask them what Lucas did, Isabelle suddenly started waving excitedly. "Charlotte! Here!"


    I nced over and saw Charlotte. She looked so different from usual. Her outfits were normally fierce and edgy, but today she was wearing a fitted white T-shirt and a ck short skirt, which made her look youthful and vibrant.


    I was especially mesmerized by her fair legs. I couldn''t help but steal a few nces.


    Despite looking extra youthful today, she was wearing a pair of Doc Martens. Along with her long, straight ck hair, she still gave off a cold and chic vibe.


    All of them were walking back toward the bar, so I decided to go back in and sit down.


    After all, Charlotte hade all the way here. If I leave right now, it would be disrespectful to her. I should at least finish the meal first.


    I sat down, and Isabelle suggested, "How about we go out this afternoon? Staying on campus is so boring!"


    Charlotte was taking selfies and said, "Wait. I have a friend on the way."


    "A friend?" Isabelle looked confused. "Who? Charlotte, we only invited you."


    Charlotte sneered. "Yeah, you only invited me, but can I not invite someone else? Stop asking questions and just wait."


    How arrogant. She was so disrespectful to Isabelle even though Isabelle had treated her so nicely and said so many good things about her. Inparison, Isabelle seemed so much nicer.


    I just sat there in silence, keeping a cold expression.


    Suddenly, Charlotte waved her hand and shouted, "Lucas! Here!"


    Benjamin was so surprised that he choked on his drink.


    I turned around and saw Lucas. He was wearing a casual jacket paired with denim jeans and nes around his neck.


    He looked like he was in streetwear, but the quality seemed slightly lower than the typical trendy brands.


    "Charlotte, why did you invite Lucas?" Isabelle was so surprised to see Lucas that she turned around to look at me.


    I nodded at her to indicate that I was fine, and only then did her expression rx. But soon after, she red at Charlotte again.


    "Don''t you know why I invited you today?"


    Charlotte chuckled, "I do. That''s why I invited Lucas too."


    When Lucas reached their table, Charlotte stood up and hugged his arm.


    "Everyone, this is my boyfriend, Lucas!"


    Matthew and Isabelle immediately looked annoyed.


    I, on the other hand, found it interesting. Charlotte and Lucas were actually


    together? Just because she thought he settled her family matters?


    I wonder what she''d think when the truth unfolded.

 Chapter 72

    Liam suddenly stood up. "William, you promised to help me with calculus. Let''s go to the library now."


    "Sure." I knew that he was giving me a way out, so I stood up.


    Matthew looked so guilty, so he stood up as well.


    But before we had the chance to leave, Isabelle grabbed my arm. "William. Wait. Join us to go out in the afternoon."


    She then leaned in and whispered, "It''s not what you think it is. Charlotte doesn''t even like Lucas. She wasining about it in the dorm. Don''t leave yet."


    Charlotte didn''t like Lucas? What was going on? Why would she be so affectionate if she didn''t like him?


    Matthew said, "William, it''s true. Charlotte is only with him out of gratitude. Don''t overthink it.


    "Since she doesn''t like him, we thought it would be such a waste for her to stay with him. You still have a chance."


    Only then did I understand their intentions.


    Charlotte didn''t like Lucas, so she wasining about it in their dorm. But she had no choice but to be with him, and they felt bad for her and wanted to separate them. So, the way to separate them was for me to get together with Charlotte.


    I was just a tool then!


    Since the beginning, nobody had asked how I felt about this. They must have thought that a broke loser like me would be so grateful to be with a beauty like Charlotte that I wouldn''t consider rejecting this opportunity.


    I sighed.


    Charlotte saw the three of us whispering and frowned. "Alright. Let''s move. This ce doesn''t even serve food. Isabelle, I thought you had a n for us to go out? Can we go now?"


    Isabelle immediately responded, "Absolutely! William, you should join us!"


    "I''m not going to¡ª"


    "Juste!" Charlotte cut me off mid-sentence. She looked at me with disdain, her tone filled with contempt.


    "I''ll cover your expenses today. Consider it a thank-you for bringing me fruitsst time. Juste, enjoy the food, and take some pictures for Instagram. Just help us carry our stuff."


    As soon as she finished, Lucasughed, "What do you mean by ''expenses''? You think you need to split costs with me? I''ll pay for everything today!"


    Lucas nced at me, his gaze filled with disdain, just like Charlotte.


    "If you want to tag along like a fool, go ahead. I bring an errand boy wherever I go anyway. If you do a good job, maybe I''ll even tip you a few hundred dors."


    Charlotteughed, "You''re so generous! A few hundred dors is pretty much his entire monthly allowance!"


    "No way! He only gets a few hundred a month? That''s not even enough for one meal for me!"


    "Not everyone is as rich as you, Lucas."


    I was nauseated just listening to their conversation, but Matthew didn''t even give me a chance to refuse. He just dragged me towards the bar exit. He kept insisting I join them.


    "This gathering was nned just for you and Charlotte. It would be such a waste if you don''te. You have to!"


    "Alright, alright." I patted Matthew on his arm. "I''ll go, so don''t grab me so tightly."


    He gripped my arm like he was escorting a fugitive.


    Suddenly, Charlotte shouted, "Alexander! It''s you!"

 Chapter 73

    Everyone stopped and looked at Charlotte. She was standing next to a man in a button-up shirt who was sitting on the sofa. I thought I recognized the Rolex watch on his wrist.


    Matthew immediately recognized the man. "That''s the heir to the Arnoult Group, Alexander Arnoult!"


    Now that he mentioned it, I finally recognized him too. I never expected to see him again so soon.


    Charlotte walked straight to Alexander and hugged his arm. "What a coincidence! Alexander, do you remember me?"


    Alexander looked ufortable. He put down his wine ss and asked,


    "Charlotte, what do you want?"


    Charlotte replied arrogantly, "Pfft. What do I want? Don''t you remember what you did?"


    I had never seen her this cocky before. It felt so strange. It felt like yesterday when she was panicking and sobbing in the dorm, begging for help.


    Alexander remained seated and said coldly, "I do remember what I did, but I have already apologized andpensated for the damage. What more do you want from me?"


    "Apologize? Compensate? Do you actually think I care about any of that?"


    Charlotte saw the wine ss on the table, so she picked it up and sshed it at Alexander. Matthew and I were shocked.


    To be honest, Alexander was right. He had already apologized andpensated for the damage, so it was time for her to let it go. Why was she still so hostile toward him?


    Alexander didn''t get upset. He just remained seated and calmly wiped the wine off his face.


    "Ms. Hayes, you''re going overboard. You should let it go."


    At that moment, Alexander''s friends stood up and red at Charlotte.


    "What do you think you''re doing?"


    "How dare youy hands on Alexander? Do you have a death wish?"


    "Alexander, who is this girl? How dare she treat you like this?"


    Charlotte sneered. "What? Do you want to stand up for him? Both he and his dad will have to get on their knees if my dad asks them to. I''ll do whatever I want!"


    Alexander''s friends were stunned. They would have never thought so little of Alexander.


    "You don''t believe me? Fine! I''ll show you what I''m capable of. Alexander, kneel down now."


    Immediately, Alexander and his friends'' faces darkened. Matthew and I were even more shocked. That was way too much. He had already apologized. Why was she being so relentless?


    Not only was she putting Alexander in a tough spot, but she was also making it difficult for the president of the Business Association.


    I decided to intervene. "Charlotte, enough! He didn''t even do anything to you just now, and it''s been a while since that incident happened..."


    "Shut up!" Charlotte snapped at me. "Since when was it your turn to speak? Get lost!"


    Then, she turned around and red at Alexander. "Are you kneeling or not? If you don''t do as I say, I''m going to tell my boyfriend to call Mr. Zimmer!"


    Alexander looked up at her, then slowly stood up and knelt down before Charlotte. Out of nowhere, Charlotte pped him across the face.


    I was so angry that I clenched my fist. I didn''t even know Alexander personally, but at that moment, I felt furious for him.


    "Alexander, you never expected this to happen to you, right? You have no idea how much I suffered because of what you did that night. You think I''ll forgive you just because you and your dad knelt down and paid thepensation? You''re wrong!


    "Let me make this clear. Every time I see you, I''ll make you kneel before me! I won''t forgive you!"


    Alexander was kneeling on the ground, lowering his head in silence, but I could tell that he was furious.

 Chapter 74

    There was no need to escte an issue that was already resolved. Mr. Zimmer had treated me to a meal, and his daughter gifted me a car. I would never want to put Mr. Zimmer in such a difficult position.


    So, I decided to speak up again. This time, I addressed Alexander. "Girls can be petty. Don''t stoop to her level. Just be the bigger person."


    I didn''t expect Charlotte to suddenly get angry and push me. "You pathetic loser! Get lost! If you dare say another word, I''ll hit you too!"


    Then, she grabbed Alexander''s hair. "Why so quiet? I thought you were acting tough! Go on then!"


    Other people in the bar looked at us in shock and fear.


    It seemed like Alexander held high prestige at the bar, so everyone was surprised


    to see him being bullied by a girl and was curious about who she was.


    Lucas walked toward us and asked, "Babe, who is this? What are you doing?"


    Charlotte let out a coldugh. "Lucas, you helped me settle my problems with the Arnoult Group, but you''ve never met the person behind it, right?


    "Meet Alexander Arnoult, the heir to the Arnoult Group! He was the one responsible for what happened that night!"


    "It was him?" Lucas scanned Alexander up and down and let out a scoff. "I guess we should even thank him for bringing us together."


    I looked at Lucas, feeling speechless. What was he ying at?


    Charlotte said angrily, "Even so, I can''t let it slide. Lucas, you have no idea how badly affected I was by the problems he caused. I will never forgive him. Can you beat him up for me?"


    Beat him up? Lucas seemed stunned by her request.


    However, I felt relieved. I assumed Lucas didn''t have the guts to do that.


    Lucas knew very well that the person who settled the Arnoult Group wasn''t him. So, he would never dare to offend Alexander and the entire Arnoult Group.


    If he actually beat Alexander up, he would face serious consequences when the truth came to light. It wasn''t worth risking it for Charlotte.


    Just as I was thinking of a way out for Lucas, Alexander tried to stand up but was met with a kick from Lucas.


    I was bbergasted. Lucas didn''t stop. He continued punching and kicking Alexander. I gasped in shock.


    Was Lucas a fool? Was he really willing to risk it all for Charlotte?


    I was about to step in and stop the fight, but Matthew pulled me back. "William, stop interfering in their problems! This has nothing to do with us, so don''t get involved!"


    Watching Lucas throw punches, I felt helpless. Fortunately, Lucas wasn''t as strong as he tried to appear. He quickly became worn out and had to catch his breath.


    "Learned your lesson? If you dare cause problems with my girlfriend again, I''ll kill you!"


    After saying that, Lucas wrapped his arms around Charlotte and walked out. Matthew dragged me along too.


    I couldn''t help but look back at Alexander. I saw his friends slowly help him up. There were blood stains at the corner of his mouth, and his eyes were filled with hatred.


    I sighed. If I had known this would happen, I wouldn''t have helped Charlotte. It wasn''t worth it. But if Alexander wanted to take revenge on her after this, I didn''t n to intervene again.


    We soon reached the exit. Benjamin and Liam refused to join us when they heard we were taking a cab to the suburbs.


    Both of them didn''t go out much, so they seemed reluctant, but I was dragged into the car.

 Chapter 75

    Matthew and Isabelle booked a cab beforehand. I sat in the front seat while the others were paired up in the back. Matthew was next to Isabelle, while Lucas was beside Charlotte.


    I felt so left out. I couldn''t help but curse Matthew in my head.


    Suddenly, Charlotte said happily, "That felt so satisfying! Lucas, thank you for standing up for me. I''m grateful for you."


    She leaned against Lucas lovingly, which made me question if what Matthew had told me earlier was true.


    It didn''t seem like she didn''t like Lucas. There was no way she would be this affectionate if she didn''t like him. Either she lied to the others in the dorm, or she was just good at acting.


    Lucas said cheerfully, "That was nothing. If anyone dares to bully you, just tell them you''re my girlfriend. I can guarantee that nobody will darey a hand on you."


    Pfft. What a show-off. I rolled my eyes and opened the window for some air. I couldn''t be bothered to listen to him brag.


    Charlotte replied, "That''s why it''s important to be cautious when dating. If I ever end up like Lina, dating a guy who only acts rich, it would be so embarrassing!" What? Why drag me into the conversation? I acted like I didn''t hear anything.


    Isabelle seemed scared I would get angry, so she quickly stepped in to ease the tension. "You can''t entirely me William for what happened between him and Lina. She cheated on him!"


    Charlotte sided with Lina and said, "Her cheating on him and him lying are two different things! If he didn''t lie, she wouldn''t have cheated on him!"


    No wonder Charlotte and Lina were friends. They were so suited for each other.


    Matthew coughed awkwardly. "How about we talk about something else? Have you guys heard that Ed Sheeran is going to have a concert here? Do you want to go?"


    Finally, the topic changed, but I still couldn''t be bothered to join the conversation, so I just looked out the window.


    Suddenly, I saw the Pgos Estates, and it reminded me of the talent. I wondered how the conversation between the HR department and the talent went. If the talent came to work for me, mypany would be saved.


    "Oh my! Is that the Pgos Estates?" Charlotte eximed. "I heard that it''s selling out really quickly."


    Lucas replied, "Yeah. The Estates has a good location, great facilities, and a pleasant environment. The only downside is that it''s really expensive, but there are still so many rich people out there to buy them. Apparently, the most expensive vi was sold today."


    Charlotte asked curiously, "The most expensive one? How much is that?"


    "20 million dors."


    Everyone in the car gasped at his answer.


    "20 million dors? I''ll probably never see that much money in my lifetime!"


    "20 million dors is ridiculous. How luxurious must it be to be this expensive?"


    "Charlotte, your family owns a vi too, right? How does itpare with the ones in Pgos Estates?"


    Charlotte boasted in response, "My family doesn''t own a vi, but my aunt has one, and so does my cousin! I always stay over during holidays."


    At that moment, the usually quiet driver suddenly spoke up, "Do you know who bought the 20-million-dor vi?"


    I couldn''t help but turn to look at him. "You know?"


    The driver looked at me and said, "Of course I do! Today I picked up a customer from this area who saw everything and told me about it.


    "The person who bought the vi didn''t even look like a wealthy businessman. In fact, he seemed like a university student around your age."


    "A university student?"

 Chapter 76

    That one sentence sent everyone in the car into a frenzy. They never would have expected a university student to have 20 million dors.


    Well, I actually didn''t have 20 million dors. The money was my mom''s. Although she gave me her card to use, I never did. I only used my monthly allowance to cover my daily expenses.


    "What kind of university student can afford a vi here?"


    "That''s a dumb question. Obviously, it was a trust fund kid."


    Lucas disagreed. "No. I don''t think he''s just any ordinary trust fund kid. To afford a 20-million-dor vi, you have to be from one of the richest families in the country. "


    Charlotte was shocked. "If even you are impressed, his family must be wealthier than yours then?"


    Lucas replied with a bitter smile, "Although my family is well-off, we still have to think carefully before buying a 20-million-dor vi. So, I don''t think my family canpare to that person."


    At least Lucas was humble enough to admit that. Honestly, his family''s fortune couldn''t evenpare to any one of my family''s assets.


    However, all that belonged to my dad. So, I didn''t like unting what didn''t belong to me.


    Even if I did want to unt, I''d wait until after I had a sessful career. Only then could I unt what I''d worked hard for.


    The driver wouldn''t stop chattering. He continued to tell us the whole story he heard from his customer.


    But he exaggerated a lot of the details, turning a boring story into something full of ups and downs. It made me feel embarrassed as if he was putting me on a pedestal.


    Matthew eximed, "That trust fund kid is so generous. He actually gifted his employee a vi worth 700 thousand dors? Now where can I sign up to be his employee?"


    Iughed, "You want to work for him? I can help pull some strings."


    Matthew is my best friend, so of course I''d give him the chance. Forget the 700- thousand-dor vi. I''d even let him stay in my 20-million-dor vi for a while if he wanted to.


    Matthew didn''t even get a chance to respond before Charlotte pushed my head from behind. "Who do you think you are? You''re talking as if you know the trust fund kid!"


    I sighed. "How is it your business whether I know him or not? I wasn''t even talking to you."


    Charlotte simply sneered in response. "Pfft. You''re just trying to butt in on our conversation. Let me be very honest with you, William. We can tolerate having you around now just because we attend the same university, but when we all graduate, you won''t even qualify to be our driver!"


    I sneered back at her. "You want me as your driver? In your dreams."


    "What did you say!"


    Charlotte got angry, causing Lucas''s expression to darken. "William, do you want


    to get kicked out of the car? I can stop it right now and make you get out!"


    I looked at him coldly, "But the cab was booked by my best friend, remember? So stop being so full of yourself."


    "Do you want to die?"


    Lucas lunged toward me, and I was ready to fight back. But Matthew pulled his hand away.


    "Cut it out! We''re all supposed to have fun today, so stop talking about unhappy things. William, chill out."


    Fine then. I''ll chill out.


    I turned my head and looked out the window in silence. I decided to ignore whatever awfulments Lucas and Charlotte made. But I made a decision in my head.


    If Matthew ever invited me out again, I definitely wouldn''t go!

 Chapter 77

    We arrived at a farmhouse. Unlike typical farmhouses, this one provided


    strawberry and cherry picking services, along with amusement facilities, and even a hill to hike.


    The two couples were having a lot of fun. I wanted to stay at the farmhouse and wait for them, but Matthew insisted on dragging me along.


    So, I ended up bing their errand boy, handling their bags and taking photos for them.


    Even Matthew, that punk, got so carried away that he started bossing me around, even making me lie on the ground to get the perfect angle for pictures of him and Isabelle.


    I yfully threatened him, "You''re really ditching your friend for a girl, huh? I''m letting it slide for now, but just wait till we get back¡ªI''ll deal with you then!"


    Matthew just scratched his head andughed. "It''s not every day I get to be out with Isabelle. You know me. I''m not exactly rich. If I don''t keep her happy, what if she leaves me?"


    But couldn''t he just find another girlfriend if she ditches him? He didn''t have to stick around with gold diggers like Isabelle.


    Of course, I couldn''t say these thoughts out loud. After all, they were a couple, while I was just a roommate they had only known for a short while. It wasn''t my ce toment on their rtionship. So, I''d just have to put up with it.


    Luckily, the girls were wearing heels, so they couldn''t hike. Otherwise, I would''ve had to apany them, and it would have been exhausting.


    As the sun began to set, we finally sat down at the dinner table. Honestly, the meals served at the farmhouse were pretty good. Compared to the extravagant dishes served in hotels, I preferred meals like this¡ªsimple and authentic.


    By the time we finished dinner, it was already dark out. Lucas immediately suggested, "I know a nice hotel nearby. How about we don''t go back to campus tonight and stay there instead?


    Everyone''s expressions shifted upon hearing his suggestion. I couldn''t help but smirk.


    They had just announced their rtionship today, and he already nned to stay at a hotel the same night. It felt like he was treating Charlotte and the rest of us like fools.


    His intentions were so obvious. There was no way we couldn''t see it.


    Isabelle smiled awkwardly. "Uh... maybe not? We all have sses tomorrow, and we''re pretty far from campus now. I''m worried we won''t make it back in time for ss."


    Matthew added, "Exactly. Plus, staying at a hotel is expensive. It''d be unfair for William to sleep alone and pay more."


    Lucas said to me in a surprisingly friendly manner, "Don''t worry. Like I said earlier, I''ll cover the expenses for everyone today. I''ll take care of the hotel costs."


    At this point, Matthew and Isabelle didn''t know to refuse anymore, so they looked to me for help.


    I was about to say something when Charlotte interrupted. "Okay then! We''ll stay at the hotel!"


    I was stunned. She actually said yes? Did she know what it meant to stay overnight at a hotel?


    We were all university students now, so there was no way she didn''t know. Judging by how determined she looked, it seemed like she was ready to sleep with Lucas.


    I immediately nced at Matthew and Isabelle.


    Didn''t they say Charlotte didn''t want to be with Lucas? But today, she looked so affectionate and happy with him. Now, she was even willing to go to a hotel with him. It didn''t look like she was unwilling to be with him.


    Matthew and Isabelle looked at each other, confused.


    Soon, we arrived at the hotel Lucas mentioned earlier. He eagerly asked for three


    rooms at the reception and headed upstairs with Charlotte.


    Matthew sighed. "Looks like Charlotte''s not getting away tonight."

 Chapter 78

    I couldn''t help but doubt them. "Are you guys misunderstanding? Charlotte seems pretty willing to stay in the same room with Lucas."


    "That''s not true!" Isabelle frowned as she denied it.


    "She''s just putting up an act. If she truly liked Lucas, she wouldn''t have rejected him so many times. This time, it just so happened that Lucas helped her out, and she just wanted to repay him by being with him."


    Isabelle started tearing up as she spoke.


    "This is also because of her dad. Her dad wanted her to keep this connection with Lucas. After all, not everyone can settle things with the Arnoult Group like he did. Charlotte listens to her dad, so she doesn''t have a choice."


    She was forced? I crossed my arms, filled with suspicion. If she really was forced, her acting was so convincing that I couldn''t tell at all.


    Matthew gave Isabelle a pat on the shoulder. "Forget it. Lucas''s personality is not the best. He ys around with women, unts his money, and even has weird fetishes.


    "But he has a strong background. He was even willing to risk offending the Arnoult Group for Charlotte. So, I don''t think he''ll treat Charlotte the way he treated other women."


    "Wait..." I stopped Matthew, feeling shocked. "What do you mean, ''the way he treated other women''?"


    Matthew replied, "You didn''t know? I heard that two women slept with Lucas and ended up in the hospital for three months, receiving 50 thousand dors aspensation!"


    What the heck? That was all so messed up. If that was true, then Charlotte was in serious danger. Lucas wasn''t even the one who helped Charlotte solve her problems. Yet, he was lying to her about it.


    From what he had done, his feelings for Charlotte don''t seem genuine at all. That means there was a chance he would treat her the same way he treated those other women.


    What should I do? Should I help her?


    Thinking back to all the mockery and insults she threw at me, I honestly didn''t want to help her. I had also decided to not get involved in her business anymore.


    But this was serious. If I didn''t stop Lucas, what if Charlotte ended up in the hospital tonight?


    As I was lost in thought, Matthew and Isabelle headed upstairs as well. Finally, I made up my mind to go upstairs to talk to Charlotte face-to-face. If she showed even the slightest hint of reluctance, I''d step in and help her.


    So I approached the receptionist. "Can I ask which room Charlotte Hayes is in?"


    Just now, when Lucas was booking the rooms, I only heard my room number, so I had no idea where they were staying.


    The receptionist scanned me up and down and sneered. "Your friends were all paired up. Why are you alone?"


    I was frustrated, so I didn''t bother responding to her mockery. "Just tell me the room number."


    The receptionist frowned. "Why should I do as you ask? Who do you think you are? That information is confidential!"


    "She''s my friend, and we came together. Didn''t you see?"


    The receptionist scoffed. "If she''s your friend, why don''t you ask her yourself? It looks to me like she didn''t even bother to talk to you. She got herself the king room and left you with a standard room."


    It was true. I could just ask her myself.


    But calling her in advance would make her cautious. It would be better if I showed


    up unexpectedly to see what was really going on.


    But now, the receptionist was looking down on me and wouldn''t even tell me her room number!

 Chapter 79

    I was about to give up and just call Charlotte to ask for her room number myself when suddenly, the receptionist''s expression became serious as she looked


    behind me.


    "Mr. Hart!"


    I turned around and saw a man in a suit walking in. I recognized this man. He used to be my dad''s driver.


    "Victor?"


    "Mr. White!" Victor looked shocked to see me. He approached me, eyes wide open. "When did youe here? You should''ve called me!"


    "I just came with my friends. I didn''t even know you owned this ce."


    Victor chuckled, "What do you mean I own this ce? Don''t you know? This hotel belongs to Mr. White Senior. I''m just managing it for him."


    This was my dad''s hotel all along? I was confused.


    Honestly, my dad owned way too many businesses. He loved trying everything. At this point, I had lost count of how many enterprises he had under his name.


    "Mr. White, if you bring your friends over in the future, just give me a call, and I''ll arrange the best rooms for you. Brenda, upgrade Mr. White and his friends'' rooms to the best ones!"


    The receptionist looked pale. She looked at me apologetically before processing Victor''s request.


    I stopped her. "Don''t worry about it."


    Suddenly, the receptionist rushed toward me and grabbed my arm.


    "I''m so sorry, Mr. White. Please forgive me. I... I made a mistake. I shouldn''t have said all that to you. I''m sorry! I really am!"


    I was stunned. "I didn''t say I was going to do anything to you. You don''t have to act like this."


    I was actually annoyed at her earlier, but I didn''t think it was worth using my privileges against her.


    "You... You forgive me?"


    "It''s nothing. I just don''t think it''s necessary to upgrade our rooms. My friends don''t know about my background, and I want to keep it that way. Otherwise, I wouldn''t have chosen to stay in the dorms in the first ce."


    Victor pped his forehead and said, "Right! I almost forgot! You''re attending a public university and even chose to stay on campus to experience life there."


    "Yeah, so let''s not be too high-profile and just keep things as they are. Brenda, please check Charlotte Hayes''s room for me."


    "Right away!" She hurried back to the desk and found Lucas''s information.


    I immediately rushed upstairs, but I hesitated as I stood outside the room. I was worried that I was just butting in and that my help wouldn''t be appreciated at all.


    However, I realized that this simple decision of mine could directly affect Charlotte''s fate, so I knocked on the door.


    "Who is it?" Lucas asked frustratingly.


    I tried to calm myself down and replied, "It''s me. I need to see Charlotte for something."


    Momentster, the door opened. Charlotte was standing in front of me. Fortunately, her clothes were still intact.


    She crossed her arms, scanning me up and down in frustration. "You wanted to see me?"


    "Yeah. Charlotte, I want to ask you a question, and you have to be honest with me. Do you actually like Lucas and want to be with him?"


    She was stunned at my question. She stared at me for a good five seconds and let out a scoff. "William, you can''t actually be interested in me, can you?"

 Chapter 80

    "I..."


    "I know Isabelle invited you today to set us up, but she''s just jealous of me for getting a rich boyfriend. That''s why she wanted to separate me and Lucas. If I actually did as she wished, I''d be the biggest fool in the world!"


    I stood there in silence. Looking at her beautiful, yet cold, eyes, I couldn''t help but let out a self-deprecating smile.


    What was I doing here? What did her safety have to do with me? My being there for her waspletely unnecessary.


    "Why are you ring at me? If you don''t agree with what I''m saying, just take a look in the mirror! You''ll see how out of my league you are! Now, piss off!" With that, she pushed me away and mmed the door in my face.


    I took a deep breath and walked away.


    I went back to my room and sat on my bed. I felt so angry at our conversation that


    I was cursing Charlotte in my head. If Lucas really did something to her, it was no longer my business.


    But on second thought, even if she insulted me, she still didn''t deserve to be treated like that.


    I thought long and hard, and in the end, I couldn''t help but call Mr. Zimmer.


    Since he was the one who handled Charlotte''s problems, it was best if he exined everything to Charlotte''s father himself.


    At the same time, I asked him to not mention my involvement in the matter. I didn''t want my background to be exposed.


    After the call, Iy on my bed, patiently waiting for things to unfold.


    Around 15 minutester, I heard intense knockinging from the hallway,


    followed by Charlotte''s cries.


    "Isabelle! Isabelle! Come out now!"


    I opened my door and stood outside to have a look. I saw Charlotte in a tank top


    and shorts, crying in front of Isabelle''s room, barefoot.


    "He lied to me! Lucas lied to me!"


    Lucas came out from his room too, wearing only a pair of shorts, looking extremely panicked.


    Isabelle was stunned. "What do you mean you were lied to?"


    Charlotte sobbed, covering her mouth. "The person who helped my dad settle things with the Arnoult Group wasn''t Lucas. He lied to me from the beginning! The president of the Business Association just called my dad!"


    Listening to Charlotte, I sighed in relief. It looked like the deed was done.


    Lucas walked up to Charlotte with a nervous expression. "Babe, it''s a misunderstanding. My dad actually did help you. Maybe... maybe someone was interpersonating the president? Calm down and we''ll talk about it. "


    This dude actually had no shame. He still wasn''t telling the truth after being exposed like that?


    "Stay away from me!"


    Charlotte immediately hid behind Isabelle. "Lucas, stop trying to lie to me! The person who called my dad was indeed the president of the Business Association. They spoke on Facetime, and my dad saw his face! My dad saw him on television before."


    Lucas approached Charlotte, and she screamed in fear. Matthew stepped out of the room and stood in front of Lucas.


    "Lucas, what are you doing? Keep your hands to yourself!"


    Lucas looked offended. "Get lost! This is between me and Charlotte. It has nothing to do with you!"


    Out of nowhere, Lucas threw a punch at Matthew, then he grabbed onto Charlotte''s wrist and dragged her back into their room.


    I hesitated over whether I should help. Too many times, my help wasn''t appreciated, so I was feeling rather reluctant.

 Chapter 81

    Right then, Charlotte lifted Lucas'' arm and bit down hard.


    "Ouch!" As Lucas let out a cry of pain, he pushed Charlotte with all his might, sending her crashing into the wall.


    A loud ng sounded as a painting fell to the ground, breaking the frame into pieces. There was even a hole in the canvas. However, neither of them cared as they continued their scuffle.


    The disturbance caught Victor and Brenda''s attention, prompting them to rush upstairs. The moment they saw the painting on the ground, they were both stunned.


    "The painting!" Victor took a few quick steps forward, his heart aching at the sight of the damaged painting on the floor. "You people damaged the painting!"


    Charlotte quickly hid behind Isabelle, frowning as she red at Victor. "It''s just a painting! I''ll pay for it."


    She clearly didn''t think much of the painting, assuming it was just some decorative painting hung in a hotel that was worth no more than 1,000 dors.


    "You''re going to pay for it? Fine. Brenda, bring me the painting''s appraisal certificate! Miss, our boss bought this painting from an auction for 600 thousand dors.


    "If you''re saying you''llpensate us for it, we should follow the proper procedures. Please say you will take responsibility right now."


    "What? 600 thousand?" Charlotte''s eyes widened. "You must be joking!"


    Victor answered expressionlessly, "I''m not joking. Moreover, this painting was worth 600 thousand dors ten years ago, but with intion and the fact that the artist has passed away, its value has probably increased five or sixfold by now."


    "Y-you''re trying to scam me! How could such an expensive painting be casually hung in a hallway?"


    I was also puzzled hearing this. How could they just hang such a valuable painting out in the open like this? Were they not afraid of it being stolen?


    Victor snapped, "Scam? This kind of artwork is priceless. If you damage it, you won''t even be able to buy another one like it, no matter how much money you have. Do you think we care about such a small amount of money?"


    After a pause, he added, "As for why it''s in the hallway, it''s because our boss has so many paintings in his collection that he can''t fit them all in storage, so he disys some here.


    "Every painting in the hallway is worth a fortune. That is also why we have 19 surveince cameras installed in the hallway."


    I was speechless when I heard his exnation. My dad indeed had a hobby of collecting art, and he even had three separate vis just to disy his collection. He would even donate some pieces he had grown tired of to museums.


    As such, it was not too surprising to see them in the hotel hallway.


    Charlotte was so shaken by what Victor said that she was speechless. "I-I didn''t know it was so expensive..."


    "Whether you knew or not, you still have to pay up. We have surveince footage showing exactly how the painting was damaged. You can exin it all at the police station."


    With that, Victor pulled out his phone to call the police.


    The terrified Charlotte immediately grabbed his arm, pleading, "Please don''t call the police! I beg of you!"


    "Fine. Then we''ll go through legal channels. Tomorrow, I''ll get the painting''s value appraised, and you''d better be ready with at least two to three million aspensation."


    Charlotte broke down crying from fear. She was crying even harder than when she had just learned about Lucas'' true colors. "I-I''m just a broke student. How could I possibly have two to three million?"


    Victor was utterly unfazed. He showed no sympathy when saying, "That''s your problem."


    "No!"


    Charlotte abruptly dropped to her knees with a loud thud in front of Victor, then grabbed his arm and begged desperately.


    "Please! I beg you to let me go. I really don''t have that kind of money. If you force me to pay, you''ll only be ruining my life!


    "Please, give me a way out. I''m begging you! A few million may be nothing to someone rich like you, but to us poor people, that amount of money could ruin us for life. Please!"

 Chapter 82

    Victor shook off Charlotte''s hand. "Don''t y the poor card with me. Just tell me right now whether you are paying or not.


    "If you are, then ept the responsibility, and we will proceed with the appraisal process. If not, I''ll call the police immediately."


    Charlotte lost allposure when she heard him. There was no way she could afford to pay thepensation, but if she didn''t, she might end up in jail.


    Not only had she been deceived by Lucas, but she also had to run into such a difficult situation. She was indeed rather pitiful that night.


    As the crowd in the hallway grew, with some even secretly taking photos, I couldn''t bear seeing her in such a situation anymore, no matter how much I disliked her. As such, I stepped forward.


    "Sir, this painting looks like a reproduction to me."


    Victor was stunned for a moment when he saw me. He then asked in surprise, "What do you mean? Are... Are they your friends?"


    I gave a nod. "Yeah. They are my friends."


    Victor immediately understood what I was trying to do. His stern, cold expression transformed into a warm smile.


    "Oh, well, I guess I can''t keep up with the lie anymore. I can''t believe you could


    tell. Ha ha. This is indeed a reproduction, so there''s no need topensate us for


    it.


    "Brenda, clean this up quickly. We don''t want Mr. White... I mean, we don''t want anyone stepping on the ss!"


    "Yes, sir."


    With that, Victor walked away with his hands behind his back.


    The rest of the people in the hallway were utterly dumbfounded. "A reproduction?"


    "Damn. That guy almost scammed her out of three million!"


    "What the heck? That poor girl cried her heart out, yet it turned out to be a reproduction. She begged for nothing!"


    The people in the hallway looked at Charlotte with pity. Charlotte was on her knees momentarily in shock before grabbing Isabelle''s hand to help herself up.


    Infuriated, she snapped, "He tricked me! He tried to make me pay millions for a fake painting and even threatened to call the police! How dare he? I''m going to report him for fraud! I''ll call the police myself!"


    Seeing her take out her phone, I quickly stepped forward to stop her by grabbing her hand.


    "You should let it go. There''s no need for that. He''s not making youpensate them anymore, so why bother looking for trouble? Besides, even reproductions cost money.


    "This painting looks pretty good. It''s probably worth a few thousand dors. If you call the police, you might end up having to pay a few thousand inpensation."


    Though still angry, Charlotte listened to reason and slowly lowered her phone. But as soon as she did, she pushed my hand away forcefully.


    "Don''t touch me!"


    As I was momentarily stunned, I almost cursed her out.


    Matthew couldn''t stand it anymore and said, "Charlotte, don''t push it! If William hadn''t pointed out that it was a fake, you would''ve had to pay millions inpensation!"


    Even Isabelle feltpelled to speak up for me. "Exactly! He just helped you-at least show him some gratitude."


    Charlotte nced at me with an arrogant sneer. "It was just a lucky guess. That''s all!


    "Even if he hadn''t spoken up for me, I wouldn''t have had to pay anyway once the appraisal or police investigation was done. In fact, I might''ve even gottenpensated!"


    I couldn''t help butugh. Helping her out did nothing for me. It wasn''t worth it at


    all. Not wanting to deal with her anymore, I turned and walked away.


    As soon as I got back to my room, I received a message from Victor. He texted, "Mr. White, was what I did just now okay? I didn''t cause you any problems, did I?"


    "No."


    "That''s good to hear. However, the painting was still your father''s. I''m worried that he''ll be upset since I made that decision on my own. Could you exin the matter to him for me?"


    Not wanting to put Victor in a tough spot, I reassured him before calling my dad. Unexpectedly, he told me, "That hotel is yours anyway!"

 Chapter 83

    "Mine?"


    "Yeah. Otherwise, why would I even have one in Welsington City? I thought you might want a ce to hang with your friends and rest in the future."


    I couldn''t help but smile. I didn''t realize that I had been staying in my own hotel, despite having already been here for almost a full day.


    The next morning, after taking a shower and getting dressed, I decided to go for a walk before everyone else woke up.


    But as soon as I turned the corner on the first floor, I spotted Isabelle and Charlotte. They sure were up early.


    It made sense though, since Charlotte probably couldn''t sleep well after going through something like thatst night.


    But what caught my attention was that both of them were staring intently in one direction. Following their gaze, I saw Victor arguing with a few guests.


    I overheard one of the guests angrily shouting, "Didn''t you sayst night that all the paintings in the hallway were reproductions? So why is the one we damaged not a reproduction?"


    Victor sneered. "Who told you thatst night''s painting was a reproduction? I only spared those women because of the gentleman."


    "Then why are we being made to pay?"


    "You are paying because I decide who pays and who doesn''t! That''s my right!


    "As for you, the painting you damaged is worth 800 thousand. If you are not willing to pay, be prepared to go to jail. I''ve already called the police."


    Curious about what was going on, I went downstairs to ask Brenda at the front desk about it.


    Brenda exined in a whisper, "Those guests are crazy. They thought all the paintings in the hallway were fakes, so they deliberately damaged one today. Mr. Hart is furious and is making them pay."


    Did they deliberately damage the painting? How reckless of them. At that moment, Isabelle and Charlotte turned to look at me. Their expressions were odd, and I overheard their whispering.


    "Charlotte, did you hear that? That paintingst night wasn''t a reproduction at all. The manager only spared you because of William."


    "That''s impossible! What nonsense are you spouting? How could that broke guy have that kind of influence?"


    "But the manager said it himself. If you don''t believe me, go ask him."


    Charlotte, unwilling to ept the truth, went straight up to Victor. "Excuse me, I''d like to ask why you spared me from payingst night. Was it because of someone''s influence?"


    Victor seemed surprised when he heard what she said. "You don''t know?"


    Charlotte awkwardly said, "Could you please rify?"


    Without hesitation, Victor turned around and pointed directly at me. "Of course, it was because of him!"


    Giving Charlotte a casual shrug, I could only smile nonchntly. Charlotte was utterly stunned at the moment.


    After a while, still unable to fully ept the truth, she said, "Then... Could I ask why you showed him so much respect?"


    Victor was bing impatient from the questions. However, since I said she was a friend of mine, he stayed polite. "It''s because I believe he has a bright future ahead of him! Is that a good enough reason?"


    "Y-yes."


    Afraid of making Victor angry and being made to pay, Charlotte quickly dragged Isabelle to the side, and the two of them continued to stare at me with the same strange look.


    I didn''t mind their staring. After all, they never looked at me in a normal way before, anyway.


    At this point, the other guests were getting upset. "What do you mean by that? That guy gets special treatment, but we don''t? Do you know who we are?"


    Victor scoffed. "Please, enlighten me."


    "Hmph! I guess I could tell you. My dad is the branch manager of Welsington Bank''s branch on Ninefort Street!"

 Chapter 84

    Charlotte and Isabelle covered their mouths in shock as they looked toward the guest who had just spoken.


    Visibly taken aback, Charlotte remarked, "He''s the son of a branch manager? I never would''ve guessed."


    Isabelle agreed, saying, "The branch on Ninefort Street is pretty big! No wonder this guy''s so arrogant. The hotel manager probably won''t mess with him now."


    Leaning against the staircase railing, I watched the scene unfold with a smile.


    Victor wouldn''t mess with him now? Oh, please. Even if his dad were the general manager of the whole bank, he''d still have to watch himself.


    Sure enough, when Victor heard who the guy was, he didn''t even flinch. In fact, he got even more brazen.


    "If you think your dad''s such a big deal, why don''t you call him and see what he has to say about this?"


    The young man, clearly full of himself, snapped back, "Fine! I''ll call him right now. Don''t you fucking regret it!"


    He immediately pulled out his phone and dialed a number before putting it on speaker proudly to unt his authority.


    "Dad, I damaged a painting at the hotel I''m at. The manager knows who you are but is still acting tough with me. What do you think I should do?"


    A gruff voice quickly sounded. "They still dare to act tough after finding out who I am? Who''s looking for trouble? Go ahead and smash every painting in that hotel, Jacob. Don''t worry. If anything happens, I''ll take care of it!"


    What arrogance. It was no wonder this young man was so reckless-the apple clearly did not fall far from the tree.


    Victor sneered. "Mr. Powell, that''s pretty bold of you."


    "Who is this? How do you know my name?"


    "Oh,e on. Didn''t we have dinner together just a few days ago? You were toasting me, saying you''d treat me like family. Have you already forgotten about me?"


    There was stunned silence on the other end for a moment. Then, an rmed shout rang out. "This isn''t Mr. Hart, is it?"


    Victor smiled. "That''s right. This is he."


    "Mr. Hart, i-it''s you? Jacob, why didn''t you tell me earlier that the person you offended was Mr. Hart? I''m so sorry, Mr. Hart. I didn''t realize it was you.


    "Jacob, you''ve caused enough trouble! Hurry up and apologize to Mr. Hart!"


    The arrogant young man was utterly dumbfounded. He probably never imagined that his bank manager father would be so afraid of a boutique hotel''s general manager.


    What he didn''t know was that Victor wasn''t acting on his own authority-he represented my father, and few people would dare challenge that.


    Realizing the gravity of the situation, the young man quickly stammered out an apology.


    "I-I''m so sorry, Mr. Hart! I was wrong for not knowing who I was dealing with! As punishment, I''ll smack myself twice.


    "I''ll also go with you to have the painting appraised. I''ll pay whatever it''s worth and not a penny less!"


    Victor snorted. "Now, wasn''t that easy?"


    After settling the matter, Victor came over to me with a warm smile. "What would you like for breakfast, my dear guest? I''ll have someone prepare it right away."


    "Just make something simple. I have to head back to school after I eat." "No problem."


    As soon as I sat down, the staff brought over three drinks. Half a ss of juice, a ss of milk, and half a ss of vegetable juice were what I always had for breakfast at home.


    At that moment, Matthew came downstairs, and I waved him over to join me for breakfast. He then called Charlotte and Isabelle toe over as well.


    As observant as Victor was, he promptly ordered more food when he noticed my friends had arrived. Before long, the table was filled with a wide array of dishes.

 Chapter 85

    Isabelle suddenly became nervous. She whispered, "Who''s going to pay for breakfast? There is no way Lucas would pick up the tab, right?"


    After everything about him was exposedst night, he went back to his room and hadn''t been out since. No one knew if he had already left or was still hiding out in his room.


    Charlotte scoffed. "Don''t mention him. Just thinking about him makes me sick!"


    The conflicted Isabelle muttered, "I didn''t want to bring him up either, but he did say he''d pay."


    Matthew gave a peck on Isabelle''s cheek. "Don''t worry, my dear. I could always pay. We rarely get to go out, so don''t stress about money."


    "That won''t do. We came together, so why should you foot the bill alone? If Lucas doesn''t pay for us, we''ll just have to split the bill among ourselves."


    Upon hearing this, I nced at Isabelle. It would seem that she was rather good to Matthew since she was willing to speak up for him and cover for him. That must have been why Matthew was so devoted to her.


    Charlotte stabbed at her omelet with a grumpy face. "I''m fine with splitting the bill for the room cost, but I''m not the one who ordered breakfast. I''m not paying for this."


    "Exactly!" Isabelle instantly turned to me. "William, you were the one who ordered breakfast, weren''t you? Will you be the one paying for it?"


    I found them amusing. They were usually so high and mighty, looking down on anyone who was poor. Yet, when it came to money, they were stingier than anyone, even more so than the people they looked down on.


    I genuinely wondered what went through their heads.


    "All of this is free, so just eat up."


    That one sentence was enough to put their minds at ease.


    "You should have said so earlier!"


    "Free? Really? I''d better eat a lot then. These sausages are amazing! They have to be imported."


    "The omelet is so good!"


    "Darn! I forgot to take pictures. Hey! Stop eating, everyone! I need to take some pictures. Quick, rearrange the tes."


    Excitement took over the two women as they spent the next ten minutes carefully arranging and photographing the food before allowing Matthew and me to continue our meal.


    After breakfast, Charlotte seemed much more rxed, no longer looking grumpy. She smiled as she and Isabelle walked together, exchanging photos.


    Matthew and I followed behind them, looking like twockeys.


    Matthew winked at me. "So, what do you think? Charlotte isn''t that bad, right?"


    I scoffed. "Compared to people like Lina, of course, she''s a little better. But, dude, there are so many great women out there. Why limit yourself to such a small pool?"


    Why should Ipare her to someone worse and not someone better? Any woman would seem greatpared to Lina.


    Matthew burst outughing. "But we don''t know other good women, right? Plus, Charlotte and Isabelle are best friends. If you and Charlotte got together, the four of us could hang out all the time."


    Going on double dates with a friend would be fun. However, Charlotte was out of the question. Even if she wanted me, I wouldn''t want her. Compared to her, I liked Felicia much more.


    Right then, I couldn''t help but picture Felicia nkly looking at me in her loose ck T-shirt, her long hair down, and her ck-framed sses perched on her nose. The thought of her made me smile.


    I wondered what she was up to now.


    On the way back, Isabelleughed excitedly the whole time. "We didn''t have to pay a single cent! I bet when Lucas leaves, he''ll be dumbfounded!


    "Not only did he fail to impress any women, but he also ended up covering all the room charges for nothing. He''s going to be so pissed!"

 Chapter 86

    I smiled when I heard what Isabelle said.


    Before we left, I told Victor that he should get Lucas to pay for the rooms and breakfast. With Victor handling things, Lucas would have no choice but to pay.


    Just as Isabelle put it, this whole trip was a total loss for him as he got no women and was stuck with the bill. I bet he''d curse up a storm when it was time to pay.


    Charlotte huffed, "He brought this upon himself! However, when we get back to the university, don''t go around telling anyone about this. I don''t want to look like a fool."


    "We know. Rest assured. We won''t say a word about this!"


    Charlotte then nced at me. She had her usual disdainful expression, but after staring at me for a moment, her expression softened slightly.


    Also, her tone wasn''t as sharp as usual when she said, "William, you''d better not say anything as well. Don''t mention this to anyone."


    I nodded slightly. "Don''t worry. My lips are sealed."


    Back on campus, Matthew and Isabelle were practically inseparable, immediately heading off for another date as soon as we got out of the car.


    Charlotte wanted me to take her to her dorm, but I refused. I would prefer not to be alone with her. Even if she were fine with it, I''d still feel awkward. So, I went straight to my dorm.


    Benjamin and Liam were there, having a simple breakfast of oatmeal and bread.


    As I walked over with a smile, I ced the packed breakfast I had brought back in front of them. "Try some of this. I brought this back for you guys to enhance your meal a little."


    "Will, you''re the best!"


    "Yeah! You''re the only one who treats us so well."


    They quickly opened the boxes, and when they saw the array of beef, sausages, and sandwiches inside, their eyes widened.


    "Wow! This must''ve cost a fortune!"


    "What''s in this sandwich? It looks weird."


    After ncing over, Iughed. "Weird? That''s caviar. It''s expensive stuff, but the taste isn''t very special."


    "This is the caviar I''ve heard so much about? Let me try some!"


    Watching them enjoy their meal was enough to make me feel satisfied. Not wanting to disturb their breakfast, I headed straight to the library.


    While enjoying campus life, I could not neglect my studies. My family had made it clear that I''d only be studying at this university for two years before being sent abroad as an exchange student to further my education.


    So, I needed to prepare for that, especially in terms of building a solid foundation innguages like Encarian.


    Around 2:00 p.m., I received a call from Mr. Dignam.


    "Mr. White, Mr. White Senior has organized a charity fund project at your university. All the funds raised will go to supporting underprivileged students. We''ve already raised one million.


    "A celebration will be held at 8:00 p.m. on the sports field tonight, where donation certificates and keepsakes will be given out. Would you like to attend?"


    A charity fund project my dad organized? It was obvious I had to go show my support.


    "Where do I donate? I''ll contribute too. As for tonight, I''ll decide whether to attend or notter. You don''t need to worry about it."


    "Understood." After getting the location of the donation booth from Mr. Dignam, I headed over.


    The donation options were detailed. Some donations would go to underprivileged students at our school, others to students at other schools, and there was even a special program for helping impoverished people in rural areas.


    I chose to donate to the underprivileged students at our university.


    A cutedy with pigtails smiled at me and asked, "How much would you like to donate?"


    I wasn''t sure what amount would be appropriate, so I asked, "Can I see the donation list?"


    "Of course you can. It''s all public information. The names will be announced tonight, and the awards will be given in front of everyone."


    They were going to announce the names tonight? In that case, I should donate anonymously.

 Chapter 87

    I initially nned to donate 50 thousand dors, but the highest donation was only 6,000 dors on the donation list. Donating too much would make me stand out unnecessarily.


    "I''ll donate 10 thousand then."


    That seemed like a decent amount-generous, but not enough to cause a stir.


    Afterpleting the transfer, I was about to leave when thedy with the pigtails hurried after me. "Hey, you haven''t signed your name yet!"


    With a smile, I said, "Nah. Just think of me as a good Samaritan." With that, I walked off.


    I had to attend the celebrationter, not just to support my dad but also to see who else was donating and helping underprivileged students. People like that were worth getting to know.


    However, going alone would be boring, so I thought about who to invite. After some consideration, I called Felicia.


    "Are you freeter tonight? I could use your help with something."


    "I do." For some reason, her voice sounded softer and sweeter than usual.


    "Great. Could youe out now? I''d like to take you somewhere first."


    I chose to bring her since a charity event like this might make people like Benjamin and Liam, who weren''t well-off, feel ufortable.


    As for Matthew, I didn''t even want to consider him. That guy would just bring Isabelle along and disy their love the entire time. I''d rather go alone than deal with them.


    Once I met up with Felicia, I noticed she had gone back to her usual oversized T- shirt and baggy pants. I couldn''t help butugh.


    "What happened to the clothes I bought you? Why aren''t you wearing them?"


    Felicia awkwardly said, "The tag said they need to be dry-cleaned. That''s too expensive. I can''t afford dry cleaning."


    Was she avoiding wearing the clothes just to save on dry-cleaning? She was way too frugal.


    "Then I''ll buy you more clothes today. You can just toss them in the washing machine, and if they get ruined, I''ll rece them."


    "Huh?" Felicia was stunned. "You want to buy me more clothes? Why?"


    I exined about the event that night. "There''ll be a lot of people there, and most of them are probably from wealthy families. If you''re not dressed appropriately, some might make rudements."


    After dealing with some of the people who came from wealthy families recently, I knew how petty they could be. Since she wasing as my guest, I couldn''t let her face any kind of embarrassment.


    "B-but do you still have money to spend? You should be pretty broke by now, right?"


    I chuckled when I heard what she said. "Don''t worry. I have enough."


    Then, I took her to a luxury store that my mom represented.


    I didn''t know a thing about women''s fashion, but my mom''s taste was top-tier, even among the social elite. Any brand she would favor was bound to be good.


    Sure enough, the moment we stepped inside, Felicia''s eyes lit up.


    "The clothes here are so beautiful! I''ve never seen styles like this. Oh, look at this dress! I think I''ve seen a celebrity wear something like it before."


    A saleswoman came over with a smile. "You''ve got great taste! This dress is indeed the same one a celebrity wore, and it''s thest one we have. Would you like to try it on?"


    "Well... How much is this?"


    Felicia instinctively reached for the price tag, but I quickly grabbed her wrist. "Felicia, I said I''d buy you the clothes. Just focus on trying them on, okay? I''ll handle the bill."


    She hesitated for a moment but finally nodded with a shy smile after meeting my determined gaze. Holding the dress excitedly, she headed to the fitting room.

 Chapter 88

    As soon as Felicia walked into the fitting room, I quietly informed the saleswoman of my identity.


    After confirming it, the saleswoman bowed her head. "Mr. White, we wee you to review the operations at our branch. The store manager is currently checking inventory in the warehouse and will be here shortly!"


    "There''s no need for the manager to be here. Just help me pick out a few outfits."


    "Of course!"


    Before she left, I added, "Oh, and don''t let my friend know about my identity. Keep it low-key, and don''t show it."


    The saleswoman smiled sweetly as she made an "okay" hand gesture. "Don''t worry. I understand!"


    Momentster, Felicia stepped out of the fitting room.


    I was instantly awestruck. She was already stunning in the outfit I bought her on the flyst time, but this time, her elegance was on a whole different level while she was in that short, sky-blue dress.


    The spaghetti strap design entuated her delicate shoulders and her shapely figure.


    Her slender, fair limbs made certain parts of her body look even more prominent as if her curves were almost too developed.


    Her lush hair cascaded down her back, and with those ck-framed sses still on, she exuded an unexpected blend of sexiness and charm.


    The only thing that didn''t match her look was her old, worn-out sneakers.


    I quickly turned to the saleswoman. "Find her a pair of matching high heels."


    While the saleswoman went to get the high heels, I approached Felicia and gently took off her sses.


    "I told youst time to change your sses. Why are you still wearing these?" Seemingly shy, Felicia said, "I got these when I was still a sophomore in high school. They cost over 300 dors, and I''ve grown attached to them."


    Just as she finished speaking, the door to another fitting room opened, and out walked someone I recognized.


    It was Lina. She had dyed her hair a chestnut brown, styled in loose, bouncy curls. Her rosy, full lips looked glossy, andbined with her bright eyes, she looked charming and cute.


    However, a sh of malice crossed her gaze when she saw me and Felicia. "William!"


    I frowned. "Why are you shouting? I''m not deaf, you know."


    "What are you doing here?" Lina asked with a puzzled expression. Her eyes then shifted to Felicia, and when she saw the dress, she couldn''t hide her amazement.


    "That dress is gorgeous! Howe I didn''t notice it before?" She nced at Felicia as she spoke, and her expression turned disdainful. "What a waste for it to be worn by someone like you."


    Felicia trembled, her lips quivering in anger.


    At that moment, the saleswoman returned with the high heels. "Miss, would you like to try these on? They''re a limited edition and go well with many outfits."


    She then knelt down to help take off Felicia''s shoes.


    "N-no! It''s fine!" Felicia tried to stop her, but it was toote. The saleswoman had already removed her sneakers, revealing the holes in her worn-out socks.


    "Pfft! Hahaha! Felicia, are you trying to kill me withughter? Did youe to Silence wearing socks with holes?


    "Aren''t you embarrassed? If I were you, I''d want to crawl into a hole. Oh, I have to take a picture and post this on my socials," Lina said.


    She pulled out her phone to snap a shot of Felicia, but I quickly blocked her


    camera.


    "William, what are you doing?" she snapped.


    After snatching her phone, I knelt down beside Felicia. As I gently held her foot, I began taking off her socks.


    To my surprise, underneath those shabby socks were the most delicate, fair feet I''d ever seen. They were gorgeous.


    I often heard people talking about stunning legs, but I had never really understood the hype until now. Felicia''s feet were just perfect.

 Chapter 89

    Felicia was on the verge of tears as she muttered, "William, please stop. You don''t need to do this."


    I smiled reassuringly at her, carefully sliding her foot into one of the heels. "You don''t have to be afraid. There''s no need for formalities between us. Besides, your socks may be worn out, but they don''t smell at all."


    After securing the shoes on her feet, I stood up and casually tossed the phone back to Lina.


    Lina''s face darkened as she red at me with a look that carried a hint of hurt. "William, are you two seeing each other?"


    I didn''t answer her as I kept my focus on Felicia''s feet. They looked even more beautiful in the white high heels.


    "A broke guy and a loser sure make a fitting pair! Felicia, you really do love picking up trash, huh?


    "Back in the dorm, you always ate my leftovers, and now you''ve even picked up the boyfriend I dumped. Don''t you have any self-respect?"


    Felicia''s face turned beet red. "Lina, stop it! William isn''t trash, and we are not in that kind of rtionship."


    "Aren''t you overreacting then? If you weren''t feeling guilty, you wouldn''t be so defensive. It''s disgusting that you''re trying to steal my man!"


    Lina red at Felicia, but with her naturally cute features, even her anger looked somewhat adorable.


    After berating Felicia, she turned to re at me. "Didn''t you already spend the money you got? Where did you suddenly get the money to buy clothes here?"


    "And how is that any of your business?" I replied, fed up with her chattering.


    I turned to the saleswoman. "Reserve this dress, and help her choose another one."


    "Wait a second!" Lina abruptly said when she noticed the saleswoman was about to leave. She pointed at the sky-blue dress Felicia was wearing. "I want that dress."


    The saleswoman froze for a moment. "I''m sorry, but this is thest one in stock. Would you like to see other simr styles?"


    Lina raised an eyebrow. "No. I want that exact one, and I''m willing to pay double."


    "Well..." The saleswoman nced at me for guidance, clearly unsure how to proceed.


    I couldn''t help but feel exasperated. Lina was being downright malicious right now.


    I shuddered at the thought of how much worse Lina''s bullying would have gotten if I hadn''te with Felicia.


    "Ignore her. This dress is mine," I said to the saleswoman, who immediately


    hurried over to the register to finalize the purchase without sparing Lina a second nce.


    Lina, livid from being disregarded even after offering double, flushed with anger. She turned her fury toward me.


    "William, how could you stand up for her in front of me? I''m your ex-girlfriend!"


    I almostughed out loud hearing that. "So you do know that you''re just my ex. We have nothing to do with each other anymore, so stop pretending like we do.


    "Go do whatever you need to do. Felicia, don''t worry about her. Keep picking out dresses."


    "Oh, okay." Felicia nodded before turning to nce at Lina, her eyes revealing a hint of triumph.


    That was expected. She had been picked on by Lina and her clique in the dorm for so long, so it must have felt really good to finally have the upper hand over thetter.


    I didn''t see her as smug. I merely thought it was endearing that she was straightforward and honest. If anything, I wanted her to feel even more confident and happy.


    Lina, on the other hand, was theplete opposite. She had always overshadowed Felicia in the dorm and at university. Yet, she was now being bested by the very person she once looked down on.


    To add insult to injury, her ex-boyfriend-who she had ruthlessly betrayed and discarded-had humiliated her. She must be feeling quite miserable inside.


    However, since she was used to ying the role of the pretentious and innocent youngdy, she still wore a sad and aggrieved expression on her face, no matter how much hatred she felt internally.

 Chapter 90

    "William, even if I did do something to hurt you, we were once the closest people who held and kissed one another. How could you pick on me with another woman? I would be hurt if you do this."


    She stepped closer to me, her eyes as innocent as a fawn''s. She then gently grasped the hem of my shirt.


    "Could you give me the blue dress? I promise I''ll treat you better in the future. Don''t be fooled by how submissive Felicia acts around you. The moment a rich man pursues her, she''ll immediately turn her back on you."


    Iughed. Was she not just talking about herself? I wondered how many times she had deceived me before with that pretentious act of hers.


    It was too bad that I had already built up a tolerance for her act. As such, I felt nothing as I remained as calm as still water.


    I grabbed her hand, and as a smile of joy appeared on her face, I abruptly flung it off and disdainfully flicked away the wrinkles she had created on my shirt.


    "Lina, are you mistaken? Felicia isn''t just any other woman-she''s my friend. And it''s not that she is submissive toward me. I''m the one pursuing her, understand?"


    "What? You''re pursuing her?" Lina was visibly shocked. She then slowly shook her head.


    "Don''t try to deceive me. Do you think I''m clueless? She''s not your type at all. William, I know I''ve hurt you and that you resent me, but you can''t just want some random woman, right?"


    Felicia was indeed not my type, but it wasn''t Lina''s ce to say that.


    To keep Felicia from looking inferior in front of Lina, I deliberately said, "Felicia is prettier, kinder, and more considerate than you. Choosing her is perfectly reasonable, isn''t it?"


    The furious and embarrassed Lina began to yell, "I''m already throwing myself at you, but you''re still choosing her over me? Are you blind?"


    I let out a contemptuous chuckle. "If I liked you, then I really would be blind."


    After saying that, I turned to Felicia, only to find her looking at me with a surprised


    and touched expression. There were even tears in her eyes.


    She was probably like this because of what I said to Lina. Feeling a little embarrassed all of a sudden, I scratched my head.


    Right then, Ryan unexpectedly strode in. He had two smoothies in his hands. The moment he saw me, his eyes widened in shock. "William, why are you here? Y- you... Lina, you''re..."


    It was clear that he had misunderstood Lina and me as he revealed a horrified and hurt expression.


    Lina shot a re at me before rushing to Ryan''s side to exin. "Please don''t misunderstand. I just happened to run into him."


    "You scared me. I thought you guys got back together. Lina, you absolutely mustn''t associate yourself with this loser!"


    Lina said with a smile, "Stop worrying. I wouldn''t want him even if he was thest man on earth."


    Ha ha. If she were the only woman left on the, I would rather castrate myself than be with her.


    However, I was still pretty surprised to see Ryan show up. Lina had clearly dumped him, yet he was still here being a simp. How could someone be so pathetic?


    Noticing my expression, Lina probably thought I was jealous and began to hold Ryan''s arm as if trying to show off.


    Ryan was obviously overjoyed by that, which prompted me to sneer. With how excited he was, it was clear to me that he rarely got the chance to touch her. That was probably the only thing I could give Lina credit for.


    Despite juggling so many men, she was still able to keep her purity and not give herself to anyone. How was she able to achieve that?


    Moreover, I really wondered what kind of man could get her to willingly give herself to him.

 Chapter 91

    Ryan was such a simp. So, he was probably just Lina''s stepping stone. Forget getting the girl, he might not be able to get a single kiss. As a result, I couldn''t help but look at Ryan with utmost pity.


    But before I could say anything, Felicia approached us with a dress in her arms, asking bashfully, "William, this is the dress I picked out. What do you think?"


    "Why don''t you try it on?"


    "Okay." Then, she trotted off to the dressing room with her dress in tow.


    I tapped a finger against my chin as I admired her graceful figure. Why did I have


    a feeling Felicia was behaving oddly shy before me? Why was that?


    Just as I turned my attention away from her, I unintentionally caught sight of the look in Ryan''s eyes. I didn''t expect him to be leering at Felicia.


    What a creep! To think that he would stare at other women when Lina was still around.


    Honestly, Lina would definitely thrash Felicia in the looks department. However, Felicia had a smoking body that Lina certainly didn''t possess.


    It didn''t hurt that she exuded a certain radiance and elegance after getting a glow- up. Thus, she could easily eclipse Lina. It was no wonder that Ryan would be interested in her.


    "Ryan!" Lina was quick to notice that Ryan''s attention was elsewhere. She tugged his arm and whined, "William got her a pair of limited edition heels. What about you?"


    Ryan snapped out of it and said dazedly, "Huh? What do you mean?"


    Lina huffed in anger and retorted, "What are you getting me? Say, you''re a scion, are you not? How could you lose to a penniless fraud like William?"


    Ryan rushed to soothe her ruffled feathers and coaxed, "Of course, I won''t. Lina, I''ll definitely buy you whatever you want. It doesn''t matter what William gets. I''ll double his purchase!"


    When Lina and I heard his grand promation, we blurted out in unison," Seriously?"


    Ryan nodded triumphantly. "Please, it''s just some shoes and clothes. How could I take you out on a shopping spree if I can''t even do that much?"


    As he spoke, he inched closer toward Lina, attempting to wrap an arm around her waist. s, Lina dodged his advances easily.


    Then, she wasted no time bounding toward the clothing rack, saying enthusiastically, "William bought Felicia two dresses and a pair of heels. So, I want four dresses and two pairs of heels!"


    Ryan''s lips twitched. Even though his wallet hurt, he had no choice but to nod. "Sure thing."


    I chuckled at the show. The cheapest product in this store was worth at least two hundred. Therefore, higher-quality dresses were worth approximately six to seven hundred. The casual dress I chose for Felicia was worth slightly over 800.


    Plus, there was no such thing as a discount in this store.


    Lina swiftly chose the dresses she had her eye on and marched toward the counter with four dresses. She had a glow on her face as she spoke, "Please wrap these up for me."


    At that very moment, Felicia walked out of her dressing room.


    She had a short whiteced dress on and the hemline barely covered her thighs. Coupled with her porcin fair legs and white high heels, she was truly a sight to behold.


    Even I couldn''t help but say, "You''re beautiful."


    Felicia flushed crimson as she pushed my arm gently. "Oh, stop. You''re making me feel so embarrassed."


    Lina''s voice pierced through our little bubble as she hollered by the counter, "Ryan, pay the bill. The total''s 3,800 dors!"


    "What did you just say?" Ryan nearly spat out the tea he was drinking. His eyes bulged in their sockets as his brain tried topute the numbers he was just given.


    "I said, it costs 3,800 dors. Hurry up and pay the bill. Don''t you tell me that you can''t pay this much! Back when William and I were dating, he would spend at least five to six grand whenever we went out on a date."


    Ryan immediately turned to re at me before insisting vehemently, "How could hepare to someone like me? He''s aplete loser! Who knows where he loaned all that money from?


    "My wealth is my own! So, topare me with him is an utter insult to my good name."

 Chapter 92

    "Babe, calm down. I''ll pay the bill right away! I''ll buy you whatever you want!"


    Hah! Insulting? I curled my lips into a cold smirk. Initially, I felt rather bad for Ryan. However, my temper red after hearing his words.


    I immediately turned to the sales associate and said, "Please choose another 10 outfits for me. I want a set of outfits of different styles. Ah, I also want another pair of high heels and a pair of ts."


    "Of course!"


    The sales associate instantly ced their focus entirely on my request. They swiftly directed me to the hottest andtest items in the store.


    Felicia waved her hands, utterly flustered. "William, it''s fine. I''m good. I really am. I don''t need that many clothes!"


    I sidled near Felicia and whispered, "Don''t worry. My mother owns this ce. I''m not paying a single cent."


    "Your mother..." she trailed off in astonishment and stared at me with utter disbelief.


    I merely nodded and graced her with a calm smile. Although she was still suspicious, she swallowed her refusal and allowed me to do my thing.


    Meanwhile, Lina, who heard that I was buying Felicia more clothes, immediately snapped hotly, "Then, I want 20 outfits and four pairs of shoes!"


    Ryan''s face had turned into a rather unattractive shade upon hearing her words. "Lina, why are you getting so worked up over what this loser is saying? He''s just being a show-off.


    "Four outfits already cost 3,800. That means 10 outfits are worth 8,000. How could he even afford any of it?"


    "You make a good point."


    Lina''s ruffled feathers settled a tad. Then, she looked at me and huffed in disdain.


    "William, stop yanking the employees'' chain. You can wag your tongue all you want, but can you afford to pay the bill? I dare you to settle the bill right now.


    "If you can actually afford to buy 10 outfits, then I''ll buy 20 of them! If I fail to do so, I''ll put my money where my mouth is!"


    Those words had just fallen from her lips when I smacked my card against the counter and said, "Swipe my card."


    The sales associate nodded professionally and rang up my purchases. "Your totales to 11,300 dors."


    Then, she swiped my card through the machine. Once I keyed in my PIN, the receipt was gradually printed from the device.


    Finally, the sales associate carefully packed the goods into several bags before handing them off to me. "Sir, please keep the receipt. If you face any issues with the product, please feel free to reach out to me. We look forward to your next visit."


    Ryan and Lina werepletely dumbfounded. They probably never imagined that my card wouldn''t decline when the bill was over 10 grand.


    I smiled at Lina mockingly. "Well? What are you standing around for? Didn''t you


    say you''d buy 20 outfits? It''s time to put your money where your mouth is."


    Lina stared at me with aplicated look in her eyes. "William, you''ve never bought me that many clothes back when we were dating."


    My brows furrowed upon hearing her words. "Lina, get real. Have I not treated you well? Aren''t the handbags and essories I gifted you worth more than these clothes?"


    "I..." Lina had no words to say to that because she knew I was telling the truth.


    Nevertheless, I wasn''t interested in strolling down memoryne with her. So, I said bluntly, "Don''t bother changing the subject. 20 means 20. I won''t leave till you buy them all."


    Lina bit her lip and hissed, "Fine. Do you think I still love you, William? Even though you bought Felicia 10 outfits, someone can get me 20! You''re nothing to me!"


    Once she said her piece, she spun on her heel and started going through the clothing rack.


    On the other hand, Ryan stood to the side with a dazed look on his face. Hisplexion turned pale before swiftly turning puce. Suffice it to say, he had no idea what he had gotten into.


    20 outfits meant spending at least 20 grand. Although he was a scion, that didn''t mean he had that much cash on him.

 Chapter 93

    It was just as Ryan expected. He felt himself tremble when he heard the sales


    associate announce the numbers after Lina brought a towering amount of clothes to the counter. The bill was about 28 thousand dors.


    "Ryan, get over here!"


    Sadly for him, Lina was so riled up that she wasn''t about to cease her one-sidedpetition with me.


    Therefore, Lina would definitely block him if Ryan couldn''t pay the bill today. When that happened, no amount of pandering would get him back into her good graces.


    His knees wobbled as he reluctantly trudged toward the counter. Then, he slowly flipped his wallet open and took his credit card out. "Ahem, 2,800 for this card."


    Then, he took out another card. "900 for this one."


    In the end, he used three cards just to settle the 28 thousand dor bill.


    I shook my head at him in sympathy. Why bother putting a bold front in the first ce?


    He would go this far just to satisfy Lina''s pride and gain her temporary favor. In exchange, he would have to budget his spending drastically for a few months. Once Lina noticed that, there was no way she would give him the time of day.


    Ryan immediately tugged Lina away from us after settling the bill. "Lina, I suddenly remember I have something to attend to. Let''s take care of that before anything else. Come along." Then, he dashed toward the entrance with her in tow.


    "Hey, wait a second! William, just you wait! You too, Felicia! You-"


    It seemed that Lina still had plenty of things to hurl at Felicia and I. s, Ryan wasn''t about to give her that chance to finish her tirade. He was probably terrified I would buy another 10 outfits.


    Once they were gone, Felicia turned to me with a resigned look on her face. "You spent so much money just to spite them. Is it worth it?"


    I grinned. "My mother has earned almost 30 thousand dors today. How is it not worth it?" Still, she probably didn''t care for such spare change.


    Felicia''s worries didn''t lessen during our journey back to our university. "William, you im your mother owns that establishment. Were you being honest?"


    "I was." Since it had gotten this far, I didn''t see a point in keeping secrets.


    "To be honest, my family''s quite well off. I didn''t say anything about it because no one would believe me and I don''t like the attention.


    "I also don''t want to end up like Joshua. He''s surrounded by sycophants who are only out for his money. He doesn''t even have a friend to call his own. Felicia, do you believe me?"


    Felicia nodded solemnly. "I do. You bought so many subs for me on my stream. You even got me so many outfits. You couldn''t possibly afford all that with your prize money.


    "Besides, I''ve long noticed that whatever you''re wearing is the real deal. So, I trust you."


    I smiled and patted her head. "It''s fine if you don''t believe me. Still, you have to believe me when I say I sincerely think of you as a friend."


    "Just friends?" Felicia lowered her head as her cheeks flushed crimson. "Can''t we go a step further?"


    What? I froze in my tracks. Did she just say "go a step further"?


    "Felicia, what are you saying?"


    I had just asked her the question when she abruptly closed the distance between


    us and gave me a peck on the cheek.


    Then, she bashfully tugged at her hem and murmured, "I want to be your girlfriend."


    Did... did she misunderstand me because of the words I said back at the store? I felt myself starting to panic.


    I genuinely didn''t like her that way. However, it wouldn''t be appropriate to turn her down right now since I did just buy her a bunch of clothes. If she wasn''t my friend, wouldn''t that mean I was her sugar daddy?


    I wracked my brain over it for a good while before finally saying, "I just ended things with Lina and it wasn''t a good breakup. I''m not ready to get into another romantic rtionship. You''ll only suffer if you date me now."


    "I don''t mind."

 Chapter 94

    Felicia looked at me with bright eyes before suddenly hugging my arm.


    "I can wait for you. I can also help you move past it if you want."


    I wanted to decline her offer. Still, the warmth pressing against my skin felt amazing. As a result, those words of rejection refused to leave my lips.


    "Oh, what the heck. Why don''t I give it a go? Who knows? We might just get along well," I thought to myself.


    Thus, my arm was pressed against the silkiest sensation known to man for the rest of our journey back.


    Once we arrived at the university, I waited for Felicia to ce her purchase back in her dorms before taking her out for a nice dinner. After that, we gradually made our way to the field in order to attend the party.


    By the time we made it there, the preparations for the party were pretty much over and done with.


    So, we scanned the area for seats and made ourselvesfortable.


    "Felicia? It really is you, Felicia!"


    Just then, we heard a girl calling out to Felicia. Soon, a modestly dressed girl appeared in our view and sat right next to Felicia.


    "I nearly couldn''t recognize you. Where did you buy that outfit?"


    She was being rather rude, especially since she took the liberty to lift Felicia''s hair without permission and tugged at her cor.


    Then, she peered at it andmented, "Silence? This is a fake, right? Silence''s dress costs about seven to eight hundred. How could someone like you afford it?"


    Felicia shot me a bashful look. "My boyfriend got it for me."


    "Your boyfriend? Who? Him?" She immediately turned to look at me, sizing me up. There was a shocked expression on her face as she said, "Since when did you get your ws on a scion?"


    I cleared my throat and interjected, "I''m no wealthy heir. I''m just an average Joe. Felicia, who is she?"


    Felicia finally caught on, saying, "Oh, I forgot to introduce you two. She''s a friend of mine. We''re from the same town. She''s Veronica Brown, and she majors in Logistics."


    Veronica smiled sweetly as she extended her hand toward me. I smiled in response and shook her hand when I was suddenly caught off guard. Was I mistaken or did she just cop a feel of my hand?


    I tugged my hand away and regarded her cautiously. Sure enough, I caught her tossing a flirtatious look my way. Her actions grossed me out so badly that I felt goosebumps.


    What was with her? How could she flirt with her friend''s boyfriend right before her friend''s face?


    Just as I was immersed in my disgust against her, a familiar face appeared before me. It was none other than Louis.


    "Why, isn''t this the university''s renowned fake, William? Yeah, he''s that loser dorm mate of mine. His family owns a fruit stall, but he insists on pretending he''s some wealthy kid! That''s him, alright."


    "What? That''s him?" Veronica let out a sardonic giggle. "Oh, my gosh. He pretended he was some rich kid earlier.


    "My word, Felicia! Are you dumb? Even if you want to leech off someone, you


    should nab a real one. Why did you set your eyes on someone like him?"


    Felicia frowned as she retorted, "I never wanted to leech off anyone. Also, William isn''t a fraud. You''d do well not to listen to his nonsense."


    "Nonsense? Says who?" Louis looked at Felicia with lust in his eyes.


    "Felicia, why are you sitting with him? Did he lie to you too? His family''s super


    broke. His monthly allowance is only 50 dors! How are you going to survive with so little?"


    "You"


    "Forget it. Just ignore them." I hastily stopped Felicia just when she was about to defend my honor.


    Besides, I didn''t care what everyone else thought of me. They could say whatever they wanted.


    s, Louis was on a roll. "William, I really have to give you credit where credit''s due. You''re just a nobody but you managed to get into the belle of the university, Lina''s, pants. You even won Felicia, the best female livestreamer, over.


    "You truly are something, alright. Even wealthy scions like us fail to achieve your sess when ites to women!"

 Chapter 95

    Louis was acting like an unbearable pain. It seemed that he had no one to unt his wealth to after I left the dorm. Now that he had me in his clutches, he probably wouldn''t stop until he had his fill.


    Veronica, who was dripping with venomous envy toward Felicia earlier, felt all her resentment leave her body upon hearing Louis'' words.


    I nearly burst out inughter when I caught sight of her gleeful expression. She must have been thinking that she had won as Felicia was dating a fake instead of the real deal.


    Suddenly, another familiar face made an appearance. It seemed that Zack


    showed up because of the ruckus. When he saw me, he immediately acted like a baboon, jeering in excitement.


    "Ha ha ha! Isn''t this the fraud we chased out of our dorms? Hey, William! I can''t believe you''re still out here scamming people!"


    Veronica was all smiles as she said snidely, "Hear that, Felicia? Wake up and smell the roses. It''d be toote once he cheats you out of your money and your soul!"


    "This guy here is full of hot air. He''s probably in debt after maxing out his credit card. Felicia, you''ll gain nothing but a mountain of debt if you date him."


    "Sure, it''s fun to spend your money away. Still, you''re going to suffer once your monthly credit card bill gets sent to your ount. William, you''d truly do anything just to get the girl, huh?"


    Sadly for them, I refused to dignify their verbal abuse with a response no matter how long they went at it.


    Meanwhile, Felicia deliberately scooted closer to me, hugged my arm, and rested her head against my shoulder.


    The other men nearly went insane when they saw her reaction. They couldn''t believe that their words were all for naught! Felicia wasn''t listening to them at all!


    Louis felt snubbed. So, he spat, "Felicia, is this how you repay our kindness? I can''t believe you''d go that far just for money. It seems I was wrong about you all this time!"


    "She''s always been a bit of a slut. She''d whore herself out in her streams. How could she be some pure maiden?"


    "One would sell her body, while the other''s a fraud. They''re a match made in heaven!"


    I felt my fist clench upon hearing their disparaging remarks. They could say all they wanted about me and I could ignore theirments. However, Felicia was another matter entirely!


    Just as I was about to take a stand, Felicia tugged my arm and forced me back to my seat.


    "William, just ignore them. They''re just a bunch of clowns. Don''t give them the satisfaction of making a fuss. Just think of them as a bunch of dogs barking."


    I grit my teeth and growled, "But they''re insulting you."


    She merely gave me a soft smile. "I''m fine. It''s the same old song and dance. Frankly, I''m used to it."


    She had been bullied too? It happened so often that she got used to it as well? As


    I looked at her, I couldn''t help but feel a sense of camaraderie bonding us.


    "Alright. I''ll ignore them." In the end, I could only hold her hand and swallow my anger.


    At this moment, the host walked up the stage, held the microphone, and announced that the party had officially begun.


    Louis and Zack instantly piped down when they noticed that the cameras were rolling. Nevertheless, they shot me a parting re before returning to their seats and pping as though nothing had happened.


    "Thank you all foring. It is my honor to announce that the foundation''s donation campaign has raised a total of 150 thousand dors!


    "We''d like to express our utmost gratitude to our generous donors this very night, acknowledging their kindness and attracting more donors to aid any students in need!"


    The venue exploded with apuse as everyone in attendance pped after the speech.


    I only feltpletely disappointed as I wondered just how many of them had donated out of the kindness of their hearts.

 Chapter 96

    I could probably count them with just two hands. The others probably donated for fame and fortune.


    Louis and Zack were prime examples of people out for recognition. They only donated out of the desire for acim. People like them would never donate to charity regrly.


    "A grand total of 8,936 donors have participated in this event. Since there were too many of you, I''m afraid we couldn''t present all of you with a certificate on stage. Therefore, most of you will receive a certificate in your emails as a form of encouragement."


    "However, we will be presenting a special certificate of acknowledgment to 33 donors who have donated over one thousand dors tonight! Then, may the party officially begin!"


    The host was an expert in creating a lively atmosphere as a round of thunderous apuse could be heard from the audience.


    That was especially so for the 33 honored donors who would go on stage to receive their certificates.


    An event like this would definitely be featured in the university''s newspaper and the charity''s official website.''


    It was an undeniable honor to be known as a generous benefactor in the university''s newspaper and the official website. Thus, it would be something to brag about when they graduated since it would be a lifelong prestigious achievement.


    It was normal for them to be so thrilled.


    Veronica, who was sitting in the row in front of us, had a look of surprise on her face. "I can''t believe someone donated more than one thousand dors. They must be loaded! I could buy at least 10 outfits for one grand. Hell, it''llst me for several months."


    Soon, others began whispering amongst themselves. "Damn. Why did none of them treat me like a charity case? I''ve been dying to get aputer for ages! Can those bigshots donate aputer so I could y my games?"


    "We''ve got quite a few wealthy kids in our university. Didn''t you see those luxury cars in our parking lot? How much did you donate?"


    "I donated 5 dors."


    "I donated 2 dors."


    "I donated 800. If I knew we''d get a special certificate for donating over a thousand, I would''ve added another 200."


    Just then, the host began going through his list of names. He was naming them from the lowest amount of donations given. The first group to go on stage came to a total of 15 people.


    Soon, it was the second round where only 10 were called up. Finally, it was thest round that everyone was eagerly anticipating.


    Thest round consisted of only seven donors. These eight benefactors would be named in the university''s paper and the official website. The lucky ones might even get their faces aired.


    Thus, everyone was eagerly waiting for the host to announce those names. "Let''s wee Howard Thorne, Louis Grant, Zack Xander.... on stage!"


    Veronica leaped to her feet and pped once she heard Louis'' name. "Honey, you''re amazing! You didn''t even tell me you donated 1,000 dors. How could you? By the way, can Ie with you on stage, honey? I want to go on stage with you."


    Louis guffawed as he embraced Veronica, "Babe, you''re definitelying with. Let''s go!"


    "Thank you, honey."


    She hugged Louis tightly and gave him a smooch, ignoring everyone''s gazes.


    I found it painful to look at. So, I immediately looked away.


    s, I didn''t expect Veronica to set her sights on Felicia and me after such a public disy of affection. "Hey, you fraud. Don''t tell me you didn''t donate a single penny and still came to this party."


    "God, here we go again," I thought in annoyance.


    These people just had to go around belittling others when they were feeling particrly good about themselves. So, I deliberately turned my head, dismissing her entirely.


    Unfortunately, Veronica''s gaze sharpened on Felicia in the face of my dismissal. She started harassing her, inquiring sharply, "Hmph! I knew you''d cheap out on this. Felicia, how much did you donate?"


    Felicia had an awkward look on her face as she stammered, "I-I didn''t know there was a charity going on. So, I didn''t donate."

 Chapter 97

    Everyone swiveled their heads to look at Felicia the second she said those words.


    It was evident that Veronica wanted to stir the pot as she screeched, "You didn''t donate? The two of you attended the party despite not donating a single cent? How shameless! And here I thought you were a good person, Felicia.


    "It looks like you''ve learned some bad habits with that fraud of yours. God, I''m broke but I still donated 10 dors. You''re so cheap!"


    Veronica''s words immediately caused Felicia to flush in embarrassment. "I swear I''ll ce a donation after this."


    "Hmph! Look at you donating after receiving some good scolding! Where''s yourpassion?" Veronica shook her head with a pained look on her face.


    The others also regarded Felicia with looks of disdain. "So what if she''s pretty? She doesn''t have a kind bone in her body. I''d never marry a woman like her."


    "That''s right. Even though Veronica isn''t as pretty as Felicia, at least she''s kind. If I have to pick one to marry, I''d marry Veronica hands down."


    "People like Felicia are born golddiggers. She should get lost and whore herself out to the rich!"


    I balled my hands into fists as I gave those bullies a ferocious re. I wasn''t going to keep my silence this time.


    "Frankly, I have no idea what gave you the confidence to speak as though women would marry people like you.


    "If I may be blunt, men like you could only get a wife if you pay them at least 10 grand to marry you. I''d bet your wives will still despise you guys and run off eventually."


    "What did you just say?"


    My words immediately riled them up, swiftly redirecting their hostility toward Felicia to me instead. Some of them even rolled their sleeves up, intending to shut my mouth through physical means.


    Of course, I wouldn''t be afraid of them. So, I rose to my feet and waited for them to make the first punch.


    s, the teachers and the student council were quick to put a stop to that, reprimanding everyone severely.


    "What''s going on here? Stop this nonsense this instant! You''re at a charity ball right now. If you''re going to cause a ruckus, take it outside! Otherwise, being suspended will be the least of your worries!"


    The infuriated students sheepishly returned to their seats after hearing the threat of suspension.


    I snorted derisively before muttering lowly, "Come to the back of the dorm after the party if you dare! I''ll give the lot of you an ass whooping."


    They had taken things too far earlier and I wasn''t about to take it lying down. In fact, I wouldn''t be able to rest well if I didn''t teach them a lesson.


    They took a good look at me after hearing me say that. The stubborn re in my eyes probably convinced them I was serious.


    However, they merely harrumphed in disdain, saying, "Who cares what you think, you fraud? Get lost!"


    Felicia tugged my arm gently. "William, forget about them. I''m okay. I''ve had worse than this. It''s fine."


    Then, she took the opportunity to whisper that she hit puberty earlier than the other girls. So, she had always been rather well-endowed inparison to her peers.


    s, her growth didn''t gain her any praise. Instead, she only received mockery and humiliation. Her peers were envious of her. So, they ostracized her. At one point, she even thought about ending her life.


    Still, time came and went. She became numb to their abuse. Eventually, she chose to wear baggy clothes to take the heat off her. That way, she could avoid some of her suffering.


    I felt heartbroken for her. So, I hugged her tightly andforted her, saying, "Don''t worry. You shoulde to me if they bully you again. I''ll help you out."


    Meanwhile, Louis and Zack brought their respective partners to the stage.


    Regardless, the audience started stirring as theymented, "Hang on. There were 15 in the first round. 10 in the second and 7 in the third group. That''s only 32 donors. Didn''t the host say there were 33 donors?"

 Chapter 98

    "Did they make a mistake?"


    "Who''s been left out?"


    Just as everyone was wracking their brains for an answer, the host spoke, "The seven donors on stage are generous benefactors that have donated over 2,000 dors! I want to use this opportunity to give special thanks to our top donors, Georgina Miller and Martin Jackson."


    Everyone in attendance burst into enthusiastic apuse.


    Soon, a in-looking girl with ss and a well-dressed young man, dressed head-to-toe in thetest trend, appeared on stage. The apuse only grew louder by the second.


    The host had a smile on his face as he continued, "Ms. Georgina Miller, a senior who will be graduating soon, donated all her schrship funds and her wages for four years. She donated a total of 3,800 dors. Let''s give her a round of apuse!"


    This time, even I couldn''t help but p in admiration.


    She didn''te for wealth. Yet, she was willing to donate the money she earned through her hard work just to help others. This level of kindness is something I couldn''t evene close to. She was genuinely an amazing person.


    Then, the host added, "Mr. Martin Jackson has actively participated in several charity events ever since his freshman year. He has taken his time to understand the needs of the underprivileged students, going as far as to provide one-on-one support if needed.


    "He has donated a whopping amount of 6,000 dors in this charity event! Let''s give him a big round of apuse!"


    I didn''t hesitate to p as well. Since he had participated in so many charity events and donated this much, he must have been a caring person indeed.


    Now that I had a face to put to the name, I considered this time well spent.


    A female student sitting behind me shrieked in excitement, "Oh, my gosh. Martin''s so hot!"


    "Is he? Let''s be fair now. Even though he''s rich and a good person, he''s not exactly a looker."


    "Oh, what do you know? When ites to men, looks are secondary. The main thing to look out for is their charisma! He''s super charming!"


    "Oh, can it! You''re acting this way because he''s loaded, aren''t you?"


    "If he can donate this much in one go, that means he''d be willing to spend more on his girlfriend. Hey, do you know how to get his number? I really want to get to know him."


    Suddenly, someone in the audience stood up and shouted, "Sir, something''s off! Didn''t you say 33 donors will be rewarded today? Only 32 have gone on stage. What''s going on here?"


    "Yeah, did you make a mistake?"


    The host merely smiled and replied, "Please calm down, everyone. Hear me out. 33 donors will be rewarded tonight.


    "However, only 32 have written their names down. We received an anonymous donation worth 10 thousand dors. So, we don''t have a name!"


    "What? Anonymous donation?"


    "What the hell? They donated 10 thousand dors anonymously?"


    "Oh, my God. They''re definitely a bigger person than everyone on stage!"


    "Who could it be? They''re just a university student. Yet, they donated that much? Even the wealthy kids can''tpare!"


    "Yeah. This isn''t some corporate charity event. It''s just a university fundraising event. If he could donate this much, that means his monthly allowance is off the charts! It must be above 10 thousand dors. He''s definitely mega-rich!"


    The audience exploded into cheers before delving into a heated discussion, guessing just who the mystery benefactor was. I nearly died of embarrassment when I heard theirments.


    After all, I would usually donate to charity foundations I owned. So, the 10 grand they were so excited about was truly nothing but pocket change to me.

 Chapter 99

    Felicia had an expression of shock when she turned to look at me. "William, who do you think the donor is?"


    "Uh... I have no idea."


    "I had no idea we had so many rich kids in our major. Still, 10 grand is on a different level.


    "If it were in the past, I suppose Joshua could be a possible candidate. However, I have no idea where Joshua has gone. Plus, he definitely won''t drop by just to donate to a charity. So, who could it be?"


    I twitched my lips into a stiff smile. "Maybe they prefer to keep a low profile and don''t enjoy the attention. Let''s not bother with their identity."


    Just then, the host continued, "This anonymous benefactor might just be one of you. It''s a shame that we couldn''t meet you today. Still, please ept our utmost gratitude on behalf of the underprivileged students. Thank you so much!"


    The audience didn''t bother hiding their admiration as they apuded away.


    Meanwhile, Louis, Zack, Veronica, and several others bowed alongside the host. When I noticed that, I could no longer remain seated. It was just far too awkward. "Ahem, Felicia? Let''s go."


    It would be best to leave the party now. After all, I had taken this opportunity to get to know Georgina and Martin. It was more than enough. I would try my best to recruit them for my father''s or my ownpany if I had the chance.


    s, I had just risen to my feet and held Felicia''s hand when a beauty with her hair in twin ponytails suddenly pointed at me, blurting, "It''s you!"


    Her actions caught me off guard. I thought to myself, "Why does she look so familiar?"


    "It''s him! That''s him right there!" she continued eximing, her finger never once wavering from my figure.


    "He''s the benefactor who donated over 10 thousand dors! I remember him. I registered his donation that day. I would never mistake him for someone else!"


    At that moment, everyone''s eyes fell on me.


    "What the hell? Him?"


    "Wow! He''s a hottie! He''s super hot!"


    "Is she serious? Did she make a mistake?"


    "Isn''t he that pauper who loves faking he''s some rich kid? How could he donate 10 grand? Could he really be a scion?"


    "Oh, stop. If he could donate anonymously, that means he likes keeping a low profile. Maybe we misunderstood him?"


    Whispers andments of all kinds wormed in my ear, short-circuiting my brain.


    I truly didn''t expect to be outed under such circumstances. Now, I couldn''t exactly leave, but I didn''t want to stay either. In the end, all I could do was stand there dumbly. I had no idea how to deal with this mess.


    On the other hand, the host gripped his microphone, walked off the stage, and toward the beauty with the twin ponytails.


    "Are you certain it''s him?"


    The beauty was bouncing on her heels as she prattled, "I''m super sure of it! He donated 10 thousand dors and insisted on maintaining his anonymity.


    "I was so shocked by his actions that his face was practically etched in my mind. I''d never mistake him for someone else!"


    The host had a look of astonishment on his face when he snapped his head toward me. "She''s one of the fundraising staff in this charity event. Since she''s a witness, she wouldn''t make such a mistake.


    "Young man, are you the benefactor who donated 10 thousand dors?"


    After a beat, I had no choice but to nod in resignation. "I am."


    "So, it is you! May I know your name?"


    "It''s William White."


    "Fantastic! Then, let''s give him a grand round of apuse to Mr. William White as we wee him to the stage!"


    The smattering of apuse grew louder and louder as the seconds ticked by.

 Chapter 100

    I felt nothing but extreme awkwardness in the face of their apuse.


    If I had known I''d be exposed under such circumstances, I would have chosen to reveal my identity right off the bat. Now, all my efforts were for naught.


    I wasted all my time hiding away and still got found out. In the end, I could only follow the host and approach the stage.


    The seven donors and their friends were already on stage. Oddly, the ones who were receiving the highest honor, Georgina and Martin, were shoved to the side. Meanwhile, Louis and Veronica had forced their way to the center of the stage.


    The two could only stare at me dumbly, unable to get a word out.


    "Excuse me, could you please move aside?" The host furrowed his brows in displeasure upon seeing Louis and Veronica.


    Ever since they got on stage, they had been deliberately pushing others aside just to be in the limelight. The host was most probably fed up with their behavior.


    Now that a bigger fish was onstage, the host immediately used this opportunity to chase them away.


    s, Louis and Veronica refused to move away. Instead, they continued squishing everyone else aside. That was because they would be relegated to the edge of the stage if they were to move. Who knew whether their pictures would be taken then?


    Sadly, the students standing next to them weren''t about to allow their moment of glory to be taken either. The tension between students only grew further as none refused to back down.


    The host inhaled deeply and finally felt his patience snap. He grabbed Veronica''s shoulder and said, "Miss, please move aside."


    Then, he wasted no time dragging Louis out before turning to me with a smile. "Mr. White, please stand here. The certificates will be handed out soon and your pictures will be taken."


    I hid the amusement on my face and stood in my assigned spot.


    Louis'' jaw was ck and his eyes wide as he stood before me. He parted his lips, seemingly about to hurl abuse at Felicia and me. However, he didn''t dare to do


    SO.


    Veronica stood next to me and her face was as crimson as a tomato. Suddenly, she whispered meekly, "I didn''t know you donated that much, William. Why didn''t you say so earlier? Everyone misunderstood you because of it. Why don''t I treat you to supper to make up for it?"


    Then, she whisked out her phone. "Why don''t you give me your number?"


    I instantly rolled my eyes at her in absolute disgust. Then, I turned to the host and said, "I see everyone has brought a friend along. Can my girlfriend join me to receive the certificate?"


    The host nodded obligingly. "Of course!"


    I swept my gaze across the crowd below.


    My head was elsewhere when the host dragged me up on stage. As a result, I identally forgot about Felicia. I couldn''t help but wonder whether she had left.


    Fortunately, I finally found her in thest row after scanning the crowd for a good long while.


    The silly girl was still pping in her seat, her gaze focused entirely on me. When her gaze met mine, we couldn''t help but smile at each other.


    I took the host''s microphone and said, "Felicia,e up here."


    Those words had just fallen from my lips when everyone turned to look at Felicia.


    It was obvious that Felicia didn''t think I''d invite her on stage. She stared at me dumbly as her body tensed. Then, she slowly got to her feet and walked toward


    me.


    "Oh, my. Is she his girlfriend? She''s gorgeous."


    "They''re both hotties! They''re a match made in heaven!"


    "That cute guy totally loves his girlfriend. God, why can''t I have a boyfriend like that?"


    Shortly after, Felicia made it on stage. She had a bashful look on her face as she appeared before me. s, the spot next to me was taken.


    The host had no choice but to turn to Veronica and say, "Miss, can you please move?"


    Veronica''s face went white with embarrassment and frustration. She had put in all the effort just to get on stage with Louis, even going as far as to fight for the best spot. Yet, she had to give her coveted spot to the person she envied most.


    There was no way she could handle such humiliation!

 Chapter 101

    "William, I''m treating you to ate-night snack tonight. If you don''t mind, can you ask Felicia to stand to the side for a bit? I''ve been waiting here long enough," Veronica said, blinking her eyes at me in a way that was supposed to be flirtatious.


    Unfortunately, her heavy eyeliner and eyeshadow, which looked like they were painted on, made me nauseous. I replied curtly, "Move aside, please."


    Veronica''s face immediately turned red with anger as she red at me. "William, you''ll regret this!"


    I smirked. "How many times do I need to say this? Please move aside. Your boyfriend Louis is waiting at the front of the line. You used him to get ahead, then you just ditch him and stand here alone. Don''t you feel even a little guilty or ashamed?"


    The students nearby immediately cast Veronica disdainful nces when they heard my words.


    "Seriously? She piggybacked her way up here?"


    "Damn, how shameless. The person she rode on is standing off to the side, and she has the nerve to stay in the middle."


    "This kind of woman is dangerous¡ªshe''ll climb over anyone to get ahead. Plenty of guys will end up ruined because of her."


    "Not necessarily. She''s pretty average. Only losers like Louis would be interested in her."


    "Move aside! Stop wasting time!"


    The insults grew louder, and the host''s face became more and more ufortable. I didn''t hold back either and red at her without mercy.


    Finally, Veronica couldn''t stand the pressure. She let out an angry shout and quickly walked out, heading straight for Louis.


    I took the opportunity to pull Felicia closer.


    Felicia''s face turned bright red, and she kept her head lowered shyly.


    The host smiled and said, "We''ll now present the certificates. Afterward, we''ll take


    a group photo, and then you can step off the stage."


    Soon, the teachers, school leaders, and the student council president stepped forward to present the certificates. Photographers quickly gathered around, their cameras snapping nonstop.


    Once all the formalities were done, I took Felicia''s hand and prepared to leave the stage. Tonight''s event had finallye to an end.


    Just as I was about to step off, the host suddenly stopped me. "Mr. White, please wait. We''d like to interview you as the representative of this charity event."


    "Me?" I was stunned. That hadn''t been part of my n.


    "Why don''t you interview Georgina and Martin instead?" I sincerely suggested. "I think they''re better suited for this."


    I wasn''t just being polite. Georgina was known for her frugal lifestyle and selflessness in helping others. Martin may not have been very wealthy, but he was always active in charity events.


    As for me? I had simply donated some pocket money, and I didn''t want to take up the spotlight. Moreover, I wasn''t good at saying ttering things.


    However, the host was insistent. "We''ll certainly interview them as well, and their stories will be featured in the school magazine as nominees for the Top 10 Most Inspirational Figures on Campus. But your generous donation is also noteworthy, and we can''t pass up the chance. Could you share what motivated you to contribute such arge amount?"


    I hesitated for a moment, then decided that honesty was the best policy in this situation.


    "Honestly, there wasn''t any particr reason. Ten thousand dors isn''t much to me, so I just donated it casually. There''s really nothing worth reporting."


    To my surprise, my casual remark made the audience even more excited.

 Chapter 102

    "Is this how rich people talk?"


    "Donating ten thousand dors like it''s nothing? My living expenses for three years don''t evene close to that!"


    "So this is what it means to be a wealthy kid. I can''t even imagine living like that."


    Hearing the murmurs, I felt my cheeks flush with embarrassment. I wasn''t trying to unt my wealth, but I couldn''t exactly pretend to be poor in this setting either. It would feel disrespectful to the other students and the recipients of the charity.


    The host sighed and remarked, "It seems Mr. Whitees from a rich family. Yet, there are plenty of wealthy people who don''t donate. Can I ask why you chose to do it anonymously?"


    His questions were overwhelming.


    I gave an honest answer. "To be fair, I knew a donation of ten thousand dors would attract attention. I really don''t like being in the spotlight, so I thought staying anonymous was the best choice."


    The host looked surprised. "Why don''t you want attention?"


    I shook my head helplessly. "Some people enjoy insulting others, belittling them and trampling on their dignity for fun. I try to keep a low profile to avoid them, yet I still seem to attract their attention."


    As soon as I finished speaking, the crowd turned to re at Louis and Zack. After all, their loud and arrogant insults earlier had caught everyone''s attention. "Mr. White is clearly talking about them¡ªwhat a pair of lowlifes!"


    "They were so bold in criticizing him. I thought they must''ve donated a lot, but it turns out their contribution was only ten percent of his!"


    "They''re such lowlifes. Even at a charity event, they''re trying to put others down. People like them are trash!"


    "These two are a match made in heaven. One clings to her boyfriend to get on stage and refuses to leave, while the other is just a spineless jerk. How disgusting!"


    Louis'' and Veronica''s faces turned bright red with embarrassment. They would have left if they weren''t waiting for an interview. Zack, on the other hand, pulled his hat down to avoid being recognized.


    Honestly, I didn''t harbor much resentment toward them anymore. After living in the same dorm as Louis and Zack, I had grown used to their ridicule.


    However, they crossed the line when they humiliated Felicia.


    I couldn''t let that go unpunished.


    Clearing my throat, I spoke up. "You''re right. Charity is supposed to be a warm and uplifting activity. Some people shouldn''t use them as a tform for self- promotion or as a way to trample on others'' dignity. If they do, they''re insulting the real good-hearted people like Georgina and Martin!"


    As soon as I finished speaking, the audience erupted into thunderous apuse.


    The students pped while shooting contemptuous res at Louis and the others. The three of them couldn''t hold their heads up any longer.


    I felt that the point had been made, so I turned to the host. "I have something to take care of, can I leave now?"


    The host quickly nodded. "Of course, if you have something to do, you can go. Now, let''s wee..."


    Just as I took Felicia''s hand and started to leave the stage, a piercing voice suddenly shouted, "William! When are you going to stop pretending?"


    Startled, I looked up to see Lucas and Lina standing in the crowd, ring at me sharply. It was Lucas who shouted just now.


    He dragged Lina onto the stage, grabbed the microphone from the host and yelled hysterically, "Don''t be fooled by this guy! The ten thousand dors he donated isn''t even his own-it''s prize money from an entrepreneurshippetition he entered! He''s not some wealthy kid. He''s just faking it!"

 Chapter 103

    I was stunned and looked at Ryan in confusion.


    Did it really matter where my money came from?


    If my money hade from a lottery win rather than something I earned, my donation would seem even more noble.


    I couldn''t understand the point of Ryan''s actions, but the voices of the crowd soon gave me the answer.


    "Damn, so he''s not actually a rich kid? I can''t believe I wasted all that praise on him!"


    "Wait, it was prize money, and not even his own cash? That''s hrious-I was about to ask for his number. Now I''m d I didn''t."


    "I knew something didn''t add up. If he was really that rich, why didn''t he clear it up sooner? He''s been letting everyone think he''s a loser. Guess he was just faking it!"


    "Wasn''t his prize money around 50 thousand dors? He only donated ten


    thousand. The rest probably went to partying. What a joke! If he really cared, he should''ve donated the entire 50 thousand dors!"


    Everything suddenly made sense.


    It wasn''t my donation that mattered to the attendees-it was my status.


    If I were a rich kid, they would be showering me with praise and trying to win my favor.


    If not, even if I donated the full 50 thousand, they wouldn''t care. To them, I would still be that poor, insignificant person they could look down on.


    The truth was disheartening.


    I turned toward Ryan and gave him a faint smile. "Thank you for helping me see the true nature of people."


    Ryan frowned. "What do you mean? Did getting exposed mess with your head?"


    I shook my head and extended my hand. "Give me the microphone."


    Ryan pped the microphone into my hand. "Go ahead. Let''s see what youe up with."


    I took the microphone, cleared my throat and calmly said, "Yes, I did receive 50 thousand dors in prize money from thepetition. However, my donation had nothing to do with that. I donated to help those in need and to support this charity event. To put any further doubts to rest, I''ll be donating an additional 60 thousand dors right now."


    Adding an additional 60 thousand dors to the original 10 thousand would bring the total to 70 thousand dors, far exceeding my prize money.


    Now, no one should question whether I''m trying to appear as a rich kid. I believed this was the best way to address the rumors.


    Ryan''s eyes widened in disbelief. "An additional 60 thousand dors? You''re joking, William. Do you even have 60 thousand dors? Can you afford it?"


    I smiled. "If I say I can, then I can."


    "You''re bluffing!" Ryan barked. "You only had 50 thousand dors in prize money. You''ve already spent 10 thousand dors, plus whatever you blew on Felicia''s clothes today. At most, you have 25 thousand dors left. How can you possibly donate 60 thousand dors? Stop pretending!"


    Lina watched me with suspicion.


    She was clever. Instead of challenging me right away, she remained quiet and observed me. She wanted to see how things would unfold to avoid bing the crowd''s first target of judgment.


    However, I knew she was likely the one who had encouraged Ryan to go on stage.


    I knew her too well.


    At that moment, the host approached me, looking unsure whether to prompt me. Without hesitation, I took out my phone and transferred 60 thousand dors to the donation ount.


    "It''s been received!" the girl with pigtails eximed excitedly. "The 60 thousand dors donation just came through! It''s real!"

 Chapter 104

    The host was stunned. "This... this is thergest donation we''ve ever received from a university schr since the establishment of our charity foundation. Mr. White, on behalf of the impoverished students, I want to thank you!"


    He grabbed my hand and shook it so vigorously that anyone could see the excitement he felt.


    I smiled. "I donated this money to make a point to Ryan and everyone here. Donations can be big or small. After all, it''s the intention that matters. Rewardingrger donations is just to encourage participation, not to start apetition."


    I continued, "This donation is made on behalf of everyone here, not just me."


    Hearing this, the people below, especially those who had mocked me earlier, immediately became embarrassed. Others began apuding.


    It was clear that they agreed with what I said.


    Suddenly, a water bottle was thrown at Ryan, hitting him square in the chest. The crowd erupted in angry shouts.


    "Get off the stage, trash! You didn''t donate anything, so why are you up here causing trouble?"


    "Who cares if you''re a trust fund kid? If you are, why don''t you donate something? You''re acting like a big shot, but didn''t even give a dime!"


    "Get off the stage! You''re not worthy to stand next to Mr. White!"


    Soon, more things were thrown at Ryan. His face turned bright red with


    embarrassment as he covered his head and hurried off the stage. Lina shot me an irritated look before quickly following him.


    I shook my head, feeling a little helpless. They brought this on themselves.


    On the way back, Felicia remained silent.


    I asked with concern, "What''s wrong, Felicia? Did I scare you by pulling you up on stage so suddenly?"


    "No, no," she replied quickly. "Being brought on stage for such a meaningful event was an honor. Why would I be scared? I just didn''t expect you to actually be wealthy."


    "Ah."


    So that was her concern.


    I smiled casually. "Felicia, do you know why I hide my identity?"


    Felicia shook her head gently.


    "It''s because I really hate beingbeled as a ''trust fund kid''. I know many of theforts in my life are thanks to my father. I''ve benefited greatly from his care and support. I am a trust fund kid¡ªthere''s no escaping that."


    I led her to sit under a willow tree by theke. For the first time, I felt like opening up about my feelings.


    I continued, "I want my friends to like me for who I am-for being William. I want my girlfriend to want to marry me because she''s drawn to me as a person, not because of the ''trust fund kid''bel. Do you understand?"


    Felicia nodded earnestly. "I understand, William. I like you because you''re you. I liked you even before I knew you were a trust fund kid. So don''t worry. Even if you weren''t, my feelings wouldn''t change."


    This turned into a confession.


    I blushed, staring at theke in silence.


    Then, out of nowhere, Felicia leaned in and gently kissed my cheek.


    I froze, then turned to look at her.


    Under the moonlight, her expression was soft and enchanting. Her dark eyes glowed with affection as she gazed at me, full of emotion. I couldn''t resist¨D without thinking, I leaned in closer to her.

 Chapter 105

    Just as we were about to kiss, an abrupt ringtone pierced the air.


    In fact, both our phones went off at the same time.


    We froze for a moment before quickly sitting up straight and answering our calls.


    It was Matthew calling me. His voice sounded unusually heavy as he asked, "William, where are you?"


    "I''m by Unity Lake. What''s up?" I replied.


    "What do you mean, what''s up?" he said, sounding exasperated. "Listen... Hurry up and get to the third-floor auditorium in Cedar Building. The department is holding a student meeting."


    "Now?" I asked, ncing at the time. It was already after 9:00 pm. Why would they be having a meeting at this hour?


    "Yes, right now," Matthew confirmed with a grave tone. "Something big happened in the department. I can''t say much, but you should get mentally prepared."


    Confusion clouded my thoughts. Could this have something to do with my high- profile donation earlier tonight? Did the teachers find out and decide tomend me publicly?


    However, that didn''t make sense. If they wanted to praise me, they wouldn''t do it in a rush like this, especially not in a student meeting.


    With some heavy doubt weighing on my mind, I headed to the meeting with Felicia.


    When we arrived at the ssroom, it was already full of people. Tom and two teachers I didn''t recognize were standing at the podium.


    Everyone was staring at me with strange expressions, making me feel ufortable.


    Their gazes were filled with unspoken disgust and malice.


    Although they had never liked me before, the animosity had never been this intense.


    I couldn''t help but wonder what was going on.


    "William, Felicia, you two should sit in the front row," Tom instructed firmly.


    He gestured toward the seats at the front. Felicia and I exchanged a puzzled nce before silently following his direction.


    "Tonight, I''ve gathered everyone here to share some devastating news," he said, his voice weighted with sorrow. "The 113 thousand dors in financial aid meant for our underprivileged students has been stolen!"


    I was stunned, struggling toprehend that the school had lost such arge sum of money.


    When I nced around, no one else seemed particrly surprised. Instead, they continued to stare at me with those same unsettling looks.


    "Since my office doesn''t have surveince cameras, we haven''t been able to find any clues yet," Tom continued. "However, tonight, two students bravely came forward to report to me and the school. They provided a list of suspects. After discussing with the administration, we believe one student''s actions are highly suspicious, and we can almost confirm that he is the one who stole the money."


    He paused for a moment before adding, "Therefore, before we identify this person, I hope he will step forward and admit his mistake, so he can have a chance at leniency."


    His eyes scanned the room, before he dered dramatically, "This person is among you!"


    As soon as he finished speaking, every gaze in the room turned toward me.


    I immediately felt a cold shiver run through my body.


    I had always beenbeled a "poor loser", but tonight I donated 70 thousand


    dors. Now, with arge sum of money stolen, I could understand why they might think it was me.


    What I couldn''t ept was the fact that Tom and the school had no evidence. How could they just jump to the conclusion that I was the thief?

 Chapter 106

    How could they hold a student meeting based on a mere possibility and publicly use me of theft in front of everyone?


    Had they even considered the damage this would do to my reputation and character if I was innocent?


    I clenched my fists, my face darkening with anger. I couldn''t ept this treatment.


    "Are you still not going to step forward?" Tom asked sharply. "Do I have to call you out? Do I need to push you to the edge before you''ll admit your mistake?"


    I gritted my teeth and remained still. I would never step forward.


    Even if they suspected me or cornered me, I wouldn''t stand up to exin myself or clear my name.


    This usation was baseless.


    Just as I stood there, I heard a chair creak beside me. Felicia shakily stood up.


    "I t-took the money," she stammered.


    I spun around to look at Felicia. "Felicia, what did you just say?"


    She avoided my gaze, her head lowered as tears fell onto the table.


    She trembled in fear, her face as pale as a ghost. "It was me. I saw that there was


    no one in the office, so I took it. I''m sorry, teacher. I''m sorry, everyone. I''m so sorry."


    Tom nced at Felicia, then looked back at me, his eyes briefly meeting mine before returning to her.


    "Do you have an aplice?" he asked.


    "No!" Felicia immediately shook her head. "I did it alone. No one else is involved."


    I waspletely stunned.


    I had no idea why Felicia stood up like this. Was she doing it because she thought


    I was the thief and wanted to take the me for me?


    As I realized this, I felt both touched by her sacrifice and angry that she didn''t trust


    me.


    Tom asked, "Are you sure you have no aplice? Felicia, where''s the money? Have you spent it all?"


    Felicia bit her lip. "I''ve spent it."


    Tom''s tone grew harsher. "Think carefully! Theft is a serious crime, especially


    when the amount stolen is 113 thousand dors. You could face more than ten years in prison. You''re ruining your life!"


    Felicia gritted her teeth. "I took it. Since I did it, I''m willing to bear all responsibility."


    The room erupted in chaos. Even I was stunned into silence.


    Then, Louis suddenly stood up, shouting, "Felicia, stop this! Everyone knows you''re covering for William! Is he really worth it? He''s just a poor loser. Do you know what kind of disgusting things he''s done?"


    His outburst triggered others to jump in as well.


    "William, are you even a man? Don''t you feel guilty letting a woman take the fall for you?"


    "I swear, I''m going to beat this bastard senseless!"


    "He''s such a trash! He stole the money, won''t own up to it, and now he''s making his girlfriend cover for him. I''ve never seen such a coward!"


    I was suddenly the target of everyone''s rage.


    I clenched my fists, my mind racing for a solution.


    I knew that standing up and shouting that I was innocent wouldn''t help. Perhaps I could reveal my background and say I had more than enough money. After all, 113 thousand dors meant nothing to me. Yet, that didn''t feel right either.


    I was innocent. Why should I be forced to endure this suspicion? Why should I have to clear my name for an usation with no proof?


    Just as I was deciding whether to reveal my identity, Benjamin spoke up.


    "I don''t believe William took the money!" he said firmly. "If any of you think he did, then call the police! Let them handle it. We''ll see if William ends up in jail for theft, or if it''s you who''ll face trouble for ndering him!"


    Liam also stood up. "Exactly! I trust William. You all act like you''re sure he''s guilty, but where''s the evidence? It''s just spection!"

 Chapter 107

    Even Matthew, who had never been fully supportive of me, stood up.


    "Mr. Parker, isn''t it a bit hasty to publicly announce this without any evidence?" he questioned. "What if it really wasn''t William? How will youpensate for the emotional damage you caused him?"


    To my surprise, three of my friends stood up to support me. My shock and panic instantly eased.


    It seemed that pretending to be poor had actually paid off in the end. These three guys would be my best friends for life.


    Louis was livid. He shouted, "You''re still defending him? Does this even need proof? He''s a poor loser who''s been pretending to be rich since school started, acting like a trust-fund kid while he''s always been broke!"


    He continued, "He took Felicia shopping and spent 15 thousand dors on clothes. Then, he donated 70 thousand dors. Tell me, if he didn''t steal the money, where did ite from?"


    Matthew and the others fell silent.


    The others chimed in, eagerly agreeing. "Exactly! Where did his moneye from? Let him admit it!"


    "Speak up, William! Are you mute now? Where did you get the money?"


    "You''re worse than Felicia, you coward!"


    The sound of a chair crashing to the ground broke through the tension as I stood up.


    Instantly, the entire room went quiet.


    I turned around and slowly scanned the room.


    Today, I wasn''t just standing up for myself-I was doing it for my three friends too.


    "Where my moneyes from is none of your concern," I said firmly. "I''m leaving my phone right here. Anyone, including you, Mr. Parker, is wee to press the call button and report me for theft. Once the police arrive, I''ll cooperate fully with their investigation."


    I paused, letting my words sink in. "I won''t call the police myself because I didn''t take anything. However, if anyone chooses to report me, be ready to take responsibility for your ims. We''ll resolve this face-to-face. You use me of theft, and I''ll charge you with defamation."


    Leaning forward, I added sharply, "Theft could mean ten years in prison, but serious defamation can result in over three years. Go ahead, try me."


    I mmed my hand on the desk with a loud thud, my eyes sweeping across the room as I red at the silent crowd.


    Today, I would not reveal my identity. I would clear my name through my own actions.


    At my outburst, those who had been shouting at me just moments before suddenly fell silent.


    Clearly, none of them were certain it was me. They feared being held responsible if I was proven innocent, but they had no problem using me earlier.


    My face burned with anger, and my clenched fist was trembling.


    "What''s wrong? Why are you all silent now?" I shouted. "Louis! Weren''t you so confident just now? Weren''t you sure it was me? Why don''t you dare call the police? Go ahead, do it!"


    Louis'' face was a strange mix of pale and red. He red at me but dared not speak.


    I turned to Zack. "Zack, are you too scared to speak up now? I''m going to take you all down today. Just so you know, I recorded everything you said on my phone. Even if you don''t report me to the police, I''ll take this to the authorities. You won''t escape this malicious defamation!"


    Zack''s forehead was dripping with sweat. He clearly hadn''t expected things to escte this quickly.


    Tom''s face had turned dark. "William, what are you doing? The school lost money, so it''s only natural that we''d look into suspicious individuals¡ª"


    "Mr. Parker," I interrupted sharply.

 Chapter 108

    Without waiting for him to finish, I cut him off.


    "You were so sure earlier that the suspect''s guilt was confirmed, and you even demanded a confession. Why don''t you go ahead and call the police? Hurry up and get the investigation started to find the money and reduce the school''s losses. Are you now unsure of who the thief is, and you were just talking nonsense earlier?"


    "I..." Tom''s face turned red with anger. "William, don''t go too far!"


    I wasn''t going to let him off the hook this time. I wouldn''t treat him as a teacher anymore.


    "Is it me who''s going too far, or you? You''re supposed to set an example, but have you ever done anything worthy of your position?"


    "You..."


    Tom was left speechless, and he fumed with rage.


    I sneered. "What''s wrong, Mr. Parker? Don''t you want to find out who the real thief is? Why won''t you call the police? Or are you scared the truth will expose your dirty dealings?"


    Thest remark was just meant to provoke Tom, to make him understand what it felt like to be falsely used in front of everyone.


    Sure enough, Tom exploded. His face twisted with rage, and he almost charged at me. "What did you say? How dare you smear my name!"


    "If you can smear mine, why can''t I do the same to you?" I retorted coldly.


    "Well, since no one here dares to call the police, I''ll let it slide. But remember this,


    I won''t let today''s incident go. When I get home, I''ll contact Mr. Dignam and sue each and every one of you. No one''s getting away with this!"


    With that, I stepped off the podium. I grabbed Felicia''s hand and stormed out of the ssroom.


    I didn''t say a word as I dragged her along until we reached a narrow path. Felicia almost tripped on the uneven ground in her high heels and cried out. I let go of her hand, stopping to re at her.


    Under the dim streetlights, her tear-streaked face looked pitiful. However, my anger overshadowed everything, and I didn''t feel sorry for her.


    "You don''t believe me?"


    That was the question that mattered most to me.


    Felicia lowered her head in silence, then slowly raised her eyes to meet mine. She said softly, "William, it''s not toote. Let''s return the clothes we bought today. You can talk to the charity organizers and see if they''ll take back the donation. We''ll figure out a way to repay the rest of the money together. Please, don''t keep this up."


    Her words nearly made me explode from sheer anger.


    After everything, I couldn''t believe she still thought I was the one who stole the money.


    I shook my head slowly, feeling utterly disappointed.


    "Felicia, do you really think I''m such a shallow, vain person that I''d stoop to stealing? That money was meant for underprivileged students. Do you think I''m capable of something so despicable?"


    Felicia bit her lip as tears streamed down her face. "William, I know you''re not that kind of person. Maybe you just acted impulsively, but wrong is wrong. We can correct it together. I''m willing to take responsibility with you. Please, don''t keep denying it."


    I couldn''t believe it.


    At that moment, I was overwhelmed with the urge to curse at her.


    I had said everything I could, yet she still refused to believe me.


    What more could I possibly do to prove my innocence? Did I have to show her my bank bnce just to hear her exim, "Wow, William, you really are wealthy. You couldn''t have stolen the money!"


    However, that wouldn''t be genuine trust. It would merely be her epting the truth because she had no other choice.

 Chapter 109

    I felt like I was about to lose control, but I couldn''t bring myself to curse at Felicia.


    Even though she still didn''t believe me, she was willing to share the burden of the 113 thousand dors debt with me. For that alone, I couldn''t bring myself to curse


    her.


    "Felicia, just go. We''re done for today. Don''te looking for me again, and I won''t look for you," I said coldly.


    I pulled out my phone and blocked her number.


    Felicia cried, pleading, "No, William! Why are you doing this to me? I''m doing this for your sake! I really care about you, and I''m willing to share the burden..."


    "Enough! Just leave, okay?" I said.


    Since she didn''t move, I decided to leave first.


    She chased after me in her high heels, trying to grab my arm, but I shoved her away.


    Earlier that day, I had expressed to her that I wanted a wife who trusted and appreciated me. Yet, by the evening, she had already acted in a way thatpletely contradicted that.


    "William, don''t leave me!" she pleaded desperately.


    I ignored her pleas. All I wanted was to leave.


    Eventually, she tripped and fell, but I didn''t look back. That was the final nail in the coffin of our rtionship.


    When I returned to my dorm, I took a shower, climbed into bed and called n to exin everything in detail.


    "This is outrageous, Mr. White!" he said angrily. "This is a serious matter! I must report it to Mr. White Senior."


    "That''s not necessary," I replied firmly.


    "It is, Mr. White. This could seriously harm your reputation. Even without evidence, the police can still bring you in for questioning. If things escte, you could face serious consequences!"


    I was taken aback. "What? What kind of times are we living in? Are they really going to resort to torturing me?"


    "We''re in aw-abiding society, so physical torture isn''t an option anymore," he exined. "Yet, modern psychological interrogation methods can be much worse."


    I fell silent.


    I thought handing the matter over to n would be enough. He could help me sue those who ndered me, and the police would handle the investigation.


    However, as the prime suspect, I was likely to be the first one questioned and face intense mental pressure.


    This was far moreplicated than I had expected.


    "Alright," I said with a sigh. "Inform my dad. Focus on working with the school and the police to find the real thief. Put the defamationwsuit on hold for now."


    When they finally caught the thief, I swore I would give him a good beating to vent my anger.


    "Okay, Mr. White," said n. He hung up and immediately began handling the matter.


    I nced at the time. It was already past 10:00 pm, so I sent him five thousand dors as a thank-you for his extra efforts.


    He epted it without hesitation and replied, "Thank you, Mr. White."


    Not long after, Matthew and the others returned to the dorm.


    The moment they walked in, I sat up in bed. I had been waiting for them.


    They looked over at me as soon as they entered. We exchanged tired, resigned smiles.


    "You guys are something else," I said, shaking my head. "Even in a situation like that, you still spoke up for me. Aren''t you afraid I might actually be the thief?"


    Benjamin snorted. "I''d rather believe the money fell from the sky than believe you stole it."

 Chapter 110

    Hearing this, I couldn''t help but feel a sense of relief.


    I nced at them and asked, "Why do you guys believe in me so much? Even Felicia doesn''t trust me."


    Liam chuckled. "It''s just a feeling. What kind of friends would we be if we didn''t have at least this much trust in each other? Besides, if you were the kind of guy who would stoop to stealing, you wouldn''t have treated us so well all this time, right, Matthew?"


    Matthew frowned as he drank some water. "Of course, I believe you''re not the one who did it. But Will, where did you get the money to donate? You donated 70 thousand dors, yet you''re still living in a dump like this."


    I knew I owed them an exnation. It didn''t feel right to let their trust in me go unanswered. However, I couldn''t bring myself to admit I was a trust fund kid. I had lied to them from the beginning, and if I told them the truth now, it would make their trust in me seem ridiculous.


    On top of that, I had finally found a few true friends who would stick by me through thick and thin. Thest thing I wanted was for my identity to create a rift between us.


    I wanted to keep building our bond, so I came up with a quick excuse. "Actually, I recently won the lottery. I got a 200-thousand-dor prize. After taxes, it came to 175 thousand dors."


    "Are you serious?" Matthew asked.


    "Totally," I said confidently.


    I immediately sent a message to n, asking him to help me fake the lottery announcement. Then, I showed them the fabricated lottery results.


    They couldn''t believe their eyes.


    "It''s real!"


    "175 thousand dors? You hit it big!"


    Benjamin lunged at me, wrapping me in a bear hug. "Let me absorb some of your good luck!"


    I shivered,ughing awkwardly. "Benjamin, what are you doing? I''m not into guys."


    "Neither am I! I just want to soak up your good fortune!" he said.


    I couldn''t help butugh, but I could also see the relieved expression on Matthew''s face.


    He hadn''t fully trusted me. Yet, he still stood by me although he had doubts. That loyalty alone made him a friend worth having.


    "Tomorrow, lunch is on me," I announced with a grin.


    Matthew quickly shook his head. "Hold on. The entire school is already suspicious of you, and Ryan is busy spreading rumors. If we go out for a big meal tomorrow, it''ll just make things worse."


    "Exactly," Benjamin agreed. "Will, why didn''t you mention winning the lottery earlier? If you had said so, Mr. Parker wouldn''t have doubted you."


    "Why should I exin myself?" I retorted. "What right do they have to use me? Let them investigate and find out it wasn''t me. I''ll let them embarrass themselves."


    ording to n, it would take at most half a month. I just needed to hold on for that long.


    "If you don''t say anything, there will definitely be all kinds of rumors about you during this time," Liam pointed out with a frown.


    "Let them talk," I said with a shrug. "It''s not like it''s the first time I''ve dealt with gossip. Honestly, I''ll use this chance to see people''s true colors."


    Since they didn''t want me to treat them to a meal, I decided to show my gratitude another way. In our group chat, I sent each of them a 200-dor voucher for food and drinks. It wasn''t a huge amount-just enough to express my thanks without making things awkward.


    After getting ready for ss the next morning, Matthew patted my shoulder with a smirk. "Will, are you ready to face the storm?"

 Chapter 111

    I forced a bitter smile. "Don''t worry. Haven''t you heard the saying?"


    "What is it?" Matthew asked.


    "When the stormes, we stand strong together, like branches on the same tree." I grinned, hoping to lighten the mood.


    Matthew looked at me like I was a fool, and I couldn''t help butugh.


    I just wanted to joke around with him a bit, to lighten the mood for both of us. Truth be told, I was still a little nervous.


    At the ssroom door, I told Matthew and the others to go in first. I didn''t want them to face the same storm of judgment I was about to.


    Sure enough, the moment I stepped into the room, every pair of eyes turned to


    me.


    Their gazes were filled with resentment, as though they had collectively been wronged by me. If such negativity had a physical form, I imagined a cloud of bad energy rising from the building would being in my direction.


    This was probably the biggest test of my life. I braced myself and walked into the ssroom with as muchposure as I could muster.


    Benjamin waved me over to sit with him, but I shook my head. I couldn''t drag him into this.


    Instead, I sat beside Louis and Zack.


    Their eyes widened in disbelief, and they looked like they wanted to leave, but I had conveniently blocked their escape route.


    Louis exploded in anger. "How can someone be so shameless? I''m done!"


    Zack chimed in, "Do you think we won''t do anything to you? I''ll count to three. Leave, or I''ll make you regret it!"


    I shook my phone. "I recorded everything you just said. When I report you for nder, this will be my evidence."


    Both of them went silent immediately.


    I smirked.


    What cowards.


    If they had dared to stand their ground, I might have respected them a little more.


    ss began, and the teacher pulled out the roster to take attendance. When my name was called, she paused to shoot me a sharp nce.


    I instantly understood the rumors must have reached her as well.


    I guessed my infamy had spread not just throughout the department, but probably the entire school.


    However, I had to hold my ground.


    "Felicia."


    "Felicia?"


    The teacher called her name twice, but no one answered. I froze for a moment, then quickly looked around. Felicia wasn''t in the ssroom.


    She didn''te to ss?


    A pang of guilt hit me as I recalled how I had coldly ended things with herst night. Could she have fallen sick because of that?


    After ss, I stopped Matthew. "Can you ask Isabelle to check on Felicia for me? She didn''t show up today."


    "Sure," Matthew agreed readily and called Isabelle.


    It didn''t take long for Isabelle to reply. "Felicia''s roommate said she was looking


    for part-time jobs all night after she got back to the dorm. This morning, she went for an interview at a restaurant."


    I wondered why she would need a part-time job.


    She wasn''t rich, but it wasn''t like she was desperate for money either.


    After finding out which restaurant she had gone to, I immediately hailed a cab.


    On the way there, I couldn''t stop thinking about what I would say to her.


    We were already broken up, and I had told her not to see me again. I had no grounds to interfere with what she did, but I couldn''t just sit back and watch her ruin her future and neglect her studies.

 Chapter 112

    I couldn''t think of any reason why Felicia would take up a part-time job except maybe to numb herself from the pain of our breakup by keeping busy.


    However, I felt a bit embarrassed to think like that.


    It made it seem like Felicia was so infatuated with me. She was nice to me, but it wasn''t like she was head over heels.


    Yet, she had taken the fall for me, even when she thought I had stolen the money. She must have really liked me.


    I scratched my head, feeling troubled.


    When I arrived at the restaurant, I sat down casually and scanned the staff for any sign of her. However, I still hadn''t seen her after a while.


    Just then, a waitress came over and asked how many people were with me and what I wanted to order. I randomly picked a few dishes, then casually asked, "Do you have a waitress named Felicia here?"


    "Felicia?" she asked, looking confused.


    After a brief pause, she shook her head. "Never heard of her."


    I couldn''t help but wonder if she didn''t get the job.


    I felt a knot form in my stomach. I pulled Felicia''s number out of my blocked contacts and dialed it.


    Yet, all I got was the voicemail telling me that her phone was off.


    An ominous feeling crept over me, and I began to worry. What Felicia was up to weighed on my mind. She wouldn''t do anything foolish, would she?


    The food arrived, but I had no appetite. I tried calling her several times, but her phone was still off.


    I took a deep breath. Just as I was about to grab my fork, I suddenly heard shouting from the corner of the restaurant.


    The noise was loud enough to catch everyone''s attention.


    I nced over, and in that instant, I froze.


    Felicia stood helplessly, facing an angry customer with a tray in her hands.


    I immediately got up and walked over.


    "What the hell are you doing? I told you to bring me water! Are you deaf or just that stupid? Is this how your restaurant operates? Get your manager now! You brought the wrong dish and can''t even pour water. If it weren''t for my guests, I''d make you regret ever being born! Get out of my sight, you idiot!"


    As I walked over, I saw a man with dyed yellow hair and a thick gold chain around his neck pick up a ss of water from the table and fling it at Felicia.


    Felicia stood frozen, letting the water ssh onto her. As it hit her, she let out a muffled gasp from the burn.


    "Felicia!"


    I rushed over, grabbed her wrist, and pulled her behind me. I reached up to touch her face. It was burning hot from the scalding water.


    I quickly wiped her face dry with my hand. Spotting a ss of ice water on the table, I pressed it against her cheek to cool the burn. If her face was scarred, it could ruin her life forever.


    Felicia stared at me in shock. "What are you doing here?"


    I was fuming. "Why do you think I''m here? I came to find you!"


    Her face flushed. "You..."


    At that moment, the manager and a few waiters rushed over. Upon seeing the customer, he immediately bowed and apologized. "I''m terribly sorry, Mr. Fisher. She''s new and doesn''t know the rules. I apologize for making you upset."


    He then turned and shot a furious re at Felicia.


    "What''s wrong with you? You can''t even handle something as simple as serving food and pouring water? What use are you? Get out of here! You''re fired!"


    Before he could finish, Bob Fisher stood up and pped the manager across the face.


    "Did I say she could leave? She made a mistake and pissed me off, so she owes me a proper apology. Do you think she can just walk away? Not a chance!"

 Chapter 113

    The manager was caught off guard by the p, but he didn''t dare toin. Instead, he vented his anger on Felicia. He raised his hand to p her, but I caught his wrist mid-air.


    "What do you think you''re doing?"


    I shot the manager a warning re.


    He froze for a moment when he noticed me, then gave me a disdainful once-over. "Who the hell are you? What business do you have interrupting things in our restaurant?"


    I said tly, "This is my girlfriend. You tell me if I have a right to speak up."


    "Your girlfriend?"


    The manager blinked, then jerked his hand away from mine and snapped, "So what if she''s your girlfriend? That doesn''t give you the right to act cocky! Felicia, I''m telling you now-apologize to Mr. Fisher immediately, or you won''t be leaving this ce today!"


    Bob leaned back in his chair, propping up his feet. Lighting a cigarette, he smirked and said, "Have her bring me a drink and serve me properly for the rest of my meal. Do that, and I''ll forget about this. Otherwise, your restaurant might as well shut down today."


    "Did you hear that?" the manager threatened Felicia again, still ring. "Hurry up and serve Mr. Fisher his drink!"


    It was no big deal for Felicia to apologize, but it didn''t make sense for her to serve him drinks and wait on him throughout the meal. Bob was treating the restaurant like a nightclub.


    It was apparent Bob wasn''t up to any good. He was probably after Felicia, trying to control her and get her to serve him.


    If he really wanted a woman, there were plenty out there. However, no one gave him the time of day, so here he was, bullying the weak to boost his fragile ego.


    I couldn''t stand this type of man, so I walked straight to the table. "An apology and


    a drink, right? Fine. Let me serve you."


    I grabbed the teapot and poured it directly over Bob''s head.


    The hot water from the teapot sshed over Bob, making him jump up like a moth


    to a me, iling his arms around his head. "You''re asking for it! You''re dead, you hear me? You''re dead!"


    I sneered. "We''ll see who''s dead first."


    I was about to make another move, but a few of the servers rushed over and pulled me back. "Don''t do anything reckless! You don''t know who Mr. Fisher is!


    "Mr. Fisher''s not just anyone. He''s got many guys under him. Anyone who crosses him won''t have peace for the rest of their lives. You had better calm down."


    "I understand that you want to protect your girlfriend, but nothing''s worth risking your neck over!"


    Even Felicia was pale with fear. She grabbed my arm and pleaded, "William, please don''t do this. We can''t mess with people like him!"


    I scoffed. "What''s there to be afraid of from a few punks? Do they think they''re big shots or something?"


    Before I could finish, one of Bob''s baldpanions smashed a beer bottle against the table and brandished the jagged remains. "You bastard, say that again!"


    I grabbed a bottle off the table and shattered it just as loudly. "I''ll say it ten times if


    I have to. You''re just a small-time thug trying to act tough before me. Do you think


    I''ll be scared of you because you smashed a bottle? Here''s some advice-get out


    of here and leave my girlfriend alone. If you try anything again, you won''tst in this town!"


    My family had experience dealing with people like them for years.


    Back home, our orchards were prime targets for thieves and saboteurs. We always had someone keeping an eye out for troublemakers.


    Even Victor, who my dad sent to help manage the family''s resort in Welsington


    City, was a seasoned veteran in handling these types.


    It was simply ridiculous that I would be afraid of them.

 Chapter 114

    The bald man appeared stunned. He roared, "You little brat! It seems like you''re tired of living!"


    Bob trembled with rage. He shoved aside the person next to him and lunged at me. I raised the broken bottle in my hand, aiming it right at him.


    "Take one more step before apologizing, and I''ll crack your skull open!"


    Seeing my crazed expression, Bob hesitated. Yet, he wasn''t ready to let things slide so easily.


    "Alright, you little brat. You''ve got guts pulling this on me!"


    He pulled out his phone and dialed a number. "Hey, I''m at the Spring Oak Hotel. There''s this kid here causing trouble in front of me. Bring a few guys to deal with him!"


    It looked like he was calling for backup. I couldn''t help but chuckle.


    The guys at his table didn''t look like decent people either. They were dressed like thugs and definitely weren''t the kind one could reason with.


    If this escted, I wouldn''t be able to handle them on my own, and I definitely couldn''t protect Felicia if things got physical.


    I quickly pulled out my own phone and called Victor. "Hey, Victor, I''m at Spring Oak Hotel. A few thugs are trying to cause trouble. Can you handle it?"


    Victor''s response was swift. "How dare those thugs mess with you, Mr. White? They must have a death wish. Just mention Tyler Reed''s name and warn them to back off unless they want real trouble."


    I turned to Bob and stared him down. "You know Tyler Reed, don''t you? You had better back off if you don''t want to get on his bad side."


    Bob sneered at me. "Oh, so you know Mr. Reed, huh? Do you also know that he hates it when people use his name to lie? You''ve already pissed me off, and now you''re dragging Mr. Reed into this? Guys, what do you think we should do?"


    As soon as he finished, the seven or eight men at his table got up in unison. They red at me with menacing expressions.


    Felicia was so scared that she started crying. She quickly grabbed my arm and tried to pull me away.


    I gently pushed her aside. "Felicia, stay over there and listen to me."


    The manager took a step back, looking nervous. "Mr. Fisher, please, have mercy. Don''t cause a scene. Can we take this outside? We still need to run our business."


    Bob ignored him and continued ring at me. "If I don''t deal with you today, I''ll drag you to Mr. Reed and let him deal with you!"


    At that moment, about ten more thugs barged in through the door, striding toward me with a threatening air.


    My heart skipped a beat. If Victor was too slow, even if he could take care of these guys, I would probably be in for a tough time.


    I quickly spoke into my phone. "Victor, Tyler Reed''s name isn''t working here."


    "That''s impossible!" Victor replied confidently. "Tyler rules that area like a king. No one dares defy him. Don''t worry, Mr. White. I''ve already contacted him, and he''ll be there shortly to back you up."


    Meanwhile, the gang surrounded Felicia and me.


    "Mr. Fisher, is this the kid?"


    "He looks like a student, but he sure has the guts to be causing trouble with Mr. Fisher!"


    "Damn, this girl''s got a killer body! I''ve never seen anything like it."


    Bob took a drag on his cigarette and smirked as he approached me. "Listen, kid. Get on your knees and lick my shoes clean. Do that, and I''ll let you off. You can leave, but your girl stays to have dinner with me. Otherwise, you''re losing a hand or a foot today. You''re not leaving here in one piece!"

 Chapter 115

    Bob flicked his cigarette butt to the ground and crushed it underfoot.


    Felicia immediately stepped forward. "I''ll apologize and eat with you. Just don''t make things difficult for him. He only acted to protect me. Please let him go."


    Bob snorted. "It''s toote, gorgeous. We wouldn''t be in this mess if you''d been this obedient earlier. Now, this brat has to kneel before me!"


    I couldn''t help butugh at his arrogant attitude.


    "Kneel before you? Do you even deserve it? Here''s some advice-kneel and apologize to my girlfriend, and I''ll let this slide. Otherwise, even if you grovel a hundred times today, I won''t let you off!"


    Bob''s face turned red with rage. "Damn it!"


    The thugs around him all pulled out clubs, ready to strike. Felicia turned pale as a sheet, shaking uncontrobly as tears streamed down her face.


    Before Bob could act, his phone suddenly rang.


    His arrogant demeanor vanished when he saw the caller ID. He hunched over, holding the phone with both hands, and answered reverently, "Mr. Reed! I can''t believe you''re calling me. I''ve had your number saved for three years and never dreamed that you''d actually call me!"


    At the mention of Mr. Reed, the thugs around us looked at Bob in awe.


    However, Bob''s expression grew grim as fear reced his cocky demeanor. After a long pause, he looked at me with terror.


    Finally, he stammered, "M-Mr. White, Mr. Reed asked me to hand the phone to you."


    I didn''t take the phone. I wasn''t in the mood to deal with it.


    Victor had taken too long to contact Tyler. I would have been hit with those clubs if he had been even a minuteter. Did he really expect me to take the call now?


    Seeing my refusal, Bob broke into a cold sweat. Panicking, he stammered into the phone, "M-Mr. White doesn''t want to take the call..."


    After a moment of hesitation, he put the phone on speaker.


    A deep, authoritative voice came through, saying, "Mr. White, I''m truly sorry! I didn''t know you were on my turf. If I''d known, I would have personally arranged a grand wee for you. It''s uneptable that something like this happened on my watch. Please let me make it right."


    I let out a cold snort. "Make amends? Picture your girlfriend getting harassed in a restaurant and then being cornered by a bunch of thugs. Would you just let that slide?"


    "What?" Tyler''s voice roared in shock before it turned furious. "Bob! What the hell is going on?"


    Bob flinched, almost dropping the phone. "Mr. Reed, I didn''t know! I had no idea he was Mr. White!"


    "You didn''t know? Well, now you do! Apologize to Mr. White immediately, you idiot!"


    Before Tyler even finished speaking, Bob dropped to his knees before me. "Mr. White, I am sorry. Do whatever you want to me. Just please let it go!"


    I stared at him emotionlessly. "I told you. If you apologized immediately, I might have let it slide. Now it''s toote. Tyler, you handle it."


    I took Felicia''s hand and turned to leave.


    Behind me, I could hear Tyler''s angry shout and Bob''s frantic pleas, but I didn''t care anymore. I left the restaurant with Felicia.


    Later, I heard from Victor that Bob was sent to the nightclub to clean the restrooms. He had to clean for a year before his status would be restored, or he would be out for good.


    Bob chose cleaning duty..


    After we left the restaurant, I immediately confronted Felicia. "Why aren''t you focusing on your studies? Why are you working here?"

 Chapter 116

    Felicia nervously fiddled with the edge of her clothes without speaking.


    I asked, "Do you need money? If you do, just ask. How much do you need?"


    At my words, Felicia quickly nced at me before speaking hesitantly, "I don''t need money, but you do."


    "I need money?" I repeated.


    "William..." she said.


    She grabbed my hand and pleaded, "Just listen to me once. Let''s figure out how to pay back the 113 thousand dors, okay? If you don''t want the charity foundation to refund it, then we won''t. We''ll work together to earn the money back. If it gets tough, I can even do more live streaming. It''s not our money. Let''s just forget about it."


    I almost choked when I heard that. So, she still thinks I stole that money.


    I shook her hand off, feeling utterly frustrated. "So, you came here to work just to help me pay back the money?"


    She nodded lightly.


    I was at a loss for words. I couldn''t even stay mad at her.


    "Felicia, are you out of your mind? Think for a second! If I really stole that money, do you think I would spend it so recklessly? Would I take it to the stage and ept an award, hoping everyone would notice? Which thief acts like that? Am I just a fool in your eyes?"


    She quickly shook her head. "No, I don''t think that. I just thought that maybe you were forced into a corner and wanted to prove yourself, so you..."


    "Would I steal the money and then donate it? I must be out of my mind!"


    Felicia fell silent.


    I sighed, feeling frustrated. "If I''m really that useless, how do you think I handled that thug earlier? Didn''t you hear what they called me?"


    "Mr. White," she muttered.


    "Exactly." I nodded. "If I were the kind of guy who had to steal a hundred thousand dors, why would they address me as Mr. White? Have you thought about that?"


    She froze, staring at me with wide eyes as if something had finally clicked. She looked at me with shock, almost as if she were piecing everything together.


    The sight of her stunned expression both amused and frustrated me. Thinking back to the harsh words I had thrown at herst night, I softened. Despite everything, she was still worried about me. How could I stay mad?


    "Forget it. You probably won''t figure it out anyway. Come on. Let''s get something to eat."


    It was already noon, and she probably hadn''t even had breakfast. I wanted to take her to grab a bite. After checking nearby restaurants, I chose a fine-dining restaurant that I thought she might like.


    Once we arrived, I let her order while I went to the restroom.


    As I walked out after a few minutes, I noticed a few familiar-looking women heading toward the door.


    They looked like they were from our school.


    My eyes lit up, and it suddenly clicked.


    Thedy with straight bangs was ine, Charlotte''s friend who usually hung out with her. I hadn''t seen her aroundtely, so it seemed like she was off with someone else.


    As I returned to the dining area, I noticed Felicia being pestered by a man.


    "Can you just leave me alone? I''ve told you that I have a boyfriend. You''re really annoying," she said.


    "So what if you have a boyfriend? That doesn''t stop us from being friends. Why be so petty? Just give me your contact, okay?" the man replied, grinning.

 Chapter 117

    That day, Felicia wasn''t wearing her usual ck-framed sses for work. Instead, she wore contact lenses, which made her beautiful face stand out even more. Her charm was significantly enhanced by her white blouse and ck pencil skirt, which hugged her curves.


    It was no surprise that people kept approaching her.


    I finally understood why she always downyed her appearance. She was probably tired of all the unwanted attention.


    Just as I was about to approach her, I saw the same group of women who were with ine earlier walking toward Felicia.


    I didn''t want to face ine, so I decided to wait until they finished talking to Felicia before heading over.


    To my surprise, ine raised her hand and pped the man who had been bothering Felicia.


    The man stood there in shock. His face twisted in confusion and anger, but he didn''t retaliate. Instead, he covered his cheek and lowered his head.


    "How dare you hit on another woman right in front of me? Do you think I don''t exist?" Lainey red at him fiercely and even grabbed his cor, pulling him closer as she demanded an answer.


    The man stammered, "I-I wasn''t hitting on her! She''s the one who was flirting with me!"


    "Oh?" Lainey turned her re toward Felicia. In a panic, Felicia quickly waved her hands. "No, no! I didn''t! I don''t even know him! I''ve been sitting here the whole time. How could I have flirted with him?"


    Lainey loosened her grip on the man''s cor and looked at Felicia. Then, she pped Felicia across the face.


    I froze in shock.


    I thought that thesedies were going over to greet Felicia and help her out, but they were actually attacking her.


    I rushed over.


    "How dare you seduce my man, Felicia? Do you not want your face anymore?" ine snapped furiously.


    As if a p wasn''t enough, she grabbed a te from the table and smashed it hard against Felicia''s head.


    Felicia didn''t even have time to cry out before she staggered and copsed to the ground in a daze.


    "Felicia!" I shouted, rushing to her side and quickly helping her up.


    "Felicia, Felicia!" I called out desperately, but she was unresponsive.


    It seemed like she had fainted. I was afraid to shake her, worried she might have a concussion. I gentlyid her back down on the floor and shot a furious re at ine.


    Seeing this, the man quickly stood up and said, "Baby, I swear it was her hitting on me! She kept winking at me and asked for my number, but I refused. She even said her stomach hurt and asked me to check on her. I only came over because I thought something was wrong! I didn''t pay her any attention or exchange contacts. Check my phone if you don''t believe me!"


    ine nced at the man. To my surprise, she seemed to believe his story.


    It wasplete nonsense. I would have been fooled by this man''s convincing lies


    if I hadn''t been with Felicia the whole time.


    ine''s face darkened with anger. "Felicia, you little slut. How dare you set your sights on my man? Are you begging for me to ruin that pretty face of yours?"


    One of the women nearby chuckled and sneered, "She''s always clinging to rich guys. Now she''s found William, the perfect fool. She probably thought he was some trust fund kid, but he''s so broke he''s stealing school donations. No wonder she''s trying to seduce other men."


    "Honestly, they probably stole that money together. She doesn''t even go to ss anymore. She''s just out splurging on expensive meals. Looks like there''s still plenty of money left to burn."


    "Does she really think she can seduce men with a face like hers? She''d be better off staying with William and settling down. She should quit chasing after things out of her league. Keeping this up will only end badly for her."

 Chapter 118

    At that moment, Felicia finally regained consciousness. Her face was full of grievance as she weakly shook her head. "No, I didn''t hit on him. Don''t listen to his lies. I didn''t steal any money either."


    "How dare you talk back!" ine stepped forward, raising her hand to p Felicia again, but I grabbed her wrist.


    ine froze, her expression turning vicious. "William, let go now, or I''ll make you regret it!"


    I stood up and red at the man, my expression cold. "You dared to do it but can''t own up to it? Do you even consider yourself a man? Lainey, how dare you hit my girlfriend? You''ll pay for this!"


    The women around us burst outughing. "What did you say? ine, he actually said that you''ll pay for it!"


    "Oh my god, this is hrious! William, are you trying to act tough in front of ine? Do you know who she''s been hanging out withtely?"


    ine sneered. "Make me pay? Fine. I want to see what you can do."


    I smirked.


    I stepped up to her and raised my hand to p her across the face.


    This time, I didn''t hold back. The p knocked her to the ground. Her lip split open, and blood dripped from her mouth.


    Everyone froze for a moment. The women stared at ine on the floor, still processing what had just happened.


    I stepped forward, cing my foot on her face. I was settling all the scores¡ª everything from her past insults to her actions that day.


    "You insulted me and hit my girlfriend. You''ve gotten cocky, haven''t you?"


    The women snapped out of their shock and rushed toward me, trying to pull me off. "William, you''ve lost it! Get away from her!"


    ine scrambled to her feet, her eyes wide with panic. "William, you crazy bastard! How dare you hit me? You''re dead! You''ll regret this, I swear!"


    Thedies stared at me, their eyes full of sympathy rather than hatred.


    "William, how dare you hit ine? Do you know who she is? Her father''s business partner is the local kingpin, Tyler. ine''s been adopted by Crimson Tigers'' leader as his goddaughter. You''re seriously done for now."


    I had never heard of Crimson Tigers in my life.


    However, ine''s father''s equal status with Tyler definitely meant some serious power. It''s no wonder she was so arrogant.


    As ine pulled out her phone to call for backup, I knew I had to be ready. However, calling Tyler now wouldn''t do any good. I wondered if I should call Victor again.


    Twice in one day would be a bit much.


    After thinking for a moment, I decided not to bother. I would just use my family''s connections.


    By the time I decided, ine had finished her call. She pushed through the women with a furious shove and stormed up to me.


    "William, you''re not going anywhere. I''ve already called my godfather. He said he''ll send some fighters to take care of you. I''m not leaving here without making you pay. If I don''t crush you today, I''m not a Fowler!"


    I smirked. "Do you think you''re untouchable? Do you think your godfather is the only one with fighters?"


    I pulled out my phone and called Vincent. "Do we have any fighters in Welsington City? Send two of the best."


    Vincent sounded rmed. "Mr. White, what''s going on?"


    "No time to exin. Just send them. I''ll send you the location."

 Chapter 119

    I hung up the phone and coldly stared at ine.


    After what happened with Felicia that day, I started to realize something. If I kept staying quiet and low profile, I wouldn''t be able to protect the people I cared


    about.


    At the very least, when it was time, I needed to act. I couldn''t just stand by and take it.


    The women crossed their arms and red at me skeptically. "Fighters? What are you talking about? Stop pretending."


    "That''s hrious. He must''ve gotten scared when he heard that ine was calling for help and is now just putting on a show."


    "Seriously. How could he act tough when he had to steal money just to buy some clothes for his girlfriend? If he were really that tough, why didn''t he show up when Felicia was beatenst night?"


    I froze for a moment, then immediately turned to Felicia. "You were bulliedst night? Did someone hit you?"


    Felicia lowered her gaze, her face pale. "It''s nothing," she whispered.


    "Is it because they thought I stole the money? Did they bully you because of that?" I asked.


    I was shocked. The guys might have doubted me, but they didn''t do anything. However, the women went so far as to actuallyy hands on Felicia, and I had no idea about it.


    "Why didn''t you tell me?" I demanded.


    I grabbed her shoulder, feeling both angry and anxious. "I''m your boyfriend, and you didn''t tell me about this."


    Felicia''s eyes welled up with tears as she spoke. "Didn''t you break up with mest night?"


    "I..." I was momentarily at a loss for words.


    "It was my faultst night. I''m sorry. I won''t say anything like that again. From now on, I officially dere that you''re my girlfriend!" I said firmly, looking her in the eye.


    Her eyes lit up, and a smile finally appeared on her face. "Really?" she asked.


    I nodded. "Yeah. I''ll take you to Imperia Manor sometime, and you''ll see what''s going on," I said, trying to reassure her.


    I didn''t want to exin too much as I knew that she probably wouldn''t believe me.


    As we talked, a suddenmotion came from the door. Over ten people walked into the restaurant. Unlike the previous thugs, these men were dressed normally, but they were tall and muscr. Clearly, they weren''t just any average thugs- they were people with real skill.


    "Mr. Russo!" ine greeted, rushing over to them.


    "What brings you here personally?" she asked eagerly.


    Frankie Russo had a scar on his face and a cigarette dangling from his mouth. He red at me and growled, "Mr. Rizzo sent me. He said his goddaughter was being bullied and told me to help you get some revenge. So, where''s the idiot who did this?"


    ine immediately pointed at me. "Dominic really cares about me," she said. "Mr. Russo, it''s him. He hit me just now!"


    Frankie looked me up and down, sneering. "This guy? You called me here for him?"


    He shook his head and swaggered up to me. "Ms. Fowler, how do you want me to deal with him?"


    ine''s eyes burned with malice as she said, "First, blind him in one eye."


    Frankie scoffed. "Is that all? You''re going too easy on him." He took the cigarette from his mouth and raised the burning tip, aiming it directly at my eye.

 Chapter 120

    I didn''t expect Frankie to act so quickly, but I dodged just in time.


    He furrowed his brow and said, "Kid, I suggest you cooperate. Otherwise, you won''t just lose an eye."


    I sneered coldly. "I suggest you behave too. Otherwise, when my people arrive, I''l make sure both your eyes never see the light of day."


    "Huh?" He paused, then turned to look at ine. "No wonder you''re so angry. Is this kid really that bold?" he asked.


    ine snapped angrily, "You have no idea, Mr. Russo! This kid is a pauper. He stole 113 thousand dors from our school to buy his girlfriend clothes. When I confronted her for flirting with my man right in front of me, he hit me!


    "Oh, so he''s a thief too," Frankie sneered. "I may not have lived the best life, but the one thing I can''t stand is a thief! If you''re going to rob, at least do it with guts. Guys, grab him. Today, I''ll burn his eye myself."


    He nced at Felicia leeringly. "Thisdy''s got quite a figure. With a body like that, she''s rare. After we deal with this kid, I''ll enjoy her for a few days."


    ine chuckled darkly. "Of course, Mr. Russo. Do whatever you want."


    Two of hisckeys brought over chairs for Frankie and ine to sit. Everyone else remained standing as they sat. It made their status all the more imposing.


    The restaurant staff and guests, who had previously gathered to watch themotion, were now scattering. At least half of them hurried out of the restaurant.


    Clearly, anyone who would do something like this in public was no ordinary thug.


    Frankie''s men quickly stepped up and grabbed my arms, lifting me off the ground. I didn''t resist.


    They were professionals, and they had already decided to take things to the extreme. Fighting back would only get me beaten, so I chose to wait it out, hoping the Whites would arrive soon.


    "Stop!" Felicia rushed forward to help, but several women held her back.


    She could only scream at the staff and waiters, "Help! Somebody, please! Call the police!" Before she could shout more, the group of women covered her mouth.


    The staff dared not intervene. Anyone who did would be dealt with the same way. Frankie took another drag from his cigarette, the red-hot tip burning as he approached me again. "Kid, do you have anyst words?"


    I looked at him coldly. "Mr. Russo, right? Before youy a hand on me, I suggest you think it over carefully. Is it worth it to offend the Whites over a woman like this?"


    "The Whites?"


    Frankie was caught off guard by my calm, confident tone. He stopped and frowned.


    "Which Whites?" he asked.


    I answered coldly, "The Whites of Gothville."


    Anyone with some experience wouldn''t have missed my family''s name.


    My grandfather''s reputation was beyond reproach. My uncle''s mansion had armed guards, and my second uncle''s Mercedes-Benz was a fully upgraded, bulletproof vehicle. Just mentioning these things was enough to show how powerful they were.


    My dad was a businessman, one of the wealthiest in the country.


    My other uncles were in business but were also involved in the film industry and cultural enterprises.


    In my generation, there were only three boys. Besides me, my cousin was studying abroad, and my younger cousin was still in middle school.


    If Frankie dared toy a finger on me that day, the Whites would ensure that he was eradicatedpletely.

 Chapter 121

    I couldn''t imagine how the Whites would torture Frankie if he gauged my eye out.


    As I''d expected, his eyes widened at the mention of the White family of Gothville. He asked, "You''re part of the White family?"


    I answered honestly, "I''m a third-generation member of the family, as well as its heir."


    Frankie was floored. He repeated incredulously, "Heir?" Then, he burst out intoughter.


    "Kid, if you''d said you were a distantly rtive of the Whites, I would have believed you. Do you think I''m dumb enough to believe that you could possibly be the heir to the White family? Why would the White heire to Welsington and have dinner at such a run-down ce? You must be kidding me!"


    ine leaned over curiously. "Mr. Russo, are the Whites a powerful family?"


    Frankie scoffed and said, "Let''s put it this way. If he really turns out to be the heir to the White family, our lives are ruined for good."


    "They must be very powerful!" ine''s eyes widened in surprise.


    However, she soon broke into giggles."William, oh William. Even if you were making stuff up, you should have stuck with something more realistic. If you were going to say that you''re the heir to the White family, you might as well just im to be next in line to the royal throne!


    "Right, Mr. Russo. I nearly forgot to tell you. The kid even put on a show for us before you came. He made a phone call and threatened to get some powerful people to help him out. It''s hrious, really. No one came!"


    Frankie frowned and said disdainfully, "Stop wasting time talking to the boy. Wrap things up with him. I''ve got many things to do."


    He shot a meaningful nce at one of his minions, Paxton McLean, who


    immediately grabbed my arms and forced them behind my back to prevent me from moving. The other held my head.


    Without hesitation, Frankie stabbed at me with his cigarette.


    I snapped my eyes shut immediately.


    Agony washed over me as the burning stub pressed onto my eyelids.


    I gritted my teeth to stop myself from screaming.


    "You''ve got a backbone, kid. I''ll give you that. But you won''t be so lucky next time."


    He then punched my stomach. While I groaned from the impact, he pried my eyes open and stabbed at me with the cigarette once more.


    This was bad. I wouldn''t actually be a one-eyed wonder, would I? The guards protecting the White family were too slow!


    The cigarette suddenly stopped inches away from my eye. Then, I heard a squelch as Frankie''s arm fell to the floor. Blood gushed out of the severed stump. Some even got on my face.


    The guests who had been watching on shrieked in terror and scattered.


    ine stared at Frankie and his missing limb, failing to regain herposure.


    A man in a wide-brimmed hat and a ck coat strode over. He had leather gloves on and was holding a gleaming dagger.


    "Mr. White, I ept any punishment you decide to bestow upon me for myteness."


    As he spoke, he shed at the two minions holding me up. They recoiled in horror, scared that their limbs would get chopped off just like how Frankie''s had.


    I was freed from my restraints, and my hands flew to touch my ming eyelid.


    However, the man grabbed my arm and said, "Mr. White, don''t touch it. It''ll leave a scar."


    I shook his hand off and ordered angrily, "Shut it with the nonsense. Deal with them now."


    "Yes, sir."


    He took his hat off and ced it on a nearby table. Then, he turned around and scanned the room. He said coldly, "If you were just here to watch themotion, shut your mouth and get out now. If not, you''ll suffer the same fate as this man."


    The bystanders paled and left immediately.


    Even the restaurant manager and staff, who were hiding behind the door, hadn''t dared to stay.

 Chapter 122

    ine, Frankie, and their respective minions remained in the restaurant with the man from the Whites, Felicia, and me.


    Frankie clutched his severed stump and stared at the man in dumbfounded horror. "Who are you? Do tell us your name, hero."


    "You don''t deserve to know my name."


    The man spun his dagger and asked, "Mr. White, how do you n to deal with them?"


    I red at Frankie and his minions. "Anyone who touched me just now will say goodbye to their hands. Those women over there have filthy mouths. Each one will get ten ps. That man will be circumcised for daring to nder my girlfriend.


    "As for her..." I turned to ine.


    "She offended me multiple times. I never want to see her again. Make her disappear."


    The man nodded and said, "Understood."


    "Mr. Russo!" ine immediately scampered over to Frankie and tried to lean on him. However, she trembled when she saw his severed arm.


    "What''s going on? What''s up with your arm? Did he do that? How did he manage it?"


    Frankie said softly, "He''s not just anyone. Call Mr. Rizzo immediately."


    "There''s no need for that." The man chuckled and said, "The Crimson Tigers have been raided. He''s probably detained now and has no chance of release for at least three to five years. After I''ve had my way with you lot, you''ll be joining him."


    "What did you just say?"


    Frankie widened his eyes in disbelief.


    "We''ve just got through to the police and areundering money sessfully. Why would we be detained?"


    Frankie called Dominic, but the call failed to go through.


    "I don''t believe you. I''ll ask his wife about this!"


    ine refused to give in. She called Katherine Cook, Dominic''s wife. The call went through this time. However, the enraged screaming was audible even to me.


    "ine Fowler! If not for you, Dominic would not have been caught. You harmed him, as well as all his brothers in arms. Just you wait. We won''t let you off the hook. Your whole family will die, and not a single one of their corpses will be left whole!"


    ine paled and hung up immediately. Clearly, these people''s methods were much more sinister than my threats.


    The man had begun severing the limbs of Frankie''s men. It was a bloody scene. I immediately walked over to Felicia and covered her eyes.


    I couldn''t really stomach it either, so I turned around and only listened to the squelching sounds.


    "Ow!"


    "S-Spare me..."


    Various screams rang out. I could only cup Felicia''s ears. She trembled fearfully and begged, "William, tell him to stop, please. Stop fighting, alright?"


    I shook my head slowly. They''d crossed a line.


    Even if I spared them, the Whites wouldn''t allow it. If I dealt with them directly, at least they would end up a little better.


    Then, pping noises echoed through the room. Their shrieks rang out one after another.


    ine screamed, "What are you all doing? Are you guys out of your minds? He''s only one person. If you guys came together and faced him, he wouldn''t be able to defeat you. Why aren''t you fighting back?"

 Chapter 123

    There was no way Frankie would fight back. He would only suffer an even worse fate. Unlike ine, Frankie was experienced. He must''ve picked up on my status and power. His ability to recognize power in the face of it would take him far.


    "Let''s go."


    I left the man to finish up with them and left with my arm wrapped around Felicia.


    A Rolls Royce was parked in front of the restaurant, and a dozen Bentleys filled with guards were parked behind.


    A bodyguard was standing in front of the car. His stoic expression couldn''t conceal his fierce re.


    All the bystanders had been cleared from the scene. I helped Felicia into the car and ordered the chauffeur, "To Imperia Manor."


    "Yes, sir."


    Felicia did not say a single word for the entire journey. She surveyed the car''s interior before staring out of the window listlessly.


    I was afraid that she''d been scared by ine, so I consoled her, "Don''t worry. I won''t do anything to ine. She offended the Crimson Tigers. There will be people going after her even without my interference."


    ine wouldn''t appear in Welsington ever again, let alone in school.


    Felicia shook her head gently. After a while, she turned around and said, "I-I''m not worried about ine. I... just regret not trusting you earlier."


    I froze. So this was what she had been worrying about in her trance just now.


    I leaned back and sighed. "Yeah. Out of everyone, you should have been thest


    to doubt me. You have no idea how devastated I wasst night."


    "It wasn''t on purpose. I''m sorry. I hadn''t expected you to be so wealthy."


    Her eyes were trained on the ground, looking utterly despondent.


    However, Iughed soon after and pulled her into my arms. I consoled her, "It''s alright. The past is in the past. All that matters is that you believe me from today onward."


    Although she doubted me, she had been willing to pick up a part-time job while studying. She even agreed to shoulder debt that was valued at one million for my sake.


    This was enough to blow me off my feet. Countless people would want a piece of me when the going was good. However, it was rare for anyone to be willing to stick by me when things got tough.


    I patted her head and said, "Today, I have no more secrets from you. If you continue to doubt my identity even after this, I''ll actually be disappointed."


    "No!" Felicia immediately looked up at me and said nervously, "I''ll never doubt you, I swear."


    That was more like it. We smiled at each other and buried our hatchets.


    Felicia immediately continued nervously, "We''re going to Imperia Manor? What are we going to do there?"


    I pinched her chin and scanned her swollen face. Then, I said, "We''ll get a doctor to treat our wounds. Once we''ve been checked out, we''ll have dinner and rest. Don''t worry. I won''t do anything to you."


    Although we had confirmed our rtionship, I was a conservative man. We would take it step-by-step. I wouldn''t touch her unless it was the right time.


    A flush broke out on her cheeks. She opened her mouth, but nothing came out.


    When we arrived at Imperia Manor, I immediately had Sophia call the doctor. He came over and examined us.


    As expected, the wound on my eyelid was still manageable. It would recover after a week if I applied medicinal cream.


    However, Felicia''s wounds were much worse than they appeared to be. Not only was she bruised, but she''d also torn the inside of her mouth. It would take at least two weeks to heal.


    That night, I saw Sophia just as I left my room.


    We hadn''t met in a while, so I didn''t know how she was doing. I approached her and asked, "How''s that debt of yours?"


    Sophia blushed and replied, "I''ve reached an agreement with the bank and renegotiated the installment terms. It''s within my financial capabilities. It''s all good now."

 Chapter 124

    Sophia confirmed my guess.


    With how influential the Whites were, it was likely that she would be awarded an advantageous installment n following a simple visit to the bank. After all, she was the eldest daughter of the Whites'' butler. There was no need for any concern. "Good. Work hard in the future. Don''t run around with such horrible people."


    Before I left, she said, "Mr. White, there''s something I need to tell you. Joshua managed to score himself a wealthy woman, so now he''s rich once more. A few days ago, he tried to get back together with me. I ignored him. However, I heard that he ns to go back to school after a while."


    "Oh?"


    How could he still be nning to return? This came as a surprise to me. After all, his reputation was even worse than mine.


    "Got it. Thanks for the heads up."


    "Onest thing, Mr. White. Mr. Otis heard that you''d used the guards in Welsington and was bullied. He''s furious. He''s on his way here now and will probably arrive soon."


    "Otis?"


    He was my cousin, a freshman in high school. That kid was the devil incarnate. When he was displeased, he would make it everyone''s business.


    If he dide, the whole school would probably be burnt to the ground sooner rather thanter.


    I called him quickly. He promptly picked up and greeted, "William?"


    "Otis, I''m fine. You don''t have toe over."


    He didn''t believe me. "You sent Quintus to get the job done. What do you mean you''re fine?"


    Quintus Rickman was the man who''d acted in my name at the restaurant earlier. My uncle, Pierce White, had brought Quintus in from abroad. Quintus had been an underground boxer, and was famous within the ranks of the assassins.


    We wouldn''tmand him unless there were a special asion.


    In the restaurant, I had been enraged by ine and Frankie, which was why I asked for him. In hindsight, it might''ve been an overreaction.


    "I''m fine. It was a spur-in-the-moment action. I asked him to deal with a local gang and a stupid woman. I''ve settled it. Be a good kid and go to school. Stop running around."


    Ever since Pierce bought Otis a personal jet, thetter would fly around the country as he pleased, like a kid with a toy ne.


    It''s just that while people would control the toy from the ground with a remote control, he flew the ne around himself.


    "Fine. I had wanted to use this as an opportunity to take a stroll around


    Welsington. Since you''re so adamant about not letting me go, I''ll turn around now.


    Do reach out to me if you need anything. I''m much better at this than you!"


    "I got it, I got it."


    I nearly chuckled. What did the kid know?


    What a daring statement, boasting that he was better at this than me.


    I had just hung up when another call came through. Then, my family called me several times consecutively out of concern for me.


    It looked like my use of Quinton had caused waves, so I had no choice but to exin myself to them.


    However, I still kept the affairs about school from them. I felt that it was nothing. If I couldn''t even handle that and needed my family to do so for my sake, I might as well be utterly useless.


    I''d even received a call from Mom. She heard I''d gotten wounded and was extremely concerned.


    "I''ve told you before-going without a bodyguard won''t do. You never listen. I''ll get you one whether you like it or not."

 Chapter 125

    I tried to turn Mom down, but she wouldn''t allow it.


    After negotiating with her for ages, she finally relented and said, "Fine. I won''t send you a personal bodyguard. However, you''ve got to meet Mason Connaught of Quantum Springs. He''s one of our allies. If anything happens, you can ask for his assistance. He''ll also protect you discretely."


    "Got it."


    Since it was the weekend, Felicia and I took a break at Imperia Manor.


    I even brought her to meet Jane at the hospital. She was strong and was recovering nicely. The doctor said she would have a clean bill of health in a month.


    However, she had to remain in the ICU for now and was not epting any visitors. Even when Felicia and I went to visit her, we could only signal at her through the ss windows.


    However, Jane was still overjoyed.


    On Sunday, I told Felicia, "We''ll have lunch with a few men from Quantum Springs. Then, we''ll go back to school in the afternoon.


    She nodded and agreed, "Alright."


    I looked at her swollen cheeks and asked worriedly, "Are you feeling unwell? If you are, you''ve got to tell me. Don''t keep it to yourself."


    "No. I''m perfectly fine."


    Felicia grinned at me and even poked her cheek to relieve my concern.


    "William, what are you going to do when we return to school? Are you going to offer the faculty an exnation? Rumors about you are spreading like wildfire..."


    "Why would I do that? They don''t deserve it."


    When I said so, Felicia seemed crestfallen. "They don''t deserve it, but neither am


    I deserving. William, I hadn''t thought that you would be so rich and amazing. I don''t deserve you."


    "What are you going on about?"


    I smiled resignedly and took a seat beside her, running my fingers through her hair.


    "I said that they didn''t deserve an exnation, but it wasn''t because they were of


    a lower social standing. Rather, those faculty members are unprincipled. I shouldn''t have to pay them such respect. They used me without checking their sources and robbed me of a chance to exin. I look down on their morals, not their status."


    If I were such a selfish person, I wouldn''t have gotten with Felicia in the first ce, nor would I have befriended Benjamin.


    I thought that Felicia was very naive. However, it seemed like my constion hadn''t done anything. She still seemed preupied. I couldn''t help it.


    The differences in our social standings were too wide. However, she had to find a way to ovee it.


    We were only dating in school. She wouldn''t feel much about our difference in privilege. If we did consider marriage in the future, it would only be worse.


    If Felicia did not ovee it, she would feel even worse and even more terrified when attending events with me. Our rtionship would suffer as a result. I couldn''t help her.


    "Sophia, give Felicia a makeover. We''ll be eating with the people from Quantum Springs in the afternoon."


    "Alright, sir."


    Sophia knew what I intended. She quickly brought over a formal dress and jewelry. Then, Sophia got Felicia ready and drove Mom''s V8 Koenigsegg to Quantum Springs.


    When Felicia and I reached the restaurant, we realized that many people had arrived. I immediately identified Mason from the crowd.

 Chapter 126

    "It''s just a casual lunch together. Why have you made it into such a big deal?" I asked Mason.


    There had to be a few hundred people, and that only included the people on this floor.


    Was this a lunch? It seemed more like a formal event.


    Mason froze and asked, "Lunch? But Mrs. White''s intention was for me to introduce you to the people of Welsington, so that they won''t disrespect you out of ignorance."


    "Don''t listen to her. Why would I want that? I chose to go to school in Welsington to keep my affairs private and make some genuine friends. Haven''t you rendered my earlier efforts redundant by doing so?"


    At my rage, Mason said hurriedly, "Mr. White, don''t worry. I haven''t announced your name to them. I was initially nning a grand entrance for you. Since you''re not interested, I won''t do so. Instead, I''ll introduce you as someone else. Is that alright?"


    I frowned. "Can''t you just call it off?"


    "This... I don''t want to keep this from you, Mr. White, but I''ve invited all the heirs of powerful families who are around your age. They range from legacy nobles to new business owners. They''ve alle. If we ask them to return just like that, it won''t bode well for our reputation."


    His face clearly showed how awkward he felt. When our eyes met, I could see the hesitancy behind his eyes.


    This was our first meeting. It would be inappropriate for me to give him too much of a hard time. Moreover, his words held some truth to them. He''d gone to such lengths to invite so many people. It would be uneptable if Mason sent them home before they even had a bite.


    "Fine. Go out and entertain them, but don''t tell them about my identity and act like you don''t know me. Just pretend like I''m one of the people you''ve invited."


    Mason broke into a smile and nodded hurriedly, "Thank you for your understanding, Mr. White. Don''t worry. I know what to do now."


    After meeting Mason, I brought Felicia to the first floor.


    After two days at Imperia Manor, Felicia had savored countless delicacies and strolled through numerous parks with Sophia in tow. Consequently, she appeared more rxed and gracious.


    When we arrived on the first floor and she saw the hundreds of guests, she was not terrified in the slightest. She merely eximed, "They''re all here for you."


    I smiled. "They aren''t here for me. They''re here for because I''m the heir to the White family. If our family runs into any difficulties in the future, or my identityes into question, they''ll be gone before you know it."


    Felicia chuckled. She turned to me and said, "I won''t run away. Regardless if you''re the heir to the White family or not, I''ll always stay by your side."


    "Alright."


    If this had been spoken by anyone else, I wouldn''t have believed them. People would do anything for wealth. The richer someone was, the more heartless they would be. However, Felicia had already proved her loyalty a long time ago.


    "Hey, who do you think Mr. Connaught is introducing today? He invited so many people. I''m burning with curiosity."


    "I heard it was the heir to Quantum Springs. However, they''ve kept him hidden well. No one knows who the leader is in the first ce."


    "Wow, an heir! I wonder if he''s handsome."


    "He''s the leader''s son. Even if he were the ugliest man in the world, there would still be hordes of women kissing up to him. You''re too shallow."


    "What do you know? He''s a man of high social standing, but if he''s handsome as well, it would be the icing on top of the cake. All the rich youngdies of upper society would thirst after him!"


    While passing a gaggle of gorgeousdies, I overheard their conversation. With mirth in my eyes, I turned to Felicia and asked, "Am I handsome?"


    Felicia nodded her head furiously and said, "Yes! You''re smoking hot! If you weren''t, our seniors wouldn''t have gone mad over you in the way they did."

 Chapter 127

    My school seniors fancied me? That was news to me.


    Feliciaughed and said, "All of them had a thing for you, don''t you know? At the start of the semester, your photo was all over their group chats. They were saying that there''s a fresh new face among the freshmen-a real looker. They even joked aboutpeting to see who could win you over first. Butter..."


    She trailed off, not daring to continue. Naturally, I finished her sentence for her, "Then, Joshua used me of pretending to be rich, and my reputation went down the drain."


    I thought that Joshua had framed me because of the seniors who''d brought us around campus during orientation. Ultimately, he was jealous of my poprity. After that, all of them no longer liked me.


    Suddenly, Mason appeared at the top of the stars. Silence immediately fell over the hall.


    The guests turned toward him reverently. Mason made eye contact with me. I shook my head and averted my eyes.


    "Everyone, thank you so much foring to my formal event today. I initially wanted to introduce our leader''s son to you all here. However, he''s a private man and doesn''t want to make his identity public. Thus, I won''t be announcing his name. What I can disclose is that he''s currently in the room with you all!"


    This... Wasn''t he exposing me? I red at him helplessly. Did he have to do this? Everyone in the room instantly looked around, looking for someone suspicious. However, all of Mason''s guests were around my age and looked wealthy and presentable. Identifying a unique man proved to be difficult.


    Thankfully, Mason waved his hand and said, "We''ll serve lunch now."


    Skipping my self-introduction at the formal event made it feel more like a formal lunch.


    I pulled Felicia to a corner table to avoid sitting with any wealthy heirs and risk being recognized.


    However, a familiar voice rang out just as I took a seat. "What''s so amazing about him? Who wants to sit beside them? How pretentious. Ryan, ignore them. They''ll suffer for their discrimination. When they eventually go bankrupt, many people will cheer the asion."


    At the sound of the voice, Felicia turned around in surprise. It was Ryan and Lina.


    They were chased away by the guests upying the neighboring table and had nowhere to go. So, they had no choice but to sit at our table. The second they did so, they froze.


    "William, Felicia!"


    Inwardly, I wondered why Mason had invited such an idiot to this event.

 Chapter 128

    However, Lina seemed a little different.


    She dyed her brown hair ck and twisted it into a bun. A backless silk dress clung to her figure and exposed her supple skin while diamond earrings dangled from her ears. Lina seemed to be glowing.


    Unlike her usual look that made her appear cheap and inauthentic, she seemed like the heiress of a filthy rich family that day.


    However, what hadn''t changed was her pitiful expression and the careless pride glimmering in her eyes as she looked down on Felicia and me.


    "You two are shameless for daring to appear in public after stealing money from the school. You''re pretending to be rich to scam your way into events."


    After mocking us, Lina turned to Felicia.


    No matter how hard she tried to hide it, the jealousy in her eyes was still noticeable.


    "Felicia, even though you used to do suggestive live streams, at least you were making your own money. Ever since you started dating William, you''ve let your morals go. Don''t you feel ashamed of yourself for renting expensive evening gowns and jewelry to maintain your reputation?"


    It was clear that Felicia felt extremely awkward. She said, "Lina, these are not rented. William gifted them to me."


    Lina scoffed before saying, "Don''t you know where his moneyes from? It''s not just any money. It''s money belonging to the underprivileged students in school. Using this money to put on an act of wealthiness will bring you bad karma."


    Ryan sipped at his champagne and said to Lina, "They''ve got a few tricks up their sleeves. After all, they managed to sneak in here. I spent 30 thousand dors to procure an invitation."


    I immediately understood the situation. They weren''t invited, so they had bought an invitation.


    I found it hrious. "You didn''t even receive an invitation. Yet, you''re still adamant abouting to this event. What, are you so desperate to get to know the special guest who was supposed to be introduced today?"


    "What the hell do you know?" Ryan red at me disdainfully.


    "Building connections with anyone in this room, especially the special guest, will be endlessly beneficial to me. Of course, peasants like you are an exception! People like you can only sneak in and hide at a table in the corner to get some food."


    I chuckled at his ignorance. "Ryan, aren''t you at my table too? Why don''t you sit with them if you''re so amazing?"


    "You!"


    My words shut him up. Lina butted in, "We arrivedte and couldn''t get a seat. Did you think that this was all we could manage?"


    Ryan immediately added, "Yeah. We were justte. It''s not that we had nowhere else to sit. Stop thinking of yourself as a big deal. If I''d known that the two of you were here, I wouldn''t havee no matter what!"


    Then, he said to the strangers around our table, "Listen up. These two people are thieves at our school. They stole the schrship money that should''ve gone to the underprivileged students. It amounted to one million dors. Then, they used this money to show off! Don''t give them any time of the day. They''re public enemies of the school now!"


    The others at the table widened their eyes and stared at us as though we were terrifying monsters.


    Felicia was so angry that her face turned red. She couldn''t help but say, "Can you guys stop spewing that nonsense? We didn''t steal the money at all!"


    "Still trying to deny it?" Lina chuckled coldly.


    "Felicia, between you and William, your respective families are either waste collectors or fruit merchants. If you hadn''t stolen, how could you buy clothes worth tens of thousands of dors and donate just as much? Exin yourselves."


    Everyone was stunned. "Are their clothes that expensive? Hell, I can''t even afford such an expensive piece."


    "How shameless. I thought that woman was a rich heir. Turns out, it was bought with stolen money. Not only does she have no morals, but she''s vain as well. How disgusting."


    "Why hasn''t your school reported this to the police and gotten them arrested?"

 Chapter 129

    Ryan huffed and said, "The school would be liable for losing money. They wouldn''t dare to call the police. That''s why these two were let off the hook."


    Everyone nodded. "That makes sense."


    Lina chipped in, "Felicia, you had bettere to your senses soon. Continuing to be with a guy like Ryan will only bring your demise. I''m telling you, if he dares steal a million from the school now, he''ll be amon thief on the streets sooner rather thanter. Who knows, maybe he might steal from you as well."


    Everyone around the table cackled. Their mocking res swept over us.


    Felicia dug her nails into my palm. She couldn''t stand being framed.


    I squeezed her hand to console her and said softly, "Don''t pay them any attention."


    I had gotten used to this a long time ago. In addition, I''d asked n to investigate


    the lost money. His investigation would soon be published, and the truth would prevail. My attempts to clear my name now would be for naught.


    "Let''s eat."


    Although the seats at the event were segregated based on the level of importance, the dishes served were the same.


    I took a prawn and peeled the shell off for Felicia. She said hurriedly, "How could


    you do that for me? Put it down. I''ll do it myself."


    Iughed and asked, "Why? You''re my girlfriend. Why are you acting so


    courteous? If you insist on doing it yourself, I will get mad."


    "In that case, thanks."


    She was shy and nervous. Perhaps she still hadn''t gotten used to my influence.


    Mason''s voice was projected through a microphone. He said, "Everyone, it''s a rare asion to gather here together. I''ve prepared some gifts. Although they aren''t extremely valuable, they show my appreciation. Now, I''ll select seat numbers randomly. Those whose numbers are called out, pleasee forward to receive your gifts."


    I had to admit that Mason was very generous.


    Even the least valuable gift was a gold bracelet worth more than ten thousand dors. The atmosphere reached a boiling point when he got to the grand prize.


    It was a pair of Rolex watches that were part of the newest collection. The men''s variation was gold and studded with sapphires, while the female variation was rose gold and lined with rubies. The intricate arches made it a favorite among the youngsters.


    Dad had bought a pair this year for him and Mom. If my memory served me correctly, each should cost more than 60 thousand dors, totaling more than a hundred thousand dors.


    When Lina saw the prize, she was so excited that she nearly leaped out of her seat. "Please, please God bless me with this prize. I''m willing to exchange ten years of Ryan''s life for that watch."


    Ryan choked and nearly spit out his wine. The others around the table were in a simr predicament. Their eyeballs bulged out of their sockets in disbelief.


    It looked like this watch was extremely attractive. Scolding me was thest thing


    on their minds. Everyone stared at Mason unblinkingly, waiting for him to draw thest prize.


    I turned to Felicia and asked, "Do you like it? If you do, we can go to the store, and I''ll buy one for youter."


    She shook her head immediately and said, "No."

 Chapter 130

    Was that the truth? I thought this watch was gorgeous. It was a ssic Rolex model. Why wouldn''t Felicia like it? This meant that she was aesthetically picky. I''d have to choose her future presents wisely.


    When Ryan heard our conversation, he snickered. "William, who are you putting on an act for? You only stole one million. You''ve donated and spent a good portion of that. At most, you''ve got three hundred thousand left. Do you think we''re dumb? How would you be able to afford a matching Rolex set?"


    Lina rolled her eyes. "Ignore him. He''s addicted to pretending to be rich. Let him be."


    Mason announced, "Alright. The grand prize winner is table 36, seat number 8!" Everyone turned to our table.


    I looked down at my seat. Number 8...


    How could it be me? Did such coincidences even exist?


    I suspected that Mason had rigged the lucky draw and intended to give me this watch all this time. He just hadn''t expected me to request to keep a low profile. He was too embarrassed to gift this to me outright and resorted to using this tactic to give it to me instead.


    This was indeed the case.


    Under the heavy weight of everyone''s gaze, I could only stand up and walk toward Mason. As I passed the other tables, I could hear whispers among the crowd. "Damn, this kid is way too lucky!"


    "Someone sitting at table 36 must not havee from a privileged background. He must''ve been a hero in hisst life to get such a gorgeous watch!"


    When I approached Mason, I whispered, "You set this up so I would receive this prize, didn''t you?"


    Mason chuckled drily and said, "Nothing can escape your watchful eye, Mr. White. Don''t be surprised. When I heard that you were bringing your girlfriend with you, I went to the store and selected these watches myself. It''s just a sign of my respect for you."


    "Fine. Thank you for thinking about us."


    I had let him down more than once that day. I couldn''t embarrass him in these circumstances. Thus, I epted the watch.


    Mason said into his microphone, "Did youe alone? If you''ve got a girlfriend, there''s no harm in inviting her onstage to receive the prize together."


    Mason...


    I''d told him I wanted to keep a low profile. Why did he keep banging on with this?


    However, Felicia immediately came forward after Mason spoke. I had no choice but to wait for her toe onstage and fasten the watch around her wrist.


    "Let''s give this couple a round of apuse. May their love stand the test of time." Apuse roared throughout the hall. I could only force a smile and wave my hands. "Thank you so much. We can get offstage now, right?"


    Mason seemed to be extremely happy with himself. He said happily, "Of course. Be my guest."


    I took Felicia''s hand. Just as we were about to get off, someone yelled, "Wait! They don''t deserve this prize!"


    It was Ryan again. He had dragged Lina with him to the front of the stage. After seeing the watches on us, jealousy and dissatisfaction brewed within their eyes.


    Mason and the other attendees widened their eyes when they heard his words. "They don''t deserve the prize? What do you mean?"


    Ryan leaped onstage and grabbed the microphone. "This asshole didn''t even receive an invitation. He snuck in uninvited! Thus, he is not qualified to enter the lucky draw!"

 Chapter 131

    Mason looked downright murderous. He hadn''t expected a troublemaker to destroy his meticulous scheme to gift me those watches. Yet, he was now entrusted with the task of keeping my low profile while dealing with Ryan. He seemed extremely angry.


    "Where did youe from? Who do you think you are to speak here?"


    Ryan hadn''t picked up on Mason''s fury. He simpered, "Mr. Connaught, I came invited. My name is Ryan Hudson. My dad owns Northeastern Waste Management."


    Ryan''s self-introduction was clearly an attempt to make a name for himself. It was a pity that no one paid him attention. No one even bothered to p.


    He continued, "Mr. Connaught, as well as all the esteemed guests, I know this man! He''s a man with a horrible reputation in school. His family sells fruits for a living..."


    Mason looked as though he was seconds away from beating Ryan to a pulp. I shot him a nce, imploring him to calm down. Let Ryan put on his show. I''d like to see how far he would go.


    "You''d never bestow your grand prize upon a fruit seller, right? In addition to his poor family, he has a rotten personality. He stole the funds allocated for schrships for underprivileged students, which were valued at one million, but still hasn''t returned them. Do you guys think a man like this deserves such a prize?"


    Everyone had been jealous of me for winning the prize in the first ce. After all, many of them coveted these watches.


    Following the taunts of someone in the crowd, a group shouted, "He doesn''t deserve it!"


    Another screamed, "Mr. Connaught, strip him of his right to participate in this lucky draw and pick someone else!"


    "Yeah, redo it. Kick him out!"


    When Lina saw this, she pointed at Felicia. Ryan immediately picked up on it and said, "Mr. Connaught, banish this evil couple from the hall now!"


    "That''s enough!" roared Mason. His tolerance had reached a breaking point.


    "All my guests are wee. Anyone who entered this hall today is an esteemed guest of mine. How dare you insult my guests in front of me? I think you''ve got a death wish. Guards..."


    Just as Mason was about to call security to drag Ryan out, one of his men whispered into his ear.


    Upon hearing that, Mason froze. He approached me and passed the information


    on.


    I smiled. "Wow. There''s something like that? That''s great. Have theme in."


    He nodded and gave the go-ahead to these guards.


    Ryan stared at Mason, dumbfounded. He couldn''t wrap his head around why Mason started whispering to me, nor why he scolded Ryan.


    "Mr. Connaught, you shouldn''t be taking action on me. It should be this asshole!"


    Mason red at him. If not for me holding him back, Ryan would''ve lost at least two limbs at this point.


    Lina was just as confused. She had no idea why Mason still hadn''t chased us out when they had made things so clear.


    At that moment, a horde of uniformed policemen barged into the hall.


    They pulled their licenses out as they advanced and said, "We''re on duty. Please cooperate. We''re here to apprehend a thief used of stealing one million dors!"


    Lina''s eyes were shining when she heard that. She screamed, "Here! Here''s the thief."


    She pointed at me. The policemen headed in my direction.

 Chapter 132

    Lina rejoiced in my unfortunate situation. She said, "William, you''ll pay for your sinister doings. I feel relieved that I broke up with you ages ago. Benjamin wasn''t wrong. You pretended to be a rich kid initially, but greed ate at you slowly. Eventually, it''ll destroy your morals. Mr. Connaught, why won''t you take the watch back from him? He''ll be imprisoned soon."


    Mason spared Lina a nce as though he was staring at the dumbest woman on earth. Then, he turned to me and asked, "Mr. White, should I teach her a lesson and avenge you?"


    I shook my head slowly and said, "No need. Just like she said, she''ll suffer for her wrongdoings. What goes aroundes around."


    Finding someone to teach her a lesson was a blessing for her.


    As they spoke, the uniformed policemen approached the stage and said, "Ryan Hudson, aren''t you surrendering?"


    Since the arrival of the police, Ryan had been pale as a sheet. When they said his name, he began trembling. His microphone slipped and ttered onto the floor.


    "No, no. It wasn''t me! It wasn''t me. You''ve made a mistake. You''re detaining the wrong person."


    However, before Ryan could continue spewing excuses, they climbed onto the stage and pinned his hands behind his back before proceeding to put handcuffs on him.


    Lina was struck dumb. "What are you doing? That''s the wrong man you''ve got. He''s Ryan, not William."


    They said sternly, "That''s exactly the man we want to detain. Come clean, Ryan. Where is your aplice, Lina?"


    Perhaps because he knew that there was no escaping his fate, Ryan stopped exining and screamed, "She''s not an aplice. She''s the primary perpetrator! She stole the money. I''m innocent. I was framed. It was all her idea. It''s her fault, not mine!"


    When she heard this, Lina nearly fainted on stage.


    She stared at Ryan in disbelief. "You... You were the one who stole one million dors from school?"


    Ryan shrieked, "Lina, why are you still pretending to be innocent? You set me up to do this. Catch her, catch her!"


    I was dumbfounded. I wasn''t expecting Ryan to incriminate Lina at such a moment. It looked like there wasn''t much love between them.


    It was unlike Felicia, who shouldered the burden when I was used of stealing. I immediately held Felicia''s hand and walked off the stage when I thought of this. I preferred the scene unfolding before me inparison to the Rolexes.


    Lina was on the verge of a breakdown. Tears streamed down her face. "No. I hadn''tmanded him to do anything. I''m not his aplice, either. This has nothing to do with me. I don''t know anything."


    The policemen didn''t believe her. They interrogated her on the spot, asking, "You didn''t know? Do you not know about your boyfriend''s financial gains? He has been renting luxury cars and buying you evening gowns with apanying jewelry. Are you sure you have no idea where the money ising from?"


    I froze. So, his Porsche had been rented as well. Not a single item he wore belonged to him.


    This would exin why Lina had ignored Ryan in the past but had recently decided to date him. After settling the money, Ryan had be more generous with her.


    I even felt a little bad for Ryan when I figured that out.


    He hadn''t spent any of his bounty on himself. Instead, he devoted it all to appeasing Lina. In the end, it was a question of whether or not she had even allowed him to kiss her. Yet, he had to sacrifice himself and his bright future.


    Why do so?


    "Stop talking. Take them both away and collect their witness statements."

 Chapter 133

    Ryan and Lina were led into the police car, which drove off into the distance. The event continued smoothly, as though nothing had happened. However, everyone wore interesting expressions.


    They''d just mocked me along with Lina and Ryan. Who knew they''d be proved wrong so quickly? No one dared say a single word.


    When I returned to my seat with Felicia, everyone averted their gazes and stuffed their faces. They were too embarassed to speak.


    At the end of the event, I informed Mason that we were leaving and went back to campus with Felicia.


    "Are you sure you want to move back into the dorm? The women might continue to push you around. Why don''t I station some discreet bodyguards around you?" "There''s no need. I want to deal with this myself. I''m an adult now. If you need to handle such a trivial issue for me, I''d be a useless woman. William, although the difference in our statuses seem like an unbridgeable gap, I would like to preserve my independence. Is that alright?"


    I hesitated, thenughed. Courage was admirable. My job was to support and praise her.


    So, I hugged her and said, "Remember, I''m your boyfriend. If anything happens, I should be the first to know. Don''t let me find out retrospectively, got it?"


    She nodded, eyes brimming with trust.


    When we got back to the dorm, I saw Benjamin and the three others smirking at me. "You stayed out the whole night. Someone''s a bad influence!"


    "Be honest. What have you been doing?"


    "You said you were going to see Felicia, but you didn''te home or even call. He''s gotten himself a girlfriend. What about us?"


    I knew that me noting home would trigger a misunderstanding. However, Felicia and I were indeed in a rtionship so there was no need to exin. Thus, I went forward and slung an arm around Liam.


    "If you want to get into a rtionship, learn from my personality and flirting skills. I promise you''ll have any bird in the bag."


    It''s not like I had a lousy personality.


    Liam harrumphed and pushed me away. "Shut it! You might be good at flirting, but your personality and charm is nothingpared to mine."


    However, I didn''t know whether the news of Ryan''s arrest had reached school. Even if it had, it would take time for it to be public knowledge.


    I had to shoulder the me for this a while longer.


    After ss, I went to the cafeteria with Felicia and Benjamin.


    Although I hade clean with my identity to Felicia, I still had to put on a front when it came to Benjamin. I wasn''t sure if I could trust him as a friend, so it wasn''t a good time toe out.


    However, having my girlfriend and friends apanying me while I ate felt good. Even though the food was horrible, I enjoyed it.


    As we were finishing up, vicious arguments exploded nearby. We could even hear the crash of tes onto the floor. Everyone turned to the source of the sound.


    When I looked up, I froze. It was Ryan and Lina.

 Chapter 134

    How could they be released so soon?


    I could understand Lina being released. However, Ryan had stolen money. I figured that he''d probably pulled some strings to post bail.


    "I''ve told you that I''m not the one asking for it. It''s the police! I''ll be imprisoned if I don''t return the money in time!"


    "What has that got to do with me? You framed me in front of the police. How could you, Ryan?"


    "Framing you? Would I have resorted to stealing if you hadn''t forced me to buy jewelry in exchange for dinner? If I''d known you were a greedy bitch who would do anything for money, I wouldn''t have spent a single cent on you. You better pay me back right now, or I''m not letting you leave the restaurant."


    Their heated argument drew everyone''s attention, who turned to them.


    However, they still didn''t know what was going on. They only knew that a couple had suddenly turned on each other and felt extremely curious.


    Even Benjamin and Liam were confused. "Why are they arguing?"


    "Who will be next in line to obtain Lina''s fancy? We haven''t even finished our first year, and she''s already blown through three boyfriends."


    "Ryan screaming at Lina? Wasn''t he infamous for sucking up to her? Why has he undergone aplete change?"


    Only Felicia and I knew what was going on. We exchanged weary smiles and shook our heads. They were turning on each other, and it would prove to be a good show.


    "Lina, are you going to give me the money?"


    "No means no! You gave it to me, so now it belongs to me. I''ll give it to you if I want, but you can''t do anything about it if I don''t!"


    "Fuck, you really think I can''t do anything about this? Give it to me!"


    Ryan had been forced into a dire situation. He was desperate, so he surged


    forward and choked her, yanking the jewelry off her.


    "What are you doing? Help, someone help me!"


    Lina was terrified and anxious as she called for help.


    However, the people around them had no idea what had happened. Their meddling might be unwee if the couple were just arguing for fun. Thus, no one helped.


    After taking all her jewelry, Ryan seemed to calm down slightly. In contrast, Lina was fuming. She pped Ryan.


    Ryan didn''t let it slide. He immediately raised his hand and pped her, too. Everyone was dumbfounded.


    Although sucking up tended not to end well, it was rare for a man to lose his marbles and turn against the woman.


    "Y-You hit me? Ryan Hudson, I see your true colors. You''re a useless coward pretending to be rich by stealing from the school. Now that you''ve been discovered, you''re trying to me me rather than turning to your family for a solution. Fuck you!"


    Lina went mad as well after being hit. The weak persona disappearedpletely. She went at him like a raging bitch.


    Ryan''s eyes zed. "How dare you curse me? I''d only intended to make you give the jewelry back. Now, I''m formally telling you to return every single cent I''ve ever spent on you!


    "Any less, and I''ll immediately call the police and report you for using dirty money. You''ll have a mark on your record as well!"

 Chapter 135

    Lina''s face was pale as she trembled in anger.


    "How could you be so shameless? I only asked you for some jewelry! You spent everything else on me out of your own will. How could you ask me for it?"


    Ryan chuckled coldly. "Just tell me if you''re giving it to me or not. If you don''t, I''ll tell the school immediately and put up posters to advertise your gold-digging tendencies!"


    Lina roared, "You''re utterly shameless!"


    "So what if I''m shameless? All I want now is money. I don''t give a damn about anything else!"


    Ryan pulled his phone out to look through his spending records. Then, he looked up and red at Lina.


    "I''ve spent more than 90 thousand on you. I''ll give you a discount. In three days, return it all to me. If not, I''ll destroy your reputation!"


    Then, he turned around and left.


    Lina stared at his retreating back and said nothing for a long time. Then, she cried, using her palm to muffle her sobs.


    Everyone felt bad for her after that pitiful disy. However, no man dared to approach her and offer constion.


    After all, bing her rebound would mean taking up a 90-thousand-dor debt. Who would dare to do so?


    Suddenly, ady said, "Don''t you guys think that Lina seems to be a bringer of bad fortune? While she was dating William, he became the target of public condemnation. While dating Benjamin, he was chased out of the school. Now that she''s dating Ryan, he stole from the school..."


    "Her beauty is lethal."


    "She''s got to be pretty in the first ce. Lina is, at most,t above average. She just brings her boyfriends bad luck."


    "Right. That''s exactly it! Any man who dates her won''t fare well!"


    "Hear that? You should all stay away from her. I''d like to say what bes of her next suitor."


    All the women who had been jealous of Lina or were bullied by her further exacerbated the situation. They wanted to destroy her reputation once and for all. Lina had been crying sadly. When she heard this, she immediately looked up and red at them. The fire reignited in her eyes.


    I felt sentimental. This was who Lina was a woman who would never back down.


    Initially, I liked her because she was pretty and inspired a protective urge within me. Apart from that, it was because she was extremely strong-willed.


    After a while, she walked out.


    However, before leaving the cafeteria, she noticed our table-specifically, me.


    "William..." She looked at me in surprise,plicated emotions swirling in her eyes.


    I smiled and said nothing.


    Benjamin couldn''t help but ask, "How dare you greet William? Shameless."


    She paled. Her eyes shined pitifully as she said, "William, I''m sorry."


    I paused. I didn''t expect her to apologize.


    "How many times have you apologized to me?"


    Thest time was because of Matthew. This time, it was due to the stealing. Who


    knew what she would apologize for next time?

 Chapter 136

    Lina stammered, "I-I''m sorry! I had no idea that Ryan was behind it. It''s just that you were acting so suspiciously."


    She exined, "You became so generous so suddenly, even though you were never that well off. So, how could I not suspect you?"


    I sighed. "Lina, it''s one thing for others to suspect me, but don''t you find what you''re saying ridiculous? When was I ever stingy with you back when we were dating? Didn''t I buy everything you asked for?"


    "I just didn''t unt my wealth by taking you out on shy drives in a sports car like Ryan did. Isn''t that right?"


    Lina paused. Her eyes widened as she thought back to our time together.


    Back then, I treated her like a queen, always buying everything she showed interest in. However, I preferredying low. So, I would choose cozy, down-to- earth ces whenever we went on dates.


    I never expected her to hate those ces, nor did I ever realize how much she enjoyed showing off.


    For her, receiving a ne that cost over 30 thousand dors was meaningless if no one knew. Instead, she''d rather unt a three-thousand-dor gift if it meant that everyone could marvel at it.


    After a long pause, a tear rolled down her cheek. "I''m sorry. I was wrong."


    Stifling her sobs, she ran off in a hurry.


    Benjamin stared at her in astonishment, murmuring, "She sure looks pretty even when crying. I finally know why she used to have you in the palm of her hands, William."


    Frantically, I pped him on the head. My girlfriend was right here! Could he be any more tactless?


    I immediately turned to Felicia and rified, "I don''t like her anymore. Don''t listen to Benjamin."


    Felicia smiled faintly. "I know. Don''t worry. I''m not the jealous type. I''m happy as long as you don''t get tired of me."


    Hearing this, the other three guys'' jaws practically hit the floor.


    Felicia had always been their goddess. Naturally, they were astonished to hear her trying to please me. However, instead of feeling happy, I was exasperated by her words. This was precisely why I never liked revealing my background.


    I wanted a rtionship where both parties were equal. I didn''t want one like this, where my girlfriend would humble herself after learning about my background, leaving me unsure of how to respond.


    After the meal, I walked Felicia back to her dorm and asked with concern, "How have things been in your dorm? The others haven''t been giving you trouble, have they?"


    She shook her head and smiled. "Nope. Don''t worry. They know that you didn''t steal the money. Plus, ine is on leave, and Charlotte has stopped picking on me."


    "She seemspletely different now and just sits alone in a daze. Lina also didn''te backst night, so no one has given me any trouble," she continued.


    So, in other words, Lina, Charlotte, and ine had been the main instigators of the bullying. Well, karma was served now.


    I was relieved to learn that no one was bothering her anymore. After dropping her off at the dorm entrance, I turned to leave.


    But just as I reached the gates, I heard Lina calling out behind me. "William, wait!"


    I turned to see Lina walking toward me. She had changed into a different outfit,


    and her long hair was draped over her shoulders.


    With a faint pout, she stared at me carefully. "Where are you going?"


    "Back to my dorm."


    "I''m heading in that direction too. Let''s walk together."


    I nearly burst outughing. "I''m going back to the men''s dorm. Are you sure you''re going there?"

 Chapter 137

    Lina blushed and lowered her head. "I''m going to the library. It''s in the same direction."


    Well, that was hard to believe.


    It''s been almost a year since sses started, and never once had I ever seen her step foot in the library.


    Still, I assumed that she had something to say to me. Perhaps she wanted to apologize. I decided to give her a chance and see what she had to say.


    So, the two of us walked toward the men''s dormitories together.


    "William, I''ve been thinking a lot today. You were really nice to me, and I didn''t deserve your feelings."


    As expected, she was here to apologize. Honestly, I was happy that she had realized her mistakes and was willing to apologize.


    Back then, I had truly loved her and poured my heart into our rtionship. So, the way things ended left a bitter taste in my mouth.


    "Forget it. That''s all in the past."


    "I was a terrible judge of character," she chuckled bitterly. "First, I fell for Joshua, who was a liar. Then, I developed feelings for Ryan, who turned out to be a thief. Why am I so unlucky?"


    I hesitated. I wanted to tell her that it wasn''t a matter of bad judgment. Instead, it was because she was just as materialistic as them.


    She enjoyed hanging out with show-offs and pretending to be better than others. So, naturally, the people drawn to her were just as superficial.


    People with money usually kept a low profile, and I, along with the other hidden rich kids at our school, was no exception.


    We knew that exposing our wealth would bring temporary satisfaction from people''s admiration. However, it would only push away genuine rtionships while attracting the attention of people with ill intent.


    Abruptly, Lina stopped in her tracks and nced at me nervously, "William, are you dating Felicia?"


    I didn''t n on lying, so I nodded.


    "D-Do you have feelings for her?"


    I nodded again.


    Lina blinked rapidly and looked at me in anticipation. "Which of us do you like more? Me or her?"


    What kind of question was this? I was speechless. "We''ve already broken up, and


    I don''t have any feelings for you anymore. She''s the one I like now."


    "I know." Lina looked hurt, but she pressed on. "I mean, if you liked me eight out


    of ten when we were together, how much do you like her now?"


    "I"


    I didn''t know how to answer.


    If I had topare, I''d admit that I liked Lina more. After all, she was my first love, and we were together for a long time. Meanwhile, I hadn''t known Felicia for very long, and we had only just begun dating.


    So, I stayed silent. However, my silence gave her the answer she was looking for. Her face lit up, and she grabbed my hand excitedly. "William, is there still a part of you that likes me?"


    "No!" I denied it immediately and pped her hand aside.


    Tears welled up in her eyes, but she took my hand again. "T-Then, can you like me again, even if it''s just a little?"


    I frowned. "Lina, what exactly are you trying to do?"


    Was she hoping we''d get back together? Well, no way.

 Chapter 138

    Even if Lina threw herself at me now, I still wouldn''t want her back.


    As expected, she started sobbing. "All this time, you were the one I loved, William. I was just too blinded by money, and I didn''t realize how much I hurt you."


    "I''vee to my senses now. I don''t care about money anymore. I just want you. Please, let''s get back together," she begged.


    Suddenly, she stood on tiptoes and gave me a quick kiss on the lips.


    I froze. I knew she wanted to get back together, but I never expected her to be so forward. How dare she kiss me when she knew I already had a new girlfriend!


    I stepped back. "Stop, Lina. I have a girlfriend now."


    "I know that, but I don''t mind being your secret lover. Just give me a chance to make it up to you, William. I-I''ll even give you my first time," Lina implored, tugging her neckline down.


    What on earth was she saying?


    My face immediately went crimson, and my heart raced. Although I knew I shouldn''t, my eyes subconsciously followed the path down her shirt.


    Just then, she threw herself at me, wrapping her arms tightly around my neck. "William, I''ll be happy if you like me, even just a little. Nothing else matters anymore."


    She continued, "I''ve realized how much of a bastard Ryan Hudson is, and I won''t tolerate him any longer. I''ll cut all ties with him once I pay back the money I owe him."


    Ryan Hudson? Didn''t she say they were just hanging out as friends?


    Then, she asked, "So, um, William, could you tell me where you got all that money? If you didn''t steal it, how did you manage to donate so much money while buying all those expensive clothes for Felicia?"


    Lina''s questions instantly pped me back to reality. Everything became clear the moment she mentioned my money. Taking a deep breath to calm myself, I calmly replied, "I won the lottery. Didn''t you know?"


    "Again?"


    I shook my head. "It''s from my previous win. I just didn''t tell you the full amount to test you. I never expected you to walk away when you heard that I was out of money."


    Lina was stunned. She clearly never expected me to keep that card up my sleeve. Her voice faltered as she stammered, "I-I was an idiot back then, and I know what I did was wrong. But believe me, William, I''ve really changed this time!"


    I''d be aplete moron if I fell for her lies again.


    "William, just lend me 100 thousand dors. I''ll pay off my debt to Ryan and start anew. I swear you''ll be the only man in my heart!"


    As she spoke, she desperately tried peppering kisses on my face.


    I grabbed her arms and pushed her away, carefully dodging her attempts. I was worried that someone would see us and spread rumors. Felicia was sure to be furious then.


    After all, just this afternoon, I''d reassured her that I was not interested in Lina. Yet, here I was in this mess that would make me look like the biggest jerk on earth. "Let go, Lina! Calm down, and we''ll talk. If you keep this up, I''m out of here." All I could do now was try to calm her down. However, she refused to listen, keeping a vice grip on me. Things were getting worse. With no other choice, I grabbed her arm firmly and shoved her away. She stumbled and fell to the ground, staring at me in disbelief.


    "William, you..."


    I felt sorry for my actions but refused to help her when she brought this upon herself. After she picked herself up from the ground, I asked, "Have you calmed down now?"


    Lina was about to approach me again, but I quickly stopped her. "Stay where you are. You can talk from there."


    She gaped at me incredulously. "William, how could you treat me like that when I''m trying to make the first move?"

 Chapter 139

    I took a deep breath and said, "Lina, calm down and listen to me. I''m out of money now!"


    Lina, who had been agitated this whole time, froze when she heard what I said. Her demeanor changedpletely, and she stared at me with wide eyes.


    "What do you mean?"


    I scoffed inwardly. As I thought, she was just after money.


    "I said I''m out of money. I liedst time, but this time, it''s true. You already know about the money I donated and the amount I spent on Felicia''s clothes.


    "I''ve also been spending a bit on food and dates with her, so I''m running dry. I only have about 8,000 bucks left. If you want to borrow money, I can only spare you 2,000 dors."


    She stared at me, dumbfounded. The affectionate and pitiful mask she wore earlier has been reced by shock and disbelief.


    "You''ve spent all the money?"


    I nodded. "All of it."


    Lina stood there, speechless. A momentter, her eyes lit up again. "Hang on, didn''t you also win a Rolex yesterday? That watch could fetch quite a hefty amount."


    She said, "Sell it to help me out for now. We can buy it backter, okay?"


    I silently sneered. First my money, now even my watch? I had underestimated how greedy she truly was. Since I wasn''t wearing the watch, I t-out lied, "I gave it to my dad. It''s not with me anymore."


    Lina looked utterly stupefied. "W-What? William, are you an idiot?" she shrieked, dropping the act. She had rarely cursed in all the years I''ve known her, so she was clearly losing herposure.


    I burst outughing. "How does giving my watch to my dad make me an idiot? It''s my watch, and I can give it to whoever I want."


    Lina frowned, clearly annoyed. "Fine, then. I''ll stop arguing with you. Just give me the 8,000 dors you have left."


    As if I''d do that! I gave her a cold stare. "I''d really be an idiot if I gave you my money."


    She seemed stunned by my words. "What do you mean by that?"


    I smirked. "I was going to ask you the same thing. Where''d you find the nerve to


    ask me for money? Who do you think you are?


    "Be d I''m not asking you instead," I retorted.


    "Are you saying that you won''t give it to me?" Lina seethed.


    gave her a nk stare. "Sorry, no can do." Even if I hadn''t seen through her or if she was genuinely sorry, I still wouldn''t have lent her any money. I knew all too well that I would never get that money back, and I wasn''t generous enough to fund my ex-girlfriend for free.


    "Fine! I was wrong about you, William!" Lina spun on her heel and stormed off.


    I shook my head as I watched her retreat. I felt guilty that my resolve had nearly wavered earlier. It seemed like I needed more practice in resisting urges.


    Just then, I received a call from Matthew.


    "Hey, William. Where are you right now? If you''re free,e to the bar," he said. "It''s closing down soon, so let''s have onest drink there."


    "It''s closing down?"


    I was surprised.

 Chapter 140

    "The bar''s always been doing well. Why is it closing down all of a sudden?" I asked.


    "Who knows? Juste, and you''ll find out," Matthew replied.


    Curious, I hailed a cab and headed over. When I arrived, Matthew and the others were already enjoying their drinks. This time, however, the women didn''t tease me like usual. Instead, the mood seemed much more somber. I didn''t know if it was because Lina and Charlotte hadn''t been acting up much, my improved image, or because the bar was closing down.


    A nce around the room confirmed that there was a sign posted about the bar being transferred.


    I plopped myself down next to Matthew and asked in a low voice, "What''s going on? I thought the bar was doing fine."


    It wasn''t nighttime yet, but the ce was already filling out.


    Matthew whispered, "I heard that the owner is the mistress of someone from Arnoult Group, the one who came for Charlottest time.


    "I heard he failed to put his hands on her. So, he took his frustration out on the bar owner and is forcing her to shut it down."


    "I see."


    It seemed like the bar owner was an innocent bystander in this situation.


    I scanned the ce again. This bar had an excellent location and a steady stream


    of customers. If I could take it over, I''d be raking in cash effortlessly. I was


    instantly drawn to this idea.


    "I need to use the restroom," I said, excusing myself.


    I approached a staff member and asked, "May I know where the owner''s office is?"


    "Right over there."


    "Thanks."


    I walked over and knocked on the door.


    "Brooklyn, is that you? Come on in," a woman''s voice called from inside.


    Although I wasn''t Brooklyn, I pushed the door open anyway. I never expected to see a beautiful woman in the middle of changing clothes. She had just taken off her shorts, leaving her in nothing but her underwear.


    My mind went nk. Before I realized what I was doing, I had stepped inside the room and locked the door behind me.


    The woman froze, staring at me in shock. I stood there like an idiot until I realized I''d locked myself in instead of walking out. Just as I turned to leave, a pillow came flying at my head. "You pervert! You''re dead meat if you think I''m an easy target!"


    "Wait, this is a misunderstanding!" I spun around to exin, but she was still half- dressed, so I turned back again.


    "I''m not a pervert. I came to discuss some business with you. I had no idea you were changing," I defended myself. "I only entered because you said toe in. I''ll leave now."


    "Stop right there," the woman barked, stopping me in my tracks.


    There was some rustling as she put on her clothes. Momentster, she stormed up behind me and pinched my ear forcefully.


    "You had better have a good exnation for this, or you''re not going to leave here in one piece!"


    Finally, I could turn around. My ear was throbbing in pain, but I didn''t dare pull away.


    "I swear I''m not a pervert. I saw the transfer notice outside and just wanted to ask about it," I exined earnestly.


    "About what? You''re looking for a part-time job?"


    "Part-time?"


    No, I was there to buy the bar. However, my gut told me that saying that now would be just absurd, especially as a mere student. So, I nodded. "Yeah. I was hoping to get a part-time job. I didn''t expect you to transfer the bar to someone else."


    "Just because the bar''s being transferred doesn''t mean you can''t work here. Are you a university student? Show me your student ID."

 Chapter 141

    I typically carried my student ID with me, so I immediately handed it over. The woman looked at it and finally rxed when she saw that I was indeed a student from the university next door.


    After all, our university was known for being academicallypetitive, and everyone who studied there had solid grades.


    "Alright. You''ve got a decent appearance and are from a credible uni. You can start working tomorrow."


    Smiling awkwardly, I decided that this wasn''t the best time to ask about the bar''s situation. I''d have to find out more when I dropped by tomorrow. When I returned outside, Matthew and the others were already preparing to leave.


    Well, it seemed like they weren''t that attached to the bar after all.


    Not wanting to be a third wheel around Matthew and Isabelle, I let them go on ahead while I took a taxi back to the campus. When I got in the cab, Benjamin sent me a message.


    "Hey, check it out! Lina is doing a live stream. Here''s the link!"


    I was puzzled by Benjamin''s message. Lina, live-streaming?


    Curious, I clicked on the link and was surprised to see that he had been telling the truth.


    Lina was wearing a cat-ear headband and a skimpy outfit. She pouted at the camera and purred, "Thanks for supporting me. My name is Lina, and this is my


    first time streaming."


    What the heck?


    Even though I didn''t have feelings for Lina anymore, seeing her tantly trying to please men online left a sour taste in my mouth. No matter what, she shouldn''t be stooping so low.


    Felicia only did it because she needed money for her dad''s life-saving surgery. But what was Lina''s excuse?


    She merely owed Ryan a few thousand dors, yet she was already doing such inappropriate things. How disgraceful!


    I quickly shot her a text. "Are you serious, Lina? Are you really doing this because


    of some money? Do you realize how much this will affect your reputation?"


    After all, she was different from Felicia.


    Felicia wasn''t as famous as her, and she stopped streaming after thest time. So, not many people even knew about it.


    Lina, on the other hand, was practically a celebrity on campus.


    A single stream was enough to flush her reputation down the drain. Forget finding


    a decent boyfriend. Anyone from a respectable family would avoid her at all costs after this.


    I had to pull her out of this mess.


    After sending the message, I kept my eyes glued to the screen. Lina briefly nced at her phone, and a frown shed across her face. Disinterestedly tossing it aside, she went back to flirting with the camera.


    "Please do send some gifts, my darlings. If you do, I''ll do anything you want. But


    you can''t make any requests if you don''t buy me any gifts, alright?"


    I took a deep breath, nearly hurling my phone in frustration. I didn''t know why I


    was that angry and wondered if I still had feelings for her.


    Just then, the screen blinked, and a banner appeared.


    "Dual Live Challenge!"


    Immediately, the stream split in half. Lina''s stream was on the right, while another female streamer appeared on the left.


    "Winner Gets 100,000 dors!"


    The rules and prizes for the match appeared, and the chatroom instantly exploded withments.


    The other streamer seemed far more popr, with over 20 thousand viewers, while Lina only had about 300.

 Chapter 142

    With such a disparity in viewership, there was no way Lina could win this challenge. The other streamer made the first move. "Huh. It looked like I got matched with a newbie."


    Sheughed. "Are newbies going this far now? I guess I''ve been too reserved."


    She tugged her neckline lower, and her fans went wild.


    "OMG, this challenge is so worth it! This is the best night ever!"


    "Damn, girl! Pull it lower. I''ll even throw in a Rocket if you rip your shirt!"


    "You''re gorgeous, Daira, unlike that hooker next door. She might as well sell her body on the sidewalk instead of wasting our time here."


    The streamer''s fans were brutal. They started hurling insults at Lina as soon as the match began.


    Meanwhile, Lina''s side was pitifully quiet. Quite a number of students from our university had tuned in, but their attitudes toward her were lukewarm at best.


    After all, her reputation was in shambles after all her high-profile rtionships. First, she dated me, then Joshua, followed by Ryan.


    No one saw her as an innocent woman anymore. Instead, she just seemed flirtatious and attention-seeking.


    Although she''d never been intimate with me, much less the other two, no one believed her. So, her audience wasn''t willing to spend much on her, and all she received were cheap gifts.


    Lina grew visibly anxious and started posing harder.


    Just then, ament popped up. "Do a high kick, and I''ll send you a Supercar!"


    I frowned. A "Supercar" gift was only worth 300 dors. It was insulting for them to request such a vulgar action for such a measly gift.


    Just then, Lina lifted her leg high into the air.


    The chat went wild, and her viewer count immediately shot up from a few hundred to over a thousand. Most of the neers were fans of the opposing streamer and were just there to spectate.


    "This newbie sure knows how to unt her stuff."


    "I love streamers like her. After all, if you''re going to do it, you might as well go all out!"


    "300 dors for a show like this? How about barking like a dog for me if I send you two Supercars?"


    Lina''s cheeks went crimson when she saw the sickments. She bit her lip, clearly feeling humiliated.


    But instead of standing up for herself, she hesitated briefly before smiling into the camera. "Not so quick, handsome. If you want me to bark, it''ll cost you at least 1,000 dors."


    Her words had barely left her lips when five Supercar icons flooded the screen. Still, five of those only brought the sum up to 1,500 dors.


    I clenched my phone, furious. A high kick was one thing, but barking like a dog? That was outright humiliating!


    I quickly type a message. However, Lina leaned closer to the camera before I could send it.


    "Thanks, darling. Here you go. Woof! Woof! Woof!"


    I was speechless. I couldn''t believe she was willing to stoop so low for money. But just as Lina finished barking, she froze.


    "Hang on. Is there a glitch in the system? Why is your progress bar full while mine is staying still?"


    She stared at the other streamer''s screen in confusion. In response, the opposing streamer smirked mockingly.


    "What glitch? I already collected all the gifts I needed while you''re still collecting scraps. So, obviously, you aren''t making any progress."

 Chapter 143

    The audience was immediately sent into fits ofughter.


    "LOL, did she think that there was a glitch in the system just because no one''s buying her anything? This is the first time I''ve heard such a tant excuse for not being popr."


    "Keep barking. Maybe the glitch will disappear then!"


    "Maybe the system ''glitched'' because she barked? She should moan like a bitch instead. I think it''ll suit her better."


    Lina was an amateur at live streaming. And by coincidence, her opponent was doing things simr to her.


    This meant that their audience mainly consisted of males with questionable


    manners. As a result, both stream chats were filled with crude remarks. However, the majority of the insults were directed at Lina.


    Soon, my entire screen was flooded with ridicule aimed at her.


    I took a deep breath, my anger building. Sure, she may have lost her dignity. But that didn''t mean she deserved this kind of humiliation!


    A notification abruptly popped up.


    "DragonBoy sent Battleship. All the Best, Streamer!"


    One of the opposite streamer''s fans had sent a high-price gift,pletely crushing Lina''s chance of sess.


    Lina should forget about winning and simply focus on not losing too badly now.


    Lina''s eyes brimmed with tears in front of the camera. She bit her lip hard, desperate to win the prize.


    That day''s match was her best chance to earn enough money to pay Ryan back, so her distress was obvious.


    As she looked into the camera sadly, she pleaded, "Please, send me more gifts. I really need the money." However, her tears didn''t prompt any sympathy. Instead, the chats went crazy with more vulgar requests.


    "If you want money, you''ll have to earn it!"


    "Exactly. Take off more of your clothes if you want people to send more gifts."


    "Don''t you know how to dance? Start shaking it. Don''t just stand there like a boring statue!"


    Lina stared at the lewdments, growing more dejected.


    I knew her well enough to tell that she regretted streaming.


    Ryan had only given her three days to pay him back. So, it was understandable that she was under a lot of stress toe up with 90 thousand dors within such a short amount of time.


    She''d likely thought back to when Felicia had earned a fortune from a single stream and thought she could do the same. However, she didn''t understand that Felicia''s sess had been thanks to me.


    Meanwhile, she''d barely earned over a thousand dors after all the degrading things she''d done. Her despair was clear. Just then, her rival streamer stood up.


    "To thank DragonBoy for his gift, I''m going to dance."


    Daira turned on some music and began to move teasingly. As soon as she began dancing, she transformed from a sweet and demure woman to a sensual seductress. Her mesmerizing moves made it easy to tell she was a professional. It was no wonder she was so popr.


    Almost immediately, gift notifications came rushing in.


    "LupineLord sent Battleship. All the Best, Streamer!"


    "ThunderBelly sent Battleship. All the Best, Streamer!"


    "SageMonarch sent Battleship. All the Best, Streamer!"


    Suchments kept rolling in.


    Even before her dance was over, she had already won by andslide.


    Lina, on the other hand, slumped into her chair, utterly devastated.

 Chapter 144

    The difference between Lina and her opponent was likeparing the top student to the one with the lowest grades. It was impossible for Lina to catch up.


    A timer appeared on the screen, reminding everyone that there were only 30 seconds left in the match. The audience taunted her even more.


    "Don''t give up now, man. Try stripping! That might give you a chance."


    "Exactly. At least do something. How about a strip dance?"


    "Hey, if you do a strip dance and bark like a bitch, I''ll send you a Battleship!"


    Despite the crude suggestions, Lina''s face remained expressionless.


    Finally, she raised her middle finger at the camera. "You fucking losers don''t deserve to see me dance. Go to hell!"


    Her response instantly triggered a wave of insults.


    Just then, there was a ping to notify that the duel had ended. The 100-thousand- dor prize went directly into the opposing streamer''s ount.


    Before leaving the stream, Lina''s rival sneered. She said, "How could you say that to the audience? Without them, we wouldn''t even be here! We''re thest people who should be criticizing them!


    "My advice to you? Stop taking shortcuts and learn some real skills instead. Otherwise, you''re better off working on the streets, you whore!"


    With that, she left the stream, her words making the chatroom even more chaotic.


    "Well said! That''s precisely why she''s such a popr streamer! She''s way better than this one!"


    "How dare you look down on us when you''re the one begging for our money, you fucking bitch!"


    Before the mob could continue, Lina coldly shut off her stream. I was sure she hadpletely regretted her decision.


    My hands clenched into fists as anger filled my chest.


    To be honest, I was relieved she didn''t go through the entire thing. It proved that she hadn''tpletely lost her dignity. After all, with her looks, she had a fighting chance if she was willing to take things to the extreme.


    Fortunately, she returned to her senses in time.


    Still, the rival streamer had gone too far. There was no need to humiliate Lina like that!


    A thought came to my mind, and I dialed Felicia''s number. "Felicia, are you free to do a live stream now?"


    "A live stream?" Felicia asked, surprised.


    "Yeah, but don''t get the wrong idea. I''m not asking you to do anything weird," I quickly exined. "I just need you to challenge someone to a live challenge. You can say or do whatever you like, or you can just stay still. Ignore the chat, and I''ll handle the rest."


    The streamer''s earlier behavior was uneptable, so I nned to teach her a lesson.


    This was for the sake of justice, not Lina.


    At least, that was what I told myself. Still, I couldn''t ignore the pang of guilt I felt when I recalled Lina''s dejected expression.


    Felicia, obedient as ever, promptly logged into her ount and started streaming.


    I nearly burst outughing when her camera turned on.


    She wore an oversized T-shirt, and her face was framed by thick-rimmed sses, which gave her a nerdy look. She also kept her hair in a bun and out of her face with a green clip. So, this was how she dressed in her dorm.


    I should probably buy her more fashionable pajamas.


    "Go challenge this streamer," I told her, sending her Lina''s rival streamer''s


    username.


    Without hesitation, she issued the challenge.

 Chapter 145

    The screen quickly split into two as the other streamer epted the challenge. She clearly wanted to maintain the momentum of her winning streak.


    However, her expression turned disdainful when she saw Felicia.


    "Gee, I saw someone challenging me and thought it was someone real popr. Turns out it''s just a newbie streamer, and such a pretty one, too!" she sneered, her sarcasm obvious.


    After all, Felicia wasn''t wearing any makeup and was inly dressed. This wasn''t the kind of appearance live-stream audiences looked forward to.


    However, Felicia remained unbothered. She adjusted her sses and replied tly, "Don''t tter yourself. Even if a pro were challenging someone, they''d aim higher. I could beat you easily."


    "What did you just say?"


    Felicia''s remark was enough to set the streamer, Daira, off.


    Compared to her rxed attitude earlier with Lina, Daira''s tone was now dripping with venom.


    "Do you really think someone like you can beat me? No man would ever want a dirty rat like you. You''re just a waste of space!" Daira hissed. "I bet your fate is to head back to the viges and scam an old bachelor into marrying you. Then, you''ll take his money and remain a widow to a farmer for the rest of your life!"


    Her fans immediately began showering her with gifts to calm her down.


    "Don''t be angry, Daira. Here''s a Supercar for you."


    "Yeah, just ignore that loser."


    "I''m sure you''ll win this round easily. Just take the prize money and forget about the other streamer."


    Support from the audience was very much one-sided.


    Although Felicia easily drew viewers after finally streaming again, her in looks quickly killed any excitement from her audience.


    I found a quiet bench and settled in to watch the stream. Just then, fans of


    Felicia''s previous stream started popping up.


    "Felicia, could you smile for me if I send you ten Stars?"


    "Felicia, can I sit next to you in ss tomorrow if I send you a Supercar?"


    "It''s me, Jason Payne. Why did you ignore me when I said hi to you at the library the other day?" Jason crudely typed, "Are you streaming because you need money again? How about a kiss? I''ll send you ten Roses for it."


    Previously, this kind ofment would have thrilled Felicia, given her financial situation. This time, however, she was visibly ufortable with these distasteful remarks, which was expected. No woman would be willing to endure this kind of harassment from strangers if they weren''t desperate for money.


    Just then, a firework went off on the screen.


    "Potionyboy sent Fireworks. All the Best, Streamer!"


    Someone sent Fireworks to Felicia? Felicia looked just as surprised.


    One nce at the gifter''s avatar had me rolling my eyes. It was Jason, the same person who had sent her ten Fireworks during herst stream. He even changed his username this time.


    Felicia recognized him, too, and she quickly said, "Jason? Stop sending me gifts!"


    Jason replied, "Why not? I mean, you''re in the middle of a live challenge. Besides, I''m just asking for one meal."


    Felicia shook her head. "I''m not going out with you no matter how many gifts you send me."

 Chapter 146

    "Well, one set of Fireworks might not have impressed you. How about ten?" Jason wrote in the chat.


    Instantly, my screen lit up with a barrage of fireworks.


    "Potionyboy sent Fireworks. All the Best, Streamer!"


    "Potionyboy sent Fireworks. All the Best, Streamer!"


    "Potion yboy sent Fireworks. All the Best, Streamer!"


    The same notification kept popping up.


    I couldn''t believe that Jason had sent ten Fireworks in a row! He must truly have feelings for Felicia.


    After all, he was still willing to shower her with gifts despite me hurting his ego and being ignored by her ever since thest time. But thanks to him, there was a surge in Felicia''s poprity, and she nearly caught up to Daira.


    Daira became visibly flustered.


    "Come on, darlings. Look how generous her supporters are. Oh, how I wish I had fans like hers."


    Daira pouted and cradled her torso as her hands linked together. She even swayed her body lightly to draw more attention.


    Her exaggerated performance was effective as her fans immediately responded by bombarding her with gifts.


    Although these contributions were minor, Daira''s huge fanbase quickly closed the gap between her and Felicia, putting her several thousand dors ahead of Felicia.


    Just then, Lina appeared in Felicia''s stream.


    She shot Felicia a re. "What''s the meaning of this? Did you decide to challenge her after seeing me lose? Are you going to humiliate me by beating her?"


    Taken aback, Felicia frantically shook her head. "Not at all, Lina. You''ve got it all wrong."


    "Oh, really? What is it, then? Don''t think that I don''t know that you''re dating William now!" Lina spat. "Yet, you''re doing such provocative streams? You''re such a slut!"


    "Lina!" Felicia sprung up, her tone sharp with displeasure. "Mind your words, Lina. This is just a casual stream, and I''m not nning on doing anything inappropriate."


    Lina eyed her in attire and slowly rxed. Nevertheless, she sneered, "So what? Even I lost to that witch despite dancing and flirting with the viewers. You''re overestimating yourself if you think you can win."


    Then, she added, "Why don''t we make a bet? If you lose, you''re going to give me 100 thousand dors. But if you win, I''ll go on my knees and apologize to William, deal?"


    Felicia was astonished. "What kind of bet is that?"


    Even I found this ridiculous. What did their bet have to do with me?


    I didn''t care about her apology. She was tantly trying to swindle money out of Felicia.


    Felicia immediately sent me a text. "William, are you watching the stream? Should I ept her bet?"


    Without hesitation, I replied, "Go ahead."


    Why shouldn''t she, especially since it was granted that she would win?


    I was also curious to see if Lina would actually apologize as she promised. After reading my reply, Felicia turned to Lina and said, "Alright. I ept your bet."


    Lina smirked. "Then you had better start shimmying for those gifts. You only have three minutes left, but you''re thousands of dors short. How do you n on winning?"

 Chapter 147

    The gap between the two streamers'' poprity was evident. Most of Felicia''s gifts came from Jason, while Daira had over 5,000 dors.


    This posed a significant challenge for Felicia, who didn''t have much of a fanbase and wasn''t willing to do anything daring to attract attention. She bit her lip, looking anxious.


    As my girlfriend, she knew she couldn''t try pleasing her male audience and was troubled.


    After all, things had gone from a harmless live challenge to a bet with a 100- thousand-dor wager, and she clearly didn''t have that kind of money.


    Just then, Jason chimed in again. "You''re only 4,000 dors short, Felicia. I''ll cover that for you if you agree to go on a date with me tomorrow. In fact, I''ll even add another 1,000 dors to help you win!"


    Other viewers immediately started throwing taunts.


    "Come on. Just say ''yes''! You get to earn so much money from a single meal. Gee, what a deal!"


    "Damn, being a woman sure makes life simple. She can easily earn 5,000 dors while I''m out here grinding all month for just 3,000 dors."


    "Is it true that it only costs 5,000 dors to go on a date with Felicia? In that case, count me in!"


    Felicia''s face went crimson, and she was speechless.


    Meanwhile, Daira couldn''t hide her jealousy when she noticed thements on Felicia''s stream. "I thought you were a normal, in-looking woman. But it looks like you''re filthier than the other streamers out there. With that kind ofbel, you''re basically naming your price for your services!"


    She continued, "I might also make money off my fans, but at least I rely on real skills and talents. It''s an insult to bepeting against you!"


    Her fans agreed fervently.


    "Exactly! Daira would never stoop so low!"


    "I heard that our top fan visited her for a few daysst month, but he never stayed the night. Daira is such a good girl."


    "She also said that she doesn''t care about money. She would happily date a poor guy without asking for anything in return if it was true love. How can that streamer even try topare to Daira?"


    "Come on, guys. Let''s keep sending gifts so Daira can win!"


    "You''re right! That''s the best way to support Daira right now."


    Gifts quickly started flooding Daira''s stream, each costing hundreds of dors. Within seconds, her gifts were worth over ten thousand dors, while Felicia''s remained stuck at just over a thousand.


    Lina couldn''t hide her glee at the sight.


    After all, if Felicia lost, her earlier defeat would look less humiliating. Plus, she''d be killing two birds with one stone since she would also win the 100-thousand- dor bet. She couldn''t wait for time to run out.


    Suddenly, Daira stood up and yfully stuck out her tongue. "To thank all of you, I''ll dance a new routine I learned. I''m new at it, so don''t be too hard on me, okay?"


    With that, she tore her shirt to reveal a sexy tank top underneath.


    Instantly, the chatroom went wild with screams and catcalls. Her loyal fans also bombarded her with an endless stream of gifts.


    She didn''t let them down as she slowly danced to her music, swaying just enough to tease her audience and keep them on their toes.

 Chapter 148

    Even I found myself drawn in when I locked eyes with Daira''s sultry gaze. Her dancing was so professional that it made me wonder if she had previously been part of a girl group.


    But I quickly looked away after a brief nce. Performances like this weremon, so it was interesting but nothing new.


    Now, with about a minute left in the challenge, it was my turn to step in.


    I asked Felicia to do a live stream just so I could crush Daira and her fans.


    I waited until thest moment to act so Daira''s fans wouldn''t get allpetitive and send more gifts than they''d already done.


    My n was to make Daira lose without earning much. And now, it was time!


    Daira continued dancing her well-practiced routine. But much to her dismay, Battleship icons abruptly took over the screen.


    "Anonymous sent Battleship. All the Best, Streamer!"


    "Anonymous sent Battleship. All the Best, Streamer!"


    "Anonymous sent Battleship. All the Best, Streamer!"


    The same notification popped up ten times in a row as I sent ten Battleships. The entire stream fell silent.


    Even Daira''s fans, who''d been busy praising her, froze.


    Those unaware of the situation might have assumed that there was a glitch in the stream. As expected, money spoke volumes.


    Each Battleship cost 8,800 dors, making ten a whopping 88 thousand dors.


    Combined with her previous gifts, Felicia''s stream had raked in over 100 thousand dors in gifts. Daira, on the other hand, had only earned slightly over ten thousand dors.


    I was determined to teach Daira and her fans a lesson and destroy them.


    Felicia''s eyes lit up when she saw my username, and a faint smile yed at the corners of her lips. "Thank you for tuning in again, Anonymous. Also, I-I like you," she confessed shyly, lowering her head immediately after.


    I blushed on the other side of the screen as I held my phone, flustered.


    What was she saying?


    She knew it was me, yet she had said such things. Did she intend for me to hear that? I wondered if she was confessing under the guise of a streamer because she was too shy to confess in person.


    That was a smart move.


    The both of us had turned pink as butterflies fluttered in our chests. But no one else would know that.


    I quickly replied, "I like you too, and you''re wee. It''s barely enough for you to buy new clothes anyway, so don''t worry about it."

 Chapter 149

    The excitement in the chat room revived after my message appeared.


    "Holy shit! Nearly 100 thousand dors just to buy clothes?"


    "Where''s Daira''s top fan? Won''t he step in for her? We''ve been sending so many gifts, yet this guy justes along and throws in a fortune like it''s nothing."


    "Hey,e on, big guy! We need you to fight for Daira!"


    Even Felicia''s viewers were equally stunned.


    "It''s Anonymous again."


    "Where did Jason go?"


    "This dude randomly spent hundreds of thousands of dors and left during thest stream. Now that he''s back, he just throws in another 100 thousand without making any requests. There''s no way Jason could win against him!"


    "What was Jason thinking, asking Felicia on a date just for 5,000 dors? I mean, look at Anonymous. He didn''t even ask for anything despite spending so much money."


    I couldn''t help but blush when I saw thesements.


    They didn''t know I wasn''t making requests because Felicia was already mine, and I could do whatever I wanted with her. There was no way I''d spend that kind of money on just any woman.


    Just then, Daira''s top donor, PrinceSnow, entered the chat with a dramatic ne effect.


    "Who''s the idiot trying to show off to Daira? I''m going to make him lose so bad that he''ll go home crying!" he announced haughtily.


    And just like that, the screen lit up with notifications as ten Battleships filled the stream.


    "PrinceSnow sent Battleship. All the Best, Streamer!"


    "PrinceSnow sent Battleship. All the Best, Streamer!"


    "PrinceSnow sent Battleship. All the Best, Streamer!"


    Touched, Daira twirled around giddily. She was overjoyed. "You''re here, Snow! I thought you''d forgotten about me for other streamers. You''re the best! I love you, Snow!"


    PrinceSnowmented, "Don''t be silly. Even if I visit other streams, you''re still my favorite."


    "Aww, you''re the best, Snow!"


    "I know. Oh, I''m going over to your city for a business trip next week, so get everything ready for me."


    Daira smiled shyly. "Don''t worry. I''ll take care of everything. I''m sure you''ll feel right at home."


    I nearly burst outughing at their exchange. After all, she''d mocked Felicia for "naming her price", but she wasn''t much different.


    What''s funnier was how her fans seemed oblivious to the tant flirting


    happening right before them. Still, without idiots like them, streamers like Daira would be left starving.


    Maybe her fans were being clueless willingly.


    Daira turned her attention back to Felicia. "What''s the matter, loser? Can''t get your fan to help? Don''t tell me that you could only afford so little after maxing out your card?"


    When Felicia remained indifferent, Daira sneered, "Oh, you poor thing. Now, you''ll have to save up for months just to pay this off. You shouldn''t have tried to flex in the first ce."

 Chapter 150

    In Felicia''s stream, Lina made a show of counting with her fingers. "Even if you lose, you''ll still earn 50 thousand dors, Felicia. That means you only owe me 50 thousand dors. Not too bad, eh?"


    When I heard this, I felt a wave of regret. I intended to stand up for Lina and teach Daira a lesson. Yet, here she was, relishing in Daira''s victory while gleefully eyeing Felicia''s money. I was deeply disappointed by Lina''s greed.


    With ten seconds left in the match, I made my final move.


    Instantly, a giant balloon expanded across the screen until it exploded. A stream of arrows was released, and they arranged themselves into bold letters that spelled "Anonymous".


    Priced at 330 thousand dors, Arrow was OnlyKitties'' most expensive gift. The animation slowly faded away, and the match was over.


    The progress bar for Felicia''s stream was full,pletely dominating Daira''s. "Victory" stamped in bold also appeared on the screen.


    Following that was an animation of cash being dumped into Felicia''s ount.


    Felicia had won, and the prize was hers!


    I followed up with ament. "This is what real flexing looks like, Daira! Next time you want to show off, maybe fix your face first. Looking at you makes me so nauseous that I want to quit this tform altogether. Now, scram!"


    Daira stared at myment, frozen in shock.


    When it came to streaming, money meant everything and those without it were utterly powerless.


    Earlier, Daira and her fans had behaved arrogantly when they were on the winning side. Now that the tables had turned, it was pin-drop silence from their end.


    Instead of fighting back, most of the viewers quietly exited the stream. This included PrinceSnow, who wouldn''t stay around to be humiliated even more.


    Daira had gone white. She probably wanted to suck up to me but decided otherwise after seeing myment. So, she ended her stream.


    Meanwhile, Felicia furrowed her brow and murmured, "Why did you waste so much money? The tform will take most of it anyway."


    Smiling, I replied, "It''s not much, so don''t worry about it. If you feel bad, I can just transfer the full amount to you."


    "No thanks," Felicia responded, sticking her tongue out yfully at the camera. Just then, I noticed Lina ring at Felicia, her eyes burning with jealousy.

 Chapter 151

    Lina had just finished her live stream, but the process was disastrous. No one stepped forward to help her. Everyone just stood by, watching her get humiliated. It was indeed a pitiful sight.


    Meanwhile, Felicia didn''t have to do anything during her livestream. She didn''t need to pander to her viewers. Just sitting there was enough to earn her many gifts. It was understandable to feel jealous under such circumstances.


    "The live stream is over, Anonymous. Can I log off now?" Felicia asked.


    "Yeah. Go rest."


    She had had a hard time that night.


    After replying to her in the livestream, I sent Felicia a private message. "Get some rest. If anyone dares to bother you, let me know."


    I was worried that some guys might approach her with unwanted advances because of her stream.


    She replied with an adorable emoji. "Don''t worry. I''ve already deleted all unnecessary contacts, so they won''t be able to find me. Once the money is credited, I''ll transfer it to you."


    I chuckled. "Why would you send it to me? That money is meant for you. Just keep it for yourself."


    "No way! That''s way too much money!"


    I understood her hesitation.


    She would have kept it without a second thought if I had only given her a couple hundred. But transferring her hundreds of thousands, with her share being at least 20 to 30 thousand, was bound to make her feel uneasy. After all, this wasn''t for her father''s treatment anymore. It was purely for her.


    In her entire life, even her parents had never given her such arge sum of money.


    I exined patiently, "Felicia, you know my status and capabilities. This amount really isn''t much to me. Just keep it, and don''t stress about it. There will be more opportunities like this in the future. You need to get used to it, alright?"


    Having a wealthy boyfriend might thrill materialistic people like Lina, who would jump at every chance to receive gifts. But it would only bring pressure and a sense of inferiority to someone like Felicia.


    I wanted her to ovee those feelings quickly. Otherwise, they could create a rift between uster.


    "I understand. I''ll try my best. Thank you, William."


    "Silly, there''s no need to thank me. Now go rest. Goodnight."


    After replying to her message, I headed back to the dorm.


    Just then, received a new


    I I


    messa. When I opened it, I saw


    that


    from a streamer named


    "Lina", with a profile picture of Lina. I


    wondered if it was a scam


    I immediately checked her profile, and to my surprise, it was indeed Lina herself. What did she want from me?


    I opened the message.


    "Hi there, Anonymous! I''m Lina. I was on camera earlier and am good friends with Felicia."


    So, this was her attempt to strike up a conversation. I sighed inwardly, feeling even more contemptuous. This woman really did follow the money wherever it went.


    It wasn''t surprising that she was in such a hurry. Ryan had only given her three days, and that day was the first. With no money raised yet, the pressure on her must have been


    immense.


    I figured that she was reaching out to me for money. To confirm my suspicion, I


    replied, "Do you need something?"


    "Well... Anonymous, I''m nning to livestream more often in the future. Could you drop by my streams, too? I really want to be friends with you. If you''re willing to watch, I''ll do my best to fulfill your request


    As expected, Lina was willing to do anything for gifts.


    I turned her down outright. "Sorry, I don''t watch live streams. I only log on when Felicia is live."


    "Wow, you''re so devoted to Felicia! It''s honestly enviable. But, Anonymous, did you know that Felicia already has a boyfriend?"

 Chapter 152

    Wow! Lina was trying to seduce me, but it didn''t work, so now she was resorting to stirring up trouble. I was speechless. I wanted to retort, "Do you know her boyfriend is actually me?" But I held back.


    There was no point in telling her that. Instead, I wanted to praise Felicia and make her so jealous she had gone mad.


    "I know, but I don''t mind."


    As expected, Lina didn''t reply long after I said that. Eventually, a new message popped up.


    "We could meet in person. I can go on a date with you. I look exactly like I do on screen. It''s not just filters. Add me, and I''ll even video call you."


    I did not reply. Instead, I took a deep breath, trying to quell the anger rising in my chest.


    "Lina! Do you have a bottom line? Just because Anonymous has money, are you willing to meet him offline? What''s your endgame here? Are you seriously selling yourself out for 100 thousand dors? I clearly overestimated your sense of dignity!" I thought.


    However, I simply texted, "Sorry. I''m not interested!"


    After leaving that message, I logged off immediately, unwilling to waste another word on her.


    Walking past a small grove of trees, I stopped momentarily, my mind drifting.


    I couldn''t help but remember the times I went on dates with Lina here. Of course, it wasn''t like we were doing anything too intimate, just simple kisses and hugs.


    Back then, we were just two naive college freshmen,pletely inexperienced. She was so shy that whenever I kissed her, she would tremble nervously, her face turning red like a ripe apple.


    I wasn''t much better. Just touching her would make my whole body react.


    We spent countless moments here exchanging sweet words and promises, even remembered how


    in''


    worried she was back then. Sho


    would fret about the future, wondering if I would cheat on her when we were married and she got pregnant.


    I stupidly swore to her that if I ever cheated, I would die a terrible death.


    s. It was hard to believe that that was only a few months ago. It felt like a lifetime.


    Ever since she met Joshua and experienced a life of luxury and vanity, she had changed. We drifted further and further apart.


    I wondered if she would ever think about those times when she walked past this


    grove. Would she feel even a twinge of regret or remorse?


    Shaking my head, I continued


    walking. When I reached the dorm, I saw Lina standing there. Was she here to see me? Did she figure out


    who I was?


    I suddenly felt tense. Slowing down, I pretended not to notice her and headed straight for the dorm.


    "William!" she called out, stopping me in my tracks.


    I turned to face her, my expression calm. "What is it?"


    Without hesitation, she asked, "Didn''t you check your phone? Your girlfriend,


    Felicia, was doing another suggestive livestream just now."


    I paused for a moment before smiling. So that was why she was here. She was


    spreading rumors to drive a wedge between me and Felicia.


    If only Lina would put this kind of effort into doing something meaningful.


    "Got it," I replied.


    Seeing myck of concern, she became visibly agitated. "Do you even know what I''m talking about? I''m not done yet! During her live? stream the top contributor,


    someone named Anonymous, gave her tons of gifts. She even fold everyone she likes Anonymous! You''ve been cheated on!"

 Chapter 153

    Cheated on? Yeah, right! Lina was actually the person who had cheated on me. Yet, she now dared to bring this up. Still, I wasn''t going to get angry. Getting angry at her would only bring me down to her level.


    "Are you done talking? If you are, I''m leaving," I said.


    "William, are you insane? I''m telling you that Felicia is cheating on you, yet you''re acting indifferent. Don''t tell me that you''re dating that loser just to spite me because you''re jealous of me and Ryan being together."


    Her voice was shrill, almost hysterical, and her expression was far from her usual pitiful, delicate demeanor.


    I figured the crushing debt of 90 thousand in three days had driven her to the brink, stripping her of her rationality.


    Looking at her, I couldn''t help but feel helpless. "Lina, calm down. Take a look in the mirror. I bet you wouldn''t even recognize yourself anymore. You''ve changed so much.


    "Do you remember what you said when we started dating at the beginning of the semester? You said that you wanted to get into grad school, find a stable job, marry a gentle, family-oriented husband, have a cute kid, and live a simple, happy life.


    "Now look at yourself. Are you closer to that dream or further away from it?"


    She froze.


    My words brought a sliver of rity back to her mind.


    But after briefly hesitating, she looked up at me with a fierce re. "Stop spewing nonsense! You''re no better! You lied to me, saying you would treat me well


    forever. And what happened? You won the lottery and didn''t even give me a single cent! How''s that treating me well?"


    I was left speechless.


    The lottery story had been a lie, but I understood her point.


    "Lina, we''ve already broken up. And the reason we broke up was because you cheated on me. Under those circumstances, if I still gave you money and supported you, what would that make me? A fool You''re beingpletely unreasonable."


    Lina had be so selfish and shameless that talking to her felt like a waste of time. Shaking my head, I walked straight into the building without looking back.


    When I returned to the dorm, Liam and Benjamin huddled, excitedly discussing something on their phones. But the moment they saw me enter, their expressions shifted to one of unease and concern.


    "What''s going on?" I asked, puzzled.


    "Uh... William, did you watch the live stream just now?"


    "I did."


    Hearing this, Matthew suddenly stood up, looking shocked. "You did? And you''re still this calm?"


    Benjamin quickly tried to smooth


    things over it''s fine. Even if that guy Anonymous gave Felicia money, he can''t actually meet her in person. They''re justmunicating online. It won''t affect her and William''s rtionship."


    "Exactly!" Liam chimed in.


    "Felicia seemspletely loyal. She would never cheat on Mr. Top Dog. William, you don''t have to worry."


    So that was what had them concerned. I couldn''t help butugh.


    Unlike Lina, who was trying to stir up trouble, they only said these things because they were genuinely worried about me. Far from being angry, I felt touched by their concern.


    Still, I needed toe up with a reasonable exnation to rify things. Otherwise, in their minds, I would forever be the poster child for getting cheated


    on.

 Chapter 154

    I wondered how to exin the situation to Matthew and Benjamin.


    As I was thinking about this, Matthew suddenly said, "But you and Felicia sure are lucky these days-winning the lottery and getting huge tips from live streams. It''s like money just keeps rolling in."


    "Yeah, exactly! You two have probably made close to two million by now, right? That''s no small sum. Some people don''t earn that much in their entire lives."


    Seizing the opportunity, I replied, "That''s true. Felicia and I have indeed made a good amount. It''s nothing to be ashamed of if she bowed her head for money just this once. Besides, she promised me it would be herst time livestreaming."


    Only then did they breathe a sigh of relief.


    Benjamin even blurted out, "Man, I wish I were ady. Just one live stream, and I would make that much. Why bother with college or finding a job? A few years of this, and I would be set for life."


    Liam rolled his eyes at him. "Dream on! Do you think everydy can make that much from livestreaming? Even someone as stunning as Lina doesn''t get many tips. A donor like Mr. Top Dog is a once-in-a-lifetime thing. Got it?"


    I nodded in agreement.


    "Liam''s right. Betting on instant sess is like trying to catch water with a sieve. It''s better to stay grounded. As the saying goes, if something is meant for you, it won''t pass you by. If you''re truly destined for wealth, even working a regr job can lead to riches."


    That seemed to douse Benjamin''s dreams of easy money. I genuinely didn''t want to see him go astray. Even for someone wealthy, such thoughts were risky.


    I had heard of countless rich people losing everything by chasing high returns through investments, stocks, or even illegal activities over the years. How much worse would it be for someone without a safety?


    My family had been well-off for generations. My father, in particr, took the family business to new heights. Yet, despite this, he had always avoided high-risk ventures, sticking to tangible industries and steady growth.


    "It''s better to work harder than gamble it all away." My father drilled this mindset into me, and I always kept it in mind.


    The next morning, Felica was immediately surrounded as soon as she entered the ssroom.


    I thought they were curious about her live stream from the night before, but they only cared about one question.


    "Who''s Anonymous?"


    "Come on! There''s no way he tipped you that much without contacting you! Do you think Mr. Top Dog is dumb? He must have messaged you privately!"


    "What''s he like? Is he an older guy? He''s probably a big-bellied boss, right?"


    "I checked his following list. He follows several female livestreamers, but he''s only tipped you this much. Felicia, spill it. How did you meet him?"


    When Felicia heard that I followed many female livestreamers, she immediately turned around and red at me.


    Feeling guilty, I coughed awkwardly and quickly sent her a message. "Just because I follow their ount, it doesn''t mean I watch them. You can ask Benjamin and the others if you don''t believe me."


    She replied almost instantly, "I trust you."


    I couldn''t help but smile, feelingpletely at ease.


    Our rtionship mightck the electrifying passion of some couples, but the quiet,


    steady reassurance we gave each other was its own kind of happiness.


    After ss nned to invite Felicia and my three roommates for lunch. I thought that it would be a good change for her to treat them and dispel any lingering doubts they had about her and Mr. Top Dog.


    But before I could reach her, my phone rang. It was my mother.


    "Will, there''s an unwee guest at my store. Neither the store manager nor the store assistant can handle it. Can youe over and check it out for me?"

 Chapter 155

    "Which store is it?" I asked.


    My mother owned several shops, including a tea store, an antique shop, a


    clothing boutique, and others. When she suddenly asked me to go to her shop, I genuinely didn''t know which one she meant.


    She quickly rified, "It''s Silence. You''ve been there before."


    Oh. It was the clothing boutique.


    I remembered taking Felicia to the shopst time, so I brought her along this time, too.


    On the way, she was full of curiosity. "Silence is a pretty well-known domestic luxury brand. Most of its customers are either rich or influential. Is someone causing trouble there? That''s rare."


    I chuckled. "Wealthy people can be quirky. It''s not that unusual. Most likely, it''s a fight over a limited-edition item. My mother also runs a luxury boutique in Cyr, and it''s not umon for wealthy women to get into physical altercations over a bag or a pair of shoes."


    Her jaw dropped in disbelief. "Even with all that money, they still fight?"


    "Why wouldn''t they?"


    Her view of wealthy people was way too idealized.


    We arrived at the store. Just as we were about to enter, we heard the store manager trying to reason with someone, her toneced with patience.


    "Miss, if the tags are still intact and the item hasn''t been washed, we can apply for a refund for you. But in this case, not only have the tags been removed, but you''ve also washed the clothing. A refund simply isn''t possible.


    "This isn''t just our policy. No store or brand anywhere in the country would ept a return under these circumstances!"


    Two store assistants stood nearby, visibly exasperated. "Throwing a tantrum won''t help. It''s just a waste of time."


    "Miss, you''re so beautiful. Don''t act like this. It''s unbing. Imagine how embarrassing it would be if people saw you like this."


    So, the situation seemed to be about a return for clothes with the tags removed and already washed. I was genuinely surprised.


    It wasmon knowledge that the clothes couldn''t be returned once washed.


    Who would shop at Silence and not know that?


    Curiosity got the better of me. I took Felicia along as we approached themotion to see who was causing the trouble.


    One nce, and I was stunned. The person sitting on the floor, throwing a tantrum, and refusing to leave without a refund was Lina!


    She clutched an armful of clothes and shouted venomously, "Your clothes are poor quality! I wore them for one day, and they''re already ruined Why can''t I return them? So what if I washed them? Do you expect me to wear them straight off the rack without washing them first? That''s disgusting!


    "You''re deceiving customers! No, this is outright fraud! How can such a big brand resort to these shady tactics? Watch out. You''ll get your karma, and none of your families will meet a good end!"


    Her rant left the store manager and store assistants visibly flustered. They exchanged helpless nces, unsure of how to respond.


    But this was a fixed policy. A return was simply out of the question.


    The store manager noticed me then and shot me a pleading look. I gestured for


    her to stay quiet, signaling that I didn''t want my identity revealed.


    Noticing the interaction, Lina looked up and saw Felicia and me. Her expression twisted into one of pure malice.


    "It''s you two again! Why are you


    haunting me? I can''t believe thisbet


    William, do you still have feelings for me? Is that why you''ve been secretly stalking me?"


    I was speechless. Why would I stalk her?


    Visibly annoyed, Felicia said, "Don''t tter yourself, Lina. We just happened to pass by and heard someone causing a scene, so we came to check it out."

 Chapter 156

    Felicia nced at the clothes in Lina''s arms and frowned. She remarked, "A few days ago, you were showing off in front of us, forcing Ryan to buy you all those clothes. It''s only fair that he''s asking you for money now."


    She had a point.


    A few days ago, Ryan did splurge in my mother''s shop, buying many clothes.


    In the end, he only asked Lina for 90 thousand dors. That was actually pretty lenient. If it had been someone like Joshua, he wouldn''t have stopped until she was drained dry.


    "You little tramp! What''s wrong with me making Ryan spend money on me? That just proves my charm and ability! What''s the matter? Jealous? Hah! Someone like you¡ªa in, ugly person-can only ever dream ofnding someone like William, a fake rich man and a real loser. You''ve got no right to talk back to me!"


    "You..." Felicia''s face turned red with anger. She wanted to retort but struggled to find the words.


    I stepped in front of her, shielding her, and said coldly to Lina, "If you''ve got something to say, direct it at me. Don''t pick on Felicia."


    Then, I turned to the store manager and assistant. "She''s just a troublemaker. Why are you all being so lenient? Call security and have her removed!"


    If Lina hade here that day with a sincere attitude, humbly asking for help, I might have stepped in to negotiate a discount for her return or even help her get the 90 thousand she needed.


    But with her current behavior? Forget it. Helping her would make me a fool.


    The store assistant hadn''t been too harsh on Lina because she had recently spent a significant amount of money and was listed as a VIP. They feared that she might be someone influential or from a wealthy family.


    But now that I had spoken up, they felt reassured. If anything happened, I would take responsibility.


    Hearing my words, Lina nearly jumped with rage. "William, who do you think you are? What does this have to do with you? How much have you spent here? I''m sure it''s not even half of what I''ve spent! You there! As a VIP customer, demand you throw these two pathetic losers out immediately!"


    The store manager snorted before questioning, "Are you out of your mind?" Then she turned and made a phone call.


    After hearing her outburst, the two store assistants, who knew my identity, looked at Lina mockingly.


    "What are you all looking at me like that for?" Lina snapped.


    Before she could say more, several security guards entered the store immediately surrounding her. er. "Are


    you the one causing trouble bere? Leave right now, or we''ll make you!"


    Lina red at the store manager. "You''re really kicking me out? Fine! Just wait. I''ll


    expose your behavior online and ruin your brand''s reputation!"


    Oh? Was she resorting to threats now?


    I addressed the store manager. "Don''t worry about that. The store has surveince cameras, and everything that''s happened is crystal clear. Later, pull up the footage blur her face for privacy, and upload the clip showing her causing a scene.


    "If she dares to twist the truth online, you can immediately make it a trending news and share the video widely to set the record straight."


    The store manager nodded enthusiastically. "Got it. We''ll do exactly as you said."


    Lina looked at me, stunned. She was unable to speak for a long while.


    "William, what grudge do you have against me that you would go this far?"


    I raised an eyebrow. "I should be asking you that. Felicia and I were just passing by, yet when you saw us, you started hurling insults. Isn''t this all your own doing?"

 Chapter 157

    I wasn''t going to go easy on Lina this time. If she dared to provoke me, I would return the favor tenfold. She fell silent, her defiance evaporating as she numbly followed the security guards out.


    Once she was gone, I turned to the store manager. "If anyone like that shows up again, just handle them the same way. There''s no need to hesitate."


    The store manager nodded quickly. "Understood, Mr. White. Sorry to have troubled you."


    To lighten the mood, I suggested to Felicia that she pick out a couple of bags for herself. She chose two but refused to take more, so I let it go and led her downstairs.


    "What do you feel like eating?"


    "There''s this seafood buffet I''ve wanted to try. It''s 138 dors per person, but I''ve been too hesitant to splurge. William, could you... could you take me there?"


    "Of course!" I couldn''t help butugh.


    She was so cautious about just 138 dors. How little she understood my financial situation was almost endearing. Still, the fact that she was willing to request it was progress.


    While I didn''t like the idea of a girlfriend constantly asking for money or things, I even disliked her treating me like an outsider, too afraid to say what she wanted.


    The ideal bnce? Knowing when to ask without overstepping. That would be perfect.


    Felicia suddenly poked my shoulder as weughed and chatted on the way to the mall entrance, ready to grab a taxi.


    I turned to look and saw Lina sitting on the mall''s steps, clutching the same pile of clothes she had tried to return. She was crying softly.


    To be honest, she looked pitiful.


    "You reap what you sow," I muttered, shaking my head. It was hard to muster any sympathy.


    V


    Just then, I overheard her on the phone. "Dad, I''m sorry. I really am. But I desperately need this 90 thousand... Is this small sum of money worth cutting ties with me? I won''t marry him. Get that out of your head. I''d rather die than let you sell me off for a bride price to some cripple!"


    With that, she hung up. Her expression hardened into grim determination, and she suddenly stood up.


    An ominous feeling struck me like a lightning bolt. A secondter, she sprinted toward the busy street ahead.


    Felicia gasped in shock, dropping her shopping bags. Without thinking, I dashed after Lina. Just as one of her feet was about to step into traffic, I grabbed her by the waist and yanked her back.


    "Let go of me! What are you doing? Who are you? Let me go!"


    "Lina, calm down! Lina!"


    No matter how much I called her name, she wouldn''t listen. Finally, I raised my hand and pped her across the face. "Get a hold of yourself!"


    She froze, staring at me in stunned silence.


    Taking a deep breath, I gritted my teeth and said, "Is your life only worth 90 thousand? You''ve let me down, Lina. I thought you were a fighter who wouldn''t back down no matter how the world judged you. But you''re just a coward, ready to throw everything away over a trivial sum of money!"


    Her face flushed, her pupils quivering. "You... You don''t understand..."


    "Don''t I? I was falsely used of stealing over a million dors a few days ago. Everyone at school turned on me, but I never considered giving up my life. What makes you think you have the right to disrespect yours like this?"


    Lina was stunned again, clutching her face and unable to speak for a long time.


    Seeing that she had calmed down somewhat, sighed. "Before you left earlier, the store manager told me that they''re willing to take back your clothes at 90% of their value as depreciation. If you''re okay with that, head back upstairs and discuss it with them."

 Chapter 158

    Lina was still dissatisfied. She said, "90%? I can sell these easily on a second- hand tform for much more. Why would I settle for their depreciation rate?"


    "But aren''t you in desperate need of cash? Isn''t tomorrow the deadline you agreed on with Ryan? How do you n to face him if you don''t figure something out soon?"


    That shut her up immediately. I had hit her weak spot.


    If Ryan couldn''t scrape together the million-plus he owed by tomorrow, he would end up in jail. He wouldtch onto the 90 thousand Lina owed him like a lifeline. Who knew what he might do if she couldn''t pay him back?


    Finally, she stood up reluctantly. "That discount wasn''t something you negotiated for me, was it?"


    "It wasn''t."


    "Good. Because I don''t want to owe anything to someone as pathetic as you!"


    With that, she clutched her clothes tightly and stormed off.


    Felicia hurried over and helped me up from the ground, her face full of indignation. "She''s so ungrateful! You saved her life, and she doesn''t even say thank you. Instead, she insults you."


    "Let her be. As long as she doesn''t do anything reckless, that''s enough."


    If she had actually ended her life over those clothes, I would''ve carried the guilt of


    it for the rest of mine. I pulled out my phone and called the store manager, instructing her to process the return at 90% of the original price.


    "Will that work? Would it cause too much of a loss for the store?"


    The store manager chuckled. "Don''t worry, Mr. White. It''s no problem. Clothes that have only been washed once can still fetch at least 80% of their value on second- hand tforms."


    "Really? Give her 80%, then."


    I didn''t want to exploit her predicament too much.


    The store manager agreed, and the issue was resolved.


    Afterward, I took Felicia to the seafood buffet she wanted to try. Once seated, I realized that there were different pricing tiers.


    The 138-dor option only covered basic seafood like ms, small shrimp, and crabs. The 238-dor


    option included melons. For 538 et


    dors one could get lobster, and


    for 888 dors, there was a king crab.


    Without telling her, I secretly ordered two of the most expensive packages.


    When the waiter guided her to select her king crab, her eyes widened in shock.


    "This is such a great deal! Only 138 dors, and I get to eat king crab? I should''vee here ages ago!"


    The waiter forced an awkward smile without exining. I had already instructed them not to reveal the truth.


    Watching Felicia eat so happily,


    without worry or hesitation, filled me with a deep sense of satisfaction. As we enjoyed our meal, her phone suddenly rang. I nced at the screen and saw the word "Mom" shing.


    Instantly, I felt a little nervous. After all, this was my future mother-inw.


    Felicia beamed as she answered, "Mom! I''m eating right now. What about you? Have you eaten?


    "Oh, I see. Heavy rains again? They always ruin the corn harvest.


    "Mom, don''t cry. Crying won''t change anything... Don''t worry about me. I''m doing well and taking good care of myself."


    When the call ended, her eyes were brimming with tears, and soon, she began quietly sobbing.


    I quickly handed her a tissue. "Why are you crying all of a sudden? Did something happen at home?"


    Choking back her tears, she


    exined, "The heavy rains back


    home flooded our cornfields. My


    family relies on the corn harvest


    make@ living, and now we won''t


    earn a single cent. My mother is beside herself with worry."

 Chapter 159

    When it came to natural disasters, I could rte.


    My family also ran an orchard, and extreme weather could seriously impact the quality and taste of the fruit, making it hard to sell at a good price. Even though technology had advanced greatly, people in agriculture were still at the mercy of the weather.


    I tried tofort her. "Felicia, tell your mom not to worry. It''s okay if you don''t make money this season. There''s always next year. Besides, didn''t your live stream earnings bring in a lot of tips? You could send some of that to your parents to tide them over."


    "You''re right."


    The thought of the tens of thousands in her livestream earnings brightened her mood.


    I was already aware that her family wasn''t well-off. While I didn''t want them to rely


    on me unnecessarily, I didn''t want them to struggle for basic needs.


    Felicia immediately called her mother again. When she hung up, she smiled through her tears and even looked excited.


    "My mother''s so happy! She says she wants to visit me and look around the city. I haven''t seen her in a year."


    I was surprised. "A year? Didn''t you go home during the winter break?"


    She shook her head. "I stayed here to work." Felicia was indeed such a hardworking and determined youngdy.


    I smiled at her, feeling a mix of pity and admiration. "Well, now you and your mom can reunite."


    I also made up my mind. When her mother arrived, I would treat her well and warmly wee her so her trip wouldn''t be in vain.


    After dinner, we headed back to campus. To my surprise, a few familiar faces were waiting at the gate. It was Louis, Veronica, and Zack.


    They noticed us and quickly walked over.


    "Well, if it isn''t Mr. Show-Off!"


    The moment Louis saw me, he started mocking me. I simply chuckled, no longer bothered by people like him.


    To my surprise, Zack didn''t join in and even nudged Louis. "Don''t call him that. We wronged himst time."


    Veronica said, "Yeah. We all thought he stole that money and tore into him for it. Turns out he was innocent, and none of us even apologized."


    I was slightly taken aback. Were they finally saying something reasonable?


    But before could adjust my opinion


    of them, she continued, "Still,


    William, if you didn''t steal that


    money, where did you get it from? That''s a pretty big amount!"


    "Oh, I won the lottery."


    Not wanting to reveal the truth, I stuck to my usual excuse.


    "The lottery?" Her eyes widened. "Wow! You hit the jackpot! How did you get so lucky to win this much money?"


    I smiled faintly, uninterested in continuing the conversation. But they immediately started buzzing with excitement.


    Louis burst outughing. "I knew it! This guy couldn''t possibly be from a wealthy family. You all didn''t believe me and kept sucking up to him. Hrious! Zack, keep kissing up to him. Go on!"


    Zack''s face turned sour. "If you won the lottery, why didn''t you just say so earlier?


    "You only won the lottery. Why are


    you showing off so much? Donating money buying expensive clothes, and splurging on outfits for


    Felicia-how much of that million do you even have left?"


    I immediately understood their intention.

 Chapter 160

    Zack and Veronica suddenly started being nice to me because they thought I was from a wealthy family. So, their habit of kissing up to the wealthy while looking down on others hadn''t changed.


    I shrugged. "That one million? Most of it is gone. I''ve got about three or four thousand left."


    Veronica''s eyes widened. "Oh my goodness! You won over a million dors and only have three or four thousand left? You really know how to burn through money!"


    Louis sneered. "What do you expect? Someone like him has probably never seen that much money in his life. Of course, he would blow it all, pretending to be rich. It''s just the kind of life he''s destined to live-always mediocre!"


    "Exactly! Honey, if you had that million, you would invest it in a business. In a few months, you would have doubled it. Give it a year or two, and you would be a millionaire! Giving it to him is such a waste."


    I couldn''t help but chuckle at their confidence. Who gave them the delusion that starting a business guaranteed sess?


    If it were that easy, someone else would have already done it. They were living in a fantasy.


    As they kept taking jabs at me, I didn''t bother responding, but Felicia couldn''t stand it any longer. She stepped in to defend me. "Have you said enough? It''s William''s money. He can spend it however he wants. Who are you to lecture him? Mind your own business! Come on, William. Let''s go."


    "Wow!"


    Seeing Felicia stand up for me clearly irritated them.


    Plenty of men in our department had a crush on her, and both Louis and Zack had always looked at her with a mix of admiration and desire. They couldn''t take it lightly because their "damsel" defended me and even scolded them for my sake.


    Veronica suddenly smirked and said, "Felicia, what''s the rush? Did you know that your mother is about to arrive in Welsington City?"


    Felicia frowned. "I know. But how do you?"


    Veronica chuckled. "How do I know? Your mother doesn''t even know how to buy a ticket, let alone find her way around here. She called my mother earlier for help.


    "My mother tried exining over the phone but gave up. So now, she''sing here with your mother to guide her and visit me while she''s at it."


    "Oh... Well, help me thank your mom, then."


    Despite how annoying Veronica was, her mother sounded kind enough. Felicia softly expressed her gratitude.


    But Veronica wasn''t done. "A simple ''thank you'' isn''t enough! Show some sincerity!"


    "Sincerity?" Felicia looked confused. "What do you mean?"


    "You-"


    Before Veronica could start making outrageous demands, I cut in. "That''s easy. When they both arrive, I''ll cover their hotel costs. How''s that for sincerity?"


    Since most people at school knew that Felicia had made tens of thousands through live streaming, I figured that Veronica might be interested in that money.


    I wasn''t about to let her take advantage, so I volunteered to handle it myself.


    Veronica, however, frowned at my offer.


    it?


    are you going to cover warn you, William. You


    Call them into some shabby


    motel and call it a day.


    "My mother isn''t just anyone. She''s at the top management level. Felicia''s mother might be a poor farmer, but my mother deserves a


    high standard of hospitality!"


    Inwardly, I scoffed. High standards, huh? Her pompous tone almost made meugh out loud.


    Instead of wasting energy arguing


    simply replied, "Don''t worry. If you


    can find a single fault with the hotel I book, I''ll let you pick any hotel in Welsington City at my expense."


    Louis snorted. "Bold ims, William. If I didn''t know better, I would think that you were some rich heir."


    Veronica looked skeptical. "Really? Fine. Let''s see what you cane up with!"

 Chapter 161

    After saying that, Veronica and the others left, clearly displeased.


    I watched their retreating figures, feeling confused. "Why do they look so grumpy


    all day long? It''s like someone owes them millions."


    I hadn''t done anything to provoke them recently.


    Felicia sighed helplessly. "They''ve always been like this. Veronica has been asking me to lend her clothestely, but she''srger than me. I lent her one piece, and she stretched the zipper to the point of breaking it.


    "I had to spend the whole night fixing it. She couldn''t fit into my clothes, so she med me, saying I bought them too small on purpose."


    "What?"


    I was dumbfounded when I heard this.


    "She''s crazy. Those clothes are yours! You can buy whatever size you want. What''s it got to do with her?"


    And those clothes weren''t even the size Felicia wanted. They were the size rmended by the store assistant.


    Veronica was truly a narrow-minded person, thinking everyone else was as petty as she was.


    "The female dorm environment isn''t good either. It''s full of scheming and rivalry. Don''t they have a normal dorm?" I asked. "Why don''t you talk to the counselor and request a room change?"


    Felicia shook her head, looking resigned. "It won''t work. They''ve already formed cliques. People like me, who don''t have money to go out, hang out with them, and don''t know how to tter the leaders of those groups, get isted."


    A clique? Well, that was something. Impressive.


    I squeezed her hand infort. "Don''t worry. After some time, we''ll move out and live together."


    I had already made up my mind. I nned to live with her once our rtionship stabilized over a year. We could rent a ce together or move into my vi or estate. Either way, we would live together.


    If it worked out, I would invite Matthew and the others to live with us and a few close friends. That would be perfect.


    But it was still a bit too early for that.


    After I dropped Felicia off at the female dorm, I called Victor.


    "Victor, two of my friends'' mothers are visiting soon. Could you help arrange amodation for them? Give them the VIP treatment."


    Our family''s VIPs were treated like royalty. The treatment would be top-notch, guaranteed to leave Veronica speechless.


    Victor chuckled. "Is one of your friends the beauty who came byst time?"


    I deduced that he was referring to


    Charlotte. Iughed. He probablet


    thought that Charlotte was muc girlfriend. "No, it''s someone else."


    "Oh, my mistake. I''ll take care of it and let you know once it''s all


    arranged. I''ll send you the hotel


    address and room numbers right away."


    "Okay."


    Victor was highly efficient. After hanging up, I headed to the male dorm. Just before I reached the bottom of the stairs, he texted me.


    "Schauder Hotel. Room 1 and Room 2. When your friends arrive, they just need to mention your name."


    I replied, "Got it."


    I thought that Felicia''s mother would only arrive after a few more days, but I


    received a call from Louis that evening.


    He asked, William, is everything set? Mrs. Brown ising tomorrow so if you can''t handle it, let me know in advance. Don''t leave it until thest minute, which will make it awkward for everyone."


    I replied directly, "It''s all taken care of. Just go over tomorrow."


    "Really?"


    "Believe it or not, it''s up to you."


    "I''ll see what kind of arrangements you make tomorrow."


    With that, he hung up.

 Chapter 162

    I didn''t expect Laura to be arriving the next day. I suddenly felt a bit nervous.


    Felicia was straightforward about wanting to introduce me to her mother, likely hoping to let us meet. For me, though, it felt a bit too soon. After all, we had only been dating for just over a month.


    But given the circumstances¡ªher family facing a heavy rainstorm and her mother''s cornfield suffering damage-if I didn''t step up now, I would be a useless boyfriend.


    Early the next morning, Felicia came to find me at the dorm and even brought breakfast.


    I drank the coffee she bought and ate the croissant, smiling and feeling content.


    In the past, I used to buy breakfast for Lina and wait for her at the dorm every morning. Now, the roles were reversed, and I was receiving care from someone else.


    Felicia linked her arm with mine, excitedly saying, "I couldn''t sleepst night. It''s my mother''s first time traveling alone, and I''m worried about her. I''m afraid something might happen to her."


    "It''ll be fine. With how convenient transportation is now, there''s not much to worry about."


    "She''s taking the metro. When she gets off, she has to do it on her own. I''m worried she might miss her stop."


    The metro? Was that still in service? I had thought that everything had switched to high-speed trains by now. Fortunately, I kept that thought to myself, or it might have sounded out of touch, and Felicia would have felt bad.


    We had nned to meet with Veronica and wait for their mothers at the school entrance, but Felicia was too anxious. So, we took a taxi and went directly to the train station.


    When we arrived at the station, she became even more nervous. "William, you stay here and wait. I''ll go up ahead and check!"


    There were too many people ahead, and she probably didn''t want to crowd me out. She refused to let me follow her, charging ahead into the crowd alone. How could I possibly feel at ease with that?


    I immediately followed after her, but the crowd was so thick that I quickly lost sight of her.


    As I walked further into the crowd, I spotted an arch-like exit, and arge group of people headed out together. I scanned the crowd, looking for two women walking together, but I couldn''t find them.


    Just then, a woman bumped into me. I turned, only to have her re at me aggressively.


    "What are you looking at?"


    I was speechless. "Madam, you bumped into me first!"


    "Who are you calling ''madam''? Why are you so rude? Did your parents not teach


    you manners? Are they dead?"


    I was stunned. Who was this woman cursing my parents like that?


    Although I didn''t want to argue with someone so rude, I couldn''t let her insult my parents without saying anything. I immediately retorted, "My parents are perfectly fine and will live long lives.


    "But you won''tst long acting like this. Watch where you''re going when you leave. Don''t end up on the rails after getting off the train."


    "Brat, what did you say?"


    The woman dropped her luggage and charged at me, but a tall, slim woman beside her stopped her "Stop it. It''s just a trivial matter. Let''s all move on. Don''t make a big deal out of it."


    Then she smiled at me. "I''m sorry, young man. We were carrying too many bags


    and didn''t notice. I''m sorry about that."


    Her polite tone made me feel bad for continuing the argument, so I nodded. "It''s fine. I was in the way, too."


    Just as I finished speaking, the two women suddenly appeared before me.

 Chapter 163

    "Vanessa! You finally made it!"


    "Oh my, Vanessa! It''s been years, and you look wealthier and younger than ever!"


    These two women seemed to be in their 40s or 50s, but their shy outfits made them look out of ce. Their makeup-blue eyeshadow, bright red lipstick, and an 80s-style perm¡ªwas something I couldn''tpliment. They looked like a group of overdone women.


    The woman who bumped into me was no better. She wore a too-tight dress, squeezing out rolls of fat, and was teetering on tiny high heels, which made me worry that her heels might break.


    The three of them talked loudly and non-stop, like a chaotic scene.


    Standing beside them was a thin, dark-skinned woman who looked much simpler and more down-to-earth. She gave off a likable vibe but clearly couldn''t join the conversation.


    She awkwardly stood there, her smile restrained. She asionally reached up to adjust her hair behind her ear, trying to hide her nervousness.


    I was trapped in the middle of this group, unable to leave.


    "Vanessa, what are your nster? Let us treat you to a meal!"


    The woman who bumped into meughed. "No need. My son-inw has already arranged everything. You can all just follow me, and we''ll have a meal together."


    "Your son-inw? Oh wow! Veronica really is lucky. I remember you saying she married a rich heir from a schrly family, right?"


    "That''s right! My son-inw''s family is very wealthy. They have two properties in Welsington City!"


    "Oh my! That means Veronica won''t have to worry about housing when she gets married. You''re set for life! With a son-inw like that, you''ll be able to arrange work for all your rtives in Welsington City. Your family''s on the rise!"


    I couldn''t help but feel for her son-inw.


    It would be one thing if the family had money and power. But if they were just an ordinary middle-ss family, they wouldn''t have the resources to support all those poor rtives. It would end in chaos.


    As I listened, the thin, dark-skinned woman''s phone suddenly rang.


    I noticed that she was using an old-fashioned phone, which cost about a hundred dors, and couldn''t help but be curious. There were people who didn''t use smartphones in that day and age.


    "Sweetheart, I''m here at the exit with Veronica''s mother. Yeah, juste over."


    It turned out that she was waiting for her daughter.


    Seeing her struggling with so many


    bags but no suitcase, I felt


    sympathy. Traveling such a long way without proper luggage must not have been easy. I thought that this was selfless parental love.


    While I was trying to figure out how to get these women out of the way so I could find Felicia, I saw her running toward us in a hurry.


    Wait... could it be?


    "Mom!"


    As expected, as soon as she saw the group, she rushed over and hugged the dark-skinned woman tightly.


    I was stunned. That was Felicia''s mother? And the other woman that was surrounded by the others was Veronica''s mother?


    At that moment, I thought the old saying was true-birds of a feather flocked together. It was important to have a good role model in every family.


    "Sweetheart!"


    The two of them embraced tightly, and Felicia was in tears. I had never seen her cry so emotionally before.


    Standing there as they reunited, I felt


    awkward, so I gently pushed through


    the shy women and walked


    "Hello, Mrs. Cylon. I''m William


    White."


    Over.


    Mrs. Cylon froze momentarily, then Felicia wiped her tears and quickly said, "Mom, this is my friend."

 Chapter 164

    Then, Felicia whispered something in her mother''s ear, and her mother immediately smiled and nodded at me. "Hello, hello."


    The woman next to us sized me up and then suddenly asked, "Are you Felicia''s friend? What does your family do?"


    "My... My family sells fruit."


    It was a half-truth.


    "Oh, you sell fruit? Do you drive a cart to the market?"


    I shook my head. "No."


    "Ah, so you sell on the street? Selling on the street has no future. You''ll never make it big."


    The woman let out a disdainful hum and then turned to her two shy friends, signaling us to move forward. We all got into a rundown SUV parked by the roadside.


    With so many people in one car, it was obviously cramped. The car smelled indescribably bad, and thebination of body odor and bad breath nearly made me pass out.


    Finally, when we reached the school entrance, I waited for Felicia and Laura to alight from the car before I followed suit. As soon as I stepped out, I took a deep inhale.


    When Felicia saw my reaction, she couldn''t help butugh. "The car smelled bad, right?"


    I whispered, "I almost died!"


    She immediately burst outughing. How dare she find joy in my suffering.


    At that moment, Louis and Veronica, who had been waiting at the school gate, approached.


    When Veronica saw her mother, she wasn''t as emotional as Felicia. She held her mother''s hand, exchanged a few casual words, and started introducing Louis.


    Louis was dressed up that day. He even wore a gold ne, which made me chuckle.


    I whispered to Felicia, "It looks like Louis is serious about Veronica. He''s all dressed up to meet his future mother-inw."


    Felicia whispered back, "He borrowed that ne. Last night, Veronica ran around to several dorms to borrow things."


    "Oh."


    That showed how much Louis cared about Veronica, which I respected. He might not be great, but he treated his girlfriend well.


    "Darling, let me introduce you. This is my mother. You can just call her Mrs. Brown: These are my mother''s two cousins, Madam Aubrie and Madam Scarlett. You can call them that, too. And this is Felicia''s mom. You can call her Mrs. Cylon Senior since she''s older."


    Felicia was taken aback and immediately said, "Veronica, that''s not right. He should just call my mother ''Mrs. Cylon.""


    Veronica raised an eyebrow and


    asked, "What''s wrong with that? She''s already quite old. Besides, Louis calls my mom ''Mrs. Brown, So if he calls your mom ''Mrs. Cylon'', what does that make my mom? Don''t be so petty, alright? It''s really boring!"


    "It''s not about being petty. My mother-"


    Seeing her daughter about to argue with Veronica, Laura quickly intervened, "Forget it, Felicia. It''s just an address. I don''t mind. I just came to check on you to ensure you''re doing well at school and feel at ease."


    "Mom."


    The mother and daughter exchanged smiles, not caring about the others around them.


    I shot Veronica a cold nce and silently noted her behavior. How dare she disrespect Laura in front of so many people! I couldn''t just let that go.


    At that moment, Louis suddenly


    said, "Alright, Mrs. Brown, Madam Aubrie, Madam Scarlett, and Mrs. Cylon Senior, you must be hungry after your long journey. I''ve already booked a private room at the restaurant. Let''s head there and eat!"

 Chapter 165

    Louis had arranged for an Audi sedan, which could only fit five people at most. But with so many of us, it was clearly insufficient.


    Mrs. Brown immediately said, "Here''s what we''ll do, Louis. You sit in the front with Veronica, and my two cousins and I will sit in the back. As for the three of you, you can take a separate taxi.


    "It''s already generous enough to invite you to eat with us, so don''t overdo it and take our car as well. A taxi won''t cost that much."


    Mrs. Cylon quickly replied, "Oh, okay. We''ll go on our own. Don''t worry about us." She was clearly intimidated by Mrs. Brown and waved her hand repeatedly, speaking hesitantly.


    I pulled out my phone and booked a taxi, which would take a few minutes to arrive.


    Meanwhile, the others happily started getting in the car, chatting andughing.


    Felicia didn''t care about such trivial matters. She affectionately linked arms with Mrs. Cylon and kept asking about the family''s cornfield and her grandparents'' health, acting very obedient and filial. This made me like her even more. After all, nothing was more important than living a solid, stable life.


    When the taxi arrived, we got in, and I told the driver, "Just follow the car in front of us. We''re going to the same ce."


    The driver nodded and stepped on the gas, heading forward.


    I couldn''t help but ask Mrs. Cylon, "Mrs. Cylon, why do you seem so afraid of Mrs. Brown? Is she really that scary?"


    Mrs. Cylon sighed. "It''s not that she''s scary. It''s just that her family handles many things. If I offend her, it will be difficult to get by when I return home."


    "Now I understand."


    It seemed that she wasn''t weak. There were just things she couldn''t say.


    Sometimes, it was worse to offend someone like that and have troubleter on than to endure a bit of difort in the moment. This was also a survival tactic.


    At that moment, Mrs. Cylon


    suddenly asked Felicia, "Sweetheart, what''s the deal with the tens of thousands you mentioned over the phone? What have you been doing? I came this time to figure this out. If I find out that you''ve been doing something wrong, I''ll beat you to death!"


    Felicia chuckled. "I knew you woulde over because something was up. You''re worried I''m up to no good, right? Don''t worry. That money... it''s... it''s from my boyfriend."


    "Your boyfriend? Who is he?"


    I couldn''t help butugh. Mrs. Cylon actually believed that Felicia and I were just friends.


    We were in college. There was no way a young man and young woman at this stage in their lives could be just ordinary friends and be at the point of meeting their parents.


    Seeing that Felicia was too embarrassed to speak up, I said, "Mrs. Cylon, I''m Felicia''s boyfriend."


    "You?" Mrs. Cylon widened her eyes at me. She suddenly pped her hands andughed.


    "How could I be so dumb! I didn''t think of that earlier. So you two are dating?"


    She looked me over again, then nodded in satisfaction. "You''re a good-looking man, and your eyes are clear. You''re a good kid. But why did you give Felicia all that money? Don''t tell me that you''re thinking of proposing already. We don''t have much in the way of a marriage gift."


    "No, Mrs. Cylon. Felicia and I are only in our first year of college. We still have three years to go. How could


    The thinking about a proposal?


    That money is just pocket money for her."


    "Pocket money? That much?"


    She was clearly taken aback.

 Chapter 166

    Upon hearing this, the driver couldn''t help but nce at me again. He remarked, "You''re only in your first year of college, yet you can give your girlfriend that much pocket money? With your designer clothes, you must be from a wealthy family, right?"


    Laura looked at me in surprise. "Didn''t you say that your family sells fruits at a stall?"


    "Well... it''s a long story," I replied.


    Sensing my difort, Felicia immediately nudged her mother''s arm. "Mom, you just got here. Can you stop asking so many questions? Tonight, I''ll be staying with you. We can chat then, and I''ll exin everything. Don''t make things difficult for William."


    "Oh, okay. I won''t ask anymore."


    As we chatted, the car soon came to a stop.


    When we got out, I looked up and was immediately stunned. I instinctively nced back at Felicia. She was equally surprised.


    The hotel in front of us wasn''t just any hotel. It was the one where Felicia had worked before and where I had once dealt with a guy named Bob.


    I remembered Bob was the one I had asked Victor to take care of. I heard he ended up working in a nightclub, cleaning toilets.


    I never expected we would end up back here so soon.


    "Let''s go. It''s fine," I reassured her, holding her hand as we entered the establishment together.


    Inside, we found Louis and his group blocking the lobby, shouting, "Why can''t we use the private room? There''s clearly space avable! Why are you so rigid? What''s the harm in letting us use it?


    "Don''t tell me you''re worried that the dishes we order won''t be expensive enough? I''m telling you, I''m not short on money!"


    The manager frowned, clearly


    annoyed. "It''s not that you can''t use the room, but the rules are the rules. Our policy has always been that rooms must be reserved in advance and can''t be given out on the spot untess you''re a VIP. You''re neither VIPS nor have you made a reservation, so you can''t use it."


    Louis was furious. "What do you mean by that? Are regr customers not good enough for you? Don''t bully me just because your restaurant is big! I''ve spent thousands here, and this is how you treat me? I''ll nevere back here!"


    Despite his threat, the manager remained unfazed. "Sorry, but all our rules must be followed strictly. We cannot make exceptions."


    "You!"


    Louis was enraged, while Veronica was anxious. She stomped her feet. "Honey, let''s just forget about it. Let''s eat downstairs instead. There is no need for a private room."


    Louis gritted his teeth but reluctantly nodded.


    Seeing this, I walked forward and


    el''


    ?.


    spoke to the manager. "People make rules, which should be adjusted based on the situation. If you''re worried about VIP customers wanting to use the room, that''s unnecessary. It''s already 12:30 pm. The chances of a VIPing are low."


    As soon as the manager saw me, his eyes widened. "Yes... Yes..."


    He seemed to have recognized me.


    Last time, when the old manager pped Felicia, Victor had him fired and hired this new one.


    Upon recognizing me, he quickly said, "Of course. I''ll make arrangements right away."


    I wasn''t concerned about Louis'' group, but I couldn''t let Laura, who had traveled far, suffer through a meal in difort.


    "Alright. No problem! I''ll take care of it right away! He quickly grabbed his walkie-talkie. "Hello, urgent message. A VIP guest ising to dine. Prepare the best private room and do it quickly! Get Billie and Quinn to help. No, get Clem to attend to them personally!"

 Chapter 167

    Soon, a beautiful woman in a suit led us into the private room.


    The private room was indeed impressive. It was spacious, well-equipped, and even had arge fridge stocked with free drinks and mineral water.


    Clem smiled sweetly. "Would you like to order any additional dishes? If not, we will begin serving from the pre-ordered menu."


    "Pre-ordered dishes?"


    Upon hearing this, Mrs. Brown immediately grew dissatisfied and pped the table. "Louis, I have to say something. Since you invited us, we should be the ones ordering. How can you pre-order the dishes? How do you know what we like or don''t like?"


    Her cousins echoed, "Exactly. I''m quite picky about food. At the very least, you should let me order the pork schnitzel. I won''t eat if it''s not served."


    He turned red with embarrassment, about to speak, but Clem quickly interjected.


    "Dear guests, you may not be aware of our restaurant''s dining policy. We operate on an advanced ordering system, as all our ingredients must be pre-ordered a day in advance and flown in from abroad to ensure freshness. If the dishes aren''t pre-ordered, you won''t have the fresh seafood today."


    "Oh, I see!"


    Mrs. Brown finally understood. "Why didn''t you say so earlier? I misunderstood." She covered her mouth andughed. "So it''s all imported! How extravagant!"


    Louis chuckled. "As long as you enjoy the meal."


    Once Clem left, they immediately began chatting excitedly.


    "Just now, downstairs, the manager refused to give us the private room. I thought their rules were stringent, but it''s nothing special."


    "It''s all thanks to Louis! We wouldn''t have gotten this room if it weren''t for him."


    "Exactly! The manager even said that they were expecting VIP guests, and among us, the highest profile person is Louis. Who else would they amodate if not him?"


    ttered by the praise, Louis puffed out his chest and said, "I never told you, but my dad actually knows the owner of this hotel. That manager probably recognized me, so he


    changed his mind."


    I nearly spit out my tea upon hearing this. It was one thing for others to


    misunderstand, but for him to be unaware of his own worth¡ªand still dare to


    boast-was truly audacious.


    Soon, the food was served.


    I had to admit that Louis really spent some money to treat Veronica. He ordered tworge lobsters and a heap of fresh salmon and tuna. This meal alone would cost three to four thousand, a high standard for a coffege student.


    But then, Clem returned with two waiters, and they carried arge porcin tter emitting steam: "This is a special dish prepared by is


    our manager for you, the Dragon Pce. Please enjoy."


    The "Dragon Pce" disyed various premium seafood, representing 36 types of seafood.


    I had had it once before. There were only a few good items, many just shellfish fillers.


    But the group had never seen anything like it, and as soon as the tter was ced on the table, they all gasped and started taking pictures with their phones.


    Clem smiled faintly, but there was a clear look of disdain in her eyes.

 Chapter 168

    Even though their behavior was a bit embarrassing, I couldn''t stand the attitude of the waiters looking down on the customers. I turned to Clem and said, "You can leave now. We don''t need you here anymore."


    Before she could respond, Veronica, standing nearby, grew unhappy. "Hey, William, when did it be your turn to call the shots? Louis hasn''t said anything yet. Why are you talking?"


    I froze for a moment, speechless, then nced at her. I wanted to say something but ultimately decided to remain silent. There was no point in speaking to such a person. She could do whatever she wanted.


    Mrs. Brown gave me a disdainful nce and snorted. "Felicia, you''re not any less attractive than Veronica. How did you end up with someone like this?"


    Her words were trulyughable.


    Felicia could easily be considered a campus beauty, while Veronica could barely qualify as a department beauty. How could she even say that Felicia wasn''t prettier than Veronica?


    However, Felicia seemed used to such belittling and only smiled faintly. "Mrs. Brown, everyone has their own preferences. You love your son-inw, so you should cherish him. As for me, I chose someone I truly like, so there''s no need for you to worry."


    Mrs. Brown scoffed before saying, "I simply wanted to remind you. The Cylon family has been poor for generations. If you don''t find a rich husband, you''ll be poor for generations toe!"


    Her words were bing increasingly mean, which made me furrow my brow.


    Felicia and Mrs. Cylon had tolerated all of this, so I also decided to tolerate it. But my patience had its limits.


    Now that it was exhausted, I couldn''t hold back anymore. I directly responded, "Some people be wealthy, but their souls remain impoverished. Others remain poor, but their minds are as rich as the world''s wealthiest.


    "And then there are those who are the most interesting-neither wealthy nor spiritually rich. We usually call these people nouveau riche."


    Louis suddenly stood up, his face flushed with anger. "William, what do you mean by that? Are you calling me or Mrs. Brown a nouveau riche? I''ve been nice to you, but you can leave if you don''t want to eat!"


    I immediately rose from my seat. "Fine. I''ll leave right now. Mrs. Cylon, let''s go."


    I had long since lost the desire to stay with them.


    Since Mrs. Cylon hade all the way here, I couldn''t let her leave without enjoying herself, at least for the few days she was with me.


    "Hey, William, that... Isn''t this a little inappropriate?" She looked at me nervously and gestured with her eyes signaling that we couldn''t afford to offend Mrs. Brown.


    I smiled faintly. "Mrs. Brown, we won''t disturb you while you eat. We''ll head out


    and grab something simple. You won''t mind, right?"


    Mrs. Brown immediately replied, "If you want to leave, leave. I don''t care."


    "Wait!"


    At that moment, Veronica stood up "William, are you trying to leave? We made ns yesterday, and you


    promised to cover my mother''s stay.


    What''s going on now?"


    I simply said, "Don''t worry. We''ll meet downstairs in an hour. I''ve already booked a


    room for you. I''ll take you there."


    "That''s more like it. Just wait for us downstairs after you''ve finished eating."


    I shook my head, took Mrs. Cylon and Felicia, and left the private room.


    Clem, with a nce, immediately followed me outside.


    "Mr. White, I''m sorry. I didn''t expect my actions to cause you trouble."


    I nced at her and replied


    indifferently, "It''s fine. I''m not on


    good terms with them anyway. J e another private roo


    for


    me."

 Chapter 169

    "Not on good terms?" Clem asked. She briefly froze as if she suddenly understood.


    "But the previous private room was our best one. The manager had thought that those people were your friends... I can speak to them and take the room away from them if you want."


    "There''s no need for that. Just prepare another one. It doesn''t have to be the biggest, as long as we''refortable eating."


    She nodded immediately. "Understood!" She moved quickly and soon escorted us to a different private room diagonally across the hall.


    This room wasn''t asrge as the previous one, nor did it have free drinks, but it was cozier and more intimate.


    Once seated, I turned to Clem. "Bring whatever''s avable. Feel free to arrange it however you like."


    She nodded and was about to leave when she turned back. "Mr. White, should we take the Dragon Pce from the other room?"


    "Do whatever you want."


    At that point, I didn''t care anymore.


    At first, I felt that it was wrong for Clem to look down on them and wanted to help kick her out. But in the end, they turned on me like ungrateful fools who couldn''t recognize good intentions.


    Since they behaved that way, I wouldn''t tolerate them any longer.


    "Felicia, Mrs. Cylon, you two wait here. I''ll check on the kitchen to ensure that they''re using fresh seafood. I don''t want them to serve us something stale."


    Seafood was all about freshness, but even the best ptes could have difficulty telling if it was a day old, especially once it was seasoned.


    Plus, I wanted to order a couple of bottles of wine, so I left the private room.


    However, as I walked down the corridor, I heard amotion from the other room. "What? Why are you taking it away? We haven''t even eaten a bite!"


    "Yeah. We were still taking pictures. We haven''t touched a thing. How can you just take it away?"


    "You''ve already served it to us, and now you''re taking it away? Are you crazy?"


    Clem responded with polite disdain, saying, "Qur hotel manager specially sent this tter to our esteemed guests. Since those guests are no longer here, we must take it away. This tter costs 8,888 dors.


    "Do you think we can just give it away? If you still want it, you can pay for it when


    you check outter. Just remember to add the 8,888 dors."


    "What? 8,888 dors? That''s so expensive!"


    "Wait. What esteemed guests? The three poorest people here left, and you''re


    calling them esteemed guests? Did you make a mistake?"


    Clem sneered coldly. "Just consider it a misunderstanding."


    Veronica immediately refused to let it go. "Oh, so it was a mistake, hub? And you think that excuses your arrogant behavior? This is too much! I''ll expose what you''ve done online and ruin your reputation!"


    Clem remained indifferent. "Go ahead. Most of our clients aren''t the type of university students who like to rant online. They''re wealthy, influential, and sophisticated food connoisseurs. What you do won''t affect us in the slightest. Now, take it away!¡± to


    With that, she snapped her fingers and had the waiter take the tter away. After


    leaving the private room, she immediately spotted me.


    "Mr. White, I''m terribly sorry to trouble you. Would it be alright if I brought the Dragon Pce to your table?"


    What? I frowned immediately. "Wait a minute. The others have already eaten it. You want us to have it now?"

 Chapter 170

    Clem''s expression changed, and she quickly said, "Mr. White, please don''t misunderstand. I would never do this if they had touched a single piece! I swear on my life, they didn''t touch anything. They were still taking pictures just now!"


    "I still find this a bit unpleasant. Here''s what we''ll do. Send this tter to table 22 downstairs as if it''s my treat. I''ll pay for itter, and then you prepare another tter that is exactly the same and send it to our private room as if it''s a gift from your manager. How does that sound?"


    She finally rxed. "Understood, Mr. White."


    "Good."


    I went downstairs to the kitchen to pick out some fresh seafood, had them prepare


    it, and then brought two bottles of white wine to the private room.


    Seafood paired perfectly with white wine.


    Mrs. Cylon wasn''t used to drinking, but I insisted she have a couple of sses. That was the thing with wine-if one didn''t drink it, one would never get used to it. But once one drank a little more and got ustomed to the initial taste, one would start to appreciate its subtle fragrance.


    That kind of enjoyment was unlike any regr drink.


    After eating, she looked at the leftover seafood with a pained expression. "What should we do with all this leftover seafood? It''s such a waste. Let''s take it home."


    I quickly stopped her. "Mrs. Cylon, we can''t take it. It''s fresh seafood. If it''s not stored properly, it could spoil, and eating it could make us sick."


    "But we can''t just waste it! These shrimp are huge. They must be expensive! You can''t just throw them away. Let me take them home and cook some risotto with them."


    I couldn''t help butugh.


    It was Mrs. Cylon''s first time here, and I nned to treat her to every meal. I wasn''t about to let her cook risotto with the leftovers.


    But seeing how unwilling she was to let it go, I felt it would be a waste to throw all the seafood away, especially the Dragon Pce, from which we''d barely taken a bite.


    I thought for a moment and then suggested, "How about this? I''ll talk to the kitchen, have them prepare the seafood, cook it, and send it to the hotel staff in your name. They can take it if they want. Otherwise, we can send it to the sanitation workers outside. That way, it''s like we''re doing a good deed."


    "Oh, that''s a good idea!"


    Finally, Mrs. Cylon was happy, and I couldn''t help but smile, feeling touched. She


    might be poor, but her heart was made of gold.


    Once downstairs, I carefully settled the bill without letting her see. If she had seen the bill for over 20


    thousand dors, she would


    probably have been so upset that


    she wouldn''t have been able to sleep that night.


    After ten minutes, with no sign of Louis and the others, we decided to wait at a nearby table.


    Clem soon brought us some tea and fruit. Another five or six minutester, Louis and the whole family walked to the cashier to pay.


    "This can''t be right! Are you sure you''ve got the correct numbers?" He stared in disbelief.


    "How could it be this much? I only pre-ordered dishes worth a little over 3,000!" Still smiling despite his angry tone, the receptionist calmly replied, "Sir, thisdy ordered two bottles of wine worth 5,000 each, totaling ten thousand."


    She pointed at Mrs. Brown, who looked horrified. "I-I didn''t know. I tried the wine in the private room, and it was good, so I came downstairs and casually ordered two more bottles."


    "And our hotel''s best private room service charge is 20%. Since you don''t have a VIP membership, the drinks from the fridge are also charged, as listed here. The totales to 18,632, and after discounting the service charge, you still need to pay 18,600."

 Chapter 171

    18,600 dors¡ªthat amount was indeed a bit high for an average university student.


    Even someone born into a wealthy family would have found this amount a little too much, let alone someone like Louis, who didn''t evene from a rich family but was from a middle-ss family.


    His monthly allowance should have been around 5,000 dors if my memories were correct. That was considered a lot among university students, but he never saved. Not only would he spend it all every month, but he often borrowed money from others, including me.


    It was clear how terrible he was with money.


    With Mrs. Brown unexpectedly present, he probably wasn''t prepared at all. It would already be quite a feat if he could present his entire monthly allowance of 5,000 dors to host her.


    Being asked to present 18 thousand dors suddenly was undoubtedly a crushing blow to him.


    As expected, cold sweat soon appeared on his face. Anyone could see how anxious he was.


    "O-Okay. I''ll pay."


    Louis took out his wallet, shakily pulling out several bank cards. Besides one debit card, the rest were credit cards.


    "Start by charging 4,800 dors on this card."


    The initially frightened Mrs. Brown immediately let out a sigh of relief when she saw Louis willing to pay and began bragging again to the others.


    "Oh, jeez. Isn''t my daughter amazing? She found such a capable son-inw for me who can casually dish out 18 thousand dors for a meal and spend ten thousand on some wine without even batting an eye!"


    Her twopanions immediately chimed in with ttery, "Exactly! Veronica sure can pick her men. You''ll never have to worry about retirement again. When your daughter gets married, you can ask her husband to buy you a mansion and have you live in the city."


    "That''s right! A house with a garden would be best. When we visit you in the future, we can bask in the sun together in the garden."


    Mrs. Brown stifled augh but ended up chuckling out loud. "Only country folks bask in the sun. People in the city always stay in the shade. You''ve lived in the city for years. How are you still stuck with country habits?"


    After swiping five cards, Louis finally managed to pay the 18,600 dors in full. Unlike Mrs. Brown, who was thrilled, Veronica''s expression was dark. She was around Louis every day. How could she not know about his financial situation? She must be worried.


    After watching the drama y out, I finally got Felicia and Mrs. Cylon to join them.


    "Why are you only here now?"


    The moment Mrs. Brown saw us, she started yelling.


    "Do you know how long we''ve been waiting for you? Is our time less valuable than yours?"


    I smiled and asked, "Didn''t you guys just pay your bill?"


    Mrs. Brown was stunned, her face turning red with embarrassment. "How... How do you know that?"


    Mrs. Cylon, being an honest person, blurted out, "We were just over there drinking tea and eating some fruit while watching you settle the bill."


    Mrs. Brown was livid. "Y-You just watched us pay without any intention ofing over?"


    I replied bluntly, "What could we have done even if we came over? We can''t


    possibly pay for your meal, can we?"


    "As if you could pay. Do you know how much this meal costs? Let me tell you the change from this meal alone is more than your monthly expenses!"


    "Exactly!"


    When they berated me nonstop, Felicia could no longer endure it and said, "Don''t


    look down on others. The meal we just had was-"


    "Felicia."

 Chapter 172

    After I interrupted Felicia, I shook my head at her. These people were clearly leeches. unting wealth in front of them would only make themtch on harder.


    Felicia and I would be fine since they wouldn''t bother us when we got back to the university. However, Mrs. Cylon''s life would likely be difficult once she returned.


    As such, enduring a few humiliatingments was nothing. Letting them brag a bit wouldn''t change anything substantial.


    I had long stopped caring about such gossip. I could tolerate it if they didn''t pick on Felicia or Mrs. Cylon.


    Seeing my reaction, Felicia swallowed back her words.


    Mrs. Brown cast a hateful re at Felicia, clearly holding a grudge against her.


    Mrs. Cylon was always respectful toward Mrs. Brown, while Felicia had already snapped back at her several times. Naturally, she wasn''t pleased.


    "Let''s just go. We should already be tired from all that food and wine. Let''s head to our hotel to rest."


    When we got outside, Mrs. Brown and her twopanions immediately spotted Hilton Hotel across the street, prompting them to start moring.


    "Wow, isn''t that the Hilton Hotel that we often see on TV? I heard that it''s a five- star hotel! Louis, where did you book our stay? Did you book us at the Hilton?"


    Louis chuckled awkwardly, his expression clearly filled with aversion.


    He probably thought that he was already generous enough to treat them to an expensive meal, yet they were expecting him to book them a five-star hotel as well. They should aim for the stars at this rate.


    Besides, the meal that was originally budgeted at two to three thousand dors had ballooned to over 18 thousand dors.


    Now that Louis was deeply in debt, hearing such shameless and greedy demands only made him feel worse.


    re


    Veronica probably noticed his bad mood because she quickly tried to smooth things over. "Mom, my boyfriend originally nned to book the Hilton for you, but this guy insisted on repaying you for bringing Felicia''s mother here. So, we let him handle the booking."


    "Him?"


    When their gazes turned to me, Mrs. Brown and herpanions revealed expressions of utter disdain.


    "What kind of hotel could someone like him book for us? It had better not be some roach-infested motel Young man, let me tell you that just because I''m from a small town doesn''t mean I don''t know quality when I see it.


    "I''ve been to Cyr and stayed in grand hotels. I have high standards! If you booked some cheap motel, I absolutely won''t stay there."


    When I heard her, I couldn''t help but smile. "Don''t worry, Mrs. Brown. I didn''t book the hotel just for you. Since Mrs. Cylon will also be staying there, how could I possibly mistreat you all? Let''s go."


    On the way to the hotel, we took separate cars.


    Felicia, Mrs. Cylon, and I were in one car leading the way while the others followed in another.


    I had no idea what they were gossiping about in their car, but judging by the even more disdainful looks Mrs. Brown and the others gave me when we arrived, it was clear that Louis had spent the ride badmouthing me.


    I could already guess what he said. He probably called me the usual trifecta¡ªa show-off, a broke guy, and a guy who wore knock-offs.


    I could picture it all without hearing a single word from them, but I couldn''t care less at this point.


    I had already asked Victor to make the arrangements and not to do anything grand since I didn''t want to unt my wealth in front of Mrs. Cylon.


    Nevertheless, the hotel manager wasn''t clueless. It was clear to him that I wasn''t just anybody since Victor had personally instructed him and booked us the best suites. Hence, the manager came out with his staff to greet me at the entrance. C¨®ntent


    I had no choice but to step forward and exchange a few words with them.


    "Alright. This is a private trip. We don''t want to be disturbed. Please head inside and assign a staff to assist us."

 Chapter 173

    The manager, sensing my displeasure, quickly left with his staff.


    Right then, Mrs. Brown stepped forward, frowning as she surveyed the surroundings with an expression of apparent dissatisfaction.


    "What kind of shabby ce is this? This looks just like an average vige! Did you book us a stay at some rural homestay?"


    "Yeah! Look over there. There are ducks in the river! What proper hotel raises poultry? This is obviously some vige-turned-guesthouse!"


    "Not just that, look at those wooden houses. They''re no taller than two floors. What is this ce supposed to be? I wouldn''t even dare post photos of this ce on social media!"


    What they said left me speechless. What ordinary vige could possibly look this beautiful?


    At a nce, I could already identify over a dozen types of rare flowers and nts. And that wasn''t even a river-it was a man-made canal with ponds. The birds swimming on it weren''t ordinary ducks but a hybrid breed of colorful ducks boasting vibrant and varied colors that were truly stunning.


    Even my mom, who had stayed here before, was thoroughly impressed by the ce. Yet, these people looked down on it.


    Fortunately, a staff member soon arrived and led us into the courtyard.


    Just then, Mrs. Cylon grabbed Mrs. Brown''s arm, saying, "Vanessa, my luggage is still in the car. I didn''t bring it with me."


    "What''s the rush? I already called to have it brought over while we were on the way here."


    "Oh, okay. Just tell them to be careful. I brought several jars of pickles and some homemade olive oil. Make sure nothing spills."


    Mrs. Brown burst outughing upon hearing this. "Pickles? Are you serious? Did you bring pickles to the city? That''s hrious! Did you all hear that? She brought pickles!


    "If the staff here hears this, they''ll dieughing at how much of a country bumpkin you are. What isn''t avable in the city? Who would want your pickles?"


    Mrs. Brown''s cousins chimed in with equally disdainful expressions, "Not just pickles, but also homemade olive oil? Wow, I don''t even know what to say. People like this stay uncultured no matter how long they''ve been in the city."


    "Hey, don''t be so harsh. We don''t care for pickles, but her future son-inw clearly does! Look at how poor he looks. He probably survives on pickled vegetables every meal."


    The manager likely told the staff member standing next to me who I was, as her eyes widened in shock when she looked at me after hearing what they said.


    Clearly, she hadn''t expected someone the manager was so respectful toward to be ridiculed like this.


    Felicia''s face turned bright red, and tears welled up in her eyes. She finally couldn''t hold back anymore, chiding, "Could you stop looking down on people? Our family matters have nothing to do with him!


    "My mom brought the pickles and olive oil for me. The pickles are for me to eat, and the olive oil is for me to give to my counselor. What does that have to do with any of you?"


    "Felicia."


    Mrs. Cylon shook Felicia''s arm, signaling her to calm down, then turned and smiled obsequiously at Mrs. Brown. "I''m just a simple


    woman from the countrysidel.ne


    So it''s


    only natural that I do some uncultured things."


    Mrs. Brown snorted, shooting Felicia a re again.


    "Whatever. They can wait for their pickles. We should head to our rooms to rest


    first."


    I gave the staff member a look before saying, "Take them to their rooms first. I''ll


    stay here with them to wait for their luggage."


    "Yes, Mr-I mean, sir."


    Once they left, I led Felicia and Mrs. Cylon to a bench by the canal.

 Chapter 174

    "Mrs. Cylon, Victor thought you might not befortable with those tall, grand hotels with many rooms,plex elevators, and keycards, so he chose this eco- resort for you. If you prefer grand hotels, I can make the arrangements," I offered.


    Mrs. Cylon quickly waved her hand, saying, "No, no. I''m fine anywhere. But you''re actually right. I''m really not used to those high-rise buildings with elevators. They scare me, honestly."


    Feeling slightly better than before, Felicia held her mother''s arm, smiling. "After the college entrance exams, my mom took me to town to buy clothes. She was terrified from just standing on the esctor."


    With a smile, I remarked, "It''s just a matter of getting used to it. After trying a few more times, it''ll feel normal."


    Right then, Mrs. Cylon suddenly started scolding Felicia, mainly telling her to tolerate Mrs. Brown, not talk back, and avoid conflicts.


    Felicia said she would do as told, but her expression clearly showed that she didn''t want to. I watched them with a smile, choosing not to interrupt. To be honest, I really admired this trait of Felicia''s. She was a lot like me.


    When others treated her horribly, she would tolerate it no matter what, acting like a pushover who was indifferent to everything. But once someone she cared about received the same treatment, like what happened to Mrs. Cylon and me, she couldn''t help but step in.


    Mrs. Cylon''s nagging turned from scolding to showing concern. Just as the mother-daughter pair was about to cry again, the beat-up SUV finally arrived.


    Feeling anxious, Mrs. Cylon rushed to the car to check on her things. She opened everything to make sure that none of the pickle jars were broken. Only then did she feel relieved.


    When I saw the enormous stic container of olive oil, my eyes nearly popped out. "H-How many gallons are in this?"


    Mrs. Cylonughed, answering, "There are two gallons in each container. I brought three-one for your counselor and two for your parents."


    Felicia instantly blushed. "Mom, didn''t I tell you that William''s family doesn''t need this?"


    "How could they not need it?"


    I immediately picked up a container and weighed it in my hand. Just one was so


    heavy. I couldn''t imagine how she carried three containers of olive oil and multiple jars of pickles all the way here.


    Thinking about it made me feel bad for her.


    "Mrs. Cylon, I really have to thank you on behalf of my parents. My parents never consume


    store-bought oil. They always g


    someone to make cold-pressed olive oil for them, but they''re still worried about hygiene and such. The oil you pressed yourself is definitely trustworthy."


    Mrs. Cylon looked pleased when she heard this. "Rest assured that my olive oitis up to standard. I may be from the countryside, but my family is very particr about cleanliness. There''s absolutely no problem!"


    "Then I''ll ept these. Thank you, Mrs. Cylon."


    Felicia gave me a grateful look before helping Mrs. Cylon with her things. When I saw her struggle with even one jar of pickles, I immediately called the resort, asking them to send someone to help.


    Before long, we brought everything into the lobby.


    I left an address with the front desk, asking them to send the two containers of


    olive oil to my home. Then, I ced the jars of pickles on the table.


    Mrs. Cylon specially made these for Felicia and me, so we had to bring them to school.


    Before I could figure out how to take them with us, Mrs. Brown walked over. She clucked her tongue before remarking, "Just look at how you''ve piled up the table with all this stuff. Isn''t this a little embarrassing?"

 Chapter 175

    Mrs. Brown''spanions agreed with her, saying, "How embarrassing! We should keep our distance from her so that no one sees us and thinks we''re with her!


    "She even dares to bring those pickles here!"


    After taking a deep breath, I was about to speak when a beautiful woman wearing sunsses and striking red lipstick approached the table.


    She nced at the pickles on the table and asked the front desk, "Did you just receive these pickles? Can you send some to my room at dinner? My mom has been recovering here for a while, andtely, she has found that most pickled foods are not tasty enough to go with her meals."


    The receptionist working at the front desk said, "I''m sorry, Ms. Klein, but these aren''t our pickles. They were brought from the countryside by thisdy."


    The woman turned to Mrs. Cylon in surprise. "These were brought from the countryside? That means they''re authentic and handmade, right?"


    Revealing a shy smile, Mrs. Cylon said, "Yes, they''re handmade. They were naturally fermented, with no additives other than salt and some spices."


    "Oh my, this is something precious that can''t even be purchased! Could you sell me some? My mom grew up in the countryside and craved food like this, but there''s no way I can buy this just anywhere. This must be fate. Please, sell me some, ma''am."


    Mrs. Cylon was ttered. "Oh, shucks. This isn''t anything valuable. If you want to have some, just take it."


    The woman smiled, taking Mrs. Cylon''s hand without hesitation. "Then I really must thank you, ma''am."


    With a smile, I turned to the front desk and said, "Please bring a few clean bowls and fill them for the beautifuldy."


    The front desk quickly brought some bowls, filled them with pickles per my instructions, and ced them on a tray.


    The woman wanted to pay Mrs. Cylon, but she firmly refused. In the end, the woman simply took out a pair of sunsses from her bag and handed them to her.


    "Ma''am, if you don''t ept these, I really won''t be able to take the pickles. These sunsses are brand new. I''ve never worn them. They''re perfect for shielding your eyes when you''re doing work outside. We have simr face shapes, so they''ll look


    great on you. Please ept them."


    I could tell from a single nce at the sunsses that they were Versace. That pair was easily worth 1,000 dors.


    UT


    Since Mrs. Cylon had no knowledge of luxury brands, she assumed the sunsses cost just a few tens of dors, so she epted them. Meanwhile, Mrs. Brown and hef group looked envious, as if they wanted to snatch the sunsses.


    If they''d known that a few bowls of pickles could be swapped for Versace


    sunsses, they probably would''ve brought all their pickles with them.


    After the woman left with the


    pickles, I asked the front desk to


    bring clean, sealed jars, fill them, and send them to the woman. Then, asked them to send the remaining pickles to the university via courier. By the time everything was sorted, it was alreadyte.


    Felicia decided to remain with her mom, so I returned to school alone since I couldn''t stay any longer.


    On the way back, I called my mother and told her what had happened. "Wow, son! You''ve got a girlfriend? What kind of woman is she?"


    As expected, my mom got excited right away. If it weren''t for Felicia bringing her mother here to introduce her to me, I''d nned not to tell my mother for at least another year.


    But now, I had no choice but to tell her.


    I recounted how I met Felicia, and my mother pped in delight. "That''s great! She must be a nice youngdy. I like her already. I''ve told you before. When looking for a girlfriend, don''t just focus on looks or her figure.


    "Find someone with a good personality-modest and mature, like me. She doesn''t need to be exceptional, just capable of being a good and helpful wife."


    I smiled at her remarks. "I know. She has a great personality."

 Chapter 176

    "Well, Felicia''s mother must have had a hard timeing here with all that olive oil she brought us. What would be a good gift for her? Should we give her that Silence store in Welsington City?" Mom asked.


    "Please don''t..." I quickly stopped her, exining that I hadn''t revealed my wealth and had no intention of doing so.


    "At the end of the day, it''s still uncertain whether Felicia and I would end up together. We''re just in the early stages of dating, so don''t do anything grand. Besides, even if you give them the store, they wouldn''t know how to manage it."


    Mom felt ratherforted by my words. "Will, you''ve really be much more mature and dependable now. It seems that sending you to study in Welsington City was the right decision.


    "You wouldn''t believe how crazy some of the children of wealthy families who went abroad have gotten. They''re partying non-stop, and two of them have even had kids!"


    After a short pause, she continued, "How about this-give me her contact info. I''ll send some professionals to her hometown to help withnd nning and reforms. That way, she won''t end up with an empty harvest this year and can make some money."


    I thought that it was a great idea, so I immediately agreed.


    Although Mom said it was just to avoid an empty harvest, I knew that with her involvement, Felicia''s family was bound to make a decent profit this year.


    That evening, I brought the pickles back to the dorm and shared some with Benjamin and the others.


    Matthew found them tasty and insisted on giving some to Isabelle.


    I was worried Isabelle might judge me for them, but to my surprise, she didn''t. Instead, she sent me a message to thank me. That slightly changed my impression of Isabelle for the better.


    The next day, I arrived at the resort early in the morning.


    The first thing I asked Mrs. Cylon was whether she had slept well.


    Smiling, she replied, "I had great sleep. The suite is spacious, and there are several mattress firmness options. I chose one simr to the one at home and slept very soundly."


    "That''s good to hear. Have you had breakfast?"


    As soon as I asked, the mother and daughter couldn''t help butugh, which confused me. "What''s so funny? Did you not eat, or was the food not to your liking?"


    Felicia pulled me to sit beside her, grinning as she recounted the funny incident from that morning.


    It turned out that Mrs. Brown and


    that


    her group went for breakfast early in the morning. When they heard that there wasplimentary breakfast, they immediately scoffed, iming free things were never good and insisting on ordering food instead.


    After finishing their meal, the bill came out to 1,300 dors for the five of them.


    Naturally, they blew up on the spot, using the resort of fraud and almost getting into a fight with the manager.


    Initially, the manager thought that they were close to me and wanted to do me a favor by waiving the bill But once Felicia and her mother appeared, the group redirected their anger at them and started berating them harshly.


    The manager knew that Felicia was my girlfriend, so she immediately understood the situation. Since we weren''t actually close with those people the manager handled it strictly by the book and insisted on


    coffecting payment, whicted


    to the point where the police were called.


    Ultimately, even with the police involved, it didn''t help them since they were in the wrong. They called one of their rtives toe and help, but they sided with the resort instead.


    Eventually, Veronica was forced to pay the bill out of her own pocket since Louis had no money left.


    Felicia burst outughing when she reached the end. "I''ve never seen Veronica look so miserable!"

 Chapter 177

    I alsoughed when I heard what had happened.


    So they skipped theplimentary breakfast and insisted on the paid one? Were they out of their minds?


    My family had gone on countless trips and stayed in numerous hotels. Despite having plenty of money, we never looked down on theplimentary breakfasts.


    I had previously called them nouveau riche just to irritate them, but now, I genuinely thought they acted like it. They definitely were like nouveau riche to me.


    Just because they got a bit of money, they acted like they had all the money in the world to burn, finding joy in stirring up unnecessary drama.


    "Let''s go, Felicia and Mrs. Cylon. I''ll take you out for some sightseeing."


    To give Mrs. Cylon a good travel experience, I specifically asked Victor to arrange some itineraries and even hired a tour guide. So, for the next few days, Felicia and I did nothing but apany Mrs. Cylon and follow the guide around Welsington City.


    We indulged in food, entertainment, and sightseeing-all thoroughly enjoyable.


    After a few days, Mrs. Cylon''s initial awkwardness finally eased. She smiled more and spoke with greater confidence.


    However, our frequent absences from ss displeased Tom. He called Felicia and me separately, warning us that continued truancy would result in credit deductions.


    His tone wasn''t harsh. He was just being professional and exercising his authority as a counselor.


    Ever since Ryan was arrested and the truth about the stolen money was revealed, Tom seemed to avoid me. During meetings, he never made eye contact with me and preferred to ry messages to me through others instead of interacting with me directly.


    I could understand his standpoint. Evidently, he was just feeling embarrassed for wrongfully using me. Still, I wondered if that was necessary.


    It wasn''t like this was his first or second time falsely using me. Hadn''t he gotten used to it by now?


    That said, Tom wasn''t


    wrong-skipping sses all the time was uneptable. So, after apanying them for a few days, I had Mrs. Cylon continue exploring with the guide while I returned to school to attend sses.


    Besides, with the experience from the past few days, Mrs. Cylon was now well-acquainted with the tour


    guide. As such, it wasn''t going to be rd.


    When I entered the ssroom, I immediately spotted Louis. I assumed he had


    also received a warning from Tom.


    During the break, I overheard


    Benjamin and Liam gossiping about


    a recent scandal involving a star


    athlete. Intrigued, I joined the


    conversation and shared my story of


    meeting that athlete.


    Benjamin and Liam guffawed, thinking I was lying, but I couldn''t be bothered to exin.


    At this moment, Louis suddenly approached the seat before me, looking


    distressed as he asked Zack for a loan.


    Zack frowned, looking troubled. "I''m broke, too."


    Louis pleaded pitifully, "Just a few hundred will. Help me get through this month. I don''t even have money for food now."


    "Then eat less! You still haven''t paid me back the 200 dors you borrowedst month."


    "Loan me 800 first. Once I get my allowance next month, I''ll pay you 1,100 dors in return."


    Hearing this, Zack finally took out his phone to transfer 800 dors to him.

 Chapter 178

    With 800 dors, Louis visibly breathed a sigh of relief. But I knew there was a high chance he wouldn''t be able to repay it.


    That was because the meal at that hotel was almost 20 thousand dors, and he had paid most of that with credit cards.


    Next month, he would have to pay off the credit cards and spend money on Veronica. There might not even be enough left for himself, so how could he repay Zack?


    Their friendship was about to face its ultimate test. Whether they were truly friends would be revealed by this 1,000 dors.


    After school in the afternoon, I took Felicia with me and immediately hailed a cab to the resort, nning to take Mrs. Cylon out for a boat ride and enjoy the night view.


    We saw Mrs. Brown and her twopanions heading for the exit as soon as we entered the lobby.


    Neither Felicia nor I wanted a direct confrontation with them. So, to avoid their unpleasant remarks and unnecessary trouble, we sat on a nearby couch to wait for them to leave.


    Just as they passed the front desk and were about to leave, the receptionist suddenly stopped them.


    "Excuse me,dies. Your checkout time was at noon today. We''ve already called to notify you, but you haven''t checked out yet. May I ask if you''d like to extend your stay?"


    "Extend? There''s nothing worth staying for in this shabby hotel! Your hotel can''t evenpare to the Hilton!"


    "Hilton?" The receptionist looked surprised. "Ma''am, you must be joking, right?"


    That statement did indeed sound like a joke.


    Although Hilton had five-star hotels, they were just hotels.


    This, however, was a vi resort. It was a fundamentally different ss from regr hotels.


    Before, when they questioned this resort and kept insisting on Hilton earlier, I was already speechless at their attitude but couldn''t be bothered to exin to them. I couldn''t believe that they still hadn''t noticed the difference after staying here for so many days.


    "Joke? Don''t you know the standard of your own hotel? There''s not even an elevator! It''s shabby, with wildflowers and weeds everywhere. What''s the difference between this ce and the countryside? Even our garden at home is bigger than this!"


    The receptionist was at a loss. "Alright. Then I''ll process your check-out now."


    "Wait!"


    Right then, Mrs. Cylon walked over, nervously ncing at the others as she said, "You don''t have to rush to check out. William told me to call him if the roomspse, and he''ll extend it for us. Let me give him a call¡ª"


    One of Mrs. Brown''spanions angrily interrupted, "What for? Even if you ask him to extend the stay, it''d still be at this shabby hotel. If you want to stay, then go ahead, but we''re not interested! Vanessa, ask Louis to book us a room at the Hilton instead."


    "Yeah! Let''s move to the Hilton today."


    Mrs. Cylon was embarrassed when she heard this. She stood there with her phone, not knowing what to do.


    The receptionist smirked at their words. Chuckling, she said, "Alright. You''re checking out, correct? I''ll process it now. However, your stay has exceeded the time limit, so we''ll charge an additional day''s fee."


    Mrs. Brown sneered. "Fine. We''ll pay. Do you think I care about an additional day''s fee? How much is it a few hundred for the day?"


    Herpanion snorted. "A few hundred? This seedy ce shouldn''t cost more than a hundred dors per day!"


    The receptionist gritted her teeth


    before stating, "You exceeded the time limit for three rooms, all premium suites with meals and full service That''s 9,999 dors per room per day, totaling 29,990 dors for three rooms.


    "Additionally, a guest who stayed in our Brilliance Suite broke one of our ss bowls worth 1,300 dors. In total, you need to pay 31,297 dors."


    When this amount was announced, not only did the three of them look shocked, but even Mrs. Cylon, standing nearby, turned pale with fright.


    Felicia''s eyes widened in shock, and she nearly jumped up. After I pulled her back down, she turned to me, gritting her teeth and saying, "Why did you book such an expensive hotel?"


    Chuckling, I said, "Considering the service, the price is quite fair. Besides, if the booking had been under my name, the cost would have been much cheaper or even free.


    "However, because they''ve been causing trouble for your mom these past few days, the hotel manager no longer considers them my guests and charged them the standard market rate."

 Chapter 179

    If I were to stay here under my own name, not only would I not have to pay, but the owner and manager would even shower me with gifts.


    "Y-You said how much? Over 30 thousand? Are you fucking out of your mind? You''re telling me that these shabby suites cost over 30 thousand dors? Do you take us for fools?"


    By this point, the receptionist had had enough. "Ladies, you have repeatedly insulted our resort. Aren''t you being too much? We wee your feedback if you have an issue with our services or facilities.


    "However, over the past few days, we have never once treated you poorly, and our service has been exemry. So, may I ask what exactly is your grievance?"


    Mrs. Brown mmed her hand on the counter. "Your fees are ridiculous!"


    The receptionist turned and pointed to the wall. "Our prices are clearly listed. What''s unreasonable?"


    Looking up, the three women finally noticed that a price list was indeed hanging on the wall. However, the price list was crafted out of wooden ques and arranged in a way that made it look more like a decoration. One would only notice it if one looked closely.


    Seeing this, they were even more dumbfounded. It turned out that their suites weren''t even the best ones. I had reserved the best one for Mrs. Cylon. Her room cost 12,999 dors per night, being thergest, most luxurious, and best suite in the entire resort.


    While their suites weren''t the best, they were still among the better suitespared to the others.


    "Impossible! This is absolutely impossible. Are you trying to scam honest people like us? I checked online. Hilton''s best room, even the presidential suite, only costs a few thousand per night. What gives you the right to charge over ten thousand?"


    The receptionist sighed and exined, "As I said, this isn''t a hotel. It''s a vi resort."


    Before she could continue, a group of men in suits approached the front desk. "Miss, please book us three of your premium suites.


    "We''re hosting an international delegation, and some embassy VIPs will also be staying with us. Everything must be wless."


    The receptionist frowned slightly. "The premium suites are currently upied, but you can wait. These three quests are about to check out. Once they settle their bill, I''ll process their departure and arrange your check-in."


    "Really? That''s great!" The men immediately turned to look at Mrs. Brown and herpanions.


    "Ladies, please settle your bill promptly."


    Mrs. Brown''s face turned red as she


    gritted her teeth. "What are you


    rushing us for? Are you all in


    cahoots, acting as shills to


    scam our


    money?"


    The men were taken aback, clearly not understanding what Mrs. Brown was saying. "Shills?"


    The embarrassed receptionist


    quickly interjected, "Please stop spouting nonsense. These gentlemen are regrs here, and they''re city officials. If you offend such distinguished guests, I won''t be able to help you!"


    "Officials? Ha! What a joke. What kind of official would stay at a shabby ce like this?"


    Mrs. Brown strode over to the men. "Where are you officials from? Enlighten me! And just so you know, my husband is also an official!"


    After exchanging nces, the suited men smirked disdainfully. "Oh? And where does your husband serve as an official?"


    "My husband is Malcolm Brown, an official at the Bloomville County Recorder''s office.


    When she revealed her husband''s position, I nearly spat out the tea in my mouth.

 Chapter 180

    It turned out that Veronica''s father was just an official working in Bloomville County Recorder''s office. Given how terrified Felicia and Mrs. Cylon were of Veronica and her family, I had assumed he was a powerful figure.


    The suited men clearly hadn''t expected her to make such a bold im, only to find out that Malcolm was from such a small department.


    They shook their heads. One of them pulled out their phone and made a call.


    "Hello, can you connect me to the Bloomville County Recorder''s office? Have a guy named Malcolm Brown handle his wife. She''s causing trouble in front of me for no reason."


    He hung up the phone right after.


    Mrs. Brown froze briefly, a trace of fear showing in her eyes, but she quickly red back defiantly right after. "Don''t try to scare me! The fact that you''re staying in such a shabby hotel proves you''re not anyone important. Don''t try to act tough in front of¡ª"


    Before she could finish her sentence, her phone rang.


    She looked down, her face immediately bing pale. She trembled as she answered, "Hello, honey? Y-Yes, of course. I wouldn''t dare! How could I... Is he really a big shot? Alright. I''ll apologize right away."


    After ending the call, she appearedpletely deted. Looking up at the men, she no longer had her earlier bravado and seemed as timid as a mouse.


    "I-I''m very sorry. I didn''t know who you were..."


    One of the men coldly replied, "Enough with the talk. Pay your fees and clear the room for us. We''re hosting foreign investors who have major investments in Welsington City. We can''t afford to offend them. Move quickly."


    Pay the fees?


    When they heard this, Mrs. Brown and the other two looked like they had swallowed a bug, their expressions full of difort.


    They couldn''t evene up with 20 thousand to pay for the meal, let alone 30 thousand dors for the suites. The three of them whispered to each other for a long time but couldn''te up with a solution.


    Just as Mrs. Brown turned around, she suddenly spotted Mrs. Cylon, who had been quietly standing aside, causing her eyes to light up.


    She rushed over and grabbed Mrs. Cylon by the arm. "Didn''t you say that you''ll call your son-inw to ask if he can extend our stay? You need to ask him now!"


    "Yeah, just ask him! It''s 30 thousand dors for a day! Even if we sold our organs, we wouldn''t be able toe up with that much money!"


    "Vanessa brought you here with great effort. You can''t be ungrateful now, so ask him!"


    I couldn''t help but be furious upon hearing their remarks. I thought that they were shameless.


    They had been pushing Mrs. Cylon


    around earlier, but now, when they were in trouble, they suddenly. thought of her. They didn''t even bother to speak kindly and were just intimidating her.


    As the kind-hearted Mrs. Cylon had just witnessed everything and realized that the men were not to be messed with, she took out her phone to call me.


    After quickly switching my phone to silent mode, I answered her call, promising to help pay the fees and extend their stay. I then called the resort manager.


    Soon, the receptionist received the message. "Your three suites have been extended for another week."


    She then turned to the men. "I apologize, but our premium suites are fully booked. Would you like to consider our deluxe suites? They''re also quite good and with the same level of service. They''re just slightly smaller."


    "Well, we have no other choice. Just take us to see them!"


    "Alright. Please follow me."


    Once the receptionist left, Mrs. Brown and herpanions let out a long sigh of relief, slumping down


    while clinging to the front desk like


    they had been drained of all energy.


    "I can''t believe that it''s so expensive to stay here. I really couldn''t tell at all."


    "That was so embarrassing! We were just saying how shabby this hotel was, but even the top officials of Welsington City stay here!"

 Chapter 181

    I couldn''t help but chuckle.


    Didn''t they already know if their rooms were good or not? Did they really need external things to prove their value?


    At that moment, Mrs. Cylon spoke up. "William''s a good kid. He wouldn''t give us anything subpar. Everything he''s arranged for us is definitely top-notch!"


    If this had been a few days ago, the other women would''ve immediately started arguing with her. But now, hearing Mrs. Cylon''s words, none of them had anything to say. The evidence was right in front of them, after all.


    "Speaking of which, how did your son-inw manage to book such an expensive room for us? Adding yours, that''s 40 thousand dors a day! We''ve been staying here for so long. This must be hundreds of thousands in hotel bills by now!"


    "Exactly! And he didn''t even say a single word about it. If we hadn''t gone overtime today, we probably wouldn''t have even realized how pricey this ce is. That guy sure knows how to keep things to himself."


    "With someone like that, he''s clearly not from an ordinary background. Laura, what''s the story with your son-inw?"


    Mrs. Cylon''s face lit up with pride as she replied, "I don''t know what his background is, but I know he''s a good kid and treats Felicia very well. That''s all that matters to me."


    "If you don''t want to say it, just say so. No need to act all mysterious." Mrs. Brown shot her a side-eye, clearly annoyed.


    "Veronica''s boyfriend is such a cheapskate. He acts like spending 20 thousand dors on dinner is killing him. But look at Felicia''s boyfriend, putting us up in a ce worth hundreds of thousands without even batting an eye. Felicia really lucked out!"


    Her cousin chimed in, saying, "Still, I don''t think that Felicia can handle William. It probably won''t be long before he dumps her."


    "Exactly. To marry someone like him, you have to be sharp. But with Felicia''s silly little brain, she''s bound to get yed. If you ask me, Veronica''s a better match for him.


    Vanessa couldn''t hide her delight. "Absolutely. I think Veronica and William would be perfect together!"


    Felicia''s face turned pale when she heard this.


    I quickly grabbed her hand, half amused and half exasperated. "Don''t listen to their nonsense. I won''t ever change my feelings for you, and I definitely don''t have any interest in someone like Veronica."


    Felicia bit her lip. "I know you wouldn''t like someone like Veronica, but if it were another pretty woman..."


    "Sweetheart."


    It was the first time I called her by that nickname.


    "If I only cared about looks when choosing a girlfriend, I wouldn''t have picked you in the first ce."


    Felicia''s expression darkened even more when those words left my mouth.


    I froze, realizing I had said something wrong. Panicking, I added, "I-I''m bad at phrasing things Don''t be mad. What I mean is that I care more about my personality when choosing a girlfriend. Looks are secondary. And I think your personality is wonderful. Nothing else matters."


    Fortunately, Vanessa and the other two women had returned to their rooms,ughing and chatting as they left. Mrs. Cylon stayed behind, shifting Felicia''s attention just enough to save me from having to dig myself out of that mess.


    Honestly, though, it wasn''t like I didn''t care about appearances at all.


    I mean, I couldn''t date someone


    unattractive. But looks were just part of it. Being decent was good enough. Felicia might not be a perfectten, but her figure was undeniably amazing, and with a little effort, her face could easily stand out in a crowd.


    Lately, I found myself liking her more and more. That was enough for me.


    We invited Mrs. Cylon to dinner on a


    luxury riverboat, enjoying the evening together. Around 11:00 pm, 1 dropped her off at the hotel and headed back to campus with Felicia. When we reached the dormitory, Felicia clung to my hand, leaning


    into my chest and refusing to let go.


    I smiled, gently patting her head. "What''s wrong? Why are you so clingy tonight?"


    "I don''t know. I just don''t want to leave you."


    "Don''t want to leave me... Well, how about we go get a room and sleep together?"


    I was only teasing, hoping to make her shy. But to my surprise, she looked up at


    me solemnly and nodded. "Okay."


    Now, it was my turn to blush.


    "Uhh... Are you really okay with that?"


    Back when I was dating Lina, nothing ever happened between us. So, to this day,


    I was still clueless and inexperienced in that area.

 Chapter 182

    It was the middle of the night, and with my girlfriend being this seductive, how could I possibly resist?


    Felicia nodded lightly. "I''m willing."


    I couldn''t believe it and wondered if I should agree. I was caught in an intense internal struggle.


    Ultimately, reason triumphed over the devil of desire. I leaned down and kissed her firmly. "In a few days, after your mom goes back home, we''ll go to the hotel. I''ll make sure to prepare everything in advance. Tonight''s too rushed. Be good, okay?"


    Her cheeks flushed bright red as she threw herself into my arms again. She tilted her head and kissed me softly on the neck before dashing into the dormitory.


    Her unexpected boldnesspletely disarmed me. I was so flustered that I couldn''t even string a sentence together. I ended up standing there under the dorm building for at least half an hour, frozen in ce.


    That''s when I heard a slightly hoarse voice behind me. "William."


    I turned around, and to my surprise, there she was-Charlotte Hayes. It had been ages since I hadst seen her.


    She looked just the same. She had long hair cascading over her shoulders, and her face was bare. She was dressed in a ck blouse and dark jeans. She exuded the effortlessly cool vibe she always had.


    "Hey, it''s been a while," I greeted.


    Charlotte looked at me, hesitating as if she had something to say. When she finally spoke, her first words caught mepletely off guard.


    "Are you still with Felicia?"


    "Yeah."


    "Oh."


    The awkward silence stretched between us, and I figured that there was no point dragging it out.


    "Well, I should get back to the dorm now," I said hastily before quickly exiting to avoid the ufortable atmosphere. Still, I couldn''t shake the feeling that Charlotte''s gaze lingered on my back, leaving me uneasy.


    What was up with her? She seemed like she had something weighing on her mind.


    A few dayster, Mrs. Cylon finally returned home, and I felt like I could finally breathe again.


    Without the constant need to rush to the resort after ss, I suddenly had more free time, which I used to go on more dates with Felicia.


    But ever since that night when she said that she was willing, her words were etched in my mind. I couldn''t stop thinking about it.


    And it wasn''t just during the day. My nights were filled with vivid and tantalizing dreams for days on end. This couldn''t go on forever.


    So, taking advantage of Saturday, nned an entire day of activities for us a deep, intimate date that would naturally lead to a night together at the hotel.


    At noon, we dined at an outdoor restaurant, enjoying a meal under the open sky. As we ate, I seized the opportunity to casually ask, "Do you have any ns for tonight?


    Felicia nced at me, then leaned in close, her voice dropping to a whisper. "William, a beautiful woman over there keeps staring at you."


    "What?"


    I turned my head and locked eyes with a stunning woman sitting at another table.


    What was going on? Could someone really have fallen for me at first sight?


    I wasn''t one to get overly confident, so my first instinct was to check my pants.


    Was my zipper down? Everything seemed to be in order.


    Maybe there was something on my back? While I was still puzzling over it, the woman suddenly stood up and began walking toward us.

 Chapter 183

    Felicia immediately tensed up, ring at the approaching woman as if she were a sworn enemy. I couldn''t help but find it amusing.


    Was she really that insecure? Did she think I was so unreliable that any random woman could just waltz in and steal me away?


    The woman reached our table and smiled warmly. "It looks like you''ve already noticed me, so I''ll cut to the chase and introduce myself. My name is Hailey Foster. I''m a talent scout for an entertainment agency. Ourpany is currently looking to recruit beautiful and talented young women to form a girl group for public promotions. Would you be interested?"


    As she spoke, her gazended squarely on Felicia.


    Felicia blinked in surprise. "A girl group?"


    "That''s right! You know how every country seems to have these hugely popr girl groups, right? But here, we''ve never had one that really sticks around. Even when we do, they quickly disband to pursue acting careers. Ourpany is different. We''remitted to creating a singing and dancing girl group with no acting involved."


    Felicia lookedpletely intrigued. This was clearly something she had never encountered before, and her puzzled expression soon turned into a pleading look in my direction as if asking for guidance.


    I, on the other hand, had some experience in this area.


    Back when my family''s orchard was looking for promotional help, we had hired one of the most popr girl groups in the country as brand ambassadors. Unfortunately, the experience left a bad impression. The group was notoriously difficult to work with, and two of the women even tried to flirt with me despite my being only 17 at the time.


    Felicia was so pure-too pure for an environment like that. Joining such a group and being exposed to that kind of work could easily lead her astray.


    After some thought, I shook my head and replied firmly, "Sorry, but we''re not interested. You should look for someone else."


    Hailey, however, wasn''t ready to give up. "Sir, may I ask what your rtionship with this lovely youngdy is?"


    Annoyed, I answered, "I''m her boyfriend."


    "Well, you''re just her boyfriend, not her father. Do you really have the right to make decisions for her?


    What? Who talks like that?


    I was about to respond when she cut me off again. "Miss, if you sign with ourpany, you''ll earn a base sry of at least ten thousand


    dors a month. If you''re selene ned


    for the group, your monthly ie could reach hundreds of


    thousands-or even more. Plus, we''ll provide free training with modeling coaches and dance instructors. You won''t have to spend a single cent. Isn''t that worth considering?"


    "Hundreds of thousands a month..." Felicia''s eyes lit up instantly. "Really? But what if I don''t make that much?"


    Hailey smiled, sensing she had hit Felicia''s weak point-money. When someone''s weakness was exposed, it became a lot easier to sway them.


    "As long as youe with me for an interview today and pass, we can sign the contract immediately. The contract will guarantee you a base sry of ten thousand per month, and all you need to do ismit to five hours of training each day.


    "After some time, we''ll conduct a selection process among the women. If you''re chosen and your monthly ie falls below 30.


    thousand, I''ll personally makel.ne


    the


    difference. I''m even willing to sign a separate agreement with you about this."


    This woman... She was good at her job. And everything she said was true.


    Given the current state of the entertainment industry, if someone managed to debut, even just doing constant promotional gigs could easily bring in tens of thousands a month.


    The real problemy in the darker side of the business. Companies often pressured their female artists into attending private dinners or entertaining wealthy clients under the guise ofworking. And frankly, this was almost guaranteed to happen.


    That''s why I didn''t want Felicia involved.


    But Felicia was clearly tempted. "Really? Then I''d like to go!"

 Chapter 184

    Felicia turned to me, looking excited. She said, "William, if I can earn that much money, my mom wouldn''t have to work so hard in just a few years! And... And I could save up to start a business. That way, I wouldn''t feel like I''m not good enough for you. Please, let me go, okay?"


    Seeing her so thrilled, I couldn''t bring myself to say anything that would dampen her spirits.


    "Alright. If you want to go, then go. I''ll make sure to protect you, no matter what."


    Hailey clearly hadn''t expected Felicia to agree so readily. With a small smile, she began to usher Felicia toward thepany to sign the contract.


    "Hold on a second."


    I stopped them and pulled out my phone, dialing n, mywyer. "I''m at the Welsington City Industrial Park Promenade. Send someone who''s experienced with entertainment contracts here right away. I need them now. Make it quick."


    Hailey froze, looking at me in disbelief. I gave her a warning look. She was gravely mistaken if she thought Felicia was some naive, sweet girl she could easily deceive.


    Ten minutester, awyer I hadn''t met before arrived. Together, we followed Hailey back to thepany.


    I took a quick tour of the ce. It wasrger and more professional than I had expected. Thepany was even searchable online and had trained a few well- known celebrities.


    Their track record wasn''t top-tier, but it wasn''t bad either.


    After a few corrections from thewyer, the contract was finally printed, and Felicia signed her name.


    Hailey sighed dramatically. "Felicia, keep this contract safe, and don''t let anyone else see it. This is a unique agreement tailored just for you. It''spletely different from the others. If people find out I''m treating you differently, it could cause trouble."


    Felicia understood this basic social dynamic and nodded immediately. "Don''t worry, Ms. Foster. I won''t tell anyone!"


    Afterward, Hailey arranged for Felicia to meet with a coach, n her schedule, and participate in a two-hour trial session. Since it wasn''t appropriate for me to follow, I had no choice but to leave thepany for the time being.


    All my ns for our date and potential progress that night were officially ruined. I looked up at the sky and sighed deeply.


    What rotten luck! After so much mental preparation, this was just frustrating.


    But then I calcted the time. Even if Felicia stayed at thepany for three hours, she would be out by five in the evening. Didn''t that mean there was still a chance? The thought cheered me up again.


    I had to kill three hours somehow, so I ended up going to a tennis club to pass the time. After ying for a few hours, I took a shower and headed out, giving Felicia a call.


    It took her a while to pick up. "William," she said softly.


    My brow furrowed. "Were you crying?" Her voice sounded hoarse as if she had been upset.


    "No, not at all. Maybe I''m just tired from dancing."


    Really? I felt a bit more at ease. "Are you done with your training? I''lle pick you up for dinner."


    "Okay," she replied, her voice still


    sweet and soft, tugging at my heartstrings. I couldn''t help but smile as I hailed a car to head straight to Starlight Entertainment Agency.


    When I arrived at the building, I saw Felicia standing at the entrance. But she wasn''t alone. There were a few other women with her, and it looked like they were arguing.

 Chapter 185

    "Don''t treat our words like they''re nothing. If you dare stay in thispany, I''ll make your face uglier than a witch''s!" one of the women said.


    "We don''t want to make things difficult for you, but you''re in our way! And because of you, one of our friends is losing their spot. So tell me, don''t you deserve a beating?"


    "Keep your mouth shut. If you dare talk about this, we''ll ster your photos all over the inte. You''ll never be able to show your face again."


    As I approached, I overheard the vile threats those women were hurling at Felicia. Their words were cruel, dripping with malice.


    "What photos?" I asked in a low voice, startling the group of women.


    They turned to look at me. When they saw that I was just a casually dressed college student, their expressions rxed slightly, and they crossed their arms arrogantly.


    "And who are you?"


    Felicia saw me and quickly shook her head. "William, it''s fine. Let''s go."


    I didn''t move. Instead, I pulled Felicia behind me and said coldly, "I''m her boyfriend. And who are you to threaten her?"


    These women were undeniably beautiful, but their words and expressions were sharp and venomous.


    "Oh, so you''re this little slut''s boyfriend!


    "Perfect timing. Let me tell you, the girl group slots in ourpany are full. If she''s trying to squeeze her way in, she''s asking for trouble. You''d better take her and leave now. Otherwise, what happened today will only get worse in the future."


    I turned to look at Felicia and noticed the faint but unmistakable outline of a handprint on her cheek, partially hidden by her hair. Someone had dared toy a hand on her!


    I grabbed her wrist. "Felicia, who hit you?"


    Tears welled up in her eyes. "William, don''t ask. I''ll handle this myself. Let''s just leave, okay?"


    "Tell me first-who hit you?"


    She bit her lip and hesitated for a long moment before finally ncing toward the tallest woman in the group.


    The woman didn''t even flinch under Felicia''s gaze. Instead, she crossed her arms, smirked, and said, "I hit her. So what? I didn''t like her. She''s annoying. I wanted her gone so I pped her."


    I fixed her with a cold stare. "You don''t like someone, so you think you can hit them?"


    "That''s right. Got a problem with that?"


    "No problem."


    As soon as I finished speaking, I stepped forward and pped her across the face.


    I didn''t hold back. My palmnded with a heavy thud, and I could feel the bone of her cheek under my hand. She stumbled and fell to the ground from the force of the blow.


    ?


    The other women were frozen in shock, staring at me, too scared to move. They might have been arrogant with their words, but they were no match for me when it came to physical confrontation.


    "Felicia, who else hit you?"


    Felicia''s eyes were wide with fear as she pleaded, "Stop, William! Thepany


    has strict rules against members fighting each other."


    "If they''re not afraid, why should you be? Tell me who else hit you?"

 Chapter 186

    Felicia looked at the women again. They immediately backed away in fear. But I refused to let them off that easily. With a quick step forward, I grabbed their cors and pped each of them.


    I red at them and said, "Listen carefully. If you stop now, this ends here. But if you darey a hand on Felicia again, I promise I''ll hit you even harder next time."


    With that, I took Felicia away.


    I knew full well that they would probably retaliate against Felicia even more viciously tomorrow, but this kind of torment was only temporary.


    Escting the conflict and bringing it to a head was the only way to resolve it. After all, it was better to rip the bandage off.


    On the way back, Felicia remained downcast. I didn''t know how tofort her, so I just held her hand tightly.


    When we got out of the car, she finally spoke up. "William, am I useless? I finally got a chance to earn money, but I couldn''t seize it. With them ostracizing me like this, I fear I won''t be chosen to debut with them. Even if I do get chosen, they''ll keep excluding me."


    "If that''s what you''re worried about, that''s easy to ovee. Just double your efforts. When you debut, outperform them a hundredfold. Make sure all the fans and resources of the group gravitate toward you.


    "They''ll have no choice but to bask in your glow. When the timees, you''ll be the queen. And they''ll spend their whole lives groveling at your feet."


    By then, she wouldn''t even care about them excluding her anymore because she could easily kick them aside and forge a better path for herself.


    Felicia''s eyes widened with determination. "You''re right! There''s nothing for me to be discouraged about. I just need to work harder and be more outstanding! Besides, the coach said I have a talent for dancing.


    "Even though I don''t have formal training, my body is flexible, and I have a natural sense of rhythm. My dancing looks better than those of the professionals."


    When she gained her confidence back, I felt happy, too. Holding her hand, I was just about to take her to dinner when her phone suddenly rang.


    "Is it someone from your hometown?"


    She epted the call curiously. "Hello?"


    "Felicia, your mom was in a car ident! She''s in the hospital now! Hurry back! If you don''t get here soon, you might not be able to see her again!" the person on the other end shouted urgently. They were so loud that I could even hear them.


    "What?"


    Felicia''s phone dropped to the ground. She couldn''t even stand anymore as she copsed.


    I quickly caught her and picked up her phone. "Hello? I''m Felicia''s boyfriend. May


    I ask which hospital Mrs. Cylon is in?"


    After getting the hospital''s address, I immediately held Felicia tightly andforted her, "Felicia, don''t worry. I''ll have Victor arrange for the best doctors to go there. Your mom will surely pull through!"


    I dialed Victor''s number and told him to contact the best local doctors to rush to the hospital. Other than that, I also had him gather top doctors and specialists from across the country to provide support


    Then, I brought Felicia to Imperia Manor. We got into the V8 Koenigsegg and headed straight for the hospital.


    There were no direct flights from Welsington City to the hospital where Mrs. Cylon was, and taking connecting transportation would take even longer. Driving there directly would still take three hours.


    The entire way, I stayed in contact with the hospital over the phone, getting real- time updates on Mrs. Cylon''s condition. However, the situation didn''t seem very hopeful.


    Felicia was sobbing, and I had no idea how tofort her.


    At this moment, saying anything would be pointless. All I could do was hope for Mrs. Cylon to be okay, or Felicia would be devastated.

 Chapter 187

    As I was driving along a road, I noticed it was blocked ahead. Darn it! Getting stuck in traffic at a time like this was not good.


    I immediately stopped the car and got out to check the situation. What I saw was


    a group of sleazy-looking men setting up a disy of flowers on the ground and pestering a young woman.


    The woman looked furious and aggrieved, desperately pushing away the men in front of her. But they disregarded her resistance and continued to surround and harass her.


    "Crystal, just say yes to Mr. Donovan. He''s so good to you! Look at all these roses. He bought them just for you."


    "Yeah, Crystal. You and Mr. Donovan are such a perfect match. Why are you being so cold? Say yes, and you''ll havemand over us. We''ll listen to everything you say."


    "Mr. Donovan has been chasing you for a year now, and he bought you so many things. Isn''t it time you gave him an answer?"


    The woman was wearing an off-shoulder short dress, her hair draping over her shoulders. Crossing her arms, she retorted, "I''ve already told you I don''t like him! Get out of my way, or I''ll call the police!"


    "If you dare to call the police, we''ll juste to your house tonight," one of the men sneered.


    "You wouldn''t dare! This is illegal! If I report you, you''ll be detained!" shouted the woman as she trembled angrily.


    The manughed before saying, "So what? It''s only a few days. We''ll be out soon enough. It''s not as if we haven''t been detained before. But Crystal, if you don''tply with us, we''ll just force you. We''ll no longer be gentle with you, right, Mr. Donovan?"


    Mr. Donovan gritted his teeth. "Crystal, just be my girlfriend, and nothing bad will happen. Otherwise, I can''t guarantee what I''ll do.


    "This is inevitable. You''ll have no choice but to ept me sooner orter. Why make things hard for yourself?"


    "You!"


    I stood nearby and listened for a moment. Clearly, these guys were trying to force the woman toply.


    If they had genuinely confessed their feelings, I might have just talked to them or taken a detour. But since they were resorting to coercion, I had no need to show them mercy.


    Stepping forward, I kicked the roses and the speaker flying into the air as they were blocking the road. The men quickly shifted their attention to me.


    "Who the hell are you? You''re seeking death!"


    I stared at them coldly. "Clear the road right now. I need to pass through here."


    Mr. Donovan took a few steps


    toward me. "Where the hell did you Om? Are you one of Crystal''s


    suitors? You''d better stay out of my business, or I''ll kill you!"


    "I''m giving you onest chance. Are you going to move or not?" I questioned expressionlessly.


    "Definitely not!"


    "Alright." I had no patience to argue with him, as I was already pressed for time. Since he refused to move, I had my own way of handling it.


    I returned to my car, stepped on the pedal, and drove toward Mr. Donovan.


    Even if I ended up hitting him and causing serious harm, I only needed to pay somepensation at most. People like him deserved it.


    Everyone on the scene was stunned when they saw me driving straight toward them. Even the woman


    Started waving at me frantically,


    trying to get me to stop.


    But I wasn''t acting out of impulse. I fully understood the consequences of what I


    was doing, and I was willing to bear them.


    Mr. Donovan and his group


    remained in the middle of the road,


    looking smug, as if they didn''t


    believe I''d actually go through


    it. Some even gestured at me


    provocatively, taunting me with their expressions.


    I sneered.


    "William, calm down! Stop the car!"


    Felicia was terrified and grabbed my arm, trying to stop me.

 Chapter 188

    But Felicia grabbing my arm was futile because I kept stepping on the pedal.


    The car charged straight toward Mr. Donovan without hesitation. At thest moment, just before the car hit him, Mr. Donovan''s eyes widened in fear, and he quickly tried to dodge the vehicle.


    However, he was a step too slow. The car struck his lower body, sending him flying.


    Hisckeys were dumbfounded.


    I stopped the car and rolled down the window, tossing a business card to the stunnedckeys on the side of the road. "Take this to handle thepensation."


    With that, I pressed the gas pedal again and drove off.


    In the rearview mirror, I could see the frightened young woman fleeing in panic. Theckeys scattered. Some rushed to pick up the card, others went to help Mr. Donovan, and a few pulled out their phones. They were either calling the ambnce or the police.


    The roses, speakers, and candles all over the road were crushed into a mess of debris under my wheels.


    Felicia was horrified. "William, you hit someone..."


    "Don''t worry. Someone will handle it."


    This was the advantage of privilege.


    Under normal circumstances, I wouldn''t resort to using such advantages because I disliked them myself. But this wasn''t a normal situation. Those men had blocked the road in the middle of the night to harass a young woman. Getting hit was exactly what they deserved.


    As soon as we arrived, Felicia pushed open the car door and bolted toward the building before I could even park properly. I followed her hurriedly.


    When we got upstairs, Mrs. Cylon was still in surgery.


    Upon hearing of my arrival, the hospital director immediately came over with other hospital leaders and several senior doctors. They invited Felicia and me into a conference room.


    "The situation doesn''t look that good. These are the test results from when your mother was first brought in."


    The director handed over a thick file to us. Felicia quickly opened it, but the document was filled with medical jargon that neither of us could understand.


    Frustrated, I shoved the file aside. "Just tell us about her condition."


    "Alright then. I''ll be straightforward. The patient''s heart, lungs, and liver have suffered extremely severe damage. Combined with excessive blood loss, she''s in a highly critical state.


    "Since the patient was not brought in promptly, she missed the optimal time for treatment. I''m afraid that this will lead to a poor prognosis."


    He adjusted his sses before adding, "You both should mentally prepare for the worst."


    Hearing this, Felicia immediately


    covered her mouth. Even though she


    tried to hold it in, she still began to


    cry silently. Since the hospital director said so, it was likely the oue was already certain.


    "If we bring in better doctors, is there any hope?" I asked seriously.


    The director shook his head slowly. "With injuries this severe, it won''t make a difference regardless of which doctor you call in unless


    miracle happens. The patient


    vital


    signs have already reached acritical point.


    BUMS


    "The surgery is merely an attempt to extend her life slightly so she can say her final words to her loved ones."


    "No..."


    Not able to handle it anymore, Felicia got up and ran out of the conference room.


    I turned to look at her, gritting my teeth. I felt helpless. Life was just too fragile. In the face of life and death, money was oftenpletely useless.

 Chapter 189

    Thinking about how Mrs. Cylon brought olive oil and pickles to see Felicia, I couldn''t help but feel a pang of sadness. She had hoped to finally live a slightly better life. But before she could enjoy anyfort, this tragedy struck.


    "Do you know how her mom ended up in the car ident?"


    The doctor sighed. "It''s said that she was driving a load of fruit to the county to sell them. It was too heavy, and the vehicle overturned while driving on a mountain pass. She fell down the mountain.


    "The person who discovered her immediately called for help. But no one knew exactly where she had fallen. It took them two full hours to find her."


    I closed my eyes briefly. This was all my fault. If I hadn''t let Mrs. Cylon leave so early, or if I had dealt with the fruits at her home before she left, maybe none of this would have happened.


    "When will the surgery end?"


    The director sighed. "It could end at any moment."


    "What do you mean?"


    "Mr. White, I''ll be honest with you. The surgery we''re performing on her right now isn''t to treat her injuries but to prolong her life. As long as the surgery continues, she won''t pass away. But ten hours is the limit. Now, there''s just over three hours left."


    The director paused and adjusted his sses. "There are two options. We either continue the surgery for the remaining hours and let her say goodbye then, or we stop the surgery now and let her say goodbye immediately."


    No matter which option we chose, the oue was the same.


    Unwilling to listen to the director anymore, I left the conference room and


    consulted with some of the doctors that Victor had sent over. But their conclusions were the same as the director''s.


    Even if I didn''t want to ept reality, I had to.


    Felicia was still sitting on the bench, crying.


    I walked over and sat beside her.


    rand


    "Felicia, in life, there''s no forever. We''ll grow old someday, and unexpected things might happen. But even if someone is no longer with us, they''ll always stay by our side as long as we don''t forget them and keep them in our hearts.


    "The same goes for your mom. Although I only met her once, I won''t forget her. In the future, I''ll be with you to honor her memory on every holiday and every day you miss her. Come. Let''s go see her."


    Felicia''s eyes were swollen from crying, but she still nodded. I knew that she was a strong woman. No matter how sad she was, she would never give up on herself.


    I turned and nodded to the director, who then walked to the door of the operating room and knocked. Soon, the light in the operating room went out.


    The attending doctor emerged, looking exhausted and drenched in sweat. "Mr. White, I''m sorry. I''ve already done my best. You can go in and see the patient now."


    I put my arm around Felicia''s shoulders, silently giving her strength.


    Mrs. Cylony weakly on the bed. Her body was covered with various tubes, and an oxygen mask was on her face. The director stepped


    forward and removed the oxyg


    mask from her face. "If you have something to say, say them now."


    These words were enough to remind everyone of the dire situation.


    Mrs. Cylon must have sensed her time was running out. Tears immediately welled up in her eyes She gazed at Felicia deeply before ncing at me. "Can the others leave? I want to speak with William and my daughter."

 Chapter 190

    Upon hearing this, the others had no choice but to leave the operating room, leaving the three of us behind.


    "Felicia, I must tell you something. Actually, you are not my biological daughter," her mother said weakly.


    That one sentence stunned both Felicia and me, especially Felicia, who had been crying non-stop. She widened her eyes in shock, looking terrified.


    "Mom, what are you talking about?"


    "Listen to me. I originally nned to wait until you were in your 30s and had a family and career before telling you. But there''s no time now. No one will ever know this secret if I don''t say it."


    Mrs. Cylon was weak, but her eyes shone strangely.


    "Your mother was a very beautiful and elegant youngdy. She loved you very much, but her family rejected your birth. They tried every possible way to harm your life. Your mother was forced to escape from the family and hide in my home.


    "I cared for her for a while until she gave birth to you and named you Felicia Cylon. To cover up your origins, she took my husband''sst name. Then, she stuffed a pillow under her clothes and pretended to be pregnant for nine months.


    "She then exposed herself to her family and set herself on fire. I couldn''t save her.


    I could only raise you with my husband. That is your true identity."


    I was utterly stunned. I never expected that Felicia would have such a dramatic backstory. Her family had spent an entire year trying to kill her. Why? And it sounded as if her mother''s family was arge family. But were there such ruthless families in this country?


    I had never heard of a woman setting herself on fire for an illegitimate child. If this were true, such gossip would have been widely spread by now.


    As I puzzled, Felicia had already copsed to the ground in pain and despair. "Mom, why are you telling me this? I don''t want to know this. I only know that I only have one mom in this life, and that''s you."


    "No!" Mrs. Cylon cried as she held Felicia''s hand.


    "Felicia, your mother was a great mother. She gave her life to give birth to you. Even though she didn''t raise you, you should not deny her. She was your real mother.


    "I can only say that I am your adoptive mother. Still, you must not look for her. Those people from her family will never let you go. Just grow up safely and peacefully."


    Felicia shook her head forcefully. "Since you don''t want me to look for her, why are you telling me all this? I don''t want to know anything about it."


    "Felicia, don''t forget your real mother. Her death anniversary is the tenth day of the tenth month..."


    Mrs. Cylon''s pupils suddenly began to unfocus. Realizing something was terribly wrong, I quickly stepped forward and grasped Mrs. Cylon''s hand.


    "Mrs. Cylon, don''t worry. I will take good care of Felicia. I will never let anyone bully her or abandon her. I will take care of her for the rest of her life. Mrs. Cylon, you can fest in peace."


    It seemed that Mrs. Cylon heard my words. Her fingers moved slightly as she turned to look at me. There was even a faint smile on her face. Then, her head tilted, and she departed this world.


    "Mrs. Cylon..."


    "Mom! Mom!"

 Chapter 191

    Felicia took a week off to go home and arrange her mother''s funeral. I wanted to apany her, but she wouldn''t let me.


    She said, "We''re not married yet. I don''t want you to do these things for me. William, you don''t have to worry about me. I won''t lose hope. I will send my mother off properly. Then I''ll adjust my mood and find you at school."


    She hugged me and rested her head on my shoulder, shedding a single tear. Then, she followed her father-or rather, her adoptive father-back to her hometown.


    I sensed that she had abruptly changed.


    Her gaze had be much more determined, and her demeanor had grown steadier and stronger. It was as if she had suddenly transformed from a timid girl into a woman brave enough to face anything.


    I sighed.


    Felicia was facing such a painful separation. My words offort would be pointless and powerless. Ultimately, all I could do was send her to the station and watch her leave.


    Back in the dormitory, Iy on my bed and called my mother, telling her about Felicia''s situation.


    "Mom, do you know which big family this happened to?"


    My mother thought for a moment before shaking her head. "I haven''t heard of it. But William, this happened 20 years ago. Information technology wasn''t as developed back then, and there were many secrets inrge families. Not hearing about it is normal."


    "In what situation would arge family go to such lengths to get rid of a child? They even forced their own daughter to death."


    My mother sighed. "There are many possibilities, but I don''t want you thinking about these things. You''re still young, William. Don''t get involved with the dark side of these big families too soon. I promise to help you investigate. You just focus on studying and don''t get involved, okay?"


    "Okay."


    In truth, I didn''t want to know the


    ugly side of prominent families, but I had to ask because of Felicia. It seemed that the family had hidden things very well, as even my mom, who had excellent


    intelligence-gathering skills, hadn''t heard of it.


    In one night, Felicia lost not just one mother but two. She must be in extreme pain.


    I felt terrible as well, and I couldn''t cheer myself up. Fortunately, with thepany


    of Benjamin, Liam, and Matthew, I could smile asionally because of their jokes.


    That day, right after ss, I received a call from the bar.


    "William, right? You agreed to work at the bar. Why are you not here yet?"


    I was confused at first. But then I remembered I had identally walked into the boss'' office and saw her changing clothes when I went to the bar the other day.


    In a panic, I lied and said I was there for a part-time job interview. I had even left my contact information.


    I hadn''t been back since then. Did they actually remember me? It seemed like they really couldn''t find anyone else to hire.


    "Sorry, I''ve been busy with my studies. I''lle over now."


    The bar was in a good location. There were many customers, and business was easier to manage, so it was a good investment. I carried this intention thest time I was there but was interrupted.


    Now that I had some free time, I decided to go over and finalize things. I didn''t tell


    Benjamin and the other as I took a taxi to the bar myself.


    It was still daylight, and the bar was empty. When I entered, I saw a transfer sign on the ground.


    It seemed like the bar hadn''t been transferred yet, which meant that it was now


    mine.


    I walked straight in, but ady


    stopped me before I could turn into the hallway. "Hey, you''re William, the part-timer, right? Why are you wearing this kind of clothes? You need to wear a shirt and ck trousers to work here. Didn''t you know that?"

 Chapter 192

    I smiled awkwardly as I said, "I want to talk to the boss first."


    "A part-timer like you wants to talk to the boss? If you have something to say, just


    tell me. What do you need to talk to the boss about?" The woman gave me a once-over, clearly displeased.


    "Did you bring your ID and student card? Show them to me. Also, you need to pay a 70-dor deposit to work here."


    Did people have to pay a deposit to work here? 70 dors at that?


    I didn''t care, but students looking for part-time work were likely strapped for cash. Who would even pay 70 dors before earning any money?


    "Sorry, I don''t have any money."


    I wouldn''t pay. I wasn''t here to work anyway, so why humor them?


    The woman''s expression turned sour. "If you don''t have money, why are you here for a part-time job?"


    "You make no sense. I''m here for a part-time job because I don''t have money."


    The woman snorted, "We provide students with a chance to gain experience and improve themselves, not for you to earn a living. With that attitude, I don''t think you should work here. Leave!"


    I smirked. "Oh, you''re really overestimating yourself. What kind of experience or improvement can being a server give? Following you around to practice tolerance for hical bosses?"


    The woman immediately flew into a rage. "What did you say? If you don''t want to work, you little punk, get out! Don''t stay here spouting nonsense!"


    Naturally, I didn''t want to work, but I wasn''t leaving either.


    I turned and headed straight down the hallway to the owner''s office that I had once visited before.


    This time, I was smarter. I knocked on the door and made some noise to let the person inside know I was a man before pushing the door open.


    The woman had her hair pinned up. She was sitting at her desk, staring at some document absentmindedly.


    When she saw me enter, she frowned. "You. What are you doing here? There''s a floor manager outside. Just talk to them."


    "I''m here to discuss the transfer. If I don''t talk to you, what good would it do to talk to the manager?"


    "Transfer?"


    to the desk and spotted the


    The woman was stunned


    pre-printed transfer agreement she had prepared. I picked it up, nced


    at it, and smiled.


    "You''re quite detailed. This agreement is well-written. Looks like all we need to do now is negotiate the price."


    Half an hourter, with n''s help, the woman and I finalized all the terms and began the


    formalities-signing the contrac


    changing the business license, and obtaining the necessary operating permits. .


    sto


    Because n had connections, I handled these procedures much faster than the average person. Within just an hour or two, everything was settled.


    Holding a thick stack of original and duplicate certificates in my hands, I sighed in relief. It was finally done.


    The beautiful boss verified the numbers in her ount repeatedly. After confirming that everything was correct, she gave me a deep look.


    "You can''t judge a book by its cover, indeed. I didn''t expect you to be so wealthy."


    I couldn''t help butugh at that. "Why? Do I look like someone who''s broke?"


    "Not really. You have good skin and a pleasant demeanor. You''re clearly someone who hasn''t had to suffer much. But the rich kids I''ve met tend to be arrogant and overbearing Even the more polite ones can''t hide that sense of superiority.


    "It''s rare to meet someone like you who''s so calm and normal. Actually, you even


    look a little easy to bully."

 Chapter 193

    Well, that was just it nowadays. People would take advantage of the kind ones. Instead of being grateful, they would exploit, bully, and look down on them.


    But if one were irritable and fierce, many people wouldn''t find them annoying. Instead, they would fear them and treat them with courtesy.


    Still, people shouldn''t live just for those kinds of people. They must find like- minded individuals, make friends with them, and stand firm on their principles.


    I had been keeping my identity hidden from Benjamin, Liam, Matthew, and Felicia for their sake. As for Louis, Zack, and Joshua, they could do whatever they wanted.


    After saying goodbye to the boss, I took all the documents and returned to the bar. As soon as I entered, the woman from earlier blocked me again.


    "You brat, why are you back? Didn''t I tell you that you''re not wee here? Get out of here! Just seeing you brings bad luck!"


    I chuckled. "I''m not wee here? Then who is? You?"


    She pointed at me furiously. "You must be insane. This ce would wee a dog before it wees you. Get out, now!"


    I felt that she had a poor attitude. Anyone would think she owned the ce. I pulled out a newly printed copy of the transfer agreement and held it up to her face.


    "Open your damn eyes and see for yourself who is wee here."


    She froze for a moment and snatched the document to scrutinize it. Her face instantly turned pale with fright.


    At that moment, the boss walked in. When she saw the woman, she said immediately, "Hazel, call everyone into the office right now. I''ll introduce you to the new boss."


    As she spoke, she patted me on the shoulder. This gesture irritated me because it seemed like a gang leader patting a subordinate''s shoulder.


    The woman stared at me,pletely dumbfounded. "The new boss? Him?"


    The boss smiled. "Yes, him. Surprising, isn''t it? Don''t let his young age fool you. He''s mature. You had better behave yourselves and listen to him.


    "I will stay here for a month to help him get familiar with all the processes and work. After a month, William will manage this ce fully."


    The document fell to the ground, and Hazel was utterly stunned. I bent down to pick up the document before shing her a cold smile. Then, I walked into the office with the boss.


    The handover went smoothly,


    except for Hazel. After everyone else left, she clung to my leg, desperately begging me not to fire her. But


    couldn''t tolerate a supervisor who abused their authority and had no respect for employees.


    Besides, I noticed that none of the other employees spoke up on her behalf, which showed that she must have offended many people and didn''t have a good rapport with them What was the point of keeping someone like that around? With a cold expression, I dismissed her.


    The boss folded her arms, watching as Hazel left in tears. Then, she turned to me


    and gave me a thumbs-up.


    "To be honest, I''ve wanted to fire her


    for a long time. But whenever


    something happens, she kneels, cries, and begs. It''s such a


    headache. I didn''t think someone as


    young as you had such decisiveness


    and authority. You''re really


    promising, kid."


    I was momentarily speechless. "You don''t look that much older than me. Why are


    you talking like an elder?"


    The owner simplyughed in response.

 Chapter 194

    The boss was amused by me.


    "I''m seven years older than you. You had just been born when I started second grade," she said.


    Who evenpared like that? I was even more speechless.


    Fortunately, she was willing to stay for a month to help me through this transition, and I was truly grateful for that.


    After finishing the transfer process, I followed her to familiarize myself with some daily tasks. I only returned to school after that under the night sky.


    That day marked the fifth day since Felicia''s mother passed away. It should be the day of burial. I figured that Felicia must be busy and dejected.


    In the next day or two, she would also have to face the condolences of rtives and friends, which would likely be even more difficult for her.


    Three dayster, the funeral was finally over. I called Felicia to confirm that she would be returning to school that day. I bought a gift early in the morning and headed to the station to pick her up.


    When Felicia left the station, I almost didn''t recognize her. She had cut her hair.


    It wasn''t the naturally messy long hair from before. Instead, she had styled it into a fluffy and fashionable fringe, with the rest cut slightly shorter, hanging over her shoulders loosely.


    Her entire energy had transformed into something extremely elegant and goddess-like. Her clothes were also different from her previous in and casual style. A white round-neck top hugged her figure, entuating her curves. The light blue short skirt added a refreshing touch to her overall look.


    Honestly, I was stunned. I never thought she could be this gorgeous.


    I used to think that her level of beauty was slightly below that of Lina. But now, it


    seemed like it was all just a matter of styling.


    Apparently, my judgment wasn''t even as good as that of a talent scout.


    "William." Felicia walked up to me and smiled.


    "Thank you for worrying about me. The funeral is over. I talked to my dad and told him to stop managing the orchard since he is unable handle it alone. I gave him 200 thousand to open a small convenience store in our


    §Ý§à§Ú§Þ


    hometown."


    "Alright."


    I couldn''t interfere in her family matters, so I could only give her my support.


    On the way back, I asked her about her ns for the future. She smiled faintly and said, "I don''t n to look for my birth mother. Like Mom said, my birth mother has already passed away, and that family refuses my existence.


    "So from now on, I''ll live well and grow up healthy. That will be the best way to repay my mom. I''ve decided to make the girl group a sess!"


    It seemed she had regained her spirit. In these seven or eight days, she had gone through a lot and changed significantly. But as long as her determination remained strong, coupled with my support, I believed she would eventually soar


    As for that family, if they continued to target Felicia, I would never let them off the


    hook once I found them.


    Upon returning to school, Felicia was indeed like apletely different person. She no longer dressed like someone who had no "self-respect". Instead, she wore clothes I bought for her, dressing up exquisitely and beautifully every day.


    Yet, she didn''t have the arrogance that some beautiful women had. She was approachable and always smiling.


    In an instant, her poprity surged. There were even quite a few posts online in


    the school that had her pictures taken secretly.


    Most of the titles were praising her.


    "This should be the campus beauty of Welsington University!"


    "The new campus beauty selection results are out, and Felicia has taken the lead overwhelmingly!"


    "Extra, extra! Felicia''s borderline livestreaming back then was actually to raise money for her dad''s surgery. Once she raised enough, she stopped doing it. I''m going to fight anyone who criticizes her!"

 Chapter 195

    Someone even mentioned my name.


    "Felicia, the current campus beauty''s boyfriend, is William, who is the ex-boyfriend of the former campus beauty, Lina."


    "Damn, that guy managed to be with two campus beauties. Does anyone want to interview him about how he did it?"


    "Latest news! Felicia is still dating William. Someone saw them together in the cafeteria today."


    Because of Felicia, I had be a celebrity at school as well, though I didn''t want this kind of fame.


    Felicia changed and was busier. Every day, besides attending sses, she had to go to thepany for training, running around in a busy schedule.


    Although I wasn''t the perfect boyfriend, I still picked her up, dropped her off at thepany, and returned to school. I feared she would be targeted and bullied by people who just noticed her sess.


    One day, I took a taxi to drop Felicia off at thepany. Just as I exited the car, I saw a few people talking excitedly, not far away.


    "Look, that''s Felicia''s boyfriend."


    "That''s crazy. He actually took a taxi to send her to thepany. Does he not even have a car? How could Felicia be interested in a guy like that?"


    "I heard that Felicia has already been pre-selected as a group member. She''s definitely going to debut. When that happens, she''ll definitely dump thatd."


    "Yeah, that guy is loyal to her like a dog. I bet she''s using him for some convenience."


    When she heard these words, Felicia immediately frowned and wanted to argue with them, but I grabbed her and stopped her.


    "Ignore them. They''re just jealous of me. Go ahead and train."


    If I couldn''t tolerate these insults, then when she became famous and faced criticism from her fans, I definitely wouldn''t be able to handle it. I had to learn to get used to it.


    She would be a star, and she couldn''t bepared to ordinary women.


    Since I had nothing to do that day, I sat at an outdoor caf¨¦ across from thepany, waiting for Felicia to finish her training. After this, we nned to go to the beach.


    I didn''t enjoy coffee, but this caf¨¦ only served coffee. I could only order the cheapest fruit-vored iced coffee and sit, watching the street to pass the time.


    However, I wasn''t just sitting idle. I was constantly using my phone to discuss management issues with the bar''s boss.


    Just as I was finishing my coffee and about to switch to a different drink, two beautiful women dressed in revealing clothes suddenly appeared before me. They were both tall, with fair skin and thick hair. Honestly, they looked quite simr.


    I only nced at them, nothing more. But after seeing me, one of the women sat


    right in front of me. "Hey, handsome. Why don''t you buy me a cup of coffee?"


    The other woman looked surprised but sat down, eyeing me with a not-so-friendly look from top to bottom.


    I raised an eyebrow. "Why should I?"


    "Do you need a reason to buy coffee for a gorgeous woman like me? Besides, I won''t order anything expensive. Just the same one as yours will do."


    Gorgeous woman? I took a good look at her. She was indeed good-looking. Her features were delicate, but I wouldn''t call her gorgeous. Her slender body was a far cry from Felicia''s curvaceous body.


    "Sorry, but I don''t think you''re that gorgeous."


    The woman was stunned. Before


    she could speak, the other one sitting next to her couldn''t hold back. "Are you blind? If she''s not gorgeous, then who is? You look like someone who can''t even get married because you can''t afford the bride price. What are you pretending for?


    "This is your only chance to sit at the same table with beauties like us, yet you''re


    putting on a show. We''re being kind enough to ask you to buy coffee for us.


    Crystal, let''s go. Don''t bother with this loser."


    The woman called Crystal didn''t


    move, nor did she get angry. Instead,


    she smiled yfully. "Okay. I may


    not be that gorgeous, and it''s fine that you won''t buy me a coffee. But I think you''re handsome, so I''ltbuy you a drink. Is that okay?"


    As she said that, she snapped her fingers and called the server over.

 Chapter 196

    "Three iced ck coffees, please. No sugar," the woman said.


    I frowned lightly, looking at her in confusion. What was the point of treating me to coffee out of the blue? Besides, I didn''t even like ck coffee.


    I figured they were two bored women who picked random people to mess with. Relying on their looks, they thought they could do whatever they wanted. After all, guys wouldn''t really do anything to them.


    Even if the guys got mad, all the women had to do was act cute, and they would get away with it every time. I had seen plenty of people like that.


    Honestly, I found it dull and uninteresting. I stood up and left without hesitation. There wasn''t much point hanging around outside, so I decided to head back to campus and spend some time in the library.


    But just as I got up, that woman stood up as well. As I walked away, she followed me. I was stunned. Was she that bored?


    Even thedy who was with her looked confused. "Crystal, what are you doing? Why are you following him?"


    "Don''t worry about it. You do your thing. I have something to discuss with him."


    "You don''t even know him. What could you possibly have to talk about?"


    "I do know him!"


    Hearing their conversation left me even more puzzled. This woman knew me? That couldn''t be right. I had no recollection of her at all.


    While they were talking, I quickly hopped into a taxi by the roadside and headed straight back to campus. It wasn''t until I got back to the university that I finally felt relieved.


    Whatever was going on with that woman, it definitely wasn''t anything good. Wouldn''t she have introduced herself right away if she knew me? Why would she act so mysteriously?


    But then, I suddenly caught a familiar whiff of perfume. I turned my head, and what I saw nearly made my jaw drop. "What are you doing here at my school?"


    Thedy grinned cheekily. "Who says I''m following you? I''m also a student here, you know?"


    "Oh, sure. Of course."


    Even if that were true, she obviously followed me back here. I quickly walked ahead, trying to lose her. She followed me with every step. Lended up ducking into the nearest men''s restroom.


    After waiting awhile, I washed my hands and exited, only to find her standing outside the restroom.


    "And what''s your excuse for this?"


    "What excuse? The women''s restroom is right next to the men''s. The women''s restroom is full right now, so I''m waiting for a spot. Makes sense, doesn''t it?" "Sense, my foot," I thought to myself.


    I didn''t know if she was ying some dumb game or if this was part of a truth-or-dare punishment, but didn''t want to bother trying to figure it out. Ignoring her entirely, I headed straight to the library, focusing on my original n.  s?novel


    I realized I had left my ID in another jacket when I reached the entrance. Without


    it, I couldn''t get in. Returning to the dorm to grab it would take at least an hour round trip...


    I thought about it and decided to text Benjamin to see if he was nearby so I could borrow his ID instead.


    Before I could pull up his number, the woman suddenly ced her hand on my shoulder. shing a flirty smile at the security guard, she asked, "Hey, handsome, could you let my elder brother in, please?"

 Chapter 197

    The male security guard was immediately captivated andpletely flustered as soon as he met the woman''s fluttering, flirtatious eyes. He nodded repeatedly like a bobblehead.


    "Go on, go on. It''s fine. You two clearly look like students. It''s not a big deal! Checking IDs is just a formality.


    "We don''t have to be so strict about it. Miss, you and your brother can head on in."


    The woman shed him a smile. "Thanks a lot!"


    Then, she grabbed my arm and pulled me into the library.


    I couldn''t help but grumble, "No wonder pretty girls are so arrogant these days. They get special treatment everywhere they go."


    The woman giggled. "Good-looking guys get it too! You just don''t happen to be one."


    I almost tripped over my own feet. Was that really necessary?


    Anyway, I didn''t need her tagging along once we were in the library. I shook her hand off my arm, muttered a quick "thanks", and headed straight to my favorite section-the financial studies area.


    There were books I had started but hadn''t finished reading yet. Since I had some free time that day, I decided to continue.


    After grabbing one of the books and sitting down, I noticed the woman walking over with a book in her hands, too. She sat directly across from me.


    Curious, I nced at her book. Well, what did you know-it was the English edition of International Finance.


    Was she for real? Could she actually understand a book like that? Even I needed a dictionary to get through it.


    But she opened the book and started reading earnestly, flipping page after page with a focused expression.


    Meanwhile, I found it hard to concentrate, knowing that the strange woman who had been following me was sitting right across from me.


    Still, half an hourter, I got used to her presence and finally managed to immerse myself in my book. Just like that, two hours passed by.


    Feeling a bit thirsty, I decided to go downstairs and buy a bottle of water. As I looked up, I saw that the woman had fallen asleep, slumped over the table. I couldn''t help but chuckle.


    Had she actually fallen asleep from reading, or had she been putting on an act the whole time?


    Taking the opportunity, I quietly got up, put my book back on the shelf, and tried to slip away unnoticed. But just as came out from the aisle, there she was, leaning on the table, stretching and yawning. When she saw me, she smiled, waved, and


    even mouthed the word "hi."


    I was speechless. How did she even wake up?


    The woman followed me downstairs, grinning. "Surprised? Were you trying to


    sneak off while I was asleep? Let me tell you the truth.


    "I wasn''t really sleeping. I was pretending. I was watching you the whole time."


    Her words sent a chill down my spine.


    Watching me? For what? Wait a second. Did I pick my nose or do anything embarrassing during those two hours? Curiosity got the better of me, and I asked her outright, "Why were you watching me?"


    She smiled. "Because you''re my future boyfriend. Naturally, I have to observe you carefully."


    I stopped in my tracks, stunned, and turned to look at her in disbelief. "Are you okay? When did I be your boyfriend? Do I even know you?"


    "You don''t know me, but I know you!"


    I frowned at her. Could she be one of my high school ssmates who somehow knew all about me? But with her striking looks, I would have remembered if I had even met her before.

 Chapter 198

    I stopped walking and decided to cut to the chase.


    "Stop beating around the bush. Who exactly are you? Just say it."


    The woman giggled. "Oh, so you''re finally a little curious about me, huh? Fine. I''ll


    tell you.


    "To you, I''m just a stranger. But to me, you''re the knight in shining armor who rescued me. You''re my destined soulmate, a gift from the heavens!"


    What kind of nonsense was this? Had thisdy been watching too many movies? Or too many dramas?


    She sped her hands together, her bright ck eyes sparkling.


    "My name is Crystal Morgan. Ten days ago, in the evening, I was being harassed by a group of men and couldn''t get away.


    "Then, a prince charming in a Koenigsegg Regera came and knocked them all over, saving me andpletely freeing me from them after that.


    "At that moment, I fell in love at first sight and swore I''d make him my boyfriend! I went through so much effort investigating who owned a Koenigsegg in Welsington City and eventually traced it to Joshua Watson.


    "I was so excited to meet him, only to learn that he wasn''t you. After that, I lost the trail.


    "I never expected to bump into you today, just while grabbing coffee. Tell me, aren''t we fated?"


    When she said that, I finally remembered.


    The day Felicia''s mother had an ident, I was indeed in a hurry, driving the Koenigsegg to take Felicia to the hospital. Someone had blocked the road, and I had driven straight through, knocking them aside.


    It turned out that the woman standing in front of me was the one being harassed that evening.


    I said tly, "I wasn''t trying to save you. I was just in a hurry."


    "That makes me like you even more! You were in such a rush, yet you weren''t afraid of those thugs, which shows you''re brave, quick-thinking, and fearless."


    I rified, "I wasn''t fearless. Someone I knew had been in a car ident, and I was just desperate to get to them."


    "To see someone injured, you charged forward without hesitation. Such chivalry is so rare these days. Your courage is admirable, but your character is even more worthy of praise!"


    I was speechless. Was thisdy some kind of sycophant? No matter what I said, she found a way topliment me.


    I sighed in exasperation. "Say whatever you want, but it won''t change anything. I already have a girlfriend."


    "I know!"


    To my surprise, she didn''t look the least bit discouraged. She kept smiling brightly. "The woman who was in your car that day, right? If it''s her, I''m confident that I can beat her in apetition!" ''


    I couldn''t help rolling my eyes in front of her. Whatpetition?


    If I didn''t like either of them, then maybe apetition would make sense. But Felicia was my girlfriend, and I liked her a lot. I care about her I deeply. What right did this randomdy have topete with her?


    Honestly, this woman waspletely delusional.


    "Sorry, but you''re not as pretty as my girlfriend. Your figure isn''t as attractive, and most importantly, you''re presumptuous and annoying.


    "To put it bluntly, you''re not even close to matching her. So, please stop boasting. I find itughable."


    I shook my head and walked off. I thought those words would hurt her pride and make her back off, but instead, she shamelessly followed me again.


    "Hey! Don''t lie with a straight face, okay? Other than her having a slightly bigger cup size than me, what else does she have that I don''t?


    "Honestly, your argument shows how little you know. And let me tell you, my most significant advantage isn''t my looks or figure. It''s my family background.


    "Do you know how many years of struggle you could skip by being my boyfriend?"


    I almost burst outughing. So, in the end, she was just looking for a live-in husband. That made it even less likely. Not to mention, her family background couldn''t hold a candle tomine.


    Even if our families were evenly matched, I wouldn''t be interested in someone


    who used their family as a bargaining chip.

 Chapter 199

    Seeing that I was unmoved even after she mentioned her family background, Crystal finally started to get a little anxious. She followed me all the way to the entrance of Starhill Group.


    When she saw thepany''s name, her face was filled with surprise. "Your girlfriend works for an entertainmentpany?


    "Could she be some D-list celebrity? I didn''t expect your taste to be this tacky, liking that kind of woman."


    I shot her a cold re as a warning. "Watch your mouth. If you insult my girlfriend in front of me again, I won''t hold back."


    She froze for a moment, then suddenly burst outughing. I was growing more convinced that something was seriously wrong with her. I had already insulted her multiple times, but she acted like it was no big deal. Her thick-skinned, shameless attitude was truly astonishing!


    "Do you realize that the more you show how much you love your girlfriend, the more determined I am to win you over?"


    I sighed lightly. "Plenty of men on the street love their girlfriends or wives. Can''t you bother someone else?"


    "Nope! I''m just not interested in them!" She crossed her arms, looking smug.


    "There may be many men out there who seem devoted to their girlfriends or wives, but not everyone can resist my charm.


    "Do you know how many of those so-called loyal guys woulde running to me like obedient dogs with just a crook of my finger?"


    Maybe she was right. But it was not all of them. I believed there were still men who could resist her temptations.


    Nowadays, just as some women were bing more materialistic, there were plenty of men chasing after rich women, too. I knew several guys whopromised their feelings and values to secure a wealthy partner or advance their family''s future. It wasn''t anything new.


    If I were actually poor, I couldn''t even say for sure whether I would resist temptation. However, at least for now, I didn''t care for her money or like her arrogant attitude.


    After waiting a while with Felicia still unseen, checked my watch. She should have finished her training by now. Feeling puzzled, I pulled out my I phone and gave her a call. "Felicia, are you still in training?"


    "William, sorry! Amelia took us to a neighboring city for dance practice. She said that we''ll be doing intensive training for a week, so I won''t be back until then."


    "A week?"


    Intensive training that required going to another city? Feeling worried, I asked for the location and had someone check it out. I finally felt relieved after confirming it was a legitimate dance training program.


    "Alright. Focus on your training. I''ll arrange for someone to pack and send over your things."


    "It''s fine! They have everything I need here."


    "It''s still more convenient to have extra clothes and essentials."


    Most importantly, dance training was exhausting. I didn''t want her to lose weight. I


    had to make sure to send over some good food, too.


    With her mother gone and her father back in their hometown, no one was around to take good care of her. I had promised her mother that I would treat her well and look after


    her, so I couldn''t let her suffer even a little.


    After making all the necessary arrangements, I ended the call, feeling somewhat disappointed.


    ?


    Before her mother''s ident, I had


    been preparing to take the final step with Felicia and had even started making ns. But after everything got dyed, I had hoped to finish those ns over the next few days.


    Now, it seemed that it would have to wait. When would I finally get to take thatst


    step?


    As I was lost in thought, arge face suddenly appeared before me, startling me. I instinctively took a step back and frowned at Crystal. "Are you crazy?"

 Chapter 200

    "Why are you so mean to me? I just find you handsome when you''re being so thoughtful and caring toward your girlfriend," Crystal said.


    What a lunatic. I couldn''t be bothered to deal with her and decided to head back to the dorm. I would like to see if she could follow me into the men''s dormitory. However, she really did follow me all the way.


    She suddenly dashed in front of me and blocked my path when we reached the dormitory building.


    "William, here. Take this." She handed me a piece of paper.


    I froze for a moment, instinctively taking it. "What''s this?"


    "There''s a gathering tomorrow, and I want you toe with me. The details¡ª time, location, and my contact info¡ªare all written on it.


    "You muste, okay? I''ll introduce you to some amazing friends!"


    Was she insane? I had already made it clear how much she annoyed me, and now she wanted me to attend a party with her. Did she think everyone in the world was as delusional as she was?


    I didn''t hesitate to rip the note into tiny pieces and toss it into the trash can right before her. Then, I turned and went into the dormitory. If that didn''t discourage her, then I would truly be impressed by her persistence.


    When I entered the room upstairs, I saw my three roommates, each busy with their own tasks. Two were studying, and one was chatting on the phone.


    Everyone was fully upied. It was a scene of productivity.


    I plopped down next to Benjamin, nced at the notes he was reviewing, and pulled out my phone to send him a file.


    "Don''t waste your time on that. It''s useless. This is a key summary a senior shared with me. Go through this, and you''ll ace the exam for sure."


    This summary was actually prepared by a tutor my dad had hired. It was incredibly detailed, with concise analysis far better than any teacher could put together.


    If Benjamin could master this, he would definitely rank in the top three in the finals.


    Benjamin skimmed through the summary and was instantly impressed.


    "Wow, William. Where did you find such an amazing senior? If they can write something like this, they must be a genius among geniuses!"


    I chuckled at this reaction. This wasn''t just the work of a genius. It was the work of a top-tier schr, one of the rare few who held the highest academic titles in the country.


    "Of course."


    "Hey, let me see, too!"


    Matthew and Liam also crowded in. Naturally didn''t hold back and sent them each a copy. After distributing it, I reminded them, "Don''t share this with anyone else. Especially?ou, Matthew. Don''t even let Isabelle see it.


    "If she shares it with her girlfriends, this summary will spread like wildfire, and we''ll lose all ourpetitive edge."


    Matthew burst outughing. "William, you really don''t understand women, do you? Let me tell you. If I share it with Isabelle, she won''t tell anyone, not even Charlotte!"


    "How can you be so sure? What if she does?"


    Hearing this, Benjamin and Liam shook their heads at me, exasperated.


    "You really don''t get how women think. If they were unattractive, maybe they would share. But if they''re beautiful, they''re alwayspeting with each other.


    "If they have something valuable, they would rather keep it to themselves than let anyone else have it."


    That sounded like nonsense to me. I couldn''t bring myself to believe it Still, out of curiosity, I permitted Matthew to tell Isabelle. Not long after, she called back and insisted that Matthew put her on speaker.


    "As a trade-off, I''ll tell you guys a huge secret!"


    The moment she said this, we all perked up with curiosity. "What huge secret?"


    She said mysteriously, "Our school''s most famous heiress-the school''s belle- has a boyfriend now!"


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 201

    I couldn''t hide my confusion. "Our school''s most famous heiress? Isn''t Felicia the


    school''s belle everyone''s been raving about onlely?"


    The moment those words left my mouth, I was met with several disdainful


    nces.


    "You seriously don''t know anything, do you?"


    "William, seriously, what have you been up to? How could you not know who our school''s most famous heiress is?"


    "Exactly! Everyone knows it''s Crystal Morgan. No onees close-those who are prettier don''t have her wealth, and those who are wealthier don''t have her looks. She''s the unmatched queen of the heiress league!"


    "Crystal Morgan?"


    I was stunned when I heard that name. "Crystal Morgan?" I repeated.


    Benjamin nodded enthusiastically. "That''s her! Let me tell you, I was lucky enough to see her once at the administration office. She''s neither as morous as Lina nor as sexy as Felicia, but there''s this indescribable, pure elegance about her. She looks just like that actress, Kristin Chandler!"


    "Oh, yeah. She really does resemble her," someone chimed in.


    "Honestly, I think she''s even more stunning than Lina and Felicia. She''s got this unique, noble aura that sets her apart."


    My expression darkened. "Can you guys stopparing her to other girls? Especially my ex-girlfriend and current girlfriend? What''s wrong with you?"


    They chuckled awkwardly, scratching their heads.


    "We''re not trying to. It''s just that when people talk about Welsington University, Lina and Felicia are the two big names everyone thinks of."


    "Yeah, William. You''ve had the honor of being with two belles. You should be proud!"


    "Exactly!"


    I couldn''t find the words to argue, so I just stayed silent.


    However, the mention of Lina made me realize I hadn''t seen her in a while. Thest time was when she went to Silence to return some clothes. I had helped her with that, but after that, I had no idea how she was doing.


    I wanted to ask Isabelle about her, but I held back. I didn''t want them to think I was still hung up on Lina, so I swallowed the thought.


    At that moment, Matthew turned to Isabelle, curiosity written all over his face. "So, who''s Crystal''s boyfriend? Is he from our university?"


    I perked up at the question.


    Isabelleughed. "I''m not sure, but I do know that the girl who''s always hanging out with Crystal said she''s found her prince charming. Crystal even admitted it today when someone asked. She said they''ll officially announce their rtionship soon."


    I scoffed at the thought of them officially announcing their rtionship soon.


    Before going to bed that night, I called Felicia, but she didn''t answer.


    The next morning, I saw her message. It was sent at 2:00 am. "Sorry, William. I just finished


    training. You''re probably alread


    asleep and I should shower and


    sleep now. Training has been really tough and exhaustingtely, so I might not be able to pick up your calls or reply to your messages in time. Please don''t be mad at me."


    I smiled and texted back, "Why would I be mad? I''m more worried about you than anything. Felicia, don''t push yourself too hard. I know you might be using the intense training to distract yourself from the sadness of losing your mom, but your health is the most important thing. Okay?"


    Her reply came almost instantly. "I know. You take care too!"


    She had only finished training at 2:00 am. Assuming she went to bed by 2:30 am, it was just past 7:00 am now. That meant she had less than five hours of sleep. Yet, she had to get up for another grueling day of training. It was heartbreaking to think about how hard she was pushing herself.

 Chapter 202

    She had told me before that she didn''t have a dance background, so she had to work much harder than the others.


    I couldn''t help but let out a sigh.


    This was her first serious endeavor, and I didn''t want to discourage her. All I could do was support her.


    Today''s schedule was light. We had two sses in the morning, and two in the afternoon.


    It was barely 10:00 am when the morning sses finished. As Benjamin and I were discussing going to y basketball, I suddenly received a call from thepany.


    "Mr. White, James'' probationary period has officially ended. His talent and abilities are more than sufficient to take on the role of project leader. After a unanimous vote, we''ve decided to make him a full-time employee and promote him to project leader. Would you like toe in and oversee the confirmation meeting?"


    James was the top talent I had personally discovered at Pgos Estates.


    After our conversation, I had brought him into thepany as an intern, promising that if he performed well and got confirmed, I would give him the 700- thousand-dor vi I had bought at Pgos Estates to live in-until his


    retirement.


    Time had flown by, and he was already confirmed.


    "I won''te in. I trust your judgment. I''ll call him personally to congratte him, then take him to see the vi. You can handle everything else."


    I rarely go to the office. I trusted my employees to handle things.


    First, I studied finance, so I wasn''t an expert in gaming. Second, mypany was built on fostering creativity, and constant supervision from me wouldn''t be helpful


    it would only create unnecessary pressure.


    As long as the work was getting done, I had noints.


    I called James, promised him a one-thousand-dor confirmation bonus, and


    arranged to meet him at the viter that day.


    I took a taxi to Pgos Estates and immediately spotted James with his wife and their adorable 7-year-old daughter standing outside.


    "Mr. White, thank you so much! I can''t express how grateful I am!" James said, shaking my hand firmly.


    I smiled. "You don''t have to thank


    me. The only reason my smallpany could hire someone as talented as you is because of this vi. I didn''t keep my promise, you''d be long gone. It''s mutually beneficial."


    James shook his head vigorously. "Mr. White, you''re too modest. Before joining yourpany, I thought it was just a small business. But after being there, I realized?t''s far more than that. The creative, passionate environment is exactly what I''ve always wanted! Even without the vi, I would have stayed."


    "Oh, really? In that case, I''ll keep the vi for myself," I jokingly said.


    I turned to walk away, only to see James looking embarrassed.


    Iughed and patted him on the shoulder. "I''m just kidding!"


    James looked speechless. "You nearly gave me a heart attack! It''s not that I''m desperate for the vi, but I thought it was guaranteed even let my current lease exp Without the vi, I''d have to stay in a hotel."


    "No worries, I was just messing with you. Don''t take it to heart," I replied.


    With that, James rxed, and we started chatting more casually.


    I led him into the vi and handed him the keys.


    "The vi is fully renovated. You just need to get some furniture and appliances. I''l also provide an additional two thousand dors as housing allowance. James, I really believe in you-don''t let me down."

 Chapter 203

    James was deeply moved.


    Talents like him were highly sought after by everypany, but there weren''t many bosses as generous as me.


    I didn''t ask for much. I just hoped he would stay with mypany. As long as he


    didn''t get greedy and keep thinking about switching jobs, I would be satisfied. With his abilities, he could have the new game ready for release within six months.


    Soon, mypany would break into thepetitive gaming world, going head- to-head with the industry giants.


    The winner would take it all, and the loser would be left behind.


    My goal was to be the best.


    After handing over the keys to James and his family, I left the vi.


    Thendscaping in the area was impressive. Since I had plenty of time, I wasn''t in


    a rush. I decided to stroll around the neighborhood and took a few pictures, nning to send them to Feliciater.


    As I crouched down in front of a flower bed to take a selfie, I suddenly noticed a face appear in the frame.


    Startled, I stood up quickly and found Crystal standing right in front of me. Her friend from yesterday was with her.


    "William!" Crystal called out cheerfully when she saw me. "I knew you couldn''t resist me. You pretended to reject me, but here you are. You''re quite the yer."


    With augh, she walked up to me, grabbed my phone from my hand, and took a selfie of us together.


    If Felicia saw this, I would never be able to exin myself.


    Women like Crystal were really frustrating. They assumed every man in the world should adore them just because they were attractive. Honestly, I couldn''t stand this type of woman.


    I frowned and quickly deleted the photo. Then I exined, "You


    misunderstood. I didn''te


    Pgos Estates to meet


    you."


    Crystal crossed her arms with a confident smile. "If you didn''te here to see


    me, then why are you here?"


    I sighed, feeling a little annoyed. "What else? I bought a house here."


    Upon hearing that, Crystal''s expression shifted to one of surprise.


    She then turned to her friend, and the two of them shared augh.


    Crystal''s friend gave me a mocking look. "You bought a house here? Which one?"


    I retorted, "Why would I tell you?"


    With how annoying they were, I had no intention of giving them the answer.


    However, her friend burst into


    identally point to the Wel.ne


    house-maybe even one of ours-and embarrass yourself?"


    It wasughable. They thought I was just bragging. Clearly, they were


    underestimating me.


    "Fine. Since you''re so curious, I''ll show you," I said.


    Then, I pointed to the two vis I had just bought. "See that house over there?


    And that one? Both of them are mine."

 Chapter 204

    They followed the direction of my hand, then burst intoughter.


    "You''re too much!" Crystalughed loudly. "Those two vis you just pointed to? One is the cheapest in the entire Pgos Estates, and the other is the most expensive."


    "Of course, I know that," I replied.


    "You knew? Hahaha!"


    Crystal''s friendughed so hard she almost doubled over. The exaggerated look on her face made me want to p her.


    "You knew, yet you still said that? Haha! I''ve never seen anyone buy a vi like this-one the cheapest, and the other the most expensive. Who buys vis like that? You can''t even lie properly. You''re just insane! Hahaha!"


    "Damn you!" I cursed inwardly, feeling my patience snap.


    I couldn''t take it anymore. If I kept talking to these two idiots, I would lose my temper. So, I quickly turned and walked away.


    "Hey, William!"


    Crystal called after me and grabbed my hand. "Don''t be mad. She''s just blunt, so don''t take it to heart. Lily, stopughing! There''s nothing funny about it."


    Lily tried to stifle herughter, but her gaze at me was still full of mockery. "Crystal, you''re being way too generous. Who wouldn''tugh at that?"


    "Well, you can just hold it in!" Crystal snapped, still holding onto my arm.


    "Now you''re defending him. I really don''t get it. Just because he helped you get rid of Maximus doesn''t mean you need to throw yourself at him. That''s a bit much!"


    Crystal frowned and said, "I like him not just because he''s brave, but also because of how he handled Maximus'' attitude. I thought he was really manly. Even if he pretends to be rich and rents a car to look important, it doesn''t change the fact that I respect him."


    I had thought Crystal liked and trusted me, but it turned out she just saw me as a vain, boastful guy. She even assumed the Koenigsegg was rented.


    By now, I understood. After spending time at Welsington University, I had realized something.


    The trust fund kids all thought they were superior. They looked down on anyone outside their circle.


    As long as I wasn''t part of their clique, I was nothing to them-just a fool, a poor guy. Even if I unted my wealth, they would still see me as a low-ss upstart.


    I couldn''t understand where this sense of superiority came from.


    I pulled my arm away from Crystal and was about to refuse her when she suddenly hugged it tightly. "You''re not going anywhere! You''vee all this way. Come with me to the party. I told them I''d bring a guy. If you don''te, how am supposed to exin?"


    "That''s your problem, not mine. I''m not going," I replied firmly.


    "No, you have to go!" she insisted.


    She clung to my arm and dragged me forward despite my resistance.


    There were quite a few people around the vi. When they saw us clinging to each other like that, they began whispering.


    I didn''t want any bad rumors


    spreading before I even official/et


    moved in, so I sighed in resignation. "Fine, fine, I''ll go with you. Just let go, and stop dragging me around."


    "You really will go with me?" she asked, her face lighting up.


    I nodded reluctantly.


    She smiled brightly and finally released my arm. "You said it-no backing out!"


    Since it was just a party, I would go for now and slip away when Crystal got distracted. After today, I would avoid her entirely and never get tangled up with her again.


    As we walked toward the vi


    hosting the party, Lily curiously asked, "By the way, how did you even get in? The security here is superstrict. Without a keycard there''s no way to get inside. You''d need someone to escort you."


    II


    Crystal was equally puzzled. "I wrote a note telling you to wait at the gate. You must be pretty skilled to get in, and you even managed to sneak in some photos."

 Chapter 205

    I took a deep breath, silently reminding myself not to argue with fools-it would


    only drive me mad.


    So, I chose to stay silent.


    "You''re not going to speak?" she said mockingly. "If you don''t want to say anything, that''s fine. But let me warn you, if you n to visit the vi again, you''d better call Crystal and have her escort you. Otherwise, if the security catches you, they might call the police and have you detained."


    It was just a vi. Did she really think I didn''t understand? Even if an outsider somehow got in, the worst that would happen was a warning. There was no way they would detain anyone.


    I had no idea if this woman was just clueless or if she thought I was stupid enough to believe her.


    When we finally reached the vi for the party, I immediately smelled smoke as soon as we stepped inside.


    It was definitely inappropriate to smoke indoors. I couldn''t help but wonder what kind of party Crystal had brought me to.


    As I walked further inside, I saw around 30 men and womenughing and chatting. This vi appeared to be unupied for the moment. The d¨¦cor was simple, but it made for a great party venue.


    Neon lights illuminated the space, speakers were set up, and in the open area, someone was ying a guitar while another person drummed along.


    A few people sat on the sofas at the tables, leaning together to smoke hookah, while several scantily dressed women on the staircase were busy taking photos.


    Unable to contain my curiosity, I turned to Crystal. "What kind of party is this?" I asked.


    "I don''t really know," she replied with a shrug. "It''s just something organized by the circle. They invited me, so I came."


    I quickly realized it was just another trust fund kid gathering a party centered around indulgence, socializing, and unting wealth.


    These kids loved gathering in groups, hosting events like this to strengthen bonds and maintain connections between their families.


    I used to get invited to these parties often, and I even attended one when I was younger. However, I lost all interest and stopped going after witnessing their reckless and immoral behavior.


    I never thought that starting university would lead to me getting dragged into one


    of these gatherings again.


    "Crystal!"


    "Crystal''s here!"


    It didn''t take long for someone to notice us.


    Even though there were three of us, their attention was focused solely on Crystal.


    I didn''t mind, but I couldn''t help


    aat Lily. Just as I thought


    gexpression flickered with e???


    her


    resentment and disappointment.


    "Crystal, who''s this guy?"


    "We didn''t invite him, did we?"


    "He looks unfamiliar. Did he sneak in?"


    After greeting Crystal, they immediately turned their attention to me.


    I hadn''t dressed up today. I wasn''t even wearing my usual designer clothes and


    shoes that people sometimes mistook for knock-offs.


    Ever since became close friends with Benjamin, Liam and the others, I would try to dress simrly to them to avoid making them feel ufortable.


    Today, I was wearing a in ck T-shirt I had bought at a street stall with them for just 30 dors.


    Compared to the shy, jewelry-d outfits of the trust fund kids in the room, I definitely stood out in my simplicity.


    Seeing the curiosity in their eyes, Lily quickly stepped forward. Her smug expression made it clear that she


    felt she had finally found a chance to get some attention. It only made me feet more sorry for her.

 Chapter 206

    "This guy is no ordinary person. Let me introduce him to you!" Lily said with a mischievous grin as she strutted toward me, pointing directly at my nose. "He''s none other than Mr. White, the heir of the White family-one of the wealthiest and most influential families in the country!"


    The crowd froze in disbelief. "The White family? You mean the White family in Gothville? No way! If the heir of the White family wereing to our gathering, Welsington City would be buzzing. There''s no way we wouldn''t have heard about it."


    "Exactly!" someone added. "Lily, stop making things up."


    Lily just smirked and raised a hand to calm them down. "Hold on, let me finish. Do you know what car he drives? A one-of-a-kind V8 Koenigsegg-the only one in Welsington City!"


    The room went silent as the crowd processed this. "A V8 Koenigsegg? He owns that? Seriously?" someone said in shock.


    Another person chimed in, "I heard someone spotted a Koenigsegg near Imperia Manor recently, but after that, it disappeared. Could it really be his?"


    "And that''s not all!" Lily continued, drawing out her words for effect. "He owns both the most expensive and the cheapest vis in Pgos Estates. The most expensive one is worth 20 million dors, and he''s the owner!"


    The room was silent for a moment. The people who had been in awe were now exchanging skeptical nces. They looked at Lily, then at me, unsure of what to believe.


    "Lily, what are you ying at? If he''s really that impressive, how have we never heard of him or seen him before?" another girl added.


    Lily folded her arms and chuckled. "Well, that makes two of us. I''ve never heard of him or seen him either. All of this is what he said. I''m just repeating his words."


    The crowd''s attention snapped back to me, and their skeptical gazes sharpened. "He said it himself?"


    Someone sneered. "Pfft! Is that how he managed to fool Crystal? With these wild stories?"


    Another guy stepped forward, grinning mockingly. "So, did youe here in your Koenigsegg today? How about letting us check it out? I''ve only ever seen a model of one, never the real thing."


    I remained calm and replied, "I didn''t drive today. I came by taxi."


    The room fell into an ufortable silence for a moment before everyone burst intoughter. One of the women couldn''t hold it in and let out a loud giggle. The others quickly joined in.


    "A taxi? You own a Koenigsegg and you still took a taxi? That''s the funniest thing I''ve heard all year!" one of them said.


    Another added, barely able to stopughing, "Wait a second-you have a 20-million-dor vi in Pgos Estates, a Koenigsegg, and this is how you''re dressed, and you came here by taxi? Even the staff here


    drive Audis! You''ve got to be kidding


    me!"  ''


    I remained unfazed. Lily probably thought she was adding some drama to the


    situation, but most of what she said was true.


    They even figured out that I was


    from the Gothville White family, but


    even if I admitted it now, they


    wouldn''t believe me. These people saw those they couldn''t reach as untouchable icons, and theydiked to believe that those above them were like legends, beyond the realm of ordinary people.


    It was kind of sad, really.


    Crystal, who had been watching


    everything unfold, suddenly stepped forward, biting her lip. "Enough! What are youughing at? Listen up-starting today, William is my boyfriend. Anyone who disrespects him is disrespecting me!"


    Her words instantly silenced the room. Even the guys ying instruments nearby


    stopped, ncing over in shock.


    I was just as stunned. When had I agreed to be her boyfriend?


    Crystal''s outburst left me speechless. I had no idea how to exin myself to


    Felicia after this.

 Chapter 207

    "Hey, you..."


    Before I could say anything, Crystal grabbed my hand and dragged me upstairs.


    I wanted to shake her off and exin everything to the crowd right then and there. However, doing so would utterly embarrass Crystal. Not only would I be the subject of their ridicule, but Crystal would also be a permanentughingstock among them.


    I couldn''t do that to her.


    It wasn''t until we reached a room on the second floor and stepped inside that I pulled my hand away. Just as I opened my mouth to clear things up, Lily barged in, leading a group of people right behind her.


    "Crystal, what are you saying? How could you possibly pick someone like him to be your boyfriend?"


    "Exactly! Stop joking. We''ll ept that this loser is your friend, but don''t tell us he''s your boyfriend just to spite us."


    "You turned down Maximus, but you''d settle for this liar? I''d never believe it, not even if you paid me!"


    On the other hand, Lily looked between Crystal and me with a smug expression.


    I had a feeling that Lily was always overshadowed by Crystal. Even though they appeared to be friends, there was no denying that Lily must''ve felt sidelined most of the time.


    With Crystal iming a "loser" like me as her boyfriend, Lily probably thought Crystal''s reputation among these trust fund kids would plummet. When that happened, Lily might finally feel like she was one step ahead.


    Her delight was practically written all over her face.


    Suddenly, one of the rich kids shouted, "I''ve figured it out!"


    Everyone turned to him in surprise. "Oliver, what''s going on?"


    "Yeah, spill it! There''s no way Crystal-the most famous heiress in the elite circle -would choose this loser as her boyfriend. I''d rather believe in ghosts!"


    "There''s definitely something fishy about this!"


    Oliver squinted and kept ncing between me and Crystal.


    "You all know Maximus has been chasing after Crystal for a long time, right? Lately, he''s been pestering her nonstop!"


    The group nodded eagerly. "Of course! He even threatened us, saying he''d beat up anyone who dared get close to Crystal."


    Oliver smirked. "Yet, Crystal''s not interested in him. She rejected him several times, and that pissed him off."


    Everyone nodded again. "That''s right, that''s how it happened."


    "Exactly!" Oliver dered triumphantly, and a smug grin spread across his face. "This guy is just Crystal''s decoy boyfriend to make Maximus back off!"


    The crowd suddenly understood. "That makes sense!"


    "Now it all adds up. No wonder this guy''s pretending to be a trust fund kid and making all those ridiculous ims. It''s all to scare Maximus off."


    "Tsk tsk, Crystal,e on. If you needed someone to pretend to be your boyfriend, you could''ve asked me! Why''d you pick such a loser who can''t even lie well? You''re just making yourself look bad."


    I stood off to the side, listening to their wild theories, trying not tough.


    They had huge imaginations, that was for sure. Had they watched too many movies?


    Suddenly, Crystal stepped forward, her face fed with anger. "Stop talking nonsense! What fake boyfriend? I''m telling you, I like him! I really like him, and want him to be my boyfriend. It has nothing to do with Maximus!"


    Oliver waved his hand dismissively "Yeah, yeah, we get it. You like him. Sure, we believe you. Calm down, Crystal. The more you try to exin, the more guilty you look."


    "I''m not guilty, you idiot!" Crystal snapped.

 Chapter 208

    Crystal suddenly lost herposure. She shoved Oliver aside and stormed over


    to me. Without a word, she cupped my face and kissed me.


    I was utterly stunned.


    At first, I thought she was just putting on a show, but her lips actually pressed against mine. She wasn''t just touching them. Instead, she was kissing me deeply.


    I widened my eyes,pletely at a loss for what to do.


    If I pushed her away, I guessed I would embarrass her in front of everyone and turn her into theughingstock of the trust fund kids.


    If I didn''t push her away, it would solidify the idea that we were a couple. Felicia might never forgive me if that happened. She had just lost her mother, and I couldn''t allow her to feel hurt or betrayed by me.


    The thought gave me the resolve I needed. Without hesitation, I pushed Crystal away and took several steps back.


    "Crystal, calm down!" I said firmly. "I never agreed to be your boyfriend. If you keep pulling stunts like this, I won''t hold back!"


    As I noticed the faint scent of lipstick lingering on my lips, I quickly wiped my mouth with the back of my hand, hoping to remove any trace of it.


    The room fell deathly silent. Everyone stared at me in astonishment.


    "Did he... did he actually reject Crystal''s kiss?" someone finally said.


    "He said he never agreed to be her boyfriend. Does that mean Crystal is chasing him?"


    "Is this guy insane? What nonsense is he spewing?"


    "This is ridiculous! I can''t take it. Crystal kissed him, and he had the nerve to act all high and mighty. Can I punch him?"


    "Did he actually reject a kiss from the most beautiful girl in the room? I swear, this world is messed up!"


    Oliver raised his finger and pointed at me. "You little brat! How dare you reject Crystal, and even push her away? You''re done for! I''m telling Maximus!"


    "That''s right, tell Maximus. Let him deal with this guy!" another person chimed in. "Did anyone get a picture of them kissing? Send it to Maximus now!"


    "I didn''t. I was too shocked to even move," another replied.


    "Don''t worry!" Oliver dered with a smug grin, "Dorian, the host of this party, is close with Maximus. We''ll just tell Dorian. He''ll take care of it."


    The group nodded in agreement.


    Crystal had clearly overheard them. Ever since I pushed her away, she had been ring at me with a mix of hurt and resentment.


    She probably hadn''t expected me to reject her like that.


    I couldn''t help but think how entitled she was. Not every man would fall at the feet


    of a beautiful woman, nor would every man tolerate her whims without question.


    Just then, a woman ran into the room. "Dorian, they''re here!"


    A man walked into the room with


    tall, beautiful woman by his side Frowning in clear displeasure,


    What are you all doing here? I


    &


    thought none of you had arrived yet."


    "Dorian''s here!"


    "Hey, Dorian!"


    Everyone immediately greeted him enthusiastically.


    Dorian appeared to be in his early 20s, but the patchy beard he sported didn''t suit him. He held the woman close with one arm while idly ying with a pair of walnuts in his other hand.


    When his gaze swept over Crystal, there wasn''t even the slightest pause, which surprised me.


    It seemed Crystal didn''t have influence over everyone. At least Dorian wasn''t the least bit interested in her.


    "Listen up Dorian announced. "I threw this party today to introduce my new girlfriend to all of you. She''s shy, so when shees in, nobody should raise their voices and scare her Got it?"

 Chapter 209

    "New girlfriend?" Oliver asked, his face full of disbelief. "Dorian, what about Cherry? Didn''t she just start dating you less than a month ago?"


    Dorian sneered. "I dumped her! Don''t bring up Cherry again. If my girlfriend hears you, she''ll get jealous. You all hear me? Don''t mention any of my exes in front of my girlfriend, or I''ll tear your scalps off."


    The group nodded in confusion and started muttering among themselves.


    "Who''s this new girlfriend? She must be amazing to have reced Cherry."


    "She''s probably even more beautiful than Cherry. I liked Cherry. She really loved Dorian and was good to us. Plus, her family was rich. I thought Dorian and Cherry were headed toward marriage, but who knew they''d break up in less than a month?"


    "Dorian seems really into this new girlfriend. She must either be a stunning beauty or a rich heiress. Otherwise, Dorian wouldn''t be treating her so well."


    I wasn''t interested in their gossip about Dorian''s exes and new mes. What bothered me was Crystal''s piercing gaze.


    I came here hoping to slip away quietly, but now I had be the center of attention. With the crowd blocking the door, I couldn''t even leave.


    Then, someone with a big mouth asked, "Hey Dorian, why isn''t Maximus here today?"


    Dorian smiled at the question. "He couldn''t make it."


    "Why? Wherever Dorian goes, Maximus is always there. They''re inseparable. Isn''t that a rule we all know?"


    "Yeah, you two are so close," another person added.


    Dorian grinned, then looked directly at Crystal. "Crystal, you should know the reason. Didn''t you tell them?"


    Crystal ignored him, still ring at me.


    Dorian looked puzzled for a moment, then nced at me, probably noticing I was unfamiliar. He frowned but said nothing more.


    As the group continued pestering him about Maximus, Dorian finally relented. "Maximus was pursuing Crystal the other day. He blocked off an entire street with flowers, candles and barriers. Then, out of nowhere, a quy in a luxury car appeared and hit him. Maximus was in the hospital for three days before he could get out of bed."


    The crowd was stunned into silence.


    "Someone hit Maximus? Who the hell has a death wish like that?"


    "I can''t even imagine. Whoever drives a luxury car probably has money, but if they''re a trust fund kid, they''d definitely know Maximus. Who would dare hit him? Are they crazy?"


    "That guy probably ran off. Maybe even out of the country by now."


    Only Lily seemed to take some twisted pleasure in the story. She nced at me with a smug expression.


    However, she didn''t reveal anything to the group. She was still somewhat considerate.


    I caught her eye and felt a sense of helplessness.


    Lily was so contradictory. On one hand, she thought I was a loser and didn''t want her good friend Crystal choosing me as her boyfriend. On the other hand, she thought being with me would benefit Crystal somehow.


    "Alright, enough of this," Dorian said, cutting her off. "My girlfriend''s almost here. Everyone, straighten up and be on your best behavior. When she arrives, don''t say anything out of line, Crystal, Lily, and that guy over there-everyone, go downstairs. When my girlfriend arrives, we all need to wee her properly."


    I couldn''t help but nce at Dorian. He seemed to treat his girlfriend with a lot of respect.


    Crystal followed him downstairs. It seemed like Dorian held a lot of sway with this group.


    Once we were downstairs, I found an empty couch and casually sat down.

 Chapter 210

    As soon as they turned their attention away from me, I nned to slip out unnoticed. I spotted some juice on the table and reached for it. However, I quickly hesitated and put it back.


    It was better not to eat or drink anything in ces like this. One would never know who might have the intention of spiking it with something nasty. This kind of thing wasn''t umon in the trust fund kid circles.


    I crossed my arms, growing impatient and wondering when I could leave. Just then, a sharp, feminine voice rang out from the door. "Let''s wee Mr. Caldwell''s beloved girlfriend!"


    Soon, a woman walked in, wearing a ck strappy long dress. Her pearl earrings sparkled, and her thick, dark hair was styled in glossy curls. Bright red lipstick finished off her bold look.


    At first nce, she was stunning. When I looked closer, I froze.


    It was Lina.


    I hadn''t seen her in a while, and I didn''t recognize her at first. Her hair was now dyed ck, and her entire appearance and aura had transformed. Lina used to be like a pure white daisy in the fall, but now, she looked more like a bold red rose, blooming under the moonlight.


    "Damn, she''s gorgeous!" someone murmured.


    "She''s definitely got the aura of a boss'' woman," anothermented.


    "It''s no surprise she got rid of Cherry. Cherry''s nothingpared to her." "Her feet are so delicate and fair. Dorian sure knows how to pick girls." "Dorian''s luck with women is unbelievable. They just keep getting more beautiful."


    Lina


    Dorian, She leaned on his Set


    So as she approached


    and kissed his cheek lightly. "Honey, sorry I I kept you waiting."


    "No problem, I just got here too. Did you get the bag you wanted?" he asked.


    "Yes, I did. Thanks, honey," she said with a smile.


    As I observed them, I could clearly see that Lina wasn''t fond of Dorian. She avoided making eye contact with him, and her body stayed distant from his. Even though she


    had initiated the kiss, she never fully


    pressed against him.


    I sighed, feeling a bit sorry for her. Was she nning to use Dorian the same way


    she used Ryan? She had better be careful.


    Dorian


    Showasn''t like Ryan. He wasn''t a


    and he didn''t let women


    e same stunt, she wo


    over him. If Lina tried to pull


    it.


    At that moment, Crystal suddenly walked up to Lina and sneered. "Lina, it''s you!"


    Lina froze when she saw Crystal. "Who are you? Do I know you?"


    "Heh, of course you don''t know me. However, I know you. You''re the bitch who stole my best friend''s boyfriend!"


    Lina''s expression immediately darkened. "Miss, I think you''ve mistaken."


    Dorian frowned. "Crystal, didn''t you hear what I just said? This is my girlfriend. Show some respect!"


    Crystal shot Dorian a re. "You''re defending this bitch? Do you really think she''s something special? Aren''t you embarrassed?"


    Dorian didn''t hold back. "Why should I be embarrassed? Look at the loser you''re with. That''s a hundred times more embarrassing!"


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 211

    "Loser? Honey, who are you calling a loser?" Lina asked curiously, turning to look at Dorian.


    Dorian raised a hand and pointed directly at me. "That''s him! That''s Crystal''s new boyfriend aplete loser who''s all talk and no substance!"


    Her expression shifted dramatically. Her eyes widened as if she had seen a ghost, and her face turned an array of colors, showing just how rattled she was.


    She was probably embarrassed that I recognized her so quickly. She might have also been worried I''d expose her past or simply angry that I was here in the first ce.


    I could see right through her thoughts.


    As they continued mocking me, I stayed calm and unaffected. If I let their words get to me, all the self-control I had been building up would be wasted.


    Instead of getting nervous, I crossed my legs and stared back at them. "So what if I''m a loser? I haven''t eaten your food or driven your cars. I''m not even close to you. Why should you care about me?"


    Oliver burst intoughter. "This kid just admitted he''s a loser! Hahaha! Crystal, what were you thinking? How did you end up with someone like him?


    "He''s probably just given up on life or thinks he''s untouchable because Crystal''s backing him," someone said. "Crystal, get your eyes checked. This guy''s got no looks, no muscles, no money and no guts. What do you even see in him?"


    Crystal didn''t respond. She simply walked over and sat down next to me. Then, she leaned in and kissed me on the cheek.


    I froze, then turned to re at her.


    Crystal truly had no boundaries. She kissed and hugged me without my consent.


    If I were a girl and a man I didn''t like kept kissing me without permission, I would p him and storm out.


    Sighing, I nudged her away. "Can you back off a little?"


    "Nope. You''re my boyfriend, and I''m staying close," she said with a smirk.


    "I''m not your boyfriend. I''ve already given you enough respect. Don''t push your luck," I warned.


    "I''m pushing," she replied defiantly and kissed me again.


    "You!"


    Frustrated, I stood up and moved away.


    The others stared at us, dumbfounded. Crystal had always been proud and aloof around them, so her sudden clinginess toward me must''ve been hard for them to process.


    "I''m going to the bathroom," Lina suddenly said, her face pale. She turned and hurried toward the restroom.


    I blinked in confusion, trying to figure out what was going on with her.


    As soon as Lina left, the others quickly surrounded Dorian again.


    "Dorian, your girlfriend is stunning!" someone said with a grin. "How long are you nning to keep her around?"


    "Cherry was gorgeous, and you ditched her after two weeks. What about this one?" another chimed in.


    "I''d bet you won''t get tired of her for at least two months," another added.


    Dorian suddenly sneered. "Let me be honest with you. She''s ying hard to get. She won''t let me touch her yet. Once I get my hands on her, I''ll make sure she can''t walk for a week."


    He paused and smirked. "How long I keep her depends on how long she can take it."


    Oliver let out a wickedugh. "Oh, she''s got you hooked! I remember thest woman who yed coy with you ended up in the hospital. She couldn''t have kids after that, right?"

 Chapter 212

    Dorian smirked. "Exactly! That woman will never be able to have kids for the rest of her life. As for this one, I''m going to mess her uppletely. Oh, and you all better keep your mouths shut. If anyone dares to spill even one word in front of her, I''ll make sure they regret it!"


    Everyone quickly nodded in agreement. "Don''t worry, we won''t say a thing."


    Crystal frowned, her expression darkening. "Dorian, don''t you im to like her? If you like her, why not treat her well? Why would you go out of your way to torture her? Are you some kind of psycho?"


    Dorian burst intoughter. "Crystal, do you really think men liking women is the same as women liking men? Let me be straight with you-when men like women, they see them as pets. Do you think anyone actually treats their pets like people?"


    Crystal was outraged. "Of course! If I like my dog, I treat it better than I treat most people!"


    Dorianughed. "Then you''re not a person. You''re just a dog''s ve!"


    "You!"


    I was stunned by their warped views.


    To them, women were nothing but toys, pets, or objects to abuse for their twisted sense of satisfaction. Mutual affection and care were concepts entirely foreign to them.


    Their behavior ensured that no woman would ever genuinely love them. Women approached them only for their wealth, creating a vicious cycle. Theirck of affection for women bred hatred and cruelty, which only deepened the divide.


    Was this what they wanted? I doubted they even knew the answer themselves. Someone suddenly asked, "Hey, Dorian, how did you meet your girlfriend? You haven''t told us yet!"


    Dorian grinned. "It was just the other day. I was having drinks at Zemon''s and saw this beautiful woman being harassed. She bumped into me, and I thought, ''Wow, she''s stunning!'' So, I stepped in, saved her, and now she''s my girlfriend!"


    The group immediately showered him with praise.


    "Wow, a real hero saving a damsel in distress!"


    "How romantic!"


    Suddenly, someone chimed in, "Why was your girlfriend working at a bar?"


    Dorian snorted. "I asked her about it. She got scammed by her ex-boyfriend and was 100 thousand dors in debt. She''s been working to pay it off. When I heard that, I just paid that 100 thousand dors for her. Naturally, she offered herself to me."


    100 thousand dors......


    Ryan had only asked Lina for 9 thousand dors. After deducting the cost of her clothes, she would only need around 4 thousand dors. I wondered where the 100 thousand dors hade from.


    It seemed that Lina had figured Dorian was an easy target and tried to extort him for arge sum. She had hit the jackpot.


    I shook my head. Lina probably thought she had struck gold, but she had no idea what kind of trouble she had just gotten herself into.


    Since she had taken that 100 thousand dors, Dorian wouldn''t let her off without getting something in return.


    I wasn''t interested in dealing with them any longer, so I headed to the bathroom.


    As I approached, I saw Lina leaning heavily on the sink, looking utterly dejected. "Lina," I called out, breaking the silence.


    My intention was to reason with her and persuade her to choose a better path.

 Chapter 213

    Lina slowly lifted her head and looked at me through the mirror.


    Our eyes locked, but an unfamiliar tension lingered in the air.


    Her appearance and demeanor had changed.


    Despite being only 20 years old, she dressed and carried herself like someone in her mid-20s.


    While she looked stunning, something about it felt out of ce.


    Her gaze was strange too. It wasn''t the disdainful look I used to know. Instead, it carried a mix of profound disappointment and resentment I couldn''t quite understand.


    What could I have done to make her look at me like that?


    "Lina, do you know what Dorian said when you weren''t around?" I said.


    She remained expressionless at my words, simply staring at me.


    Feeling helpless, I continued, "He said "


    "Did you and Felicia break up?" she suddenly interrupted, cutting me off mid- sentence.


    I froze, startled by her question. "No," I answered instinctively.


    "Then, are you two-timing her?" she asked.


    I wondered what had led her to use me of such a thing.


    "How could I possibly be two-timing?" I replied.


    When it came to rtionships, I wasn''t perfect, but I had never betrayed a girlfriend or entertained anyone else while I was in one. Two-timing was something I would never do.


    Lina spun around, ring at me with an intensity that made me take a step back. "Don''t y dumb! If you''re not two-timing Felicia, then what do you call your rtionship with Crystal?"


    The realization hit me. She thought I was dating Crystal.


    I opened my mouth to exin, but the words got stuck. Where was I even supposed to start?


    Lina said, "I used to think all men were terrible, but I thought you were different. I thought you were a good man who could stay loyal to his girlfriend. Turns out you''re just like the rest!"


    "No, I¡ª"


    "No!" she shot back, interrupting me once more. "You''re worse because you pretend to be something you''re not. At least they''re honest about who they are. You already have a girlfriend, and yet you''re cozying up to some rich woman! I used to think you were poor but had integrity. Turns out you''re just a freeloader. It''s disgusting!"


    I was taken aback.


    We broke up ages ago. What right did she have to feel disappointed in me?


    Still, that wasn''t why I had approached her. I wasn''t here to argue about Crystal or justify myself.


    "Lina," I said firmly. "I''m here to warn you. Dorian isn''t like your previous boyfriends. He''s not a good person, and you can''t afford to mess with someone like him. You should find a way to return his money and leave him as soon as you can. If you don''t, you''ll regret itter."


    "Oh, really?" Lina sneered. "He''s not a good person, but are you any better?"


    She walked over to me, staring at me with aplicated expression. "You''re already two-timing Felicia, so would adding a third really bother you?"


    I froze. "What?"


    Lina ced her hands on my shoulders and leaned in, resting lightly against me.


    "William, I''m so tired," she said softly. "Can''t I lean on you for a while? If you want a rich woman to support you, I can use the money I got from Dorian. Just stay with me, don''t upset me, and be my shoulder to lean on when I''m worn out."

 Chapter 214

    Her voice suddenly became weak, as if she had reverted back to the soft, fragile Lina I once knew.


    I couldn''t help but feel a twinge of sympathy for her.


    "Lina, you''re beautiful and smart. If you just set your heart right, you could find a really good boyfriend. Why risk everything for money and get yourself into such dangerous situations?" I said sincerely.


    I continued, "If you want a safe and reliable shoulder to lean on, I can introduce you to Benjamin or Liam from our dorm. They''re both good men, and they will never care about wealth. They''ll stay true to you."


    Before I could finish my sentence, Lina suddenly looked up at me with disbelief.


    "Those two from your dorm? The ugly, poor, and shabby ones? William, you want me to be with them?" she chided.


    I was taken aback.


    Benjamin and Liam weren''t the best-looking, and they didn''t have money. However, their character was solid.


    Given Lina''s current situation, she would be better off with honest men like them.


    It would help her regain stability. Whether she wanted to break upter or if she developed feelings, that would be her choice.


    I thought that would be the best choice for her.


    While Benjamin and Liam weren''t the most charming, their reputations were solid. Yet, Lina had already tarnished hers¡ªat least in school.


    Besides, she was the campus beauty. If she wanted someone to pick her up, she could find a better match. Honestly, I had a little selfish motive. I hoped to help my friends find better girlfriends.


    "If you don''t want to..."


    I barely finished the sentence before a sharp pnded on my face.


    Though it didn''t hurt, it left me stunned.


    I looked up at Lina, struggling to ept what had just happened. "Why did you hit me?"


    Tears welled up in her eyes as she looked at me, her face filled with a mix of deep disappointment and pain. "How dare you push me toward other men, especially those kinds of men? Is this how you want to insult me?"


    I was speechless. "What kind of men? If you look down on Benjamin and Liam so much, then go on and suffer with Dorian. Don''te to me for help when that happens!" I snapped, turning to leave.


    Just as I took a step, Lina suddenly hugged me tightly from behind.


    I froze.


    "What are you doing?" I asked.


    Soon, I felt wetness on my back. It was likely her tears.


    She hadn''t shown this much vulnerability in a long time, and it stirred a sense of reluctance in me. "Lina, why wait until now? If you had listened before, we wouldn''t be in this mess. Just do as I say, and I''ll help you talk to Dorian."


    At that moment, I had made up my mind.


    If Lina had truly reflected on her past mistakes and was willing to leave Dorian, I would help. I could pay back that 100 thousand dors for her.


    I could at least do this for old times'' sake.


    "I don''t want anyone else. I just want you, William," she whispered.


    I froze,pletely shocked by her words.


    I slowly turned around and looked at her in disbelief. "What did you say?"


    Tears were streaming down her face. "I''m so tired. I don''t want to deal with them anymore. I just want to go back to how we were before. I want you to be good to me. I want you to only love me."


    I was speechless.


    I never expected Lina toe back to me. However, it was toote now.


    All I had left for her was a little pity and old feelings. My heart now belonged to Felicia.


    "I''m sorry, Lina," I said. "I can''t betray Felicia. If you leave Dorian, I promise I''ll help you find a good man."

 Chapter 215

    Lina''s eyes widened. "You''re with Crystal, aren''t you?"


    "I''ve told you, Crystal and I aren''t like that. I only have Felicia as my girlfriend," I said.


    Lina immediately retorted, "You''re lying! You''ve changed, William. You want a rich woman now. You look down on girls like Felicia and me because wee from poor backgrounds. You''re just using Crystal to climb up and get rich. That''s what you''re really after!"


    I was stunned. Was that really what she thought of me?


    When I had no money, I was seen as a vain show-off. Now, I was just a gigolo using rich women to get by.


    I didn''t know what to say.


    As I took a deep breath, nning to exin myself and even reveal my true identity, I suddenly heard footsteps behind me.


    Before I could react, a look of panic shed across Lina''s face.


    As the footsteps grew closer, Lina suddenly pped me hard across the face. She quickly turned and ran toward the sound of the footsteps, tears streaming down her face.


    "Honey, this loser harassed me!" she said.


    I was taken aback by her usation. I turned around to see Lina already throwing herself into Dorian''s arms, burying her face in his chest. She didn''t even have the courage to look back at me.


    Dorian and his men were ring at me, looking ready to tear me apart.


    "Well, well! Poor loser. My buddy said you two had been in the restroom too long, and something seemed off. I didn''t believe it, but it looks like you''re actually trying to make a move on my girlfriend!"


    Dorian red at me, his fists clenched so tightly they cracked.


    "No one dares to touch my woman. It seems like you''ve got a death wish!"


    The situation shifted dramatically, and I couldn''t help butugh.


    I couldn''t believe it. Lina would never change.


    She was the one who had begged me to be with her, yet when things got tough, she threw me under the bus to save herself.


    I had actually felt sorry for her just a moment ago. What a fool I was.


    Dorian broke the silence. "Poor loser, do you think I won''t do anything to you?


    Today, I''ll make an example of you. Everyone will see what happens when youy


    a hand on my girlfriend! Grab him! Strip him and tie him up!"


    "Yes, boss!"


    A few of hisckeys stormed toward me.


    I clenched my fists, ready to face them head-on.


    Just as the tension was about to break, a bottle suddenly flew overhead, crashing against the wall with a loud bang, making everyone-myself included-jump in shock.


    Then, Crystal walked in with a few women behind her. "Dorian Caldwell, he''s my boyfriend. If you darey a finger on him, you''ll have to go through me first!"


    Dorian turned to look at Crystal and sneered. "Crystal, you need to pick your battles. Your poor loser boyfriend is flirting with my girlfriend, and you''re still defending him? Are you out of your mind?"


    Crystal replied with a cold expression, "Flirting? Do you have any proof? Just because she says so, you''re going to attack my boyfriend? What if she''s lying? What if she''s the one trying to seduce my boyfriend? How about that?"


    Everyone immediately burst intoughter.

 Chapter 216

    "Crystal, don''t joke around," one of them said. "What could Lina possibly want from that poor loser?"


    "Yeah, why would Lina flirt with that loser? This is justughable!" another added.


    Dorian''s face twisted into an amused smirk. He then grabbed Lina''s chin, forcing her to lift her head and look at me. "Honey, you''d better exin to Crystal what just happened. Did you seduce that poor loser, or did he make a move on you? You''d better make it clear, or I''ll be embarrassed, and I''ll take it out on you."


    Lina''s face went pale with fear, and her whole body trembled uncontrobly.


    It was clear she now realized Dorian wasn''t as affectionate as he pretended to be.


    In fact, he was downright dangerous. His gentle tone wasced with threats, and his grip on her chin was so tight it distorted her jaw and lips.


    Lina stammered, "It was him. He a-assaulted me. I was just touching up my makeup in the bathroom, and he s-suddenly came over, said I looked pr-pretty, and-"


    "That''s bullshit!" Crystal interrupted. "I''ll tell you the truth. William isn''t my boyfriend because he hasn''t agreed yet. I''m the one pursuing him! Even though I threw myself at him, he still won''t ept me. Do you really think someone like him would be interested in someone like you? Stop ttering yourself!"


    Her bold statement left the crowd stunned.


    "What the hell? Did Crystal just say she''s pursuing that loser, and he turned her down?"


    "No way! Crystal''s the number one beauty among heiresses!"


    "Maybe it''s some reverse psychology thing? However, if that guy could resist Crystal''s charm, there''s no way he''d go after Lina. Lina''s pretty, but she doesn''t quite match up to Crystal."


    I couldn''t help but feel grateful toward Crystal. I hadn''t expected her to go so far just to rify things for me. She had lowered herself to say in front of everyone that she was pursuing me. I owed her one.


    Dorian''s face turned ashen, and his muscles bulged with barely restrained rage. He lowered his head, ring at Lina with bloodshot eyes. "Honey, what''s going on? Tell me!"


    Lina burst into tears as she pleaded, "No, that''s not it! I admit I''m not as beautiful as Crystal, but William likes me! He tried to harass me because we used to date, and I dumped him. He''s still not over it!"


    Her words exploded like a bomb, leaving everyone in shock. Even Crystal turned to me with a look of astonishment.


    I closed my eyes briefly and let out a long sigh.


    Lina was too naive. Saying that only made Dorian hate her more. Instead of winning his sympathy, she would only make him more ruthless when he turned on her. How foolish.


    Crystal bit her lip and asked me, "William, is that true?"


    I didn''t bother lying. "Yes, we used to date, but we broke up months ago. I''ve long since lost interest in her."


    Crystal shook her head. A hint of hurt flickered in her gaze as she asked, "Why were you in the bathroom looking for her?"


    I answered honestly, "I went to talk to her because I think she and Dorian are a bad match. I wanted to convince her to break up with him."


    Lina shot me a deep look and silently lowered her head.


    Dorian''s face darkened even more. "She''s not right for me, but do you really think she''s right for a loser like you? Crystal, did you hear that? If he wasn''t still hung up on my girlfriend, why would hee here and interfere in my business? I''m going to teach him a lesson. Are you still going to stop me?"

 Chapter 217

    Crystal shot me a deep look before turning to Dorian. "What''s going on between William and me is our business-it''s none of your concern! Even if he was


    momentarily blinded and still interested in someone like her, I''m confident he''ll see her true colors eventually and forget her!"


    Hearing this, not only was Dorian stunned, but I was taken aback as well. I


    couldn''t believe she was still standing up for me at this point.


    Normally, I wouldn''t bother exining myself since I didn''t care how others chose to misunderstand me. But for Crystal''s sake, I couldn''t let her lose face because of


    me.


    Taking a step forward, I said, "I''m not hung up on Lina. From a neutral


    perspective, I simply believe Dorian isn''t someone she should be with. I didn''t want to stand by and watch her make a mistake, so I tried to warn her. In reality, she was the one begging me to reconcile, and I turned her down."


    I nced at Lina. Tears brimmed in her eyes, and her body trembled. Any lingering pity I might have felt for her had vanished entirely after her earlier betrayal.


    I continued, "If you don''t believe me, think about it. If I really had bad intentions, wouldn''t I have acted by now? Why would I wait all this time and do nothing? That would''ve been the perfect chance for Dorian to swoop in and y the hero."


    I paused to let my words sink in. "And take it a step further-if I were really forcing her, why wouldn''t she have called for help? Why didn''t she shout ''help'' in the moment? Why wait until you all showed up to suddenly act like the victim?"


    The group fell silent for a moment, clearly reflecting on what I had said. Everything I had mentioned made sense and was logical. If I had any ulterior motive from the start, I wouldn''t have waited so long to act.


    Crystal''s eyes lit up. She grabbed my hand and asked eagerly, "Really? William, you really don''t have feelings for her anymore?"


    I shook my head. "You know very well who my girlfriend is. If I still had feelings for her, I wouldn''t be with my current girlfriend."


    "Alright, I believe you!" Crystal said.


    Hearing that I had a girlfriend, the crowd turned their attention to Lina with more suspicion. It didn''t make sense for a man with a girlfriend and top-tier admirers to waste his time chasing after an ex in a restroom. Anyone with a bit ofmon sense could see the truth.


    Dorian turned to re at Lina.


    Lina panickedpletely. Her face turned pale, and she stammered, "He¡ªhe''s lying! Sure, he has a girlfriend, but he''s s-still in love with me. If you don''t b- believe me, look at the messages he sent me! They''re all confessions¡ªhe''s obsessed with me!"


    With that, she desperately shoved her phone into Dorian''s hands. He took it with a look of skepticism, but after ncing at the screen, he burst intoughter.


    "Haha, he''s a total simp! This is definitely a ssic case of a simp!" Dorianughed, shaking his head.


    Oliver leaned in, eager to join in the fun. "Dorian, can I see?"


    Dorian casually tossed the phone to Oliver, who immediatelyughed aloud. To everyone''s amusement, he started reading the messages out loud.


    "Leena, where are you? I got you your favorite roasted sweet potatoes. I''ll bring them over now, okay?" He read them out mockingly.


    "Why don''t you answer my messages? Every time I message you, it takes forever for you to get back," Oliver continued, reading another message with a smirk.


    "The sweet potatoes are cold now, so I gave them to an olddy who was picking up trash on the street. If you still want them, I''ll go buy you some hot ones," he continued, snickering.


    "Leena, I miss you. Can Ie see you after ss? I got you that ne you wanted, so don''t be mad at me, okay?" he continued.


    "It''s not that I didn''t want to buy the ne. I just thought it was overpriced for the quality. I was nning to get you a better one for your birthday. Since you were upset, I bought it for you anyway," Oliver said, reading yet another message.


    "Leena, did you block my number? Why can''t I ever get through to you?"

 Chapter 218

    I was taken aback as I heard Oliver read out those messages. The forgotten past rushed back to my mind. In fact, those messages were all sentter on.


    By then, Lina had already started seeing Joshua, and she began to distance herself from me, constantlyshing out at me.


    At the time, I hadn''t noticed the change-only that she always seemed to be in a bad mood.


    When Lina and I first got together, things were sweet. However, it was all in the past now.


    I nced at Lina indifferently. I had long given up on her.


    Yet, Lina couldn''t bring herself to meet my gaze. She just stared off in another direction, lost in thought.


    I didn''t want to hear any more of those messages, so I spoke up. "There''s no need to read any further. Before you do, you should check the dates."


    "Huh? The dates?" Oliver looked closely and froze. "These messages are from five months ago? Dorian, it seems he hasn''t sent any messages to your girlfriend since about four months ago."


    Dorian frowned and took the phone, scrolling through it. Sure enough, there were no new messages.


    Lina''s face fell. "That''s because I deleted theter messages! Dorian, these messages are enough to prove how much he loved me!"


    Dorian didn''t respond. He wasn''t a fool. He was a man too. He knew that if a man truly loved a woman, he couldn''t resist reaching out to her. The fact that there had been no contact meant only one thing I no longer loved her.


    At this point, the truth was clear to everyone. Just as I was about to give my final word, Crystal suddenly grabbed my hand and pulled me toward the door.


    "This circus can end now. Dorian, I''ll spare you and not expose the ugly truth about your lowlife woman. You handle it yourself."


    As Crystal dragged me out, I heard a loud p, followed by Lina''s agonized scream behind me. I paused for a moment, but before I could react, Crystal had yanked me outside.


    Just as I intended to apologize to Crystal and thank her, she turned her back without even looking at me. It seemed she was angry.


    If she was angry, so be it. Hopefully, it would be enough to make her stoping around and bothering me. I would be eternally grateful then.


    The reason I came to Pgos Estates today was to handle James'' family''s move- in. Now that the task was done, I took a taxi back to my dorm.


    The next morning, I slept in a little. By the time I got to the dining hall, Benjamin and the others had already left for ss. I slowly made my way to a seat, ordered a bowl of oatmeal and began sipping it while opening Felicia''s chat window.


    She had texted me goodnight around 2:00 am the night before-Felicia must be training really hard.


    As I hesitated, wondering whether to message her and risk disturbing her, a familiar figure appeared in front of me again.

 Chapter 219

    I asked, "Why haven''t you given up yet?"


    Seeing Crystal, I couldn''t help but feel a little exasperated. Didn''t she think this was embarrassing?


    Crystal was wearing a white dress with her long hair down, looking every bit the innocent campus beauty.


    Instead of getting her own breakfast, she walked over and grabbed the piece of bread I had already bitten into. Without any hesitation, she tore off a chunk and popped it into her mouth.


    "Why should I give up?" she replied with a yful smile.


    I raised an eyebrow. "Didn''t you storm off in anger yesterday?"


    "I got jealous when I heard how much you used to love Lina. But I''ve thought it over, and you and Lina are in the past. After reading the messages you sent her, I''m even more sure you''re a good man. If we''re together, I know you''ll treat me just as well," she said with a smile, winking at me.


    She continued, "The most important thing is that you can withstand my advances. Being with you, I don''t have to worry about you cheating. You''re the perfect boyfriend! I can''t live without you!"


    I chuckled softly, shaking my head. "Unfortunately, you''re toote. I already have a girlfriend. Now that you know I''m loyal, there''s no point in wasting your time."


    Just as I finished speaking, Felicia''s video call came through.


    I instantly tensed up. If Felicia found out I was being pestered by Crystal, she would definitely get jealous.


    "Hello, I''m taking my girlfriend''s call. You''d better stay quiet, or I''ll stop seeing you altogether," I warned.


    Hearing this, Crystal looked a bit hurt but still managed to smile. "Don''t worry, I know my ce."


    With that reassurance, I pressed the answer button. Felicia''s face soon appeared on the screen.


    She looked like she had just woken up, lying in bed with her messy ck hair spilling over her fair cheek. She looked incrediblyzy and sexy at the same time.


    From this angle, I could see her perfectly curved figure under the nkets, which instantly made me feel tense and hot.


    "Baby, are you awake?" I asked, trying to sound casual.


    Felicia smiled and yfully tossed her hair back. The movement was so seductive that my heart skipped a beat. "Not yet," she said in a raspy voice, which made her sound even more tempting.


    I immediately regretted not acting faster. If I had been quicker, maybe we could''ve taken things further before all of this chaos. Now, I could only watch and suffer in silence.


    "I just woke up and missed you so much, so I thought I''d call. Are you in the cafeteria?" she asked.


    I chuckled. "Yeah, having breakfast. I''ll go to ss soon. What about you? Trainingter?"


    She yawned, still looking sleepy. "Yeah, I have trainingter. Oh, I need to tell you something. I''m going to a cruise party in three days. Amelia said she wants us to perform a dance on board. If I perform, I''ll get a two-thousand-dor share. Amelia also mentioned I might be the lead dancer."


    Before she could finish, a cold voice came from beneath the bed. "Felicia, don''t get too excited! Amelia only said she might make you the lead dancer. It''s not confirmed yet!"


    "Yeah, who do you think you are? You really think Amelia''s just being polite? Donna is the one who''s really suited for the lead role," another voice added.


    "Keep stealing Donna''s spotlight, and I won''t be so nice!" came the third voice.

 Chapter 220

    Felicia looked anxious and quickly covered the microphone on her phone, but those words still reached my ears clearly. I couldn''t help but frown.


    Thest time I went to pick up Felicia from herpany, I found out that she had been bullied by some of her team members. I had given them a good talking-to, hoping they would learn their lesson. I thought they had backed off after that, especially since Felicia hadn''t mentioned it again. However, it seemed like things were getting worse.


    "Felicia, are they still bullying you?" I asked.


    "No!" she quickly denied, then smiled reassuringly. "They''re just being petty with their words. Don''t worry, it''s fine. I can handle it. I''m an adult now, and I''ll face situations like this all the time. I can''t always rely on you to solve everything, William. I have to grow up."


    Her words made sense, but starting from scratch and handling this on her own wouldn''t be easy.


    I told her, "You need to take care of yourself. If anything gets out of hand, contact me immediately, okay? Also, for that cruise event, send me all the details-time, ce, and the name of the cruise. I''ll check it out, and once I''m sure it''s safe, you can go."


    "Okay," she replied, nodding obediently.


    After hanging up, she quickly sent me the information, which I then forwarded to n for further investigation.


    I knew all about those types of cruise events. They often stirred up trouble, and sometimes even led to fatalities.


    Since the attendees were mostly from wealthy families and the events took ce on international waters, everything was kept private. Even if something serious happened, no one would take responsibility.


    On those ships, beautiful women were often at the mercy of others, with no opportunity to escape.


    I couldn''t let Felicia be exposed to that kind of danger for no reason.


    Just then, a hand waved in front of me. I looked up instinctively and saw Crystal smiling at me.


    "You look so stressed out. How can a cruise event be scaring you this much? I know the one Felicia mentioned. Don''t worry, it''s not what you think," she said with a grin.


    I was taken aback. "You know about it?"


    Crystal nodded. "Yeah, everyone in the circle knows. A lot of people have been invited, and I''ve got an invitation too, but I''m not going. I heard it''s being hosted by a wealthy heir from Cyr, who''s nning a romantic proposal. Since it''s a proposal, things should be fine. If there was any risk, his fianc¨¦e wouldn''t agree to marry him."


    If that was the case, I felt relieved.


    I would go and check it out myself in three days.


    Felicia had been so busy, and I wasn''t sure when I''d be able to see her again. Perhaps being on the cruise in a romantic setting would work in our favor.


    I didn''t know what it was, but I had been thinking about it a lottely. The more I thought about it, the more eager I became.


    Over the next three days, Crystal found ways to contact me every now and then. Thankfully, she chose times and ces where there weren''t many people around. Otherwise, I was sure her pursuit of me would have be the talk of the whole school.


    Before I knew it, three days had passed. I got my clothes ready, packed a simple bag and drove my V8 Koenigsegg straight to the neighboring city to meet Felicia.


    Halfway there, I suddenly got a call from Crystal.


    "William, something''s happened!"

 Chapter 221

    "What''s up?" I asked.


    "Maximus has been looking for you recently. Today, he mistook someone else for you. He''s currently on campus beating him up."


    "What?"


    I was struck dumb. How could he have made such a mistake?


    "Tell him about his mistake!"


    Crystal bit her lip and said, "No way. I don''t want to have anything to do with him. Also, he''s already beating the guy up. Even if I were to say anything, it would be toote now. Just let him get pummeled in your stead. We''ll make up for it in the future."


    "Absolutely not!"


    How could we do that? An innocent man would be beaten brutally for reasons unbeknownst to him. I could not let something like this happen.


    I wouldn''t be able to rely on Crystal for this.


    Thankfully, I had departed from Welsington 30 minutes ago. If I turned back now, it was likely I''d get there in time.


    However, I''d miss the cruise by doing so.


    n had told me that it was a public event with a high degree of transparency. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary. However, I was still rather concerned.


    Those rich kids would go crazy once they were let off the leash, not to mention the fact that Felicia had a figure that drove men''s thoughts into the gutter.


    When I thought of that, I called Travis.


    "Hey, are you going to the Pock City boat party this year?"


    "I''m going. In fact, I''m on my way there. Would you like toe? What a rare asion! Haven''t you always been disinterested in such events?"


    I chuckled and replied, "I''m not particrly intrigued, but my girlfriend wanted to go. Initially, I wanted to apany her. However, something came up and I can''t make it. I hope guards can be stationed around her to protect her covertly so she won''t get pushed around."


    "Oh, that''s easy! Don''t worry, I''ll watch her for you."


    "Alright, I''ll send you her picture and name. Please take care of her. If anything happens to her, I will make sure you don''t hear the end of it."


    Travis agreed.


    Relief washed over me. With him there, it should be fine.


    I turned the car around immediately and headed back to campus.


    When I arrived, I called Crystal. To my surprise, she stood by the door. Upon


    seeing me, she ran over and clutched my arm.


    "Weren''t you going on the cruise? Why did youe back?"


    "Someone has been scapegoated in my stead. How could I let it be?"


    "Oh, but he''s done with the beating! You wouldn''t be able to do anything even if you tried!"


    When I heard that, my heart fell into the pit of my stomach.


    "Where''s the man now?"


    Upon picking up on my insistence to see him, she led the way over while trying to convince me otherwise. "Don''t think that you''re safe just because someone has gotten beaten up. They''re probably around here somewhere. If you went over and they saw you, you''d be screwed. You got out of the car to confront Maximus. He knows who you are now."


    "So what if he remembers me? Like I''d be scared?"


    If I had known Maximus would cause so much trouble, I would have dealt with him in the first ce.

 Chapter 222

    When we arrived on the field, I saw that a crowd had gathered on the exterior of the field, whispering amongst themselves.


    There was no one on the field itself, which was a stark contrast to the numerous students who usually hung out there.


    I squeezed through the crowds and sprinted into the field.


    I saw a boy lying on the grass, and blood was oozing out of his wounds. It looked like he had gotten seriously hurt.


    Were they going to look on without doing anything? Were they not going to call the ambnce, at the very least?


    Anger red up within me. I immediately called emergency services. Then, I knelt down to ask him, "Hi, are you alright? Can you hear me? It''s over now. They''ve left. I''ll take you to the hospital."


    He coughed and stuttered, "L-leave me be. I can go to the hospital on my own. T- they''ll seek you out and you''ll suffer along with me as a result."


    When I heard this, I felt a sting in my nose.


    He was the victim of the situation. Yet, he turned around to console me instead.


    Thank God I came back. If not, I would''ve harmed an innocent person. It would weigh on my conscience.


    "Don''t worry. You won''t drag me into this. To be exact, I dragged you into this. I''ll exin the details to you after your recovery."


    As I spoke, I pulled my phone out to call Victor to update him on the current situation. "Put that issue about Maximus to the side for now. Mr. Hart, I need you to call a doctor and get a hospital room ready. Then, look into this student''s background and how his family is doing. If he''s facing any difficulties, resolve it for him."


    Victor sounded worried. He said, "Mr. White, why do you keep getting into situations like these at school? Why don''t you pull out? Let''s try another school."


    I didn''t know whether tough or cry at his words. "This is university, not middle or high school. How could I transfer schools on a whim?"


    "Mr. White, you have underestimated the power of our family. You''d be able to attend any university you wanted overseas, let alone local universities."


    "I know, but I got into this school on my own merits. You''re aware that I don''t like using our family''s power when ites to such issues. I''m fine, aren''t I? I can protect myself. If I do run into any danger, I''ll call Quintus."


    Ever sincest time, Quintus has always remained by my side.


    He stayed as close to me as possible without disturbing my daily routine. With


    this, he would be able to protect me when the time came.


    When Victor heard Quintus'' name, he calmed down.


    I cooperated with emergency services to send the boy to the hospital.


    I felt horrible seeing his parents sob by the door of his hospital room, so I implored


    Victor to prepare a million dors in reparations.


    On the way back, Crystal remained silent.


    Suddenly, just as we were getting out of the car, Crystal said, "William, you''re such a good man!"


    She paused before continuing, "No, I realized that you''re an excellent man. I like you even more now. I feel like you''re different from all the other boys. You''re more honest and down-to-earth than the other rich kids, not to mention how you''re braver and willing to take responsibility for your actions. Why hadn''t I met you earlier?"


    I smiled and said, "Give it up. We might''ve brushed past each other a thousand times before on campus, but I wasn''t hot enough so you never took notice of me."


    "Nonsense! You''re hot!"


    She looked at me like I was the sun shining down upon her. Her eyes gleamed.


    "I think you''re the hottest boy in school. No, you''re the hottest man ever."


    Myugh nearly spluttered into a cough. "Alright, that''s enough. Your praise is making this very awkward. I''m being very honest with you-we wouldn''t work well with each other. Find someone else."


    "But I don''t want anyone else."


    "Well you can''t have me. I''ve got a girlfriend."


    I looked at her and decided to talk it all out in one go. "Crystal, I..."


    Before I could finish, she leaned over and kissed me.

 Chapter 223

    It was a French kiss.


    My eyes widened and I shoved Crystal away from me.


    Although she stumbled from the impact, Crystal didn''t seem annoyed. Instead, she licked her lips, seemingly savoring the kiss just now. Her provocative action made me flush.


    She was too brave!


    "Crystal, you''re too..."


    Shameless.


    If our genders were swapped, I could''ve pped her for that kiss. Yet, she was a woman. I couldn''t make myselfy a hand on her, so I turned and left.


    After handling the scapegoated boy, I began fretting over Felicia yet again. How was she doing on the cruise? I tried to call her.


    No one picked up. Just then, I remembered the custom of getting phones taken away when boarding cruises. This was to prevent people from filming the filthy activities taking ce on the cruise. If it got out, their reputation would suffer.


    What should I do now?


    It was toote to head to Pock City now. The cruise would have left the dock by


    now.


    I sighed. It was Felicia''s first performance but I couldn''t be there for her, nor witness it firsthand. It left me in low spirits.


    Thankfully, the party would onlyst for a day and a night. It will be over tomorrow and I will see her then. This time around, we were going to go all the way no matter what happened.


    I couldn''t stand it anymore.


    Since I couldn''t support her at her performance, I would surprise her when she got back.


    My n for now was to take her to the Pgos Estate in my V8 Koenigsegg. We would spend a few days in our own little world.


    In order to ensure this n would be executed smoothly, I got people to clean the mansion up. Then, I bought some fresh flowers, before getting the florists to put up a massive flower arrangement in the mansion. They would roll out the red carpets and stuff delicacies in the refrigerator.


    Then, I went to the jewelry store and bought her a six million dor ne. Everything was in order. The pce awaited the arrival of its queen.


    Yet, while I prepared for our getaway excitedly, I had no idea about the horrible day Felicia had had.


    I only heard about it from Travis after the fact. ording to him, she had been viciously bullied on the cruise.


    Everything stemmed from the band that bullied her.


    Initially, the people who would make it into the band had been fixed. Although Hailey was dissatisfied with one of them, nothing could be done about it due to theck of a suitable recement.


    Coincidentally, Hailey ran into Felicia and brought her into thepany to rece


    her.


    Initially, the members got along swimmingly. After learning about this, they stewed in injustice for her. However, they couldn''t change anything. Instead, they could only watch as their best friend was kicked out of the band and eventually out of thepany entirely.


    In order to avenge her, they began bullying Felicia. It began with simple verbal insults. However, Felicia was a brave girl. Their mocking did nothing to her. She was set on practicing dancing every day.


    Thus, they levelled-up their bullying and did all sorts of things behind her back.

 Chapter 224

    For example, when Felicia was tasked with cleaning the dance studio, they would litter all over the room, or even leave bugs and rats around.


    They would also throw rubbish into her water so she choked upon drinking.


    As to how they locked Felicia in the toilet or poured rubbish onto her, those were daily urrences.


    Felicia didn''t dare to defend herself in the face of those bullies. After all, it was her against the world.


    If she snitched on them, thepany would only arrange for apromise to be made. They wouldn''t be fired. After that, the bullying would surely worsen.


    So, Felicia chose silence. Not only was she silent toward Hailey, but she didn''t tell me anything either.


    However, her silence did not instill guilt in them. It only resulted in even worse acts of bullying.


    The climax was when Hailey swapped Roxanne Orwell out for Felicia as the center of their performance.


    Her choice was based on the fact that Felicia was the most excellent member within their group in terms of beauty and dancing skills.


    However, there was no way Roxanne would admit that.


    She expressed her dissatisfaction vehemently, only to be disregarded entirely by Hailey.


    Roxanne could only direct her frustrations onto Felicia.


    In order to disrupt her sleep, she drenched Felicia''s bed in toilet water. However, Felicia said nothing. She only bundled herself up in her jacket and went to sleep in the studio and put even more effort into her dance practice to repay Hailey for her trust in Felicia.


    When they got onto the cruise, Felicia exhaled in relief. She thought that she would be removed from the center position after this performance, and all their horrible actions would cease.


    What she didn''t know was that her biggest crisis was looming on the horizon.


    It began when Roxanne insulted Felicia''s mom.


    Felicia had just lost her mom. Naturally, she wouldn''t let this slide. She stood up and pped Roxanne. For the first time, she screamed back at Roxanne.


    The members had all acknowledged Roxanne as their captain, although it wasn''t a formal appointment. Everyone obeyed her every word, not to mention how Felicia had always been silent even after being bullied.


    Felicia''s sudden retaliation was uneptable. So, Roxanne got into a fight with her.


    To quote their other members, "Felicia seemed like a harmless littlemb, but she''s as destructive as a storm when she goes mad. She tore off a chunk of Roxanne''s hair, whichnded Roxanne in agony."


    Roxanne realized that she couldn''t beat Felicia. However, she didn''t want to admit defeat. She then enlisted the help of her boyfriend, Dn Yates. He was also on the cruise.


    Upon seeing Roxanne''s sorry state, he brought two minions of his to the makeup room. They dragged Felicia out and dangled her by the railings of the cruise, threatening to dump her into the sea to feed the sharks.


    She was a hundred feet away from the sea, which was equivalent to at least a few floors. How could Felicia not be terrified?


    Roxanne was triumphant as she watched Felicia sob and tremble. To humiliate Felicia further, she even tore Felicia''s dress to expose her body to the crowd.

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    When Travis got to this point in the story, I was furious. I wanted nothing more than to tear Dn and Roxanne limb from limb.


    Travis consoled me and said, "Let me finish the story. We''re not in any hurry to teach them a lesson."


    Thankfully, Hailey ran out and saved Felicia just in time. They thought that the storm had blown over. Who knew that this was only the start of the nightmare?


    The owner of the cruise wanted to propose to his girlfriend, only to realize that the ring was missing. The surveince footage recorded a long-haired woman in a cap who had snuck into his room. So, he sent people to carry out a thorough search. They even searched everyone personally.


    Surprisingly, they found the ring in Felicia''s suitcase.


    The owner was furious and asked his cronies to beat Felicia up.


    At this moment, Travis arrived on the cruise on his helicopter.


    I was fuming at this point. "I asked you to protect my girlfriend. Is this how you went about it?"


    Travis scratched his head apologetically. "I thought if anything happened to your girl, it would only happen after her performance. Who knew so many things would happen the second she alighted the cruise?


    "I was signing a contract with a client of mine. I couldn''t piss him off just for your girlfriend, can I? I got there as soon as I could. I even took a helicopter."


    I red at him, trying to think of a rebuttal. But nothing came to me.


    If me were to be cast on anyone, it had to be on me and my ipetence. I hadn''t got onto the cruise in time to save Felicia.


    Not a single person could protect her in a situation where she was helpless and despondent. I almost couldn''t bring myself to imagine how hopeless she felt...


    "I had just gotten off the helicopter when I saw a woman lying on the floor covered in blood. I had no idea she was your girlfriend. I even went over to say hi to Mr. Payne."


    Cole Payne was the owner of the cruise.


    Having someone of Travis'' status on Cole''s cruise was something to be proud of. Thus, Cole hung on to Travis'' every word.


    "After greeting Mr. Payne, I nced at the girl curiously and asked him what was up with her, as well as why it was so noisy. He told me that she had stolen his ring. I was intrigued. Who was so brave as to get on the cruise and steal his ring?


    "I walked over and took a look. My eyeballs nearly popped out of their sockets in surprise when the girl turned out to be the one in the picture you sent to me. I looked at the pictures multiple times and couldn''t determine whether it was her or not. I had to ask her and confirm after she nodded."


    He shot me a nce out of the corner of his eye. When I remained unfazed, he continued, "I helped her up quickly and identified myself as her brother-inw, saying that she would never do something like this. I asked to call the police and called in a few experts to take a helicopter onto the cruise to investigate the situation and prove Felicia''s innocence."


    I nodded. He had dealt with it well. It had to be a public investigation. Felicia''s name had to be cleared!


    "However, Mr. Payne still wanted to propose. He didn''t want to make a big deal out of this, so he apologized. I then helped Felicia to her room to take a break."


    After this, Felicia was badly hurt. She had bruises on her face. Because of this, she could no longer take part in the performance. Roxanne took center stage, just as she wanted all along.


    I was so angry I felt like exploding. In my absence, Felicia had been bullied relentlessly!


    If I had been there, this would not have happened.


    What broke my heart even further was that seven days had already passed when Travis finally told me about this.


    Travis had an excuse for this. He said, "It''s not that I didn''t want to tell you immediately. Felicia wouldn''t let me inform you. In fact, she begged me not to and said she would do it on her own. I thought it would be best for me to not meddle too much in your affairs. If not, it would ce me in a precarious position. Who knew you two..."


    Who knew that we would lose each other as a result?

 Chapter 226

    I nearly lost Felicia forever!


    The day after this went down, I had no idea about what happened and was giddy with the excitement of getting to see Felicia soon.


    At 11 o''clock in the morning, I assumed that Felicia was about to get off the cruise. Her phone would also be returned to her. I called her repeatedly, but her phone remained powered off. Perhaps she had left it on the cruise for too long without charging, and its battery had run out.


    I could only wait. However, night fell and she still hadn''t emerged. I couldn''t get a hold of her. She hadn''t sent me any messages either.


    Just as concern began bubbling up within me and I was about to call the police, I received a call from a stranger.


    "Hello, is this William? I''m Roxanne, one of the members of the girl group Felicia is in."


    It was Roxanne.


    The worst part about this was that I had no idea what had happened on the cruise. I knew nothing about the ill will she harbored toward Felicia. Instead, I clung to her like she was my saviour and asked her about Felicia.


    "Felicia asked me to inform you that something came up. She''ll go back to you once she''s done handling it."


    I asked anxiously, "What is she doing?"


    I knew Felicia too well. Other than her responsibilities at school and dance practice, she did not do much else. I doubted the truthfulness of Roxanne''s words.


    Roxanne replied, "I have no idea what she was heading off to do. However, when we got to the airport, a rich looking man picked her up in a luxurious car. Don''t worry about her, though. She looked pretty happy. They should be fine."


    A rich looking man? A luxurious car?


    I was confused.


    Felicia kept to herself. She didn''t even have that many friends. Where did a rich man with a luxurious care from?


    As I stewed in suspicion, Roxanne said she wanted to meet me to tell me about what happened on the cruise. I had no choice but toply.


    She chose a hotel as our meeting point, saying that she had just gotten back to Welsington and had nowhere to stay. She was also exhausted and in need of a good night''s sleep, which was why it would be convenient to just meet at the hotel.


    My calls to Felicia still weren''t going through. I could only get a cab to the hotel. This wasn''t the first time I met Roxanne. I had given her a stern talking to in front of thepany.


    I wasn''t expecting her to havepletely forgotten who I was. She grinned while we spoke and seemed extremely friendly. My impression of her improvedrgely. After all, gorgeous women like her tended to look down on poor men. I was used to that.


    They seldom showed me any respect. When they did, I tended to approve of their personality.


    However, when Roxanne met with me, she only had her nightgown on. Her hair was draped around her shoulders and she seemed rather exposed. It made me feel a little awkward.


    I cut to the chase and asked, "Where''s Felicia?"

 Chapter 227

    Roxanne smiled and said, "Don''t get your knickers in a twist. Felicia said she''d meet me here after she was done. You''ll be able to see her then. Perhaps she''s preparing a surprise for you after not seeing each other for a while."


    This...was possible.


    "Take a seat. I''ll pour you a ss of juice so you can drink while you wait."


    She pulled me onto the couch and ced a ss of orange juice before me.


    I sighed. When I saw Felicia, I would lecture her about the importance of keeping in contact with me at all times no matter what happens. If not, I''d be so concerned all the time, wouldn''t I?


    However, Roxanne''s updates offered me some degree of relief. Her calmness led me to believe that Felicia would be fine. All I had to do was wait.


    After calming down, I scanned her hotel room.


    Evidently, Roxanne was loaded. It seemed like a presidential suite. It was sure to have cost at least three to five thousand dors a night.


    Roxanne was walking around on the carpet barefoot, tidying up her room while humming. She seemed to be in high spirits.


    Something seemed off, but I couldn''t put my finger on what it was exactly.


    I got bored and picked up the juice, taking a few sips. I checked my watch multiple times nervously.


    After a while, I felt extremely drowsy. My eyelids fluttered and I fell asleep.


    When I woke up, I was lying in bed naked. I sat up in disbelief and pulled away the covers before inhaling sharply. I had no boxers on either!


    The worst part was how Roxanne was lying right next to me,pletely naked.


    My eyes scanned the scene. Scraps of Roxanne''s nightgown were strewn across the floor. Spots of red were dotted across the bed sheets. It was definitely Roxanne''s blood. There was no question about it. After all, I wasn''t even hurt.


    Did we...


    I couldn''t bear to continue that train of thought.


    Myst memory fromst night was dozing off on the couch. I was asleep after that.


    Why would I have fallen asleep out of the blue? There was definitely something wrong!


    I got out of bed and put my clothes on. Then, I shook Roxanne till she woke up. Roxanne''s eyelids fluttered open. "Will, you''re up."


    "Who are you calling Will? Call me William!"


    I red at her.


    "I''m asking you, what did you do to mest night? Was there something in the juice?"


    Roxanne turned around and sat up. The covers slid down from where they were bunched around her shoulders.


    She gave me a small smile and said, "Yeah, Will. I''ve liked you for a very long time. We finally had the opportunity to get a little alone time yesterday. I couldn''t help it. I''ve given my first time to you."


    It was just as I feared.


    I inhaled deeply. Then, I chuckled. "Did you think we were in the 15th century? This would''ve worked back then. What, do you think I have to take responsibility for you just because we had a one-night stand?"


    Roxanne flinched. "D-did you not want to be responsible? That''s impossible. You''re a good man. I''ve looked into you. You''d never do such a horrible thing."


    "You''re wrong."

 Chapter 228

    I red at her coldly. Every word that left my mouth seemed to destroy her hopes and dreams.


    "You nned this trap for mest night. But even if I had slept with you willingly, it would''ve been nothing more than a one-night stand. You wanted to be my official girlfriend by sleeping with me, but that n isn''t going anywhere. I''m not assuming a shred of responsibility over you. Not only that, I''ll destroy your career in the entertainment industry if you dare cling to me!"


    There was no way I would spare her even the slightest bit of mercy. If she saw that she had hope with me, she wouldn''t let me go.


    In reality, I had never been a sweet person. I only spared those who were disadvantaged members of society. After all, their lives were hard enough as it was. There was no point in sinking to their level.


    However, when it came to rich kids like her, I did not have the practice of sparing them, especially considering the fact that she had schemed against me.


    "Will, h-how could you do this to me? It was my first timest night. I really do love you. How am I inferior to Felicia? I''m prettier than her, with a better figure. I can promise that I''ll love you more than she does, and make sure your pleasurees first in bed. Forget Felicia. Be my boyfriend instead, alright?"


    I frowned. What had gotten into her? She had never shown any interest in me when I visited Felicia at thepany.


    Not only had she deployed such dirty tricks to sleep with me, she also confessed.


    I wasn''t a narcissistic person. I knew that I didn''t have the charisma to make a woman utterly devoted to me. This was out of the ordinary. Something was wrong. I had to find out what happened at all costs.


    "Leave your confession to the police. I don''t want to hear it."


    Roxanne was dumbfounded. "The police? Do you intend to make a police report?"


    "Of course."


    I dug out my phone and checked my notifications. Felicia hadn''t called or texted me. My confusion deepened.


    What happened?


    "William, are you bluffing me? Do you intend to call the police? How could you make a police report over something like this?"


    I waved my phone before her and chuckled coldly. "Why can''t I make a police report? I fell into a trap and I was sexually assaulted. I would be allowing you to walk all over me if I didn''t call the police. You should be lucky I''m choosing to leave this to the police. If we settled this privately, you would''ve met a worse end than this."


    I immediately swiped on my phone to call the police. However, before I would press the button, Roxanne rushed forward and covered my hands.


    "Don''t call the police! I did nothing to you!"


    She had lost herposure.


    "You''re a madman ... I had slipped some drugs into your juice to make you fall asleep with the intention to sleep with you. However, you didn''t react to my touch no matter what I did. I couldn''t do anything no matter how much I tried!"


    So nothing happened. What a liar.


    I raised an eyebrow. Thankfully, I had the good sense to intimidate her with the prospect of calling the police. If not, I would''ve fallen for her schemes.


    I hadn''t intended to actually call the police. Although I was a man who didn''t care much about the sanctity of my body, it would still be quite embarrassing if word got out about this.


    I only wanted to spook her.


    "In that case, where did those bloodstains on the bede from?"


    Roxanne flushed. She gritted out through her teeth, "I faked them. I wanted to


    pretend like it was my first time. I bit my finger and squeezed some blood onto the bed to fool you."


    "You''ve got an borate n."


    I slipped my phone back into my pocket.


    "Let''s put what happened between us aside for now. Roxanne, tell me the truth. Where''s Felicia?"

 Chapter 229

    Roxanne had an unnatural expression on her face. "I-I don''t know. Haven''t I told you? I only saw her get into a luxurious car looking ecstatic. As to what happened after that, my guess is just as good as yours!"


    Just as she finished speaking, I sped my hands around her neck.


    "You better tell me the truth!"


    Her eyes widened fearfully. "I-I''m not lying! I''m telling the truth. If you don''t believe me, go ask Felicia!"


    At this point, even if she didn''t tell the truth, I couldn''t do anything about it. It''s not like I could beat her up.


    24 hours had passed without any contact with Felicia. Something must have happened.


    I could not continue waiting. I immediately contacted Victor and Quintus, inviting them over to Imperia Manor to discuss our next step.


    There weren''t many people I could use in Welsington. Thankfully, Victor was a powerful man with many connections. With him present, there wouldn''t be much of an issue looking into Felicia''s whereabouts.


    When we met up, I told him about how Felicia was missing.


    He replied seriously, "If that''s the case, there''s a high chance that Ms. Cylon was deluded and had gotten kidnapped."


    Quintus nodded and added, "Mr. Hart is right. Although you concealed your identity rtively well, there are still a few people in Welsington who are aware of your true identity. They''ve got the reckless bravery to scheme against you, perhaps to swindle some money out of you. In that case, Felicia would be the most suitable candidate to do so."


    I inhaled sharply.


    Had Felicia been kidnapped?


    If they only wanted money, it would be an easy fix. However, if they were an enemy of mine who wanted to exact revenge against me, what could I do?


    "Mr. White, don''t be too nervous. I''ll contact the airport to obtain the surveince footage to see whether we can get any clues from there."


    I replied, "Alright. Mr. Hart, you must ensure Felicia''s safety no matter the cost!"


    Victor nodded.


    While he investigated, I could do nothing else other than wait patiently at home. Crystal called me multiple times, but I never picked up. I couldn''t deal with anyone else at the moment.


    Yet, Jane called me, which came as a surprise. I picked up immediately.


    "William, I''ve been discharged from the hospital. I wanted to inform you about it so you wouldn''t visit me at the hospital."


    I was a little surprised. Guilt gued me.


    The first time we met, I told her I''d visit her every few days. I kept to that promise for a while. However, after her sessful surgery, my visits became far and few between.


    Recently, Felicia and I had been preupied with her mom''s visit. Then, I had to deal with Crystal. Too many things had happened. I couldn''t take time out of my busy schedule to visit her. At least ten days had passed since Ist went to see her.


    Yet, she had gotten discharged.


    "Jane, do you have a ce to stay after leaving the hospital?"

 Chapter 230

    "Yes, I do. Don''t worry, William. I know you haven''t beening to see me


    because you had something important to handle. I can take care of myself. My n is to go home and rest for a bit. Then, I''ll sign up for the entrance exams and get into Welsington University to study with you."


    Her words warmed my heart. I smiled and said, "You''d need really good marks to get into Welsington University. You took such a long break from your studies. Would this be a problem?"


    "Not at all. I''ve been working hard recently. I even took a few mock exams recently and achieved high marks. I will do my best!"


    "Alright. Send me a text on where you''ll be staying. Once I''m done handling this, I''ll pay you a visit."


    Jane seemed to be over the moon. She immediately sent her location to me.


    I forwarded it to n and said, "Help me check the surroundings of this neighborhood."


    n replied quickly, "The apartment is in a middle-ss neighborhood which is rather old. Although the crime rate is low, there is an immigrantmunity in the area. In terms of convenience, it''s quite average."


    Didn''t this mean it was a horrible area?


    I knew that Jane was surviving solely on the money I provided her with. She''d been sick for so long, any money she''d saved had probably been spent on paying off her medical bills. How would she be able to rent a good apartment?


    I ruminated on it for a while and decided to invite Jane over to stay at Imperia Manor once I finished dealing with Felicia.


    With Sophia there, they could keep each otherpany in an environment which was conducive of their studies.


    I treated Jane as a sister of mine.


    As I was figuring out what to do with Jane, Victor found some clues and reported them to me.


    "Mr. White, I''ve contacted the airport to obtain surveince footage. Ms. Cylon got into a Porsche immediately after getting off the ne. This is the car te number and some information about the car. Based on our research, this car seems to be headed to Pgos Estates."


    I froze. Why would they be heading there?


    Did this mean that Felicia had probably been kidnapped and brought there?


    This was why I hadn''t received any ransom calls. Whoever had kidnapped Felicia didn''t need any money. It looked like he was in it for revenge.


    Even if it was for revenge, such a long time had passed. Why hadn''t they called me to threaten me?


    I couldn''t make heads or tails out of this.


    Quintus suggested, "Is there the possibility that they aren''ting for you, Mr. White? Instead, their target was Ms. Cylon in the first ce. She''s pretty, not to mention the fact that she''s part of a girl group. She has been bullied relentlessly at work. Your interference inmed their conflict. It wouldn''t be impossible if it was the doing of one of them."


    I was struck dumb. A few possibilities crossed my mind.


    It couldn''t be Lina, could it? Or was it really Roxanne?


    From her attempt to sleep with mest night, she must''ve heard Travis call Felicia


    his sister-inw and guessed my identity. Then, she wanted to get near me. That was why she set outst night''s n.


    Forst night''s scheme to seed, the first unpredictable factor she had to control was Felicia.


    It was possible that Felicia''s abduction was Roxanne''s doing.


    However, she wouldn''t have been able to manage this on her own. She must''ve had help.


    I frowned and said to Victor, "This seems like a serious matter. Should we call the police?"


    He shook his head immediately and said, "Mr. White, we have not gotten to the bottom of things yet. My suggestion is to not act rashly just yet. The fact that the kidnappers haven''t contacted us means that the situation can still be remedied. If we called the police and pissed them off, they could harm Felicia as a result. We wouldn''t want that."

 Chapter 231

    That made sense.


    "Don''t worry, Mr. White. I have sent people to look into the owner of the car. Our guards have also been sent to the Pgos Estate. We''ll find clues soon. Ms. Cylon will be back safely. You just need to rest."


    I could only hope for the best.


    However, I had a bad feeling about this.


    Just now, I had promised to take care of Felicia. Yet, something like this had happened...


    I was useless. I had let everyone down.


    As I was waiting, Crystal called. She really could not take no for an answer.


    In order to stop her annoying behavior, I picked up the phone and said, "If you''ve got anything to say, just say it. I''m not in a good mood. I have no time to entertain you."


    Crystal was taken aback. Then, she said slowly, "I only saw that you weren''t picking up and I was worried about you. Why are you being so harsh?"


    "Who do you think you are to worry about me? Why would you of all people get to worry about me? Look after yourself. Stop calling me."


    I hung up immediately.


    After a while, she sent another message. "I''m relieved to hear that you''re fine. Sorry for disturbing you."


    I deleted the message in frustration.


    If not for her, I would''ve got onto the cruise. If that happened, Felicia would not have gotten bullied, nor would she have gotten into a foreign car. All of this would not have happened. I resented Crystal for this.


    I waited for a while more. When it became unbearable, Quintus sent a document over to me.


    "Mr. White, we''ve got news about Ms. Cylon."


    I got up immediately and asked him, "How''s Felicia?"


    Quintus'' lips parted but he said nothing. He asked me to sit down as he opened the document in his hands.


    "Mr. White, please calm down. Listen to me while I exin."


    A bad feeling came over me.


    "First, we''ve found the owner of the car. It''s a rich kid called Dn Yates. He didn''t know Ms. Cylon prior to this. For some reason, he developed an interest in Ms. Cylon and took her away to Pgos Estate.


    "Half an hourter, she ran out of the mansion and ran almost a mile. Then, she got into an ident."


    He ced a picture in front of me.


    It was Felicia, taken by the surveince camera.


    Sheid motionless on the ground with blood pooling beneath her. I felt as though


    I had been submerged in an ice bath.


    "Where is she now?"


    Quintus said slowly, "Mr. White, pay attention to the timestamp."


    I picked up the photo and checked the time. It was yesterday evening!

 Chapter 232

    This meant that a day and a half had passed since the ident.


    Quintusid another picture before me.


    "It was a hit-and-run in a secluded area, so Ms. Cylon was only discovered and taken to the hospital an hourter. However, when we arrived at the hospital, she had already been taken away by someone else. Right now, we''re looking into the identity of those people. ording to the medical personnel who attended to her, she seemed to know them and willingly agreed to leave with them."


    I must have looked terrible, so Quintus did his best to console me. "What we can confirm is that Ms. Cylon''s injuries aren''t superficial, but they aren''t life- threatening either. She''ll recover in time."


    I inhaled deeply. This was an information overload. I had no idea what to believe!


    Thankfully, Felicia was alright, and she''d left with someone she trusted. That was cause for celebration. I felt slightly relieved.


    "Where''s Dn?"


    Quintus replied, "He''s been arrested for scamming and kidnapping. We''ve handed him over to the police. Before that, we interrogated him privately. Here''s his statement. You''re wee to read through it, Mr. White."


    I took it immediately. After reading through the entire document, the full story was finally revealed to me.


    This whole scheme had been nned even before Felicia stepped onto the cruise. The masterminds behind it were Roxanne and Dn.


    They were in some sort of rtionship, but neither was loyal. Dn had a gaggle of girlfriends outside his rtionship with Roxanne, while she flirted with a rotation of wealthy young men.


    One day, while Dn was driving Roxanne home after work, he saw Felicia-and it was love at first sight.


    He wanted to pursue her. However, Felicia shot him down immediately.


    When Roxanne found out, she wasn''t angry at all. Instead, she even tried to act as his wingman.


    Their n was for Roxanne to frame Felicia while they were on the cruise, putting her in a hopeless situation. Dn would then swoop in as her knight in shining armor, earning her gratitude and, ultimately, her heart.


    It was an excellent n, and it had been executed smoothly at first.


    Felicia was framed as the thief who stole Cole''s ring. However, Dn''s heroic moment was stolen by Travis, who descended from the skies in his helicopter.


    Travis revealed his identity and introduced Felicia as his sister-inw, which, by association, also revealed who I was.


    The members of Felicia''s girl group were too terrified to act against her after learning about my identity. Roxanne included. Nevertheless, Roxanne schemed to possess me by attempting to rece Felicia as my official girlfriend.


    Dn, still infatuated with Felicia, agreed to proceed with the second phase of their n-one even more deplorable than the first.


    Roxanne swapped out Felicia''s SIM card, cleverly programming it with her own contact information. She replicated Felicia''s phonebook, ensuring that while the names remained the same, every number was actually hers. Felicia''s real number had been removed.


    As a result, Felicia''s calls to me never reached me; she was unknowingly dialing Roxanne instead.


    What a sinister scheme.


    When Felicia arrived at the airport, she got into the car because Roxanne, impersonating me, had told her that I''d arranged for someone to pick her up in that luxury vehicle.

 Chapter 233

    In reality, that car belonged to Dn.


    Felicia was brought straight to Pgos Estates. She only realized she had been deceived when she came face-to-face with Dn. After multiple rounds of negotiations, Felicia finally found an opportunity to escape.


    However, after sprinting for her life for nearly a mile, she was involved in an ident. What happened next was essentially what Quintus had learned from the doctors. After being rescued an hourter, she was taken away by someone. Beyond that, there were no further updates.


    I squeezed my eyes shut tightly after reading the document.


    "Quintus, tell the police to punish Roxanne and Dn as harshly as possible!"


    Quintus replied calmly, "Don''t worry, Mr. White. The evidence of their crimes is indisputable, not to mention the fact that Felicia nearly died. Since it involves the White family, they''re likely to be sentenced to at least ten years in prison."


    Ten years of imprisonment was catastrophic for a young couple who had just turned twenty. The best years of their youth would be spent behind bars. However, this punishment could not extinguish the hatred burning within me.


    "Inform the judges that they are not to ept any appeals for a reduced sentence, no matter who is behind it! If theymit any new crimes, their sentences must be increased."


    Quintus appeared surprised, as though he hadn''t anticipated my feelings for Felicia to run so deep so quickly. He nodded immediately and said, "I understand."


    "In that case, do you have any updates on where Felicia might be now?"


    Quintus hesitated, as though something was holding him back.


    I frowned and gritted out, "Tell me!"


    "Yes, sir. None of this information is confirmed, but I used mywork and uncovered some news. Ms. Cylon seems to have been taken away by someone from a powerful family."


    "What do you mean by that? Which family?"


    Quintus hesitated again before saying softly, "It''s the Maxwells."


    The Maxwell family?


    I was confused. "What family is that? Why have I never heard of them?"


    Quintus exined, "I''m not surprised you''ve never heard of them. They don''t have much of a presence here. Most of their activities are concentrated in the Sumn and Murca regions. I know they have some power in Ninefort."


    "However, I''ve heard that their faction is currently facing internal divisions. I don''t know the details. They''re a very secretive group."


    "No matter how secretive they are, in this century, everything is an open secret. What do they do for a living?"


    "They work in the pharmaceutical and weaponry industries."


    I froze. If they dabbled in those industries, they definitely weren''t some run-of-the- mill minor family.


    Suddenly, I remembered Laura telling me about Felicia''s biological mother, who hailed from a powerful family that hadn''t weed Felicia''s birth and even tried to kill her.


    Felicia''s biological mother had died protecting her.


    Could that family be the Maxwells?


    I looked them up immediately but found no incriminating information.


    Quintus noticed what I was doing and said, "Mr. White, that won''t yield any results. You won''t find anything about them in this country. Maybe overseas, but even then, all you''d see would be a few pharmaceutical articles. Nothing elsees up. They''ve banned everything about themselves online."


    "Are they really that mysterious? What do they actually do?"


    Quintus shook his head slowly and answered, "Mr. White, I can only say that if Ms. Cylon truly belongs to the Maxwell family, you might never see her again."


    I felt as though I had been plunged into an icy bath.

 Chapter 234

    "Tell me, Quintus. If the Maxwells wanted to kill Felicia twenty years ago, would she be in grave danger now if they found her?"


    Quintus shook his head slowly and said, "Mr. White, Ms. Cylon won''t be in danger. If they intended to harm her, they would have done so in the hospital instead of taking her away. ording to the doctors, Ms. Cylon seemed overjoyed when she was taken. Although they erased the surveince footage, I believe they intended to bring her back home rather than harm her."


    That was reassuring. As long as Felicia remained alive, we would see each other again.


    I believed that day woulde sooner rather thanter. She loved me as much as I loved her-perhaps even more.


    For now, the saga ended here. However, it would be incredibly difficult to see Felicia again. I could do nothing but await her return. That being said, I wasn''t going to sit idly by.


    From that day onwards, I beganpiling information about the Maxwell family. The more I discovered, the more concerned I became. This family had an extensive history, with connections to leaders of various nations.


    The reason they erased their inte presence was likely due to their involvement in geopolitical conflicts. Their industries operated in gray areas, and many would take pleasure in ending their bloodline.


    In terms of power, the White family couldn''t hold a candle to the Maxwells.


    One day, I headed to the library after ss. The day before, I had discovered an ancient book in the library that chronicled the histories of prestigious families.


    While I found nothing about the Maxwells, I dide across the Kiltane family, who bore a striking resemnce to them. The Kiltanes had a strong presence in the Murca region 800 years ago. Although they had relocated 300 years ago, they maintained their biological heritage.


    Intrigued, I was eager to learn more.


    While I was halfway to the library, someone blocked my path. It was Crystal.


    "What do you want now?"


    Seeing her was always a downer.


    She said pitifully, "William, what''s wrong with me? Why do you loathe me? It''s not like I made Felicia disappear. Were you expecting me to stay silent while that boy was getting beaten up? Did I do anything wrong?"


    I had no rebuttal. She hadn''t done anything wrong.


    In hindsight, she was technically a victim as well.


    She hadn''t asked Maximus to stalk her, nor had she directed him to beat the boy up. She posed no direct threat to Felicia either.


    Yet, seeing her always annoyed me."It''s not your fault, but I don''t want to have anything to do with you anymore. Please, don''t show up in front of me again."


    I didn''t even bother ncing at her as I strode forward.


    After a moment, she chased after me. Tears sparkled in her eyes as she said, "But you know I like you!"


    I shot back resignedly, "And you know I don''t like you!"


    "I don''t care whether you like me or not. I like you, and I want to see you more often-to spend more time with you. William, let''s start over as friends. I won''t do anything extreme. I won''t even try to kiss you. I just want to stay by your side. Please, I''m begging you!"

 Chapter 235

    I had to hand it to her. How could a woman cling to me so shamelessly? Did she have no self-respect?


    Wasn''t she once voted "the richest beauty" somewhere? Why was she so insistent on pursuing me?


    I had thrown unkind words her way and done everything I could to make her feel unwee. Yet, nothing seemed to deter her. I was the one who felt exhausted.


    "Do whatever you want."


    I couldn''t be bothered to give her the time of day. I would only do what I needed


    to.


    She trailed behind me, beaming as if she''d won some kind of victory.


    When I entered the library and found the book, I tried to tune everything else out, focusing entirely on my research into the family. Crystal sat beside me, silent, pretending to read.


    If it weren''t for the way her eyes slid toward me every time I moved, I might have thought she was genuinely interested in the book in her hands. Even though she sat quietly, her natural beauty drew the attention of others in the library. Many sneaked nces at her, which made me feel ufortable.


    After failing to uncover any useful clues about the family, I left the library. As expected, Crystal followed close behind me.


    I couldn''t help but joke, "Have you be my follower now?"


    "That doesn''t sound like a bad idea," she replied with a cheeky grin.


    "As long as it makes you happy, I guess."


    My phone buzzed. Victor was calling to tell me that Roxanne wanted to see me.


    I knew why she wanted to meet-it was probably to beg for mercy, hoping I''d pull some strings to reduce her sentence. But that was impossible.


    Still, a nagging thought lingered-what if she knew something about Felicia? Reluctantly, I decided to visit her in prison.


    When I saw Roxanne, she looked entirely different. Her once carefully styled hair was now cropped short, and she wore the standard prison uniform.


    Gone was the pride and vanity she disyed at thepany. Her face looked haggard and weary. It was clear she hadn''t been doing well.


    It wasn''t hard to guess why.


    Once upon a time, Roxanne had a bright future. Even if she couldn''t be the star of the show, she could have been a luxury brand ambassador, a minor celebrity living afortable life. If she had yed her cards right, she could''ve flirted her way into a wealthy marriage, buried under gifts and enjoying a life far better than most women.


    But now, her best years would be wasted behind bars. By the time she was released, she''d be middle-aged. Finding a man who wanted her would be nothing short of a miracle.


    "William..."


    The moment Roxanne saw me, tears streamed down her face.


    "I know that whatever I say now is toote."


    Emotionlessly, I replied, "In that case, you don''t have to say anything. No matter how much you beg, I won''t forgive you. However, if you know anything about Felicia that could help me find her, I might consider being a little more lenient."


    Her lips trembled as her eyes darted nervously.


    I knew that look all too well-she was scheming.


    "I''m warning you," I said coldly. "If you dare toe up with fake information, I''ll make sure your sentence is extended to at least 15 years. Try me."


    The n she''d been cooking up fell apart instantly. Roxanne''s face went pale.


    After a moment of silence, she dropped her head. "I don''t know. I don''t know anything."


    "In that case, I''m leaving."


    "Wait!"


    She lunged at the chance, desperate not to let this glimmer of hope slip through her fingers.


    Roxanne red at me, her eyes brimming with frustration.

 Chapter 236

    "William, as long as you let me out, I promise I''ll be a ve to you for the rest of our lives. No matter what you make me do, I''ll do it. I''ll even wash the toilet for you!"


    I chuckled.


    "Roxanne, it looks like you haven''t fully grasped who I am and what I''m capable of. If I wanted them to, I could get hordes of girls who are prettier and of higher social standing than you to clean my toilet. Why did you think I''d fancy you?"


    "I..."


    "Stay here and learn from your mistakes. If you do recall anything that has to do with Felicia, call me. If you can''t, stop annoying me. If you do get on my nerves, I''l increase your sentence."


    I waved my hand and said, "Take her away."


    Roxanne turned to nce at me multiple times. However, I showed no sign of forgiveness. She could only leave, feeling utterly devastated.


    After a while, Dn was brought in. He didn''t request to see me. I did so, because he was thest person to have seen Felicia, as well as the man who caused her ident and brush with death. My hatred for him couldn''t be expressed with words alone.


    His hair had been shorn off as well. His trendy hairstyle was reced by a buzzcut.


    He walked over in handcuffs, his eyes trained on the ground. I ced my hands on the table and red at him.


    After a few moments of silence, I said slowly, "Don''t you have anything to tell me?"


    "What do you want to hear? My confession? Or would you like me to sob and beg for you to let me go? Before I decided toy hands on Felicia, I knew what kind of man you were. However, I thought that you thought of her as a mere ything. I wasn''t expecting you tomit to such a degree."


    He smiled as he spoke. However, his smile was helpless and regretful. I knew that he wasn''t regretting his wrongdoings. He only regretted messing with a man like me, who was more powerful than him.


    When he would eventually be released, he would still be the horrible man who harmed others by doing whatever he felt like. He was even worse than Roxanne.


    "Felicia isn''t a ything of mine. She''s my girlfriend, whom I intend to marry." "Stop with that nonsense," he said.


    "With that status of yours, did you think your family would ept a girl like her as their daughter-ofw? Your feelings for her might be genuine. However, there''s no way that you''ll be able to marry her. No way. Don''t pretend like you''re so in love with her. You can do anything to me. I admit defeat."


    He seemed like he no longer gave a damn about earthly matters. It pissed me off. I wanted to exact revenge against him.


    "Do you? Do you admit defeat? Would you still think that way in ten years when you''re released from prison to a bankrupt father and a sister who suffered the same fate as Felicia?"


    When he heard this, Dn''s head jerked up. "William, what are you trying to do?" He was scared. When one exposed their vulnerability, they were basically ruined.


    I leaned back in my chair and smiled. "Haven''t you already guessed my n? If not, why would you get so worked up?"


    "William, this was my n. I''m warning you, don''t get innocent people involved in this, especially my family. They knew nothing about this!"


    I replied stoically, "That''s up to how I''m feeling."


    "You! Alright. You want me to beg you for mercy and apologise with tears running down my cheeks? I''ll satisfy you!"


    He knelt before me immediately.

 Chapter 237

    "If this is what you wanted, I''ll give it to you!"


    I huffed.


    Dn was apologizing as though he had done nothing wrong, not to mention how unwillingly he''d done so. As if I needed that from him.


    I turned and left without giving him a chance.


    He was dumbfounded.


    "William, where are you going? Don''t leave, William!"


    He chased after me and attempted to get a hold of me. However, he was held back by the police.


    Dn continued screaming after me. His shrieks morphed from those of anger into terror, before dissolving into pleading sobs.


    However, I did not turn back.


    Since he was ballsy enough to mess with me, he would rot in prison for the next ten years while paralyzed with fear.


    This was myst punishment to him.


    In front of the prison, Crystal was huddled on the floor, looking extremely bored.


    I approached her and she immediately looked up at me. "William, you''ve finallye out! How was it? Did you manage to get any information regarding Felicia?"


    I shook my head slowly. There were still no developments.


    "Don''t worry. We live in a society addicted to social media. Disappearing without a trace is highly improbable. You''ll definitely acquire some clues."


    I smiled bitterly. "So what if everyone uses social media? Do you know how many missing people reports have turned into cold cases due to ack of evidence? Do you know how they disappeared, or what happened after the disappearance? You have no idea, just like everyone else. Some people remain missing forever."


    In reality, I had prepared myself to ept the fact that I would never see Felicia again in this lifetime.


    Yet, when I thought of how she disappeared, I felt my heart squeeze painfully. She might''ve misunderstood me or felt disappointed due to my inaction, which would have broken her heart and made her fall out of love with me.


    I only realized how much I liked her after losing her.


    "Don''t cry, William."


    I was taken aback. I swiped at the corner of my eyes reflexively. There was indeed a tear in my eye.


    I was crying.


    Felicia suddenly hugged me and said, "I will apany you in your search for her. I promise. Before you find her, I won''t leave you behind. I''ll keep youpany. However, I won''t be a nuisance to you, nor will I do anything which displeases you. You''ll never be alone."


    It was nice to have herpany. However, did Felicia have someone keeping herpany?


    I didn''t want to be so weak and emotional, but losing someone important to me in such a helpless fashion was too much. It was the first time something like this had happened to me. I felt like I was being suffocated.


    In the next few days, I wallowed in misery and helplessness. At the same time, news of Felicia''s disappearance began spreading like wildfire throughout the school.


    Benjamin, Liam, and Matthew did their best to take care of me and cheer me up. Although Iughed asionally at their antics, depression was never far away. I didn''t want to feel like that, but it was out of my control.


    One day, I left my dorm to get some fruit. I saw a familiar face the second I walked out. It was Lina.


    Ever since we argued at Pgos Estates, I hadn''t seen her. I had no intention of giving her the time of day either. I wasn''t expecting her to show up. Who knew whether she was here to see me or someone else?


    I pretended not to have noticed her and headed toward the store. She followed me immediately.


    "William."


    As expected, she was here for me.


    I sighed and said resignedly, "How are you still shameless enough to seek me


    out? Wasn''t it enough to have framed me then?"

 Chapter 238

    Lina seemed taken aback. She was pale as she replied, "I''ve broken up with


    Dorian."


    "Okay."


    It was only a matter of time before they broke up. Dorian hadn''t liked her for real. Even Ryan''s love for her was more genuine.


    gave her advice out of the goodness of my heart, yet she used me of


    something I hadn''t done. I wasn''t about to help someone who didn''t appreciate my assistance.


    "William, I..."


    Upon seeing that I had bought a few oranges, she tried to pay for me. I hesitated. Given that they cost only a total of five dors, I allowed her to do so and turned to leave the store.


    "William, can we talk?"


    "I have nothing to say to you."


    I wasn''t a pathetic man who was utterly hung up on her. I would have to be an idiot if I wanted to chat with her after getting hurt and lied to so many times.


    A hurt expression warped her features. "William, I''ve broken up with Dorian. I also hadn''t done anything with him. I promise."


    "I don''t care about what you did with him. Unless..."


    I stopped walking and turned to her. "Are you trying to borrow money from me?"


    If my memory served me right, she owed Dorian a hundred thousand dors.


    She shook her head slowly. Tears were clinging to her eyshes. "I''ve paid off my debt to him."


    "In that case, congrattions."


    She could finally be rid of Dorian.


    I continued walking. She followed me and continued, "William, I know I let you down. However, after going through so many things, I''ve understood that money doesn''t bring happiness. A genuine heart is more important than any of that. C- could you give me another chance?"


    What?


    Another chance?


    I smiled and said, "Wait, I''m confused. How did you muster the shamelessness to say this? Lina, even if you had turned over a new leaf, please don''t seek me out. Did you think I was an idiot?"


    Tears trickled down her cheeks. "You''re not going to forgive me no matter what I say or do, right? You won''t believe me either."


    "You can word it like that."


    "Got it."


    Good.


    I went straight back to my room. When I checked my phone, a message from her was waiting for me. "Time will prove everything."


    I smirked and deleted it.


    I gave Liam and Benjamin an orange. The second I sat down, he said, "Will, why''s Crystal not trailing after you anymore? Has she gotten sick of you already?"


    I shrugged. "Perhaps."


    "I don''t understand women. A few days ago, I saw her following you around. I thought she was firmly in love with you. Was this all she had? How impatient. I was even more determined when pursuing girls!"


    "Exactly!"


    Suddenly, my phone rang.


    "Hi, what''s up?"


    "William, I took a cooking ss recently and made you some treats. I was afraid you wouldn''t be willing to take it from me downstairs, so I asked a boy to give it to you. You must eat it. I''ve tried it before and it tastes alright."


    Benjamin and Liam immediately pped a hand over their mouths while sticking a thumbs up at me.

 Chapter 239

    Liam''s and Benjamin''s expressions were hrious. I couldn''t help but giggle.


    Someone knocked on the door and Benjamin immediately rushed over to open it. "Is William here? A gorgeous girl asked me to deliver some treats just now." "Yes, yes he''s here. You can just hand them to me. Thank you so much." Benjamin took the treats and ced them on the table. I was taken aback.


    It was beautifully packaged. If Crystal hadn''t told me she''d made them herself, I would believe that they were bought from a sweet shop. It was unlikely that she was lying to me.


    Crystal seemed excited. "You''ve received the desserts? Try them and tell me whether you think they''re nice."


    "Thank you."


    I didn''t want to embarrass Crystal before Benjamin and Liam, so I opened the packaging to take a bite.


    To be honest, they tasted pretty average. It was a bit hard, not sweet enough, and felt way too doughy. It couldn''tpare with the dessert stall in front of campus, let alone my family chefs.


    However, I praised her kindly, "It tastes quite good."


    "Really? That''s great. Looks like my efforts have not gone to waste. I don''t have a foundation in cooking. However, I''m willing to learn for you... I''m sorry. I know you don''t like hearing me talk about this. Just pretend like I hadn''t said anything."


    She ced herself in such a low position. It made me feel a little embarrassed. A girl doing this to herself inspired pity in me.


    "Thanks."


    "William, I need a favor from you."


    "What is it?"


    Although the desserts weren''t that good, I was indebted to her now. So, I had to be courteous toward her.


    Crystal said softly, "Tomorrow is my annual family reunion. All my rtives would gather in Grandma''s house for a feast. All my sisters, whether they''re older or younger than me, have gotten boyfriends. I''m the only one without a partner. I don''t want them to nag me about this when I go home. Could you pretend to be my boyfriend at the event?"


    Her pretend boyfriend?


    I frowned and said, "Are you asking me to pretend to be your boyfriend at a family dinner? This seems inappropriate. Wouldn''t it mean that I would have to apany you to other family events in the future?"


    It sounded like an unending task.


    "Not at all. It''s just for today! Grandma''s not in the pink of health. She''ll be going overseas for treatment soon. This is probably thest time we''ll meet as a family. I don''t want to disappoint Grandma. I''m begging you."


    I was still quite hesitant. There would be many people at the event, whom I would have to entertain. It annoyed me.


    "Why don''t you enlist the help of someone else? I can rmend someone for the job."


    "Forget it."


    My rejection must''ve disappointed her because she said, "I''ll stop disturbing you. Have a good rest."


    She hung up immediately.


    The second I put my phone away, Benjamin and Liam began chiding me. "Fuck, William. How could you be so cold-hearted? So ruthless! How did you turn her down?"

 Chapter 240

    Benjamin and Liam continued to make their case.


    "Yeah! Crystal is a literal goddess. She requested you to be her boyfriend. You must''ve saved the universe in a past life to deserve this blessing. How dare you reject her proposal?"


    "Call her and tell her that you''re willing to do it. She even made you desserts and begged you for your help. Are you even a man?"


    "Why would this be a blessing? Can''t I have personal matters to attend to? Does she have to be the center of my universe?" I asked.


    "No, William. Crystal has stayed by your side for so long and treated you so well. She''s never asked you for anything until now. She''s just asking you to be her pretend boyfriend. You''d just have to be there to grab a bite and greet her grandma. That''s it. Why wouldn''t you agree?"


    "Yeah. If Crystal could allow me to take up this job, I would do so in a heartbeat. She wouldn''t even need to ask me! I''d be her knight in shining armor!"


    I reflected on their words. Indeed, Crystal had been treating me very well recently.


    She bought me food and drinks. Crystal even apanied me no matter where I went.


    Even though I told her I didn''t need herpany, it still feltforting to have someone there when I was feeling down. It made me feel a little less alone.


    I hadn''t really done anything for her.


    I couldn''t help but sigh. "Fine. I''ll help her this one time as a repayment for her support. After this, we won''t be indebted to each other any longer."


    Just as I was about to call her, Benjamin grabbed my hand.


    "Don''t call her. Just go downstairs to tell her. She''s standing right there!" "Right. Head downstairs to tell her in person and thank her for the desserts." Benjamin and Liam red at me as though they were minions sent by Crystal. Their loyalty to her was excessive. I couldn''t remain firm in the face of their persuasions. Thus, I went downstairs in my slippers.


    When I saw Crystal, she was speaking to her friend.


    "Let''s go, Crystal. It''s been many days. Haven''t you seen through him? He''s just leading you on. His ego gets a boost every time you treat him well. A stranger might think that he was the heir of a wealthy family. He''s just a broke loser who thinks too highly of himself!"


    "Don''t talk about him like that. It has nothing to do with him. I was the one who wanted to follow him around."


    "I don''t understand, Crystal. I would love for you guys to get together, but when I see how you suck up to him while he pretends to be unfazed, I feel like pping him!"


    I inhaled through my teeth. Her friend was brave. How dare she intend to p me?


    Crystal red at her friend unhappily and said, "He has the right to decide whether he likes me or not. I can''t force him to be nice to him just because I''ve a crush on him. Stop talking about him. Help me find a solution. Is there a guy who can be my pretend boyfriend?"


    "No!"


    She sighed.


    "It''s not like you know nothing about those guys who pine after you like wolves. If they knew that they had the chance to pretend to be your boyfriend at your family reunion, they would brag about you endlessly and blow the truth out of proportion. It would make your family gathering extremely chaotic. That poor loser does seem


    to be a good candidate. At least he wouldn''t do anything weird."


    Crystal shook her head. "He refuses to go. It''s fine. I can go alone."


    She frowned. "Your family would mock you if you went there single. I''ve seen how they can get. If you hadn''t held me back, I would''ve beaten them up!"


    "It''s alright. It''s only for a day anyway. Everything will be over before I know it."


    At this point, I realized that Crystal wasn''t lying to me.


    This gathering was important. She would suffer if she turned up without a boyfriend. It wasn''t just to be a nuisance to me.


    I thought about it. Then, I walked over and said, "I can apany you to the family reunion. However, this is a one-time urrence."

 Chapter 241

    Crystal and her best friend froze for a moment. Then, Crystal jumped up excitedly. "Really? Thank you, William!"


    Her best friend, however, crossed her arms, looking displeased. "What''s with that tone? It''s like we''re begging you toe along. Do you even realize how many people would dream of being invited to an event with Crystal?"


    "What happens between me and her has nothing to do with you, does it?"


    I didn''t like her best friend much.


    I didn''t care if she looked down on me, but she always made snide remarks right


    to my face. Did she really think that I wouldn''t respond?


    "What did you just say?" she snapped, clearly furious.


    I had barely said a word, yet she was already angry. I couldn''t imagine how she would react if I returned the favor and belittled her as she did me. She would probably blow a fuse on the spot.


    Crystal hurried to mediate when she sensed the tension between us. "Come on. You''re both my good friends, and you''re both just looking out for me. Let''s not argue. William, I''ll pick you upter, okay? Could you maybe wear something nicer? If you have nothing suitable, I can take you shopping."


    "No need. I''ve got it covered."


    I knew how to dress for an event like this.


    After that, I headed back to the dorm. I wouldn''t have minded chatting longer if it were just Crystal, but her best friend watched me like a hawk, ready to pounce on any mistake. I decided to leave before things became more unpleasant.


    When she came to pick me up the next day, she was visibly surprised to see me in a high-end, casual designer outfit. She seemed to want to say something but ultimately held back. Instead, she simply gestured for me to get in the car.


    Her reaction was so obvious that I couldn''t ignore it.


    Once inside, I couldn''t help but ask, "Is there something wrong with the way I''m dressed?"


    I nced at her outfit and suddenly realized she was dressed very formally. While a gown paired with jewelry wasn''t unusual, her dress was more of a red-carpet evening gown. It wasn''t for everyday wear.


    The White family often held gatherings, and as one of only three heirs, I was always treated like a treasure, surrounded by warmth and care.


    From my experience, family gatherings were typically casual and focused onfort. That was why I opted for a subtle yet luxurious outfit to align with Crystal''s status.


    I thought I had nailed it. But now, I realize that I might have gotten it wrong.


    As expected, Crystal hesitated before exining, "Our family gatherings are quite formal. Everyone wears business attire, and men usually wear suits."


    "Suits?" I was stunned. In the White family, anyone who showed up in a suit to a family gathering would definitely be mocked. Could the customs between families be this different?


    Feeling unsure, I quickly messaged my family''s stylist for advice.


    The reply came quickly. "Mr. White, there can indeed be significant differences between families. The White family values close-knit rtionships, so gatherings feel more like warm reunions.


    "However, many prominent families host gatherings primarily for business reasons, maintaining connections out of necessity. These events often revolve around business deals, not personal connections. I suspect that the gathering you''re attending resembles thetter."


    So that was how it was.


    I smacked my forehead. If I had known about this earlier, I would have just followed Crystal''s advice instead of assuming I knew better.

 Chapter 242

    I hesitated before asking, "Do you think there''s still time for me to change into a suit?"


    Crystal smiled. "There''s no need for that. I initially thought about asking you to wear a suit, but now I''ve realized something-you''re my boyfriend. It''s perfectly normal for you not to know all the family customs.


    "Besides, I''m already grateful that you''re willing to apany me. I don''t want to ask more of you."


    "Alright." Although I agreed, I couldn''t help but feel a bit regretful. I was worried that my attire might cause unnecessary trouble for her.


    Halfway there, she made a call and put it on speaker. "Mom, is everyone already there?"


    A woman''s voice came from the other end of the line. "Mostly everyone has arrived. Your cousins are here too, and they''ve all brought their boyfriends. From what I''ve seen, they''re all outstanding young men. Crystal, you said you''d bring your boyfriend this time. Are you serious?"


    Crystal nced at me, her expression slightly reserved. "Yes, Mom. He''s right here in the car with me."


    "Good. Take your time getting here. I''ll wait for you. Oh, and don''t hang up. I''ll keep you on so you can hear their conversation and prepare yourself beforehand. That way, you won''t be caught off guard."


    "Alright. Don''t worry, Mom. I''m different from before. It won''t be easy for them to bully me again!"


    As I listened to their conversation, I didn''t know what to say.


    Was this really supposed to be a family gathering? It sounded more like a political battlefield than a reunion.


    A burst of chatter came through the phone, followed by an elderly woman''s voice. "Oh my! You two are bing more beautiful each day. You both have truly blossomed into stunning young women."


    "Grandma, no matter how pretty I be, I''ll neverpare to how beautiful you were in your youth. It''s a shame I didn''t inherit even a fraction of your genes!"


    "That''s right! If I had inherited your beauty, I would''ve dominated the entertainment industry by now!"


    The woman who was addressed as Grandma chuckled. "Neither of you evene close to Crystal. She closely resembles me in my youth, which is why she''s regarded as the family''s top beauty. You''re still a long way off."


    I briefly froze when I heard that. I wondered what kind of a grandmother would say such things.


    Even if some grandchildren were more good-looking than others, wasn''t it a bit much to make such tantparisons? No wonder their family gatherings were so tense. When the older generation set this tone, how could the younger ones be expected to get along?


    At that moment, one of the women on the call spoke up again, her tone yful. "Grandma, let me introduce my boyfriend, Pablo Steele. His family owns a chain of furniture stores¡ª35 across the country, and even two overseas."


    "Really? Oh my. So you''re from the Steele family! You''re such a handsome young man. You''re truly blessed to be with Anna."


    The corners of my mouth involuntarily twitched. "Is your grandma always like this?"


    Crystal blushed slightly. "This is how she always is. By the way, let me introduce everyone. The person who just spoke was my grandma. You can just call her Mrs. Morgan Seniorter. The sharp voice belongs to my cousin, Anna Morgan, and the deeper voice is my other cousin, Celia Morgan."


    "Got it," I replied, silentlymitting the names to memory so I wouldn''t make a mistaketer.


    Then I heard Mrs. Morgan Seniorugh again through the phone. "That''s wonderful. If you can marry into the Morgan family, your future will be limitless. Here, take these gifts. I apologize if it''s too much-just ept them!"

 Chapter 243

    I nearly burst outughing.


    When giving gifts, people would usually say, "I apologize if that''s a small gift." This was the first time I heard someone say, "I apologize if it''s too much."


    Then, I heard Celia speak up. "Grandma, this is my boyfriend, Aidan Vega. He''s the youngest son of the Vega family-the one from Ace Group."


    "Oh my! The heir to Ace Group! Our family shares a deep connection to yours. What a perfect match! Come. I have a gift for you, too."


    "Thank you, Mrs. Morgan Senior," Aidan replied politely.


    Compared to Pablo, it was clear that Lexie preferred Aidan. Not only did she avoid teasing him, but she also treated him with utmost courtesy and even showered


    him with praise.


    "Celia, you''re amazing to have found such an outstanding boyfriend. As expected of my granddaughter."


    At this point, a mature woman''s voice chimed in. "Mom, you''ve got to stop praising her. She''s been getting really full of herselftely, and I can''t even rein her in anymore. If you keep this up, she''ll be arrogant!"


    Although her words sounded like she was scolding, her tone was dripping with pride.


    Celiaughed along. "Mom, why are you trying to make Grandma treat me poorly? Aiden is fantastic! He''s rich, and he treats me well. Meeting him was the happiest moment of my life!"


    "Celia, what are you saying? Isn''t it normal for me to treat you well?"


    After a round of polite ttery between them, Lexie suddenly asked, "Where''s Crystal? Why hasn''t she arrived yet?"


    I nced at Crystal and saw her frowning, her expression tense. She seemed too preupied even to notice me.


    At that moment, Emma''s voice came through the speaker. "Crystal''s on her way. There''s some traffic, and she had to pick up her boyfriend first, so she''s running slightlyte."


    "What? Crystal has a boyfriend now?" Lexie''s tone was filled with excitement and anticipation.


    "This youngdy has finallye around. I used to tell her to find a boyfriend, and she''d always get upset as if I was out to harm her. I wonder which prominent family this young man belongs to. I simply can''t wait to meet the person I''ve been looking forward to the most!"


    "Quick, Wesley! Prepare a big gift! Crystal''s first boyfriend deserves the biggest one!"


    I took a deep breath and shook my head.


    Even if she nned to give me something big, she didn''t need to make such a grand announcement. By announcing it in front of everyone like that, wasn''t she trying to embarrass the others?


    I hadn''t even arrived yet, and she had already set me up as the target of


    everyone''s envy. How could this not spell trouble?


    As expected, the lively chatter from earlier suddenly fell silent, and the atmosphere grew tense.


    Although I couldn''t see their faces, I could sense their displeasure.


    It wasn''t until a long whileter that Anna''s voice broke the silence. "Crystal really has a boyfriend? I find that hard to believe. Not long ago, she told me that there wasn''t a single man in the world who could catch her eye. And now, just like that, she''s in a rtionship? She''s not the type to fall for someone so easily."


    "Who knows? I had dinner with her two weeks ago, and she was still single then." "She was single two weeks ago? So, her boyfriend has been around for less than two weeks? Now I''m really curious. What kind of man managed to win over her so quickly?"


    I sighed deeply.


    The pressure was immense.


    With jealousy maxed out and expectations through the roof, even the most revered celebrity would be scrutinized to no end in this situation. And then there was me a man who didn''t even get the dress code right.


    As I was brooding over all this, the car slowly pulled into the driveway of a vi. Crystal unbuckled her seatbelt, turned to me, and said, "We''re here."


    "Alright."


    "William, don''t be nervous. Just greet Grandma, and I''ll handle the rest."

 Chapter 244

    Crystal said that she would handle the rest. Her use of the word "handle" made it clear that she also realized my appearance that day was bound to stir up trouble. But since we were already here, what was there to fear?


    I stepped out of the car with her without hesitation.


    When we got out, someone nearby shouted, "Crystal''s here! Crystal and her boyfriend are here!"


    Instantly, all eyes turned to us.


    I took a deep breath, keeping my demeanor calm andposed, then walked confidently to Crystal''s side and took her hand.


    She froze for a moment, then turned to look at me. I gave her a reassuring smile. Since I had agreed toe, I wouldn''t hold back. Holding hands was the least I could do as her alleged boyfriend.


    She seemed surprised, but I could tell that she didn''t mind.


    "Crystal, this is..."


    Lexie scrutinized me from head to toe, and her gaze showed her dissatisfaction.


    It wasn''t hard to figure out why. Every male guest in the room was wearing a suit. Even the few not in full suits were dressed in formal shirts, ties, and vests. They had a polished, businesslike look.


    Meanwhile, I was in casual,fortable attire, looking like I was headed to a cafe to grab some smoothies. I couldn''t have been more out of ce.


    Based on my outfit, it probably looked like I wasn''t taking this family gathering seriously at all.


    Crystal was about to speak, but Emma suddenly interjected. "He''s just Crystal''s friend, not her boyfriend. Don''t get the wrong idea, everyone!"


    She then began shooting Crystal frantic nces, clearly urging her not to im I was her boyfriend.


    The others, however, weren''t convinced. Their eyes went straight to our sped hands. "A friend? Since when do friends casually hold hands?"


    "Obviously, he''s her boyfriend."


    "And what''s with that outfit? That''s way too casual. Does he think that this is a casual outing?"


    "He probably doesn''t know the rules for big family gatherings like this. He''s clearly from an ordinary background."


    I let out a sigh when I heard their remarks.


    As my family''s stylist had predicted, events like this were more aboutworking and showing off than building genuine family connections.


    Usually, I would let misunderstandings slide. But for Crystal''s sake, I needed to rify my position that day.


    "Actually, I¡ª"


    Before I could finish, she cut me off.


    "Mom! He is my boyfriend. He''s not just a friend!


    "And he''s not some rich young heir. His family just runs a fruit stand. They don''t have much money. His monthly allowance is only a few hundred dors. But so what? If I only cared about someone''s wealth or status when dating, how would I be different from a gold digger?"


    Her words left everyone visibly stunned. It was clear that most people there prioritized wealth and status in rtionships. Her statement practically pped their faces, indirectly calling them all gold diggers.


    Among them, the one whose expression soured the most was Emma.


    She turned to Crystal, her re furious and full of warning. "How can he be your boyfriend? Did I agree to this? Did your father agree? Stop making decisions on your own!"

 Chapter 245

    Crystal''s expression didn''t waver as she said, "What era are we living in? Do I really need your approval to date someone? As long as we love each other, that''s all that matters."


    After saying this, she cast a meaningful nce at me. It was a look filled with so much affection that it was visible to everyone present.


    I felt a wave of emotion.


    Although her family might be materialistic and arrogant, she wasn''t. Perhaps she behaved that way toward others but not toward me.


    A woman like her was scarce.


    In fact, I found her even more remarkable than those who came from humble backgrounds.


    After all, she had grown up in this environment. It would have been easy for her to be influenced. Yet, despite being surrounded by people who valued wealth above all else, she managed to stay true to herself. That was extraordinary.


    Emma, however, seemed to take her daughter''s words as a crushing blow. She staggered slightly, her face pale with shock. "Crystal, what nonsense are you spouting? Do you remember what you promised me? You said you''d find a good man who could support this family!


    "I only have one daughter. Don''t you dare let me down on something this important!"


    Hearing this, Crystal bit her lip, her voice tinged with frustration. "I know I promised. But I thought I''d never meet someone I truly liked back then. I figured I''d settle for someone good enough to make you happy. But now, I''ve found someone I genuinely love. I don''t want to let that slip away."


    "Love? What love? In this day and age, who believes in true love anymore? Even


    if you love this poor man, how can you be sure that he loves you back?"


    Emma''sposure shattered as she yelled, her voice trembling with anger.


    "Ask him yourself. Does he care about your personality, your looks, or your family background? If you were ugly and broke, do you think he''d still want you? Let''s face it¡ªhe likes your looks and your money. And when you grow older, he''ll use your money to pursue younger women. Don''t you see it?"


    I had to admit, her words weren''t entirely wrong.


    For most men, looks were the first thing they noticed, followed by wealth and family background. Personality and character would tend toest. If the looks weren''t there, everything else would be irrelevant.


    And when their wives aged and a young woman showed interest, few men could resist the temptation.


    I couldn''t be sure that I''d hold out until the moment arrived.


    But when it came to Felicia, I waspletely devoted. I loved her deeply, and even if she were disfigured, my feelings wouldn''t waver.


    Nevertheless, I was ying the role of Crystal''s boyfriend at that moment. So, I needed to channel those emotions toward her.


    I said calmly, "Mrs. Morgan, could you please calm down? I may only be the son of a fruit vendor, and I know I''m not worthy of Crystal. But my feelings for her are genuine. They have nothing to do with her looks or her family. I swear."


    "You swear? Your word is worthless!"


    I met her gaze and said earnestly, "I''ll prove it with time."


    Something in my eyes must have convinced her because she finally calmed down, though her expression remained tight with frustration. "This isn''t over. We''ll talk about itter. But remember, this is a family gathering, so behave yourself!"


    Crystal exhaled deeply, clearly relieved. She hadn''t expected the first person to attack her at the family gathering to be her mother.


    Just as I thought the storm was finally over, a voice suddenly rang out from the crowd.


    "I wasn''t nning to say anything, but I can''t stand this guy''s fake act any longer! Let me tell you all something-this guy isn''t just poor. He''s a fraud!"


    As the speaker stepped forward, I turned to see who it was. My eyes widened in disbelief.

 Chapter 246

    The speaker was Joshua.


    What was he doing here?


    I hadn''t seen him in ages, and it looked like he had gained significant weight. His belly was so round now that he resembled a middle-aged, fat businessman-far from the moderately good-looking guy he used to be in school.


    He smirked at me. "William, long time no see. Bet you didn''t expect to run into me here, huh? Never thought we''d meet again, did you?"


    I looked at him and replied, "It''s definitely a surprise."


    In truth, I had run into him twice at the hospital before and had heard that he was


    now relying on wealthy women for support. But I hadn''t paid much attention. I never imagined that we would end up talking face-to-face like this.


    "Joshua, do you two know each other?"


    A middle-aged woman stepped forward, naturally linking arms with him, her demeanor exceptionally affectionate.


    Everything clicked into ce. One of the rich women Joshua hadtched onto was someone from the Morgan family.


    He chuckled smugly. "Of course we know each other. We used to live in the same dorm!"


    His words immediately drew the curiosity of everyone around us.


    "Same dorm? What a coincidence!"


    "But what did you mean earlier about exposing his true colors?"


    Joshua turned toward me, his face gleaming with malicious glee. "Exactly what I said. He''s putting on an act! Not only is he dirt poor, but his character is absolutely awful.


    "Back in school, he used to wear knock-off designer clothes and go around unting himself as some rich heir. But that''s not even the worst of it! He used that fake identity to deceive our campus belle and toy with her feelings! Tell me, everyone was I wrong to call out his shady character?"


    The crowd immediately started whispering, their disdainful looks now even more pronounced. "What? How shameless!"


    "He''s poor and an impostor. There''s nothing worse than that!"


    "Having no money is one thing, but pretending to be a rich heir? That''s disgusting."


    Anna and Celia were practicallyughing, their malicious delight written all over their faces.


    Crystal, on the other hand, flushed red with anger. "That''s not true! Don''t just make stuff up. William isn''t like that!"


    Joshua looked at her with feigned sincerity. "Ms. Crystal, don''t be fooled by his honest appearance. He''s quite cunning. You''ve heard of Lina, right? She was William''s ex-girlfriend. Back then, when they were dating, he had her wrapped around his finger, making her believe he was some wealthy heir.


    "But in the end, he turned out to be nothing more than the son of a fruit vendor. Many people at school knew about this. If you don''t believe me, go ask around."


    She turned to me, her eyes searching mine for answers.


    I sighed.


    Usually, I wouldn''t even bother exining. But she had been so kind to me, and I couldn''t stand the thought of her being humiliated in front of many people. So, I decided to rify.


    "Firstly, I''ve never pretended to be a wealthy heir. I genuinely have money. Secondly, I never deceived Lina. She cheated on me with Joshua, and to cover her tracks, she made up a story about how I tricked her. Many people at school knew this, but they believed her lies because they didn''t know the whole truth.


    "Lastly, Crystal, I can say with confidence that ever since I met you, I haven''t done anything to betray your trust. I''ve never once lied to you. If you believe me, I''ll stay. If you don''t, I''ll leave."


    I had said all I needed to. I didn''t want to waste any more words.


    When I finished speaking, Crystal eximed without hesitation, "I believe you, William!"

 Chapter 247

    I smiled.


    It was rare for someone to trust me like this.


    Even Felicia was skeptical of me when we first met until I proved my identity. But Crystal was different. She had no idea about my capabilities or who I truly was. She just believed me because of what I said.


    It was a first for me, and I couldn''t help but feel moved.


    Unfortunately, not everyone was Crystal. The others weren''t just skeptical. They openly mocked me.


    "This guy is hrious. He still ims to be a rich heir even after being exposed!" "Hey, Joshua, is it true? Did his girlfriend really cheat on him with you?"


    "You''ll leave if we don''t believe you? Who do you think you''re threatening? Just leave already! But let''s be real. You wouldn''t dare. You finallytched onto Crystal''s connections to sneak in here. Like you would really walk away!"


    I ignored their taunts, but Crystal couldn''t.


    "Stop talking nonsense! I begged him toe to this family gathering. It wasn''t his idea!"


    Joshua suddenly stepped forward and addressed her directly. "Ms. Crystal, you''ve been deceived. Before meeting you, this guy already had two girlfriends, and hepletely yed both of them. I''m warning you-don''t get involved with him anymore, or you''ll be his third victim."


    Before he could say anything else, Crystal pped him across the face. The sharp sound left everyone stunned.


    "Did... Did Crystal just hit someone?"


    "I''ve never seen her this angry before."


    "Is she out of her mind? Joshua is Aunt Zuri''s boyfriend!"


    But Crystal''s expression was stern, her gaze icy. "Joshua, let me warn you- William is my boyfriend. Insulting him is the same as insulting me. Consider this a small punishment. If you dare nder him again, you''ll regret it!"


    He stood frozen with his hand pressed to his cheek, too stunned to process what had just happened. Even the wealthy woman he had been clinging to didn''t dare step forward to defend him. I could understand why.


    Firstly, Crystal was clearly one of the most cherished members of the family. Anyone who crossed her wouldn''te out unscathed.


    Secondly, for women like her, Joshua was nothing more than a disposable ything. He had even less leverage, especially now that he was overweight and greasy.


    But while they didn''t intervene directly, they certainly didn''t stop whispering among themselves.


    Anna, in particr, looked like she was struggling to contain herughter.


    Crystal had overshadowed her for years, and she had long resented her. Seeing Crystal with someone she considered a "poor loser" as a boyfriend was like a dreame true for her.


    "Crystal, Grandma always praises you for being smart and capable, but here you are, going against the family over some guy. Honestly, with how things are going, I wouldn''t be surprised if you handed the entire Morgan family fortune over to an outsider one day."


    Lexie''s expression darkened visibly when Anna finished speaking.

 Chapter 248

    The Morgan family had long been under Lexie''s leadership. With more women than men, she had always intended for the next head of the family to be a woman.


    As such, she emphasized educating them and grooming them to take over the family legacy.


    What she feared most was a woman prioritizing a man over the family, handing over the family business to an outsider, and cutting off the Morgan lineage.


    Anna''s earlier remarks had hit a nerve.


    Lexie immediately turned her sharp gaze to Emma. "What is wrong with you? Crystal brought a boyfriend like this to the family gathering, and you didn''t stop her? Are you trying to drive me to my grave?"


    Emma trembled with fear, unable to find the words to exin herself.


    She hadn''t even known that Crystal nned to bring someone like me to the gathering. She did not have an exnation, so she could only hang her head and brace for the storm.


    Lexie''s fury only grew. "Do you think ying dumb will help you? After this gathering, I''ll need to see you you and Crystal. We need to have a serious talk!"


    With that, she stormed off, not sparing Crystal a single nce.


    Celia smiled slyly as she sized me up. "So, your name is William White, huh? Why do you look so weak? Your face is pale, and those dark circles under your eyes... Have you been partying every night? Or could it be that you and Crystal have been busy with... other things?


    "Well, I wouldn''t be surprised. A poor guy finally snags a rich girl. Of course, he''ll indulge himself wherever he can."


    The crowd''s attention shifted to me as they scrutinized my appearance.


    I''d been overwhelmedtely dealing with Felicia''s disappearance. Sleepless nights and constant stress have taken their toll. It was no wonder that I look pale, exhausted, and shadowed with dark circles under my eyes.


    But they didn''t know that. Instead, they jumped to the worst conclusions, leaving both Crystal and me in an awkward spot.


    Just then, Pablo stepped forward and broke the tension. "Alright. Enough of that. Young love is about mutual affection, isn''t it? What''s the point of arguing? Let''s all take a seat and talk about something else."


    "Exactly. No need to waste the family gathering on trivial matters."


    "Come on. Let''s head over there."


    Under his coordination, the younger generation all gathered around the same table.


    I was about to sit elsewhere, but Crystal grabbed my arm. "Don''t worry, William. I''ve had enough of them today. I won''t hold back if anyone dares insult you before me."


    With that, she pulled me to a seat in the middle of the group.


    As soon as we took our seats, the conversation turned to the family''s businesses.


    Everyone was bragging about theirpanies, discussing about being featured on TV or in newspapers, or boasting about deals with high-profile partners.


    I found it all boring. Most of thesepanies were managed by their parents and had nothing to do with them.


    As for my father''spany, I had no interest in mentioning it since I hadn''t been involved in it at all. If I were to contribute to the conversation, I would rather talk about my gamingpany.


    While I zoned out, I could overhear snippets of conversation between Emma, Cali, and Zuri.


    "Emma, I''m just saying-look at the son-inw you picked. He can''t even join in on a simple conversation with the younger generation. What''s the point of bringing someone like that?"


    "Exactly. At first, I thought Pablo and Aidan weren''t anything special. One''s just the son of a small business owner, and the other''s an overlooked illegitimate child in a bigpany. Butpared to William, those two are practically deities."


    Emma''s face was grim, but she said nothing.


    She didn''t like me, but being criticized like this annoyed her. After all, if they insulted me, it reflected poorly on her.


    While I was eavesdropping, lost in thought, Pablo suddenly called my name. "William!"

 Chapter 249

    I snapped out of my thoughts and turned to Pablo in confusion. I asked, "What''s up?"


    "What kind of car do you usually drive?"


    "Oh."


    So that was what he wanted to know.


    I thought for a moment and decided to tell the truth. If nothing else, it would save


    Crystal from embarrassment. "I have two cars. A Rolls-Royce Ghost parked at Pgos Estates and a V8 Koenigsegg parked at Imperia Manor."


    As soon as I finished, the room fellpletely silent, just as I expected.


    Everyone stared at me in stunned disbelief.


    Then, Joshua broke intoughter. "William, you''re something else! If you really owned those luxury cars, why do you always walk or hail rides to get around? Why don''t you ever drive them?


    "Oh, I get it now. Other people buy luxury cars to show off. On the other hand, you buy them to hide them away, afraid that anyone might see them! Is that it?"


    His words seemed to snap the others out of their stupor. They exhaled in relief and quickly joined in the ridicule.


    "I knew it! There''s no way that this guy could own a Ghost or a Koenigsegg."


    "He''s not just bragging about cars. He''s throwing in Pgos Estates and the Imperia Manor, too! My goodness! If any of that were true, he would be one of the top tycoons in the country! Why would someone like that bother proving he''s not just some broke loser?"


    "Forget everything else. His ims of staying in Imperia Manor really cracked me up. Does he think that just because he shares the same family name as the Whites, he can pretend that it''s his family''s property?"


    Even Crystal was taken aback. She looked at me in shock. "The Koenigsegg you drove the other day. Is that yours?"


    I smiled. "Who else''s would it be?"


    "I assumed it was rented."


    "Come on, Crystal. Think about it. Does someone who owns a limited-edition car like that seem like the kind of person who would need to make a few bucks by renting it out?"


    Realization dawned on her. "You''re right. The owner of a car like that would either drive it themselves or lend it to a close friend. You must at least be their friend if you''re not the owner. Either way, your status wouldn''t be low."


    I was speechless. I had made it as clear as possible that I was the owner. And yet, she still had doubts.


    It seemed that her ims of believing in me were empty. It turned out that it was just lip service.


    At that moment, Aidan suddenly stood up and said, "Well, I drove my Porsche over today. Why don''t we all take a look? Unlike someone who likes to hide their fancy cars, I believe that good cars are meant to be admired. Come on. I''ll even let everyone take it for a spin."


    "Let''s go!" Celia eagerly clung to his arm, her face brimming with smug satisfaction.


    Finding a boyfriend like him was clearly a point of pride for her.


    Pablo immediately jumped up, ying along enthusiastically.


    Anna hesitated. She didn''t particrly want to go. While she disliked Crystal, she had even less affection for Celia.


    After all, Crystal had always been out of her league. But when it came to Celia, she still had the upper hand-until now. With Celia''s boyfriend clearly outshining hers, she felt like her position was being threatened.


    It was worse than the event revolved around Aidan''s car, allowing Celia to bask in the spotlight.


    However, Pablo was eager to curry favor with Aidan and had already stood up, so she had no choice but to follow.


    In no time, the room emptied, leaving only Crystal and me sitting on the couch.

 Chapter 250

    Crystal''s reluctance to move waspletely understandable.


    She wasn''t interested to begin with. Moreover, she knew that the others would likely seize the opportunity to mock me again. She didn''t want me to go through that.


    I gently took her hand to reassure her.


    Her eyes softened, and her cheeks flushed slightly. "William, I''m sorry. I knew that they would try to humiliate you, but I still selfishly brought you here. I just didn''t expect them to go this far.


    "I thought that they would toss a few casual taunts and leave it at that. I imagined we would spend most of the evening by ourselves. If I had known it would turn out like this, I never would have brought you along."


    As she spoke, her eyes began to glisten with unshed tears.


    I chuckled softly. "Why are you crying? A few words from them mean nothing to me. Come on. Let''s go see what all the fuss is about."


    "You want to go?" She looked at me with wide-eyed surprise. "But they''ll¡ª"


    "Don''t worry." I gently interrupted her, cing a finger against her lips. "I''m not bothered, so why should you be? As long as I don''t care about it, there''s nothing for you to overthink about. Got it?"


    She gazed at me deeply, and after confirming that I truly wasn''t upset and wasn''t just putting on a brave face, she finally nodded. She smiled faintly before standing up to follow me.


    I made up my mind when I saw the mocking nces from the crows and Crystal''s anxious expression. It was time for me to stop pretending.


    I pulled out my phone and dialed Victor''s number. "Victor, get in touch with Porsche headquarters immediately. I want the best Porsche in the country delivered here as soon as possible. I''ll send you the address."


    With that, I texted him the location.


    When I looked up, I found everyone staring at me like a lunatic.


    "Did you all hear that? He actually said that he''ll have Porsche headquarters deliver their best car to him!"


    "No wonder the campus beauty fell for him. He''s a master at acting! He almost had me convinced for a second there!"


    Joshua sneered, full of disdain. "Wow! The best Porsche in the country? That would have to be one of those 911s worth over seven million, right?


    "There are only seven in the entire country, and I''ve never even seen one in person. If you can really get one delivered here today, I''ll lick the soles of your shoes clean in front of everyone!"


    Anna and Celia burst intoughter, doubling over as they clutched their sides. As theyughed, their mocking gazes fell on Crystal.


    Clearly, they couldn''t believe that she would date someone who made such absurd boasts.


    They likely thought that this was the end of her reputation. With a boyfriend like me, they would have no trouble keeping her underfoot from now on.


    I ignored their ridicule, choosing instead to observe Crystal''s reaction.


    Although she looked slightly conflicted, she smiled faintly when our eyes met. "Don''t worry, William. No matter what you say or do, I''ll support you."


    She said she supported me-not that she believed me. It was a subtle but telling distinction. Clearly, even she doubted that I could back up my words. I felt a twinge of disappointment but couldn''t me her.


    After all, arranging a car directly from Porsche headquarters wasn''t something an ordinary person could manage. It was hard to believe for someone like her, who had never been exposed to this level of influence.


    "Let''s go check out Mr. Vega''s Porsche! There''s no point wasting more on this guy''s nonsense!"


    Before long, the group gathered around Aidan''s Porsche.


    It was a custom-painted pink Porsche with shy modifications that gave it an almost dreamlike quality. The bold and vibrant design immediately drew everyone''s attention. It was undeniably eye-catching.

 Chapter 251

    The women were especially excited when they saw the car, practically going wild as they rushed to take photos.


    Even Crystal couldn''t help but be impressed. "The modifications are gorgeous."


    Aidan was clearly proud of himself. "This car may not be worth much, but I spent over a million just on the modifications."


    "Over a million?"


    Everyone gasped at the amount.


    Among the wealthy heirs, spending over a million to modify a car showed considerable wealth. Most were still at the level of casually buying a car worth several hundred thousand or living on a few thousand in monthly allowances.


    "You''re really wealthy!"


    "Mr. Vega, you''re on a whole different level."


    "I envy Celia so much. I can''t imagine how amazing it must feel to sit in a car like this every day."


    As they showered Aidan withpliments, his smile grew wider.


    He pulled out the car keys and pressed a button. The two car doors slowly lifted like wings, revealing the bright yellow interior.


    The bold pinkbined with the striking yellow created an intense visual impact.


    After the show, Aidan nced at me. "I bought this Porsche for five million dors, but after the modifications, it''s worth at least ten million. There''s only one like it worldwide, so it''s a limited edition.


    "William, you were talking about having Porsche headquarters send you their best car, but that''s a really amateur move. Many luxury cars aren''t even that valuable on their own. What matters is the owner''s taste and the subsequent modifications. I''m sure any car enthusiast would know what I mean."


    Everyone then turned to look at me mockingly.


    I remained expressionless, uninterested in responding.


    He grew frustrated at my indifference and walked right up to me. "I know you''re trying to show off. How about this? I''ll let you sit in my canand take a photo. Then you can use it to brag to other women and impress them."


    At that, I could no longer hold back. "You have the skills to impress Celia with this


    lousy car. But for me, this car isn''t even worth showing off."


    The crowd fell silent at my words.


    Aidan''s facial expression instantly turned a deep shade of red. "A lousy car? Not worth showing off? You''re telling me that a car worth five million and valued at ten million isn''t worth showing off? Are you out of your mind?"


    Celia joined in angrily. "William, are you insane? Everyone here knows exactly what you''re like. Who are you trying to impress? Only Crystal still believes in you!"


    "Yeah. Who else thinks you''re anything special? Besides Crystal, who even cares about you?"


    Crystal''s face turned red with embarrassment as she hurriedly stepped before me. "Enough! If it weren''t for you all constantly insulting and mocking him, he wouldn''t even bother with you!"


    The crowd turned their attention to her when they heard her speak. "Crystal, what are you saying?"


    "Crystal, you''ve known him for just a few days and already turning on us?" "You''re just throwing away your family for some guy who''s trying to leech off you!"


    Seeing these people surround her, arguing incessantly, I instantly lost my temper. I shoved the crowd before me aside, pulled her away, and red at them angrily.


    "I warn you if you dare get closer to Crystal or say another word about her, I won''t hold back!"


    The crowd burst intoughter.


    Joshua sneered maliciously. "What''s wrong, William? Are you nning to make a move here?"


    Pablo clenched his fists. "If it''s a


    fight you want, it''s a fight you''ll get! I''ve been wanting to teach you a lesson for a while. Go ahead and make your move. I''ll take the chance to beat you to a pulp!"

 Chapter 252

    "William, where do you get the audacity to say that? Everyone here but Crystal can''t stand you. If ites to a fight, it''ll be all of us ganging up on you! Stop acting tough!" Pablo snapped.


    As the conversation heated up, everyone began to argue.


    These young scions had clearly disliked me for a while and had been looking for an opportunity to pick a fight, especially Joshua. His gaze had been unusual since he firstid eyes on me.


    Seizing the moment, he continued to provoke me.


    Emma suddenly ran over just as I clenched my fists, barely holding back my frustration. "Which one of you ordered a Porsche directly from the headquarters? They''ve arrived and are ready to deliver it!"


    Everyone froze at her words.


    A Porsche sports car order?


    They looked around at each other, silently searching for the answer. No one had ordered a sports car. But soon, all their eyes turned to me. After all, I had just called the Porsche headquarters to have a car delivered.


    "Could it be him?"


    "Was that call real?"


    "Impossible! It must have been a mistake."


    "Yeah! Maybe someone from the Morgan family ordered it by chance."


    Crystal nced at me, then quickly turned to Emma. "Mom, have the Porsche staff bring the car in. While we''re admiring it, we can also find out who''s so extravagant that they had the Porsche headquarters send a car here."


    Emma smiled and nodded. "Sure. I just told your grandmother. She was confident that it was Mr. Vega. It seems like it''s not."


    Aidan''s face darkened, and he gritted his teeth. His Porsche, while nicely modified, wasn''t part of the high-end series.


    If a


    his


    er Porsche really arrived,


    tul for would be overshadowed,


    him into aug


    he had just been


    Emma didn''t even bother to check his expression. She quickly arranged things.


    The others exchanged confused nces. "None of us ordered a sports car. Where did ite from?"


    "Could it have been ordered by Dad, Uncle Reuben, or Uncle Randall?" "Maybe!"


    Before they could finish speaking, Ronald, Reuben, and Randall walked over.


    These three were the pirs of the Morgan family. Even when attending family gatherings, they rarely mingled with the women or the


    younger generation. They pref


    to huddle and discuss the family''s major affairs and business matters. C¨®ntent


    Seeing them approach, the younger generation quickly bowed and greeted them.


    Ronald chuckled. "Who among you ordered a sports car from the Porsche


    headquarters? This is quite the honor for the Morgan family."


    "Yes! It''s not easy to get someone from headquarters to personally deliver a car, even for luxury


    eve


    vehicles. Not many people get that kind of treatment."  fo


    "It''s a great opportunity for us old folks to see what young people are into!"


    Aidan and the others were even more confused when they heard this. They realized that it wasn''t them who had ordered the car.


    Everyone''s gaze immediately turned to me as if silently asking, "Could it really be you?"

 Chapter 253

    I couldn''t be bothered to exin. The facts were right before them. What was there to exin?


    Seeing their astonished expressions only made me feel bored. When would these rich heirs understand that the world didn''t revolve around them? Someone rich wouldn''t need to unt their wealth in front of others. Even if someone didn''t have money, it didn''t give them the right to bully others.


    The male elders of the Morgan family were all visibly excited.


    Every wealthy man loved cars, and Porsche was universally recognized as a luxury brand. It wasn''t the most premium of cars, but even the wealthy often couldn''t afford the highest specs.


    Even the Morgan family didn''t have the connections to get in touch with the brand''s headquarters, let alone have them personally deliver a top-tier luxury car to their doorstep.


    That day''s event would elevate the Morgan family''s influence. Naturally, they were happy about it.


    Aidan stared at me, his eyes full of doubt. He still didn''t believe that the car was for me, or perhaps he didn''t want to believe it.


    The others'' expressions were even more telling.


    Some were surprised, some were jealous, and some were full of remorse.


    Joshua, in particr, clenched his fists and gritted his teeth. He appeared to be so angry that it seemed like he wanted to tear me apart.


    I still didn''t understand why he hated me so much.


    Perhaps it was because I first stole his spotlight, or maybe he had always been intent on bringing me down. Whenever he appeared to be on top of his game, he would face humiliation while I only kept improving.


    As everyone wore various expressions, a legendary four-cylinder Porsche 911 roared toward us.


    The bright blue gleam of the car shimmered under the sunlight. It was almost blinding with its brilliance.


    The engine''s roar was like a beast that had been dormant for a long time, suddenly erupting. Its sound shook the heart, making everyone instinctively feel the weight of it.


    And yet the car itself was astonishingly light, gliding into the middle of the courtyard anding to a perfect stop as if floating in the air without any obstruction.


    This was the legendary Porsche 911 that hadn''t even been officially released yet!


    "Come on! Let''s take a look!"


    Under the guidance of the male elders of the Morgan family, everyone gathered around the twoz luxury Porsche 911s. Even Franklin walked slowly to the car with the help of a cane while supported by others.  s?novel


    Crystal and I exchanged nces and walked over, though we were pushed to the outside by the crowd.


    This was also my first time seeing


    the Porsche 911 in person, and I had to admit, its streamlined design was simply stunning. Combined with its finish and color, it had a futuristic look. No wonder it was considered a top-tier model.


    Interestingly, the car was parked right next to Aidan''s.


    The two cars were only a few meters apart, yet together, the Porsche 911 made his car look like a cheap imitation. It was like a toy carpared to the real thing.


    Ronald was the first to approach. He circled the car, visibly thrilled. "This car is amazing and luxurious! If Thad known that the Porsche 911 was this beautiful, I would''ve bought one myself!"

 Chapter 254

    "Wait a minute, Ronald. Take a closer look. This car isn''t just a regr Porsche 911. It''s been modified. Look at the headlights. They''re exactly like the famous Rolls-Royce Phantom lights!"


    "You''re right... Oh my God! I didn''t notice it earlier. The tires are different, too. These are thetest anti-slip tires from Jeep Shield. I''ve heard that they can even drive up mountains without a problem!"


    "With such top-tier modifications, this car must cost at least 20 million, right?"


    Everyone present came from a wealthy family. They all had extensive knowledge of luxury cars and could identify the finest details.


    So, the younger ones who had initially looked down on the situation immediately fell silent when they heard theirments.


    Anyone who tried to provoke or speak negatively at this point would be setting themselves up for embarrassment.


    As everyone gathered around discussing the car, the doors suddenly opened. Like angels with broken wings, they opened strangely and unexpectedly, stunning everyone in the crowd.


    They had never seen a car door open like this before!


    Although Franklin and Lexie had no idea who was emerging from the car, they approached the front to wee the guest, assisting as others helped with the arrival.


    Just as I was about to step forward to meet the person in the car, Joshua suddenly blocked my way.


    "What are you doing?"


    "Can''t you see? The person getting out is a distinguished guest of the Morgans.


    Do you really want them to see you like this? People like you only lower the Morgan family''s status. If you offend the guest, can you handle the consequences?"


    Hearing his words, the people around immediately nodded in agreement.


    "Yeah! Tell him to get lost. We don''t want the guest to see someone dressed so poorly like him!"


    I couldn''t help butugh.


    Earlier, many of them had already suspected that I had ordered this car to be sent here. But after seeing it up close, they clearly changed their minds. They didn''t believe that I had the means to buy such a luxurious


    car.  s?novel


    Thus, they were openly rude toward me. I just stood there without moving. It didn''t matter. After all, I wasn''t the desperate one.


    Through the gaps in the crowd, I could see two people getting out of the car-a Glesean man and a blonde, blue-eyed foreigner.


    I immediately recognized the Glesean man. He was Iker Calhoun, one of Victor''s subordinates, whom I had previously met.


    The foreigner looked unfamiliar, though.


    After getting out of the car, they both began scanning the area. Their expressions turned anxious when they couldn''t find the person they were looking for.


    "Gentlemen, excuse me..."


    Before Iker could finish, Franklin stepped forward to shake hands with him and the foreigner.


    "Wee! We are honored to have


    both of you deliver the Porsche 911 here. On behalf of the Morgan- family, I extend our most sincere wee and thanks. Pleasee this way and join us for a meal."


    Iker smiled. "Mr. Morgan Senior, you''re wee. Is Mr. White here?"


    "Mr. White?"


    Everyone was stunned when they heard that.


    Some of them turned toward me. Many still refused to believe I could be a wealthy family''s young heir. Their gazes simply swept over my head, not acknowledging me at all.


    When no one responded, Iker''s


    expression changed. "Something''s


    wrong. Did we make a mistake? Mr.


    Kerr, please get back in the car. I


    call Mr White to confirm the


    address. I''ll be in big trouble if we''ve brought the car to the wrong ce!" C¨®ntent

 Chapter 255

    I couldn''t help butugh at Iker''s words.


    Even if the car had been delivered to the wrong ce, it wouldn''t be the end of the world. At most, they might receive a scolding.


    I didn''t want to let them worry, so I said, "The car wasn''t delivered to the wrong ce. I''m here."


    Iker''s face lit up with joy when he heard my voice. "Mr. White, you''re here! Where are you?"


    He hurried over, but his face darkened when he saw Joshua and the others blocking my path. He red at Joshua and said, "Please step aside."


    As soon as he finished speaking, two people roughly yanked Joshua aside. Thetter fell to the ground with a thud,nding awkwardly.


    He red at me with eyes full of reluctance. But at that moment, I couldn''t be bothered to pay him any attention.


    "Mr. White!"


    Iker was ecstatic when he finally saw me and quickly called for Adam toe


    over.


    "Adam,e here. This is the owner of the car, Mr. White. Mr. White, this is Mr. Adam Kerr, the chairman of Porsche headquarters."


    I hadn''t expected the chairman to be so young, looking no older than his mid-30s. When the crowd heard that Adam was the chairman of Porsche headquarters, their eyes grew wide.


    A person of such importance was not someone they could just meet casually.


    But Adam didn''t care about the crowd. He immediately grasped my hand. "Mr. White, thank you for calling us and choosing to purchase our Porsche 911.


    "What I''ve personally brought you today is not just the legendary Porsche 911, but also the most fully modified version. Its total market value is 36.8 million. I hope you enjoy driving it."


    The crowd held their breath when they heard the price.


    It wasn''t unusual for wealthy individuals to buy luxury cars. However, not every


    wealthy family could afford a car worth nearly 40 million.


    Still, it wasn''t a big deal for me.


    My father gave me a customized Ferrari worth over 60 million as a gift when I graduated from high school and entered college. So, a modified


    car worth over 30 million wasn''t much for me.


    Nevertheless, it had cost some money, so I had to make sure it was up to standard.


    With all eyes on me, I slowly approached the car and said to Adam, "Please tell me more about the car''s performance."


    Having him exin it wasn''t just for my understanding but also to shock everyone.


    I needed them to realize that there were always people more impressive than themselves, preventing them from looking down on Crystal because of me.


    I needed to prove that no one was untouchable and that no one held more power than anyone else.


    As Adam exined the car''s features, the crowd was left dumbfounded, their mouths hanging open in awe.


    I was also surprised when he


    mentioned that the car was equipped with the most advanced system and could even drive itself.


    The advancements in modern


    technology were truly mind-blowing.


    I stood silently beside Crystal, holding her hand as we listened to Adam''s


    introduction until he ced three keys in my hands.


    One was the primary key, while the other two were spares.


    Without hesitation, I handed one of the spare keys to her.

 Chapter 256

    I bought this car for Crystal and had it delivered so that I didn''t have to waste my breath exining. I also wanted to prove to everyone present that her choice of boyfriend was not wrong.


    Giving her the spare key wasn''t just a sign of how much I valued her. It was also a subtle warning to everyone around.


    With me protecting her, she was not someone they could mess with.


    "William, w-what''s going on? Are you really not just some nobody but actually a young heir?" Crystal looked at me in shock, as if she still couldn''t quite believe it.


    I smiled helplessly. "Is it that hard to ept? Or do you prefer someone poor over a rich heir?"


    "Of course not! I hope for the best for you, and I believe your family isn''t poor. Otherwise, you wouldn''t have such elegance and demeanor. I... I just didn''t expect your family to be this wealthy..."


    Clearly, the Morgan family could never afford a car like this. They also didn''t have the prestige to have the chairman of Porsche headquarters personally deliver a


    car.


    "You wouldn''t believe a lot of things, Crystal. Get in the car. Let''s go for a drive." She hummed in agreement and didn''t hesitate to get in the passenger seat. She buckled her seatbelt as I instructed.


    Everyone else watched with envy as I got into the car. Many of them had never gotten the chance to ride in a car like this.


    After getting in, I waved for them to move aside. They obedientlyplied without saying a word.


    At that moment, my words carried the weight of an imperial decree.


    I slowly reversed the car, then stepped on the gas pedal, making aplete turn on the spot before speeding off. The roar of the Porsche echoed across the yard, and several women couldn''t help but squeal in excitement. Then, I mmed into Aidan''s car.


    Everyone instantly froze.


    They looked at me in disbelief, then at the car worth nearly 40 million, its front bumper bent from the collision, and at Aidan''s car,pletely crushed. They were utterly speechless.


    "William, what the hell are you doing?"


    Aidan was livid. He charged toward the front of my car without thinking of the danger. Before he could even reach me, several people from the Morgan family pulled him back.


    At this moment, the Morgan family clearly valued me more and wasn''t about to let me be offended.


    Even Franklin tooked impressed as he watched the scene unfold. "It seems that this car''s front bumper has been reinforced. Usually, sports cars have fragile front bumpers to protect the car, but this one only received minor damage. The rest of the car is perfectly intact This car is truly top of the line!"


    "Yeah! This thing is amazing! You could use it in battle!


    Adam, clearly proud, chimed in, "Of course. We''ve made modifications. Sir, you''re right. It''s no exaggeration to say that it could be used in battle. The windows and body have been bulletproofed, so it''s perfectly safe even in a dangerous situation!


    "And the car body is made of TLSU steel, the most advanced material in the


    world. There''s only one car like it in existence!"


    The more people praised and boasted, the worse Aidan''s expression became.


    Finally, he couldn''t hold it in any


    longer and roared, "Even though this


    car is expensive, and even though


    he''s impressive, he can''t just crash into my car like this! Isn''t this bullying?


    "William, what exactly do you mean by this? Why did you crash into my car? If


    you don''t give me an exnation today, I''ll take this further!"


    I never expected these rich heirs to use someone of bullying with their power. I nearlyughed.


    Without ncing at him, I turned to Adam and asked, "Could you help me estimate the value of that car?"


    I pointed to Aidan''s battered vehicle.

 Chapter 257

    Adam nced at the car and said, "That''s one of our older models. When it was released, it was priced at over three million. With depreciation, it''s worth around 2.6 million now."


    "Okay. Have the insurancepanye to handle the im," I instructed.


    I turned to Aidan and added, "I''ll cover the full cost. Are there any other issues?"


    Aidan''s face twisted in disgust like he had just tasted something vile. Although I had crashed into his car, there was nothing he could do about my generouspensation offer.


    The people around us remained silent. No one was willing to speak up for him. Even the Morgan family watched coldly. Celia cast fiery nces at me,pletely ignoring Aidan.


    What could Aidan do?


    He could only grind his teeth in frustration and suppress his hatred, unable to do anything but silently resent me.


    This was what it felt like to be the one oppressed, to call for help and get no response, only to be forced to ept their fate. Now, they were experiencing that same bitter taste.


    It was payback.


    I had always understood this feeling of ss oppression, so I never liked showing off because there were always people more powerful than me.


    Encouraging that kind of arrogance would only lead to being bullied by those who were stronger.


    I would rather live in equality.


    Lexie cleared her throat before saying, "Crystal, I think that we''ve admired the car enough. Why don''t you take Mr. White over there to sit and have some tea and snacks? From now on, we''re family. As for the car, should we park it in the lot for now?"


    Crystal immediately looked at me, waiting for my response.


    I knew that the Morgan family wanted to win me over, and though I wasn''t fond of their approach, I was willing to tolerate it for her sake.


    "Alright. We''ll do as you say, Mrs. Morgan Senior."


    Addressing her as such was the surest sign of my acknowledgment.


    Lexie immediately looked relieved and smiled. "Good. Let''s move the car to the parking lot, and we''ll continue the gathering. You young folks should have a good chat with Mr White."


    I hummed in acknowledgment.


    "This way, please, Mr. White."


    "Mr. White, how did you meet Crystal?"


    "Mr. White, what kind of drink do you prefer? I''ll get it for you!"


    In an instant, everyone gathered around me.


    Their attitude hadpletely shifted from disdain to warmth and kindness. They seemed like entirely different people, and the atmosphere became cozy and weing.


    I couldn''t help butugh inwardly, and gave Crystal a knowing looke She, too, seemed helpless. Having grown up in such a family, she must have gotten used to their behavior long ago.


    The gathering continued, but now, I was the center of attention. Not only did the younger people flock around me, but even the elders of the Morgan family came over to chat, asking about my background and


    l.ne


    parents and requesting my contact details.


    I answered what I could and avoided topics I didn''t want to discuss.


    Fortunately, they picked up on my reluctance to disclose too much and didn''t press me when I didn''t want to answer.


    Joshua, Pablo, and Aidan, who had targeted me earlier, didn''t dare approach, and the others, afraid of offending me, also kept their distance. Gradually, they were sidelined.


    No one even called them for dinner, and they begrudgingly sat far away from me.

 Chapter 258

    By the time it was lunch break, I found an excuse to leave.


    I had heard enough ttery for one day. I might just throw up if I had to listen to more.


    Back at school, I headed straight to the cafeteria.


    After a simple meal, I returned to my dorm and called Victor to thank him for his assistance regarding the Porsche matter. I also apologized for bothering him so muchtely.


    He wasn''t working for me specifically. He mainly handled my father''s affairs in Welsington City and had much on his te. On top of everything, he had to deal with my trivial problems, too. I felt a bit guilty.


    It was better for me to stay out of trouble for a while.


    While walking back to the dorm, I received a call from Matthew.


    "Hey, Will. I need your help with something."


    "What''s up?"


    "Isabelle is out shopping, and she bought many things that must be carried. But my cousin is here visiting, and I''m stuck hanging out with her. If I go to help Isabelle now, my cousin will tag along. Isabelle really doesn''t like her. So, I have no other choice. Could you lend Isabelle a helping hand?"


    I checked the time and had no ns, so I agreed.


    I took a cab to the mall since the Porsche was parked at the Morgan residence.


    At the elevator''s entrance on the third floor, I immediately spotted Isabelle.


    But she wasn''t alone. Standing beside her was Charlotte, someone I hadn''t seen in a long time.


    They were both beautiful, especially Charlotte, with her distinctive style. She liked wearing leather jackets and letting her ck hair loose. She always had a cool, aloof expression.


    Naturally, many people were stealing nces at them, and some even wanted to approach them.


    "They''re so annoying! Why is this loser always around? Isabelle, can''t you ask someone else to help? Nothing good happens every time he shows up."


    I overheard Charlotteining as I approached them.


    The "loser" she referred to was obviously me.


    I couldn''t believe that after all this time, she still hadn''t changed. She was always belittling and insulting me.


    Now that Isabelle considered me a friend, she immediately defended me when she heard Charlotte


    Charlotte sneered. "You think he''s here out of kindness? He''s probably just here because we''re all good-looking. If we weren''t, do you think he''d bother?"


    "It''s not like that. Matthew asked him toe..." I tried to exin.


    "Isabelle, stop defending him. He''s a loser. What''s in it for you to defend him?"


    Isabelle didn''t reply and just shook her head helplessly.


    I didn''t want to listen to Charlotte''s sarcastic remarks anymore, so I stepped forward. "Isabelle."


    "William, you''re here." Isabelle immediately smiled and walked up to me.


    "Thank you foring. We bought too many things, and it''s too much for us to carry. We really appreciate your help."


    "No problem."


    There were many bags on the floor, both big and small. Without saying much, I just started carrying them all.


    "Hey, be careful with those! Most of the bags and boxes are really expensive. If you sell them on a second-hand site, they could go for over a hundred each. If you damage anything, you''ll have to pay for it!"


    I couldn''t help but feel angry at that.


    I was helping her for free, yet she dared to tell me that I would have to pay if I


    damaged something.


    I sneered. Dream on. Even if you sell me, you won''t be able to cover the cost. If you''re looking for special treatment, hire a courier. The free option is exactly what you see here."

 Chapter 259

    "What do you mean by that? Do you think I can''t afford a courier?" Charlotte retorted.


    I challenged her, saying, "Go ahead and call one then."


    "Fine! Get lost now, and I''ll call one immediately!"


    I sneered. "Call whoever you want. It''s none of my business. I''m here to help Isabelle with her stuff, not yours. Oh, by the way, Isabelle, is there anything here that belongs to her? If there is, I''ll toss it out right now."


    Caught in the middle, Isabelle awkwardlyughed. "No, no, William. It''s all my stuff. Can you help me carry them? Charlotte doesn''t mean anything bad. It''s just that she''s been getting threatening callstely and is in a bad mood. Please try to understand."


    "Threatening calls?" I paused, surprised. "What threatening calls?"


    Charlotte snorted, unwilling to answer.


    Isabelle sighed. "I don''t know who it is, but someone has been calling her from an unfamiliar number, threatening her and telling her to watch out. They''ve been calling for several days now. She''s been so scared that she hasn''t been able to sleep."


    Was this really happening? Could it be Lucas?


    Since I exposed his true nature at Victor''s resort hotelst time, it seemed like he had disappeared from school. It was only natural he would hold a grudge and seek revenge on Charlotte.


    But when I looked at her face, I decided to keep quiet. If I asked her any more questions, I would only invite trouble.


    So, I stayed silent and apanied them as we continued shopping.


    As they walked and talked, they suddenly started discussing Lucas. I learned that Charlotte hadn''t contacted him since that incident, though she was still furious whenever she mentioned him.


    "He''s nothing but a smear on my life. If I see him again, I''ll make sure to beat him up!"


    Isabelle keptforting her. "I''ll join you. I''ve never seen such a shameless man. It''s bad enough that he took credit for your work, but then he tried to take advantage of you, too. He''s just despicable!"


    "Exactly! I''m lucky I was smart enough to stop him."


    I almostughed out loud.


    I wondered if she could stop pretending to be smart. She was so naive that she didn''t even realize she was about to fall for Lucas'' scheme. If I hadn''t called Gordon to clear things up, she would have beenpletely crushed by Lucas.


    Charlotte seemed to be in a better mood after making a few more purchases.


    As we walked past a smoothie shop, people in line immediately noticed us and gave us admiring and envious looks.


    "Damn it! How lucky is that guy to walk around with two beautiful women?"


    "One has a gentle demeanor, and the other''s cool. They''re a perfect match! That guy tagging along is totally unnecessary."


    "Don''t be envious. Can''t you see that


    I.ne


    the guy''s just carrying bags for them? He probably doesn''t even have their contact information. He''s just ackey!"


    "Hey, if I could be ackey for two beauties like them, I''d dly carry their stuff!"


    I was speechless. I wondered if they


    could stop kissing up like that. It was their sycophantic behavior that


    made these women so full of


    themselves. If every man didn''\


    tolerate their bad attitude, how could they act so high and mighty?


    Too bad no one could hear my thoughts.


    "Hey Charlotte, there''s a boutique over there. Let''s go check it out."


    Soon, Isabelle pulled Charlotte into a boutique. I had no choice but to follow them.


    The store was filled with all sorts of delicate trinkets. I wasn''t interested in any of it, but I couldn''t help but think of Felicia.


    She would definitely like this, wouldn''t she?

 Chapter 260

    If Felicia were still around, I could pick a few gifts for her.


    I picked up a bracelet and imagined how it would look on Felicia, but then I shook


    my head gently.


    This one was too cheap and low-quality. It didn''t suit her at all. She should be wearing jewels and diamonds, not this small trinket.


    "Hey, William. Do you like this one?"


    Isabelle suddenly leaned over.


    Seeing the bracelet in my hand, sheughed. "If you like it, you can keep it. I''ll buy


    it for you as a token of appreciation for all the help you''ve given today."


    "No thanks. I don''t like it."


    I immediately put it down.


    To my surprise, she picked it up again and personally fastened it around my wrist. "William, you don''t have to be embarrassed! It''s not expensive at all. It''s just over a hundred dors. I don''t mind buying it for you.


    "Besides, you helped Charlotte and me so much today. We must show our gratitude. Just wear it, okay?"


    This... This was clearly a bracelet for a woman. What would I do with it?


    I was speechless.


    But I couldn''t keep refusing when I saw the sincere look in Isabelle''s eyes. After thinking about it, I finally epted it.


    "Thank you then."


    I told myself to pretend that I liked it. Otherwise, Isabelle would feel bad and ufortable.


    Seeing me ept the bracelet, Charlotte snorted in disdain. "Why didn''t you just say you liked it from the beginning? A grown man acting all coy. It''s disgusting!"


    "Charlotte, what are you saying?"


    Charlotte sneered. "I''m not wrong. He''s trying to act generous but still wants a gift: With his reputation and status, just walking around with us is probably the best luck he''s ever had. Yet, he''s now brazenly asking fora


    for a gift worth over a hundred. How shameless can he get?"


    "Charlotte! Enough! It was my choice to give William a gift. It has nothing to do with him."


    Isabelle shot her friend an angry look. Charlotte had no choice but to keep quiet, though she shot me onest look of contempt.


    We shopped for another hour or so, and just when Charlotte startedining about her sore feet, my phone rang.


    It was the store manager from Silence calling.


    They never called unless there was something important, so I immediately answered.


    "Mr. White, your friend came by again to buy something. I''m calling to ask if I should give her a discount."


    "My friend?"


    Since discovering the Silence store, I had only ever brought Felicia there. Could the friend they were referring to be her?


    My heart suddenly raced. "Keep her there. Don''t let her leave. I''ll be right there!"


    I hung up and immediately turned to Isabelle. Isabelle, something urgent came up. I need to leave for a bit, but I''ll return soon. Can I leave your things somewhere safe for now?"


    "Okay, sure. Just put them in the car."


    She handed me her car keys. Without exining further, I rushed to the parking lot, stuffed the things into the car, and headed straight for Silence upstairs.


    However, as I rushed in and searched for Felicia, I unexpectedly ran into Lina. I froze.


    The store manager gave me a knowing look and subtly pointed toward Lina.


    It suddenly dawned on me. It turned out that the friend the store manager mentioned was actually Lina.


    A crushing disappointment hit me, and I almost copsed from its weight.

 Chapter 261

    At that moment, Lina noticed me. Her face lit up with joy as she quickly walked over, her eyes filled with excitement.


    She said enthusiastically, "William, you''re here too? What a coincidence! Are you here to shop? I never expected to run into you here. If I had known, I would''ve put on some makeup. I didn''t do anything to my hair, and I feel so embarrassed to talk


    to you."


    She touched her hair, then her cheek. She avoided my gaze, looking shy beyond


    measure.


    She really hadn''t done much with her makeup, but it made her appear even younger, purer, and more beautiful.


    As the former campus belle of Welsington University, her appearance was undoubtedly wless.


    I might have been captivated by that face in the past, but now, as I look at her standing before me, my gaze held neither sorrow nor joy.


    I felt nothing for her anymore.


    Looking at her was no different than looking at a piece of clothing.


    She fidgeted awkwardly, and for a moment, it felt like we were back to when we first met. She was so shy and innocent back then. She couldn''t even meet my eyes, keeping her head lowered for a long while before sneaking a quick nce


    at me.


    Her timid expression made her seem pitiful. But sadly, this innocent act that had once fooled me no longer had any effect on me.


    "It is a coincidence, but I have things to do, so you can continue shopping. I''m leaving."


    I turned to walk away, but Lina immediately blocked my path.


    "Wait, William! If you''re alone, can we shop together? There''s so much I want to


    say to you, and I need to apologize properly."


    "Apologize?"


    I was confused. She hadn''t really done anything recently.


    "Apologize for what?"


    Tears welled up in Lina''s eyes as she softly spoke. "I want to apologize for betraying, using, and deceiving you... Maybe you won''t believe it, but these past days have been unbearable.


    "Every day Thoped to run into you to talk. I hoped to apologize properly and reflect on everything. William, I truly am sorry. You are the person I''ve hurt most in my life!"


    As she spoke, she suddenly covered her mouth and started crying.


    I sighed. "Lina, I don''t need your apology. It would be better if you just left me


    alone. I''m leaving."


    With that, I turned and started to leave.


    But just before I left, I made a gesture to the store manager, signaling thetter to give a 20% discount to Lina.


    Although I said I didn''t care about her apology, I would be happy for her if she genuinely regretted her actions.


    After all, we had been in a rtionship once. I hoped she could find the right path and turn her life around.


    I felt disappointed as I walked out of the store.


    I had hoped to meet Felicia, but it was a misunderstanding.


    I immediately called Isabelle, hoping to meet up with her. But strangely, she didn''t


    answer the phone.


    Had she bought too much and


    couldn''t answer? Or did she not hear


    the call? I remembered that her


    phone was always in hand while we


    were shopping. How could she not answer the phone?


    Unless she didn''t want to.


    Recalling how Charlotte looked down on me, I started to suspect that Charlotte pressured Isabelle and purposely avoided my call.


    Nevertheless, I had promised


    Matthew to take care of things. So,


    even if left, I needed to let Isabelle


    know. I returned to the boutique


    where we were earlier.


    Unfortunately, I couldn''t find them there either.


    Where had those two women gone?


    I called Isabelle again but couldn''t get through this time.

 Chapter 262

    How could Isabelle suddenly be unreachable?


    An ominous feeling abruptly washed over me, like something was wrong. If anything had happened, Matthew would kill me. I began to feel anxious.


    I borrowed a phone from someone nearby to rule out the possibility that Charlotte was deliberately avoiding my call. I tried calling again, but the result was the same. The number was unreachable.


    This was bad...


    I looked at the surveince cameras and immediately rushed to the security room. Using my position as the store manager of Silence, I managed to meet with the mall''s general manager. I made an announcement, requesting that Isabelle and Charlottee to the security room.


    But after waiting for a long time, there was still no response.


    I couldn''t sit still anymore. "I demand to see the footage!"


    The general manager frowned, seemingly hesitant. I had no choice but to bring up my mother.


    When I mentioned Mom''s name, the general manager finally relented and had the security guard pull up the footage. It didn''t take long before they could track Isabelle and Charlotte''s movements.


    Shortly after I left, a young couple approached them. The woman appeared to have suddenly felt dizzy and copsed to the ground.


    Charlotte immediately rushed to help the woman.


    This surprised me.


    Because, in my memory, she had always been cold, selfish, and self-righteous. I never expected her to show such concern.


    In the footage, she seemed to have said something to the man after helping the woman, and they both walked toward the elevator together.


    The general manager let out a sigh of relief. "This woman clearly didn''t feel well. They must have taken her to the hospital, which is why they haven''t returned yet."


    I shook my head slowly. "If they were just taking her to the hospital, her phone wouldn''t be unreachable. Something else must be going on. Can you also pull up the footage from the parking lot?"


    The general manager, who was growing slightly impatient, hesitated for a moment but then signaled the security guard to bring up the parking lot footage.


    The footage quickly shifted to show Isabelle and Charlotte. As expected, after helping the woman into the car, they never returned, and the car slowly drove out of the parking lot.


    The general manager said helplessly, "See? I told you they were just taking her to the hospital."


    I shook my head again. "Something''s wrong. Rewind this part. I want to look at it again."


    The security guard obeyed, rewinding the footage.


    This time, clearly saw a brocade box fall out of the car, hitting the ground and cracking open. But Charlotte didn''t react at all. Only the man with them picked up the box and casually tossed it back into the car.  s?novel


    This couldn''t be right!


    I remembered clearly that Charlotte cared a lot about those packaging boxes. She had once said that these luxury packaging boxes could sell for over a hundred online.


    Even if she were kind-hearted, there was no way she would just stand there emotionlessly while the box cracked open.


    Something was off! This was definitely suspicious!


    "Switch to another camera angle and get the car''s license te number!"


    Once I had the license te, I immediately sent it to Victor, asking him to investigate the car.


    It took Victor just five minutes to find something. "Mr. White, this car belongs to Alexander Arnoult, the heir of Arnoult Group."


    I gasped in shock.


    Alexander?


    The same man who tried to harass and bully Charlotte but was dealt with by me,


    had to apologize to her, and then got beaten up by her in the bar?

 Chapter 263

    I wasn''t fully aware of Charlotte''s past with others, but her history with Alexander was something I knew all too well, as I had been directly involved.


    Recalling what Isabelle had mentioned earlier about how someone had been making threatening phone calls to Charlotte recently, I suddenly understood.


    The person making those threatening calls was most likely Alexander. He must have been unable to swallow his pride, wanting revenge.


    I had sworn not to get involved in these matters again, but I never imagined he would drag Isabelle into this. If anything were to happen to her, how could I exin it to Matthew?


    Without hesitation, I found Alexander''s number and dialed it myself.


    The phone rang four or five times and was connected when I was about to give up. "Hello?"


    A low, cold voice came through, full of anger and menace.


    I took a deep breath and said, "Is this Alexander? I''m William. How you choose to take revenge on Charlotte is your business, but Isabelle has nothing to do with this. Let her go immediately.


    "If you release her, I promise I won''t interfere further."


    This was my final concession.


    To my surprise, he let out a mockingugh. "William? Hmm... I think I''ve heard that name before. Oh, right. Now I remember. You were the one who helped Charlotte beat me up, weren''t you?"


    "No, I didn''ty a hand on you."


    "You didn''ty a hand but were cheering her on. You''re just an aplice! You want to save them, don''t you? It''s not going to happen!"


    "Alexander..."


    I sighed, feeling helpless.


    "Do you realize what you''re doing is illegal? Since things haven''t gone too far, let Isabelle go now, and I''ll promise to let this go without further action. Don''t do something you''ll regret."


    "Who the hell do you think you are trying to tecture me like that? Where are you? Come out and say it to my face I''ll show you if I''m not bold enough to do something illegal!"


    I originally intended to persuade him further, but I realized it was useless. I


    needed to find out where he was immediately.


    After a brief moment, I gave him my location.


    As expected, about ten minutester, a van pulled up in front of me.


    The door opened, and several burly men jumped out, swinging clubs toward me.


    I sighed, closing my eyes. "Alexander, Alexander... I gave you an easy way out, but you chose the difficult path. Why?"


    The club fell hard on my head, but I didn''t feel a thing.


    Arge hand stopped the club mid-swing. It was Quintus.


    My family had assigned Quintus to stay by my side to ensure my safety since thest time I got into trouble.


    Usually, he would disguise himself as a bystander and blend into the crowd to avoid making me feeklike I was being followed. That way, no one would realize I had a bodyguard.


    When his figure slowly emerged in front of the burly men, fear instantly shed in their eyes.


    The murderous intent and strength radiating from him,bined with the intensity in his gaze and his powerful physique, were more than they could ever hope to match.

 Chapter 264

    The three burly men slowly began to retreat, seemingly attempting to escape.


    Quintus, however, didn''t give them a chance. He swiftly moved forward and, within a few moves, incapacitated their left legs.


    The rest was up to me. He stepped aside, awaiting my orders. I slowly approached the men, choosing the one who looked the most terrified.


    "Tell me where Alexander took my friend after he abducted her. Speak up, and I''ll let you go. Otherwise, I''ll have my men disable your other hand and both your legs, and you''ll spend your life as a cripple."


    The man broke into a cold sweat. Nevertheless, he gritted his teeth and said, "I don''t know what you''re talking about. Abducting? Mr. Arnoult just sent me to deal with you. I don''t know anything else."


    "Okay."


    I didn''t waste any more time. I got up and signaled Quintus.


    Quintus quickly stepped forward and forcefully twisted the wrist of another man. With a sickening crack, his wrist was bent at a 90-degree angle.


    The man''s scream echoed through the room. The thug that was most scared turned pale and trembled in fear.


    "N-No. Don''t hurt me! I''ll tell you! I don''t know what Mr. Arnoult did, but if he''s abducted someone, they''re bound to be at the factory in the suburbs. It''s one of the properties of the Arnoult family, and he always takes people there to deal with them!"


    I immediately set off with Quintus to go to the factory.


    It was an abandoned facility with no security at the entrance. The gates were locked, but with Quintus'' help we easily gained ess. We climbed the stairs to the upp


    1.n


    floor,


    and immediately, I heard Charlotte''s


    voice. arlotte''s


    "Alexander, don''t go too far. I''m the one who dealt with you, not Isabelle! Let her


    go!"


    Alexander didn''t respond. He was focused on ying a video game.


    She kept taunting him. "Alexander, you''re a worthless piece of trash. What do you really want? If you''re man enough, just kill me! A life for a life!"


    He still ignored her. However, he put down his gaming console and picked up a tablet, putting the device''s audio on speaker. Even from a distance, I could hear the vulgar sounds from the device.


    It seemed that Alexander was watching explicit content! He really had no shame.


    By now, I had a pretty good idea of what he wanted to do. When Charlotte first provoked him, his goal had been to get her, but he failed. This time, it seemed like he wouldn''t let her slip away.


    I couldn''t help but wonder what kind of trouble Isabelle might be in. I considered letting him do what he wanted with Charlotte momentarily before stepping in to save her.


    After all, she had never appreciated my help. Although I had saved her repeatedly, she had mocked and insulted me each time. Maybe it was time for her to face some consequences.


    However, I quickly dismissed the thought. She had only inflicted some psychological harm on me. But if I chose not to save her, what she might endure could very well be a lifetime of emotional trauma.


    Isabelle suddenly shouted, "Alexander, don''t do anything reckless! You know what kind of person Charlotte is. You can''t afford to mess with her! Let us go now, and I''ll make sure she forgives you. But if you continue this, you''ll drag your entire family down with you!"


    Charlotte immediately chimed in, "That''s right! Did you forget that my dad can get the president of the Business Association on his side? If you touch even a hair on me, your family will go bankrupt. Try it and see what happens!"

 Chapter 265

    At this moment, Charlotte probably started regretting her actions.


    None of this would have happened if she had just backed off after I helped her handle Alexander the first time.


    But back then, when she saw Alexander again at the bar, she insisted on publicly humiliating him and pushing his buttons, which led to the mess they were in.


    Now, upon hearing Charlotte''s and Isabelle''s threats, Alexander didn''t seem afraid at all. Instead, he burst outughing.


    "Are you guys idiots? If I were afraid of that, do you think I would''ve abducted you? It''s precisely because I''m not afraid that you''re all here!"


    He grinned viciously at Charlotte.


    "I''ve already done my research. Your little rundown restaurant has always been a headache with no real backing. Gordon has never backed your family!"


    He paused, then continued with a sneer. "I also learned that he stopped contacting you after that incident. So, you found someone to connect with, and that person went to Gordon to save your worthless lives!


    "But you couldn''t maintain that connection, so now they don''t care about you anymore. Otherwise, I wouldn''t have taken you."


    I couldn''t help but look at Alexander with surprise. It seemed that he wasn''t as useless as the rumors suggested. At least he had a sharp understanding of Gordon''s situation. He basically guessed it all correctly.


    When I first reached out to Gordon, I wanted him to help look after Charlotte and her father.


    Who would have known that when she met me the next day, she would keep mocking and ridiculing me non-stop? If I still rushed to help her after the way she had treated me, wouldn''t that make me an absolute doormat? So, I told Gordon not to get involved with the Hayes family anymore.


    After that, he never stepped in, no matter what trouble the Hayes family ran into. That gave Alexander the confidence to cause trouble again.


    Alexander and I understood this. But Charlotte did not.


    She only knew that Gordon was her lifeline, so she kept mentioning him. "Alexander, I advise you not to be delusional! If you touch a single hair on my head today, I guarantee Mr. Zimmer won''t let you off! And your father will disown you!"


    He threw his head back andughed loudly.


    "You keep talking about Mr. Zimmer, but why don''t you have his number saved in your phone? Did you memorize his number, or do you have no idea who he really


    is?"


    He took a few steps toward her and grabbed her chin firmly. "You''re still threatening me at this point? It looks like you''re asking for trouble! As for my dad... Do you think he''ll disown me? Let me show you what he really thinks."


    With that, he pulled out his phone and dialed a number.


    The call quickly connected. It was a video call. Alexander held his phone up to the


    screen, then positioned it in front of Charlotte''s face.


    When Charlotte saw Jed on the


    screen, she screamed, "Mr. Arnoult, help! Mr. Arnoult, your son has abducted me! I''m Charlotte Hayes! He took me and my friend! Please, help us!"


    On the phone screen, Jed furrowed his brows. "Didn''t I tell you to deal with things quickly after catching them? Why haven''t you finished with them yet?"


    "Dad, don''t rush me. It took so much effort to get them here. I must enjoy this a little, or all my work would be for nothing!" Alexander smiled ominously.


    "Charlotte threatened me just now, saying that she would report me to you and have you disown me. Dad, you should talk to her."


    Alexander then held the phone screen back up to Charlotte.

 Chapter 266

    When Jed saw Charlotte, his expression immediately became ferocious. He


    snapped, "You slut, how dare youy a hand on my son! Do you know that I only have one son, and I''ve neverid a finger on him? Who do you think you are to beat my son up?


    "I''m not just going to kill you. I will make sure your entire family goes down with you!"


    Charlotte waspletely stunned upon hearing this.


    Thest time Jed had gone to her house to apologize, he entirely med himself for not raising Alexander properly. At that time, she and her father had thought that Jed was a reasonable man. They assumed that he was just someone who hadn''t adequately disciplined his spoiled son.


    Who would have known that Alexander and Jed were cut from the same cloth?


    "Alexander, do whatever you want with that slut. Don''t worry. No matter what happens, I will cover for you!" he added with a cold chuckle.


    Feeling ted, Alexander responded, "Thanks, Dad! But are you sure that there''s no problem with Gordon?"


    "Don''t worry. I''ve checked. Not only has he stopped helping the Hayes family, but because they seem to have angered their benefactor, he regrets ever helping them. So you don''t need to worry about anything!"


    Charlotte stood there, speechless. She was shocked to learn that the Hayes had offended their benefactor, and on top of that, they had offended Gordon. How could that be? They didn''t even know who their benefactor was, so how could they have offended them?


    Charlotte was starting to piece things together. Could it be that their mysterious benefactor was hiding right before them? Who is it? Who could it be?


    I observed Charlotte''s panicked and suspicious expression. I wordlessly shook my head. Even now, she still hadn''t suspected me, which showed how little she had thought of I me. My status was so low that she would never think of me, no matter what happened.


    "Dad, don''t hang up. I''m going to deal with Charlotte right now. Let me show you how it''s done."


    With that, Alexander ced the phone on a stand and walked toward her. He grabbed her chin roughly.


    "You''re truly stunning. I''ve always thought that you were exceptionally alluring. ying with you must feel different from being with ordinary women. I''m going to experience it fully today!"


    He leaned down and tried to kiss Charlotte. She screamed in fear, quickly turning her head to avoid his kiss. Consequently, he identally kissed her hair instead, which.


    enraged him. He raised his hand and pped her across the face.


    "How dare you dodge! Do you want to die?"


    Charlotte screamed in pain, then began sobbing in humiliation. At this point, she no longer dared to threaten Alexander, realizing that threats had no effect. He wasn''t afraid at all.


    So, she tried a different approach and started to plead with him.


    "Mr. Arnoult, please, don''t do this. I''m sorry, okay?shouldn''t have provoked you repeatedly. I realize my mistake. If you let me go, I''lL publicly apologize and even have my father visit you. I''m begging you, please let me go."


    His eyes lit up with even more excitement when he heard her begging.


    He squeezed her chin andughed maniacally. "If you knew that this would happen, you should not have done it in the first ce. I won''t let you go no matter what!"

 Chapter 267

    I stood on the staircase not far away, exchanging a nce with Quintus.


    It seemed that Alexander was determined to toy with Charlotte.


    Although I had already decided never to help her again, I couldn''t just stand by and watch her be toyed with by a scoundrel without doing anything. I couldn''t bring myself to do that.


    So, I quietly asked Quintus, "If you go in right now, how likely are you to rescue Charlotte and Isabelle unharmed?"


    Quintus replied, "50%."


    "That low?"


    He nodded seriously, saying, "There are six of them inside. It will take at least half


    a minute to deal with them. During that time, if even one of them thinks of using Charlotte or Isabelle as leverage, the rescue will fail."


    I understood immediately.


    Indeed. With so many of them, Quintus could only do so much alone.


    The most crucial point was that if they held Charlotte and Isabelle as hostages, we would be forced toply. In that case, we would essentially be walking into a trap.


    It looked like I would have to bother Victor after all. I took out my phone and called him. He agreed without hesitation.


    Alexander had already started unbuttoning Charlotte''s shirt when I was on the phone.


    She was trembling in fear, tears streaming down her face. She couldn''t help but plead. However, the more she begged, the more excited he became. Ultimately, he couldn''t be bothered to undo each button slowly and ripped the shirt open with force.


    The buttons flew off, scattering on the floor. The fabric was torn, revealing her fair skin.


    Alexander ogled at her hungrily, gulping hard repeatedly.


    "You''re so beautiful! I always knew you were pretty, but I didn''t realize that your body was this perfect. You''re just made to be yed with by men."


    "Alexander! Let me see if this slut''s body is that incredible!"


    Jed''s voice sounded from the phone. Alexander immediately turned his phone''s camera toward Charlotte.


    When Jed saw her, he hollered


    loudly. "Perfect! This body is even


    sexier than any stripper I''ve ever


    seen Alexander, you really have


    great taste. Out of all these beauties,


    you picked the best!"


    Alexanderughed heartily. "Dad,paring her to a stripper is a bit much. At least she''s still a virgin."


    As he said that, he raised his hand and began to undo Charlotte''s pants.


    She almost passed out from fear. She could do nothing but watch


    helplessly as he undid her belt


    unable to move since her hands were tied behind the chair


    "Mr. Alexander, please, don''t... Please... don''t..."


    "The more you beg, the more excited I get!" Heughed.


    "That''s right! Even I''m getting a little excited hearing her beg!" Jed joined in.


    Just as Alexander was about to unbuckle Charlotte''s belt, someone suddenly knocked on the door to Jed''s office.


    "Mr. Arnoult, it''s Rene. There''s an important phone call for you."


    Jed roared angrily, "Didn''t I tell you beforehand that I have important matters today? No one is to disturb me!"


    Rene replied nervously, "But Mr. Arnoult, this phone call is one you have to take. You''ll understand when you pick it up, but I can''t say more now."


    "What phone call could be so important? Is it God who''s calling? Don''t tell me that Gordon is calling to plead again. Even if he calls or show up in person, I won''t show him any respect! He''s been ruining my ns repeatedly. I won''t acknowledge him as the president of the Business Association!"


    After venting his anger, he saw Rene still standing at the office door.

 Chapter 268

    "Mr. Arnoult, you really have to take this call," Rene insisted.


    "Damn it!" Jed cursed loudly. "Fine. I''ll take it now. But you can forget your monthly sry if it''s some trivial matter."


    He looked into the camera and said, "Alexander, don''t rush. Let me take this call first, and then we''ll continue." He then hung up the video call.


    Alexander frowned, clearly displeased at being interrupted. Nevertheless, he still listened to Jed to some extent. When Jed told him not to act rashly, he did nothing. He even turned around and walked over to a table, casually sipping a drink.


    Charlotte lowered her head, looking at her disheveled state, feeling utterly helpless. "Mr. Alexander..."


    "If you don''t want me to finish you off right now, you had better shut up!" Alexander red at her fiercely.


    After that, she immediately went silent.


    Alexander''s phone rang again a momentter. It was Jed calling back. "So soon?" Alexander was excited. He turned back to face Charlotte.


    "Hey, Dad. The previous call doesn''t count. Let''s start over. I''ll take off Charlotte''s pants first-"


    But before he could finish speaking or make a move, Jed shouted angrily, "Don''t do anything stupid! From now on, don''ty a finger on Charlotte!"


    "What?" Alexander froze, looking confused as he stared at Jed on his phone.


    "Dad, what are you talking about? We went through so much to abduct Charlotte so that I could take revenge on her. Now you''re telling me not to touch her? What is this nonsense?"


    "Alexander, listen to me! I just received a call from an important person, and they specifically ordered us to release Charlotte and Isabelle. I can''t do anything about it!"


    Alexander frowned, clearly unhappy. "But didn''t you say before that no matter who it was, you would support me getting revenge for the beating I took? Even if


    Gordon himself called, you''d let me deal with her, right?"


    Jed sighed deeply. "I didn''t lie to you. I really thought that way, and even if Gordon came himself, I would still back you up! But the call I got wasn''t from Gordon. It was from someone a hundred times more powerful!"


    He paused for a moment before continuing we upset this person, we could jose everything tonight. We''d be bankrupt, and end up on the streets Do you really think it''s worth such a heavy cost just to get revenge on a slut?"


    Alexander waspletely stunned. Who could possibly have such great influence that they were above Gordon? Who could make the


    Arnoult family go bankrupt


    overnight? Why would such


    vel


    powerful figure step in to help


    Charlotte? Her family had nothing to


    offer!


    I sighed in relief upon hearing the conversation between them. It was clear that Victor had found Jed and personally warned him about this. It seemed that I had caused trouble for him again.


    "Dad, who is this powerful person you''re talking about?"


    Jed looked extremely troubled, gritting his teeth as he replied, "I can''t tell you. I really can''t. Just release the slut for now! Otherwise, we''ll lose everything!"

 Chapter 269

    Alexander couldn''t help but feel a sense of fear when he detected anxiety in Jed''s tone. He knew Jed better than anyone. Very few people in the world could make his father this nervous to this extent. Those who could were all individuals the Arnoult family could not afford to offend.


    Now, this mysterious big shot had managed to scare Jed with just a phone call, which clearly meant that they were not someone to be taken lightly.


    Alexander red at Charlotte, feeling a sense of frustration.


    Having heard their entire conversation, Charlotte couldn''t help but burst intoughter.


    "Alexander, what did I tell you? You can''t afford to offend me. Forget about Gordon. I have plenty of powerful people backing me! You''ll untie me right now and apologize properly if you''re smart. Otherwise, I''ll make the Arnoult family disappear overnight!"


    Alexander was livid at her words. But at the same time, he knew that she was indeed someone he couldn''t afford to offend. If even Jed was that frightened, how could he not be?


    Realizing this, he gritted his teeth and reluctantly untied Charlotte.


    I couldn''t help but feel confused. I had called Victor to save Isabelle, so how had it turned into saving Charlotte? But even if it was to save her, it was fine as long as she remembered to release Isabelle immediately.


    Charlotte stood up after being freed and stretched her wrists before suddenly raising her hand to deliver a p across Alexander''s face. "This p is for the one you gave me earlier."


    She had been terrified earlier and pleading for her life. But now, freed from her torment, she no longer felt fear, only pure rage.


    She pped him again. "This p is for abducting me in the first ce!"


    After two consecutive ps, Alexander''s face turned ashen, but he dared not fight back. He could only stand there. He clenches his fists while grinding his teeth.


    At that moment, Jed''s frantic voice came through the phone screen.


    "Alexander made a mistake! It''s not this slut! It''s the other one! You abducted two women today, didn''t you? The big shot who called said the woman we need to release is the other one, not Charlotte!"


    The whole rundown factory fell silent.


    Charlotte slowly turned her head, her face filled with disbelief as she looked at the phone screen. "Mr. Jed, what did you say? You must be mistaken! How could it be only Isabelle and not me?"


    Jed chuckled. "I don''t know, but that''s what the big shot said!"


    I nodded. That was indeed precisely what I had said.


    Vol.ne


    Charlotte hadn''t been too kind to me that day. She had insulted me repeatedly and had even tried to provoke me. I couldn''t bring myself to sympathize with a woman like


    Ker.  s?novel


    So, seeing Alexander punish her actually felt quite satisfying. As long as he didn''t cross any lines in front of me, I didn''t mind.


    But Isabelle was different. She was Matthew''s girlfriend and, in a way, one of my people. How could I just watch her suffer?


    Even if Alexander wasn''t nning anything serious with her now, I had to save her. Otherwise, Matthew would definitely me me for not standing by his


    woman.

 Chapter 270

    Alexander immediately smiled maliciously when he heard Jed speak.


    He shot Charlotte a hateful re before walking over to untie Isabelle. After that, he turned around, grabbed Charlotte, and pushed her back into the chair, tying her up again.


    Once he finished, he raised his hand and pped her twice. "How dare you hit me! I''ll make sure you learn the consequences of crossing me today!"


    Isabelle hurried forward to stop him. "Mr. Alexander, please don''t hit Charlotte anymore. I''ll apologize on her behalf. Please just let her go!"


    Alexander coldly replied, "Ms. Harrington, I''ll let you go today because of your connections. But don''t interfere with my business with Charlotte. You know how things are between us. She hit me at the barst time. Do you really think I can let her off the hook?"


    Isabelle frowned. "But..."


    "No buts! Ms. Harrington, please understand my position. I''ll see you out now." As he spoke, he signaled to his bodyguards.


    The bodyguards stepped forward, preparing to push Isabelle out forcibly, but she became desperate. "No, I can''t leave. I can''t just leave Charlotte here!"


    On the brink of tears, Charlotte said, "Isabelle, go ahead. Once you''re outside, call the police or bring someone to rescue me!"


    "Alright then!"


    Realizing that staying wouldn''t make a difference and understanding she couldn''t save Charlotte, Isabelle quietly followed the bodyguards into the factory yard.


    Meanwhile, I remained on the upper floor. There were too many of Alexander''s people in the yard for me to leave safely.


    In the room, only a few bodyguards and Charlotte remained. At that moment, she was trembling in fear, with tears streaming down her face. But despite her terror, she showed no signs of regret.


    She bit her lip hard and muttered to herself repeatedly, "What''s going on? Why does the big shot want to save Isabelle but ignore me? Did I really offend them? But how could I


    possibly offend someone so important? When I meet someone


    powerful, I always try to please


    them..."


    I couldn''t help but sneer.


    Charlotte truly only respected those with power and status. When she encountered someone above her, she would tter and suck up to them. But when it was someone like me someone with little to offer-she would look down on them, treating them with disdain.


    A woman like her was beyond redemption.


    Initially, I thought of rescuing her while Alexander was away, but after hearing what she said, I no longer wanted to help. I simply went downstairs with Quintus.


    However, as we neared the yard, we heard a heated argument.


    "I said I''m not leaving! I''ll only go if Charlottees with me. Alexander, if you''re not afraid of me calling the police, it means you''ve already covered your tracks and made sure that there''s no evidence to use against you. But if I leave today, Charlotte will be tortured by you!


    "If Charlotte doesn''t leave, I won''t either! Do as you wish!"


    Alexander trembled in anger. "Ms. Harrington, I advise you not to push your luck!"


    "I don''t care! I''m definitely leaving with Charlotte. Otherwise, I''ll just stay here."


    With that, she leaned against the car.


    I couldn''t help but feel confused. What was Isabelle up to now? Didn''t she just agree to go out and find help to save Charlotte? Why was she refusing to leave?


    Then I heard Isabelle speak again. "You confiscated my phone and even removed the battery. If I want to find someone to help, it''ll take at least an hour. By then, it''ll be toote! Alexander, release her now, or I''ll call that big shot!"

 Chapter 271

    It suddenly clicked for me. Alexander had confiscated Isabelle''s phone to prevent her from seeking help. This move had one clear purpose-to deal with Charlotte.


    As Charlotte''s close friend, Isabelle couldn''t stand by. Naturally, she changed her mind and refused to leave.


    Alexander dared not offend Isabelle, so he could only stand there, helpless and anxious. She refused to leave, no matter how much he tried to persuade her.


    Soon, Jed called again, urging him to release Isabelle, or else they would face consequences from those who were more powerful than them.


    With no other choice, Alexander reluctantly epted his fate. He left the mess at the factory to his bodyguards and drove away.


    Staying behind wouldn''t help him handle Charlotte, and once she was freed, she mighte after him again. Thus, running away was his only option.


    As I watched him depart, I couldn''t help butugh and turned to Quintus. "Take them both back to the school."


    Quintus shook his head. "I can''t, Mr. White. I need to stay by your side."


    "Don''t worry. I''m also heading back to school. Nothing will happen." "Alright then."


    Since I insisted, he didn''t argue.


    After a while, arge group of bodyguards streamed out. They got into a van and quickly left the factory. After all, this was an abduction, which was illegal.


    If the two women decided to press charges, no one would be able to escape. It was better to leave quickly and not leave asting impression on them, hoping to protect themselves.


    Soon, the abandoned factory was left with just me, Quintus, Charlotte, and Isabelle. Quintus and I hid in the shadows while Isabelle stood downstairs, waiting for Charlotte.


    "Alexander, get out here!" Charlotte''s voice soon rang out from the door. She marched out, looking around for Alexander, but found no one. When she saw Isabelle, she walked over to her.


    "Isabelle, where''s Alexander?"


    "He''s already gone."


    "Damn it! He sure runs fast. If I catch him, I''ll beat him to a pulp!"


    Isabelle sighed. "Charlotte, you really shouldn''t provoke Alexander. He''s ruthless and always gets back at et those who wrong him. Thest time you hit him, he abducted you. If you provoke him again, who knows what he''ll do next."


    But Charlotte only wore a cold expression. Her eyes were filled with murderous.intent. If I hadn''t just witnessed her fear and pleading, would have mistaken her for someone as ruthless as she


    §Ö§ä


    §¥?§­


    appeared.


    In reality, she was just using her beauty to put on a tough act, pretending to be strong while actually being weak.


    "I don''t think he dares to do it! Besides, I''m sure he won''t daree after us again with you around. Next time, we''ll deal with him once and for all."


    Isabelle smiled wryly. "I''m not that capable."


    "You are! Didn''t your backer just scare him so badly that he ran off?"


    "I don''t have any backers. They must have made a mistake."


    "How could they make a mistake? Isabelle, stop hiding it from me. Did you secretly find another rich boyfriend behind Matthew''s back? Come on. Spill it.


    "You should have broken up with


    him already. That guy only makes a little over two thousand a month. He can''t even buy you clothes. What''s the point of being with him?"


    My fist tightened into a ball when I heard this.


    Damn it! Not only did Charlotte look down on me, but now she was bad-mouthing


    Matthew and trying to break them up.


    That was just shameless.

 Chapter 272

    Fortunately, Isabelle firmly replied, "Don''t talk nonsense. Matthew is very kind, considerate, and loyal to me. It''s rare for a man to be so devoted these days. Even someone like William is fickle, surrounded by many beautiful women. I must stay with Matthew."


    I was speechless. Her words made my face turn red.


    It was a misunderstanding. When was I ever fickle?


    I was devoted to Felicia. Lina and Crystal kept bothering me. It had nothing to do with me. Wasn''t it impressive that I could resist their advances and not do anything with them?


    If the roles were reversed, and many handsome and rich guys constantly showed interest in her, I guarantee that she wouldn''t handle it better than I did.


    Charlotte, hearing what Isabelle said, quickly changed the topic. "Alright. Enough about him. Let''s head back to the school."


    Just as they were about to move, Quintus stepped forward.


    "Misses, I''m here to escort you back to the school."


    Seeing Quintus, Charlotte and Isabelle jumped back in surprise, taking two steps away. "Who are you?"


    He had his usual stoic expression as he replied, "I''m your savior''s subordinate."


    "What?"


    They exchanged a nce, and then both eximed, "Who is our savior then?" He followed my instructions and said, "I can''t tell you that. The scion I''m serving doesn''t want his identity exposed."


    "Scion..." Charlotte furrowed her brow and pretended like she was analyzing the situation like a detective.


    "So, the person who saved us is indeed some rich heir, and he''s young. Isabelle, I was right. This young scion must be the man secretly in love with you!"


    Isabelle''s face turned slightly red. "Maybe, but it''s a pity my heart belongs to someone else. No matter what he does, I can only thank him."


    I was about to lose it. I hoped that they could just leave and stop daydreaming! Who was in love with her?


    These women all seemed to have delusions, including Quintus. Instead of rifying things for me, he stood ther@like a mute wooden block, which was really frustrating.


    I had no choice but to take out my phone and message him. "Take them and leave now."


    Quintus nced at his phone, then immediately said, "It''s gettingte. Let''s go." "Alright."


    He turned and walked away, but as he did, there was a soft clink, and a string of beads fell to the floor.


    Isabelle, quick as a sh, picked it up. "You dropped something... Wait, this bracelet... Isn''t this..."


    "This belongs to my boss!" Quintus quickly snatched it back and carefully blew off the dust.


    Charlotte, surprised, walked up to them. Her eyes grew wide. "Wait, isn''t this the same bracelet you bought in the boutique, Isabelle?"


    Isabelle nodded eagerly. "Yes, it''s exactly the same one!"


    Quintus tilted his head in confusion "You bought this? Impossible. You''re


    mistaken. The young scion askal


    me to hold onto it for him today. It''s not yours."


    Hearing this, I couldn''t help but take a sharp breath. I felt my blood


    pressure rise. I told him to


    l.ne


    my identity. Why was he meal


    things worse?


    "You said this belongs to your boss?" Isabelle gasped and covered her mouth.


    "So, the big shot who helped us get rid of Alexander earlier... is the owner of this bracelet... It''s William?"

 Chapter 273

    Charlotte was also stunned. She stared nkly at the bracelet, unable to speak.


    When Quintus heard my name, his eyes flickered slightly. But he quickly tried to cover it up, perhaps remembering my instructions to hide my identity.


    "This bracelet belongs to our young scion but is not from you. Perhaps it''s just a coincidence that it looks exactly the same."


    Yes! That was more like it! This was how he should conceal my identity.


    However, Isabelle stepped forward and grabbed the edge of the bracelet. "But this bracelet still has the small tag from the boutique. How do you exin that?"


    Now nervous, he said, "Maybe he also likes to shop at boutiques and bought it at the same store."


    "No, that''s not it!" Isabelle shook her head.


    "This bracelet is handmade. To sell it at a higher price, the shopkeeper specifically marked it. Every bracelet is unique, so two can''t be the same. Stop hiding the truth and tell me what is the young scion''s name?"


    Even the usually unppable Quintus began to sweat under the pressure of the two women''s questioning. It wasn''t just him. My nerves were on edge.


    This bracelet had be irrefutable evidence. There was no way I could deny it. Had I been hiding my identity all this time, only to have it exposed now?


    If Isabelle and Charlotte found out simultaneously, it wouldn''t be long before the whole school knew.


    I could already picture the scene of everyone flocking around me, trying to tter


    me.


    And the friends who truly cared about me-Matthew, Benjamin, and Liam-would likely distance themselves, thinking I was hiding things from them. They might even be angry with me for keeping it a secret.


    That kind of life would be unbearably dull.


    I didn''t want to reveal my identity. I really didn''t. But what could I do at this point?


    Quintus, still visibly anxious, said, "Please, stop asking. I can''t the young


    heir''s name."et belongs to .nex Coreve


    Isabelle sighed. "Because your boss'' name is William White, right? I knew something was off. His mannerisms, the way he behaves, and what he


    does don''t seem like Se poor


    and down on his luck. Turns out,


    he


    IMS


    "Wait a minute!"


    Just as Isabelle was about to reveal the final truth, Charlotte suddenly shouted,


    cutting her off.


    She took a few steps toward


    Quintus, scrutinizing him


    suspiciously. "Wait a second. You


    said you''re the subordinate and that


    he''s our savior. Why didn''t you appear earlier to help us?"


    "Huh?" He clearly hadn''t expected this question. He froze for a moment, unsure of how to respond.


    "I caught you off guard, didn''t I?" She wore a smug expression, looking proud of herself.


    "Go ahead and keep pretending!"


    Isabelle was now confused. "Charlotte, what are you talking about? Who''s pretending?"


    "Isabelle, don''t you see it? He''s just a pawn sent by William!"


    "Pawn?"

 Chapter 274

    Isabelle was stunned. And so was I.


    What kind of logic was this? How did Quintus end up being the "pawn"?


    Charlotte crossed her arms, looking utterly disdainful. "I guess after we went missing, William must have investigated secretly and discovered that Alexander abducted us. So, he sent someone to rescue us, but he was too timid to show himself, so he just kept watch from the shadows.


    "Then, when they heard we were saved but didn''t know who helped us, they came forward to im credit, pretending to be our saviors¡ªjust like Lucas!"


    Isabelle suddenly understood but then furrowed her brows. "That can''t be right. William isn''t that kind of person."


    "Come on, Isabelle. Why are you still defending that guy? He is indeed that kind of person, and this isn''t the first time he''s done something like this!


    "Otherwise, why did he deliberately let this guy drop the bracelet if he wanted to hide his identity? Isn''t it just a case of ''the more you try to hide, the more you reveal about yourself''? He wants us to inte his value!"


    What impressive mental gymnastics. Charlotte rambled on for so long and somehow managed to make it alle full circle.


    The reasoning was wless, and even I believed it.


    Quintus was frustrated. "Stop making things up! The young scion never wanted to reveal his identity. He saved you, and now you''re maliciously specting about him? You''re repaying kindness with ingratitude!"


    I covered my face,pletely desperate. What Quintus said was no different from blowing my cover!


    It wasn''t his fault. He wasn''t from around here. He was a guy who had been practicing martial arts since childhood. He was all brawn and had no brains. Expecting him to engage in mental gymnastics ande up with a quick-witted exnation for something was a challenge.


    Fortunately, the more he tried to exin, the more Charlotte didn''t buy it.


    "Look at him. I exposed his little trick, and now he''s panicking. Just a moment ago, he said he didn''t want to reveal his boss'' identity, but now he''s practically spilling the beans! So, Isabelle, the person who saved us, wasn''t William. He just found a pawn to pretend to be the hero!"


    She crossed her arms and sneered.


    "At least he''s a bit smarter than Lucas. He knows how to act a little, unlike Lucas, who just imed credit without any care for leaving evidence or a way out."


    Isabelle was now confused, her face full of doubt. But she couldn''t find a way to refute it.


    After all, Charlotte''s suspicions were somewhat justified. If I had trulye to rescue them, there was no reason to stay hidden or wait for Alexander''s group to leave before sending Quintus to escort them back to school.


    They would never believe the truth-that I really didn''t want to expose my identity.


    Although things had turned out differently than I expected, at least the identity cover-up was a sess.


    I sent a message to Quintus. "Take them back to school now. Don''t worry about the rest. Just ignore whatever they say. I don''t care."


    After reading the message, Quintus sighed. "I''ll take you both back to school."


    Charlotte chuckled. "Let''s go, Isabelle. Let him keep pretending if he wants to. Since there''s a car, we might as well use it."


    Isabelle shook her head and followed Charlotte into the car. Once they left, I stepped out from the shadows, stretching my numb legs. They were finally gone.


    The car Quintus had taken was the


    one Alexander had left behind to


    escort Isabelle. Another car was


    parked outside, which was his. drove his car back to the city center and parked it in his garage.


    Afterward found a ce to eat. But before I could do that, I got a call from Lina. I thought she was calling to reconcile, but Charlotte''s voice


    came through as soon as I


    answered.


    "William''s ridiculous actions weren''t limited to this one! His pretending to be our savior was just so absurd. I''ve never met anyone so shameless in my life."


    Then, Lina quietly asked, "William, what did you do to offend Charlotte? She''s been badmouthing you every chance she can get since she got back."

 Chapter 275

    Charlotte''s actions rendered me speechless. I used to believe she was a genuinely nice person, only that Lina had misled her. But now, she was even worse than Lina.


    At least after breaking up with Lina, I never helped her again. But Charlotte? I had helped her several times¡ªboth openly and behind the scenes. Not only had she never returned the favor, but she also badmouthed me behind my back. This was the definition of ingratitude!


    "I don''t know. I''ve never wronged her. She just doesn''t like me from the start."


    Lina sighed. "It''s my fault. I spoke ill of you in front of her early on, which gave her


    a bad impression of you. That''s why she''s been pushing you away. If you want, I can speak well of you to change her opinion of you."


    "No need. Let her say whatever she wants."


    If it were someone I cared about, I would exin myself. But Charlotte? She didn''t deserve an exnation.


    Upon hearing this, Lina immediately became anxious. "You never bother to exin yourself. It''s because you never exin that we''ve had so many misunderstandings!"


    "What? Are you trying to me me for our breakup? Lina, when I was with you, I never lied to or did anything to hurt you."


    "How can you still say that you didn''t lie to me?" Her voice was filled with grievance.


    "If you had just told me the truth from the beginning and told me you were just the son of a fruit vendor, how would I have misunderstood you as a vain person?


    "Of course I''m not ming you. I know I''ve done many things wrong. I''ve really realized my mistakes now. I don''t care about your background at all. I want to be with you for the long haul."


    Here we go again. In the end, she still wanted to get back together. I sighed. "Lina, even if I forgive you and even if I really got back together with you, it wouldn''tst. You love the spotlight, enjoy showing off, and relish being above others.


    "But I just want to live a low-profile life. Even if I have money, I don''t want to unt it. The thing I hate most is being at the center of attention. We''re just notpatible."


    "I don''t! William, believe me. I''ve changed! I won''t be so vain anymore. Just give me one more chance!"


    This time, I chose to hang up the phone immediately. She would never give up if I didn''t cut her off hard. Not long after hanging up, I received a message from the bar''s owner.


    She was now managing the bar for me and would regrly report on its status. The message read, "Mr. White, the new batch of stock in the wine cer has been checked. Would you like toe by tonight?"


    "Sure. I''lle over and take a look."


    I hadn''t visited the bar since I bought it.


    Firstly, I trusted the owner''s management, and secondly, I didn''t really care much about it. I bought the bar mainly for its location and poprity. Whether it was profitable or not wasn''t my main concern.


    However, alcohol was the bar''s most important product and the easiest thing for employees to shortchange or substitute. I couldn''t let my guard down.


    After dinner, headed to the bar. It was busy, with many customers, so I didn''t go straight to the owner. Instead, sat in a corner as a customer, drinking and enjoying myself while using my phone and observing the bar''s operations.


    C¨®ntent


    After a whole evening of observation, I found that the bar was doing well. The drinks and food were provided promptly.


    Aside from a few instances where the service staff''s attitude wasn''t great, there were no significant issues.


    When the bar closed for the night, my phone rang immediately.


    "Mr. White, we''re about to close. You cane over now."

 Chapter 276

    "I''m at the bar now. I''lle find you," William said.


    When I pushed open the office door and walked in, the owner stared out the window in a daze.


    She had her hair tied in a high ponytail and wore a tight ck T-shirt and ck shorts. Her look gave off an air of mystery and sensuality, especially her long, fair neck, making her seem even more elegant and noble.


    She was a beauty-a stunning one. I remembered her name was Lynn nc.


    So, I took the initiative to greet her. "Ms. nc."


    "Mr. White?"


    Lynn turned around upon hearing my voice and smiled immediately. "So, you''ve been inspecting the operations at the bar all night. How was it? Are you satisfied?"


    I nodded. "Not bad. Let''s go check out the wine cer."


    It was gettingte, and I had to return before the dorms closed, so I didn''t want to waste time or engage in unnecessary pleasantries. She nodded and obediently led me to the wine cer.


    Each type of wine was neatly arranged, and everything was in order. I was mostly satisfied.


    "Good. From now on, maintain this standard. I''lle by to check on it from time to time. Don''t think you can bex with your work just because I''m young. You should know that younger managers can sometimes be even stricter and less lenient."


    I had to warn her. I did not want her to underestimate me and ck off in her management.


    Lynn smiled. "Don''t worry, Mr. White. I''m serious about this job. I''ll make sure it satisfies you."


    "Alright. I''m heading back."


    After saying goodbye to Lynn, I left the bar. On my way, I sent Matthew a message to ask him to head downstairs and talk to the dormitory security to leave the door open for me.  s?novel


    But when I reached into my pocket, I realized that I had left my phone at the bar. I quickly turned around and rushed back.


    As I reached the bar entrance, I noticed the door was ajar, and I could hear voices inside. More precisely, I heard shouting.


    "I''ve fucking said that you don''t have a choice. You''reing with me today. Don''t you understand?"


    "Mr. Donovan, I''ve already said it. I''m not interested in you. I''m not a hostess, and I don''t want to be one. Please leave."


    "You don''t want to? Who the hell do you think you are? How dare you say you''re not a hostess? You''re even worse than a hostess!"


    Maximus? Wasn''t this the same


    young heir who had been pursuing Anna and had been injured when I bumped into him? What wasche doing here, bothering Lynn?


    I gently


    peered open the door and a tab side. Lynn was standing by , and across from her set


    the


    familiar-looking Maximus.


    Behind him stood arge man who was muscr and covered in scars. His appearance was fierce and terrifying.


    I immediately regretted letting Quintus take Isabelle and Charlotte back to the school earlier that afternoon.


    Afterward, I gave Quintus the afternoon off and told him to look for me the next day. Now, I needed his help, but it was toote.


    Maximus had already started making advances toward Lynn. She struggled with all her might, but he pped her across the face.


    I couldn''t stand it anymore, so I kicked open the door and strode inside. "Lynn, what''s going on here? Why aren''t you heading home?"

 Chapter 277

    When Lynn saw me enter, her expression immediately turned to panic. She kept signaling to me, urging me to leave quickly.


    I knew she was worried about dragging me into this, but I couldn''t leave. She was my employee, and if I couldn''t even protect my own people, what kind of bar owner would I be?


    So, I pretended not to notice her signals and immediately entered.


    "Lynn, you''re still not off work?"


    She gave an awkward smile. "I''ll be done in a moment. You should wait outside."


    "I''ve been working all day outside. I''ll just sit inside and wait for you. Hurry up and get ready. We''ll go home together."


    There were two of them, and one was a professional fighter. I would be at a disadvantage if it came down to a fight. So, I nned to handle this with my wits.


    When Maximus saw me, his eyes widened, then he furrowed his brow. "Brat... You look a bit like that guy."


    I feigned innocence. "That guy? Who? I have an average-looking face, but this is our first meeting. You must have mistaken me for someone else."


    He squinted and muttered, "I''ve already found that guy and even beat him up, so it''s definitely not him."


    I sneered inwardly but kept my expression calm, turning to Lynn. "Lynn, why is there still a customer here sote? Aren''t you supposed to be closed?"


    She took the cue and said, "Mr. Donovan, we''ve already closed. If you want a drink,e back tomorrow. I''ll give you a 20% discount."


    When he heard this, his expression remained cold as he replied, "You think that just bringing some brat here will make me let you off? Ha! Lynn, even if God himself showed up today, you''d still have to apany me!"  ?wnovel


    What a boastful attitude. Anyone who didn''t know him would think he was some important figure.


    I sneered. "So, you''re one of Lynn''s suitors? But is this really how you pursue someone? If you want to court her, speak properly and give gifts if needed. Talking like that will only make her dislike you."


    I tried to act like I didn''t understand the situation. I tried my best to downy the situation to avoid any esction. Unfortunately, they weren''t buying it.


    "Pursuing?" Upon hearing my words, Maximusughed loudly.


    "If I were to pursue someone, it would be a wealthy youngdy, not some


    prostitute. What''s wrong with you? Are you really her brother? Do you even know what she does on the side?"


    At this, Lynn''s face went pale. She nervously nced at me but sighed in relief when she saw my calm expression.


    "Mr. Donovan, stop talking nonsense!"


    Who


    "Nonsense? Who in the underworld doesn''t know your identity? You''ve been with one big shot after another. Your reputation''s long been out there. Everyone knows your measurements. And recently wasn''t it Mr. McVee who specifically asked for you?"


    Her face turned even more ashen, but she couldn''t find anything to rebut.


    I was surprised. I had always known that she had someplicated rtionships with men. But I assumed that some rich guy was just supporting her or perhaps was someone''s mistress.


    I never imagined she would be involved in this kind of activity.


    But even if that were the case, it had nothing to do with me. She was my employee, and my only concern was that she managed the bar well. As long as she did her job, what she did privately was none of my business.

 Chapter 278

    It was better to resolve the situation with Maximus quickly.


    Seeing that he wasn''t responding to threats or persuasion, I decided not to waste any more time. I stood up and said, "Lexi won''t apany you, so don''t waste your breath. Just get out."


    Maximus'' expression changed, and he finally shifted his cold gaze from Lynn to me. "Brat, who are you telling to leave?"


    I replied coldly, "You."


    "You''re telling me to get out? You''re really a young fool with no fear. Do you know who I am? Thest person who told me this ended up in the hospital!"


    He was probably talking about the student who had taken a beating for me.


    I had already paid his medical bills andpensation, and he and his family were satisfied with the settlement. They even told me that they would happily step in and take the blows for me if anything simr happened again.


    But I still felt guilty inside.


    After that incident, I nned to find a chance to deal with Maximus. However, this wasn''t the right moment.


    "If you two don''t leave, I''ll have no choice but to call the police and report you for harassment and trespassing."


    Maximus sneered. "Call the police? Do you really think I''ll give you a chance? Mark!"


    He turned to give the fighter behind him a look, and the big man immediately walked over and grabbed my arms, shoving me down onto the table.


    I was stunned. I had already guessed that the fighter wasn''t a regr person and knew I couldn''t win in a fight. But I hadn''t expected him to be this strong.


    To put it bluntly, he grabbed me like he was grabbing a chicken.


    Lynn was terrified and rushed forward to try and stop them. "No, Mr. Donovan! Let him go!"


    But before she could reach Mark, Maximus stopped her, grabbing her wrist and pulling her into his arms.


    "Nothing would have happened if you had quietly apanied me But since you want to struggle,


    have fun while your brother


    watches. How bad is that? Or do you like this? I don''t mind either."


    He leaned in, about to kiss Lynn. Her expression showed intense disgust. Just as


    he was inches from her face, she suddenly pped him hard.


    The p stunned Maximus. He stood frozen for a few seconds, then looked at her again. But his eyes were full of anger and malice this time.


    "How dare you hit me! You''re courting death!" He grabbed Lynn''s cor and


    pped her twice, then pushed her down onto the table, lifting his hand to tear off her skirt.


    She screamed in fear.


    I couldn''t take it anymore. I kicked Mark in the knee as hard as I could, and while he was distracted, I grabbed an ashtray from the table and ran over to Maximus, smashing it down on his head without O hesitation.


    There was a loud crash, and he almost copsed from the blow. He swayed for a while but managed to stay on his feet.


    Clutching his head, he red at me with fierce eyes. "How dare you hit me! You''re asking for it! Mark, grab him! I''m going to ruin him today!"


    There were only two of them. If I could hold them off, they wouldn''t have time to deal with Lynn. So, immediately turned to her and said, "You need to leave now and call the police!"


    That was the best course of action.


    But to my surprise, Lynn shouted, "No! I''m not leaving!"

 Chapter 279

    "I can''t leave you here alone, William. If we''re going to die, we die together!" Lynn eximed.


    I questioned what she meant by dying. I didn''t want to die.


    I red at Lynn angrily. "Calm down! Call the police. As long as you bring help, we can both survive!"


    I was being as clear as possible, but she kept shaking her head. "I won''t leave you alone. If anyone''s going, it''s you. You go call the police."


    I was losing patience.


    Maximus'' target was her. If she stayed, she would definitely be in trouble. I would just get beaten up, but at least I wouldn''t suffer anything worse. How could she not see that?


    Mark had already moved toward us and charged at me as she refused to listen.


    I dodged in time, but he was fast and immediately lunged at me again. This time, I was a little slower, and he grabbed my shoulder, mming me to the ground.


    Before I could react, hisrge foot came toward my stomach. Without thinking, I rolled to the side and crawled under a table. He crouched, reaching for my ankle. I panickedly pulled out a self-defense knife from my pocket and stabbed at his arm.


    He tried to pull back, but it was toote. The knife plunged into his arm, and blood began to spill. He grunted in pain and withdrew his hand. Now that I had a weapon, I wasn''t as afraid anymore.


    Without it, I would be no match for these two. But with a knife in hand, I wasn''t scared at all. I crawled out from under the table and took a nce.


    Mark was still behind the table, and Maximus was two tables away. As long as I moved fast enough, I could subdue him with the knife before Mark could catch up.


    With that thought, I rushed at Maximus.


    Mark seemed to realize what I was nning and tried to stop me. But was faster. I reached Maximus in an instant and, without hesitation,


    in the knife into his shoulder.


    His eyes widened in shock. He probably never expected me to be this ruthless to stab him like that.


    He had probably never been hurt this badly in his life. As the blood poured from


    his shoulder, he screamed in terror, nearly fainting from the shock.


    At this moment, Mark also rushed over. His expression turned vicious when he


    he saw that Maximus was injured. He grabbed a bottle from the counter and threw it at me


    I didn''t have time to dodge.


    The sound of the bottle shattering echoed, but there was no pain. Lynn had suddenly appeared in front of me, taking the hit. Blood poured from her head, and I was stunned. Mark was also equally taken aback.


    "Quick! Don''t worry about them, Mark! Take me to the hospital. Hurry!"


    At that moment, Maximus screamed, likely terrified by the heavy bleeding from his shoulder. He dragged Mark out of the bar in a panic.


    As soon as they left, I didn''t hesitate. I helped Lynn out of the bar and rushed to the hospital.


    Over an hourter, the doctors had finally finished checking the wound on her head.

 Chapter 280

    Fortunately, Lynn''s wound wasn''t that serious. After applying some medication and ointment, she took some anti-inmmatory pills. Then, the doctor asked us to leave.


    On the way back to her ce, I couldn''t help but sigh. "I''m a man. How could I get you to protect me? You''re being way too reckless."


    "What makes you think you''re a man? You''re much younger than me. So, you''re just a boy," Lynn said.


    I was speechless. "Where do you see a twenty-year-old ''boy''? You must have a strange idea of what a boy is."


    Lynn burst outughing. "It looks like we''ve got a boy here trying to act like a man! Whatever you say, you''re still just a boy. Anyway, thanks. I would''ve beenpletely hopeless tonight if it weren''t for you."


    "It''s nothing. But why does Maximus keep bothering you?" I asked.


    Lynn sighed. "Lately, he''s beening around to drink. I happened to have caught his eye. He started asking me to drink with him, but I kept refusing. That''s why he''s been showing up every day and bothering me.


    "Tonight, he drank a lot and gave me some credit for my performance. Even though I didn''t ask him to, he used it as an excuse to pressure me into pleasing him."


    I guess that this was one of the disadvantages of being beautiful. When there was no one around to protect them, they would just end up getting harassed by these kinds of thugs and rich men.


    If they were lucky enough to meet someone like me, they might get some help. But if they were not, they would end up getting assaulted. Even if they tried to seek justice, they would just be med for being flirtatious.


    What a challenging problem to solve!


    I got out of the taxi with her when we reached her neighborhood.


    After all, her residential area didn''t have any streetlights. With all that darkness, I was worried someone might try something on her. So, I walked her to her door.


    "Please have a good rest at home. I''ll give you the day off tomorrow, so you don''t have to go to the bar," I said.


    Lynn smiled. "It''s okay. My wound isn''t that serious, and the bar is really busy. So, I have to go."


    "Alright. I''ll juste by and help you tomorrow," I replied.


    With that, I waved goodbye and headed downstairs. Just then, Lynn called out from behind, "Hey! It''s prettyte. Would they let you back into the dorm?"


    "It''s fine. I just have to put up with the dorm manager''s nagging," I replied.


    Lynn suggested, "Why don''t you just stay at my ce tonight?"


    Her words caught me off guard. After all, it didn''t feel quite right.


    Despite her embarrassment, she added, "Don''t worry. I don''t live alone. My daughter''s here too."


    It shocked me again. Lynn looked barely in her early 20s, so I didn''t expect her to have a daughter.


    If I had to return to the dorm now, I


    would need to call the dorm


    manager and wait for a long time before being let in. Plus, I would


    definitely get an earful. So, I decided


    to stay at Lynn''s ce instead.


    As soon as I walked into her ce, I was surprised by the interior''s style. It was so


    simple that it felt like it belonged to a man.


    Lynn said, "You can rest in the living room for now. I have a guest room, but I need to quickly tidy it up."


    With that, she went into a room. It took her a while before she rushed into another room.


    If I had known this would be such a hassle for her, I would have rather stayed at a hotel for peace of mind.


    But since I was already here,


    figured that I might as well stay at


    her ce.


    I wasn''t offered a ss of water, so sitting on the couch got really boring. I grabbed a few tissues and started wiping down the pocket knife that Quintus had given me.


    I had always kept this pocket knife with me, but it was never really needed.


    That day was the first time I used it, and I even ended up hurting someone. This pocket knife was pretty amazing.


    Once I finished cleaning it, I returned it to its case. Then, I pulled out my phone and opened Instagram. The first post in my feed was from Lina.


    She had posted several photos, but they were all simr selfies. Beneath her cute pictures, the caption read, "When he loved me, I didn''t love him. When I loved him, he didn''t love me. That''s what missing out feels like."

 Chapter 281

    I wasn''t just ttering myself. I truly felt that Lina''s caption was about me.


    I couldn''t help but feel a pang of sadness. If Lina had loved me back when I was head over heels for her, we would probably be that enviable couple. I would''ve given her the best of everything, and she would''ve made me the happiest person alive.


    However, life had its ironies. When she started to regret it, my heart already belonged to Felicia. Thinking about Felicia now only made me feel even sadder.


    Just as I was lost in thought, the door to the room across from me suddenly opened a crack. Then, a young girl peeked her head out. She looked to be about six or seven years old.


    After ncing around, she finally locked eyes with me. I smiled at her, but she immediately frowned and mmed the door shut.


    This made me freeze in ce. Reflexively, I touched my face, wondering if I somehow looked that scary.


    Just then, Lynn said, "I''ve got the room all set up for you, William. Please take a look and see if it suits you. If there''s anything you''re not happy with, I can fix it for you."


    I couldn''t help but chuckle. "I''m just crashing here for the night. So, I''m not looking for anything fancy. As long as there''s a bed to sleep in, I''m good."


    "You''re my guest. I won''t let you be ufortable. Oh, I just realized I haven''t offered you any water. Let me get that for you," Lynn said while pping her forehead. However, the pain from her wound made her instinctively wince.


    I couldn''t help butugh at her.


    When we first met, I thought she was just an irrational woman. But over time, I realized she was smart and capable. She always handled things well, and my opinion of her improved a lot.


    But now, I saw a whole new side of her. She was clumsy, slow to react, and stubborn.


    People really shouldn''t be judged too quickly. After all, we were allplicated beings.


    When she handed me the ss of water, the door to the room across from us cracked open again. The young girl peeked her head out, ncing around once more. As soon as our eyes met, she mmed the door shut like before.


    Lynn shed me an awkward smile. "That''s my daughter. She''s a bit shy, so she''s


    afraid of meeting strangers. I''m sorry if she''s made you feel ufortable."


    I replied, "It''s fine. If she''s scared, I''ll return to my room and rest. I''m a bit tired


    myself, so I''ll just take this ss of water to my room and drink it there."


    It was getting prettyte, and I didn''t want to keep chatting with Lynn. After all, we didn''t know each other well, and there wasn''t much to talk about anyway. So, I took that ss of water and entered the guest room.


    As Iy on the bed, I drifted off into my thoughts. That day''s events really left me feeling emotional. At the same time, I became even more confident about my decision to y the role of a loser.


    I was really sick of all the ttery and contempt. Meanwhile, I also found those snobbish rich men repulsive. I really didn''t want to have anything to do with them.


    After removing my shoes, I slipped into my house slippers and stepped outside. At first, I nned to have Lynn show me where the bathroom was.


    But then, I noticed a room with the door ajar. The light was on, and I could see a mirror and a sink inside I figured that must it be the


    bathroom. Since it looked empel.n


    simply walked in without a second thought.


    I was nning to run some water for a shower and then get a good night''s sleep.


    But as soon as I opened the door, I quickly stepped back.


    Damn it! I didn''t expect Lynn to be in there!


    At that moment, she was wrapped in nothing but a short towel, drying her hair.

 Chapter 282

    Lynn walked out right behind me after I exited the bathroom. She couldn''t help but chuckle at my flustered state. "Mr. White, why are you so shy? I''m not naked."


    While she wasn''t naked, her towel was so short it barely covered anything. With only her stomach covered, it felt as though she werepletely nude.


    I stammered, "B-But you..."


    She grinned. "What''s the matter? I''m more covered than the people swimming at the beach. Didn''t you im to be a man? Why are you freaking out? The women who go to bars dress a lot sexier than I do."


    I waspletely at a loss for words. How could they even bepared?


    After all, we were in the bathroom. Even if she were perfectly dressed, everything would still feel very subjective.


    Now that she was only wrapped in a towel, I felt too shy to look at her. Seeing this, Lynn stepped closer and gently cupped my face.


    She made me turn and look at her. "Mr. White, thank you for saving me tonight. But I don''t have anything to offer in return. If you want me to spend the night with you, just say it. I''ll make sure you''re satisfied."


    Her words caught me off guard. I quickly pushed her hand away. "Don''t talk nonsense. I didn''t mean it like that. I helped you because you''re mine-I mean, you''re my employee. So, it''s my responsibility to protect you. You don''t need to thank me."


    She smiled. "Okay. I guess I misunderstood. Anyway, go ahead and use the bathroom. I''m already finished with my shower."


    "Okay!" I replied.


    With that, I quickly rushed into the bathroom and locked the door. After all, Lynn''s openness was just a little too much!


    I tried to clear my mind and let the water run. But just as I was about to get in the shower, I spotted two sexy lingerie pieces on a small stool.


    I bet any man would be hooked after seeing those! Yet, I was left feeling confused and stunned.


    Was Lynn doing this on purpose? Did she want to seduce me?


    However, that didn''t really make sense to me. After all, we barely had any connection. Before this, she had shown-zero interest in me. There was no way she could have changed so suddenly.


    I forced myself to stayposed and gingerly removed her lingerie pieces. Then, I took a cold shower instead of a hot one.


    When I woke up the next morning, the sun was already high in the sky. My phone had died overnight. With nothing to do, I opened the door and stepped outside.


    Lynn was already awake, feeding her daughter breakfast. Her daughter had her hair in two cute pigtails and wore a green dress. Her big, round eyes made her look absolutely adorable.


    I asked, "Lynn, do you have a phone charger? My phone''s dead."


    "Yeah. I''ll grab it for you," she replied.


    Once my phone was charged and turned on, I saw a bunch of missed calls from Matthew, Benjamin, and Quintus. Meanwhile, some files were also sent over by the gamepany.


    After reviewing the files, I sent them back. Then, I called Matthew to let him know that everything was fine. Finally, I reached out to Quintus and told him to take another day off to rest.


    After taking care of all those matters, I prepared to return to campus.


    But Lynn stopped me. "Mr. White, you''d better not return to campus for the next few days."


    "Why not?" I asked.


    "Because of Mr. Donovan! He''s probably out there hunting you down for revenge," Lynn exined.


    "If I were scared of him, I wouldn''t have done what I didst night," I replied.


    Lynn shook her head hard. "It''s not about whether you''re scared or not. Mr. Donovan has a harsh way of handling things. You clearly have no idea. That''s why you''d dare say something like that.


    "To put it simply, Mr. Donovan is vengeful andpletely unhinged. You wounded him, and that''s not something he will forget easily. He might even go as far as to cripple you!"

 Chapter 283

    At first, I wasn''t worried at all. However, Lynn''s words soon left me feeling uneasy.


    Maximus would go to any lengths for revenge, but I wasn''t like him. Still, I worried he might do something crazy to me.


    On top of that, I had just given Quintus the day off. Without him around, there was no way I could handle that maniac on my own.


    I started thinking about staying at Lynn''s ce for another day. But I couldn''t shake the worry that she might try to seduce me again.


    As soon as the thought crossed my mind, I quickly brushed it off.


    While I might have seemed rich to Lynn, she had met plenty of wealthy people. She must have seen her fair share by now. Otherwise, she wouldn''t have turned Maximus down.


    I was sure thatst night was just an ident. With that thought in mind, I nodded and agreed with Lynn.


    Lynn let out a sigh of relief. "It''s good that you took my advice. I need to head out and grab a few things. There''s breakfast on the table, so just help yourself.


    "Riley, stay here with Mr. White."


    With that, she grabbed her bag from the couch and headed out, leaving Riley and me behind at her ce. I couldn''t help but nce over at the young girl. To my surprise, she didn''t look away this time. Instead, she shyly met my gaze.


    I gave her a bright smile. "Is your name Riley?"


    She nodded.


    "How old are you?" I asked.


    She held up six fingers.


    "You''re six? Does that mean you''re in first grade?" I asked.


    She just shook her head. I couldn''t understand why she wasn''t speaking.


    I became intrigued and smiled. "What''s going on? Did your mom tell you not to talk to strangers? But you should have seen it earlier, right? I know your mom. We''re friends. It''s rude not to talk to me."


    At that, Riley immediately started signing with her hands. When I realized she was using signnguage, I froze. I suddenly realized that she was mute!


    I quickly asked, "You can''t speak, can you?"


    She nodded. That confirmed it. She was indeed mute. But she could hear and understand me, so she clearly wasn''t born deaf and mute.


    After all, those born deaf and mute usually have issues with both speaking and hearing. I figured that her muteness must havee from a throat illnesster in life.


    I looked at Riley with a sense of pity. She was only six and already mute. It was truly heartbreaking to think that her life would always becking in simple joys.


    What a poor girl! However, I didn''t want her to feel worse about her own shorings. So, I did my best to hide any pity. I decided to change the subject to the one thing we had inmon-her mom, Lynn.


    I said, "Your mom is so good to you. Your dad..."


    Just as I was about to ask about her dad, Maximus'' words from the night before hit me. If Lynn really had been with so many men, it would be hard to figure out who Riley''s birth dad was.


    I feared upsetting her, so I didn''t finish my sentence.


    Just then, Riley signed again. However, I couldn''t understand signnguage. So,


    she pulled out a piece of paper and scribbled a few words.

 Chapter 284

    Riley''s note read, "Mommy isn''t my real mom. I''m an orphan, and she adopted me."


    I was stunned by this, but it made sense. After all, Lynn was too young to have a six-year-old daughter. It seemed like Lynn was kind enough to adopt a child! Just then, Riley scribbled another line. "Mr. White, can you not hit Mommy?"


    I froze and asked, "Why would I hit her? I would never do that!"


    Riley wrote again. "But all the other misters hit Mommy. That''s why she cries so much every night."


    Since there were some words she couldn''t write, she drew them instead. Even though her sentences were difficult to decipher, I could still make it out. However, I really wish I couldn''t understand it.


    Even though I already knew that Lynn''s personal life was a bit of a mess, I was still taken aback. It seemed like Maximus wasn''t simply ndering Lynn. I couldn''t help but feel Lynn was way out of line. How could she bring those men back to her ce and traumatize her daughter like that?


    I honestly thought it wasn''t a good idea for her to continue that behavior. After all, it could impact Riley''s health and development.


    I gently patted Riley''s head, my voice soft with sympathy. "Don''t worry. I''m not like those misters whoe around. I''m a good mister. I''ll just be friends with you and your mommy, so I won''t do any of those things."


    Since Riley was still so young, she quickly cheered up at my words. With a bright smile, she took my hand and led me to her toys and storybooks.


    Even though she was mute, she was eager to share andmunicate.


    At the same time, I made sure to be patient with her. No matter what she showed me, I praised her and feigned amazement. My actions had herughing nonstop.


    When Lynn returned, Rileyy on myp, listening to my story.


    She was taken aback when she saw this. "This is the first time I''ve seen Riley so close to a stranger."


    Hearing this, I hesitated over my words. I gently patted Riley''s shoulder and said, "Riley, how about you read the book in your room for a bit? I need to have a chat with your mom. I''ll finish the storyter, okay?"


    Riley nodded and headed off to her room with the book.


    I couldn''t help but feel a pang of tenderness for her as I watched her go. After all,


    it was rare to see such a well-behaved six-year-old.


    Once Riley''s door was closed, I turned to Lynn and said, "I know I''m not one to judge, but you really shouldn''t be bringing men home like this."


    At this, Lynn''s face immediately went pale. She stammered nervously, "W-What did Riley say to you?"


    I replied, "She said that every time you bring a man home, they hit you and make you cry. So, she told me not to hit you."


    Lynn was taken aback. Then, she quickly covered her mouth with her hand.


    It was clear that she hadn''t realized that Riley had been picking up on everything about her bringing men home. On top of that, she had no idea that Riley had overhear@those awkward sounds, too.


    I sighed and said, "If you''re going to raise


    the you need to act I Riley doesn''t under keset


    any


    of this yet, so you can still fool


    M''S


    her.  ''


    "But in a few years, she''ll start to grasp it. If she happens to see something one day, it could really traumatize her. Did you ever think about that?"


    Lynn''s behavior wouldn''t just be something Riley would remember. It could make her fear intimacy.


    If it got worse, Riley could even develop serious psychological issues. By then, there would be no medicine capable of helping her.


    Lynn stammered, "I-I really didn''t


    know anything about that. I swear I


    didn''t do it on purpose. Those men kept harassing and threatening me, so I had no choice but to bring them home!"


    Upon hearing this, I asked, "So, you didn''t do this willingly?"


    Her face twisted with anger as she snapped, "Of course not! How could I have been willing?


    "Actually, I used to be Elijah Davis'' girlfriend. He was the leader of The Dragonshade Society. However, he was ruthless and hurt a lot of people.


    "After he was killed, his enemy took over as the new leader. From that moment


    on, the new leader let his men torture and enact their revenge on me!


    "As for Riley, she''s the daughter of Elijah and another woman!"

 Chapter 285

    It finally dawned on me. Lynn wasn''t a slut by choice. She was forced to be one.


    I had heard of The Dragonshade Society before. Back when I was still in Cyr, my cousin, Travis White, mentioned that he was dating a beautiful woman from the society. However, he broke up with her in less than a month.


    Travis was the type of person who always chased the next new thing. He never took rtionships seriously. Whenever he grew interested in a woman, he''d lose interest and break up with her within a month.


    However, that beautiful woman was the daughter of the vice leader of The Dragonshade Society, so it wasn''t easy for Travis to break things off with her.


    That woman bothered Travis for quite a while back then. Eventually, he had no choice but to threaten Elijah. He wanted Elijah to stop the woman from harassing him. Otherwise, Travis would take down The Dragonshade Society.


    I was also there when Elijah came over to apologize in person.


    I remembered that he was in his 30s. He appeared mature and undeniably


    masculine. His skin was dark, and his build was solid. Still, his ent gave him a surprisingly soft touch.


    Honestly, I had a pretty good impression of him.


    Back then, I even told Travis that Elijah was destined for sess. I never imagined, though, that he would die and leave Lynn to deal with all this trouble.


    I turned to look at Lynn.


    Even though I was a man, I couldn''t help but think that Elijah was really handsome. It was no wonder that Lynn was willing to be his girlfriend! Nevertheless, he failed to take care of Lynn and his daughter.


    I asked, "How did Elijah die?" He was such a strong, gentle, and steady man. So,


    I didn''t think he would be killed so easily.


    Lynn''s eyes reddened as she bit her lip. "The White family from Gothville are to me!"


    I was stunned. "The White family from Gothville? What did they do?"


    Lynn sighed. "Back then, Esther Hall, Arthur Hall''s daughter, ended up falling for the White family''s eldest heir.


    "That heir felt offended, so he pressured Elijah. Elijah had no choice but to send Esther overseas and punish Arthur with 20shes.


    "That made Arthur hold a grudge. From then on, he started scheming to take Elijah down. Finally, he


    his chance during a mission.o


    So, he made his move and killed Elijah."


    It seemed that Arthur Hall was the vice leader of The Dragonshade Society! I was stunned. Travis seemed to be the


    e responsibet


    for Elijah''s death!


    Lynn looked at me and said, "In the underworld, you can never mess with someone''s family. It''s a rule that you can''t break.


    "Yet, Elijah went after Esther. That''s what sparked Arthur''s anger and that of the members of The Dragonshade Society."


    I waspletely speechless. That meant that Travis was truly the indirect cause of Elijah''s death!


    "You wanted to sell the bar because of The Dragonshade Society, right? Are they nning toe after you and the bar?" I asked.


    Lynn briefly looked away. "You''re sharp. That''s precisely it. The Dragonshade Society is known for keeping their word.


    "I know that I can''t protect the bar, so I sold it. If the owner is someone else, they''ll go after me, but not the bar."


    The bar was doing well and didn''t


    seem to have any


    financial


    problems. It turned out that Lynn soldat because of The Dragonshade Society!


    That realization instantly put my mind at ease.

 Chapter 286

    If The Dragonshade Society were the only issue, it would be easy enough to handle.


    I immediately reassured Lynn. "This isn''t a big deal. Why don''t you and Riley move somewhere else for now? I promise I''ll deal with The Dragonshade Society and make sure they don''t bother you again."


    Lynn shook her head and rejected my suggestion. "We can''t move. You''ve seen how Riley can''t talk anymore. She wasn''t born mute. It was because of Elijah''s death. It scarred her deeply.


    "After crying her heart out, she lost her voice. Now, she''s too scared to go out. Moreover, she''s really attached to this ce. If I make her leave, it will break her."


    I was right. Riley''s muteness was because of her trauma.


    However, I never expected it to be from Elijah''s death. Once again, it seemed like the White family had ended up being the indirect culprit.


    Before I could suggest something else, Lynn interjected. "Plus, moving won''t change anything. The Dragonshade Society is way too powerful. Even though you''re rich, you''re not invincible.


    "So, don''t even think about helping me. You can''t even handle Mr. Donovan, let alone take on The Dragonshade Society."


    She sighed. "You can stay here a couple more days to avoid Mr. Donovan. After that, you should return to campus. There''s no way you can fix this for Riley and me. Just give up and stay away from us."


    She continued, "I need to get to work now. William, please look after Riley for me. If anythinges up, just give me a call."


    After straightening up, Lynn headed out again. Seeing how tired and rushed she was, I couldn''t help but feel guilty.


    I pulled out my phone to call Travis. But after a moment, I decided against it. After all, this was something that was already behind him. If I told him, he would just feel guilty and carry that weight forever. It seemed better not to bring it up.


    Moreover, when it came to handling things, Travis only cared about efficiency. I knew he wouldn''t be paying attention to all the small details.


    If he just showed up and threatened people like before, he could end causing a mess for The Dragonshade Society. With that thought in mind, I decided to handle this on my own.


    Just then, Riley walked out of her room. As I looked at her, I figured that it might be best to take her to see a psychotherapist first. After all, her emotional wounds needed


    heating. She couldn''t just bedeft alone at home without help.


    "Riley, do you want to go out and have some fun? How about I take you out a bit?" I asked.


    Riley immediately shook her head.


    However, I kept trying to persuade her. "It''s such a nice day out. Don''t you want to see some birds and maybe some other animals?"


    With that, I scooped her up and walked over to the window.


    I pointed outside. "Look. Those two dogs over there are so cute! Do you want to pat them?"


    As Riley gazed down at the Samoyed strolling below, I could see a hint of longing


    in her eyes. I knew it. Every child would have a natural love for animals.


    I continued, "It''s okay. I''ll always be here to protect you. So, you don''t have to worry about those bad guys. Can you trust me?"


    Riley nervously fidgeted with her fingers, clearly torn. After a long moment, she finally nodded.


    Her reaction delighted me. Fearing


    she would change her mind, I quickly


    took her downstairs. I was worried


    that putting her down would scare her So, I carried her all the way to the park in the neighborhood.


    When we got close to the Samoyed, I asked the owner for permission to approach


    it. Then, I crouched and encouraged Riley to pat the dog''s soft fur.


    Even though Riley only touched it once, she was so excited that she started waving her hands.


    Seeing her look of confusion and longing, I felt a pang in my heart. At that moment, I firmly decided that I would do whatever it took to help her recover.

 Chapter 287

    We spent about half an hour there with the dog. After some coaxing, Riley finally agreed to leave the neighborhood.


    When we stepped outside, I stopped carrying her and held her hand instead. Carrying her all the time quickly made me feel hot. Moreover, I wanted to take the chance to help her build some courage.


    I wanted to help her rx and feelfortable with the psychotherapist. So I took her for some ice cream first. Then, we spent about an hour at the amusement park.


    Finally, I had n arrange for a session with a psychotherapist, Ava Harold. When we arrived at her clinic, I immediately had a good feeling about it.


    Her clinic didn''t feel anything like a hospital. It was more like an art space that was designed to make people feel at ease. Riley didn''t resist the ce at all. In fact, she thought we were just there to have fun.


    However, it wasn''t until I met Ava that I found the process of treatment difficult.


    Ava said, "Mr. White, I don''t mean to go against you. But before I treat Riley''s psychological issues, I need to speak with her parents and obtain their consent.


    "Since I need to understand the trauma she''s experienced and how she reacted to it, I''ll need to gather more details about her past from them.


    "Once I have that information, I can create an appropriate treatment n for her. So, I really can''t just start treatment out of nowhere."


    Her reasoning made sense.


    I nodded and said, "I''m sorry I didn''t think this through. How about you give me a name card for now? After I speak with her mom tonight, I''ll have here to you for further treatment."


    With that, Ava immediately pulled out a business card. She wrote down a number on it and said, "This is my personal number. When I''m off, my secretary handles everything, so I don''t take work calls.


    "However, I can make an exception for you. Mr. White, just have her call me directly on this number."


    "Thank you," I replied.


    After putting the card away, I stepped out to take Riley home. I expected Riley to still be in the lobby ying with her blocks. But she wasn''t there when I arrived. My heart sank.


    There was a staff member nearby packing up. I quickly walked over and asked, "Where''s the young girl I brought with me?"


    He answered casually, "She went to the restroom."


    "Where is that?" I asked.


    He pointed to the door. "Just turn right by the door."


    I rushed over. However, the restrooms were separated by gender, preventing me from simply entering.


    Just then, a female staff member passed by. I quickly asked her if she could go in and check for me.


    Damn it! I shouldn''t have let that staff member take care of Riley!


    I thought that I would just have a quick chat with Ava before taking Riley in. I didn''t expect it to take me this long.


    Before long, the female staff


    member emerged. "Mr. White,


    there''s no one there. I''ve check


    everywhere, and I''m sure that no one''s inside."


    Her words caught me off guard, and I could barely hold myself together. How could Riley not be here? Where did she go?


    I couldn''t let myself think about it any longer. Instead, I rushed to find Ava and


    asked her to pull up the surveince footage.


    After watching it, I was covered in cold sweat.


    The footage showed Riley leaving the restroom over ten minutes ago. She seemed to have gotten lost and walked in the wrong direction, but somehow, she ended up leaving the clinic.


    At the entrance, she ran into two men wearing baseball caps. They seemed to have told her something, so Riley shook her head and turned


    to run. Content belong


    However, one of them grabbed her and shoved her into a car. With that, they drove off and vanished down the road.


    My body was shaking now. I couldn''t help but wonder if this was a kidnapping or human trafficking.

 Chapter 288

    In any case, Riley was undoubtedly in grave danger!


    With trembling hands, I pulled out my phone and called Lynn. I knew that this would break her heart, but I still had to tell her the truth.


    Upon hearing my words, Lynn exploded over the phone. "Why the hell did you take her out? Who asked you to do that? If anything happens to Riley, I swear I''ll


    kill you!"


    She wasn''t wrong, and I had no excuse. I had taken Riley out without permission and even failed to keep her safe. I deserved every bit of the me.


    Since the call was on speaker, Ava heard Lynn''s scolding, too. She quickly said, "Ms. nc, scolding won''t help right now.


    "Riley was just taken, so this is the crucial time to find her. You should call the police and focus on getting Riley back first. We can deal with everything elseter."


    Lynn went silent for a moment. Then, she choked up. "Alright. I''ll call the police now."


    With the surveince footage, the police immediately filed a report and began a widespread search.


    The car was easy to track, thanks to the footage and the license te number. However, when the police arrived, nobody was in the car.


    The car was parked in an alley with no surveince cameras. ording to the police, it was also a reported stolen vehicle. That meant that the car didn''t belong to the kidnappers. They had stolen it.


    Even though the police spent over two hours reviewing nearby surveince footage, they couldn''t find any sign of Riley or any suspicious people.


    The police concluded, "They must have hidden the child somewhere in this area. We''ll have to run a door-to-door search."


    I told them to start the search immediately. Then, I called Victor to bring him into the investigation.


    Although trusted the police, their


    investigations had always been


    Vel


    restricted from using illegal or violent methods. As a result, their efficiency was lower.


    So, I requested Victor to find Riley at all costs. After all, kidnapping was all about the timing of the search and rescue. If too much time passed, the consequences could be devastating.


    Victor was truly efficient. Half an hourter, he called me, "Mr. White, I found a suspicious brat!"


    When I saw the photo he sent, I became furious. It was Mark, the fighter who was always by Maximus'' side!


    It seemed that Maximus had kidnapped Riley. Despite my concerns, I felt a slight sense of relief.


    If human traffickers had kidnapped Riley, she might have already been sold to some remote ce. If that happened, we would never be able to find her.


    If it were The Dragonshade Society who took her, she would probably be treated horribly-maybe even tortured to death.


    However, I didn''t think Riley was in any real danger with Maximus. I figured he was just using her to threaten Lynn and me.


    Still, it had been so long. Why hadn''t he reached out yet? Was he just trying to make us worry?


    I instructed, "Victor, don''t let him go. Please have someone follow him. I''ll bring the police over right now."


    "Alright, Mr. White," Victor said.


    Victor said that a woman had seen Mark carrying Riley in that alley. However,


    Riley was crying and wiping away her tears.


    Given Mark''s intimidating appearance, the woman found it strange that someone like him would carry such an adorable child.


    So, she took a photo and observed him for quite a while.


    People often said that the women in Dawnlight District were impressive, but it


    seemed the ones in Welsington City were just as sharp!

 Chapter 289

    Before long, we met up with Victor''s people.


    With the alley packed with the rescue team and Victor''s people, the tension in the air was palpable. I bet the kidnappers must have sensed something by now.


    At that moment, I finally saw Lynn. The moment sheid eyes on me, she pped me across the face.


    Victor was about to charge at me in anger, but I quickly waved him off. After all, Lynn had every right to be angry with me.


    Lynn snapped, "William White! If anything happens to Riley, I swear I''ll risk my life to kill you!"


    I had no response, so I just sighed. After yelling at me, Lynn checked with the police for updates.


    I called Victor over and asked, "Where''s Mark? Do you have any leads?"


    "Yeah. It wasn''t hard to track him down since plenty of witnesses saw him carrying the child. I''ve already sent people to look into it. We''ll find him very soon," Victor said.


    Honestly, I was more worried about Riley than Lynn was. I said, "Alright. The sooner, the better."


    About ten minutester, Victor''s phone rang. With that, I immediately looked over at him.


    He pulled out his phone and answered the call. A momentter, his eyes lit up. He excitedly turned to me and said, "We found Riley, and she''s safe."


    I let out a sigh of relief. "Where is she? Hurry up and take me there!"


    After I called Lynn into the car, Victor immediately took us to our destination.


    Lynn didn''t say a single word the whole way. From the look on her face, I could tell that she didn''t believe me.


    After all, she didn''t know my true identity. I couldn''t me her for doubting me.


    Finally, we reached the underside of a bridge. Then, Victor''s contact led us to the shore and walked down.


    The area under the bridge waspletely dry. Aside from a patch of dirt, the shore had dried uppletely. Meanwhile, a few homeless people were resting nearby.


    Even though I had felt relieved earlier, the ce made my heart race again.


    Victor''s contact said nervously, "We saw the man and the child here but didn''t want to rm him. We had someone keep an eye on them and then contacted you. They should still be here."


    Under the bridge, I quickly spotted Mark not far ahead. He was sitting on a small stool with a basin of water in front of him. Next to it was a pile of bloodied bandages and a jacket.


    My chest tightened. The jacket looked like Riley''s, but she was nowhere to be


    seen.


    Lynn saw it, too. She gasped and covered her mouth. "That''s..."


    I couldn''t stop myself from storming forward. Then, I grabbed Mark by the cor


    and punched him. "Where is Riley? What did you do with her?"


    Mark was stunned to see me. "What are you doing here?"


    I didn''t answer. Instead, I threw another punch.


    Mark was furious and ready to fight back. However, before he could react, Victor


    and his people rushed in and took him down.


    Just then, Quintus showed up. He brushed off Victor''s people and strode over to Mark. Without saying a single word, he grabbed Mark by the hair and drove a fist hard into his stomach.


    Mark couldn''t say a single word. He doubled over, clutching his stomach. Spitting


    out a mouthful of bloodied saliva, he copsed to the ground.


    Quintus went in for another hit, but I stopped him. If he beat Mark to a pulp, I wouldn''t be able to get anything useful out of him.


    I demanded, "Tell me! Where''s Riley? If you don''t spill, I''ll make sure to cripple you!"

 Chapter 290

    Mark coughed in pain. After a moment, he finally managed to speak, "I don''t know what you''re talking about."


    "So, you''re gonna y dumb, huh?" I asked. Then, I pulled out my pocket knife. I figured I would leave him a little bloodied to make my point.


    Just as I was about to stab his arm, a small hand suddenly gripped my wrist. I looked down and froze. It was Riley, standing right beside me! Her face was pale, and she started signing in panic. Before she could finish, Lynn charged over.


    "Riley!" She pulled Riley into a tight hug and kissed her several times. Then, she quickly checked her for any injuries.


    When I saw Riley, I finally felt a sense of relief.


    Mark had actually used Riley to get back at Lynn and me! There was no way I was going to let him off the hook that easily.


    I waved my pocket knife in front of Mark. Just as I was about to teach Mark a lesson, he suddenly shouted, "Take your anger out on me! Please don''t hurt that child! She''s not mine, so none of this has anything to do with her! Let her go!"


    I sneered. "So you know that it has nothing to do with her. Then why did you kidnap her?"


    Mark looked confused. "What? I kidnapped her?" He coughed and continued, "When did I kidnap her? I saved her from someone else, but it left me injured. That''s why I''m treating my wound right now.


    "I tried asking about her parents, but she stayed silent. I just couldn''t get anything out of her."


    As he exined, Lynn also got the details from Riley. Surprisingly, their versions of the story were identical.


    Once I calmed down, I started to piece things together.


    From the clinic''s surveince footage, it was clear that Riley had been taken by two skinny men


    wearing baseball caps. Howeve


    Mark was much taller and sturdier


    than they were. Thus, it didn''t seem like he was the one who took Riley.


    I couldn''t help but wonder if I had misjudged Mark. Nevertheless, I didn''t want to take any chances. So, I decided to have the police question him.


    Just then, the police brought some good news. They had arrested the two people who kidnapped Riley.


    With that, everyone headed back to the police station. I was really anxious, so I went to see the two suspects first.


    They looked just like ordinary people. If I had passed them on the street, I never would''ve suspected they were criminals. However, all the evidence pointed to them.


    One of them said, "We kidnapped a child? You''ve got to be kidding. I''ve never done anything like that, so you''ve clearly got the wrong person! Like I said, I''ve got a solid alibi at the


    time of the crime."


    I obtained the transcript of their interview and reviewed it carefully. It turned out


    that he was telling the truth.


    At the time of the incident, they had all gone to the foot massage center. However, their faces weren''t visible in the surveince footage. Instead, there were just two figures wearing baseball caps.


    So, it was hard to tell if those two were actually the ones who kidnapped Riley.


    Victor said in a low voice, "This was clearly a nned kidnapping. They knew they''d get caught, so they had two lookalikes create an alibi for them and get away scot-free."


    I nodded. It seemed that The Dragonshade Society was the only one capable of pulling this off.


    ording to Lynn, Elijah was an orphan. He had no family except Riley. Even without Lynn, The Dragonshade Society wouldn''t have spared Riley.


    After all, they couldn''t rule out the possibility that Riley might one day seek revenge for Elijah.

 Chapter 291

    The Dragonshade Society wanted to eliminate the possibility that Riley might one day kill them. So, they decided to take her out first.


    The thought filled me with rage. The Dragonshade Society was just awful! How could they go after a child over something that might never even happen?


    Just then, Quintus walked over. "Mr. White, I need to talk to you."


    I arched an eyebrow and followed him to a quiet spot.


    Quintus wasn''t the type to talk much. If he had something to say, it was bound to be important.


    As expected, his words floored me. He said, "I just got a call from a friend in the underworld. Apparently, The Dragonshade Society pulled some strings with some big shots and got those two off the hook. So, they''re about to walk free."


    I said in disbelief, "Sure, we didn''t obtain enough evidence to convict them. But shouldn''t they at least be held for a day during the investigation? How could they just be released like that?"


    Quintus sighed. "It looks like The Dragonshade Society pulled out all the stops for those two."


    I was at a loss for words.


    Those two men were practically nobodies, yet The Dragonshade Society went to great lengths for them. That could only mean one thing-they must know something big. If that secret ever got out, it would cost them dearly.


    The thought made me narrow my eyes.


    If that were really the case, I wouldn''t mind letting them go. In fact, this might even work out in my favor.


    The phone rang shortly after I got back. With that, those two kidnappers were released without charges.


    Lynn''s eyes widened at the sight. She held onto Riley and snarled. "How could you just let them leave like that? You''re being so irresponsible!"


    I didn''t want her to make things worse. So I pulled her into an empty office and tried to exin.


    After I finished, Lynn''s face went


    pale. She muttered despairingly, t must have been Hugo Dalton! He''s the current leader of the Dragonshade Society, but he''s a maniac!"


    She shook with fear at the mention of Hugo.


    I didn''t know who Hugo was, but I could tell he would be troublesome. After all, he could kill Elijah and ended up leading The Dragonshade Society!


    I reassured her, "Don''t worry. I''ll protect you."


    However, Lynn just shot me a cold look. It was clear she still held a grudge and didn''t believe me.


    I had nothing to say. If I were to tell her that I was the second heir of the White family from Gothville, she would probably take it out on me.


    As we stepped outside, we spotted Mark, who had been released without charge.


    I called out to him. "Hey, wait up." walked


    "Thaner to him and said,


    for saving Riley. I''ll give


    you


    ten thousand dors as a token of appreciation."


    "There''s no need for that," Mark replied firmly.


    With a righteous look, he said, "I didn''t save her for the money. Even if she were poor and couldn''t give me a dime, I''d still save her. But when you offer me money, it feels like you''re looking down on me!"


    His words caught me off guard, making me feel like he was the hero and I was the viin.


    I chuckled. "If you''re so righteous, then why are you working for Maximus? Last night, you even helped him bully Lynn. Where was your sense of justice then?"

 Chapter 292

    Just then, Lynn walked over with Riley in her arms.


    When Mark saw her, he blushed and said, "I didn''t do it on purpose. I only became Mr. Donovan''s fighter to make a living. Moreover, he paid for my mom''s surgery. I owe him, so I have no choice but to help him out."


    "Even so, you could just pay him back the money. Why do you have to help him do bad things?" I asked.


    Mark shot me an angry look. "Do you think it''s that simple? You guys are so rich, so you don''t understand what it''s like for people like me. While I may be righteous, money still gets in the way!


    "Mr. Donovan paid 600 thousand dors for my mom''s surgery. So, I must work as his fighter for at least ten years to repay him!"


    I was stunned. "Ten years? Are you saying that he only pays you 60 thousand dors a year to be his fighter?"


    Mark corrected me. "It''s 80 thousand dors. After deducting 20 thousand dors for my living expenses, I''ll send the remaining 60 thousand dors to Mr. Donovan to pay off the surgery."


    Honestly, 80 thousand dors was still a very low sry!


    Since Quintus was more skilled than Mark, I couldn''t reallypare their sry.


    However, in the White family, even the least skilled bodyguards received a base sry of at least 120 thousand dors a year. On top of that, they also received bonuses and allowances ranging from 30 to 50 thousand dors.


    As for the top bodyguards, their sries started at around 300 thousand dors a year.


    With Mark''s skills, his sry should easily be over 200 thousand dors annually. So, the 80 thousand dors was ridiculously low!


    I asked, "Had you ever worked as a fighter for anyone else before Maximus?"


    Mark shook his head. "I used to be aborer on construction sites. However, Mr. Donovan saw something in me. So, he gave me the chance to be his bodyguard and fighter.


    "That also opened doors for me to travel with him and experience different ces and events."


    Was he seriously thinking that Maximus had opened the door for him? Maximus was clearly using him! Looking at Mark, I was at a loss for words.


    I waved at one of Victor''s people and had him exin it to Mark. After all, I was too young for him to take me seriously. Plus, I wasn''t really familiar with the world of bodyguards and fighters. I was worried that I wouldn''t


    e able to


    exin it adequately.


    Once Victor''s people finished exining, Mark''s face went dark. "Are you saying that Mr. Donovan is framing me?"


    I smiled. "I would say that the chances are pretty high. He must have noticed your personality and skills early on. So, he deliberately showed up and covered your mom''s surgery costs to get you to work for him.


    "However, he only pays you 60 thousand dors a year. After you''ve paid him off, he would have essentially gotten a loyal and capable fighter for free for years. That''s a pretty sweet deal!"


    Given how sly Maximus was, I continued, "But by then, I bet he''lle up with some excuse to keep you as hisborer."


    Mark''s expression was hard to read. Once it clicked for him, he said, "I need to confront him about this!"


    I stopped him. "Don''t waste your time."


    After all, he was no match for Maximus. Ultimately, he would just end up getting tricked by Maximus again.


    I continued, "think you''re a decent guy. How about you report to Victor? I''ll make sure he offers you 300 thousand dors a year. Once you sign a three-year contract, you can even get the next three years sry upfront."


    Mark and Lynn were shocked by the amount. But for the White family, that was


    just the base pay. In fact, they would end up with more in the end.


    I said, "You can use the 900 thousand dors to pay off Maximus. As for the


    remaining 300 thousand dors, you can consider it your living expenses for these three years.


    "It should be better than the 60


    thousand dors you''re getting from Maximus each year, right? After


    three years, you''ll be earning at least 300 thousand dors a year. By


    then, your life should start to improve."


    Mark swallowed hard. "Why are you being so nice to me? Are you trying to frame me, too?"


    I couldn''t help butugh. In front of Maximus, he looked like an idiot. But when it came to me, he was sharp and alert.


    I replied, "If I wanted to frame you, you''d probably end up in jail. Anyway, go report


    to Victor. From now on, you and Quintus are staying with me in Welsington City."

 Chapter 293

    Mark was still skeptical about whether my words could be trusted. However, he eventually reported to Victor. After signing the contract and getting the 900 thousand dors, he called me right away to thank me.


    Ultimately, he couldn''t help but ask, "Mr. White, aren''t you worried I''ll take the money and disappear or betray you?"


    I chuckled. "Feel free to give it a try."


    After all, just one punch from Victor would be enough to make him regret it, not to mention what could happen if I used other methods.


    Now that Mark''s problem was dealt with, it was time to deal with Lynn.


    Lynn had witnessed the entire thing unfold between me and Mark. Although the hostility and me in her eyes had faded, they were still icy cold.


    I could understand her perspective. Even if she hated me for the rest of her life, I would never grumble about it.


    After all, Riley already had psychological issues. Even though she was safely brought back, the kidnapping must have scared her and made things worse.


    Still, it was all on me. I hadn''t thought things through or taken proper care of Riley. On top of that, I acted on my own.


    I wouldn''t me her for being cold toward me. Even if she pped me, I would have to ept it. However, this matter wasn''t over yet.


    The kidnappers were let go, and I still hadn''t dealt with the mastermind. With Lynn and Riley in even greater danger now, I couldn''t let them go home like this.


    I knew I had to stick close to them. So, I said, "Lynn, things are getting worse.


    Now that I''ve poached Maximus'' fighter, he''s probably even more furious with me. Can Iy low at your ce for a few days?"


    She would never agree if I told her that I was doing it to protect them. So, I could onlye up with this excuse.


    As expected, Lynn hesitated in response to my words. After a moment, she finally nodded.


    When we got to her ce, I nned to ask about Riley. However, Lynn wouldn''t let me see her. After she took Riley to the bedroom, she didn''te out for a long time.


    I had no choice but to wait on the couch. Lynn only emerged an hourter.


    I asked, "How''s Riley?"


    "She''s asleep," she said.


    I awkwardly exined, "I mean, was she scared? Is she hurt or anything?"


    Lynn shot me a re. "Can you give it a thought for one second? Of course she was scared. But she''s not hurt."


    I said, "I''m sorry." There wasn''t much else I could do but apologize. Then, I told her about taking Riley to see Ava. Lwas pretty firm about it, so I handed her Ava''s name card


    anyway.


    I said, "Riley''s situation is quiteplex. She''ll need the family''s cooperation for


    treatment. I really hope you take this seriously.


    "After all, psychological issues are still illnesses. She needs treatment to get better. You can''t just keep her at home. It won''t help. Don''t worry. I''ll cover all the treatment costs."


    After hearing this, Lynn took the name card from me. She studied it for a moment, then started


    searching on her phone. After


    reading some positive reviews about


    the clinic online, be about


    softened a bit.


    She said, "Thanks for caring about Riley. If her condition really can be treated, I won''t hold it against you anymore."


    I nodded. Honestly, I didn''t care whether she med me or not.


    Riley was still so young and had a whole life ahead of her. Right now, I just hoped that she could get better soon.


    Lynn asked, "Are you hungry? I can cook something for you."


    At that, my stomach rumbled loudly. It was already getting dark. Since I had been busy all day, I was starving. So, I nodded eagerly.

 Chapter 294

    Lynn finally smiled and headed to the kitchen.


    I let out a sigh of relief. Did that mean she had forgiven me?


    Lynn started her work in the kitchen. Shortly after, someone suddenly pounded on the door. The sound was so loud it made me jump.


    Lynn immediately came out of the kitchen and gestured for me to be quiet.


    I nodded and stayed silent. At the same time, I texted Quintus. "We''re in danger. Get here fast."


    Quintus quickly replied, "Don''t worry, Mr. White. I''m right behind you."


    His message caught me off guard. I quickly turned around. However, everything was arranged as usual, and there wasn''t any sign of anyone hiding.


    This sent a shiver down my spine. I felt lucky to have Quintus on my side. If he had been an assassin, I might have suddenly died out of nowhere!


    Just then, Lynn walked up to the door. She dared not open it but called through it, "Who''s there?"


    I heard a man''s deep voice. "It''s me!"


    Lynn''s face instantly went pale. "Mr. Cummings, you''re here! Please wait a second. I''m a bit of a mess. I''ll tidy up and open the door for you."


    With that, she rushed over to me, grabbed my arm, and pulled me toward the guest room.


    She said, "Listen, William! Mr. Cummings is the squad leader of The Dragonshade Society. He''s pretty high up but keepsing around to bother me.


    "Whatever happens, don''te out. If you do, you''ll get me and Riley in trouble. Do you hear me?"


    Her words hit me immediately. Mr. Cummings was probably one of her regrs.


    I stopped her and said, "Lynn, I don''t care how you''ve dealt with them before. You don''t have to deal with these people if you don''t want to now that I''m here. I can take care of The Dragonshade Society for you."


    Lynn quickly shoved my hand away, her eyes zing. "Stop talking nonsense!


    "William, I''m warning you for thest time. Stay out of it! Do you hear me? I''m willing to serve the people of The Dragonshade Society. If you dare mess up my ns, I''ll make you regret it! Do you get it now? Tell me!"


    She was nervous and anxious, so I simply nodded. "I get it."


    Lynn said, "Then stay in this room. Don''t go out, and don''t let him find out you''re here."


    "Okay," I replied.


    With that, Lynn turned and left. After closing the guest room door, she hurried to the front door to open it.


    I sighed. Despite my reluctance, I had no choice but to stay in the room.


    Before long, I heard footsteps outside.


    In a deep voice, Mr. Cummings said, "Why is it taking you so long to open the door? You''re not hiding a man in there, are you?"


    Lynn said, "What are you talking about, Mr. Cummings? Whether I live or die, I belong to The Dragonshade Society. I won''t have any man but the gentlemen of The Dragonshade Society."


    Mr. Cummings sneered, "That''s


    more like it! If you don''t listen, you''ll end up just like that idiot''s loyal follower. You''ll die a mysterious death, and that bastard''s kid won''t survive either. Do you hear me?"


    Lynn replied, "Mr. Cummings, please don''t scare me like that. I''ll end up having nightmares. Have I not been good and considerate enough to you?"


    Her voice was flirtatious and seductive, a kind of ttery I had never heard before. Still, I could tell that she wasn''t doing it willingly.


    If it weren''t for protecting herself and Riley, she would never serve people from The Dragonshade Society like this.


    With that thought in mind, I quietly cracked the door open and peeked outside.

 Chapter 295

    A burly man sat on the couch. He was a scary-looking man who waspletely covered in tattoos. Lynn was perched on hisp, letting him put his hands and mouth all over her.


    I gulped, frozen in ce. Despite knowing better otherwise, I could feel my body starting to heat up.


    I mean, I was an innocent guy with barely any experience with this kind of stuff. How was I supposed to keep myposure after seeing something so steamy?


    So, I just stood there and stared. I was getting more absorbed by the show when Lynn suddenly turned around. Even through the crack in the door, it felt like we were making eye contact.


    "Mr. Cummings, can we go to the bedroom? I feel too exposed here."


    "What the fuck are you on about? You''ve already slept with half the town! What''s there to be shy about?"


    The man struck Lynn across the face roughly, but she didn''t even flinch.


    She said softly, "I-It''s just that Riley was kidnapped today, and it was tough to get her to fall asleep. I''m worried we''ll be too loud and wake her up."


    The man snorted, "She''d be better off dead!"


    Ignoring her pleas, he hoisted her up and mmed her onto the coffee table.


    Lynn''s face twisted in pain, and she had to bite her lip to stop a cry from escaping. The man stood up and stared at her as he unbuckled his belt.


    When I saw this, I clenched my fists. I couldn''t just sit and watch this happen.


    Lynn wanted me to stay out of this because she didn''t trust me. However, I was more than capable of dealing with someone from The Dragonshade Society.


    I didn''t care what history she had with them, but there was no way would let this happen on my watch! With that thought, I flung the guest room door open.


    The man was just about to put his weight on Lynn but froze when he saw me. Blood boiling, he yelled, "You slut! I knew you were hiding a man in here!"


    Lynn gasped, panic shing across her face. She mbered up and stammered, "I-It''s not what you think Mr. Cummings! He''s just a distant rtive of mine."


    "Your rtive?" the man asked, full of suspicion. "We''ve done a background check on you before, and you don''t have any other brothers! Who are you trying to fool?"


    There was another crisp smack as he pped Lynn across the face again.


    Seeing him hit her made my vision go red. Unable to hold back my anger, I shouted, "Quintus!"


    Instantly, a shadow emerged from the corner of the room. The man''s eyes nearly popped out from disbelief. "You-What the hell? You hid more than one?"


    He fumed, "You''re dead meat! I''ll kill you if it''s thest thing I do!"


    Lynn was equally astonished. She probably never imagined a man would just appear out of nowhere in her house.


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 296

    I shot Quintus a look, who lunged forward and swiftly dislocated the man''s arm. The man, not even having a chance to put up any resistance, screamed in pain.


    The overwhelming difference in strength quickly reced his earlier arrogance with fear.


    "W-Who are you guys? How dare you hurt me? Do you know who I am?" he stammered, feigning courage. "I''m Oscar Cummings, the squad leader of The Dragonshade Society''s third squad! Just ask around, and you''ll know how important I¡ª"


    I cut him off with a p.


    "The Dragonshade Society? What the hell''s that? Some school club?"


    Oscar stared at me, incredulous. "How could you not have heard of The Dragonshade Society before? Just ask anyone, you ignorant fool!"


    I gave him another p and sneered, "Whatever for? It''s just another puny gang I can easily wipe out."


    Oscar was shocked to see that I was unfazed no matter what threat he threw at me. Realizing nothing was working, he turned his attention to Lynn instead.


    "How dare you let your boy toys treat me like this, you fucking bitch? I''m telling you, my men know I''m here. If something happens to me, you''ll know what''s in store for you."


    Lynn visibly paled at his words. She ran over and grabbed my arm. "William, stop! You don''t want to mess with The Dragonshade Society. Let him go!"


    I shoved her aside and pped Oscar again. "I don''t know what''ll happen to you, but I know that today will be yourst day."


    I turned to Quintus. "I want him dead. Is there any way you could make it look like hemitted suicide?"


    Quintus answered stoically. "I''ve got plenty of methods to do that."


    "Good. Pick the simplest one."


    "Yes, sir."


    Quintus went into the kitchen and returned with a crate of alcohol.


    Walking over to Oscar, he dislocated the man''s jaw and began pouring bottle after bottle down his throat.


    Lynn watched in silence, stunned. I was curious about his approach as well. Was he trying to make it look like alcohol poisoning?


    Oscar''s eyes were wide with more fear than before. He finally realized I wasn''t bluffing about killing him, and he was right.


    From what Lynn told me, this wasn''t the first time he''de to torment her. And knowing his crimes, death was more than what he deserved.


    Besides, everyone from The Dragonshade Society was just as vile. If he could livefortably under the new leader''s rule, he probably yed a part in the previous leader''s death.


    So, death was a perfectly fine punishment for him.


    After three bottles of brandy, Quintus stopped and reattached Oscar''s jaw.


    Tears streamed down Oscar''s face as he begged, "P-Please don''t k-kill me. I won''t do it again, I promise! Please!"


    Ignoring his pleas, Quintus reattached his arms and dragged him over to the window. After carefully wiping off any fingerprints on Oscar''s face, he shoved the man out of the window without hesitation.


    We were on the 16th floor.


    Quintus had moved so quickly that I didn''t even have time to react.

 Chapter 297

    The next thing I knew, Lynn''s knees gave out, and she slumped to the floor, unconscious. I quickly caught her and ced her on the couch.


    Quintus went to wash his hands in the bathroom. When he returned, he told me, "You don''t have to worry about anything, sir. I''ll take care of the rest. I''ll also make sure that no one bothers thisdy."


    With that, he left Lynn''s apartment. I used a damp towel to wipe Lynn''s face. Soon after, she regained consciousness. Tears began streaming down her face as soon as she opened her eyes.


    "Are you crazy, William? How could you kill someone in broad daylight? Many people live in this area!" she cried. "How am I supposed to exin why a body was thrown out of my window?"


    Lynn broke into sobs, covering her face.


    I consoled her, "Don''t be scared. Quintus said that he''ll take care of it. No one will ask you anything, so don''t worry."


    "I''m not an idiot. I''d never put my future on the line if I weren''t sure I could handle this."


    Lynn stopped crying when she heard my exnation but still looked weak and exhausted.


    "Still, you shouldn''t have done it. Mr. Cummings said that his men know he''s with me, and now, he''s dead. They''lle for me, regardless of whether I had a hand in it."


    "Like I said, I''ll take care of those people. Stop worrying."


    Lynn still clearly didn''t believe me as she held her face in despair. I didn''t know what else to say that could make her believe me. Soon, I heard noises outside the building.


    I went over to the window and peered down. A crowd had gathered around Oscar''s body.


    "Good heavens! Who''s this?"


    "He looks familiar. Isn''t he the one who often visits the woman on the 16th floor?"


    "I know that woman. She constantly gets visited by all sorts of men! I heard she does that kind of work."


    "Oh my! And she has a daughter as well. Why can''t she just behave herself?"


    "I''m sure she must have had her daughter with one of her flings. I heard the kid has had issues since birth. This is karma, I tell you."


    Those people''s words stung, but Lynn seemed unbothered. She was clearly used to such remarks.


    I suggested once more, "You should move somewhere else, Lynn. Even if you don''t care, think about Riley. Maybe she doesn''t want to go outside because of these rumors and how people look at her."


    Lynn''s body quivered at the mention of her daughter, who she cherished more than anything.


    "I want to, but the people from The Dragonshade Society said that if I do, they''ll kill me and torture Riley. I can''t take that risk."


    It was The Dragonshade Society again.


    Clearly, they were the root of this problem. And until I dealt with them, Lynn wouldn''t be moving any time soon.


    With that in mind, I left Lynn''s home, determined to tackle The Dragonshade Society first.


    When I reached the first floor, the police had already arrived. It seemed like they''d been notified in advance as they left soon after dealing with Oscar''s body.

 Chapter 298

    Curious, I called Quintus to ask how he managed everything.


    Quintus answered nonchntly, "I didn''t have to do much. Criminal organizations like The Dragonshade Society are already on the police''s cklist. Those people are seen as criminals and deserve all kinds of punishment."


    He added, "The police just have to write a short report, and these cases can be dismissed. Besides, even if they don''t do anything, the gangs will clean their own mess."


    No wonder.


    The police probably didn''t want to get involved with The Dragonshade Society, nor did they see their members as regr citizens.


    The Dragonshade Society was also most likely a thorn in the police''s side for all the trouble they''d caused.


    I suspected the police were more than happy to see one of them turn up dead.


    After ending the call, I phoned Victor. "Hey, how much do you know about The Dragonshade Society?"


    Victor chuckled. "You''re trying to protect Lynn nc, aren''t you? Don''t worry. I''ve already taken care of Oscar Cummings'' death."


    He exined, "The Dragonshade Society will believe that he died at the hands of their rival, and they''ll leave Ms. nc alone."


    It was great that Victor knew me very well.


    "I''m sorry to trouble you again, Victor," I said, sighing.


    "Not at all, Mr. White. It''s my honor to serve you," Victor responded. "Besides, your father sent me here to take care of you. So, just let me know if you need anything."


    That was good to hear. After a pause, I asked hesitantly, "How hard would it be to get rid of The Dragonshade Society?"


    Victorughed. "Forget a weak gang like them. I could easily destroy Heronsoul of Cyr if you wanted me to."


    Was it truly as simple as that? I was relieved to hear him say that.


    But I had another concern. "I''ve heard that the tricky part with gangs like those is dealing with the subordinates. If we leave any out, they''lle back for us. Is there a way around this?"


    Victor remained rxed. "You''ve grown and started thinking more carefully, Mr. White. And you''re right. It''s easy to tackle the leaders since they''re quite high profile. Their subordinates are the annoying part."


    "But rest assured, as long as you wish it, I''ll keep everything well under control." Victor''s assurance put me at ease.


    "If they won''t cause Lynn any trouble, there''s no rush to get rid of them. For now, let''s wait and see what happens."


    As they always said, make peace, not war.


    Besides, Lynn and I were merely acquaintances, and I''d done plenty for her already. It seemed overkill to get rid of The Dragonshade Society for someone I barely knew.


    I preferred not to shed blood unless necessary.


    After wrapping up that day''s incident, I was about to return to Lynn''s ce but figured she''d be even more scared with me around. So, I headed back to campus instead.


    As soon as I entered my dorm, Matthew rushed over and grabbed me by the neck.


    "Where the hell have you been the past two days, man? I was in the middle of helping Isabelle grab some stuff, but you just disappeared!"


    I coughed, shoving him away. "I was staying at a friend''s ce."


    Benjamin narrowed his eyes. "A friend? You don''t have any friends here. Be honest. Were you busy chasing after chicks?"

 Chapter 299

    I snorted, "Yeah, right. Felicia''s the only one I love. Even though she''s missing, I''d never betray her for another woman."


    All three of them looked lost when I mentioned Felicia. She had been missing for


    a long time now. Gradually, rumors started spreading on campus, with some people making wild stories about her.


    Now, almost everyone believed she was dead.


    Not me, though.


    Felicia might look like an ordinary woman, but she was actually the missing heiress of a powerful family.


    The people who took her that day were not ordinary, and no one could find a trace of them even until now.


    So, I had a feeling that Felicia had been taken back to her rightful family.


    I refused to believe that her family would be cruel enough to harm her after she''d grown into such a wonderful young woman.


    I was sure we would meet again in the future.


    A sudden ringtone broke my train of thought. I turned to see Benjamin answer his phone.


    "Hello?" he greeted, his face lighting up with joy. "Tiff? Is tomorrow my birthday? Oh, I''vepletely forgotten!"


    "Of course we must celebrate, especially since you remembered it for me! Don''t worry about it. I''ve got plenty of friends at school, and my pocket''s full enough."


    Hearing this, I exchanged nces with Matthew and Liam.


    None of us had realized it was Benjamin''s birthday tomorrow.


    Now that we knew, we were definitely going to have a feast tomorrow.


    "What! You''reing here to celebrate with me? N-No, you don''t have to make such a long trip for-Wait, you''re already on the train?" Benjamin yelped.


    "Why did you decide that on your own? N-No, I wasn''t yelling. I''m just worried about you," he stammered. "Fine. I''ll pick you up at the station tomorrow."


    Benjamin hung up and let out a loud groan. "I''mpletely doomed!"


    We were puzzled by his words.


    "What''s wrong? Your sister is justing over to celebrate your birthday. Why are you being so dramatic?"


    "B-Because I lied to her!" Benjamin''s eyes were red.


    He stood up nervously and stammered, "M-My family is quite poor. My mom passed away when she gave birth to my sister, and my dad is disabled. He doesn''t have a degree and can''t make much doing manualbor."


    He exined, "I told them that I was doing great at school to keep them from worrying. I even told them I earn a lot from part-time jobs and am livingfortably. But now that my sister''sing, she''ll discover everything!"


    I exchanged nces with the other guys, understanding what was troubling Benjamin. Personally, I didn''t think it was such a big deal. His sister was old enough to understand his struggles.


    He just needed to exin everything clearly to his sister, and they could work together to keep this from their father. That way, their father wouldn''t have to worry.


    Trying to cover up a lie with another lie would just be an endless circle. There was no way he could keep the truth from his family forever. But looking at his devastated expression, I knew saying that now would look insensitive.


    I thought briefly before saying, "Benjamin, if you really want to bluff your way through, I''ve got a simple idea. When your sister arrives tomorrow, we''ll pretend to be your minions and butter up to you."


    "You''ll just need to take her to a nice hotel for a meal, and she''ll believe you."


    Liam nodded excitedly. "Yeah. There''s nothing to worry about. A few dishes and desserts at a hotel shouldn''t cost more than three or four hundred dors. We can chip in if it''s necessary."


    "You guys don''t have to chip in!" Matthew waved us off proudly.

 Chapter 300

    Matthew proudly proposed, "I''ll cover the meal while you guys pay for the cake. We''ll wear William''s knockoff designers and borrow Isabelle''s car. Your sister will be treated like a princess."


    I huffed, refraining from telling him that my clothes weren''t knockoffs.


    Still, I didn''t bother exining. Instead, I said, "Matthew, you''re probably broke after always going on dates with Isabelle. Let me handle this instead. I''ve been working part-time these past few days and made a bit of money."


    "No way!" Benjamin refused immediately. "You worked so hard for that money. How could I let you spend it on me? I-I''ll just borrow some from others."


    It was heartbreaking to hear that he needed to borrow money for a single meal.


    I grabbed his arm. "It''s fine, really. I''m not short on money, and I was nning to treat you guys to a meal anyway. I just have to ount for your sister this time."


    Benjamin was puzzled. "Treat us to a meal? Why?"


    "Because..." I trailed off, trying toe up with a good excuse.


    I saw Matthew out of the corner of my eye and chirped, "Because I felt bad for not taking good care of Isabelle. She was abducted that day and was traumatized. I''ve wanted to treat you guys to a meal as an apology."


    I shot Matthew a look, and he immediately chimed in, "Oh, that''s what you mean? Then, yeah, you should. She was terrified and had nightmares for days afterward."


    Benjamin didn''t seem fully convinced. "Are you sure?"


    I nodded earnestly.


    "Well, all right then. Thanks, William."


    I smiled and patted him on the shoulder reassuringly. "Anything for my friends."


    After the lights were out, Iy in bed and made an online reservation for the best spot at Paviluxe Restaurant. I wanted to make sure Benjamin had a memorable birthday, and his sister was well taken care of.


    Once I was done, I shot Lynn a text message.


    "Everything has been taken care of, and The Dragonshade Society won''t bother you. So stop worrying. If you trust me, I''d like to arrange a temporary ce for you and Riley to stay. What do you think?"


    Lynn replied very quickly. "It''s fine. You''ve helped us enough, William. I can handle the rest myself."


    Handle the rest? What else was there to deal with?


    I hurriedly responded, "Don''t do anything reckless. Just go about your life as usual. I promise you no one will trouble you."


    "Thank you, William, but this is none of your business now. Please stay out of this."


    What the hell, woman? How ungrateful!


    Then again, I''ve already decided toy low for a few days to let Oscar''s death pass by. I would decide how to get rid of The Dragonshade Society once and for all when things have settled.


    The next morning, I woke up to Matthew shaking me.


    "Get up, William. Benjamin''s sister is almost here. We''ve got to pick her up from the station."

 Chapter 301

    I epted my fate, squinting as I got out of bed. After washing my face, I walked out and saw the three of them eagerly waiting for me to find them some clothes.


    I smiled, pulled out my suitcase, and opened the wardrobe. "Feel free to choose whatever you like."


    They immediately rushed over like hungry wolves, excited to pick out the clothes.


    Iughed as I watched them try on my clothes, admiring themselves in the mirror. "Weren''t you the ones who said my clothes were all counterfeit? Why are you so eager to wear them now?"


    Matthew chuckled. "Counterfeit or not, the styles are nice!"


    Benjamin added, "Exactly, William! If knock-offs look this good and feel thisfortable, imagine how amazing the originals must be!"


    Out of curiosity, Liam asked, "Why do you even buy no-name fakes? If you''re going for knock-offs, at least get ones based on luxury brands!"


    I burst outughing. "If you''re that curious about the originals, just go try them on at a luxury store."


    Once they did, they would realize all my clothes were the real deal.


    However, Matthew shook his head. "Who dares to go to those stores? I walked past one the other day, and the saledy''s re felt like daggers. It was like she was silently telling me, ''You loser, if you step inside, I''ll destroy you with my eyes alone.'' I turned around and ran three blocks."


    Iughed out loud. "They''re just staff. If they disrespect you, you can file aint."


    However, from my experience, not allints were taken seriously. If theint came from those without money, the staff wouldn''t face any consequences.


    "Hey, what brand is this?" Benjamin asked, holding up a shirt with curiosity.


    I nced at it and replied, "It''s a brand by a designer from Mnos Fashion Week. It''s not publicly sold, so they only ept pre-orders for limited custom designs."


    Benjamin stared at me in admiration. "You even research this much just for knock- offs, William? That''s dedication."


    I was speechless.


    Their sense of style was honestly terrible. After trying on clothes for ages, they still couldn''t match anything properly.


    I ended up picking outfits for them myself.


    I dressed Benjamin in a simple white T-shirt and dark green pants, paired with white sneakers and a


    crossbody canvas bag. I hung a pair of sunsses on his cor. The minimalist style suited his slender frame perfectly.


    Liam had a stocky, tough build, so I put him in a camo jacket over a ck Teshirt, paired with dark blue jeans and ckbat boots. The outfit toughened up his look giving him a rugged masculinity.


    Matthew had a clean, easygoing look with fair skin and a rxed vibe. I dressed him in a loose light gray short-sleeve shirt over a white T-shirt paired with rxed khaki pants. The outfit had the effortless style of a well-dressed college student.


    By the time they finished changing, their appearances and overall vibe had improved drastically.


    As for me, I just threw on a T-shirt and jeans, sticking to my usual casual style.


    I had Matthew borrow a car, and we all headed out together.


    My own cars were too shy, and bringing one to school would surely cause a stir.


    To avoid unnecessary attention, I figured it was best to keep things low-key.


    On the way to the station, Benjamin called Tiffany.

 Chapter 302

    As soon as the call connected, the voices of two girls chattering filled the air.


    "Hi, Ben! It''s Yvonne Fne, do you remember me?"


    "I''m Amy Bloom!" another voice added.


    "Ben, Yvonne and Amy heard that you''re doing well at school, and they insisted oning with me. You''re not mad, are you?" Tiffany said.


    The moment Benjamin heard their names, he quickly covered the phone''s microphone and turned to us with a nervous look. "Oh no, my sister didn''te alone. She brought two friends, and they''re both from our vige. We grew up together, but they''ve always looked down on me. I can handle my sister, but they''re really smart. What if they figure me out?"


    I couldn''t help butugh as I saw him sweating nervously and patted him on the shoulder. "What are you so scared of? We''ve got your back."


    "Yeah, treating your sister to dinner is no different than treating three girls to dinner. Don''t stress," Matthew added.


    Liam chuckled. "If you''re worried about money, I actually borrowed 800 dors for youst night. You can use it when the timees. Don''t worry!"


    Benjamin finally rxed a bit at our reassurance.


    He nodded. "I hope everything goes smoothly."


    He kept the call going to keep Tiffany from getting lost. As a result, we could all hear the three girls talking.


    Tiffany said, "When you see my brother, don''t say anything to upset him. It''s his birthday today, okay?"


    "Don''t worry, we''re not kids anymore. Besides, we used to tease him because he was always so timid and nervous around everyone," one of the girls replied.


    "Yeah! Didn''t you say Ben was some big shot at school? He''ll probably look down on us vige girls now. We wouldn''t dare upset him," another girl added.


    Tiffany seemed a bit reassured. "Ben''s not like that. We''re from the same vige and grew up together. He''ll treat you both well!"


    "Well, we''ll see. People change when they get rich," another girl remarked.


    "True. By the way, Tiffany, is Ben really doing that well? If he''s lying, don''t say we didn''t warn you!"


    "Hmph! If he dares to lie, I''ll make sure everyone in the vige knows what he''s really like!"


    Hearing this, Matthew, Liam, and I finally understood why Benjamin was so nervous.


    Those two girls were no pushovers. They were clearly here to see what Benjamin was like now that he had made it, and they would probably be examining him closely. If they e figured anything out, they''d likely make up stories when they returned to the vige.


    When we got to the station, Tiffany and the others got out of the car.


    With our help, the three girls finally made it out of the train station and waited for us by the roadside.


    Soon, an unpleasant voice came from the phone. "Hey, girls, where are you from? Are you here to travel? Do you want to hop in my car? I''l take you out to eat and drinkin style!"


    The bold and feisty Amy snapped back and said, "Get lost! You look like an old fool. You think you can hit on us? Go look at yourself in the mirror first!"


    The man immediately became furious. "How dare you insult me? Do you have a death wish?"


    Then, another man''s voice came through. "Aiden, let me take care of this bitch for you!"

 Chapter 303

    Amy shouted, "What are you doing? Stay away!"


    Tiffany yelled, "Let go of Amy!"


    Hearing this, we immediately panicked. We signaled Matthew to stop the car, and as soon as it did, we rushed toward the designated spot.


    When we got closer, we saw three punks surrounding Tiffany and the others. One of the men was holding Amy so tightly that it seemed like he was about to kiss


    her.


    I didn''t have time to think. I charged forward and kicked the man hard in the side.


    He cried out in pain, stumbling to the ground with a loud thud.


    "Aiden!" one of the other two shouted. They both rushed at me, but Matthew, Liam and Benjamin stepped in to help.


    We fought four against two, and it was more than enough.


    The two punks were quickly knocked down. As they got up, they cursed at us angrily.


    "You bastards! How dare youy a hand on us! We''re with Dragonshade Society! You''re dead for sure! If you''ve got guts, don''t run!"


    Dragonshade Society?


    I furrowed my brows at those words. It seemed Dragonshade Society had some real power-these punks must be part of it.


    However, Benjamin and the others didn''t know about Dragonshade Society, so they looked confused when they heard the name.


    Tiffany ran over to Benjamin and clung to his arm. "Ben, I''m scared."


    "Don''t worry, Tiff. I''m here. They won''t dare do anything to you!" Ben said.


    Hearing that, I had an idea. I grinned and said, "Dragonshade Society? What a joke! Benjamin''s from Heronsoul in Cyr!"


    Victor had mentioned Heronsoul to me before. From what he said, Dragonshade Society was a small-time gang. In contrast, Heronsoul was the real deal.


    It wasn''t wrong to use Heronsoul to scare them.


    The three punks were stunned. "You''re from Heronsoul? No way. Heronsoul sends big shots to Welsington, not people like you who look like a bunch of college students!"


    I sneered. "Who cares how Heronsoul people dress or act? You have no right to question it. If you don''t want to die, get out of here, or I''ll beat you up again!"


    I shook my fist and red at them threateningly.


    Terrified, the three punks gritted their teeth and backed off.


    Once they left Matthew and the others visibly rxed, though excitement still gleamed on their faces. They were usually quiet and reserved at school. Not to mention fighting punks, they wouldn''t even confront other male students.


    Today, in front of those three girls, they finally had a chance to show off.


    I turned to the three girls, especially Tiffany. I was genuinely curious about what Benjamin''s sister looked like.


    She had her hair tied in a ponytail,


    but it was messy and dried, showing signs of poor nutrition. Her skin was pale, and her lips were dry and cracked. Her clothes were old and worn, and she was carrying a


    backpack with a broken zipper, tied


    together with a piece of string.


    Her appearance made it clear that she was from a poor vige. I couldn''t help but


    wonder how she could be so malnourished and poorly dressed.


    Amy and Yvonne were also from a


    vige, but they wore colorful


    T-shirts and skirts and even had Apple phones. While they didn''t stand out, they blended in perfectly with the girls from Welsington.

 Chapter 304

    Benjamin''s family was really poor.


    I sighed to myself, then turned to Tiffany. "You''re Ben''s sister, Tiffany, right? I''m his friend, William White. Knowing you wereing, Ben asked me to arrange some new clothes for you to freshen up. How about youe with us and get changed and put on some makeup?"


    Tiffany looked surprised. "Makeup and new clothes?"


    I smiled. "Yeah, we''re going to a nice restaurantter. You don''t want to go looking like this, do you?"


    When Tiffany heard "nice restaurant", she seemed a little nervous. She tugged at her clothes, nodding shyly. "Thank you, William."


    Benjamin looked at me in surprise, whispering, "William, what are you doing? I didn''t prepare anything for my sister."


    Honestly, I didn''t really need to prepare anything. A quick phone call was all it took.


    Before long, we arrived at the styling studio where I had once taken Felicia.


    The designers were shocked when they saw Tiffany. They had worked on many makeovers, but none like hers. Tiffany looked like she had been through a lot. It was a first for them.


    While she was getting ready, we took a quick look at her backpack. To our surprise, it was full of things simr to what Felicia''s mother had brought-pickled vegetables and homemade buns.


    Matthew and I exchanged looks, both sighing.


    After they did her hair in cute braids and dressed her in bright colors, Tiffany walked out. She wasn''t transformed into a beauty, but the bold colors really suited her skin type, giving her a trendy, cool vibe.


    She would no longer be overlooked from now on.


    "Wow, you look just like a model!" Yvonne praised.


    "Ben is amazing! I wish I had a brother like him. I''d love to wear all those pretty dresses," Amy added.


    Overwhelmed by all the attention, Tiffany grew shy and didn''t know what to say.


    "Alright, it''s gettingte. Let''s go eat," I said, signaling for everyone to get in the


    car.


    Benjamin and the others huddled around me, whispering, "Where are we going to eat?"


    Matthew suggested, "How about that street food restaurant? The decor is nice, and it''s about ten dors per person. With all of us together, it won''t cost more than a hundred dors."


    Liam hesitated. "That ce is always packed, and they don''t have private rooms.


    It''s too noisy for a special asion."


    "How about we go to Basil Garden? It''s perfect for this kind of celebration," Benjamin suggested.


    I smiled and shook my head. "Your sister traveled all the way here, and you want to take her to Basil Garden? Besides, a ce like that doesn''t exactly show off your style. Those girls from your hometown have probably already eaten there. I''ve already booked a table at Paviluxe Restaurant. Let''s head there."


    "Paviluxe Restaurant ! "


    "Paviluxe Restaurant?"


    Hearing that, Matthew and the others froze.


    "Are you serious? Paviluxe is above 30 dors per person!"


    I patted Matthew on the shoulder. "I told you, this one''s on me. Plus, I know someone there who can help us get a discount. Don''t worry about the cost. Just follow me."


    At that moment, Amy''s head popped out of the car. "What are you guys talking about? Are we eating or not? We''re starving here!"


    "Yes, yes, we''re going," I said, signaling to the others. They reluctantly got in the


    car.


    Once we were all settled, Benjamin and Tiffany began chatting about home.


    Tiffany smiled softly, but her words


    carried a heavy weight. "Dad''s leg is


    getting worse, and with all the rain this year, the harvest was poor. actually came here because I


    wanted to ask you for some money, Ben."

 Chapter 305

    The moment Tiffany mentioned money, Benjamin froze.


    He barely scraped by on his schrship, surviving on a few hundred dors a month. How could he possibly have extra to give her?


    Before Benjamin could respond, Matthew jumped in. "Money? No problem. Ben''s been working part-time. He''s saved up a bit. How much do you need?"


    Tiffany''s eyes lit up with excitement. "Really? I¡ªI did the math beforeing. We owe over a hundred dors in electricity bills and 30 dors for water. Dad needs medication and a hospital check-up. I still owe 280 dors in school fees. I was hoping to ask for 800 dors."


    Every family has its struggles, but Benjamin''s seemed harder than most.


    Matthew''s eyes reddened. "Only 800 dors? I thought it''d be more. Ben''s money is with me. I''ll give it to you now."


    He pulled out his wallet and emptied it, but there was only 600 dors.


    Liam reached for his wallet, but I stopped him. His family wasn''t well-off either.


    I grabbed mine instead. Between me and Matthew, we managed to pull together 1300 dors and handed it to Tiffany.


    The tension melted from her shoulders as she clutched the cash.


    Benjamin looked at us with gratitude.


    When we arrived at Paviluxe Restaurant, Amy and Yvonne gasped the moment they stepped out of the car.


    "What''s wrong?" I asked, worried something had happened.


    Amy''s eyes sparkled. "Look at all the luxury cars! Is that a BMW? And that- Mercedes, right? Hold on... Oh my god, that''s a Porsche! William, take a picture for me!"


    Before I could stop them, the two rushed off, snapping selfies with every car in sight.


    People around us started to stare, but I had no choice but to follow them and y photographer.


    By the time we finished, my arm was sore from holding up the phone.


    Inside the restaurant, I shook out my arm and turned to Benjamin.


    "You''ll sit at the head of the table. We''ll sit next to you. Order whatever you want. I''ve already talked to them everything we eat or drink today is discounted. Don''t worry about the bill."


    Benjamin nodded and said sincerely, "Thank


    and


    kyou. I''ll find a part-time job


    pay you and Matthew back as


    soon as I can."


    I waved it off. "Come on, don''t be so formal. We''re friends. This money is for


    Tiffany. You don''t need to pay us back."


    I patted his shoulder, and we headed into the main hall.


    The moment we stepped inside, not just the girls but even Matthew widened their eyes in shock.


    The ce wasn''t just a restaurant. It looked like an ancient pce. Stone bridges arched over riversced with dry ice. Dancers in flowing robe''s moved gracefully while musicians yed from the corner.


    Even Matthew pulled out his phone for pictures.


    I had been here before, so none of it surprised me.


    As I led them to the table I reserved, I came to an abrupt stop.


    A floral disy beside the table spelled out Damian Wilde.


    I frowned and called over a server.


    "This is the table I reserved. Why does it have someone else''s name? Who is Damian Wilde?"

 Chapter 306

    The waiter immediately responded, "Oh, so you''re the one who reserved this table. I apologize-we haven''t had a chance to contact you yet. Mr. Wilde took this table, so we''ve prepared another for you. Aspensation, we''ve included two of our signature dishes at no charge."


    "What?"


    I froze.


    I couldn''t believe how unreliable this ce was. I had booked this table in


    advance, and they agreed. Yet, they gave it to someone else without my consent.


    "I''m not moving. I want this table."


    This spot had the best view for the performances and the scenery was


    unbeatable. I spent half the night choosing it-there was no way I''d give it up for two tes of free food.


    Before I could make a fuss, Matthew tugged at my arm. "Two dishes, right? Can we pick which ones?"


    The waiter thought for a moment and nodded. "Anything except the top three dishes that cost over a thousand dors. The rest are up to you."


    "Deal!" Matthew said, pulling me over to the new table. "It''s just a table. The atmosphere''s still great, and the view''s pretty much the same. Plus, two dishes here cost over a hundred dors each-this is a win."


    Since no one else seemed to care, making a scene would only ruin the mood. I let it slide.


    I turned to the waiter and said, "You should thank Ben. If he hadn''t spoken up, I wouldn''t have let this go so easily."


    I gestured at Benjamin.


    The waiter immediately bowed toward him. "Thank you, Mr. Ben."


    Benjamin stiffened and waved awkwardly. "It''s fine."


    The waiter set down three menus. Tiffany and the girls took one, Benjamin and the guys took another, and I looked through the third.


    I''ve been here before. The dishes weren''t anything special, but the desserts were decent. Since we had three girls at the table, I ordered a few sweet dishes.


    Liam pinched my leg under the table and whispered, "William, are you serious? The cheapest thing on this menu is over 30 dors. Most dishes are over a hundred dors. This


    10ºÐ


    meal''s going to cost over a O thousand dors. We don''t have that


    kind of money!"


    I whispered back, "Rx. I told you there''s a discount."


    "Unless they''re giving us 90% off, we''re screwed. I''ve only got a little over a


    hundred dors, and 80 dors of that''s borrowed," he said.


    I had no choice but to tell a little white lie to calm him down. "That''s right! They''re giving us 90% off."


    Hearing that, Liam finally rxed.


    After ordering two dishes, Amy''s face flushed. This meal costs more than the renovations for my family''s yard! Benjamin, you weren''t lying. You''ve really made it. You''re the most sessful person in our vige!"


    Yvonne grinned. "A matchmaker


    came by fast year, trying to set my


    sister up with you. She wasn''t interested then, but when we get back, I''ll put in a good word, Perhaps you can be my brother-inw!"


    Benjamin smiled nervously. "I''m not in a rush to get married."


    Just then, amotion erupted behind us.


    Arge crowd poured into the restaurant.

 Chapter 307

    I nced back.


    The group that had just entered was clearly made up of rich heirs. Every one of them was decked out in gold and silver, wearing designer clothes, and their gazes were filled with arrogance.


    Four or five waiters surrounded them, treating them like royalty.


    I noticed they had taken the seat I had reserved. That meant they were Damian Wilde''s people.


    I quickly looked away, feeling a bit annoyed.


    I didn''t know where this Damian came from, but I wasn''t about to let them steal my spot. If Benjamin hadn''t been here today, I would''ve made sure to take it back.


    Some losses can be ignored, but this one really bothered me.


    Right now, the most important thing was Benjamin and Tiffany. I turned to look at Tiffany.


    She was staring at Benjamin with awe after seeing how everyone respected him, as well as how her two friends spoke so highly of him. That look in her eyes was pure admiration.


    I nudged Benjamin''s shoulder to remind him to keep an eye on his sister.


    Benjamin swallowed nervously as he looked up and met Tiffany''s admiring gaze.


    Turning back to me, he whispered, "This is the first time my sister''s ever looked at me like that."


    I smiled. "Your performance today may be fake, but Benjamin, if you work hard and get into grad school, this will all be real when you seed. Keep going."


    At my words, Benjamin clenched his fist, his eyes burning with determination.


    A small-town guy like him needed a degree to change his life. An undergraduate degree alone wouldn''t be enough; he had to make it into grad school to truly turn things around.


    Just then, Liam grabbed my wrist in a panic. "William, look! Over there!"


    He pointed toward Damian''s group.


    I followed his gaze and immediately spotted the same group of thugs who had harassed Tiffany near the train station. They were among Damian''s people.


    I raised an eyebrow.


    Those thugs had imed to be part of Dragonshade Society, and now they were supporting Damian. That meant Damian was probably involved with them too.


    I finally understood why the waiters


    were so scared and insisted on


    making us move. If those people usm


    were reasonable, it would''ve been fine. Since they were from


    ver


    Dragonshade Society, the ce could get smashed. The waiters had no choice but to go alongwith it.


    Matthew groaned, "What a


    coincidence! We run into them again here. Back at the station, we were outnumbered, but now they have so many people. If they recognize us, we''re dead."


    Benjamin whispered, "Don''t look up. Keep your heads down so they don''t spot us!"


    Their muttering caught the attention of Tiffany and the others.


    Since Benjamin was now the center of attention, every move he made would be noticed. Amy, who was sipping her juice, looked over and asked curiously, "What are you guys whispering about?"


    Benjamin awkwardlyughed. "Oh, nothing. We weren''t talking about anything."


    I quickly chimed in, "We were just discussing where to go after dinner."


    Hearing this, the three girls all looked excited.


    Only Amy came to the city asionally, while the other two rarely left home. It was their first time here, so they were eager to explore the big city.


    Just then, a loud shout came from behind us.

 Chapter 308

    "Mr. Wilde is here!"


    Mr. Wilde was probably Damian.


    I was curious about what he looked like, so I nced back.


    A couple was walking along the bridge. The man was tall, wearing sunsses and a slicked-back hairstyle. He was dressed in a white suit with blue embroidery.


    The woman beside him seemed older, dressed in a revealing outfit. Her lips were painted a greasy bright red, which made her seem off-putting. However, judging by the way people were staring at her, she was popr with men.


    As soon as she appeared, everyone''s attention shifted to her. They eyed her with eager looks, as if they had been watching her for a while.


    Yet, they greeted Damian first.


    "Mr. Wilde is here!"


    "Hello, Mr. Wilde!"


    "Mr. Wilde, you look great today!"


    Damian raised his hand and said coldly, "Enough. We''re all old friends here. There''s no need for pleasantries. Have a seat, everyone. Before the meal starts, I need to say something. My mom isn''t feeling well today. No one''s allowed to pour her any alcohol."


    I widened my eyes in shock. It seemed that the woman beside him wasn''t his girlfriend, but his mother.


    They looked only a few years apart, so she was likely his stepmother.


    Though Damian called her "mom", there was no maternal bond between them once they sat down. Their closeness was so casual it could have easily been mistaken for a couple, not a mother and son. Their rtionship seemedplicated.


    I turned away, but when I looked back, I saw Tiffany staring at me.


    I froze for a second, then smiled. "What''s up?"


    Tiffany blushed. "It''s nothing. I just think you''re really handsome."


    At this, Amy immediately teased, "Oh, Tiffany''s got a crush on William!"


    Yvonne chuckled. "He''s definitely the best-looking of the bunch!"


    "Why don''t you be Ben''s brother-inw?" Amy suggested.


    I chuckled Don''t joke like that. I have a girlfriend, and Ben''s a big- deal. There''s no way I could be his brother-inw. Don''t put me on a pedestal like that."  fo


    Amy then pointed to Damian''s group. "Who are those people? They look like they


    have a big presence."


    I knew she was talking about


    Damian, so didn''t even look. "Big presence it''s just a lot of people. If you want a crowd, I could call a bunch over. This is a family dinner. I didn''t invite anyone else. In front of Ben, they''re all just small fry." C¨®ntent


    Benjamin turned pale when he me.


    quickly pped my leg.


    "William, keep your voice keep your voice down! They might hear you!"


    I chuckled. "Don''t worry, they won''t hear us from this distance unless they have


    super hearing."


    Just as I said that, I was proven wrong.


    Suddenly, the voices of the thugs reached our ears.


    "Damn, I knew I recognized you guys from afar! I thought I was seeing things, but it''s really you!"


    They stopped at the table, ring at us.


    "Well, well, here you all are. This is really my lucky day!"


    "Aiden, you mentioned those troublemakers you met at the train station. Could it have been them?"

 Chapter 309

    Aiden sneered. "Who are they then?"


    One of the thugs shouted, "How dare you piss Aiden off? Boys, let''s show these kids who''s boss!"


    Another added, "That''s right! It''s fate that we ran into them. Since the heavens want us to handle them, we can''t go easy on them!"


    Matthew, Benjamin, and Liam all lowered their heads in fear. None of them dared to say a word, all intimidated by the threats.


    They were right to be afraid, and shrinking back was the smart move.


    When facing opponents that can''t be beaten, acting tough is pointless-it only leads to death.


    However, I wasn''t afraid of them.


    It just needed a call from me to make them disappear. Even without that, I had other ways to deal with them.


    Besides, I knew Quintus was nearby, watching over me.


    If things got out of hand and danger arose, Quintus would step in. With him around, they would be no match for him even if they brought more people.


    To my surprise, I wasn''t the only one who wasn''t afraid.


    With a loud crash, Amy suddenly stood up.


    "Are you done talking? Let me tell you something-this is Benjamin Carter from Welsington University. If you keep talking nonsense, I swear, one word from Ben and you''ll all be leaving here in pieces!"


    Honestly, I was shocked by her words. Though she was relying on Benjamin, she had the guts to stand up in front of all these people and challenge them. That took


    real courage.


    Unfortunately, her words didn''t scare tead, one of them pped s the face. whove


    her


    "Who the hell do you think you are, talking back to Aiden?"


    As soon as Amy was hit, everyone at the table stood up.


    I stood as well.


    Even though we didn''t know Amy, she was Tiffany''s friend, and that made her one of us.


    We couldn''t just sit by and watch one of our own get hurt.


    Before we could speak, one of them grabbed Tiffany''s arm.


    "Don''t touch her!" Benjamin shouted.


    As soon as he tried to rush to Tiffany''s aid, two men stepped in his way.


    They grinned maliciously, making it clear they would attack if Benjamin made any move.


    Benjamin stood frozen.


    Aiden smirked. "Why aren''t you making a move now? Not so tough anymore, huh? Which one of you is Benjamin? Step up! I want to see how impressive this guy really is. Come out, or I''ll ruin this woman!"


    As he said this, he roughly pinched Tiffany''s cheek, making it redden from the force.


    I stepped forward. "You''re not


    meet Ben. Let her


    O step in and teach you


    lesson myself!"


    Aiden sized me up, then burst intoughter when he saw how I was dressed.

 Chapter 310

    Aiden sneered. "You little punks really don''t know your ce! How dare you act tough in front of me? I''ll make you regret it!"


    Just as I was about to step forward to stop him from tormenting Tiffany, a familiar voice suddenly interrupted from behind.


    "Aiden, don''t let them fool you! These guys are just a bunch of losers from our school. They''re nobody important!"


    I turned around in shock, only to see Louis swaggering toward us. Since thest time he made a fool of himself, I hadn''t seen him again. I couldn''t believe he was now hanging out with the people from Dragonshade Society.


    This time, the woman with him wasn''t Veronica, but someone who looked far from respectable.


    Louis shot me a malicious look.


    Upon hearing Louis, Aiden smirked. "Oh? You know these guys?"


    Louis chuckled. "It''s funny, but I know each one of them. This guy, Liam, is a total loser. Last night, he borrowed 80 dors from my buddy Zack just to treat these girls to a meal!"


    Amy, Yvonne and Tiffany looked at Liam in shock, unable to believe what they were hearing. They couldn''t have imagined the effort Benjamin and Liam had put into impressing them.


    Louis continued, pointing at Matthew, "This one is just a regr guy living off his girlfriend. He gets about 2000 dors a month for his living expenses and has to borrow money at the end of every month. He can''t even afford food at the cafeteria."


    "Then there''s Benjamin, or ''Ben''. He''s still on financial aid from the school and can only afford sandwiches and oatmeal at the cafeteria. This guy''s a total loser!"


    At this point, Tiffany and the others werepletely stunned. Louis'' wordspletely undermined everything we had done today.


    What was worse, Benjamin''s reputation had taken a massive hit.


    Tiffany staggered back, shaking her head in disbelief. "Ben, is that true? Was everything you said and did today a lie?"


    Amy and Yvonne looked at Benjamin with skepticism, waiting for him to speak.


    Benjamin trembled, his face as pale as death. He kept his head down, unable to meet anyone''s gaze.


    I frowned and stepped forward. "Benjamin is just "


    Benjamin cut me off. "Yes! It''s all true. I''m just a loser. Ever since I started college, I''ve been so busy with my studies that I never had time to socialize or work. My living expensese from a 500-dor schrship each month, and the money I send home is saved from that schrship. I''m useless!"


    He suddenly raised his hand and pped himself hard.


    Amy''s eyes shed with anger. "Damn, Benjamin, you really are a liar! Do you have no shame? I almost gave my sister to you! Ugh! You''re a scammer! You''re so pathetic.


    waste of resources for you to even exist!"


    Tiffany red at Amy in disapproval. "Amy, stop talking nonsense!"


    When she turned to Benjamin, her eyes were filled with


    disappointment. "Ben, if you didn''t have money, why didn''t you just tell me the truth? Why did you have to lie to me?"


    Benjamin covered his face and sobbed quietly. He couldn''t say anything more. The crowd burst intoughter.


    "How could you not figure this out? The more broke someone is, the more they want to act rich."


    "Your brother probably thought he could hook up with these two girls here. He''d have to spend some money for that, right?"


    Louis added with a grin, "They''re hanging out with William, so naturally they''re all about vanity. William is the famous Mr. Show-Off!"

 Chapter 311

    "Mr. Show-Off" was a title I hadn''t heard for some time.


    I nced at Louis and sneered. "You''re talking about vanity? Others might not know, but Louis, you know exactly who''s vain. Don''t you feel guilty saying that? Doesn''t it make you ufortable?"


    Louis stiffened, and his face immediately darkened with anger.


    After a moment, he snapped. "Aiden, I''ll teach these brats a lesson for you!"


    He strode up to me, raising his fist to punch me.


    I shot him a warning look. "Try touching me today, and see what happens."


    He froze, visibly shaken by my gaze. His fist stayed suspended in the air, and he hesitated to strike.


    He knew something wasn''t right. My identity might not be as simple as rumors suggest, and if I had any connections or power, provoking me today could lead to serious consequences.


    He gritted his teeth and pulled his fist back.


    Just when I thought he would back down, he spun around and punched Benjamin instead.


    I froze for a moment, unable to stop him in time. Benjamin took the hit squarely. He staggered and almost copsed.


    "Ben!" Tiffany shouted.


    She could no longer stand by and watch Benjamin get hit. She shoved the man beside her and rushed toward him.


    However, those thugs weren''t going to let her through. They grabbed her arms before she could reach him.


    "Don''t touch my sister!" Benjamin shouted.


    "Ben!" Tiffany called out.


    It was heart-wrenching to see them separated by those thugs, still desperately looking after each other.


    Aiden and Louisughed mockingly. Theirughter was infuriating, and the more I saw it, the more I felt I couldn''t hold back.


    I grabbed a bottle from the table, took a few steps toward Aiden and smashed it


    over his head without hesitation. "Is this funny to you?"


    Vol


    The bottle cracked loudly, and Aiden''s head was immediately covered in blood. Theughter died instantly. Everyone froze, staring at me in shock and fear.


    I held the broken bottle, coldly eyeing them. "Go ahead,ugh now! What happened to all your jokes? Weren''t youughing just a minute ago?"


    I turned to re at Louis. "Louis, what''s wrong? Aren''t you going tough? You said I was Mr. Show-Off, right? Go ahead, say it again!"


    I pointed the bottle directly at him.


    Louis trembled and took a few steps back, seemingly terrified of what I might do next. His cowardice was pathetic.


    I despised these bullies who acted tough just because they thought we were weak, poor students with no support. If any of us had real power, I bet they would be as polite as they could be.


    The thing I hate most in life is people who abuse their power and pick on the weak. They fit the bill perfectly.


    Aiden finally snapped back to reality, wiping the blood off his face in anger and fear. "This is going too far! This little brat dared to hit me! Grab him, and smash his head into the ground!"


    "Got it!"

 Chapter 312

    A few of the underlings immediately charged toward me, but I wasn''t afraid.


    No matter how many there were, I could handle it. If I got hurt, someone would clean up for me. If I couldn''t handle them, Quintus had my back. I wasn''t worried.


    When they came at me, I didn''t back down. Instead, I grabbed the bottle in my hand and charged at them.


    I kicked the first guy in line.


    In an instant, he flew through the air, crashing into a nearby table.


    The others froze. Benjamin and the others were wide-eyed in shock.


    No one would''ve guessed I had this kind of strength.


    Not only did they not expect it, I didn''t either.


    However, it wasn''t really my strength-it was Quintus helping me from behind.


    With him backing me, I felt invincible. I threw a punch and knocked out one of the guys'' teeth. A quick kick sent blood flying from his mouth.


    In the blink of an eye, I had taken down four or five of them. None of them even tried to get up.


    Aiden waspletely stunned.


    The thugs he brought were from Dragonshade Society. They weren''t top fighters, but they were no pushovers.


    Yet here they were, rolling on the ground and groaning in pain. Aiden could barely process how they were no match for a regr college student like me.


    Now, he only had one guy left by his side. It was like he waspletely exposed. Meanwhile, Amy, Yvonne, Tiffany, Matthew, Benjamin and Liam had all gathered behind us. We had seven people in total.


    It was now seven against two. The tables hadpletely turned.


    "Aiden, this guy''s amazing! He''s a real fighter!" one of Aiden''s thugs said.


    Aiden''s face went pale. "This guy''s not ordinary, but don''t panic. Mr. Wilde is here.


    If it gets worse, we''ll get him to help!"


    "Yeah, Mr. Wilde will help!" one of hisckeys agreed.


    Aiden nodded at hisckey, signaling him to pass the message to Damian.


    Before theckey took a step, Damian appeared.


    "You''ve been causing a ruckus here for a while. What''s going on? Who dares to make trouble at my party on my turf?" Damian said.


    It seemed he came because his underlings were losing and felt it was time to regain control.


    ?????


    When Damian arrived, Aiden quickly ran up to him, looking pitiful. "Mr. Wilde, you have to help me! This punk hit me at the train station. When Dsaw him at the restaurant, I tried to teach him a lesson with my men, but they all got beaten up!"


    I noticed Damian''s stepmother had followed him in. Her expression was colder


    than his, and she was clearly indifferent to these people''s fate.


    "Damian, handle them and get them out of here. I''m not feeling well today and I don''t like noise. They''re bothering me, and it''s so annoying," she said, leaning on Damian''s shoulder.


    This slight movement made her already noticeable curves even more prominent.


    The men around her couldn''t help but stare with eyes full of desire.


    I was confused. Was it really that big of a deal?


    Just then, Matthew said, "That woman is top-tier!"


    I looked at Matthew in confusion. "Do you think she''s pretty? I don''t see it. She


    looks like a big lump of fat. What''s so special about her?"


    Matthew shot me a harsh re. "You don''t get it, do you? When you''re young, you don''t appreciate mature women and mistake girls for treasures. You''re still too


    inexperienced to understand!"

 Chapter 313

    I couldn''t help butugh. If I''m still too inexperienced to understand, then I really couldn''t ce him. Isabelle wasn''t even the type to be considered a mature


    woman.


    Besides, if we''re talking about body types, Felicia''s body was far better. She could easily outshine this woman.


    This woman had a fuller figure, but her waist wasn''t particrly slim, and there was extra fat on her arms. To me, she was just chunky.


    I wasn''t interested in that type of body. I preferred someone like Felicia-slender with curves in all the right ces.


    Thinking about Felicia made my heart ache. I shook my head to rid myself of the sadness of missing her.


    At that moment, chairs were brought over for Damian and the woman, and they sat down. However, the way everyone had surrounded them made it clear that no one could ignore them, even while seated.


    As I was observing them, I suddenly felt a sharp kick to the back of my knee.


    I staggered forward a few steps, barely managing to stop myself from falling, or else I would''ve ended up kneeling.


    "Loser, don''t you know to kneel and apologize to Mr. Wilde? Why are you still standing?" Louis sneered.


    That''s when I realized-it was him. He was the one who kicked me.


    I whipped around and red at him. Without hesitation, I pped him hard across the face. "I''m letting you off this time, so you better get the hell away from me. If you dare step closer, I''ll break one of your arms first!"


    Louis was stunned by the p. He turned to Damian for help. Unfortunately for him, Damian didn''t even spare him a nce.


    Iughed. thought you were Mr. Wilde''spdog, but it looks like he won''t even spare you a nce. To him, you''re nothing. So tell me, Louis, who else do you think will


    stand up for you now?"


    I pped him even harder this time. I wanted to see if Louis still had the nerve to


    act tough without Damian backing him up.


    When Louis saw Damian ignore him and felt the sting of two ps, he gritted his teeth and swallowed his pride. He took a few steps back, not daring to provoke me any further.


    I smirked. Louis was still the same old pathetic coward.


    At that moment, Damian spoke up. "Mr. Russo texted to say he''s here. You guys, go to the door and greet him."


    "Alright, Mr. Wilde!" hisckeys replied.


    When I heard that name, I froze.


    It seemed today was the day all my enemies decided to gather in one ce.


    Before long, Frankie arrived with a few others. As always, Mark was by his side.


    I wasn''t shocked to see him.


    I had asked Mark to stay with Frankie, watching over him without revealing that he was working with me. I had been worried that Frankie might still target Lynn, so I wanted him to be ready to contact me the moment anything suspicious happened.


    "Mr. Russo!" Damian''s men greeted him.


    "Isn''t Mr. Russo from Welsington University too? He might have seen these guys


    around before."

 Chapter 314

    "Is that the famous Mark Lynch? I heard he used to fight in underground matches. He''s a total beast!"


    "Underground fights are nothing. He once fought a crocodile with his bare hands for Frankie and actually took it down!"


    "I swear he''s got some superhuman genes or something. The guy''s strength is insane."


    Even though Mark was just Frankie''s fighter, his reputation preceded him. As soon as he and Frankie arrived, everyone talked more about Mark than Frankie. Damian nced at Frankie and grinned. "Frank, it''s nice to have you here." "Damian, you sure know how to throw a party. Is there live entertainment too?"


    Frankie kicked one of the groaning thugs on the ground. "Who was stupid enough to pick a fight with your guys?"


    Damianzily lifted his gaze and looked at me. "He''s right there."


    Frankie followed his line of sight. The second he saw me, his eyes widened, and the air around him grew tense. "You!" he growled.


    I crossed my arms and smirked. "Long time no see, Frankie. How''s life treating you?"


    Everyone stared at us in confusion.


    "Do they know each other?" someone whispered.


    Even Damian looked surprised. "Frank, is this guy a friend of yours?"


    Frankie spat in disgust. "Friend? Not a chance. This little punk screwed me over a few days ago. I had my eye on a woman, and he stepped in and ruined it for me. I''ve been looking for him ever since."


    "Ah, I see." Damian chuckled. "Perfect. Why don''t you let Mark show off a bit? Give the crowd a show and teach this kid a lesson."


    The room buzzed with excitement.


    "Mark versus this guy? Talk about overkill!"


    "Seriously, Mark''s wasted on this. Any of us could handle him."


    Suddenly, Liana, the woman beside Damian, stood up. She sauntered over to Frankie and Mark, eyeing Mark with interest.


    Frankie''s eyes practically bulged out of his head. "Ms. Liana yton," he stammered, barely containing his excitement.


    Liana ignored him, running her


    hands over Mark''s bicep. She bit her lip and said, "This is quite the find. Frankie, why don''t you sell Mark to me? I''ll pay well. I need a personal bodyguard."


    With that, she draped her arm around Mark''s. Her provocative gesture immediately made the men in the room flush, but only Damian''s expression soured.


    He suddenly stood up and snapped, "Mom, don''t be ridiculous. Mark is just Frankie''s dog. He''s loyal to Frankie, so even if you buy him, it won''t do you any good."


    Frankie gave Liana a sycophantic


    look and chimed in, "That''s right, Ms.


    yton. He''s just a dog I keep


    around. Why bother with him? If you want protection, I''m happy to help!


    I''ll dly follow you around and keep you safe, Ms. yton."


    However, Liana couldn''t be bothered.


    When he refused to give up Mark, she sighed and said, "Forget it, then. I''m only


    interested in Mark. You should just stick to being Frankie."


    With that, she turned and sat back down.


    Frankie''s face instantly darkened.


    "He shot a malicious re at Mark. "Mark, you''re something, huh? You walk in here and steal Ms. yton''s


    attention. Yet, you''re just a dog. You''ll never be more than a guard dog to me. Isn''t that right?


    Mark replied coldly, "What you say is what I agree with."


    The people around them raised their thumbs to Frankie. "Frankie''s awesome! He''s got Mark trained so well!"


    Frankie sneered. "What''s so great about that? He''s always been my dog, and he has to listen to me."


    Then, he walked up to Mark and pped him hard across the face. "Isn''t that right, Mark?"


    The p didn''t hurt Mark, but it was extremely humiliating, especially in front of so many people.

 Chapter 315

    Mark remained as steady as a mountain. Not only did he have a nk expression, but even his eyes betrayed no hint of emotion.


    I couldn''t help but admire his mental strength.


    Despite being free, he was still able to keep up the act like this. He seemed like he would be perfect for undercover work.


    The people around us were stunned into silence by Frankie''s actions, but when they saw that Mark didn''t react at all, they erupted into cheers and screams.


    "Frankie''s amazing!"


    "All those rich boys from before are nothingpared to Frankie. They had dogs, but Frankie turned a man into one! Is there anything more badass than that?"


    "Mark is a beast! Even a tiger would shudder at the sight of him. How did Frankie manage to get him to obey sopletely?"


    Not only were they shocked, but even Liana widened her eyes and looked at Frankie with a newfound respect.


    It was true. If Frankie could win Mark''s loyalty through his own abilities, he would be truly impressive.


    However, I knew the real story.


    It was nothing but a scam. Frankie was taking advantage of Mark''s naivety.


    After disying hisplete control over Mark, Frankie wore a satisfied smile and then turned his gaze toward me.


    He pointed at me and said, "Loser, you''re as good as dead! Mark, get over here and grab him!"


    The crowd immediately buzzed with excitement.


    "It''s happening! Mark''s about to make his move!"


    "Damn, this guy looks so weak. I hope Mark doesn''t just flick him away with a finger."


    "Don''t underestimate him. He took down a few of our guys earlier, remember?"


    Everyone pulled out their phones, aiming their cameras at me. They seemed certain I was about to suffer at Mark''s hands.


    The few men who had been knocked down earlier were helped to their feet. They looked drained, but their eyes were still filled with hatred, wishing they could bite me to death.


    However, having been easily defeated by me, they dared not approach directly. They were all pinning their hopes on Mark.


    "This little bastard still has the nerve to act tough. He won''t even know how he died!"


    "Is he too stupid to run? Doesn''t he know how dangerous Mark is?"


    "He''s just a stupid kid who doesn''t fear anything. After he gets a taste of defeat, he''ll learn to stay in line!"


    "He doesn''t even know what he''s up against. Once he leaves this hotel, he''s dead!"


    "Damn it, I''m not leaving until I see him get crippled!"


    The mocking voices around me only made meugh. They were nothing but cowards, relying on others for their strength. They were so excited just because someone else had the upper hand.


    Even if Mark really did beat me today, it had nothing to do with them.


    I hated people like them, who acted tough when they had someone backing them


    up.


    At that moment, Mark had walked right in front of me.


    His stone face showed the slightest


    sign of wavering, and his eyes were filled with uncertainty. "Mr. White, want me to


    what should I do? If you I


    pretend to capture you, I won''t be able to pull it off. I respect you too much. Even if it''s just acting, I couldn''t bring myself toy a finger on you."


    I smiled. "Lonly had you follow Frankie to protect Lynn. It looks like I''ll need to expose your identity earlier than expected. Go stand behind me. You don''t need to worry about what happens here.

 Chapter 316

    Mark''s expression brightened. "Does that mean I don''t have to follow Frankie anymore?"


    I raised an eyebrow. "Huh? Why are you so happy?"


    Mark sighed and replied, "I put up with it before, but now I''ve seen his true colors. Every time he forces me to do things I don''t want to, or hurt people I don''t want to hurt, it tears me apart inside. I just want to be free."


    I smiled. "Alright, then. Starting today, you don''t have to follow him anymore. Congrattions, you''re free."


    "Thank you, Mr. White!" Mark said gratefully.


    "Go stand behind me," I instructed.


    Mark nodded, then turned and stepped to stand behind me. Everyone was stunned as they overheard our conversation and saw Mark choose my side.


    "What''s going on? Mark isn''t just not attacking this kid, but he''s even calling him ''Mr. White'' and says he respects him?" one person asked in disbelief.


    "I don''t get it. Isn''t Mark supposed to listen to Mr. Russo? Isn''t he Mr. Russo''s dog? Why does he seem to respect this kid more?" someone else asked.


    "Did you hear that? This kid said it was his idea for Mark to stay with Mr. Russo. It sounds like he''s protecting someone..." another person whispered.


    At that moment, Liana suddenly stood up, squinting her eyes at Frankie. She looked at him with disdain. "Frankie, didn''t you say you trained him like a dog?" she asked with a smirk. "Is this the result of your training? Looks like you''re not as impressive as you thought."


    Frankie, who was already on the edge of losing his temper, practically exploded after hearing those words. His face turned red with rage.


    He clenched his fists and stormed toward Mark. "Mark, how dare you disobey me? How dare you stand behind that damn little punk? Do you have a death wish?"


    Before he could reach Mark, I kicked him.


    Quintus, who was hidden in the shadows, must''ve used some sort of trick. The moment my footnded on Frankie, a sudden burst of force sent him flying backward, crashing to the ground with a loud thud.


    The kick I delivered wasn''t light to begin with. With Quintus''s assistance, it had the same power as one of Mark''s kicks.


    When Frankie hit the ground, he clutched his chest and violently spat out a mouthful of blood.


    Everyone was stunned.


    Frankie was one of the most powerful figures among them, yet he was nothingpared to me.


    I could practically hear their thoughts swirling, wondering who could possibly take me on if I was this strong.


    "You damn Joser! How dare you hit me? How dare you make me look bad in front of so many people, in front of Ms. yton? I''m going to kill you! Frankie screamed as he was helped to his feet.


    He charged toward me, but a few familiar faces stepped in to stop him. Anyone with eyes could see that facing me would mean certain death.


    What they didn''t know was that the moment Frankie showed up, I had already nned to settle both old and new scores with him. Even if he hadn''t provoked me, I still intended


    to teach him a lesson.


    I scanned the ce for a handy weapon. Remembering the folding stools from


    movies, I spotted one nearby and walked over to grab it.


    Then, I turned to Frankie and grinned. "Let me show you just how powerful a stool can be," I said.

 Chapter 317

    Frankie and the others were stunned.


    "What is this guy saying? Is he actually provoking us?"


    "We haven''t taught him a lesson yet, and now he wants to teach us one? Isn''t this turning the world upside down?"


    "Mark! Are you really just going to stand there? If this kid ends up seriously hurting Mr. Russo, can you take responsibility?"


    Unfortunately, no matter how much they called out to Mark, he stood motionless. He was a loyal man. Even if the sky were falling, he wouldn''t move as long as the one he was loyal to didn''t speak. Right now, his loyalty was to me.


    When I slowly approached Frankie, holding the stool, not a single person stepped forward to help. The people who had been protecting Frankie also backed away. They had just witnessed how I dealt with the group of thugs, how I made Mark obey me, and how I had given Frankie a lesson he''d never forget.


    If I made a move, no one would dare to stop me. No one wanted to die, and certainly no one wanted to die for Frankie.


    I approached Frankie and raised the stool, bringing it down relentlessly on him like a torrential downpour.


    Frankie screamed in agony.


    His scream echoed so loudly through the room that it frightened the hotel


    manager and staff, causing them to turn pale. Some even covered their ears, but no one dared to speak up or call the police.


    No one in their right mind would dare report the internal conflicts of Dragonshade Society.


    Benjamin, Liam and Matthew stared at me in shock.


    They had never seen me act this recklessly, and it left them with a sense of disorientation.


    This was always my nature.


    I wouldn''t start trouble, but if it came to me, I would end it.


    I had toned it down a lot since


    college because the power of


    ordinary people is too weak. To


    it bluntly, they were like ants in front of me.


    After seeing their struggles, I didn''t have the heart to confront them. wouldn''t mind if they insulted me, but I decided to act, I could easily destroy their lives.  fo


    Unfair fights usually didn''t make me angry, unless I was truly pushed to my limit.


    Joshua, ine and Frankie were the ones who constantly challenged my limits.


    Right then was determined to


    settle the score with Frankie. N


    matter how much he begged,


    Stop hitting him with t


    stool in my hand.


    Just as I was about tond a final blow on his head, several hands suddenly grabbed my arm.


    As I turned around, I saw that Benjamin, Liam and Matthew had somehow surrounded me, holding me back tightly.


    "That''s enough, William. If you keep going, things are going to get out of hand," Benjamin said.

 Chapter 318

    "He must be scared of you now. Don''t let him pin this on you," Matthew said.


    "Please stop, William," Liam added.


    The anger in my eyes slowly faded when I saw the concern on my friends'' faces. As I regained some rity, I tossed the stool aside.


    When I looked down at Frankie again, I saw that he was still alive, or rather, not seriously hurt. He could still move his arms and legs, but just couldn''t get up.


    "Mark, get over here! Do you hear me? Have you forgotten that I saved your whole family? Is this how you repay me?" Frankie shouted.


    Mark finally reacted to his words, but instead of responding verbally, he slowly raised his hand and gave Frankie the middle finger.


    I couldn''t help butugh. I didn''t expect such a calm and honest man to make such a gesture.


    The people around us were equally stunned.


    Frankie was dumbfounded. He spat out a mouthful of blood and stammered, "W- what do you mean? Are you really going to betray me? How dare you?"


    Before he could finish, I pped him across the face. "Listen, Frankie. From now on, Mark is mine. If you ever speak disrespectfully to him again, it''s as if you''re disrespecting me. I won''t let you off."


    I smirked and added, "You''ve been quietly investigating Mark''s family, pretending to assist with their medical expenses. But in reality, you''ve given them almost nothing. You only provide 2,000 dors a month and make him pay you back. You''ve been manipting and taking advantage of him. How dare you im to have ''saved his family''? You''re worse than andlord exploiting the poor!"


    The people around us were shocked. They had been curious about why Mark had been so loyal to Frankie for so long, especially in this day and age when blind loyalty didn''t make sense. It turned out it was all a scam.


    After hearing my words, Liana frowned and shot Frankie a contemptuous look. While Dragonshade Society had many wrongdoings, they despised petty theft and fraud.


    I turned to Mark and said, "Come here."


    Mark immediately stepped closer.


    I looked at him. "He''s been lying to you for so long. Don''t you want to teach him a lesson? p him, and let him know he can''t boss you around anymore. If he disrespects you again, p him again!"


    Mark froze when he heard me. He stared at me in shock, unsure of what to do.


    I knew he would react like this. Even though he knew Frankie was a bad person who treated him poorly, Mark had been with him for so long. The fear and respect for Frankie were deeply ingrained in him.


    I knew it must be difficult for him to suddenly be asked to hit Frankie. It was like how, even after graduating high school and knowing our teacher was biased and unfair, it would still be hard to p them.


    The gap in status and the fear instilled in us since childhood were hard to


    ovee.


    However, I needed Mark to ovee it.


    First, Frankie had just humiliated Mark in front of everyone by calling him his dog. I needed to help Mark regain his dignity and make it clear to everyone that Mark would now stand above Frankie.


    Second, this was something Mark needed to confront sooner orter. It was better


    to face the pain now rather thanter, and this was the perfect opportunity. It was unlikely he''d have a better one.


    I firmly said, "Mark, hit him!"


    At mymand, Mark shook


    slightly, then clenched his fists. It was as if he had made a


    life-changing decision. He walked up to Frankie, raised his hand, gritted his teeth and pped him hard across the face.


    Frankie, who was already on the ground, was sent tumbling from the force of the p. His face was so swollen from the impact that he couldn''t even scream in pain.

 Chapter 319

    The people in the room were all stunned by the p. No one expected Mark to actually strike Frankie. Even Damian, who had been watching coldly from the sidelines, stood up.


    It was clear that Mark''s defiance had struck a nerve, and he could no longer sit idly by.


    "Enough!" he shouted, gritting his teeth as he red at me. "Your name''s William, right? You''ve been constantly challenging my limits ever since you got here. I was a good mood today and didn''t want to get involved, but you''ve pushed it too far!"


    I looked at Damian with a dismissive smile. "Pushed it too far? We were just sitting here having a meal, and your men came over to start trouble. We were only defending ourselves. Wasn''t Frankie the one who had Mark attack me first? Who''s really starting trouble here? You should exin that."


    If my earlier confrontation with Frankie had shocked everyone, my direct retort to Damian was like a wake-up call. It felt as if everyone was questioning reality, as if they couldn''t believe what they were hearing.


    "Did he just dare to talk back to Mr. Wilde?" someone whispered.


    "Does he have any idea Mr. Wilde is the nephew of the leader of Dragonshade Society?"


    "I''m getting nervous. I feel like something big is about to happen."


    Benjamin, Liam, and Matthew stared at me in shock, but I didn''t care. I had to act today. Since they had the audacity toy hands on Benjamin and Tiffany, I couldn''t ignore that. If I didn''t step in, we would all end up in serious trouble.


    I heard Matthew whisper, "Is William out of his mind? He''s already caused a big mess by hitting Frankie, and now he''s even offending Damian. Damian is the nephew of the Dragonshade Society leader!"


    That was when I learned Damian''s true identity.


    I had thought he was the son of the vice leader, but he was just a nephew.


    Since Damian was already so arrogant as a nephew, I couldn''t imagine what the leader''s son''s behavior would be like.


    Hearing this, Liana stood up as well.


    et el


    "I admire your courage in handling Frankie and controlling Mark, but this needs to stop. If you keep pushing things, you''re going to hit a wall," she said.


    2


    She added, "I''ll be blunt with you. Damian is the nephew of the Dragonshade Society''s leader. If you offend him, no one here will make it out alive."


    I justughed. "Really? I didn''t know Dragonshade Society was such a big deal."


    Liana frowned, and her expression turned malicious. "What did you say? How dare you insult Dragonshade Society? You really do have a death wish!"


    I raised an eyebrow. "What''s there to be afraid of? Dragonshade Society is just a small-time gang."


    The room fell intoplete silence. Even Frankie''s pained moans stopped. The entire hotel fell into a tension so thick one could hear a pin drop.


    Liana looked at me in disbelief. "What did you say?"


    I brushed the dust off my sleeve and sneered. "I can say it ten times if you want. Dragonshade Society is just a small-time gang that thinks it can contro things in Wellington. You''re really overestimating yourselves. I won''t back down even if the leader himself showed up today? If he dared act up in front of me, I''d do whatever I felt like to him."

 Chapter 320

    Hearing my words, Damian was furious to the point of almost exploding.


    "Fine, fine, it seems like you''re not going to learn until it''s toote. Everyone, listen


    up! Grab this kid! Today, I''m going to cut out his tongue to set an example!"


    At hismand, his subordinates, who had been stunned by my words, immediately started walking toward me.


    I wasn''t scared because I knew Quintus was secretly protecting me.


    If he thought he could handle these people, he would. If it seemed like too much trouble, he could always call for backup.


    I trusted his judgment.


    As I waited for them to approach, Benjamin, Liam and Matthew suddenly stood by my side.


    I was a bit stunned. "You guys..."


    Matthew''s face was pale, but he clenched his fists. "We''re in this together. If we''re going down today, we''ll go down as a group!"


    "That''s right. If it''s just you, he might try to cover it up. If all four of us go down, he can''t just sweep it under the rug! If he''s got the guts, let him try. We''ll make sure the media gets involved. I want to see if they''re really that powerful to the point of hiding everything!" Liam said firmly.


    Although Benjamin was too afraid to speak, he still stood firmly by my side.


    I felt a bit emotional.


    It seemed I had truly found good friends who would stand by me through thick and thin.


    "Ben!"


    At that moment, Tiffany ran up and tightly hugged Benjamin''s arm.


    Benjamin was startled and quickly said, "Don''te here!"


    Tiffany immediately responded, "Ben, you''ve done so much for a friend, how could I, as your sister, let


    you ask this alone? I''m going with live and die together."


    You


    "Tiff!"


    "Ben, don''t say anything more. I won''t leave!" Tiffany said.


    Amy also rushed up and stood by Tiffany''s side, leaving only Yvonne hiding in the back.


    Originally, I was the only one at risk, so Damian didn''t take us seriously.


    Even if he really hurt me, Dragonshade Society could easily cover it up.


    However, it wouldn''t be that easy with six people involved. It would be hard to silence all of us.


    If something happened, the news would spread quickly. Even if Damian didn''t die, he would be skinned alive. That was why he felt uneasy.


    At this moment, hisckeys had already surrounded us.


    Liana sneered. "What do you think you''re doing? Do you really think I''ll give you the chance? Listen up, keep these guys separated and under contro Don''t let them get close. Then, we''ll focus on dealing with William."


    "Yes, Ms. yton!" theckeys replied.


    I had to admit that Liana was clever. Soon, her men dragged Benjamin and the


    others away, making sure they couldn''t get any closer.


    Meanwhile, I was surrounded by sevenckeys.


    Even then Tremained calm. I looked at Liana and said, "I was going to ask earlier, but now I don''t need to. It''s obvious what you and Damian are you two must be having an affair behind everyone''s backs."

 Chapter 321

    I definitely wasn''t the only one who picked up on this, because everyone had been looking at them weirdly. Only, they pretended to know nothing about this as they were too scared to talk about it.


    I wasn''t scared of them, and told the truth as it was.


    My words set off a flurry of action.


    Liana flushed, as though she had been gravely insulted. She ordered, "Restrain him. Then, p him till his face falls off!"


    Two of theckeys stepped forward immediately and raised their hands to manhandle me.


    Suddenly, a group of people rushed in and surrounded the crowd.


    Seven bodyguards decked in sunsses and suits lined up before me.


    One of them felt familiar to me. I thought about it and remembered that he worked for Mason and Quadrant Springs. They were an elusive group who only dabbled in business and nothing else. So, people from Dragonshade Society tended not to know how powerful they were, or even the fact that they existed.


    I''d only met Mason once. He gifted Felicia and I matching watches. I regarded him quite highly.


    Dad told me that I could seek Mason''s help if I ever ran into trouble. However, I''d never done so. He was Dad''s subordinate, not mine. It looked like I would be


    indebted to him today.


    "Who are you people?"


    Damian''s eyes widened at the sight of them.


    Anyone with a shred of logic would know that hisckeys and the guards of Quadrant Springs were entirely different. His were just unruly men while theirs were trained professionals.


    "Mr. White!"


    One of Mason''s guards walked over to me and saluted.


    I nodded and said, "Thanks."


    "It''s my honor to act under yourmand. How would you like to handle these people?"


    I didn''t waste my time and pointed straight at Benjamin, "Make them let my friends go."


    Mason''s guards immediately overpowered theckeys restraining them, setting them free.


    The three of them immediately ran over to me and looked at me in surprise. "Damn, William. What''s going on? Why are they greeting you so respectfully? Who are they?"


    I smiled, truth.


    not wanting to tell them the


    friid, I was afraid the


    friendship we''d developed affel nee


    g together would fra


    I said softly, "They''re actors I hired. they look professional? If.


    Don''t


    going to show your sister a


    , we''re going to go there


    full mile."


    Matthew gave me a thumbs-up. "You''re the king of showing off!"


    I couldn''t tell whether he was praising me or insulting me.


    Then, I pointed at Maximus. "He has been giving me trouble for a


    ach him a lesson."


    s to  wont g


    I turned around and saw Louis sneaking away, as though looking for an escape.


    I picked up a wine bottle and hurled it at him.


    "What the hell do you think you''re doing, running away?"

 Chapter 322

    The bottle shattered on Louis. He moaned in pain.


    He immediately ran back and grovelled, "I''m sorry! William, I have realized the error of my ways. Please have mercy on me! After all, we used to be roommates. You''re a good, forgiving man. Please forgive me just this once!"


    How dare he bring up our stint as roommates? He drove me up the wall back then.


    Even after we stopped being roommates, he kept causing trouble. Yet, he was quick in begging for mercy.


    However, he was nobody I could destroy with a snap of my fingers. I couldn''t be bothered to sink to his level.


    "You don''t have to grovel before me. You should be apologising to Liam and Benjamin. Do you know why he borrowed 800 dors from Zack?"


    Louis shook his head vigorously.


    I chuckled coldly and said, "Ben couldn''t protect you for nothing. He needed to collect some fees to do so. The 800 dors was exactly that. However, he tried to save you some face and didn''t call it by that name. He formted the excuse of borrowing 800 dors from you guys. Do you understand now?"


    Louis was speechless. He was definitely scouring his mind for when Benjamin needed to collect fees for his protection services.


    However, he had watched Benjamin and Tiffany argue, as well as their eventual make up. He made sense of things quickly before adding, "Yes, of course. I get it now. I was dumb. How could I not have realized? It was ... oh right! It was Maximus who forced me to say this and frame Benjamin!"


    Today, Maximus had gotten beaten to a pulp. Their respect for him had disintegrated. Even Louis could insult him.


    Iughed and said, "That exins it. Why aren''t you apologising to Ben yet?"


    "Yes, yes!"


    Louis stumbled over to Benjamin and grovelled, "Have mercy on me, Benjamin!" Benjamin smiled awkwardly and shook his hands. "There''s no need for that."


    Just now, he''d pretended to be a mob boss, but they''d seen through him. He had decided not to put on an act to scam others. Yet, I forced him back into the role. He didn''t know what to do.


    I had a reason for why I was doing so.


    He hailed from a rural vige. His family consisted of a sick father and a sister. If they were unprotected, they would be pushed around. In addition, Tiffany''s trip into the city was a rare opportunity. If she told Benjamin''s father that he wasn''t doing well in school, it would only worry him. It would be easier for me to tell a white lie tofort


    everyone.


    We were handling things smoothly when Damian lost hisposure. He roared, "You poor loser! How dare you put on an act before me? Everyone, get him! I''ll eat my foot if I can''t teach this broke asshole a lesson!"


    His men rushed toward the bodyguards of Quadrant Springs.


    I smirked. He overestimated himself greatly. As I''d expected, he could not even put up a fight. The guards pummeled them immediately. They did not have a chance!


    Damian was silenced by this disy. If he dared to make a move while surrounded by these professionals, he would join them all on the ground.


    Liana hyperventted as her face paled. It wasn''t a pretty sight.


    "Fine, you little shit. Since you wouldn''t obey me while I was ying nice, I won''t offer you this courtesy any longer! I''ll call the head of Dragonshade Society right now. You face the consequences of fucking with us!"

 Chapter 323

    "Sure. Be my guest."


    I extended a palm toward Liana.


    Her face was pale as she gritted her teeth and pulled her phone out, holding it to


    her ear. However, she received no response except for the dial tone. She scowled.


    When her call hung up from theck of response, she refused to give in. Liana called him once more.


    Still, no one picked up.


    When Damian saw that, he asked Liana," Mom, what''s the problem?"


    Liana hissed through her teeth, "I called your dad, asking him toe over and teach this broke loser a lesson. However, no one picked up!"


    Damian replied, "Mr. Wilde organized a celebratory dinner today to treat his subordinates to a meal and reward them. He also invited a few renowned guests to witness it. They''re definitely busy there. It''s understandable that Dad didn''t pick up."


    "Is that right?"


    Liana frowned. However, her tensed-up face rxed.


    "In that case, stay here and watch them. I''ll make a trip there myself so that your


    father wille over and support you in the flesh no matter the cost!"


    Before Damian could reply, she grabbed her bag and rushed off.


    I couldn''t help but chuckle at her retreating figure.


    She insisted that she was getting help. However, it was clear that she realized that things weren''t going well for them and decided to sneak away, leaving Damian to clean up their mess. Empty promises were music to my ears.


    After leaving, Damian was the only member of Dragonshade Society still standing. Naturally, there was no way I would let him off easily.


    Considering how Lynn had offended Dragonshade Society and how I offended Damian, our war with Dragonshade Society was bing inevitable.


    I had wanted to minimize the severity of our conflict and resolve it eventually.


    There was no point in doing so after this. We''d just go for it.


    I pulled my phone out and messaged Quintus with a few tasks.


    If everything went as nned, I would destroy Dragonshade Society today.


    After texting him, I scanned the people around me coldly.


    "I don''t care who you used to work for, or whether you offended me today. Right now, I''m giving you a chance to get out of here


    immediately and disappear from my line of sight. I''ll let your misgivings slide. Otherwise, I''ll beat you up daily till you pee your pants. This will continue till the day you die."


    I red at Maximus.


    "Well, fuck off already!"


    Maximus flinched. He opened his mouth as though he was about to say


    something. In the end, he said nothing. After shooting Mark a baleful re, he left while holding his other hand.


    His departure sent waves through the crowd.


    Many people here didn''t belong to Dragonshade Society. They were merely Damian''s friends. Knowing that there would not be a feast awaiting them here and continuing to stay would implicate them, they fled.


    Those who remained were part of Dragonshade Society. They were pretty loyal. My words hadn''t scared them off. They stumbled to their feet and huddled around Damian.


    Damian clenched his fists and


    roared furiously, "Don''t delude yourself into thinking that you can scare me by hiring beaters from Quadrant Springs. When my momes back with our people you''ll die before even knowing what happened!"

 Chapter 324

    Damian had barely finished his sentence when I pped him across the face.


    "How dare you speak to me in that way? If you weren''t taught basic manners as a kid, I can teach you some."


    His eyes widened. "You dared to hit me! You must have a death wish!"


    He grabbed a wine bottle and aimed it at my head. However, his arm was suddenly hit by an ashtray. He shrieked in pain. The bottle shattered onto the floor.


    I was stunned. Hadn''t Quintus gone out toplete the tasks I assigned him?


    When I turned back, I saw that Mark had taken his ce behind me without me noticing. He had two more ashtrays in hand. He toyed with them as he red at Damian murderously. If Damian took one step out of line, he would immediately be hit with yet another ashtray.


    "Mr. Lynch! It''s bad enough that you''ve betrayed Maximus. How dare you attack me as well?"


    Mark said expressionlessly, "From today onward, Mr. White is my master. I will tear whoever touches him limb from limb."


    This astounded everyone from Dragonshade Society. Although they''d seen Mark act under mymand, hearing him admit it still caused shock on another level.


    When I noticed that the members of Dragonshade Society were afraid of Mark, I chuckled coldly and said, "Mark, I''ve asked these losers from Dragonshade Society to get lost. None of them listened. How should we deal with them?"


    Mark replied in a monotone, "Easy. I''ll deck them in the balls. They''ll know the consequences of disobeying your words, Mr. White."


    He immediately headed over to them.


    Upon seeing him advance in their direction after such a heinous threat, they lost theirposure and fled In a few seconds, there was no trace of them ever existing. Louis was the perfect example. He acted as though he was in a 100-yard sprint. During his escape, he knocked two chairs over. It wasughable. However, he was gone in the wind within seconds.


    Damian hadn''t expected hisckeys to be so cowardly. He roared, "Stand your ground! All of you, don''t move! Whoever dares to run will be fired from Dragonshade Society! Never show up ever again!"


    However, no matter how hard he screamed, none of them looked back. Dragonshade Society was nothing when their lives and health were at stake.


    Even the hotel manager and servers who had been watching and attempting to help Dragonshade Society push us around backed away. They hid in a corner where we couldn''t see them.


    It was an awkward situation. Damian hadmanded the room just now. Now, he was left alone with no helpers or supporters.


    Other than my friends and I, the professional bodyguards of Quadrant Springs, and Mark, there was no one else before Damian.


    Alone, he could probably hold his own for a few rounds against Benjamin and Liam. He probably couldn''t even defeat Matthew. He had no choice but to get pummeled.


    Iughed. "How are you feeling now, Damian?"


    He was still being stubborn. He gritted his teeth and said, "If you''ve got the balls to


    kill me, do that. If I''ve got any life left in me, I won''t let you get away with this!" "Wow, he''s still being stubborn."


    Iughed disdainfully and looked back at my friends.


    "Just now, it was only me venting my frustrations. I believe the rest of you also can''t stand him, especially Benjamin and Tiffany. After all, you guys were nearly beaten up by him. Now, the chance hase for you guys to exact your revenge. Have a go at him."

 Chapter 325

    I thought that they wouldn''t have the guts to beat Damian up. After all,


    Dragonshade Society was extremely powerful.


    Surprisingly, Benjamin immediately approached Damian after I spoke and pped him.


    "If you were just giving me a hard time, it would''ve been fine. You shouldn''t have touched my sister!"


    Liam was a little scared and hesitant to do so. However, when he saw that Benjamin, who was weaker than him, had taken his turn, Liam gathered his courage and punched Damian.


    Damian lost his wits after getting pped and punched. He roared and leapt toward Liam.


    Liam nearly peed his pants. He screamed, "William, save me!"


    I grinned. "Are you scared that you can''t beat Damian up? You''re literally with Benjamin."


    Although I mocked them, I knew that it was fear holding them back. It was not that they couldn''t defeat him.


    To boost their morale, I could only take a swing. They followed my lead. The three of us gave him a good pummeling.


    However, we were already sparing him by beating him up like that. Any bodyguard here, or even Mark, would''ve killed him before he even realized what was going


    on.


    After all, our punches weren''t as strong. We didn''t have a thorough understanding of human anatomy either. So, we didn''t know where to hit to make it hurt, and where to punch to scar him permanently. We were only taking out our anger on him.


    Looking at how we went at him fearlessly, Matthew also couldn''t hold himself back anymore. He surged forward to join us. Even Amy and Yvonne snuck in a few kicks. Only Tiffany remained scared. She looked on from the sidelines.


    When we exhausted ourselves eventually, Damian was curled on the ground with his head in his hands.


    "Fuck off," I yelled. He immediately scrambled to his feet and dashed off without a word.


    After his departure, my friends all heaved a sigh of relief.


    Matthew stuck his thumbs up and said, "You''re amazing, William. Hiring these actors was an amazing scheme. If not for you, we would have all been screwed!"


    I smiled and said, "I''m experienced from how I used to pretend to be rich. Alright, guys, don''t stand here and watch us. Go wait by the door. I''ll pay you guyster."


    I turned around and crooked a finger at the hotel manager.


    After watching the events that unfolded, there was no way he would disobey me, unless he was stupid. He immediately trotted over.


    "Mr. White, what do you need?"


    "See him? That''s Mr. Benjamin Carter and his sister Ms. Tiffany Carter. Coming to your hotel


    restaurant to eat should be your


    absolute honor. Offer them the best


    service you have. Do you understand me?"


    s?novel


    He nodded his head and said, "I understand. Don''t worry, Mr. White. I will make sure they have a good time."


    I hummed in agreement and walked over to Benjamin, slinging my arm across his shoulders. Then, I turned to Tiffany and her friends. "Ben is powerful in school. However, he''s not invincible when ites to matters of the outside world, not to mention how Dragonshade Society is rather powerful in Welsington. In order to protect you guys, he had to lie through his teeth and say he couldn''t do it. I hope you all can understand him."


    Amy was an understanding girl. She replied immediately, "That''s understandable. Benjamin is only his first year. He''s only been in Welsington for a year. No matte how powerful he might be, there''s his


    no way he would be able toneel


    own in society. Being a formidable power in school is amazing as it is!"


    Yvonne added, "That''s right. Benjamin, you were so amazing at protecting Tiffany and the rest of us. I used to think you were a scaredy cat. Now, it looks like that was a mistake on my part."

 Chapter 326

    Tiffany looked embarrassed. "I''m sorry for not believing you, Benjamin."


    "All good, all good!"


    Benjamin was flushed from the attention. He scratched his head, having no idea how to respond.


    Iughed and helped him out by saying, "Alright, alright. You''re all family. Why be so courteous with each other? Sit down and eat. The atmosphere is great and the food is delicious. Order whatever you want. The manager said that the hotel would be footing the bill."


    Upon hearing this, the manager immediately looked over at me. I gave him a meaningful nce. He immediately understood what I meant and hurried forward.


    "That''s right! Mr. Carter''s presence is an honor for us! We were going to offer the best service we could muster. Who knew that Dragonshade Society would show up and spook us? I offer a formal apology on behalf of all of us at the hotel. We also promise that everything you order today will be free. Have whatever you want!"


    "That''s amazing!"


    Amy was delighted. She took the menu and began ordering.


    The workers cleaned the scene while two other managers took their order.


    I said to Matthew, "Help me take care of the situation. I need to deal with the actors I hired."


    Matthew frowned and said, "Don''t shoulder this burden on your own, William. It''s not like your family is really wealthy. Tell me how much you spent. We''ll split it between us."


    "There''s no need for that. All these people are construction workers from a site managed by one of my rtives. They weren''t on shift today, so they came over to help. I''ll just treat them to a meal. Don''t worry."


    "Alright."


    Then, I imed that I had something to do to make my escape.


    Before I left, all of them were getting along well with each other and conversing happily. I was sure


    they would be even happine


    the food and drinks were served.


    I was relieved. When I left the hotel, I called Quintus.


    "Have youpleted the tasks I assigned?"


    "Yes, Mr. White. I''m in the third car on your right."


    "I''m heading over now."


    To protect me covertly, Quintus seldom appeared in public. Even during these times, he waited for me in the car rather than getting out to receive me."


    I didn''t mind, and got into the car immediately.


    The second did so, Quintus presented me with a huge surprise. The monitor in the car was ying surveince footage. He handed me some earphones to hear the video.


    "I''ve gotten people to hack into the surveince system. We can switch between


    each room. As to this hearing device, I snuck it onto Liana just now."


    I looked at him with praise. "You''re amazing to manage this!"


    ver


    I immediately focused on listening to what Liana was saying and doing. It was a pity I could only hear rustling sounds and the honking of cars. Nothing else.


    Quintus reminded me to look at the screen.


    "He''s the vice-leader of Dragonshade Society, and Jaxon''s younger brother. He''s


    also Damian''s father and Liana''s husband, Arthur Wilde."


    I looked at the monitor and felt like my eyes had been burnt. This man was obese and hideous!

 Chapter 327

    Although I felt nothing for Liana, it was a waste for such a gorgeous woman like her to marry a man like Arthur. However, she had definitely married him for the money. Seeing as she had done so willingly, it didn''t matter whether we


    understood it.


    Suddenly, Liana appeared beside Arthur. I could hear their conversation through my earphones.


    "Arthur, are you cheating on me? I called you so many times, but you never picked up."


    She began sobbing.


    Arthur looked extremely devoted to her. Her tears seemed to terrify him. He consoled her in his arms for a while before she calmed down.


    "Don''t cry. My love. I didn''t ignore your call on purpose. Look at how busy we are here! I''ve told you that the celebratory feast today was highly important because many important guests would be present. Yet, Oscar was missing in action. All his work fell unto me. How could I be fine?"


    Liana was furious. She stamped her feet andined, "You can''t watch Damian get beaten up without doing anything! Is he your son or not?"


    "What? Damian was beaten up? What happened?"


    "We went to eat at a hotel restaurant just now. We ran into a bunch of unruly men who fought with Damian and beat up hisckeys!"


    Arthur was surprised. "Really? It''s normal for young men like them to get into fights. How could I ignore Jason''s tasks and interfere with their little fight? How about this? I''ll send someckeys over to support himter."


    Clearly, Arthur wasn''t taking this seriously.


    Indeed, Damian was a man who enjoyed parading his power. Clearly, this happened frequently. Arthur was used to this.


    In addition, he was the vice-leader of


    needed to


    Dragonshade Society


    deal with all sorts of criminal


    activity. How could he take such childish scuffles seriously?


    He was only cating Liana.


    She harrumphed and said, "Do whatever you want. He''s your son, not mine. Why am I getting all flustered about this?"


    "You''re absolutely right, my love. You adore me and love me. By extension, you show the same grace to my.


    son. Lknow, I know. I''ll buy you a bag I


    soon. Don''t be angry. I''ve stilPgot a


    lot of things to handle."


    Arthur was being cheated on by his son and his new wife. He probably wouldn''t have imagined this, even in a dream.


    Just as I was marvelling at their incestuous rtionship, a familiar figure showed


    up.


    My eyes widened and I nearly jumped out of my seat.


    "Lynn!"


    The gorgeous woman who passed Arthur could only be Lynn. Why was she there? What surprised me even more was the fact that she had Riley with her as well!


    Arthur caught sight of Lynn and said, "Why have you only gotten here now? Jaxon has been waiting for you for hours!"


    Lynn said coldly, "I''ve told you that I don''t want to have anything to do with Dragonshade Society. What can I do for you guys to let me be? If you hadn''t threatened me with Riley, I wouldn''t havee."


    This was it! Dragonshade society used Riley to threaten Lynn and force her into meeting with them.


    The stupid woman! Hadn''t I told her to contact me if she ran into trouble?

 Chapter 328

    Why hadn''t Lynn told me about this?


    Adam snorted at Lynn''s words. "You don''t want to have anything to do with Dragonshade Society? What nonsense is that? I''m telling you, Jaxon called you over to apany our guests. Go change and primp yourself up. Obey his instructions. If you dare step out of line, your bastard child will pay for it!"


    He waved, and two men stepped forward. They dragged Riley away.


    Riley was extremely pale. She waved her fists and screamed. However, no words came out.


    The terror in her eyes elicited so much pity even Quintus was moved.


    "Riley!"


    Lynn was horrified. She chased after them in an attempt to protect Riley. However, Arthur grabbed her arm.


    "Stop getting worked up. As long as you obey us, the kid will be fine. Isn''t she mute? If you don''t obey us, I don''t mind making her blind too."


    Lynn''s eyes widened. Tears streamed down her cheeks. "How? How could you be so cruel? Aren''t you scared that karma will get you?"


    "Karma? We''re all sinning on a daily basis. Which one of us would be scared of that? Stop with your nonsense. Go get changed. You lot, take her away."


    "Yes, sir!"


    They dragged her away.


    Liana crossed her arms and red at Lynn disdainfully. "I have no idea what men see in her. Every man in Dragonshade Society treats her as though she''s a precious gem."


    Arthur chuckled and said, "What do you know? She''s got a naive look permanently imprinted on her face, as well as an amazing figure, not to mention the fact that she was Elijah''s girlfriend. Fucking her is an experience in itself.


    "What, are you jealous? Don''t worry. I don''t like her at all. You''re the only woman I love."


    Liana gave him a perfunctory smile. Clearly, she did not believe him.


    However, I was no longer interested in their family drama. I immediately asked Quintus to drive to their event. At the same time, I called Mason.


    "You should probablye over. I''m going to destroy Dragonshade Society today."


    When we arrived at the event hall, we slipped into the event using the documents Quintus had prepared beforehand. Then, we found a quiet corner and sat down.


    Initially, I hadn''t nned toe. I was going to let Quintus and Mason deal with


    it. I wasn''t counting on Lynn and Riley being present.


    I couldn''t leave them with someone


    else in good conscience, especially Riley. She was already tra


    She Couldn''t be harmed any further. I had to save her.


    Thankfully, I received a text shortly after entering the hall.


    "Riley is perfectly fine. I brought her


    out of the hall and sent her home She has calmed down after a


    session with hero


    and is now asleep."


    I felt better after seeing this text. All would be fine as long as Riley was alright.


    A man with a buzzcut in a padded suit who was decked out in tattoos walked out.


    Quintus softly informed me, "He''s Jaxon Wilde, the head of Dragonshade Society."


    Jaxon?


    "Is this his real name? Or a code name?"


    Quintus replied, "He changed his own name. I think his name used to be Rupert Wilde."

 Chapter 329

    I snorted. He chose a good name.


    Jaxon was about forty to 50 years old. He looked scary, like a stereotypical mobster. His pretentious swagger made me want to beat him up.


    Six of his guards, who were his favorite subordinates, trailed after him. Lynn also slunk in behind him in a short, red dress.


    People tutted and said, "Isn''t that our boss'' woman, Lynn?"


    "To be exact, she was Mr. Davis'' woman."


    "Who told you that she was only Mr. Davis'' woman? It''s not like Mr. Wilde hasn''t slept with her either."


    "He''s not the only one who''s done so. I heard that Arthur and the other leaders have had long-term sexual rtionships with her as well. She''s public property now."


    "As if. If she was public property, you could seek her out right now and see whether she let you have a go at her."


    "Hey, Mr. Wilde always called her over during such gatherings. He''s trying to tell everyone that our ex-leader''s woman is now his ything, isn''t he? Hah!"


    Everyone whispered at their entrance.


    I wanted to cover my ears to prevent myself from hearing their disgusting conversations. However, I couldn''t do so.


    I could no longer stand it. I told Quintus, "There''s no need to wait anymore. Let''s begin."


    Quintus stood up immediately and walked toward the door.


    I red at Jaxon and pondered about how Elijah had fallen into this asshole''s trap and gotten Dragonshade Society stolen from under his nose.


    Just as I was staring at him, I caught a familiar figure in the corner of my eye. It was Damian.


    I watched him rush over to Jaxon and point at his wounds, grumbling incessantly. He was probablyining about how I''d beat him up.


    Jaxon frowned and gave him a re. In a few sentences, he sent Damian off.


    Even Damian''s own father didn''t give a damn about it. Why would Jaxon care? Damian stewed in a corner angrily.


    Liana went over to me. Sparks flew when they made eye contact, but no onemented on it.


    Suddenly, someone tapped the microphone. Jaxon had brought Liana on stage. She crossed her arms and was looking away. Her gaze was cool and brimming with hatred.


    v


    On the other hand, Jaxon was grinning. With his microphone hand, he surveyed the room. Evidently, he was satisfied with the


    important people who''d showet


    up.


    "Everyone, please pause what you''re doing for a moment. Today''s gathering is one among friends. At the same time, it is a celebratory feast to celebrate the fact that Dragonshade Society has imed control over Quad District!


    Everyone pped.


    Jaxon was pleased. He continued, "We wouldn''t have managed this without all your help! I''ve decided that everyone who helped in this will be given 500 dors. Anyone who yed an integral part will be rewarded with an additional 1,000 dors!"


    Everyone pped.


    I was affronted. Jaxon was being so petty!

 Chapter 330

    As a gang, iming managerial control over Quad District meant that their


    revenue would increase by a few millions annually.


    Yet, Jaxon only gave his subordinates a tiny amount of money. It probably only totalled up to around a few tens of thousands. This wasn''t just petty. He was being selfish!


    "Everyone here today is part of our family. Each of you are important guests. Enjoy your feast. If you''ve got any questions or any ideas,e talk to me. I''ll entertain all your queries! Lynn, you''ll represent Dragonshade Society and toast Arthur as well as our best subordinates one by one!"


    Lynn seemed to be aware of this, as it did not seem to surprise her. She numbly walked toward the table with the champagne bottles stacked on top.


    However, when she brought the wine to Arthur, he grabbed her ss and poured it on her face.


    "Why are you pulling a long face on such a glorious day?"


    Although she had gotten wine poured all over her in front of a crowd, she didn''t show any sign of displeasure, despite the embarrassing situation.


    She merely said gently, "Thank you for teaching me this lesson, Mr. Wilde. I apologize for my actions."


    "If you are apologetic, smile right now!"


    Lynn inhaled. She forced a smile.


    "Fuck, you''re even uglier when you smile than when you cry!"


    Everyone roared inughter. Only Lynn remained silent.


    I could tell that they were humiliating Lynn to humiliate Elijah. She was not their target. After all, she was Elijah''s favorite girlfriend. Before meeting her, he had many women. However, no one came after Lynn. He was devoted to her and even intended to marry her.


    Everyone thought of her as the official boss'' wife.


    However, Elijah had passed and now Lynn was being treated horribly. This was Jaxon''s way of humiliating and getting back at Elijah.


    After they were done cackling, Lynn picked up her ss and continued toasting Arthur.


    Arthur snorted before bringing his ss to his lips.


    I couldn''t take it anymore.


    Although there would be a good showter, I couldn''t watch Lynn get pushed around passively. So, I picked my ss up and walked to her side.


    My sudden appearance struck everyone dumb.


    During a private celebratory event, a stranger managed to sneak his way in, looking like he meant business. Who wouldn''t be dumbfounded.


    Lynn''s eyes widened as though she''d seen a ghost. "You..."


    Before she could continue, I consoled her, "Riley is safe. Don''t worry. I had someone send her home."


    "What? You... really?"


    When I nodded, Lynn was ecstatic. She then said nervously, "Thank you, but you must leave as soon as possible. This is not somewhere you can be."


    She then turned to Jaxon and said, "I-I''m sorry, Mr. Wilde. This is one of the workers at my bar. He''s asking to be paid. I have no idea how he snuck in. I''ll make him leave now."


    She pushed me, trying to send me off.


    I didn''t budge. Instead, I told her seriously, "Lynn, I''m here to save you. You don''t


    have to toast them. They don''t deserve it."


    Although Lynn had tried to exin, everyone had been enraged by what happened. When they heard what I said, their faces fell. Anger took over. "Where did this assholee from? How dare he say that?"


    "Did you hear that? He said that Mr. Wilde didn''t deserve Lynn''s toast. Is he insane?"


    "In the past, people would sacrifice animals during celebratory feasts. We skipped that part just now.


    §á§à§â


    we could kill this asshole


    as a form of celebration!"

 Chapter 331

    Iughed. "Kill me? Come, who said they wanted to kill me? Whoever''s brave enough cane right over. We''ll see whether you''re capable of doing so!"


    There were many ways to destroy Dragonshade Society.


    Mason definitely wouldn''t go down the illegal route. However, if anyone


    threatened me, it would be a different situation altogether.


    The White family woulde after them. I didn''t mind finding a few people to bear


    the anger of the Whites. Kill two birds with one stone!


    Before I could finish, a blonde haired kid came to stand in front of me.


    "I said it. What are you going to do about it? What do you think? If I wanted you to die right now, you wouldn''t live past the next minute!"


    I nced at him. He was at most 19 years old.


    He was either the son of one of the members, or he was a punk who skipped school and got into fights in order to get into Dragonshade Society.


    I chuckled coldly and said, "I don''t feel anything about it. However, I want you to die right now."


    I stuck a hand on my hip and drew my fist back. Then, I punched his face.


    It made an impact with his face. He flew backward and crashed into the crowd


    behind him. A few people copsed along with him.


    The atmosphere changed.


    The mocking gazes turned serious. Their res burned.


    Jaxon still had his ss in hand. The smile on his face hadn''t subsided. However, his eyes gleamed furiously.


    Today was Dragonshade Society''s great day. It was supposed to be his day of pride since he took over.


    This was the first celebratory event since the takeover. Yet, this asshole disrupted his ns!


    He clenched his fist and shattered his ss. Jaxon said, "Who are you? Tell me your name."


    I had alreadye this far. Might as well go on. I stuck my hands into my pockets. Without moving, I tilted my head and red abhim


    emotionlessly.


    "You''re just a dumbass who betrayed his master. You don''t deserve to know my name!"


    "Alright! I have never seen someone so stupidly brave. Jerry!"


    A man almost six foot emerged from the crowd. His bulging muscles could be seen through his wife-beater and cargo pants. Ho


    even wore fighting gloves. His eyes zed monstrously. Clearly, he wasn''t someone to be messed with. I was as weak as a mouse before him.


    To be honest, I was spooked by a man like this.


    Even though Quintus was helping me, he was doing so behind the scenes. Could


    he intimidate a monster like this?


    I was a little unsure.


    Indeed, Jerry was a monster. He walked without saying a word.


    , he raised his fist met


    punch me.


    "Careful!"

 Chapter 332

    Lynn screamed. I dropped to the ground and rolled, avoiding Jerry''s punch. However, this was my maximum!


    Although I had learned manybat styles because of my family''s education, it could only win against untrained people. In the face of professionally trained people, it was nothing.


    As expected, I had just evaded the first punch when the second one came down.


    I could only try to avoid the punch. It would probably kill me. At the same time, I took a champagne bottle and threw it. The bottle shattered on Jerry''s head. However, it seemed to have no effect on him as he continued charging at me. "Don''t evade him! Weren''t you very prideful just now?"


    "Look how he''s been terrified by Jerry? He''s probably pissing his pants."


    "From this guy''s moves, he probably has some basicbat knowledge. He must''ve thought he was some knight swooping in to save the princess, even daring to stick his nose into matters of Dragonshade Society!"


    Damian squeezed his way to the front of the crowd and screamed at Arthur, "Dad, it''s him! He was the one who beat me up!"


    Liana narrowed her eyes and huffed. "He''s brave. Not only did he beat up Damian, he even chased Damian here to make a scene."


    She turned to Lynn next and said, "Lynn, who is this? How dare you bring someone like that to make a scene in front of Jaxon? You must have a death wish!"


    Lynn was horrified. She shook her head vigorously and said, "No, no. I didn''t bring him here. He... He''s just a worker at my bar. William, stop fighting. Apologize to Mr. Wilde!"


    I couldn''t be bothered to pay attention to her.


    Jerry''s every attack escted. My aversion tactics were slipping. I was terrified that I would get punched in the next second. I would die with blood spurting out of my mouth at the impact.


    Suddenly, there was a racket near the door. Around eight members of Dragonshade Society copsed in front of Jaxon. One of them nearly fell on him.


    Jaxon was the leader of Dragonshade Society for a reason. In the face of such a dramatic situation, he could still remain motionless. He was brave, at the very least.


    Everyone turned their gazes from me to the door. Jerry stopped as well and looked at the door curiously.


    Arthur raged, "Where''s Oscar, the useless twit? How dare he disappear? He is the team lead of the security faction. Now the function is absolutely chaotic. He''s got a death wish!"


    As he spoke, the guards around the entrance had been dealt with.


    Then, fifty something men in suits and sunsses marched into the hall.


    Inparison with the colorfully dressedckeys in the room, these guards defeated theckeys just by their looks.


    After walking in, they stood in two lines, clearing a path between them.


    Then, four men walked in, holding a stretcher. Although there was a white cloth on


    the stretcher, they could still see the imprint of a human.


    Everyone in the room was astounded. They had never seen such a situation before!


    Even during Elijah''s reign, no one had dared to show up at their ce and dere


    a challenge. No one dared to offend them to this extent.


    Jaxon could no longer hold it in. He gritted his teeth and clenched his fists. "Who are you? Don''t you know that this celebratory feast belongs to Dragonshade Society? I''m the leader of Dragonshade Society, Jaxon


    Wilde!"  to


    Eight professional guards stood behind him as he spoke. Their eyes radiated murder.

 Chapter 333

    After putting down the stretcher, one of the guards took his white gloves out and threw them aside. He said emotionlessly, "We knew that Dragonshade Society would be holding a gathering here. My boss asked us to give you a huge gift."


    Although he spoke politely, not a single person was pleased by his words. They hade in and sent his men flying. It was a sign that they hadn''te in peace. This "gift" probably wasn''t anything nice!


    Arthur hissed through his teeth, "You must be the only person who''s so cowardly when gifting a gift. Jerry, show him the consequences of breaking the rules of Dragonshade Society!"


    "Yes, Sir."


    Jerry, who''d just been fighting with me, immediately turned and advanced toward the man in the suit.


    He stood there motionlessly, watching as Jerry approached.


    Once Jerry advanced into his personal space, Jerry punched at him like he did me. However, he then froze.


    The man had used his left hand to catch Jerry''s fist.


    Jerry''s face was flushed red. He mustered all his strength trying to go on the offensive. Yet, his hand was grabbed so tightly he couldn''t even move! Indeed, capable people were terrifying.


    Jerry couldn''t hold a me to this man''s power.


    Yet, Jerry was considered one of the most powerful men in Dragonshade Society.


    In their short moment of conflict, the man quickly figured out where Jerry''s limits were. He couldn''t help but smirk disdainfully.


    "That''s it?"


    He twisted Jerry''s fist in the other direction using his left hand.


    Jerry''s eyes widened in fear. He protested hurriedly, "No... Don''t..."


    However, it was toote to beg for mercy now.


    Without hesitation, the man broke Jerry''s arm. Jerry moaned. With a snap, his limb came out!


    Silence fell over the hall.


    The man pped his hand once and said coldly, "My boss prepared a huge gift ift for Dragonshade Society Yet, not only did you all not appreciate it, but you even sent people to challenge me. What a disy of bad manners. I could only help him teach you guys the proper way to go about things. There''s no need to thank me."


    Jaxon was pale as he asked, "Who is your boss?"


    He spat, "The Whites, hailing from Gothville."


    His short sentence made Jaxon''s expression changepletely. The blood


    drained out of Arthur''s face as well. He widened his eyes.


    All his subordinates traded nces with each other, having no idea as to what was happening.


    Jaxon stumbled and asked in


    disbelief, "Dragonshade Society kas never had any interaction with the Whites, nor have we offended you. W-why have youe to wreck our event?"


    "What do you mean you haven''t offended us? Dragonshade Society has offended Mr. White multiple times. The fact that he hasn''t asked us to murder all of you is already a sign of respect."


    He then waved his hand.


    "Mr. Wilde, you shoulde over and take a look at the gift."


    It definitely wasn''t a gift!


    However, Jaxon was intrigued. In addition, if someone from the White family asked him to unwrap his gift, he had to do so. They would not take no for an answer.


    So, he slowly walked toward the stretcher. He''d seen many corpses prior to this. However, this was the first one that had him feeling so nervous.

 Chapter 334

    Jaxon kneeled down in front of the stretcher and unveiled the corpse.


    A corpse which had begun the dposing process was exposed before him and the members of Dragonshade Society. When they recognized him, everyone inhaled sharply.


    "It''s Oscar!"


    "Oscar..."


    "Oscar''s dead?"


    Lynn pped a hand over a mouth and turned to me in horror.


    Oscar had been thrown from a floor above her apartment. He died within herpound. For the past few days, she had been restless. Seeing his corpse now obviously gave her a shock.


    I signaled at her to calm down. Then, I walked in front of her to block her line of sight.


    Even if this corpse wasn''t Oscar, it wasn''t good practice to allow a woman to see a corpse.


    Suddenly, the sound of suede shoes rapping on the floor rang out.


    As everyone had been silenced by the sight of Oscar''s corpse, the sound of his footsteps seemed louder than they were.


    A man in a suit and a slick-back walked in with a cigarette in hand. He looked to be around 40 years of age. Although he seemed like a gentleman, there was no warmth in his eyes.


    Upon seeing him, Jaxon''s eyes widened. "M-Mason Connaught?"


    Mason smiled and said, "Not bad. At least you still recognize me."


    Jaxon gulped and asked, "You killed Oscar?"


    ed and said, "Don''t


    Mason chuckled


    use the good guy. Based on the police''s investigations into the matter, Oscar drank too much and fell from an apartment. It had nothing to do with me. I was merely kind enough to procure the corpse and return it to you guys


    As he spoke, he strode over to Jaxon.


    Jaxon looked terrified. "I don''t know... I haven''t done anything to you guys. Why are you doing this?"


    Mason shook his head. "It looks like Mr. Wilde has some hearing problems. Hasn''t my subordinate told you this? You offended Mr. White."


    "I''ve never seen Mr. White, though."


    "Oh, it looks like your eyesight isn''t particrly good either, Mr. Wilde Our boss is closer than you think. You''d just ordered your subordinate to beat him up. Have you forgotten?"


    Jaxon thought, "Closer than I thought? When did I ask for him to be beaten up?"


    Then, he turned to me and asked, "You''re referring to ... him?"


    I''d wanted to keep my identity a secret. However, there was no point in doing so now. I walked over to Mason and admitted, "It''s me."


    Everyone turned to me once more. Lynn looked as though her eyeballs were about to pop out of their sockets.


    Initially, Damian had been ring at me furiously, nning out his revenge n. However, after my deration he paled.


    Liana put her palm over her mouth and took a step back, terrified that I would notice her.


    Naturally, I wouldn''t give them the time of day.


    Mason would deal with this for me. I didn''t need to do anything myself.


    Jaxon looked at me in confusion.


    "Mr. White, it was my problem. I didn''t know your identity and offended you. However, before. today''s celebratory event, I had no idea who you were. I haven''t done anything wrong toward you either. Why are you giving us a hard time?"

 Chapter 335

    I yanked Lynn toward me and said coldly, "Did I stutter? Lynn is with me."


    Jaxon froze. Then, he frowned and said, "I got it, Mr. White. Indeed, I hadn''t known that Lynn was your girlfriend before this. It''s news to me. If I''d known, I wouldn''t have humiliated her! Dragonshade Society hasn''t done anything to offend the White family since its conception. Mr. White, please be the bigger person and give us an opportunity to make up for our mistakes."


    I chuckled coldly, "You want to make up for your mistakes? You tortured and humiliated my girlfriend. Today, you even dragged Riley over and sent Damian to wreck my gathering. You want to smooth things over with a few words?"


    Jaxon''s expression turned into one of understanding. He red at Arthur.


    Arthur knew that it was toote to say anything. He could only turn and pull Damian out from where he''d been cowering behind Arthur.


    "You little shit. Quick, apologize to Mr. White!"


    Damian trembled and grovelled, "Mr. White I-I''ve made a mistake. I had no idea you were the famous Mr. White. If I''d known, I would''ve never dared to offend you!


    "How about this? I''ll pay for your friends'' party today! Also, I''ll send people to give those girlsvish gifts to apologize. I''ll apologize to Benjamin in person too! Please, I''m begging you, spare me!"


    He kept apologizing, seeming quite genuine.


    I didn''t have an inconsble grudge with him. We only had a verbal argument, not


    to mention the fact that I had already beaten him up in the hotel. I wasn''t nning on dwelling on it.


    "Fine. Do as you promised and this bes water under the bridge."


    Damian wiped the sweat off his brows and apologized. Then, he backed off and stood behind Athurt.


    I turned to Jaxon. "You disregarded the hierarchy and betrayed Elijah. Then, you humiliate his girlfriend. People like you will never make it! From today onward, you''re no longer the leader of Dragonshade Society. You''re forbidden from remaining in Welsington.


    "Dragonshade Society will be taken over by Mason Connaught of Quadrant Springs. Everyone who''s willing to work under Mr. Connaught can remain. Those who aren''t, get out of Welsington too. Never appear before me ever again!" Upon hearing this, Jason froze.


    Everyone nced at each other. Led by Arthur, they chorused Mason''s praise.


    Dragonshade Society ceased to exist! Quadrant Springs and Dragonshade Society had merged.


    Mason gave me a grateful look.


    Initially, my orders had been to destroy Dragonshade Society. This was a


    gargantuan task. He might not have been able to manage it even if I''d given him a few years.


    A merger was much easier.


    Everyone in Dragonshade Society


    would join Quadrant Springs. Mason


    would only have to keep Arthur and


    Ou


    the other team leads in line. Everyone else would fall in after.


    If Mason attempts this himself, it might''ve been too hard a task.


    However, with the Whites supporting him and the fact that themon came from me, the members of Dragonshade Society wouldn''t dare to revolt. They would obey Mason''s orders.


    "Mr. Connaught, I''ll leave the rest to you. Let''s go, Lynn."


    "Goodbye, Mr. White!"


    Mason wanted to see me off, but I raised a hand to stop him.


    There were many things to wrap up after this. He would be busy for a while. I


    didn''t want him to waste his time on me. So, I took Lynn''s hand and went outside.


    We strolled back. On the way, I wanted to exin things to her.


    However, I didn''t know how to begin.


    "I hadn''t expected you to be the heir to the White family ... If I''d known you were this powerful, I wouldn''t have needed to worry so much. Thank you so much, Mr. White."

 Chapter 336

    I smiled. "Don''t call me Mr. White. Call me William in the future."


    "How could I do that?"


    "Why not? I came to Welsington for college to keep my identity a secret and make some friends who weren''t here to score a share of my power. If I cared about how people addressed me, I wouldn''t be here."


    Lynn was surprised. She said, "That exins it. You''re really flying under the radar. You didn''t even have a car."


    "I have a car. However, I couldn''t be bothered to drive it. If I did, I would''ve needed to find a ce to park as well as a mechanic to maintain it. It''s too much trouble. As a student, it''s easier to call a cab when I need it.


    "Lynn, we''ve got to prioritize Riley now. Why don''t you apany her to the psychologist''s for a checkup today?"


    Lynn nodded solemnly and agreed, "Got it. Don''t worry. I''ll take her there in the afternoon."


    She adored Riley. I wasn''t afraid she would ck off.


    However, she had gone through a lot herself and was probably exhausted. I thought for a moment before saying, "How about this? I''ll give you a week off. During this period, unless something happens to the bar which requires your presence, you don''t have to fret over this. Take a break and apany Riley at home."


    "Thank you, Mr. Whi-William."


    I smiled and said, "You know I''m trying to keep things secret, so you mustn''t leak my identity. In addition, I might visit your bar often. To prevent people from feeling suspicious, I''ll take up a job as a part-timer. You get me?"


    Lynn was intelligent. She nodded immediately and said, "Don''t worry. I know what to do."


    "Great. You should go home now. I need to make a trip to a friend''s ce."


    After saying our goodbyes, I went back to the hotel to meet with Benjamin.


    When I got there, I saw many people entering the hotel. My friends had finished their meal. However, there


    were a few people bestowing them with gifts.


    "I''m a representative of Aurora Jewellers. Here''s a pair of gold earrings!"


    "I''m a representative of Borealis Crystals. Here''s a diamond ne."


    "I''m a representative of Ebony Makeup. Here''s a set of facial products."


    Everyone, including Tiffany herself was stunned.


    They didn''t even have time to discuss what was happening. There were too many peopleing to give various things. A line had formed.


    "William''s here!"


    Matthew noticed me and walked up to me, "Damn, William. What''s going on? This wasn''t your doing, was it?"


    I smiled and said softly, "I lied to Damian and said that if he didn''t apologize to Benjamin and Tiffany, I would continue sending people to beat him up. He was terrified and came over to apologize."


    "Really?"


    Matthew wasn''t aplete idiot. I couldn''t fool him so easily.


    "Damian is the nephew of the leader


    of Dragonshade Society. He''s seen many things, and upies a


    powerful societal position. Would he be fooled by a few part-tim


    actors?"


    I coughed, but failed to find another reason. I could only say, "Perhaps he''s a bit


    stupid!"

 Chapter 337

    As we were chatting, Damian came over himself.


    He still had bruises on his face. However, he paid them no attention. He made a beeline toward Benjamin and grovelled, "Mr. Carter, I was blind and and offended you. I hope you can forgive me! These gifts are part of my apology. If you ept them, it means you''ve forgiven me. I''ll be your servant catering to your every whim. One sentence from you and I''ll do anything you ask!"


    Benjamin gulped.


    This was the first time in his life he had experienced being so revered by others.


    He had no idea what was going on. However, to prevent exposing himself before Tiffany, he said, "Fine, that''s good. Make yourself scarce. I forgive you."


    "Thank you, Mr. Carter. I won''t disturb your feast. All your spendings here will be under my tab. I''ll take my leave now."


    Then, he looked up at me, as though he was asking for permission to leave.


    I nodded lightly.


    He sighed in relief and escaped. Damian probably never wanted to see me again.


    Everyone working in the restaurant was confused after him and his subordinates left. They''d seen too many unexpected things today. Stories of today probably could fill up days of conversation.


    I slung my arm around Benjamin''s shoulders and said, "You''re amazing, Ben!"


    Benjamin looked at me shyly. He''d probably guessed that I was behind this. While he was grateful, he was also slightly concerned, "William, what''s going on? These things..."


    "Damian was spooked. These are all gifts to Tiffany. Just take it."


    Benjamin sighed and said, "Wee from a poor family, so we have no use for such expensive products. Maybe I''ll just ask Tiffany to return them. Damian would kill us if he realizes he was scammed."


    "That''s not going to happen. Don''t worry. He wouldn''t dare to do so. As to all this, you guys can return it if


    you want to. After all, the money that you get will be yours in the end."


    Initially, I had nned to give Tiffany some money before she went home. Since


    Benjamin wanted to return these gifts, I didn''t need to do so anymore.


    Returning all this would leave them with around fifty thousand. It was enough for now. If I gave even more, it might mess with their worldview


    toe into contact with


    huge amount of money


    §ã§Ü§Ñ


    unexpectedly.


    I hoped that they remained as pure as they were now, rather than falling into the seductive lure of money.


    After finishing our meal, Benjamin brought his sister to return the gifts while I helped the girls find a hotel to stay at. Then, I went back to our hostel with Liam and Matthew.


    They were still bubbling with excitement after getting back. They kept discussing what happened today.


    I chomped on my watermelon while listening to their conversation. The way they described it seemed much more interesting.


    Matthew''s phone rang suddenly. He nced at it and said, "My wife is calling me!" He picked up immediately.


    Liam made a funny face at me and said softly, "His rtionship is going to face a swift death if he keeps shoving it in our faces."


    I smiled and said nothing.


    Matthew turned to me and said,


    Buja


    "You want to treat William to a meal? Sure, why not? He''s been busy with Tiffany today and hasn''t eaten much Now, he''s snacking on watermelon. Alright, I''ll tell him about it. He''ll be there!"


    Matthew hung up and came to sit beside me.


    "William, here''s your chance at love!"

 Chapter 338

    I wasn''t interested. "I''ve got a girlfriend. Why would I need a chance at love?"


    "Hey, isn''t Felicia missing? You could date someone for now. When shees back, you can just break up with her!"


    I was speechless. "Do you think I''m a heartless yboy?"


    "No, this is just human nature. To be honest, Charlotte wants to treat you to a meal. She was too shy to do so one-on-one, so she brought Isabelle with her. You get me?"


    Matthew winked at me.


    Upon hearing that this was Charlotte''s doing, I was even more dissuaded.


    This woman was insane. I''d saved her multiple times but she viewed me in disdain. Charlotte treated people based on their family status. If my family was poor, it didn''t matter what I did. If I hailed from a good family, I didn''t need to save her to be treated like a king.


    I was also uninterested in Charlotte.


    She was Lina''s friend. In the beginning, she was always with Lina. I fell in love with Lina at first sight. After all, she was cute and obedient. I wasn''t interested in the cool girl who looked down on me.


    With what she did to be in the future, it further reduced my willingness to give a damn about her.


    However, Matthew kept pleading, "Just go. It''s not like you''ll lose anything by eating with her. I''ve promised Isabelle that you''d go. You can''t allow Isabelle to get pissed over this and ignore me, can you?"


    I couldn''t stand his repeated pleads, so I went.


    Luckily, they asked me to meet at the bar. Coincidentally, I had to make a trip there anyway to check the bnces. In the future, we will run it properly. I''d swing by to see Isabelle and Charlotte.


    When I walked in, I saw Charlotte and Isabelle already sitting there.


    Upon approaching them, I heard Isabelle say, "I''m surprised you changed your mind and agreed to date William."


    Charlotte said. "Aftering back, I thought about the sequence of events after getting to know him. He isn''t who he makes himself out to be. I hadn''t given things much §Ö thought and believed him to be a


    poor loser. However, when I put the pieces together, I realized that it wasn''t the case at all. Whenever I got help, he was always in the vicinity. Even if it wasn''t him, it had to be his friends."


    "However, I don''t know why he''s pretending to be poor. I''d like to use this opportunity to get close to him and observe."


    So this was why. Charlotte hadn''t lost her brainspletely. She suspected me.


    Isabelle said, "Even if William didn''t have another identity, with this personality and the fact that he''d helped you multiple times, you should be grateful for him and be nice to him.


    "However, if you want to date him, that might be hard. Firstly, he''s still devoted to Felicia. Secondly, you''ve always been screaming at him when you meet, not to mention how you humiliated him and looked down on him. He might not ept your pursuit that easily."


    Charlotte huffed. "Save it. If Lina can bag him with her meager tricks, why would I


    have a problem? As long as I start being nice to him now, he''ll be mine soon enough.


    I chuckled.


    She was average, but her confidence was certainly through the roof.


    I stopped eavesdropping. I walked toward them and said, "Isabelle, you wanted to see me."


    Isabelle got up immediately and pulled me over to take a seat. "You''re here. It wasn''t me who wanted to see you. Charlotte has something to say to you."

 Chapter 339

    I turned to Charlotte and waited for her to speak. She blushed before saying anything.


    Charlotte coughed and said, "William, I thought about everything that happened after we met. I realized that not only have you never offended me, you''ve always been helping me. Yet, I''ve never thanked you for this before. I wanted to thank you." "Oh."


    She hadn''t expected my reaction to be so cool. After a pause, she said, "Apart from thanking you, I would also like to ask you who you really are. Everyone at school says that your parents sell fruits for a living and don''t have much money. Yet, it doesn''t seem right to me."


    Iughed and shot back, "Then who do you think I seem like?"


    Charlotte tested the waters. "I think you seem like a rich kid."


    "Hey, you''ve seen through me! Looks like all my hiding was for naught!"


    I leaned back in my chair and chuckled.


    Charlotte asked, "Hide? You are..."


    "You''re right. My family is loaded. If not, how would I be decked out in luxury items? Look at my shirt and my pants. They''re all branded goods. My shoes are also limited edition ones. Aren''t they amazing?"


    When I didn''t want to admit it, the more I tried to deny it, the more suspicion it would ignite. On the other hand, if I owned up to it while leaving a few plot holes, she would disprove her own theory.


    I was taking an alternative route.


    Upon hearing my words, she frowned, seemingly holding branded items in disdain.


    I sprawled in my chair and pointed at our surroundings. "To be honest, this bar also belongs to me. I''m the boss!"


    "You!"


    Isabelle and Charlotte yelled at the same time.


    They widened their eyes in disbelief. "You''re the boss? How could that be possible? Weren''t you working here thest time we came?"


    "That was an act. I was pretending to be poor! In reality, I''m loaded. I''ve got five credit cards. Look at my phone. It''s the newest model! Not everyone can afford this!"


    Charlotte chuckled dryly and said, "Really? That''s amazing."


    Isabelle found our situation awkward. Then, she looked away before saying suddenly, "William, when Charlotte and I were kidnapped, the people who saved us were wearing the bracelet I gave you. Did you know that?"


    I''d heard their conversation prior to this and said hurriedly, "Of course. I sent him was too careless and left


    the bracelet with him. You guys e


    found me out! You don''t have ne


    too grateful. Just treat me to a few meals here and there while introducing pretty girls to me."


    They were silent. Perhaps my loser behavior had turned them off.


    As I coughed and sipped at my tea


    while nning my next move to put them off my tail, I heard the manager say, "William? Which one is William? Ms. nc asked you to help out today. Although youre only a part-time worker, you can''t be toozy. We won''t pay you!"


    "Alright,ing!"


    He was my savior.


    I said to Isabelle and Charlotte, "I''ll check the bnces for the bar. Do go on with


    your meal. My apologies."

 Chapter 340

    I got up and walked backward.


    I hadn''t gotten very far when Isabelle sighed. "Indeed, we were overthinking it. How could he be rich?"


    Charlotte was disappointed as well. "I''d really thought... How disappointing. If he were rich, I wouldn''t have minded being with him."


    Did she think she was the most desirable person in the world? She may not have minded, but I minded very much.


    She continued, "It looks like the guy helping me from behind the scenes isn''t William. William just took a bite of his glory. Fortunately, I hadn''t made things too clear. What a waste of time."


    They left after speaking without even staying back to finish their meal.


    Isabelle waved goodbye to me. Charlotte just turned and left. It greatly contrasted how she behaved when I first walked in.


    I didn''t want to pay them any attention. Even looking at her was a waste of my time.


    I headed straight to Lynn''s office and checked their ount bnces. I hadn''t had any idea before this. After reading their financial statements, I was struck dumb.


    In the month I bought the bar, their revenue had hit the 90-thousand mark. That was only their profit.


    If this kept up, our monthly revenue would be at least 15 thousand. In a year, there would be 1.8 million. It was a small investment with huge returns.


    I called Lynn and told her about her financial statements and our future prospects.


    She merely smiled and said, "This isn''t even peak season. There haven''t been any festivities this month, and I was too exhausted to run any activities. This is just regr business. If I did four to six promotions a month, our revenue would multiply."


    I didn''t need to feel concerned about this. So, I figured that I''d leave it to Lynn.


    "Have you been to the psychologist with Riley? What''s his diagnosis?"


    Lynn said solemnly, "I have. He said that she had closed herself off. Treatment would be difficult and


    .n


    long time. He asked me to


    xepare myself mentally for this."


    "It means that Riley''s condition can be treated. She''ll recover one day!"


    Lynn paused. Then, she smiled and praised, "You''re optimistic."


    "Lynn, take care of Riley. Prioritize her, as well as your own well-being. If the bar upies too much of your time you can tell me. I''ll get you an assistant."


    "There''s no need for that. I can manage."


    She was a prideful woman. When I doubted her capabilities, she shot me down immediately and vehemently refused a helper.


    I could only give up.


    When I hung up and left the bar, it was almost sunset. I stretched and felt my stomach grumbling. So, I started looking for a ce to eat.


    I remembered a senior mentioning on social media about a new pasta spot in Welsington that was supposed to be great, so I took a cab straight there.


    I''d just gotten there when I heard an argument.


    "I told you that I only wanted the pasta to be mildly spicy. I nearly died. My stomach hurts even now. I don''t care. If you don''tpensate me with 500 dors, I''llin about your restaurant forevermore!"

 Chapter 341

    I nced over at the noisy person, who wore sses and appeared polite. But when he shouted, it was like a fierce beast. No one dared to approach him.


    The waitress before him lowered her head, not daring to say a single word. Tears kept falling onto the floor.


    The boss seemed to be siding with the customer. "Jane, you must have misheard. You offended the guest, and now you need to take responsibility. The customer is demanding 500 dors inpensation. Hurry up and give it to him."


    The waitress, who felt aggrieved, raised her head. "But he clearly said it wanted the spice level to be mild."


    "You''re talking nonsense!"


    This had nothing to do with me, and I was just nning to watch and order food. But when I heard the waitress'' voice, I suddenly lost my calm. I walked up to her and pulled her aside. To my surprise, it was Jane.


    "W-What are you doing here?"


    She was equally shocked to see me. "Will?"


    I looked at her pale face and was speechless.


    When she left the hospital, I had given her living expenses and arranged for her to stay at Imperia Manor. She wouldn''tck money until she graduated from university. So why was she working here? Could she have spent all the money I gave her?


    She became very nervous under my scrutinizing gaze. "Will, don''t misunderstand. I''m working here because I want to be independent. I don''t want to keep relying on you."


    "Independent? You''ve just recovered from your illness. If you overwork and damage your health, won''t the medical bills be even higher? Besides, aren''t you going to reapply to my university and study there? How can you work and study at the same time?"


    Jane lowered her head, a little afraid. "I can work and study at the same time. I scored first ce in the mock examst time."


    "Still, you shouldn''t be working!"


    Jane wasn''t just any poor kid. I considered her as a sister of mine. My sister shouldn''t be serving food in a restaurant.


    While we were arguing, the


    troublemaker with sses couldn''t sit still. "Brat, so you''re her brother? Perfect. Then you can pay the 500 dors. She brought me the wrong dish and made it too spicy, causing me difort.


    "I need ten times thepensation. And based on thew, if tenfold of the original amount is less than 500 dors, the totalpensation defaults to 500 dors!"


    Jane was about to argue, but I pulled her behind me.


    "You said she brought you the wrong dish? Do you have proof that you ordered medium spice? And how do you prove that your stomach hurts? You''re just talking nonsense and trying to scam her. Do you think that you''re some old man?"


    The man with sses widened his eyes, his face red in anger. "If it hadn''t been so damn spicy, why would I even bothering to her? It''s not like I''m short on 500 dors!"


    "I think you''recking, and badly so, to the point where you''re shamelessly trying to extort a young woman."


    "What did you say?" The man was furious but had no retort.


    To my surprise, the boss stepped forward and began supporting the troublemaker. "Brat, who do you think you are? Who permitted you to offend a valued guest in my restaurant?"


    I sneered, ncing at the dishes on


    the table. This te of seafood boil is worth at most 30 dors. Are people who eat here for 30 dors considered valuable guests? Your restaurant is a dump."


    "Whose restaurant are you calling a dump-"


    "I''m talking about your restaurant." I quickly fired back, not giving him a chance to respond, "Your employee is being wronged, but you''re not standing by her.


    "Instead, you''re colluding with the troublemaker. Your restaurant has no morals. I bet the food here isn''t even made from quality ingredients. It''s all probably recycled oil and rat meat."


    As soon as I said this, the few tables of customers in the restaurant quietly set down their cutleries.

 Chapter 342

    Anyone who had eaten seafood boils knew that the dish required much oil to


    cook. If they were to use only cooking oil, the cost would be too high, so palm oil was inevitably added.


    While palm oil was edible, I doubted that anyone would use it to cook at home. So, whether this practice was good or bad was a matter of debate.


    Many people knew this but remained silent, feigning ignorance. I had just exposed the truth. Anyone who cared about health would definitely think twice now.


    Seeing that I had ruined his business, the boss immediately stormed over, ready to swing at me. But before he could get close, he cried out and stumbled backward, clutching his head.


    "Huh? You didn''t even reach me, yet you''re already yelling. Aren''t you just trying to scam me? Everyone, this person is scamming me. No wonder he''s covering for this cunning customer. Turns out, they''re both in on it."


    The customers who had supported the restaurant''s boss and the spectacled man quickly changed their stance and put down their cutleries.


    Everyone had seen it. I hadn''t touched the boss, and he hadn''t even reached me. It was Quintus who was taking action from behind the scenes.


    The boss, who was holding his head, shouted angrily, "If you didn''t hit me, how would my head hurt?"


    I scoffed. "How would I know? Maybe it''s karma catching up with you after doing too many bad deeds. If you''ve encountered something spooky, chances are your restaurant has its own share of bad vibes, too.


    "Everyone who eats here might take some of that negativity home. This kind of thing? It''s bad for your spiritual credit, you know."


    When they heard this, a table of customers jumped up in shock. They quickly retreated, afraid they might encounter something spooky. They ended up backing out to the door.


    This was how people were these days. No one would act unless someone led the way. When one person stepped back, the rest followed. Soon, all the customers had retreated to the door.


    The boss was furious. "What are you doing? Don''t listen to this brat! You haven''t paid yet! You haven''t paid!"


    As soon as the word "pay" was mentioned, the customers who had been curious


    to watch themotion immediately scattered. Some ran off, others disappeared.


    Soon, the only ones left in the restaurant were Jane, me, the boss, and the spectacled man.


    The boss was so angry his face turned red. "Brat, my new restaurant just opened, and you''re already here


    Qing trouble. Who sent y


    want to die?"


    I smiled. "Didn''t I already tell you? I''m just Jane''s brother."


    here?


    "Since you''re her brother, how dare you treat me like this! Do you think I won''t fire her now?"


    "That would be great. I didn''t want her working here anyway. Jane, let''s go."


    Jane hesitated momentarily but eventually obeyed, taking off her apron and putting it on the table before walking over to me.


    The boss was dumbfounded. He shouted at her retreating figure, "Jane, you can forget about getting your wages for thest 21 days of door!"


    work if you dare walk out


    I snorted. "You''ll hand her that money with both hands, and she''ll get every penny."

 Chapter 343

    With the White family''s top-notch legal team, handling abor dispute was child''s y.


    We reached the door when the man with sses chased after us. "Wait! I want mypensation..."


    I turned around suddenly and red at him. "You''d better get lost and leave me alone. If you keep bothering me, I''ll make you regret it!"


    He was instantly stunned by my fierce look. He opened his mouth but didn''t dare say another word.


    "Let''s go." I grabbed Jane''s hand and left the restaurant. "Is there any good food around here?"


    She replied, "There''s a seafood pasta ce nearby that''s pretty good."


    "Let''s eat there."


    I was starving. Since I didn''t get to eat the seafood boil, seafood pasta would have to do.


    We walked into the seafood pasta restaurant and took our seats. After cing my order, I crossed my arms and looked at Jane sternly. She lowered her head, nervously fiddling with her fingers, not daring to look at me.


    "I understand that you want to be independent, but at least wait until you graduate high school. You can do whatever you want during the summer after graduation, and I won''t stop you.


    "Once you''re in college, though, you need to focus. University is the best opportunity to study. After you graduate, you won''t have the time for it."


    Jane nodded gently.


    I gave her a firm order. "Starting today, you won''t work anymore. Focus on your studies. If you''re really bored, you can start preparing for university courses. It''ll help you with your high school studies, too."


    She nodded again.


    I decided not to scold her further when I saw how obedient she was. Instead, I inquired, "You came out here to work. So I guess you''re not living at Imperia Manor anymore?"


    She nodded. "Imperia Manor is too far from the city center. It''s not convenient for me to get around."


    "Where are you living now?"


    "I rented a ce near the school."


    "After we finish eating, take me there."


    As I thought about it, I realized that I had no suitable ce for Jane to live.


    I had bought a few properties, but they were all in the suburbs, which wouldn''t be convenient for her. Moreover, with her background, living in a vi would probably make her ufortable.


    It seemed like I needed to help her rent a ce.


    However, she didn''t even want to ept gifts for her education, wanting to be independent. Would she feel even more indebted if I helped her rent a ce?


    I considered simply buying a


    building to turn it into rental


    apartments and letting her live in


    one of them. This way, I could better control the building''s tenants and ensure that the environment was


    safe and decent.


    With that thought in mind, I pulled out my phone and shared the idea with Mason.


    I had been bothering Victor too


    muchtely, so I didn''t want to trouble him anymore. Instead, contacted Mason, who had recently made a profit by helping me with The Dragonshade Society business.


    "Mr. White, you want to buy an entire apartment building?"


    "Yes. Please help me find one near Groton High, preferably in a quiet area."


    He replied There are three apartment buildings near Groton High, but only one fits your criteria. However, the owner of this building is hard to deal with, and the price might be tough to negotiate."


    "I don''t mind paying a bit more as long as it''s not outrageous."


    After all, once the building is rented out, I would earn it back in a few years as


    long as the market was good. So, I wasn''t too worried about the cost.

 Chapter 344

    "Alright, Mr. White. As long as you don''t mind the price, this will be easy. By tomorrow at thetest, I''ll give you an answer," Mason said.


    I thanked him, saying, "Thank you for your help."


    After dinner, I followed Jane to her rented apartment. She was still hesitating downstairs, unwilling to go up. After I gave her several pointed looks, she finally took me to the seventh floor.


    The building was very old. It was seven stories high, but it had no elevator.


    I was out of breath when we reached the seventh floor. But when I saw the door, I


    felt slightly relieved. At least the door looked secure, with a fairly new lock.


    However, as soon as I stepped inside, I was stunned.


    There was no entryway or living room, just a narrow corridor.


    To make things worse, two people were squatting in the hallway, cleaning shoes, and doingundry. As I walked through, I noticed about seven or eight doors along both sides of the corridor, with voicesing from each one.


    This was just a typical residential building converted into rental rooms. Even without having lived here, I could tell that the safety hazards and fire risks were off the charts. How could anyone live here?


    Jane''s room was at the very end. Before opening the door, she gave me onest nervous nce as if gathering the courage to push the door open and let me in.


    Just standing in the doorway made me feel suffocated.


    The room had a double bed, and there was barely any space. There was no room to move after squeezing a suitcase and a few pairs of shoes.


    There was a clothesline above the bed, with several clothes hanging, including some wet ones, waiting to dry.


    A small table was next to the bed, piled with books.


    "I''ll give you ten minutes to pack your stuff ande out."


    "Okay."


    I couldn''t stay any longer. The ce was giving me the chills. So, I stepped back outside.


    About ten minutester, Jane emerged with her suitcase. When she saw me, she couldn''t help but say, "I''ve paid for half a year''s fent, and five months are left. Thendlord won''t refund the rent."


    "How dare he ask you for rent!"


    Honestly, even a dog would have a better ce to live than this.


    "How much is the rent?"


    "180 dors a month."


    It wasn''t too bad. Thendlord wasn''t beingpletely unreasonable.


    But I couldn''t hold back my frustration. "You should sublet it for 100 dors a month! For now, just stay at Imperia Manor. I''ll arrange something else for you tomorrow."


    "No, Will. I... I''d rather stay at Imperia Manor."


    "I know you don''t like staying there. Otherwise, you wouldn''t have rented this ce..."


    I frowned as I continued, "You ran out, and Sophia didn''t even bother to report it to me. She''s getting too bold, isn''t she?"


    Jane hurriedly replied, "No, no. Sophia''s been really good to me. She understands my situation and knows what I want. I begged her not to tell you."


    Regardless of their reasons, it was clear that the two women had secretly teamed up to deceive me. There was no denying it.


    But since Victor had helped me so


    much recently, I couldn''t bring myself to me Sophia. I decided to take a taxi to drop Jane off at the vi and then wait for news from Mason.


    Back in the dorm, I copsed onto the bed,pletely exhausted.


    At that moment, Benjamin


    approached and said, "William, Tiffany''s going back home tomorrow. She really likes you and


    wants to see you again before she


    leaves. How about youe with


    me to send her off?"


    Liam, who was nearby, wasn''t happy. "What about me? You mean Tiffany doesn''t


    want to see me before she leaves?"

 Chapter 345

    Benjamin immediately said, "Of course Tiffany wants to see you. But aren''t you supposed to be with me? Plus, she has gotten really familiar with you these past couple of days. She knows you''ll definitely see her off. Will is different, though. He''s always busy. I need to tell him specifically."


    I had to admit that Benjamin''s emotional intelligence had improved. He knew how to say the right things to smooth things over now, which was something he never used to do.


    In the past, he was either straightforward and blunt or wouldn''t say anything at all. Trying to get him to speak diplomatically was nearly impossible. It seemed like he had grown up a bit.


    I wasn''t going to refuse. I said, "Alright. I''ll go with you tomorrow. By the way, what time is her flight?"


    Benjamin scratched his head sheepishly. "It''s not a flight. She''s taking the train."


    "A train?"


    When his family struggled in the past, it was understandable that they took the metro. But I was sure that he could now afford a ne ticket since he made some money.


    Now that I could ask without hurting his pride, I directly said, "Ben, this is on you. It''s not like you''re broke. You should''ve bought Tiffany a ne ticket since you returned Damian''s gift and got some money. Taking the train can be very exhausting."


    "It''s not the way you think." He quickly waved his hands to exin.


    "I''m not reluctant to spend the money for her flight. I want her to befortable, too. It''s just that she doesn''t want to fly. You don''t understand, Will. We''ve never flown before. We don''t know how to handle the luggage. She''ll be nervous the whole time. It''s morefortable to take the train."


    Even though he said that I felt they''d have to take the first step eventually. Once they did, it would make the next time easier. But without trying, they''d remain stuck in the same ce forever.


    I wasn''t his father, so I didn''t want to interfere too much. I just gave him some advice, but ultimately, how he treated his sister was up to him.


    That afternoon, I got a call from Mason. He gave me an update on the situation regarding The Dragonshade Society.


    After driving Jaxon away, he sessfully took control of the higher-ups at The Dragonshade Society, making the power transfer rtively smooth. He wasn''t in a rush to make changes to The Dragonshade Society yet.


    The sudden leadership change had been hard for them to ept, so he gave them time to adjust.


    Once they had adapted, he nned to slowly transform them, clean up their images, or use them for something else. He would figure it out as time passed.


    I was relieved to hear this.


    Mason was very meticulous and


    thorough in his reports. It was


    wonder that my father trusted


    kim


    so much, even leaving all the affairs in Welsington City to him.


    I then asked, "How''s the apartment building I asked you to buy going?"


    He replied, "We''re still haggling over the price. As said, the seller is holding firm, especially after learning of your identity. He''s very sharp and can tell that you''re in a rush, so n to leave him for the night. If he stiff won''t budge by tomorrow, I''ll


    have to settle for that price."


    I nodded. "Thanks for your hard work."


    I didn''t want to trouble Victor anymore with recent matters, so everything had


    been put on Mason''s shoulders.


    Truthfully, I still felt a bit guilty.


    Fortunately, taking down The Dragonshade Society had brought him some benefits, so at least I wasn''tpletely taking advantage of him.


    After our two sses, we immediately took a cab to Tiffany''s hotel the following day.


    She seemed very happy to see me.

 Chapter 346

    Tifanny called me sweetly, her words dripping with charm.


    I patted her head. "Just focus on studying when you get back. Your father''s illness requires money, so you can call Benjamin for help. Don''t tell him about the fight at school. He''ll worry. Just tell him you''re doing well, that you''re popr at school, and life is going fine."


    She nodded obediently. "Don''t worry, William. I know what I can and can''t say. As for my father''s illness, this money will be enough for his medication. I believe he''ll recover soon!"


    Amy added, "Exactly. Your father''s illness isn''t that serious. It''s just been dyed because we couldn''t afford the medicine, but now we no longer have to worry."


    Yvonne looked at me eagerly. "William, can wee back next time and visit you again?"


    I smiled. "Of course you can."


    They were all Tiffany''s friends, and as long as I treated them well, they would take care of Tiffany after they returned. I had also heard that Amy''s father was the vige head, so with her looking out for Tiffany, no one would dare bully thetter.


    When Tiffany arrived, she only had a worn backpack. But on her way back, she was carrying many things-bags, packages, and others.


    Amy and Yvonne also returned with many goods. They were smiling widely, clearly very satisfied with their trip to Welsington City.


    I called a private car, initially thinking it would be enough, but due to the excessive luggage, I had to ask Liam and Matthew to take some of the bags and grab


    another car.


    As I sat in the car, I couldn''t help but ask, "What did you all buy? Why is there so much stuff?"


    When I finished my sentence, they all started shouting simultaneously.


    "I bought some clothes!"


    "I bought aforter. Ours at home are made of cotton and are too heavy. This one''s light and soft. It''s reallyfortable!"


    "I bought many snacks. There was a sale at the supermarket, and it''s so expensive back home!"


    "I bought some hair ties since we don''t have such pretty ones at home. also bought a doll. It cost over a hundred, but I''ve always dreamed of having such a beautiful dot!"


    ...


    I couldn''t help butugh. Most of the things they bought were typical items for young women. They weren''t anything expensive. But these@mall items kept them smiling, happy, and content until the end of the year. That was enough.


    When the car finally stopped, I realized that Benjamin had bought not just train tickets but metro tickets.


    I was speechless.


    Flying might be too much for him, but how about a high-speed train? I figured that it would work as well.


    However, the tickets had already been bought, and I couldn''t have them refunded. So, I just made a mental note that I would handle the ticket purchase myself next time.


    Tiffany and the others were about to carry theirrge bags onto the train,


    but I stopped them. I told them "You


    don''Oneed to take all this back with


    youre


    I''ll send it to you."


    Tiffany immediately shook her head. "No, no. It''s too heavy and too big. I checked,


    and sending it back would cost over a hundred in shipping fees."


    "Who said that? I''ve got discount vouchers. I can send it for just ten dors."


    "Really?" She looked at me skeptically.


    The price I quoted was too low. But I stiffened my resolve and turned to Matthew. "Of course it''s true. Matt, isn''t that right?"

 Chapter 347

    Matthew nodded eagerly. He said, "Yes, it''s true! It''s just ten dors, with a 90% discount."


    Tiffany happily said, "That''s great! I''ll transfer you the ten dorster, William."


    "It''s okay. Benjamin will handle it. You just focus on your trip."


    "Okay! Ben, take care of yourself. William, Liam, and Matthew, you all stay safe, too. I''lle back to visit you again!"


    Her eyes were misty as she waved goodbye to us frantically.


    It appeared that this young woman had grown attached to us. She even cried as she left.


    I quickly reassured her, "Just focus on your studies. If you get into Welsington


    University, you''ll be with us every day."


    "Okay. I''ll work hard!"


    I saw the spark of hope in her eyes. I really hoped she could make it here.


    It wasn''t until the train pulled out that I noticed Benjamin hadn''t said a single word.


    When I turned, I found him crying and wiping his nose with his sleeve.


    I patted his shoulder. "Come on, buddy. Why are you so emotional? You guys have money now. If you miss home, you can always take leave and return, or wait for the summer break and go then."


    Benjamin nodded, then looked up at me. "William, thank you."


    I felt a bit guilty. "What are you thanking me for?"


    "I know that Damian gave me a gift because you scared him. You hired so many extras. It must have cost you a lot, but you didn''t tell me because you didn''t want me to feel bad for being unable to repay you."


    "It didn''t cost much. I told you, many


    of those extras were just workers from my rtives'' construction sites. If really spent a lot of money, do you think I wouldn''t have asked you to pay me back? I''m not@esus, and I''m definitely not a fool."


    Benjamin, however, looked like he had something stuck in his throat.


    Liam clenched his fists and shouted, "William, stop lying to us! We already know!"


    "Huh?" I was stunned. "What do you guys know?"


    Matthew sighed. "Did you take a part-time job at the bar?"


    Suddenly, it all clicked for me.


    It was no wonder they were all so emotional. They must have heard about my


    part-time job at the bar from Isabelle and linked it to the extras I hired.


    But I knew that it was all a misunderstanding.


    Benjamin wiped his tears and said, "I know. Ever since school started, no matter how people called you poor or how much you spent on your dates with Lina, you never took a part-time job.


    "But now, you''re doing a part-time job for me because you''re broke. As your best


    friend, I can''t even help you. I''m useless!"


    "It''s not..."


    I felt helpless and didn''t know how to exin If I told them that I wasn''t working, my excuse for lying to Isabelle and Charlotte would be exposed. If I admitted that I was, Benjamin would just feel worse.


    After thinking for a while, I decided to develop a new story. "I''m not working at the


    bar because I needed money. I''m doing it because I like the owner there!"


    This left them stunned.


    "The owner? You mean Lynn?"


    I nodded.

 Chapter 348

    Matthew immediately gasped in surprise. He asked, "William, are you crazy? Don''t even think about going after Lynn. She''s not just any woman. You know Damian, right?


    "He''s already pretty impressive, being the nephew of the head of The


    Dragonshade Society. But Lynn is his woman!"


    Iughed awkwardly, thinking that Jaxon was long gone, so there was no need to worry about that anymore.


    But I wasn''t interested in Lynn, and I didn''t want any rumors spreading, so I nodded and followed his words. "After hearing you say that, I''m actually a little worried. I''ll stay away from Lynn from now on."


    "Yeah! Stay away from her!"


    When we got back to school, Matthew suggested that we grab a bite together, and I agreed. Last time, when we dined with Tiffany and the others, I didn''t get to eat, and they were too busy entertaining the women to eat properly.


    But now, with just the guys, it would be a different story.


    We ate ravenously, and the atmosphere was lively.


    Just as we were about to head to themercial street by the school to grab some food, a beautiful woman suddenly stopped in front of us.


    "Ms. Morgan?" It was Crystal.


    It had been a while since Ist saw her, and I had almost forgotten what she looked like. Seeing her now felt strange.


    "William, I need to talk to you," she said, looking down, her demeanor a bit shy and awkward.


    She hadn''t appeared before me for some time, so I figured that she must be facing some trouble. I quickly made eye contact with Matthew and the others and then took her to a quieter spot.


    "What''s going on? Is something wrong?"


    Crystal looked at me sadly and said, "You must be wondering why I''ve been gone for so long, right? Have you been angry with me? Have you missed me?"


    I hadn''t missed her at all. In fact, I hadpletely forgotten about her existence.


    But of course, I couldn''t say that to her. She was already so upset. ! wasn''t about to make things worse, so just asked, "What happened? Is there something going on?"


    After looking at me for a long moment, she slowly said, "Do you remember the Porsche you left at our house?"


    "Of course I remember."


    I left it there because they seemed to like it and could borrow it for a while.


    Besides, their garage was spacious, and I knew that the car would be well cared


    for.


    She lowered her head and suddenly started to sob. "William, I''m so sorry. The night you left, one of my cousins stole the key, took the car out, and crashed it. Our family has been


    really worried and busy trying to get


    it fixed.


    s?novel


    "I even traveled out of town to look for that custom part for you, but I couldn''t find


    it anywhere I went. I don''t know what to do anymore."


    She covered her face and began to cry uncontrobly.


    I couldn''t help butugh. "Is that all?


    I thought something serious


    happened. You wouldn''t normally find the custom part. Many of those parts Can''t be legally sold on the streets. So even if someone bas them, they won''t sell them to you. They would be responsible if


    something went wrong."


    I thought for a moment, then took a piece of paper and wrote down a phone number for her.


    "Contact this person. Tell him the car is mine, and have him do the repairs."


    With the number in hand, she looked at me with gratitude. "You... You''re not mad that I crashed your car?"


    "It wasn''t you who crashed it."


    "But I didn''t take good care of it."


    I sighed lightly and patted her on the shoulder. "It''s just a car. Even if you had


    been the one to crash it, I wouldn''t care. Don''t overthink it."

 Chapter 349

    I never really liked the Porsche. I had bought it to help Crystal preserve her


    reputation and get back at Joshua. Once the purpose was more or less served, the car lost value to me.


    Giving it to her directly felt a bit too much.


    After all, I didn''t have such a deep rtionship with her, so I left it at her ce for now. As for the damage, the repair cost was only a few hundred thousand, and the dealership would cover it, so I didn''t need to worry.


    She looked at me, speechless for a long time.


    Then I suddenly realized that she probably liked me from the start, and now, with everything I had done for her, I might have made things worse. She might fall even harder for me.


    "Crystal, I¡ª"


    "Shh."


    Just as I was about to speak, she raised her hand to cover my mouth, offering a sad smile.


    "I know what you''re going to say. Actually, I figured it out during the family gathering that day. You''re not the loser I thought you were. In fact, your background might even be more impressive than mine.


    "You never liked me in the first ce. You probably look down on me even more with your background. So, I''ve stopped dreaming about being your girlfriend."


    I wondered what led her to say that. That wasn''t why I didn''t like her. Her background had nothing to do with it.


    Crystal lowered her head, looking dejected. "I came here today to tell you that I''ll do whatever it takes to fix your car, and I won''t bother you anymore. But you''ve been so good to me, William. I don''t want to leave you. If you don''t mind, can we still be friends?"


    I sighed. "It''s fine. But if you like me, staying around as just a friend might be difficult."


    I would always miss Felicia and hadn''t given up on finding her. When I would find her, I would be with her.


    If Crystal were truly my friend, she would understand and support me. But she loved me, so how could she ept that calmly?


    To my surprise, she smiled nonchntly. "I don''t mind at all. I''d be happy just being around you, toz see and talk to you more often. I neverexpected to be your one and only, not even back then. So it''s fine."


    Since she had said that, what else could I do? I was a man, after all. There was no reason to hesitate.


    "Well, then. It''s nice to meet you, friend. My name is William White."


    I extended my hand, my smile friendly. She immediately smiled back and shook my hand firmly. "Nice to meet you, friend!"


    That was how our rtionship waspletely resolved. From then on, we would only be friends.


    The next morning, before my ss ended, I received a call from Mason. He had a lot on his tetely, so if he was calling me, it was probably something urgent. I had no choice but to get up and sneak out the ssroom''s back door to take the call.


    But just as I stepped outside, I heard Roger mocking me from the front of the ss.


    "Answering a call during ss!


    Would you dare to do that in high


    school? Would you dare to do that during a meeting with your boss once you start working? So why is it okay to do it in college? It''s nothing but bad habits from being spoiled!"


    I gripped my phone tightly, ignoring him.


    Ever since the truth about Joshua''s donation came out, Tom''s attitude toward me


    improved significantly.

 Chapter 350

    Perhaps out of embarrassment, Tom avoided interacting with me. But in all other matters, he treated me the same as everyone else. He no longer singled me out or made things difficult for me.


    However, Roger still treated me much more harshly and coldly than the others. For example, leaving ss to take a phone call-who in the ss hadn''t done that?


    Yet, whenever I did it, even though it was only a couple of times, I always got scolded precisely for it, while no one else seemed to face any consequences.


    Once outside, I picked up the phone, and Mason''s excited voice came through. "Mr. White, good news! After I left that real estate agent hanging all night, he couldn''t take it anymore and called this morning, agreeing to drop the price to 300 thousand dors."


    "Good. Let''s go ahead and sign the deal."


    "Mr. White, can''t we wait a bit longer? If you give me one more week, I can get him to reduce the price to 200 thousand dors."


    I shook my head. "There''s no need. Wasting another week for 200 thousand dors isn''t worth it. Just buy it now. I want to inspect the property today."


    "Understood. I''ll contact him and handle the signing," Mason said.


    After hanging up, a weight lifted off my shoulders.


    With the property issue resolved, I could now take care of Jane''s amodation and transport, so I wouldn''t have to worry about her attending sses anymore.


    But managing such arge building, whether for renting or other uses, wouldn''t be easy. If I did it myself, I would probably be overwhelmed and make many mistakes.


    I thought about calling Mason to arrange for staff, but I felt bad since I had been asking him for a lot of helptely. After considering it, I decided to post job openings on a recruitment website instead.


    I needed someone to help me manage the building.


    Even for the recruitment interviews, I wasn''t ready to handle everything myself. After thinking it over, I ended up calling Sophia.


    She had a good rtionship with Jane and cared about her a lot. She was Victor''s daughter and had made mistakes before. I believed that it was time for her to gain some experience.


    I handed the interview and building management tasks over to her.


    Sophia was extremely happy when she received the call and repeatedly promised me that she would do a good job and not let me down. That made me feelpletely at ease.


    When I returned to the ssroom, Benjamin immediately asked me, "Why does Mr. Hopkins still target you?"


    "Who knows?"


    "Being targeted by him isn''t necessarily a bad thing. Every person he tters meets a terrible fate! Don''t you remember how he used to like Joshua? Now Joshua''spletely disappeared!"


    When Joshua''s name was mentioned, I suddenly remembered seeing him at the


    Morgan residence some time ago. I couldn''t help but feel curious. So, I sent Crystal a message.


    Me: "Do you know Joshua? Is he working as an escort for your aunt?"


    She replied soon after.


    Crystal: "Yes. Everyone in the family knows about it. My aunt''s husband died early, and she didn''t want to remarry. She''s been having fun with various men, and Joshua was just one of her lovers."


    I was stunned by the term "lover".


    Me: "Is your aunt still in contact with him?"


    Crystal: "I''m not sure. If you really want to know, I can ask her.


    Me: "It''s fine. I was just asking because he is a ssmate of ours. I''m unsure if he dropped out or took a leave of absence, but he hasn''t been around school for a long time."


    Crystal: "I see. I don''t know much about him, but I''ve heard from my mom that he seems to be a male escort at some club catering to rich women. My aunt probably supported him for a year."


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 351

    Joshua had fallen so low. But given his greedy, lustful, andzy nature, bing a male escort was probably his only way to make money. Other paths didn''t offer much of a future for someone like him.


    "Alright. It''s time for a pop quiz! Everyone, write your name on your textbook, hand it in, and get ready to start the test!"


    Roger abruptly announced the test, startling the whole ss.


    As if he wasn''t satisfied with scaring everyone enough, he added, "The scores from this test will count toward your credits and final exams. If you haven''t been paying attention in ss and think you can cram at thest minute, good luck. "Don''t me me when you fail. me yourselves for not having any discipline!" Soon, his twockeys stood up to start collecting the textbooks.


    Most students weren''t keen on handing them in. After all, once students enter university, only a few truly study seriously.


    As Roger pointed out, most students didn''t study during the semester and only relied on cramming for a week or two before final exams.


    Handing in the textbooks was almost a guaranteed failure.


    Unfortunately, thoseckeys were in cahoots with him. No matter how the students tried to avoid them, they were determined to collect the books.


    Before I knew it, the twockeys had reached my desk.


    "Give me your textbook!"


    When Zack saw it was me, he shouted without hesitation.


    I looked up at him and shot a cold nce at Louis beside him.


    At that moment, Louis was visibly trembling, unwilling to meet my gaze.


    What happened at the hotel the other day must still be fresh in his mind. I dared to take on Damian of The Dragonshade Society. Despite that, I was sitting out in the open without facing any retaliation.


    If he had any brains, he would understand that I wasn''t someone to mess with. So now, he just wanted to stay out of my way.


    Zack, however, was different. He


    looked down on me, but unlike Louis, he didn''t know the things thetter knew. He would seize every opportunity to suppress and bully me. Like now, when he came to coffect the textbooks.


    He boldly reached out to grab mine when I didn''t immediately respond. His rough


    actions instantly tore the cover of my textbook.


    "What are you doing?" Matthew stood up in anger.


    Zack showed no fear and coldly said, "What''s wrong, Matthew? Are you going to hit me in front of Mr. Hopkins? I''m just following his


    orders to collect the textbooksel


    you don''t cooperate, I''ll have to take matters into my own hands. If the book gets torn, it''s your fault! Or do you all not want your credits?"


    Was he threatening me with credits? I honestly didn''t care about them.


    By the time I reached my third year, I would be transferred abroad to study. If this university decided to withhold my credits over something so trivial and prevent me from graduating, I wouldn''t care for that diploma.


    s?novel


    So I stood up and pped Zack across the face.


    "You tore my book, yet you still won''t apologize? Who gave you the nerve? I''ll give you one chance-take the torn book back and buy me a new one, or else I''ll beat you up."


    Zack, stunned by the p, widened his eyes and looked at me in disbelief. "You... You hit me."


    He quickly handed the textbook to Louis and turned to shout at Roger, "Mr. Hopkins, William hit me!"

 Chapter 352

    Zack probably felt emboldened by Roger''s dislike of me, which was why he dared to treat me this way.


    As I expected, Roger quickly came over after hearing themotion. He red at me and demanded sternly, "What''s going on?"


    Zack immediately yed the victim. "Mr. Hopkins, you asked me to collect the textbooks. When I got to him, he refused to hand it over. While arguing over the book, I identally tore the cover, and he hit me!"


    Roger shot me a furious look. "William! Collecting textbooks was my decision. What right do you have to refuse? What right do you have not to hand it over?"


    I coldly responded, "What, Mr. Hopkins? Why are you only listening to his words? Aren''t you going to hear my exnation?"


    "What is there to exin? Are you saying that Zack is lying?"


    I chuckled. "If he''s not lying, then does that mean that I''m the one lying? I haven''t even spoken, and you''re already jumping to conclusions. You''re such a principled teacher, aren''t you?"


    "What do you mean by that? William, are you saying that I''m not qualified to teach you? If you think that, fine then. Get out of my ss. Find someone else to teach you. I''m done with you!" Roger roared.


    "Fine. I won''t attend your sses anymore. What''s the big deal?"


    I sneered at him, showing no intention of backing down.


    Who did he think he was? He was just a teacher. Did he think he could haveplete control over everything?


    He was quick to publicly nder and insult a student without asking for the whole story. This would probably have been devastating if it had been someone like Benjamin, who had a more sensitive and fragile sense of pride.


    There were many cases of students jumping from buildings after being insulted and humiliated by teachers. I couldn''t stand people like Roger.


    "However, before I leave, I''ll settle this matter. Zack, you tore my textbook. So, you''ll rece it with a new one, now!"


    Just as Zack was about to respond, Roger stopped him. He chuckled coldly. "You want a new textbook, right? No problem. I always bring a new one with me. Zack, go grab the new textbook from the podium and give it to him. Let him take it and leave!"


    "Okay."


    Zack scurried to the podium, grabbed a new textbook, and threw it onto my desk.


    Roger sneered. "There. You''ve got your new textbook. Do you have any more excuses? If not, take it and leave!"


    "Fine." I picked up the textbook and started walking out.


    "William!" Matthew couldn''t hold back anymore and called out to me. He then turned to Roger to plead "Mr. Hopkins, please don''t be foo hard on William. He just acted impulsively.


    "He''s young and hot-blooded. It''s normal for him to say something extreme. I''ll talk


    to him and make sure he apologizes to you. How about it?"


    Roger red at Matthew coldly. "What? Do you want to leave with him?"


    "I..."


    "Matt, don''t bother with this scum. I''m leaving this ssroom because I think he''s beneath me. I''ll handle it. Go back to your ss."


    I shot a nce at Matthew, signaling him not to worry. He furrowed his brow, seemingly unsure of my ability to handle this. He kept signaling me to stay and apologize.


    But I walked out anyway.


    It was just Roger. If I couldn''t even deal with him, what was I doing there pretending to be capable?


    I didn''t need to call on Victor or Mason to deal with him. I just picked up the phone and called n.


    "Contact the principal and send me an expert from the professional course faculty!"

 Chapter 353

    Honestly, just attending sses at Welsington University was already a favor to the university.


    If my identity were made public, the principal would personally greet me at the bottom of the teaching building every day, constantly calling to check on me and ensure I wasfortable.


    And yet, an insignificant figure like Roger still dared to act tough before me.


    After the call, I went straight downstairs.


    I had nned to drop off my textbooks in my dorm and wait for Mason''s call to finalize the contract, but as soon as I stepped outside the university building, I saw Lina.


    She had reverted to her usual look-brown, curly hair, subtle makeup, a pink top, and a short skirt-giving her a sweet, youthful appearance with a fresh, feminine vibe.


    I nced at her but quickly looked away, not intending to speak to her. Yet, she came right up to me.


    "William, the ss hasn''t ended yet, so why are you out here?"


    I gave her a quick look and replied, "Aren''t you out here too?"


    "I... I don''t usually attend ss. You know that. Plus, I''ve adopted a stray puppy and made it a small house. I woke up toote this morning to check on it before ss, and now I''m really worried. I just wanted to leave early and check on it."


    When I didn''t respond, she suddenly added, "Why don''t youe with me to see it?"


    "Huh? Why should I go?"


    Before I could argue, she grabbed my hand and pulled me forward.


    Thest time she did this seemed like a lifetime ago. Back then, we were still in the honeymoon phase of our rtionship. She thought I was some rich heir and treated me really well.


    Sometimes, when I couldn''t keep up with her ideas, she would drag me along like this. She looked cute when smiling.


    I couldn''t believe how much things had changed.


    When we reached the bushes near the women''s dorm, I immediately spotted a small house made from a cardboard box.


    She beamed with pride. "Look! I made it! Isn''t it cute?"


    There were drawings on it with colored pens, and the outside was sewn with umbre fabric, probably to shield the puppy from the wind and rain. It really did look delicate and adorable.


    I didn''t expect her to do something like this. It didn''t seem like her at all.


    "The puppy''s still here. Great!"


    Lina quickly opened her bag, took out a piece of bread and a sausage, and ced them in front of the puppy before pulling me to leave.


    I asked, "Why are we running? Don''t you want to see if it eats it?"


    "No. We can''t watch it. It''s still too small and wary of people. It


    eat while we''re here. It will ne


    eat


    once we leave. You''ll see!"


    I looked up, and sure enough, the puppy''s white head peeked out of the doghouse, and it immediately started eating the bread and sausage.


    She pped her hands in delight. "Great! It likes it!"


    "That looks like a Samoyed, right? How did it end up at the school?"


    Lina frowned. "Why do you even have to ask? It must be a dog that someone in the school irresponsibly let breed, and now the puppies are running loose with no one to care for them. It happens all the time. Many


    people secretly keep dogs here, but


    none take proper care of them."


    I really didn''t know about that. But when I looked at her, I saw her eyes were fixed


    on the puppy, full of concern and love.


    She really had changed. She wasn''t lying to me.


    But what was done was done. There was no longer a chance for us.

 Chapter 354

    I could only turn and leave.


    "William!" I heard Lina call my name again. When I turned back to look at her, her eyes were sorrowful. "Do you still hate me? Can''t we even be friends anymore?"


    I gave a bitter smile and shook my head. "Forget it. It''s hard for people in a rtionship to stay friends. Besides, we didn''t even break up on good terms, so being friends would be awkward. Just take care of yourself."


    "What''s so awkward about it? Didn''t we get along fine just now?" She was so persistent that I didn''t want to say anything harsh. Especially after seeing her change, kindness, and love for the puppy, I felt reluctant to say anything bad.


    I decided to self-deprecate instead. "A loser like me being friends with a beautiful woman like you would only make me feel inferior. People would mock me. You should find a rich heir to be friends with."


    "William!" Her voice wavered, full of hurt.


    "Are you mocking me? I know your family isn''t rich, and you like to pretend that you are, but now I understand why you do it."


    I was stunned and genuinely curious. "Why do you think I pretend?"


    "In this world, wealthy heirs certainly have more advantages. Even with a bad character, many still chase after them because of their money. But someone like you, despite being good-hearted and kind, will still be looked down upon."


    Lina lowered her head, her eyes filled with guilt.


    "In the past, I was one of those who looked down on you, but I was wrong. I won''t do that anymore. I''ve realized my mistake. Whether someone''s a rich heir or not, it''s all just appearances.


    "Those people don''t even treat ordinary people like us as humans. They''ll treat me like a dog even if I force my way into their circle. So, I''d rather be myself, live an ordinary life, marry an ordinary man, and live a happy, normal life.


    "I won''t look down on you for being poor. I''m poor, too, but I''m willing to work hard and build my own future with my own hands. Give me a chance. Let''s just be friends, okay?"


    Hearing her say all that was really surprising. It seemed like she had truly realized the truth.


    However, I wasn''t sure if this was just a temporary change or if she had truly changed for good.


    Besides, our rtionship was already a bit awkward, so I just smiled and said, "We''ll see. Right now, I have too many friends to take care of."


    I waved my hand and walked away.


    I heard Lina shout from behind me, "William! know you still don''t trust me, but will prove to you with my actions that I will never look down on you, even if you''re just a vain,


    poor guy! Just wait for me!


    I kept walking. I didn''t know if she wasplimenting or insulting me. Why did I


    suddenly be a vain loser?


    After returning to my dorm and putting down the textbooks, I


    stretched my legs on the b


    From a distance, I could still see


    Lina holding a small bowl, giving water to the puppy in the bushes below.


    A beautiful woman and a puppy-it was quite a sight.


    Just then, my phone rang. It was Mason.


    "Mr. White, all the paperwork is ready, but you muste sign and stamp it."


    "Alright. I''ll be there soon."


    Once I took care of this matter that day, I would start the renovations immediately, aiming to finish before tomorrow, and have Jane move in then.


    I would also have Sophia bring the staff she had gathered.


    The building would officially be rented out and open for business!

 Chapter 355

    The signing process went smoothly.


    The other party was eager for money, and I was willing to pay in full upfront, so they were very grateful and cooperative.


    After securing the property rights, I went directly to the building for an on-site inspection.


    The surroundings were great, with all the essential amenities and supermarkets, and the foot traffic was low. For safety, I asked Mason to bring a few people from The Dragonshade Society to act as security.


    Regr security guards might not be as professional as them.


    After all, the people from The Dragonshade Society were used to causing trouble and knew exactly how to handle people who tried to stir things up.


    I toured each floor and eventually chose a spacious unit on the sixth floor with arge balcony, nning for Jane to move in.


    I called a furniturepany to have them bring some ready-made furniture and soft furnishings.


    The reason for using ready-made items was to avoid excessive formaldehyde from new products, which could be harmful. At least the ready-made pieces should have aired out with no other issues.


    Once everything was set, I messaged Jane in the afternoon, telling her to move in the next day. She thanked me repeatedly.


    The next day, I still wasn''t at ease, so I visited again to ensure she had everything she needed.


    When I walked into the building''s lobby, something felt off. Two blond men were standing at the front desk, smoking. A "No Smoking" sign was posted on the wall behind them.


    Who allowed them to smoke here?


    Frowning, I asked, "Can''t you see the ''No Smoking'' sign?"


    The two men looked at each other in surprise, then sized me up and said, "Brat, mind your own business, or you''ll get a beating. Get lost!"


    Why were they so rude?


    I sneered. "I want to see your manager!"


    "You want to see the manager? Who do you think you are? Do you think


    ? Cab!?


    just see him? You hade


    better get lost before I get angry, or I''ll


    beat you up!"


    They probably knew I would report them and wouldn''t call the manager out, so thought momentarily before saying, "I''m here to rent a ce. I can''t just stand here talking to you guys."


    "Oh, you want to rent a ce? See that office over there? They handle the rentals. Go there."


    As I walked away, they shouted, "Brat, watch your mouth. Don''t say things you shouldn''t, or you won''t even see your deathing!"


    I thought they were idiots. I was speechless.


    These two men were just rental agents, but they behaved as though they were part of a gang.


    I could hear people talking inside when I reached the office door. After knocking several times, there was no answer.


    Ultimately, I had no choice but to grab the doorknob and open the door myself.


    As soon as I opened it, I almost lost it. The room was filled with smoke, and over a dozen people were inside.


    About five or six of them sat around a coffee table ying cards while others were chatting around the desk.


    Everyone was smoking, and the noise was unbearable. This wasn''t an office. It was a den of thieves!


    I was speechless. Was this the team Sophia hired for me? Did she have any ability to handle things?


    Even if I had closed my eyes and


    hired randomly, I wouldn''t have


    ended up with such a mess. She had promised me a "carefully selected" team but had delivered this bunch of thugs.

 Chapter 356

    I knocked on the door loudly, instantly drawing the attention of everyone in the room. They looked up at me, frowning, but said nothing and returned to what they were doing.


    I knocked again, harder this time, and all eyes again turned toward me.


    I maintained a neutral expression and asked, "Excuse me, who do I speak to about renting a ce?"


    The men seemed uninterested. Those who were ying cards continued, and the others acted like they hadn''t heard me. Finally, one man, who was sitting at the back with his feet propped up and picking his nose, gestured for me to approach him.


    "Come here," he said.


    I walked up to him, and before I could say a single word, he pped a piece of paper in front of me. "Take a look. Once you''ve decided, let me know which one you want. But let me make this clear-decide carefully.


    "Don''t waste my time dragging me around just to say you don''t like it! I don''t have the patience to cater to you!"


    I looked at the paper, which only listed the floor numbers and prices without any details about the size or condition of the units.


    I was speechless. "What am I supposed to get from this? I don''t even know the size or condition of the units."


    He sneered. "Obviously, the more expensive, the better. If you have the money, rent the expensive ones. If you don''t, then rent the cheaper ones. It''s that simple. Why ask?"


    "The more expensive it is, the better?"


    I thought that it wasplete nonsense.


    Someone who didn''t want to be in the sun might ironically choose the most expensive option, which often came with the sunniestrge balcony.


    Someone who didn''t need a kitchen might end up with a room with the best kitchen but poor conditions elsewhere.


    How could they let the customers choose the units based on this?


    I could think of these issues even if I had never rented a ce. What about someone who actually needed a ce?


    I couldn''t take it anymore. "Is this how you work? Do you think the building will actually rent out with this renting process?"


    "It''s none of your business whether it gets rented or not! Pick your unit. If you don''t want to choose, just get lost!"


    I took a deep breath, deciding not to argue with him. I asked about the sixth-floor apartment, the one I had reserved for Jane.


    I wondered what she would think when she saw the condition of the staff here.


    "Is this unit rented out yet?"


    "This one? It''s been reserved already. The owner hasn''te yet, but the boss said not to rent it to anyone else. Pick something else."


    At least they knew that the room was reserved.


    From his words, I gathered that Jane hadn''t arrived yet.


    As I was about to speak, the man suddenly winked at me. "Well, since you''re the first to rent, here''s a little secret. A beautiful woman rents this room If you''re looking for a chance at romance, you could rent the room next to hers. If you''re interested, I can set you up."


    I held back my anger and disgust, forcing a smile. "You''re going to set me up?"


    "Yeah. For example, I might cut her


    electricity, shut off her water, or maybe before she arrives, sneak a


    camera into her room... What do you


    think?"


    I inhaled sharply, almost unable to resist punching him.


    Who the fuck were they? Sophia was courting death by hiring such people!


    line


    I bought this building for Jane, and the people Sophia hired couldn''t guarantee her basic safety. They had be the biggest threat to her. Damn it!


    This was exactly why one couldn''t trust unreliable people¡ªeven if given a thousand chances, they would still disappoint.


    I wanted to fire Sophia but knew it wasn''t the right time. First, I needed to deal


    with these idiots.

 Chapter 357

    "Who is it?" one of the men asked.


    Before I could say anything, the entire group suddenly turned to look at the door.


    Confused, I followed their gaze and immediately understood. A beautiful woman had just arrived.


    She looked about 27 or 28, with a curvy figure. She was dressed in a light tank top and shorts, carrying a suitcase, and walking alone.


    A woman like her walking down the street would make at least five out of ten men turn their heads for a second look.


    "Wow! A real beauty!"


    "Herees a stunner!"


    "Pretty, pleasee in!"


    The way they treated her waspletely different from how they treated me.


    They quickly extinguished their cigarettes, rushed to the door, and ushered her in. They offered her drinks and moved chairs whilepletely focusing on her.


    The woman wasn''t shy either. She confidently sat down, took the drink, and casually opened it for a sip.


    "Are you here to rent a ce?"


    "Of course! The whole building is empty. You can pick whichever unit you like!" One of the yellow-haired men leered at her and asked, "Are you living alone?" She nodded lightly. "Yes, I live alone."


    Instantly, I could feel the temperature in the room rise a few degrees. These perverts were beyond saving.


    "Since you''re living alone, you should stay with us. We''ll ensure your safety. No one will bother or harass you! By the way, we haven''t asked your name yet."


    The woman smiled gracefully. "My name is Gabrielle Whitehead."


    "Ms. Whitehead, nice to meet you. I''m Marquis Hendrix, and this is our boss, Marcus Lowe!"


    Gabrielle smiled. "Nice to meet you, Marquis, Marcus."


    At that moment, the men were even more excited. It was clear that she wasn''t shy and was happy to chat with them.


    Meanwhile, I furrowed my brows, my fists clenched tightly.


    They called their leader "boss", which made the whole situation feel gang-rted.


    It did not feel like a building for renting apartments!


    It seemed that this ce had stopped being an apartment building and had turned into a gang hideout.


    Gabrielle smiled again. "I''m looking for a cheaper ce. What''s the least expensive unit you have?"


    Marcus walked over to me, snatched the paper from my hand, and then returned to Gabrielle. "Let me check. The cheapest is on the second floor, in the northwest corner, for 2,000 dors a month."


    "2,000 dors for the cheapest?" She looked troubled.


    "I don''t have that much money. I guess I can''t rent here. Sorry, and thank you for


    the hospitality, but I''ll leave now."


    She picked up her suitcase and started to walk away.


    "Wait!" When he saw her leaving, he quickly blocked her path. "Don''t rush, pretty. The price is 2,000 dors, but


    I didn''t say that we can''t offena discount!"


    She smiled faintly. "Even with a discount, I still can''t afford it. I can only afford a ce that costs 1,000 dors a month."


    "1,000 dors a month... Fine! I''ll make it happen. I''ll rent you this ce for 1,000 dors a month!"


    I nearly lost my mind. These people were incredibly bold! Who gave them the authority just to offer discounts like that?


    But even with the half-price offer,


    Gabrielle Still looked unhappy. "But this unit is in the northwest corner, with no sunlight. It''ll be ufortable for me to stay in there."


    Marcusughed loudly. "No problem! I''ll switch you to a south-facing unit with


    plenty of sunlight!"

 Chapter 358

    I was speechless.


    Gabrielle''s eyes lit up excitedly, but she still shook her head. "No, the second floor


    is too low. The view is blocked. I''d prefer a higher floor."


    "That''s easy. I''ll move you to the 12th floor, a south-facing unit with plenty of sunlight!"


    Gabrielle smiled. "For 1,000 dors a month?"


    Marcus nodded. "Yes. For just 1,000 dors."


    She immediately agreed, "Deal."


    A 12th-floor unit with such a good view, facing south with arge balcony, would originally cost 3,800 dors. There was no way it could be rented out for just 1,000 dors. These people clearly didn''t take my pricing seriously. They think they were the ones in charge now, huh?


    Gabrielle was thrilled. She quickly signed a six-month contract and happily headed upstairs with two of the men.


    After she left, I couldn''t hold back any longer. I walked up and said, "You''re being way too casual about giving discounts and changing units."


    Marcus immediately shot me a displeased re. "What''s it to you? Stay out of things that aren''t your concern! Keep talking, and I''ll beat you up!"


    I was speechless. "It''s not about whether it''s my concern... So, does that mean that I can get a discount on rent too?"


    "You? Want a discount? If you want to live here, you must pay more!"


    One of them said, "Yeah. We have a beautifuldy on the sixth floor and another on the 12th. A loser like you thinks you can live in a building with two beauties? You wouldn''t get that kind of luck even if you prayed hard. Do you want to live here without paying more? Dream on!"


    Another added, "I think you should add at least 1,000 dors a month. If you want to stay, sign the contract now. If not, get lost!"


    I finally understood their strategy.


    Every time a beautiful woman walked in, they''d offer a discount and then use her allure to attract losers like me, making men like me cover the cost of the lost


    revenue.


    It was a pretty good scheme-just like how bars operated. Beautiful women could get in for free, but men had to pay a cover charge. Women could get discounts on drinks, but men had to pay extra.


    But this wasn''t a bar. This was supposed to be a proper ce to rent apartment units!


    This kind of setup would make the women feel unsafe, and I could imagineints flooding in daily. The men were nothing but perverts. I wouldn''t be surprised if they started secretly filming or even doing Something illegal.


    This building would be ruined in less than a month, and I wouldn''t even be able to


    rent it out! These people were trying to destroy me.


    Just then, my phone rang. It was a call from Jane. I immediately panicked. I figured that she must be on her way now. I wondered about what I should do.


    I still hadn''t dealt with these people yet.


    I answered the call, nning to tell her to return, but to my surprise, berughter came through the phone. "Stop joking... William, I''m already on the first floor of the building. I''ll be upstairs to move in soon."


    "You''re already here?"


    "Yes! The security on the first floor is really nice to me."


    Was it those two blond men?


    I could hear them shouting into the phone, "Don''t worry, boss! We''ll take good care of your friend!"


    So they knew that Jane was the friend of the building''s owner, which was why they weren''t daring to act up. But even so, she wasn''t safe.


    The actions of these people contradicted their words. Marcus had suggested installing cameras in her room. I couldn''t let that happen.


    "Jane, go ahead and rest in your room for now. I''ll take care of some things, and once I''m done, I''lle see you."

 Chapter 359

    As soon as I hung up the phone, Gabrielle''s voice came from the door.


    "Hey, guys. The faucet in my room doesn''t seem to work well. Could you take a look at it for me?"


    Just moments ago, the men in the office were fawning over her, but as soon as work was involved, they all started making excuses.


    "Oh, the faucet''s broken? You should call a repairman to check it."


    She raised an eyebrow. "Do you have a repairman''s number?"


    "We don''t have one. Today''s our first day on the job."


    "Alright. I''ll figure it out myself."


    She seemed disappointed and turned to leave, but I quickly called out, "Wait a minute. I know a little about fixing faucets. I can take a look for you."


    "Okay. Thanks."


    She smiled and led me upstairs.


    I followed her not just to check the faucet but also because I wanted to talk to her.


    I wondered why she would still choose to stay here despite the staff being so untrustworthy.


    I figured that her perspective was different from mine.


    As the owner, I found some behaviors uneptable. Still, I considered that perhaps she could understand them in a way that I couldn''t.


    I couldn''t help but ask as the elevator ascended, "The people downstairs are so creepy. How can you still stay here? Aren''t you worried about what they might do to you?"


    Gabrielle smiled. "When someone is poor enough, they stop fearing anything. I''m not afraid of anything-not even death. Why would I fear them?"


    I sized her up. She did seem to be dressed lightly. Still, she couldn''t be so poor that she had nothing left to lose. Moreover, she wasn''t handicapped. Why couldn''t she find a job and make some money?


    "You must be thinking, ''I''m not handicapped, so why don''t I work and make money?""


    She saw right through my thoughts, which embarrassed me a little.


    I coughed awkwardly. "That''s exactly what I was thinking."


    She chuckled softly. "I don''t me you for thinking that way, but I have my challenges. I''ve fallen out with my family members, who constantly watch me.


    "As soon as I head out to work, they''ll find out where I''m working and cause trouble, making it


    impossible for me to stay.


    Eventually, they''ll get me fired


    Right


    now, only have a few thousand dors left. After paying the rent, I don''t know how long the rest of the money willst."


    "Is your family crazy? Why would they do that to you?"


    "Because they want me to marry a man I don''t like."


    I understood now. I figured that her family was probably well-off.


    For a woman from an average family, even if she was beautiful, she might marry someone from a


    slightly better background. It


    wouldn''t drive her parents to


    vel


    extreme lengths to make sure she


    married only that man.


    However, women from wealthier families were often seen as tools for their family''s interests, given away to wealthy heirs as wives.


    These wealthy heirs who could force beautiful women to marry them were either incredibly ugly or had questionable morals. So, the women were not marrying up but actually marrying down.


    Many beautiful women would run away and break ties with their families.


    Over the years, I heard countless stories from my mother about this kind of situation. But few people would go so far as to sabotage their daughters from even getting a job.


    Gabrielle''s parents had gone too far.


    I couldn''t help but think of my own parents.

 Chapter 360

    My parents had also met through a blind date, aimed at a marriage that would benefit both families.


    The difference was that my grandparents, on both sides, were all wonderful people. Even though they arranged marriages for the sake of their family''s interests, they still prioritized looks and good character in their choice of partners.


    My mother was beautiful and elegant. She was once crowned Miss World and won a diving championship at the World Championships. She was also skilled in horseback riding and archery, and her equestrian business flourished nationwide. These were all achievements she earned by the time she was 25.


    My father was more average in appearance but was tall and had long legs. He studied abroad for three years and held an impressive degree. He was an honorary professor at a Vena League university and, in business, was already a billionaire by age 23.


    The two of them were a perfect match from the start. I heard that when they first met, they immediately exchanged flirtatious nces. By the next day, they eagerly met up and headed to a hotel.


    I had never once seen my parents have a serious falling out. Even when they argued, they always made up within a few hours.


    My father loved my mother deeply. When my mother struggled throughbor, shedding many tears, he was so heartbroken that, after I was born, he chose to undergo a vasectomy.


    My mother was so moved that she willingly stepped back from her business ventures to be my father''s supportive wife and focused on him. Our family was a model of harmony and happiness, a great example of a wealthy family.


    So, when I heard about other struggling families, I couldn''t help but feel sympathy. Gabrielle and I arrived at the room on the 12th floor. She then led me to the faulty faucet. I turned it on and immediately became speechless.


    "Miss, you didn''t open the main valve."


    "Main valve? What''s that?"


    Did she have no basic knowledge of how things worked? I figured that she must be a pampered heiress.


    I approached the main valve and exined, "This is the main valve. If you don''t want to use water, you turn it this way to close it. Turn it the other way to open it. Got it? I''ve turned it for you."


    I also exined the electrical panel and fire safety equipment to ensure that she understood.


    After listening, she looked enlightened. "Ordinary houses have so many details. I didn''t know that before."


    I took a deep breath. "It has nothing to do with being ordinary or not. It''ll have a main valve even if you live in a mansion."


    However, the main valve in mansions was usually located in the basement and was managed by a dedicated person.


    She covered her mouth andughed. "How do you know? You''ve never lived in a mansion."


    I opened my mouth to say something but ultimately decided not to argue with her.


    "Alright. I''ve fixed the faucet. I''ll be going now."


    "Wait a minute!"


    As I was about to leave, she caught up with me and pulled 200 dors from her wallet, pushing it into my hand. "You can''t leave


    empty-handed. Take this as a small token of my appreciation."


    "Wait. Aren''t you out of money? Why are you giving me 200 dors?"


    Normally, even if someone wanted to give a tip, they''d offer no more than 20 or 30 dors.


    She raised an eyebrow, lookingpletely justified, and said, "What needs to be given must be given.


    y isn''t saved. It''s eart


    It was true that money was hard to save, but the problem was that Gabrielle could


    barely afford food. How could she not save?


    People like Benjamin and Liam lived on very little each month, yet they made ends meet.


    If they were frugal, they wouldn''t go


    Sgry But because of her wameal.


    spending, she couldn''t afford a meal. So, I simply returned the money to her.


    "You should keep it for yourself. I can''t ept it."


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 361

    "Take it!" Gabrielle said while forcing the money into my hand.


    I returned it to her. "I really don''t need it."


    "Take it!"


    "I really don''t need it."


    As we pushed the money back and forth, a middle-aged woman suddenly interrupted, "What are you two doing?"


    I turned around and saw a well-dressed, elegant-looking middle-aged woman approaching quickly, her gaze harsh and critical.


    Upon seeing her, Gabrielle gasped in surprise. "Mom?"


    Mom? This woman was her mother?


    I looked carefully and could see some resemnce between them. Both had oval faces, delicate eyebrows, and small mouths.


    "Mom, what are you doing here? I told you I want to be independent. I don''t need you to take care of me, and I don''t want you to find me. Why did youe?"


    The woman immediately had an angry and fierce expression. "How can I not care about you? If I don''t care, you''ll end up living in this filthy building, associating with these unsavory men."


    Her usage of the words "filthy building" left me with no room to argue.


    This building truly had be a mess thanks to the gang of lowlifes hanging around downstairs, making it particrly unsuitable for a young woman to live in.


    But when she mentioned unsavory men, surely she wasn''t referring to me, right?


    Honestly, I wasn''t dressed poorly. I wore a clean white T-shirt worth over 3,000 dors, khaki cargo pants worth over 2,000 dors, white sneakers, and a crossbody bag My


    hair was neat, and my skin was fair. I looked like an upright college


    student.


    I wondered why she would call me unsavory. I didn''t agree with what she said.


    Gabrielle seemed to sense my frustration and immediately defended me. "Don''t drag innocent people into this. He''s a good person, not some unsavory man."


    "A good person? A good person would let you live in a ce like this? If he had any responsibility, he would have ensured that you lived


    somewhere better! He''s just fooling you because you''re young.


    "I''ll tell you, he''s probably made some shady deal with the local thugs in this building and is nning to sell your photos, maybe even videos!"


    She lit a cigarette, sizing me up.


    "You''re young and already thinking of such bad things! Fortunately, I arrived early.


    If I hadn''t, your videos would be all over the inte within a few days!"


    I had to agree. The woman''s reasoning made sense.


    If I were Gabrielle''s boyfriend and let her stay in this building, especially after


    seeing it myself, ulterior motives would definitely be involved.


    Kaelyn Tate''s suspicion wasn''tpletely wrong. But the problem was that I wasn''t her boyfriend.


    Her staying here had nothing to do with me.


    I was about to exin when


    Gabrielle suddenly seemed to think of something and threw her arms around my arm. "No matter what you say about him, I''mpletely devoted to him! Mom, please just let me be.


    "Why can''t I marry the man I want to? What''s the point of living if I can''t? If you


    keep pushing me, I''ll have no choice but to end it all!"


    "You''d die for such a man? Do you have no shame?"


    "I don''t! I just like him!"

 Chapter 362

    "You bitch, you have no shame at all!" Kaelyn screamed.


    Just as Kaelyn and Gabrielle were about to argue, I quickly intervened. "Stop it.


    Let''s talk this through."


    "Get out of the way!"


    A crisp pnded hard on my face, immediately silencing the argument.


    I was stunned. The women were both shocked as well.


    It was obvious that Kaelyn hadn''t expected to hit me, let alone hit me so hard. She probably just wanted to threaten me, but instead, she ended up striking me.


    Gabrielle had intended to create some drama, but it got me pped.


    Only after a moment did I regain myposure and grit my teeth. "Madam, since you''ve pped me, can you let me say something? Even if you think I''m not a good man or if you''re doing this out of kindness, trying to get Gabrielle to marry a good man is your one-sided wish.


    "If your house is next to a river, should you let your child learn how to swim and catch fish and crabs even if it takes them almost drowning a few times? Or should you build a bridge and have them walk on it forever, never letting them go into the water?"


    Kaelyn frowned. "Of course I would want her to stay on the bridge! Drown once, and she''s finished! Marrying the wrong person will ruin her life!"


    "Yes, drowning could kill her. But if you stick by her, nothing will happen. Instead, it will teach her a lesson, give her some experience, and enrich her life. Besides, if you marry the wrong person, you can just divorce them, right? It''s not like you''re bound forever." I tried to reason with her. "And whether she walks on the bridge or learns to swim is not for you to decide. It''s her life, and she has the right to choose."


    Gabrielle immediately added, "Mom, I want to learn how to swim. I''d rather drown or endure some hardship. I want to enjoy the fun of swimming and catching fish and crabs than live my whole life on a bridge, mechanically and boringly."


    "You!" Kaelyn red at Gabrielle and then at me, her face red with anger.


    "My daughter has always been obedient, and then suddenly, she turns rebellious. I wondered what happened. It turns out that she met a slick talking, smooth operator like yout''s you who''s incited her to go against me!"


    Now, I was being med. When did I ever incite her? This was the first time we


    had met, and those words were the first time I had said them.


    But Gabrielle insisted I was her boyfriend, clearly trying to use me to escape Kaelyn''s control, so I had no choice but to help. If I left now, she would be scolded even more harshly and possibly dragged back home.


    So, I decided to y the role of the good guy. I smiled and said, "Madam, no matter how I usually interact with Gabrielle, the fact


    remains-we have mutual for


    The more you try to separate us, the stronger our bond will grow.


    "Have you never heard the saying? Love grows stronger through adversity. If you just ept us, we might end up arguing daily and breaking up on our own."


    Kaelyn''s expression clearly changed when she heard this.


    She was much older than me, so she likely understood the situation better than I


    did.


    After a moment, she took a deep


    breath. "Kid you do have a way with words. Fine: I won''t break you two up for now. Do as you wish, but


    Gabrielle, you absolutely


    stay


    in this apartment. Come home with


    me right now!"


    "I can''t go back. If I do, you''ll just lock me up again."


    "Locking you up is better than you being sold. Look at the people downstairs. Do


    you think any of them are good?"


    I interrupted her. "Those building managers will be fired soon."

 Chapter 363

    I had already made up my mind. Once I dealt with Gabrielle''s situation, I would immediately fire all the building managers.


    Then, I would have Victor personally find a few reliable people to rece them. After all, a 32-story apartment building couldn''t function without a few dependable managers.


    "Will they be fired soon?" Kaelyn squinted at me, her smile cold.


    "You''ve got some nerve, talking like you own this building. Do you think you can just fire them? If they''re working here, they must have connections!


    "To be honest with you, I talked to the people downstairs when I came up. They''re all members of The Dragonshade Society. A few days ago, The Dragonshade Society changed ownership, and the owner of this apartment building is the new owner!


    "Do you really think you can eliminate The Dragonshade Society''s people?"


    Hearing this, Gabrielle froze in shock. "The Dragonshade Society? Oh my goodness! How is this their turf?"


    "Now you''re scared, huh? What were you doing earlier?"


    "I didn''t know... I really didn''t know."


    "You''re too naive and easily fooled. You''re far from being ready to face the world on your own! Come back home with me now."


    At those words, Gabrielle''s face showed clear signs of wavering.


    I was pretty surprised myself. I hadn''t expected the people downstairs to be from The Dragonshade Society.


    Earlier, I had asked Mason to find some people from The Dragonshade Society to work as security, thinking he would send me two sensible, well-behaved ones.


    Who would''ve guessed he brought over those two punks? But now, thinking it over, there are no honest people in The Dragonshade Society.


    I shouldn''t have hired from there in the first ce. I should have just hired legitimate security guards! I regretted it immediately.


    "Even if they are from The Dragonshade Society, it doesn''t matter. I can still make them leave. Madam, trust me. Wait two or three more days, and it''ll be done."


    "Two or three days? I can''t wait for another day! Gabrielle,e with This


    me now!


    is yourst chance.


    You''ll regret it tonight if you don''te with me today. Those men will definitelye knocking on our door!"


    wn?


    I wondered if she thought that she was a prophet. It seemed like she was just threatening Gabrielle.


    But Gabrielle was clearly scared. She had already been frightened by the people downstairs, and now, with Kaelyn threatening her, she was even more terrified, barely able to move her feet.


    I understood her fear and came up


    with a solution. "How about this, Gabrielle? You go back with your mom for now. I''ll handle the people in the building. I''ll call you once I''ve taken care of it, and you can move back in. I''ll keep this unit for you."


    We were indeed destined to meet. I nned to give her a friendly discount for this unit.


    Naturally, it would only be for six months. After that, if her situation improved, the rent would return to the original price. She couldn''t keep living here for a cheap price.


    Gabrielle hesitated. "But I''m afraid if I go back, I won''t be able to leave. My mom won''t let me go... Unless you go back with me!"


    "Me?"


    She was really getting into character, huh? I was just a stranger to her. How could


    I possibly go home with her?


    I could only foree a smile. "That''s not necessary. What''s it to you if I go back with you? Even if we were dating, we''re not living together. You should just go back for now. It''s the modern era. Your mom can''t really tie you down, right? If you want to leave, you''ll find a way. Don''t worry."

 Chapter 364

    I intended to convince Gabrielle, but to my surprise, Kaelyn changed her attitude after hearing me.


    She asked, "You''re quite the stand-up guy, aren''t you? Turning down such an easy opportunity to marry into a family and still looking out for Gabrielle at every turn... Alright then. Why don''t youe back with her?


    "Stay at my ce for a few days so that I can see what kind of person you really are! If your character checks out, I wouldn''t be opposed to considering you as a son-inw."


    Me? A son-inw? What a dreamer!


    If my parents heard this, they would probably roll their eyes so hard they would see the back of their heads.


    There weren''t many people in this country who could say they were willing to marry into the White family, and even fewer who could do it with their heads held high.


    I was about to reject the idea when Gabrielle grabbed my hand. "Please, juste with me! I really need you. I need you so badly. It''s just for three days! No! Just two days! Only two days, please!"


    It was hard to say no.


    I decided that two days wasn''t too much to ask. I could treat it like a short vacation.


    After dealing with The Dragonshade Society, looking after Tiffany, and finishing the work at the bar, I felt exhausted. A break would be just what I needed.


    After a moment of thought, I nodded. "Alright. I''ll go for two days."


    And so, I followed Gabrielle to the Whitehead residence.


    Even after we entered, I still had a sense of disbelief. How did I end up going home with her?


    However, I called Mason to update him on Jane''s situation once we arrived.


    "I went to the apartment today. The people there are no good. They''re very dishonest, and they are trying to target Jane. You need to give them a lesson to ensure they know their ce. I''ll have Victor send some new people over to take charge in the next few days."


    I couldn''t just kick them out immediately. Otherwise, the apartment would be empty. So I would have to make do for the next few days until the new staff arrived.


    Mason responded with great


    concern, "I''m sorry, Mr. White. I didn''t realize they were so bold. It''s my fault. These past few days, been busy taking over The Dragonshade Society''s ounts


    vera


    and haven''t had a chance to show authority and establish rules.


    "That''s why my subordinates are taking advantage of the chaos. Don''t worry. I''ll


    send my two most trusted men tonight to protect Ms. Holger. She won''t suffer any harm or mistreatment."


    I felt reassured when I heard that.


    "Thanks, Mason. The Dragonshade Society situation isn''t your fault, so just focus on your work."


    "Thank you for your understanding, Mr. White."


    After taking care of Jane''s situation, I felt relieved and began to observe Gabrielle''s home curiously.


    Her family lived in a gated vimunity, not a standalone vi, but a viplex.


    Each building had 20 households, and the Whitehead family lived on the eighth floor. They had their private elevator, leading to a luxurious and impressive penthouse of over 300 square feet.


    When I walked in, Gabrielle''s


    rtives had already set the stage for a confrontation. About five or six rtives were gathered, waiting to reprimand her. But when they saw me, they were all stunned,


    Gabrielle followed behind me, looking nervous and scared.


    I nced at her solemn-faced rtives and quietly asked, "Did you expect this? Is


    that why you brought me here, to shield you?"


    She whispered, "Quick! Tell me your name, or we''ll be exposed."

 Chapter 365

    I was speechless. She didn''t even know my name, yet she dared to bring me home.


    "My name''s William White."


    "I''m Gabrielle Whitehead, 23 years old, born in November, and a Scorpio." She even had to tell me her horoscope.


    At that moment, Kaelyn stepped forward, her expression cold. "Let me introduce everyone. This is Gabrielle''s boyfriend, his name is..."


    Kaelyn looked back at me, and I dutifully replied, "I''m William White."


    "William, this is Gabrielle''s father, Reginald Whitehead. This is her uncle, Matias Hayes, and his wife. This is her..."


    As the introductions continued, I only remembered the first two people. The others blurred together.


    It seemed that Gabrielle running away from home and refusing to marry the man her family arranged for her was such a big deal that they needed this many rtives involved.


    This situation likely had more to do with the Whitehead family''s interests than Gabrielle''s happiness. Clearly, these people cared more about their own benefits than her well-being.


    The life of a wealthy heiress in such a small family wasn''t easy.


    "Boyfriend? Gabrielle, you''re already engaged, and now you''re fooling around with another man? If this gets out, the Whitehead family will be embarrassed!"


    Reginald was the first to speak up, with the rest of the rtives nodding in agreement.


    Once I realized that they didn''t care about Gabrielle''s happiness, I didn''t feel the need to care about their dignity. So, I confronted them directly.


    "If the Whitehead family prioritized their reputation, they wouldn''t force their daughter to marry someone she doesn''t like! What era are we in?


    "You''re still arranging marriages, forcing weddings, and sacrificing Gabrielle''s happiness for your own interests, yet you still have the nerve to talk about reputations? You lost your reputation long ago. It has nothing to do with anyone else!"


    After I said that, the whole room fell silent.


    Kaelyn stared at me in shock. Even Gabrielle covered her mouth in fear.


    They never expected me to say such things so bluntly.


    "What did you say? Who''s disregarding Gabrielle''s happiness? The Singleton family heir is


    handsome,es from a


    prestigious background, and bel


    excellent character. Gabrielle marrying him is a match made in heaven. How is that not happiness? Do you think she''ll be happy with a loser like you?"


    I sneered. "If L''hadn''t seen Mr. Singleton''s photo on the way here, I might have, believed your nonsense He''s a pig-someone you described as a handsome, rich guy. It looks like I was right when I said you have no shame."  s?novel


    On the way here, Gabrielle showed me a picture of the man her family wanted her


    to marry. After seeing it, I felt like I''d lose my appetite for three days.


    He was barely five feet seven inches tall, weighed at least 253 pounds, and had a swollen, greasy face. The sight was revolting.


    The scariest part was his terrible skin. He was covered in pimples and e-truly as repulsive as one could get. And yet, they dared to call him handsome.


    Their shamelessness was extraordinary.


    Reginald''s face turned as dark as


    storm clouds, at my retort. "Who allowed you to bring this worthless kid into our house? What right does he have to interfere with the §Ö Whitehead family''s matters? Get him out!"


    "Yes. Get him out!"


    In their embarrassment, they kept trying to push me out.


    Kaelyn was utterly furious, ring at me. "If you still want to stay here, shut up. If you say one more word, I''ll throw you out!"


    "Go ahead. I''ll leave, but I''m taking Gabrielle with me."


    "Do you think that this is some random ce where you can take anyone with


    you? If you anger us, you may not even get to leave!"

 Chapter 366

    I sneered. "What? You guys still want to y hardball?"


    I took a step forward.


    "Fine. All of youe at me. Let''s see what you''ve got. I may not have much confidence when fighting others, but I might as well quit if I can''t handle a few old geezers like you."


    "You, you... Gabrielle, listen to what he''s saying! So you brought this guy back to provoke us?"


    Gabrielle hid behind me and whispered, "You were rude to him first."


    "You!"


    Just as the atmosphere grew tense with no one willing to back down, the door behind me opened, and a familiar voice came from the doorway.


    "Is Gabrielle back?"


    I turned around and froze when I saw the woman walking in. It was Charlotte.


    How could it be her?


    Suddenly, I remembered that when Kaelyn introduced the family earlier, she mentioned that Gabrielle''s uncle was Matias Hayes. So, it turned out that Matias was Charlotte''s father, the restaurant owner I had helped before.


    I thought that the Whitehead family was some prestigious, wealthy family. After all that fuss, I was stunned to learn what their family consists of.


    How dare they throw Gabrielle under the bus!


    I was speechless.


    When Charlotte saw me, she was clearly shocked. "William... Why are you here?"


    The entire room was stunned to learn that we knew each other. "Charlotte, you know him? Who is this kid? What''s his family background?"


    Charlotte nced at me. She hesitated momentarily before exining, "He''s my ssmate. His family sells fruit on a street stall."


    At that, the room exploded.


    "Street stall fruit seller!"


    "With all that big talk, I thought he was someone important. It turns out that he''s just a pauper!"


    "Gabrielle, have you lost your mind?


    Even if you''re not marrying Mr. Singleton, what about the bank


    manager''s son, pilot, or entrepreneur? Any of them are better than this guy! Why would you choose him?"


    "Wait. If he''s Charlotte''s ssmate, he''s probably only 20.


    "He''s younger than Gabrielle, so maybe she supports him. This is driving me crazy!"


    It was clear that everyone, including Gabrielle''s parents, was furious.


    Gabrielle lowered her head in embarrassment, not knowing what to say.


    It was bad enough that she picked someone with no money, but choosing someone who sold fruit on a street stall was even worse. And on top of that, I was a few years younger than her. ''


    Charlotte looked confused. "What are you all saying? Are you implying that William is Gabrielle''s boyfriend? That''s impossible! He has a girlfriend at school!"


    With that, the room erupted into chaos.


    "He has a girlfriend!"


    "Great. Not only is he a pauper living off a woman, but he''s also a scumbag!"


    "Gabrielle, look at you! What am I supposed to say? This is your taste. This is the consequence of wanting a free rtionship!"


    "If it weren''t for us, who knows how long this man would trick you!"


    "I don''t care, Gabrielle. You have to break up with him right now!"

 Chapter 367

    Charlotte did not expect her words to have such a huge impact. She quickly


    waved her hand. "Everyone, please calm down. His girlfriend is missing. We don''t know where or if she''ll be found..."


    But the more she exined, the more agitated her family became.


    "If she''s missing, it doesn''t mean that they''ve broken up!"


    "Exactly! Missing? He could be some kind of twisted murderer. Maybe his girlfriend is already dead, and now he''s targeting Gabrielle!"


    "Gabrielle, you didn''t listen to our advice, and now look what you''ve ended up with! With such poor judgment, you shouldn''t be making reckless decisions."


    Good grief! They were calling me a psychopathic killer now. It seemed like they really thought little of me.


    I came here to rx for a day or two. Who would''ve thought my blood pressure was higher now instead of rxing?


    Gabrielle was so nervous that she couldn''t even say a single word. Her face flushed bright red,pletely flustered. Relying on her to speak up for me was more challenging than stacking water.


    I would have to save myself.


    "I do have a girlfriend, and yes, she is missing. That''s the truth, but I''m not a psychopathic killer. I''ve already reported her missing to the police, who are investigating it.


    "Even if, just for the sake of argument, I do have a problem, it''s between me and Gabrielle. It''s none of your business. Gabrielle''s parents can care about her, but who the rest of you think you are? How much have you given her?


    "Have you ever given her gifts, bought her a house or a car? Why should you interfere with her freedom?"


    1.n


    After hearing what I said, Gabrielle seemed to be awakened. She immediately stood beside me and gathered her courage to speak. "What he said is exactly what wanted to say. Uncle Matias and Aunt I, I know you care about me, but if you care..."


    "Just give her money." I smiled and said it straightforwardly.


    "If you truly care about her, stop being stingy and give her some money. Instead of always pointing fingers at her, offer her some support. All you want to do is suck her dry like some shameless bloodsuckers."


    The whole living room fell silent.


    Even Charlotte turned pale, staring at me in shock, not daring to make a sound.


    It seemed that these rtives of Gabrielle were usually so fierce with them that even a single word of rebuttal was too much. They were so terrified that hearing someone else speak left them stunned.


    Gabrielle''s parents and rtives looked utterly embarrassed but couldn''t say a single word in rebuttal because everything I said was true. It was harsh, but it was the reality.


    "Well, Gabrielle returning home is a good sign. Maybe she''s thought things through. Let''s not pressure her too much. And anyway, with her boyfriend speaking so rudely, we don''t need to do anything.


    "Gabrielle will get rid of him herself. She''s just mad at us and brought home this oddball boyfriend to provoke us."


    At this point, I rose to her feet. She smiled, trying to ease the tension. But no matter how much she tried to smooth things over, it wouldn''t be at my expense.


    I had already decided not to tolerate these people, so I didn''t hesitate to fire back when I heard her trying to brush it off. "You''re overestimating yourself. In Gabrielle''s eyes, you''re just a bloodsucking rtive. Why would she be angry at you? Do you even deserve that?"


    "Brat!"


    Matias suddenly stood up, ready to make a move, but just then, a noise came


    from the door. A secondter, a young woman walked in, holding hands with her boyfriend.

 Chapter 368

    When ra and her boyfriend entered, Gabrielle was also surprised. "ra? When did you return? William, this is my cousin, ra Whitehead."


    I nodded and looked at ra. She was wearing a tight tank top and skinny jeans.


    Her figure wasn''t exactly slim, but she was curvy. I almost thought that the fabric might tear with such tight clothes. Still, I didn''t think she was overweight.


    Abroad, she would be seen as average build, but here, she was considered slightly heavier. Some men might like it, but at my age, not many would.


    Her boyfriend was tall but also overweight. He had narrow eyes and a constant smile on his face, making him appear somewhat foolish. Yet, I noticed a sharp glint in his eyes. This man likely wasn''t as silly as he appeared.


    "What are you all doing here? Didn''t I tell you to go to the new vi I bought?" ra linked arms with her boyfriend, looking around disdainfully. "This ce is so small. It''s cramped!"


    She sure knew how to act.


    The over 3,000 square feet vi was spacious enough to fit three familiesfortably. Even with more people, it wouldn''t be overcrowded. So, how could she call it cramped?


    I wasn''t bothered by it at all.


    Kaelyn immediately smiled and said, "Oh, ra, you know how Gabrielle is. She doesn''t want to go to anyone else''s house, and with her running away from home recently, I didn''t have the heart to focus on things like picking a vi. It''s just a blessing that I was able to get her back!"


    She spoke in a way that made it clear she was trying to appease ra. It seemed ra''s family held a higher status than Gabrielle''s; otherwise, Kaelyn wouldn''t have been so humble, speaking with such obvious ttery.


    Only then did ra nce at Gabrielle.


    To be fair, Gabrielle, ra, and Charlotte were the most beautiful women in the


    room.


    Gabrielle had a slender figure,


    perfectly bnced with curves in all the right ces. Her face was both innocent and alluring, and her gentle, captivating aura made her the kind of woman most men couldn''t resist.


    Charlotte, on the other hand, had more of a cool, beautiful vibe. She always appeared cold and distant.


    As for ra, she was exactly as I had thought-just a little rounder. Some would love her figure, while others might find her too much.


    I wasn''t sure if it was just me overthinking, but I couldn''t help feeling that she was somewhat antagonistic toward Gabrielle. The way she eyed Gabrielle seemed full of jealousy and disdain.


    "Gabrielle, why are you still dressing like this? Don''t you feel embarrassed when you go out and run into your friends? Don''t you think they''llugh at you?"


    Before Gabrielle could answer, she continued, "Oh, they wouldn''tugh? That''s normal. I know your friends. They''re eitherzy guys or women who are no better. None of them are decent people."


    Gabrielle frowned. "What do you mean by that? Even if my friends don''t have much money, they''ve always treated me as a true friend and have been very kind to me."


    "Kind to you? Did they take you in when you were in trouble? How much could they lend you when you needed money?"


    ra''s face was filled with contempt. "You''re talking about real friendship with poor losers? Don''t make meugh!"

 Chapter 369

    What a messed-up set of values! So, people couldn''t talk about true friendship unless they had money? If that was the case, did that mean poor people couldn''t have friends?


    History repeatedly showed that the wealthier people were, especially those in aristocratic or bourgeois circles, the more they prioritized profit over genuine emotions.


    For the sake of power and wealth, they would even kill their own parents, siblings, or anyone in their family. How many people of an average background could do that?


    Even if they did, they would face imprisonment, whereas those in power couldmit such acts and still be hailed as wise or heroic.


    On the other hand, it was the ordinary people-brothers in arms, heroes of the streets, or ordinary citizens-who, for the sake of one person, would sacrifice a whole vige.


    It was not rare for someone to risk their life for a friend.


    It was precisely because I had seen so many of these kinds of stories and histories and witnessed so much scheming and betrayal around me that I longed for true friendship. I yearned for genuine respect beyond social status, so I kept a low profile and enrolled at Welsington University.


    Now, ra was denying the values I had held dear for years before me. Could I just let that go?


    "Should she talk about real friendship with you if she shouldn''t talk with the poor? You''re Gabrielle''s cousin, yet you didn''t ask how she was doing after not seeing her for a while.


    "Instead, you mock her appearance. Is that all you care about? People like you are even worse than beggars on the street. How dare you talk about friendship?"


    I had to admit, sinceing to the Whitehead residence, my tone had been sharp and unkind. I would challenge anyone who challenged me right back. I showed no mercy!


    I was so blunt because I had been feeling frustrated these past few days, and I had umted a lot of anger that I needed to vent.


    And with the Whitehead family''s constant verbal attacks on me, I couldn''t stand them and felt like giving them a piece of my mind.


    ra''s face turned red with anger. "Who do you think you are? I''m talking to Gabrielle. Who gave you the right to interrupt?"


    Iughed. I''m Gabrielle''s boyfriend. I cannot interrupt if you dare say anything bad about her. Not only can I interrupt, but I could even p you. Try insulting her again and see what happens."


    "You..."


    "Alright, alright. We''re all family here. There''s no need to argue."


    ra was so angry that she was about to swing at me when Charlotte suddenly stepped in to mediate.


    "Everyone''s been standing and arguing for so long, aren''t you tired? Come on. Sit down. Gabrielle, William,e to the kitchen and make tea for everyone."


    After speaking, she gave me and Gabrielle a wink, then turned and walked toward the kitchen.


    Gabrielle didn''t hesitate to follow her. They had a good rtionship.


    Seeing that no one in the living room weed me, I initially thought of leaving. I But then I realized that f left, all the attention would turn to Gabrielle.


    With her weak personality, who knows how much she would have to endure? After thinking it over, I decided to follow them into the kitchen.


    When I entered, Charlotte whispered to Gabrielle, "Don''t try to fool me know William. He didn''t even care about Crystal''s pursuit. How could he ept you? You two must be pretending, right? Just tell me!"


    "I¡ª"


    "Whether we''re pretending or not has nothing to do with you, right?" I had never gotten along with Charlotte.

 Chapter 370

    To be more precise, Charlotte didn''t get along with me.


    I never had any issue with her initially, but after being insulted by her too many times, I stopped being polite. So when I spoke, I couldn''t help but show some anger.


    When Charlotte saw me, her demeanor immediately shrank. She looked at me with a hint of grievance in her eyes. "William, why are you bothering Gabrielle? You didn''t even tell me that you wereing. I sent you messages, but you didn''t reply."


    She did send me two messages that day, but they were meaningless. One text asked me what I was doing, and the other asked if I was done with ss.


    I didn''t reply.


    I knew exactly why she was suddenly concerned about me. It wasn''t because she cared but because recent events made her suspicious that I might be a rich heir. I figured that she probably wanted to get closer to me to find out more about me.


    If I told her the truth¡ªthat I was just a pauper-she would probably never even look at me again. I knew exactly what kind of person she was. I just didn''t want to bother with people like that.


    So, I simply said, "I didn''t feel like replying."


    "You... You''re too much. I know I made some mistakes in the past, and I owe you an apology, but you don''t need to hold a grudge like this. You''re a man. Can''t you be a bit more magnanimous?"


    I smiled and remarked, "What? Men are supposed to be magnanimous, but women can be petty. What happened to gender equality? Besides, if you keep saying that, the generous women might have something to say to you."


    "You!" Charlotte was at a loss for words. She frowned and angrily stamped her foot.


    "Enough. Let''s stop talking about us. Let''s talk about you and Gabrielle. William, did you know that Gabrielle is already engaged to Mr. Singleton? If you''re with Gabrielle now, you''ll offend him!"


    I coldly replied, "I don''t care."


    Who cared about Mr. Singleton? If he knew about me and behaved properly, that would be fine. But if he dared to cause trouble, I would ensure he left Welsington City.


    Gabrielle looked at me with a pained expression I''m sorry, William. I didn''t expect them to go this far. As soon as they saw you, they all started insulting you. I thought would be polite when you returned with me since there were guests. I didn''t expect this..."


    As she spoke, she suddenly started crying.


    I helplessly wiped away her tears. "Silly girl, why are you crying? It''s just a few insults. It''s not a big deal I''ve heard much worse at school. You can ask Charlotte. She''s insulted me far more harshly than your rtives."


    Charlotte''s face turned red, and she hurriedly said, "I never insulted you! That was all a misunderstanding."


    "You really have the nerve to say you never insulted me?"


    I was speechless. She had been insulting me since she first came to meet me


    with Lina. And every time after that, she would openly or subtly insult me.


    Now, she was iming that she never insulted me. Did this world have any justice?


    Gabrielle looked at Charlotte with surprise and confusion. "Charlotte? Why would she insult you?"


    I snorted with disdain. "You should ask her."


    Charlotte''s face turned bright red. Perhaps she was embarrassed by what I said and angrily retorted, "I didn''t want to insult him. He clearly doesn''t have money. Yet, he keeps pretending to be a rich heir infront of my friend while pursuing her.


    "Only after he got her did we learn that his family only ran a fruit stand. Tell me,


    isn''t that fraud? Who wouldn''t insult him?"


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 371

    Gabrielle slowly shook her head. She said, "If two people truly love each other, does it really matter what their families do? What''s there to criticize?"


    I really clicked with her. Her values and thoughts were exactly like mine. So what if I let Lina misunderstand my identity when I was with her back then? Why should things like status or wealth matter to the point that people insult me for them? Why should I let her cheat on me because of that?


    They were just prejudiced, loving the rich and looking down on the poor. To boost their image, they were desperately trying to shift the me for their infidelity onto


    me.


    In the past, Charlotte would never have admitted to such things. But now, she was quiet.


    After hearing what Gabrielle and I said, she hesitated, unsure what to say next.


    "What''s the point of bringing up the past? William, what do you n to do now? Even if you pretend to be Gabrielle''s boyfriend, it won''t matter. The Singleton family is already pressuring her. Mr. Singleton won''t marry anyone but her. It doesn''t matter what you say!


    "Her family won''t back down unless you cane up with a bride price that exceeds Mr. Singleton''s."


    I snorted. "You know I''m pretending to be rich. How could Ie up with a bride price?"


    Gabrielle hurriedly said, "Charlotte, stop talking nonsense. How could I have William pay a bride price? I''ll figure this out myself. Let''s serve the tea and get through these next few days."


    We had been in the kitchen for quite a while, and it was about time we went back out, or the people in the living room might get suspicious. So we quickly brewed some tea and brought it out.


    The conversation had grown even livelier when we stepped into the living room.


    "The Singleton family has done really well these past few years! Their newly listedpany''s stock has been rising steadily. They only have two sons. While the eldest is impressive, the family won''t neglect the younger one. Whoever marries the younger heir is bound to inherit arge fortune."


    "Exactly! I heard that the younger heir of the Singleton family owns 6% of thepany''s stock. Just think about it he doesn''t need to do. anything. His older brother works hard running thepany while he just sits back and makes money from his shares. How great is that?"


    "Yeah. If someone marries him, they''ll live a life of luxury. Not only will they eat and live well, but top brands of clothes and jewelry will be at their fingertips."


    "I don''t care about those things. What I''m really interested in is the Singleton family''s ancestral vi. He still lives in that mansion. If I could stay there for just a few days, would consider it worth it formy whole life!"


    It was clear that they didn''t like Quentin. They were after his wealth and stocks. For all that money, they were willing to sell out Gabrielle.


    "Everyone, tea''s ready!"


    Charlotte, who was typically arrogant at school, was very polite and well-behaved at home. She carefully ced the tea cups on the table as if afraid of breaking


    anything or disturbing the elders in the living room.


    They epted the tea with satisfaction, their eyes filled with approval.


    "I heard that Charlotte is quite popr at school. It seems like a group of rich heirs is pursuing her."


    When Matias heard this, he


    immediately smiled proudly. "She is


    something else, but do you know


    vel


    Lucas Bet? He''s quite the character. He''s basically been following her around like a puppy, but she doesn''t even look at him!" C¨®ntent


    "Lucas from the Bet family? He actually pursued Charlotte?"


    Heughed. "Yes! He pursued her for quite a while! By the way, Charlotte


    offended the heir of Arnoult Group not long ago. A benefactor helped settle things, and Lucas even pretended to be someone else to please my daughter!"


    "Really?"


    Everyone burst intoughter, mocking Lucas.

 Chapter 372

    But soon, someone became curious. "Do you know who that benefactor was? It must have been a wealthy heir secretly in love with Charlotte!"


    Matias sighed. "I know it must have been a wealthy heir. However, we have never seen this person''s whereabouts. I once gathered the courage to ask Mr. Zimmer, but he hinted that this heir was someone he couldn''t hope to reach. He told me to stop dreaming."


    "Mr. Zimmer must be jealous! Just because he can''t reach him doesn''t mean Charlotte can''t. If this heir is willing to help her, he must have feelings for her! I think you should keep trying and find this person."


    "That''s right! Maybe this person is the key to changing our family''s fortune, and he could help us rise to the top!"


    I nearlyughed. The wealthy heir they were looking for was right under their noses!


    It was too bad that, after seeing their attitude, this wealthy heir would think twice about marrying Gabrielle. Even if he actually liked her which he didn''t¡ªit would still give him pause.


    At that moment, I suddenly noticed that Charlotte was staring at me. I turned to look at her.


    When our eyes met, I noticed her gaze was full of excitement, which made my heart skip a beat. What did this mean? Could it be that she knew the wealthy heir was me?


    It was impossible. I had never given anything away. Even if she suspected, she had no evidence. If she asked me, I would deny everything!


    Just as I was thinking this, she approached me and immediately asked, "Is the wealthy heir you?"


    I countered her question with one of mine. "Do you think it''s possible?"


    "William, haven''t you noticed? Every time I ask you these questions, you never answer directly. You always dodge them."


    Was that so? I hadn''t noticed.


    She stared into my eyes. "Just answer me. Why can''t you answer directly?"


    It wasn''t hard, so I replied, "It''s not me."


    "Why don''t you dare look me in the eye when you say that?"


    This woman really had a lot of issues! I immediately stared back at her, gritting my teeth. "It''s not me. Are you satisfied now?"


    "If it isn''t, why did the manager not let me pay for the painting I broke in the hotel? I thought the painting was fake, but after I checked, I learned that it was genuine. It''s worth hundreds of thousands!"


    Damn it. It looked like she really investigated it. I could only y dumb. "What painting? I don''t remember."


    "You don''t remember? Should I call


    that manager and ask him? Maybe


    get


    dam to spill the truth? Doy


    dare to confront him face-to-face?"


    "Are you crazy?" I was getting annoyed. "Am I a criminal suspect? Why do you


    have to investigate and interrogate me like this?"


    Charlotte froze, her face turning


    pale.


    just curious mean it that way, et I want to know what you''rentity.


    about your real


    hiding."


    To avoid being seen through, I decided to stay cold and firm.


    "It''s none of your business. Stop meddling!"

 Chapter 373

    I immediately moved away from Charlotte and approached Gabrielle''s side.


    Charlotte''s expression soured when she saw me avoid her and got upset. Her eyes were filled with tears as she looked very aggrieved. She tried to talk to me nicely, but I made her feel this way.


    I did feel slightly guilty. But to protect my identity and to subtly get back at her for her past contempt and insults, I turned my gaze away and pretended not to notice, only speaking to Gabrielle.


    "Your family''s conversations are so dull. Don''t they care about how you''ve been doingtely? Whether anyone''s been giving you a hard time?"


    That was my honest opinion.


    When my family gathered, even though they came from all walks of life, we never talked about other wealthy families. Instead, we would ask about each other''s hobbies.


    My father and uncle loved ying chess. Whenever they got together, it was often for an entire day, and they would sometimes forget to eat.


    My mother and aunts enjoyed talking about embroidery and soap operas.


    In short, I had never seen my family sit together only to discuss wealth.


    Gabrielle''s expression darkened. "They''ve always been like this, which is why I''ve considered leaving home. I had a boyfriend before. We had just confessed to each other when I brought him home to meet my family. After that, he dumped me."


    "Why?"


    She smiled bitterly. "He imed my family was too materialistic and assumed I must be the same, having grown up in that environment. He hated people who were driven by status."


    I could only say that the guy wasn''t entirely wrong. But these things aren''t always ck and white.


    At least from what I observed, she wasn''t the type of person driven by materialism.


    For example, even in the Morgan family, there was someone like Crystal. So, things weren''t always so absolute.


    While chatting quietly, a phone suddenly rang, and Zeke answered.


    "Hello? Yes, it''s me. Of course, I''m


    serious! Since I started this business, I haven''t made any profit yet. I''m betting everything on this, so I invested most of my assets. How could I be ying around?


    "No problem! I''ll contact your boss directly and make sure they agree. I''ve never seen apany that would refuse an investment that''s being handed to them!"


    After hanging up, he looked up at everyone. "It was a call from Nixon Games."


    Upon hearing that name, I instantly perked up.


    Nixon Games? Wasn''t that my gamingpany?


    Reginald said, "Oh! That''s thepany you wanted to invest inst time? You''re putting in ten million? You''re quite bold!"


    "Ten million? That''s too much!"


    "Do games even make money these


    days? Just because a few top games are doing well doesn''t mean the entire industry is profitable. Every year, many games fail, and many people lose everything Don''t be impulsive."


    But Zeke waved his hand confidently. "Don''t worry. This gamingpany is different. had people investigate it! Thispany is connected to the White family of Gothville!"


    "Oh? The White family of Gothville?"


    Everyone in the room froze, and even I was stunned.

 Chapter 374

    How did Zeke find out?


    "Are you talking about the White family of Gothville?"


    "Of course! How many White families are there in Gothville?"


    "Oh, my goodness. Are members of the White family of Gothville actually running


    apany here in Welsington City? I remember passing by their vi three years ago, and I noticed that their security guards were armed with guns with live ammunition!"


    "Yeah, I heard that their cars are all modified, and every car window has bulletproof ss! So impressive!"


    Well, that part was true.


    My uncle''s vi had armed guards, mainly due to his position. He had been involved in too many peacekeeping operations and had angered some influential people abroad, so they often sent assassins after him.


    That was why he was very cautious when he went out and even at home.


    Of course, these were all government-approved, legal security personnel. My family wasn''t as extravagant as that.


    My father and mother were pretty low-profile. Their whereabouts were discreet, and when they went out, no one knew where they were going except for the people close to them.


    As for me, it was even less of an issue.


    Even if I walked down the street proudly dering that I was one of the heirs of the White family of Gothville, no one would believe me.


    After bragging about my family, Zeke got even more excited. "I found out that the person who initially started thispany was one of the top talents from the White family of Gothville.


    "Later, for some unknown reason, this top talent withdrew. But think about it. Thispany can easily make money just by being connected to the White family of Gothville! If I invest, I''ll just be riding the coattails!


    "In business nowadays, you do well if you don''t lose money. How many businesses are actually stable and profitable? Don''t you think I should invest?"


    Reginald was impressed. "You''re right! Can we invest, too?"


    Even ra stood up. "Uncle Reginald, let us invest too! We''ll give you the money. You can say that it''s your investment. Later, we''ll share the profits based on our contributions."


    "Yeah!"


    She quickly added, "I can contribute a million."


    "I have three million."


    "I have five million."


    ...


    They suddenly started pooling their money in front of me. Before long, they had gathered 16 million dors.


    With Zeke''s ten million, that totaled 26 million.


    I was speechless.


    As thepany owner, I knew very well that the game we were developing was just a small project nned for three years. The game would break even in the first year, make a profit in the second year, and by the third year, its poprity would fade.


    At that point, we would leave a couple of people to maintain the game and shift the rest of the team to develop new projects. The game''s life cycle would be over.


    There was no way 26 million dors could be invested in this project.


    Even if we


    did take


    the money, it


    would go toward forming a new team and developing new projects When the gameunched, it would take a long time, and payment would be dyed for an undetermined amount of time. Would they be able to wait?


    I definitely couldn''t ept this investment.


    Just as I was thinking this, Zeke waved his hand. "Alright, everyone. Don''t rush. The people from Nixon Games said I needed to talk to thepany''s owner first. We can move forward if the owner is willing to fet me invest. If he''s not willing, it''s all for nothing!" Cont¨¦nt

 Chapter 375

    The others scoffed. "No way they would turn it down."


    "Exactly! Who wouldn''t take free money? Who''s that dumb in the world?"


    "Go ahead and call the owner. You''ll definitely get the investment."


    Encouraged by everyone, Zeke nodded. He smiled, took out his phone, and dialed the number he had just received from thepany. The moment he pressed the call button, my phone rang.


    Startled, he quickly hung up. His expression changed, and he looked around. "What''s going on? Whose phone is ringing?"


    I awkwardly raised my hand. "It''s my phone."


    "So it''s you, huh? Are you deaf? Didn''t you hear that I was about to call the boss


    of Nixon Games? Can you take responsibility for dying our business?" He was furious, ring at me with hostility.


    The others'' res were just as unfriendly. "Turn your phone to silent!"


    I opened my mouth but hesitated to speak.


    Zeke grumbled and looked down again, pressing the call button.


    My phone rang again.


    Zeke quickly hung up.


    "You bastard! Are you doing this on purpose? Are you trying to mess things up when you know we''re about to make a fortune?"


    Kaelyn also shouted angrily, "I told you to silence your phone! If I hear it ring again, I''ll throw you and your phone out!"


    gave a small, indifferent smile.


    Zeke pressed the call button for the third time. This time, I acted quickly before they could start yelling and


    d the call. Conte


    "Brat... Wait. The call''s going through! Everyone, be quiet!"


    His face turned pale. He quickly gestured for everyone to be silent, then put the phone on speaker and said Hello? Is this the boss of Nixon Games?"


    "Yes, this is William White."


    The voice on the phone was almost simultaneous with mine, causing everyone in the room to freeze They all turned around, wide-eyed, with dumbfounded expressions.


    Zeke''s eyes nearly popped out. "W-What is this..."


    Kaelyn shook her head. "Did you dial the wrong number? How did you get William''s number?"


    "Wrong number?"


    He quickly pulled out the message and double-checked it.


    "I didn''t dial the wrong number! Maybe the person on the other end made a mistake."


    It was just too ridiculous if it were a mistake.


    Zeke refused to believe it, so he messaged Nixon Games to confirm. "May I ask, what''s your boss''st name?"


    "White."


    "Your boss'' name wouldn''t be William White, would it?"

 Chapter 376

    The employee was quite straightforward, immediately revealing my identity. "Yes, he''s a first-year student at Welsington University."


    When Zeke saw that message, he waspletely stunned.


    The others gathered around to look at the screen. Everyone was exchanging nces, unable toprehend. They wondered how a small-time guy who came with Gabrielle could be the boss of a gamepany.


    To clear up their confusion, I exined, "Nixon Games is indeed mine. A few months ago, the university held a businesspetition, and I participated by starting thispany. We yed a small game and won the championship. I didn''t want to close thepany afterward, so I kept it going.


    "Charlotte should know about this."


    I turned to look at Charlotte. I didn''t expect her to speak up for me, but she could at least confirm what I said was true.


    She immediately spoke up. "It''s true. He won thepetition and received a 500 thousand prize money."


    Zeke''s eyes widened. "What... What does thispany have to do with the White family of Gothville?"


    "Well, maybe you''ve got it wrong. I hire all the employees, and thepany has no connection to the White family of Gothville. It''s probably because myst name is White, and I''ve kept a low profile, so someone might have spread a rumor."


    I had to deny that connection, or else my hidden identity would be exposed.


    Zeke stared nkly for a long while before a cold smile appeared. "So, I was wrong?"


    I nodded.


    "All this time, this useless gamingpany was just something you casually started for fun, and it''s nothing special?"


    "It might be small, but it''s not useless," I replied.


    At least we had over 30 employees, a modest office environment, and goodpany benefits. While its future might not be extraordinary, it was definitely on


    a steady upward path. How could he call it a uselesspany?


    "Yourpany is nothing but a joke."


    Kaelyn scoffed. "What the heck! I thought that we had found a golden opportunity.


    It turns out that it''s just a uselesspany he started."


    "Investing ten million? With thatpany of his, he wouldn''t even know if he could handle 100 thousand dors!"


    The others sneered at me, clearly looking down on mypany.


    I sighed. "I''ve been running mypany just fine without begging for your investment. You were the ones who offered, and now you''re backing out? Maybe you should think about getting your brain checked."


    ra stood up, fuming. "What did you say? Brat, you''ve been annoying me since earlier. You heard Uncle Zeke mention Nixon Games, but you didn''t bother to exin.


    "You just waited for him to call. Are you trying to show off? Do you really think we''ll


    think more highly of you because you have apany?"


    "Exactly! Who doesn''t have apany these days? Only someone as inexperienced as him would act like this."


    "Charlotte, is he like this at school?"


    Charlotte nced at me, then


    hesitated before replying, "Everyone, please stop talking about him. He''s actually quite popr at school, and he''s a good person. He donated most of the money he won from the lottery to poor students."


    I couldn''t believe that she would defend me.


    This surprised me, and I couldn''t help but look at her again.


    But the Whiteheads weren''t buying it. "For someone like him, donating money was just a way to boost his reputation. He''s not genuinely trying to help. Don''t let him fool you."


    "Alright. Don''t waste your time on this kid anymore. The more we give him attention, the more he''ll get cocky. Let''s eat."


    Under Kaelyn''s direction, everyone quickly sat down to eat.


    Charlotte, Gabrielle, and I went to Gabrielle''s room and didn''t join the meal. The adults didn''t call us. It was probably because they were tired of dealing with us.


    Gabrielle''s room was cozy and sweet, clearly reflecting the taste of a young


    woman.


    Stuffed animals were hanging on the wall with pink sheets and covers on the bed, giving off a very feminine vibe. For a moment, I didn''t know where to sit.


    She pulled me to sit on the edge of the bed, her face full of apology. "William, I''m really sorry for dragging you into this and making you endure so much scolding."

 Chapter 377

    "It''s fine. I get scolded even more at school. I''m used to it. Charlotte scolds me much worse than they do," I said, smiling. I made a light joke to ease Gabrielle''s guilt.


    But unexpectedly, Charlotte''s tears started flowing immediately. "William, I''ve apologized to you so many times. Why won''t you forgive me?"


    "Wait. Why are you crying?"


    Now, I was the one in a panic. I only stated the truth. I wasn''t scolding her or yelling. Why would she cry?


    Gabrielle quickly handed Charlotte a tissue, asking with curiosity, "Charlotte, why did you scold William?"


    Charlotte couldn''t answer. She simply wiped her tears away. She was too


    embarrassed to exin.


    There was no reason for her to scold me other than that she looked down on me. It was that simple.


    Gabrielle stopped asking when Charlotte didn''t respond.


    She smiled at me. "Let''s just forget about the past. From now on, the three of us will be good friends, okay?"


    I looked at her. "I really do want to be friends with you."


    Gabrielle was kind, gentle, and not snobby. On the surface, she might seem delicate, but she was very brave. She ran away from home to stand up to her family and even lived in a budget apartment to save money.


    She reminded me of Juliette from Firelight.


    Although she wasn''t as naive and sweet as Juliette, nor did she have the same luck, her resilience in the face of adversity made her even more dazzling.


    As for Charlotte, I would rather not be friends with her.


    She hadn''t changed her snobbish ways; she was only nice to me now because she suspected my identity, not because she actually respected me.


    Gabrielle waved for Charlotte to sit on my other side.


    "I''ve never had particrly good friends growing up. William, I really want to be friends with you. Please don''t reject me, and Charlotte too!"


    Each sentence included Charlotte. To show her respect, I nodded.


    "Thank you!"


    Gabrielle hugged me lightly and then took a selfie of the three of us. immediately posted it to her


    velk¨¦


    Instagram with the caption, "The Brotherhood of the Iron Forest."


    "Charlotte, William, can you post it too?"


    I was confused as to why I had to post it, too. I rarely posted anything on my Instagram.


    As I hesitated, Charlotte pulled out her phone. Imitating Gabrielle, she posted an identical message with the same photo.


    The two women weren''t afraid of being misunderstood, so I had no reason to hesitate as a man.


    I also took out my phone and posted it.


    As expected, as soon as I posted it, thements exploded.


    First, Travis wrote, "What''s going on, bro? Aren''t you looking for Felicia?"


    Then my mother wrote, "Sweetheart, you can''t be ying both sides. Be sincere,


    or if I find out you''re being a jerk, I''ll ensure you get a vasectomy."


    Matthew''sment was even bolder. "William, this is still during the day. Can you handle it?"


    I looked at the photo. There was a


    pink bed in the background, and


    was sitting on the edge of the bed with two women who were I two


    awkwardly close to each other in the


    selfie.


    It was easy for others to misinterpret.


    Within a short time, dozens ofments came in. I couldn''t keep up with all the replies, so I gave a standard response. "Everyone, please don''t overthink it. We''re just friends. Didn''t you see my caption about ''The Brotherhood of the Iron Forest''? I''m just making friends."

 Chapter 378

    Travis immediately replied, "Ah, right! Friends! Since we''re all friends now, can you bring me along? I want to be friends with beautiful women, too!"


    I couldn''t help but send him a few emojis. "Get lost! You can try to be friends, but it has to be up to them. I can''t make that decision."


    After sending that, I shut off my phone, choosing to ignore it.


    These two women were benefiting from being around me. Many industry bigwigs were on my friend list, and they had made a good impression on these influential people.


    But just then, I received a message from Lina.


    "You finally made it public, William. I hope you and Charlotte stay together forever."


    What?


    I was stunned and immediately replied, "Don''t overthink it. It''s not what you think! Do you even know what ''The Brotherhood of the Iron Forest'' means?"


    Lina quickly responded, "Stop hiding it. I know Charlotte has been sticking to youtely. Since you refuse to ept me, it''s fine if you''re with my good friend instead."


    It didn''t matter how much I exined. Lina was convinced that something was going on between Charlotte and me.


    Fine. She could think whatever she wanted.


    After taking the photo, Gabrielle seemed much happier. She stood up and said, "I want to take a bath.


    Ever since I ran away from home, I''ve never been able to rx during a bath-l always rush through it. Now that I''m finally home, I need to enjoy it. You two chat for a while."


    With that, she grabbed a set of pajamas and went to the bathroom.


    Suddenly, only Charlotte and I remained in the room.


    Even though I had nothing to hide, it still felt awkward. I tried to make small talk. "I was nning to stay here for a few days, but I''ll have to leave tonight. Otherwise, I''ll drive them crazy, and staying here will drive me crazy too."


    She immediately said, "If you don''t have anywhere to stay, you cane to my ce."


    "Forget it. Your parents aren''t any better."


    As soon as I said that, I realized it wasn''t the best choice of words and quickly corrected myself. "What I meant is, your parents also get on my nerves."


    "I know what you mean. You''re probably thinking that like father, like daughter. They''re my parents, after all."


    She lowered her head, looking incredibly downcast.


    To be honest, I hadn''t thought that at all. But now that she mentioned it, it made sense! Birds of a feather flocked together.


    "But I really am reflecting on myself. It''s not because I know you might be rich that I''m acting like this. I really regret my past actions and words. I want to change. I know it''s hard to believe just from my words, but I will prove it with my actions."


    If I were still that first-year student, I would definitely have believed her.


    These women have shown me so much this past year. They got angry easily. One moment, they scolded me, then, realizing I wasn''t who they thought, they began ttering me. But as soon as they noticed their mistake, they went back to looking down on me.


    Who knew if they actually meant it?


    Some people couldn''t even change their opinions about whether they like spicy food or not. How was I supposed to believe someone would change their beliefs after decades over something small?


    Whoever believed it could go ahead. By the time Gabrielle finished her bath, I was ready to leave.


    "Aren''t you going to stay for the night?"


    When she realized I was leaving, she looked quite disappointed. If I left, she would face this whole family''s questioning and scolding alone. Just thinking about it made me feel sorry for her.


    But staying wouldn''t help. It would only buy her one more day.


    I took her hand and encouraged her, "Gabrielle, you''ll have to face it sooner or<pter. You need to decide your life. I believe in you."

 Chapter 379

    Gabrielle looked at me for a long moment before nodding in agreement.


    After going downstairs, I was about to hail a taxi back to school when I received a call from Jane.


    "Will, the building manager, and a female resident just had a fight, and I think someone got hurt. I''m kind of scared..."


    "What?" I was stunned.


    I originally nned to return to school first and then deal with the issues at the apartment tomorrow, but things escted much sooner than expected.


    "Jane, stay in your room and don''te out. I''m heading over right now!"


    "Okay, Will. I won''t leave my room. Don''t worry about me."


    She was always obedient and cautious, never doing anything reckless.


    I hung up and immediately called Quintus. As I turned, I saw him standing by a tree in a windbreaker not far from the flower bed, smoking a cigarette. He looked both stylish and cool.


    But I couldn''t afford to admire him at the moment. I nodded to him briefly before hailing a taxi straight to the apartment.


    I had just acquired the building, and if it gained a bad reputation, it would be a huge problem.


    I saw those two blond security guards again when I arrived at the apartment.


    They seemed to recognize me and frowned, clearly displeased. "What are you doing here again? Are you even renting? If not, stoping here like it''s a shopping mall!"


    I ignored them and walked straight toward the elevator.


    "Hey, I''m talking to you!" They became angry and moved to block me.


    But I didn''t even look back because I knew that Quintus would handle it.


    As expected, I soon heard a muffled grunt from behind. Before long, Quintus entered the elevator.


    He wasn''t sure how far I intended to go with this, so he asked, "Mr. White, how do you n to deal with them?"


    I answered coldly, "I was going to let Mason handle it, but they crossed the line with me. I''ll make sure to get rid of thempletely."


    "Understood."


    ording to Jane, the incident happened on the sixth floor, next to her apartment. So, I went straight there.


    As soon as I stepped out of the elevator, I heard voices from a group of thugs.


    "How''s the woman?"


    "She''s still tied up. We had someone bandage her up. Her injuries aren''t serious. Let''s see if we can find any clues on her. If we find anything threatening, we''ll just use it to shut her up. If not, we can take somepromising photos, and she won''t dare to speak."


    "Don''t worry. Everything''s fine. Marcus has already gone to destroy the


    surveince footage. She won''t have any evidence to find."


    Hearing this made my blood boil. Did these people even care about thew? They


    were openly discussing illegal activities in broad daylight.


    Where did Sophia find these thugs for me? Once this situation was resolved, I


    was definitely going to ask her about it!


    I reached the door of Jane''s apartment, where three thugs were standing guard.


    There were also three others patrolling the hallway.


    Anyone who didn''t know better


    would think someone important


    lived here, but in reality, it was just a


    woman who had been tricked into


    ve


    renting the ce, only to be harassed and beaten during a dispute.


    I walked forward without hesitation.


    When the people in the hallway saw me, they recognized me.


    It wasn''t surprising. Few people hade to look at the units that day and I had been quite noticeable. had also helped Gabrielle with her faucet, so they probably remembered me.


    They didn''t seem suspicious at first and thought I was just another potential renter.


    The moment they saw me stop directly in front of that woman''s door, the three men immediately turned to re at me in unison.

 Chapter 380

    The three men who stood guard noticed me and started yelling at me.


    "Brat, what do you think you''re doing?"


    "This room is upied. Go somewhere else!"


    "Move it! Don''t get in the way!"


    They didn''t just try to drive me away with words. They started shoving me as well.


    I tried to dodge a little, not wanting them to make contact, but I couldn''t avoid all three pairs of hands. One of them ended up grabbing my arm.


    Furious, I grabbed his forearm, crouched, and flipped him over my shoulder.


    With a loud thud, he mmed hard onto the ground and was momentarily unable to make a sound. He clutched himself in pain, curled up, and trembled uncontrobly.


    The others were left stunned. They clearly didn''t expect someone who appeared to be just a student to strike back with such brutal intensity.


    "You''re asking for it!" one of them roared.


    Their expressions turned savage. Without wasting time, they rushed toward me. Outnumbered, I instinctively took a step back, but I wasn''t afraid because I had Quintus.


    Just as expected, before they could reach me, a sudden force from the side mmed into two of them and sent the other three stumbling into the wall. They were left dazed and barely able to recover.


    Giving Quintus a quick look, I signaled him to handle those men before turning away to unlock the door.


    I had already prepared spare keys for every door when I took over the building. I prepared the key in advance after hearing from Jane about which unit was having trouble.


    I immediately unlocked the door and strode in. To my surprise, there were people inside.


    Two thugs were lounging on the couch, drinking and having a good time,pletely oblivious to what was happening outside the door.


    A beautiful youngdy with a ponytail sat on the couch. Tears of resentment streamed down her face. She had bandages around her head, ropes binding her, and a rag gagging her mouth.


    The two thugs were taken aback upon seeing me, and their astonishment only grew when they spotted the key in my hand. "What are you up to? Who permitted you toe here?"


    They likely never imagined I had entered on my own and were probably assuming


    I came on Marcus'' or someone else''s orders.


    I smoothly walked past them and said, "Marcus sent me to ask this youngdy a few questions."


    "Marcus sent you?" They looked doubtfully at each other. "Why did Marcus send you?"


    "How would I know? I guess Marcus wants to train me." I pretended to be casual as walked up to the couch and removed the cloth from the youngdy''s mouth. I then pinched her chin and examined the wound on her head.


    Thankfully, it didn''t seem too serious and was just a minor scratch. Just then, as I was closely inspecting, the youngdy suddenly spat at me in anger.


    I was momentarily stunned, my anger rising. It was mostly disgust, but I managed to keep it in.


    Ignorance was no crime. She probably saw me as one of the bad guys, which was why she acted that way.


    I took a deep breath, wiped my face with a tissue, and remarked, "Can you at least ask before you spit? I''m here to save you."


    "Save me? You''re no different from them. You''ll save me? Don''t give me that nonsense! Listen. Unless you kill me, I''ll definitely call the police!"


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 381

    The young woman before me was quite bold.


    I chuckled. "Do you think calling the police will help? If it did, would you still be here? The crimes they''vemitted would, at most, get them locked up for a month, and they''d be out on bail in no time. By then, their revenge on you would be far more brutal."


    "Bring it on!" The youngdy red at me fiercely, and her eyes were full of ferocity. "Come at me if you dare! I''ll fight you to the death!"


    The two thugsughed mockingly.


    "Brat, stop wasting time with her. We''ve tried the carrot and the stick, but she''s as stubborn as a mule. That''s why we gagged her," one of them said.


    Another person added, "Exactly. Let''s wait for Marcus to erase the footage and handle it himself."


    It wasughable how those two still assumed I was on their side.


    I ignored them and turned to the youngdy. "Is it really necessary to take this so far? Tell me what sort of apology orpensation you want from them. If I can make it happen, let''s put this matter to rest and move on. What do you think?"


    She sneered coldly when she heard that. "Alright! Let me tell you exactly what I want. I want that guy Marcus to kneel before me and apologize for his actions. Next, I want him to bash his head open and pay ten times the cost of my medical bills, along with half a month''s lost ie."


    She continued, "I''m amercial model. With my head injured like this, I''ll lose out on at least threemercial shoots. Each shoot pays eight thousand dors, so that''s 24 thousand dors! With the tenfold medicalpensation, that''s a total of 29 thousand dors!"


    Iughed lightly. "Is that all you''re asking for?"


    Honestly, I didn''t expect her to be so lenient. If it were me, I''d ask for at least a million straightaway.


    The youngdy frowned. "Enough with the empty talk. You''re talking as if you can actually pull it off!"


    I smiled and said, "I can make it happen. It''s not a big deal. Here''s my suggestion. Marcus and all his men will bash their heads in front of you. Each will pay you ten thousand dors, and Marcus will pay an extra 30 thousand. Does that work for you?"


    She froze and stared at me in disbelief. "I''ve experienced all kinds of negotiations, but I''ve never seen anyone deliberately raise the price like this. Are you out of your mind?"


    "I''m helping you, and you''re still insulting me?" I retorted.


    Her face was filled with skepticism. "Let''s see if you actually do it! Stop spouting empty promises!"


    "Fine." I stood up and turned to face the two thugs. "To earn her trust, why don''t you two take the lead?


    Kneel and apologize. Then, bas


    your own heads and pay her ten thousand dors each. Does that sound good?"


    The two thugs stared at me in bewilderment.


    "What''s wrong with you?" one of them asked.


    "You can''t be serious," another chimed in.


    I responded earnestly, "Do I look like I''m joking?"


    They were left even more perplexed.


    I waved them over. "Come on. Stop wasting time. If you don''te over now, I''ll have no choice but to call someone to drag you here. It''ll be even more humiliating, and you might get hurt. You''d better burry before I lose my temper."


    The two stared at me in stunned silence for a long moment, slowlying to


    terms with the fact that I was serious.


    After what felt like ages, one of them swallowed hard and asked, "Who sent you, brat? Are you seriously


    turning against us? What kind of


    nonsense is this?"


    I smiled. "You really believed it when I said Marcus sent me? I came on my own


    just to help this youngdy."


    As I spoke, I went ahead and untied the ropes that were binding her.


    It wasn''t until that moment that she finally seemed to believe I was there to help. Nervously, she asked, "W-Who are you? Why are you helping me?"


    "Why not? Do I need a reason? If you need one, I''ll say that I''m doing this in the name of... justice!" I replied.


    Naturally, that was just an excuse.

 Chapter 382

    I didn''t want to tell the youngdy that I owned this apartment building. Otherwise, my failure to maintain order would reflect poorly on me, and she might even try to hold me liable.


    Hence, I figured stepping in as just a passerby standing up for justice would be better. Once the matter was settled, I''d quietly withdraw.


    "Justice, my foot!" One of the thugs couldn''t take it anymore and rushed at me with a fist ready to strike.


    Just as he was about to step forward, his neck was seized by someone.


    Quintus had one hand mped firmly around his throat and swiftly seized his left arm with the other. With a crisp snap, he dislocated the thug''s arm.


    The other thug was terrified and attempted to flee but was promptly kicked to the ground by Quintus.


    In the blink of an eye, the two were left sprawled on the ground and barely able to


    move.


    I stood up and smiled, saying, "I already told you. If you''d just behaved, none of this would''ve happened. If you act recklessly, you will get hurt. You didn''t listen. Are you regretting it now?


    I added, "Alright. Hurry over here and kneel. Apologize to this youngdy as I told you."


    Quintus kicked the two men forward as soon as I finished speaking, forcing them to stumble to their knees before me and the youngdy.


    She nced at them in confusion and then looked up at me. "A-Are you serious?"


    I shrugged, smiling wryly. "What more do I need to do to convince you?"


    "I-I don''t mean to doubt you. It''s just that..." She gulped nervously, unable to finish her sentence.


    After being beaten by Quintus, the two men realized that they were no match for him. If they kept opposing me, they''d only suffer worse at his hands. Left with no other choice, they knelt and pleaded.


    "W-We know we were wrong! Please, spare us!"


    "We were just doing what Marcus told us! We''re innocent victims, too!"


    Seriously? Were they calling themselves victims?


    I sneered coldly. "Cut the nonsense. I''ll count to three. Don''t me me if you still haven''t apologized and cracked your own heads by then. I''ll have choice but to let him handle it. He''s strong, and if he identally goes too far and leaves you with brain damage, don''te crying to me."


    Based on what just happened, they''d have to be somewhat foolish not to realize I was serious. As expected, their faces contorted with hesitation and inner conflict after hearing what I said.


    When I counted to three, they instinctively grabbed something close by and cautiously knocked it against their heads. Since it was their skulls, they didn''t dare use too much strength.


    Before anyone could react, Quintus raised an ashtray and smashed it hard against one of their heads. As he released it, the ss ashtray shattered into shards.


    The thug who got hit copsed to the ground immediately.


    The other thug was so terrified that he didn''t think twice and grabbed a nearby


    vase and smashed it against his own head.


    Blood gushed out instantly.


    He stammered, "I-Is that enough?"


    The youngdy covered her mouth


    in fear. It seemed that her earlier


    demand for them to beg for mercy 1


    was just an act of defiance. Now that they were actually being forced to do it, she was scared ando nervous. She hurriedly looked at me and said, "E-Enough. I don''t want them to do this."


    But I didn''t relent. "You don''t want it, but I do."

 Chapter 383

    These people were doing whatever they wanted in my apartment building. Had I not arrived to stop them, I might have been caught up in it too. There was no way I''d let them off so easily.


    "Quintus, go get those people outside and bring them in. Make them apologize and deal with thepensation," I instructed.


    "Yes!" he replied.


    Under Quintus'' threat, none of them dared to refuse. They all obediently entered the living room, lined up to kneel and apologize to the youngdy, smashing their


    heads and handing over thepensation in an orderly manner.


    Not long after, she had already received a hundred thousand dors inpensation.


    I could tell that her mood had brightened after she got the money. She wasn''t angry anymore, but the real drama was yet toe.


    Shortly after Quintus had brought everyone in, the sound of Marcus'' shouting came from the hallway. "Where''s everyone? Damn it! Didn''t I tell you to leave someone patrolling the hallway and guarding the door so no one could escape? Are you guys ignoring what I said?"


    "Open the door! Let me in! Open it!" Soon, he started kicking the door with all his might.


    Quintus stood by the door and waited for my signal.


    As the noise from the hallway grew more frantic and the kicking grew louder, I shot a look at Quintus.


    With that, Quintus abruptly swung the door open.


    At the same time, Marcus also kicked it open, and he stumbled into the living room. He couldn''t stop himself in time, and with a loud thud, he fell straight to the floor in a total facent.


    The youngdy and I sat on the couch, without a trace of emotion, watching him in his miserable state.


    I slowly curled the corners of my mouth into a smile. "Marcus, it has been a while."


    Marcus saw me and immediately recognized me. "You brat! What are you doing here again?"


    I smiled faintly. "What? Aren''t you happy to see me?"


    "Who the heck do you think you are, and why should I be happy to see you?" he asked. That was when he finally noticed something was off.


    The youngdy, who should have been tied up, was sitting perfectly fine on the couch. Instead of ring at him with hatred, her expression waspletely calm, as if she didn''t care about this situation at all. She didn''t even care about him.


    The situation waspletely beyond what he had expected, leaving him momentarily stunned. "How did you get in here? Where are my men?"


    "Your men?" pretended that I had just recalled it and tapped my head. "Oh, I forgot to tell you. Your men al went to the hospital to treat their injuries. Now it''s just you left, and you still haven''t apologized. Burry up and kneel to apologize and paypensation."


    Marcus finally understood what I was implying and immediately shouted, "Apologize? You wish."


    After saying that, he pulled out his phone and called his men.


    "The number you have dialed is currently unavable..."


    After the call didn''t go through, he tried calling the second person.


    "The number you have dialed is currently unavable..."


    He called three people in a row, and all of their phones were turned off. He was so


    frustrated that he almost threw away his phone.


    Just then, I reached behind me,


    pulled out a dozen phones, and tossed them onto the table. "All the numbers you want to dial are here. I''ve turned them all off. You won''t be able to reach anyone. There''s no one else in the room. Just apologize and pay thepensation, and we''re done. Otherwise, when your men return, it''ll be even more embarrassing for you to kneel in front of them."


    Seeing the phones on the table, Marcus waspletely dumbfounded.

 Chapter 384

    This was the age when one''s phone was always at hand.


    I managed to get hold of the phones belonging to his men, and from the number,


    it looked like I had all of them. The kind of power I wielded and what I had just done was now crystal clear.


    For the first time, fear was evident in Marcus'' eyes. "W-Who are you?"


    I smiled and said, "It doesn''t matter who I am. Just do what I tell you. Now, kneel."


    Marcus swallowed hard, still holding on to a glimmer of hope. He nced around, trying to find any sign that I was just bluffing in an attempt to scare him. However, he found nothing.


    My patience had already worn thin, so I gave Quintus a signal.


    Quintus was now well-experienced, having handled so many people. He gently kicked Marcus behind the knee, causing thetter to fall to his knees immediately.


    Marcus'' head hit the floor with a thud, causing him to wince in pain.


    "Crack his skull," I ordered.


    Quintus wasted no time. He grabbed the wooden sculpture he was now familiar with and delivered a heavy blow to Marcus'' head. Marcus was stunned, clutching his head and staring at me, unable to speak.


    "Bring me 30 thousand dors, and you can take your men''s phones and get lost. As long as you don''t show up in front of me again, I won''t cause you any trouble," I remarked.


    Of course, he''d still have to deal with Mason after leaving, but that was between them and not my concern.


    "However, if you''re still stubborn and continue to appear in front of me to annoy me, I won''t hesitate to ruin youpletely," I warned.


    Marcus was still in a state of fear and confusion. "30 thousand dors? What 30 thousand dors?"


    I exined slowly, "Your men have already contributed ten thousand dors aspensation. As the leader or the one responsible, asking for 30 thousand from you is more than fair. If you keepining, I''ll make you pay 300 thousand!"


    After hearing the whole story, Marcus waspletely silenced.


    Even his dozen or so underlings couldn''t do anything to me. If he dared to challenge me, it would be like courting death.


    He was an experienced man,


    someone who had seen it all. It was impossible for him not to assess the situation. After a moment of hesitation, he finally took out his phone and obediently transferred 30 thousand dors to the youngdy.


    The youngdy smiled broadly, with no trace of anger left.


    "Alright. You can take the phones and get out of here! Even if you''re just passing by, you must stay at leone mile from this apartment building. Got it?" I asked.


    "Y-Yes. I got it." Blood was dripping from his head, but he didn''t bother to wipe it.


    He stood up and picked up those phones. Before leaving, he turned back to look


    at me. "Would you mind telling me yourst name?"


    I responded coldly, "White."


    "White..." He lowered his head, silently pondering momentarily, and then suddenly looked up. "The one who caused a scene at The Dragonshade Society-"


    Before he could finish, I shot him a warning nce.


    He immediately swallowed the rest


    of his words. He must have figured it out by now that I was the one who §á§à§Ø had caused the uproar at The Dragonshade Society event and kicked out the head of The Dragonshade Society.


    "I messed with the wrong person. I deserved it." With that, Marcus resolutely left.


    After he walked out, Quintus turned and walked to the door, thoughtfully closing it for me.


    Thoughtful, my foot!


    It wasn''t like I nned to do anything with that youngdy. Quintus was being overly considerate.


    The youngdy shyly and nervously looked at me. "I haven''t properly thanked you yet. By the way, what''s your name?"

 Chapter 385

    Although I wanted to call myself George Bush, I thought it sounded too ridiculous. So, I answered honestly, "I am William White."


    "You..."


    "I am an ordinary student from Welsington University. The person outside is my friend. Well? Isn''t he amazing?"


    Since I wanted to keep a low profile, I made Quintus take the credit for my contributions.


    However, that young woman wasn''t easily fooled. She thought about it and replied, "Your surname is White... There''s a prestigious family with the same surname as you in this country."


    I coughed and wondered how she had connected the dots.


    Then, I hurriedly interrupted her train of thought. "What prestigious family? My family sells fruits. My friend Quintus had to learn kickboxing to earn money, which is why his fighting skills are excellent."


    "Is that so?"


    The youngdy seemed to believe my words but still looked slightly suspicious.


    So, I changed the topic of the conversation. "Oh yes, I haven''t asked for your name yet."


    Just then, the young woman smiled. "I forgot to introduce myself. I am Jennie Ziegler! If you don''t mind, can I treat you to a meal? Also, I want to split the money that I received today with you."


    "You can treat me to a meal, but you should keep the money."


    I didn''tck money, but it looked like she needed it.


    As we made our way to a restaurant, I asked her why she needed to rent the apartment. After all, it was obvious that those managing the area weren''t good people.


    She sighed before giving me the same reason as Gabrielle.


    Her family had also urged her to get married soon. As such, she left the house to avoid them. She could only rent that apartment since she didn''t have much money.


    I asked curiously, "Why are so many women leaving their houses because their families keep urging them to get married?"


    "There are many of us in this type of situation." Jennie chuckled bitterly.


    She continued, "As a man, you won''t understand because you''ll inherit your family''s houseter on. But for women, we''ll either have to live by ourselves or get married and live with our husband''s family


    "To sum things up... Once we be of legal age, there''s no ce for us at home anymore. My mother forced me to marry someone I didn''t want, so I got out of the house and focused on my career instead."


    Was that so? If this were true, I should probably turn my current building into a co- ed apartment. If outstanding women and men lived in my apartment, I''d give them a 20% discount.


    Meanwhile, I''d raise the prices slightly for average men and women. Then, I''d rely on higher property management fees to bnce out the rental gap caused by the discounts I gave to premium tenants.


    This apartment would be extremely popr in Welsington!


    Although it didn''t seem fair, it was expected. After all, I only cared about profits,


    not fairness, whenever I thought about business matters.


    I''d select higher-quality tenants. Then, average men and women who wanted to look for partners wouldn''t have negative opinions of it.


    Anyway, if one tried looking for partners online, they would have to pay a hefty amount of money.


    As such, I was acting as a free intermediary. Although the rent and property fees were slightly higher, it didn''t matter.


    Moreover, Victor and Mason would create a security team, making the apartment extremely safe. Who wouldn''t want to live in an apartment like that?


    Immediately, I got to work.


    After finishing my meal, I sent Jennie back to her house and called Ste Jones, the office director of my gamepany.


    I got her to write a project proposal for me and scout two managers who were knowledgeable in the topic, offering them a high sry for their service.


    Once Ste heard my ideas, she gave me a thumbs-up.


    "Mr. White, this idea is very innovative. No one in our country has done this before. If this seeds, it will be very popr in Welsington and our country. When that happens, you can build an apartment like this in every city!"

 Chapter 386

    "Our country is also encouraging people to get married now. Maybe our project will be backed by the government!" Ste eximed.


    She seemed rather professional, so I left the matter to her. It was nighttime when I returned to the dormitory.


    After entering the building, I headed to the elevator. Suddenly, I heard amotion from the hallway.


    "You fucking dyed my clothes. Why are you spouting nonsense now? If you don''tpensate me today, I''ll destroy your dormitory with my friends!"


    Who was behaving so impudently?


    They threatened to destroy the dormitory. Did they think they could behave like a king?


    Then, I heard Liam''s voice. "Why should I pay you the money? I was washing my clothes when you threw your clothes at me. I didn''t know... Are you trying to scam me?"


    "Who the hell are you calling a scammer? Are you asking for trouble?"


    Soon after, I heard them fighting.


    After that, I immediately rushed forward.


    I arrived at the shared restroom on our level and saw seven men beating Liam up. They were using a lot of force, and Liam was crouching. He couldn''t fight back and was having difficulty protecting his head.


    "Stop!" I hurriedly ran forward to stop them. Yet, when I pulled one of them away, the others continued hitting Liam.


    The moment I yanked another person away, the first person I pulled back rushed forward, rending my efforts futile. I couldn''t rescue Liam.


    In a moment of panic, I spotted a bucket of dirty water nearby. It was used to wash shoes. Picking it up, I swiftly sshed the water at them.


    I heard a ssh, and the seven men instantly stopped what they were doing.


    The filthy, smelly water soaked thempletely. They were drenched, with water covering their hair and faces.


    Although they wanted to wipe away the water, it was too dirty. So, they walked to the sink and washed their faces.


    The person who quarreled with Liam


    red at me murderously. "How dare you dump dirty water on me? You''re courting death! Guys, let''s beat this nosy dude up too! Let''s kill them!"


    When those men ran toward me, Liam blocked their path without caring for his own safety. As such, Liam was punched again.


    I immediately became furious. I pulled Liam aside and started fighting with them. However, I overestimated my capabilities.


    If I fought them one by one, I''d have


    ince


    of winning. But facing


    once, they took me down


    effortlessly, treating me like a


    defenseless chick!


    When I shielded my head, they punched my stomach. When I shielded my


    stomach, they punched my head.


    I tried punching them and was able to hit one person. Yet, another man grabbed


    my arm, and the others rained blows on my stomach again.


    Then, I tried to kick them. Even though could attack them,


    someone seized the opportuni


    Ky back. I fell to the ground


    before I couldnd a good kick.


    Liam was in a simr predicament. He didn''t dare to fight back and kept trying to


    protect me and himself instead.


    As a result, both of us were beaten up badly!

 Chapter 387

    The only thing I was thankful for was that no matter how badly Liam had been beaten up, he didn''t yell or beg for mercy. A man should be as brave and stoic as him!


    I decided to bear the beatings with Liam that day. I didn''t believe that they would harm us that badly.


    Many people started surrounding the washroom. Some tried to mediate the fight while others watched with glee. However, none of them helped us.


    As I continued being beaten up, I heard what the bystanders said and realized who the bullies were.


    "Are they crazy? How could they provoke Remy?"


    "Who doesn''t know what his family does in our dormitory? Aren''t they asking for it?"


    "Maybe they really didn''t know who he was. Those two boys look like decent people. I don''t think they interact with Remy often. They''re screwed now.


    "What does Remy''s family do?"


    "How could you be unaware of this? I''ll tell you¡ªthey are debt collectors. Do you get it now?"


    It didn''t matter whether the others understood or not. Either way, I got it. Weren''t they essentially gangsters?


    In the past, they were loansharks. However, it had been ouwed recently, so they couldn''t behave arrogantly anymore and resorted to bullying ordinary people.


    Since Remy came from a family like that, he was undoubtedly violent and unreasonable. It seemed impossible that they would stop beating people up just because they feared repercussions!


    They were always reckless and could even kill someone in a moment of impulse. So, I gritted my teeth and decided to fight back!


    After seizing the opportunity, I pushed the person in front of me away, took out my self-defense knife, and pointed it at them.


    "Go away!" I stared at them coldly and tried to intimidate them.


    I knew that they behaved like beasts. So long as I was ruthless enough, I would win. However, if I backed down due to cowardice or kindness, I would lose even if I was very skilled.


    "Who dares to step forward? I''ll stab them!"


    Quintus protected me everywhere, apart from in the men''s dormitory. This was my private space, so he refused to follow out of respect, As such, he wouldn''t interfere in this as well. Thad to protect myself in the men''s dormitory.


    Once everyone saw the knife, they were rendered speechless. Fights often broke out in the dormitory, but things escted when they involved weapons. If things became bad, people would be killed.


    Those who were timid backed away in fear. The bystanders who surrounded us were scared that blood would spurt onto them.


    Meanwhile, Liam''s face turned pale when he saw my knife. He was afraid that I would stab someone, so he ran forward and grabbed my arm.


    "Calm down, William. Don''t take things too far."


    I replied emotionlessly, "Only kind people get bullied, Liam. Haven''t you heard of that before? I have to do this to defeat those gangsters. Otherwise, they''ll be too cocky."


    While I spoke, I red at Remy and his friends fiercely. It was a threat!


    "William? This guy is William?" After hearing my name, those men smiled in amusement.


    I was pretty popr in school. Although I didn''t have a good reputation, quite a few people knew me.


    I ignored their mocking gazes and dered, "Yes, I''m William. What''s the matter?"


    I knew what they wanted to say even before they opened their mouths.

 Chapter 388

    Remy''s men thought that I was pretentious and conceited. I''ve heard that remark countless times, so I didn''t pay attention to it much.


    What I was more concerned about was how to intimidate Remy and his subordinates so he wouldn''t cause trouble in the dormitory in the future.


    Those men were shameless and unreasonable. It was impossible to defeat them using normal methods, but if I was ruthless enough, I could subdue them forcefully. However, I couldn''t win just by fighting with my fists.


    My only hopey in the knife I carried.


    If I injured one of them with it, they would know that I would be willing to risk my life in the fight. I anticipated that they would back off then.


    If they wanted to attack me, I could use a weapon to retaliate and im it was self-defense. My family''swyers would be able to build a defense strategy around that.


    So, I wasn''t afraid. I wanted to set an example for everyone.


    As expected, once Remy heard my name, he strode forward. "It isn''t a problem. Still, I think that there is no smoke without fire. Everyone says you''re pretentious, and I was curious to see for myself. Turns out, the rumors were true!"


    He had a buzzcut and was shirtless, wearing ck shorts and dirty slippers.


    One thing was obvious, though. He wasn''t a good person!


    "Aren''t you going to stab me? Okay. I''ll square off with you today! Go on and injure me. If you don''t do that, I''ll kill you!" Then, he fearlessly swaggered toward


    me.


    Just then, a familiar voice interjected, saying, "Don''t be afraid, Remy! This dude is just pretentious. I know him. He hasn''t fought with anyone since school started, and he''s cowardly! He''s just pretending to be brave!"


    Hearing that, everyone made way for the person who spoke.


    Louis, who was initially hiding in the crowd, had been exposed. He awkwardly walked to the front.


    "Isn''t that bullcrap? Who doesn''t know that he''s putting on an act?"


    "If he stabs Remy, I''ll treat him with respect forever!"


    "Doesn''t he know what kind of childhood Remy had? How could he scare Remy like this? He''s so crazy!"


    After realizing that the person speaking was Louis, I wasn''t surprised at all.


    No matter how many times he lost


    he


    arned his lesson and I


    trying to challenge me. He was


    kept


    clown.


    nothing more than a foolish


    So, I looked at him coldly, then stared at Remy again.


    Remy approached me. Since he was shorter than me, he looked up at me contemptuously.


    "Go on. Stab me!"


    "Okay!"


    "As if you''re going to do that. Make the first move now!"


    "No problem!"


    "Do it! Cut my stomach open. Let''s see if you''re brave enough to do


    I''m scared of you?" Content


    that! Attack me now! Do you


    "I don''t care if you''re scared or not. I''ll stab you either way!"


    "Then, do it!"


    I opened my eyes wide and shed


    his


    Bsch. Immediately, t


    d everywhere and


    on


    Remy lowered his head and stared at the bloodied mess on his stomach in disbelief and shock.


    Everybody in the restroom was stunned. They hadn''t expected that I''d do it.

 Chapter 389

    Meanwhile, Louis also froze in shock. I observed him because my second target was him.


    I was still holding the knife and my hands were stained with blood. Grinning dangerously like a madman, I walked toward him.


    "What do you want? Don''te closer! William, I''m warning you, don''te closer! Save me!" When Louis saw that I had switched my target to him, he was so scared that he ran away. Yet, there were people behind him, so how could he run away?


    As he shoved those behind him in a desperate attempt to escape, I stepped up behind him and tapped his shoulder with a bloodied hand.


    "Where are you going? Will you be able to escape, Louis?"


    "Don''t touch me! Don''t touch me! I was wrong, William. I know that I was wrong. Don''t attack me! Don''t kill me, please!"


    Louis was terrified and copsed on the floor. Once he was on the floor, he met eyes with my bloodied knife. All at once, he became scared senseless and crawled away.


    Since he couldn''t run away, he scrambled further into the restroom. However, he slipped on the blood on the ground and fell.


    Everyone didn''t know whether tough when they saw that scene. They didn''t want to provoke me as I was very intimidating with a knife in my hand.


    "Calm down!" Just then, Remy shouted loudly. After that, he turned away and walked to the sink to wash his wounds.


    Everyone realized that there was only a small cut on his stomach. It was so shallow that it was only a surface wound. There was nothing wrong with him!


    His subordinates were shocked. "So this dude didn''t do anything to Remy. But where did all the bloode from?"


    I raised my hand that was holding the knife and said coldly, "The blood belongs to me. I just cut my hand to scare all of you. I didn''t expect you all to be so cowardly. You were terrified at the sight of blood That''s ridiculous!"  t


    I burst intoughter, full of contempt and disdain.


    Remy and his subordinates red at me without speaking.


    With


    who had seen how scared they were earlier, any retort would only make them humiliate themselves further.


    so many people at the entrance


    Afterughing, my gaze turned cold once more.


    "But let me tell you this-since you simply beat my friend up today, I''ll just cut your stomach lightly. Let that be a warning to you.


    "Leave us alone in the future! If you dare to provoke me or my friend in the future,


    it won''t be a simple cut to the stomach next time."


    Then, I grabbed the dyed clothing that Remy had tried to trick Liam with. After wiping the blood from my hand and knife, I approached Louis, who was sitting numbly on the floor.


    I pped him hard and picked up Liam''s clothes. Finally, I pulled Liam away from the restroom.


    The crowd blocked the entrance. So, I dered indifferently, "Scram!"


    I didn''t need to be polite since they didn''t inform the teacher when we were being beaten earlier.


    The crowd immediately dispersed, terrified that I would go crazy and hurt them. With that, Liam and I swaggered away.

 Chapter 390

    Back in the dorm, I tossed my clothes on the desk and suddenly felt drained.


    Fortunately, I managed to hold on despite the pressure and sessfully intimidated Remy and his subordinates. Otherwise, Liam and I would still be receiving a beating now.


    Liam was also quite shaken and was in a daze for a long time after returning to the dorm. When he returned to his senses, he dashed to me and checked my hand.


    "I''m alright. It''s just a cut."


    My hand was covered in blood, and I''d been massaging my arm, making it look like I had bled heavily. However, the cut was barely deep at all.


    It was my hand, after all. Of course I cared about it.


    Liam looked at me with mixed feelings. "William, thank you for saving me, but you shouldn''t have done it that way.


    "What if you lost control and actually hurt Remy? The worst isn''t just going to jail. Do you have any idea how his family will get back at you?"


    There was no doubt that their revenge would be brutal, but if I feared him, I could forget about staying at the university.


    I took out the first-aid box. While instructing Liam to help me dress my wound, I chuckled.


    "Don''t worry. I knew what I was doing. I only did that because I was confident. It''s my hand, and I''m more concerned about it than anyone else. I wouldn''t have acted recklessly without confidence.


    "Besides, when dealing with someone like Remy, if you don''t show him a tough lesson after provoking him to prove to him that we''re no pushovers, he won''t stop bothering us."


    Seeing that Liam was still frowning, I joked, "Did you see Louis'' face earlier? It was hrious! He almost passed out from fear."


    A faint smile appeared on Liam''s face. "That guy only picks on the weak, but he''s afraid of people stronger than him," he pointed out and snorted.


    I sighed. "That''s just the kind of person he is. Back then, when Joshua and I were


    in the same dorm as him, he would suck up to Joshua every day.


    "Actually, he and Zack don''t dislike me that much. They were just picking on me to gain Joshua''s favor.


    "After Joshua''s reputation declined, they realized how silly they''d been, so they tried their best to put me down to salvage their dignity."


    Liam said fiercely, "You have nothing against him, but he prodded Remy to hit you earlier. He should go to hell!"


    "I''ll find a way to kill him, then."


    "You!"


    "I''m kidding. Did you take me


    seriously again?" When I saw the et


    serious look on Liam''s face, I


    couldn''t stop myself from putting his leg. It was fun.


    While I was messing around with Liam, Matthew returned to the dorm, chatting happily on the phone while walking in.


    From his flirty look, we knew he must be on the phone with Isabelle.


    Unexpectedly, after hanging up, he sighed and said, "Tomorrow is thest day of


    my cousin''s performance. Do you guys want to watch it with me?"


    "Your cousin?" It suddenly hit me that Matthew had asked me to look after Isabelle because he was spending time with his cousin.


    It turned out that his cousin was still around and was on the phone with him a second ago.


    However...


    I nced at Matthew and sensed that things weren''t that simple between him and his cousin.


    Although the current legition


    didn''t support marriage betwee


    cousins, it wasn''t unheard of for


    cousins to have secret affairs in the general poption.


    I couldn''t help but ask, "Matthew, are you doing something which would upset


    Isabelle?"


    I must admit that Isabelle had


    treated me well recently. Not only would she speak up for me, but she would often take my side between me and Charlotte.


    She was my friend, so I couldn''t just watch as Matthew cheated on her.


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 391

    Upon hearing this, Matthew frantically exined, "Damn. What are you saying? I told you that she''s my cousin, the child of my rtive. I''m not a beast, okay?"


    I thought that he seemed even more dodgy when I saw how worked up he was. Nevertheless, this was his private issue, so I didn''t want to get too involved and merely patted him on his shoulder.


    "Matt, Isabelle is an amazing woman. Don''t cheat on her. Plus, she has been really nice to me recently, and I regard her as my friend now.


    "If I find out that you''re cheating on her, I won''t cover up for you."


    Matthew turned a little pale, but he gave me a nod after a few seconds.


    The next morning, I went for breakfast with Benjamin and the others. Coincidentally, we ran into Louis on the way downstairs.


    He was walking with Zack, chatting happily until he saw me. Immediately, his expression changed.


    He pleaded with me on his knees yesterday, with so many witnesses seeing how undignified he was. There was no way he could deny that such a thing happened.


    As he wasn''t a popr guy and a day had passed, nobody was speaking about it anymore.


    However, my appearance constantly reminded him that such a thing had happened, which upset him every time he saw me.


    I did not intend to make a fuss about the incident or provoke him, as he wasn''t worth my time.


    Just when we ignored him and went down the staircase, he suddenly knocked himself into Liam hard as he walked past him.


    Liam stumbled and fell hard on me when I had just taken the next step downward.


    I almost fell forward, but fortunately, Matthew caught us in time.


    Liam asked in a panic, "Are you alright, William?"


    I shook my head and red at Louis. As though nothing happened, he sashayed down the stairs. I red at his back coldly, then kicked his buttocks without hesitation.


    A secondter, Louis fell on his face on the staircase with a loud thud. His teeth hit a step, and he was bleeding from his mouth.


    Zack was startled and merely looked at me in fear, not daring to make a sound.


    Louis was livid with anger,


    scrambling to his feet as his mouth continued bleeding. He wanted tosh qut at me, but opening his mouth was so painful that he spun around and bolted away in a huff.


    Wearing a worried expression, Liam turned to me. "William, don''t you think that you were too harsh?"


    I argued righteously, "Not at all. If Matthew hadn''t helped me to steady myself, we would be the ones falling on our faces like him.


    "He''s a person who can''t resist doing mean things. We must teach him a lesson. Otherwise, he won''t stop."


    "But if he tells Mr. Parker about this, we''ll receive a scolding."


    I patted his shoulder. "Don''t be afraid. I''ll deal with Mr. Parker."


    sses started after we reached the ssroom. Louis didn''t show up, but Zack


    did. The entire time, he didn''t dare to look back at us.


    As I listened to the lecture, my gaze kept drifting to Felicia''s favorite seat, and a wave of frustration stirred in my heart once again. I forgot how long it had been, but there was no news of her at all.


    I was fully aware that she had most likely met with a misfortune. Otherwise, she would have called me or the school if she had been taken away by an influential family instead of disappearingpletely.


    Nevertheless, as long as her body was not found, I could live another day with hope.

 Chapter 392

    It was out of the question for me to fall for another woman unless someone as amazing as Felicia appeared.


    While I was thinking about how nonchnt Felicia looked in her ck-rimmed sses and oversized T-shirt, Tom''s voice echoed from the ssroom door. "William,e out for a moment."


    Suddenly, all eyes in the ssroom were on me, including Zack.


    Liam was nervous. "Oh, no. Louis must have snitched on you to Mr. Parker. William, I''ming with you."


    "It''s alright. I can take care of this myself." I gave him an assuring look and stood up, walking out of the ssroom as everyone watched.


    On the way, I even heard some of their conversation.


    "William is such a troublemaker."


    "Yeah. There''s not a day when he''s not in trouble. I heard that he beat up Louis this morning."


    "Isn''t he not allowed to attend Mr. Hopkins'' sses anymore? Can he graduate?"


    I would have forgotten if they didn''t mention it. After I publicly talked back to Roger thest time, I stopped attending his sses.


    Instead, I asked Victor to organize another teacher for me. Wondering how this was going, I decided to ask him about it after dealing with Tom.


    I could sense the hostility in Tom''s eyes in the corridor when I looked into them.


    "Come with me." He led me to the counselor''s office in the administrator''s building.


    In the office, I saw that Louis was also there. His arm was in a ster cast. A bandaid was also at the edge of his lips, and even his eye was a little bruised.


    He sat on the chair pitifully, looking like a poor child who had been bullied, but I just wanted tough.


    Tom plopped into a seat, took a deep breath, and raised his head at me. "William, will you attend sses properly? If you don''t wish to attend university, just drop out and stay home instead of stirring trouble every day."


    I chuckled Mr. Parker, what do you mean by this? I don''t get it. I was attending ss properly. You''re the


    one


    who called me out. How did you get the idea that I don''t want to attend sses?"


    Tom snapped, "William White, do you think I have no idea what you did at the male dorm yesterday?"


    "What did I do? Please make it clear, sir."


    "Are you feigning ignorance?" Tom got even more mad now. "You fought with Remy Kensington and even whipped out a knife!


    "If I hadn''t covered up for you, do you think you''d be here right now without any issue? You''d have been in the police station a long time ago!"


    I sniggered silently. This threat might have worked on other students but not on me, perhaps in another life.


    "Mr. Parker, I don''t think that''s right. You didn''t cover up for me. It''s the school that wants to cover up for Remy. They don''t want this matter to be exposed, so you have no choice but to cover up for me, too. Am right?


    "If it had been me yesterday who formed a gang and bullied other students, causing such a big incident, would the school have covered for me? I guess you wouldn''t even believe me if I told you."


    Tom stared at me in astonishment. He was at a loss for words for a long time.


    "What''s wrong, Mr. Parker?" I raised my brows.


    "Do you think I don''t know? Remy Kensington, the student, is actually a distant rtive of the Chancellor. That''s why he gets away with being a tyrant at school and causing trouble every day.


    "He wasn''t punished despite bullying so many students. The administrators are just protecting each other, so don''t even think about pinning this on me. What do you say?"

 Chapter 393

    After dealing with Remyst night, I asked Mason to check Remy''s background. As it turned out, he was the grandson of the Chancellor''s second uncle.


    This wasn''t a secret, but not many knew about it, even amongst the teachers. But judging from Tom''s expression, I was sure that he knew.


    Tom was stumped for words. After a long while, he stammered in surprise, "H- How did you find out?"


    I beamed innocently and brightly. "Would you believe it if I told you that it was my guess?"


    Tom was too shocked to say anything as he looked at my smile. About a minuteter, he said, "Even if that''s true, you can''t deny that you whipped out a knife in public.


    "That''s a controlled item. Why did you bring such a dangerous item with you?"


    "If the campus could guarantee my safety, I wouldn''t have it with me. But sir, since you know about the incident yesterday, then you should realize just how unsafe the male dorms are," I argued righteously.


    When I stepped into the office, I had no ns of being humble.


    "Do you think it''s okay if I have nothing to defend myself with? What should I do if


    I run into the same situation as yesterday? Would I have been able to protect myself with empty fists?


    "If you think my opinions aren''t objective, let''s ask the media to be the judge. Should I bring a tool for self-defense or not?"


    As they always said, "The squeaky wheel gets the grease."


    This was true everywhere, even on campus. The reward for being a well-behaved student was simply avoiding bullies and graduating peacefully, even after being taken advantage of a few times.


    Or, for the less fortunate, the bullies would torment them relentlessly until


    graduation, leaving them with no one to turn to for help.


    If anyone were unlucky and turned into thetter, I''d advise them to have a weapon to protect themselves. More often than not, justice and legition weren''t fair, so we had to rely on ourselves.


    I knew that I was weak on my own, so I mentioned the media''s support. I wanted to let Tom know that I was not a pushover.


    Just as he wanted to pin me down, I had ways to pin him, and even the school, down as well.


    As expected, Tom was startled by my threat. "Are you going to get media attention? William, do you still want to hang around the university?"


    "Mr. Parker, what you just said is weird. I''m here to learn. What do you mean by hanging around?


    "Moreover, if the university acts with integrity, involving the media would bring positive publicity and enhance its reputation. Why are you mad?"


    Tom was


    livid as he red at me fiercely. A few secondster, he hissed through gritted teeth, "Fine Let''s assume that you were right in yesterday''s situation. Let me ask you. How are you going to exin yourself about Louis'' case?


    I nced at Louis from the corner of my eyes and sniggered. Finally, we were


    getting to the point.


    "This morning, he pushed Liam at


    the staircase, and he fell on me. Both of us almost rolled down the stairs. An eye for an eye. So, kicked him back. Is there a problem?"


    Tom mmed the table with a loud bang. "What do you mean if there''s a problem? What are you thinking, William?


    "Louis told me that he pushed Liam, but only gently, and he was kidding with Liam. What about you? Were you kidding? What you did was murder!"


    I silently snickered. He didn''t bother with excuses and went straight to using me of murder.


    "Mr. Parker, you can''t throw that word around. Even though you''re a counselor, what you said was too much, and I can charge you in court for that."


    Tom was stunned. Typically, a counselor would hold significant authority over students. No one would dare challenge them unless they were prepared to risk not graduating.


    Not only was I going against him, but I even used the media to threaten him and threatened to charge him in court. He probably had never met such a tough student like me.


    "Y-You... William White, it doesn''t matter if you sue me because you were wrong in this incident. I''m going to write a report criticizing you and publish it to the entire campus. Do you have anything against that?"

 Chapter 394

    I chuckled. "Sure. As long as you can handle the consequences, Mr. Parker," I said and turned to leave.


    "Hold it right there!" Tom sprang to his feet in anger. "Did I allow you to leave?"


    I was so full of disdain that I couldn''t even be bothered to turn around. "Mr. Parker, you''re just an assistant who counsels the students. You''re neither a professor nor a king.


    "What gives you the right to restrict my freedom of movement? I''m not allowed to leave just because you said so. You think too highly of yourself, don''t you?"


    I was about to leave the office when Roger appeared at the door.


    Folding his arms across his chest, he stared at me contemptuously and said to Tom, "I told you to teach him a good lesson, but you refused to take my advice. Look what''s happening now.


    "This guy is shameless and likes to push his luck. Do you think he''ll appreciate it if you''re kind to him?"


    Again, I sniggered silently. Was he being kind to me by using me of murder? I guessed they must have misunderstood what it meant to be kind.


    I paced to Roger and said coldly, "Get out of the way, old dog."


    Roger widened his eyes in shock. "What did you say?"


    Would he like to hear it again? I''d satisfy him, then. "Get out of the way, old dog."


    "Y-You''re asking for it!" He raised his hand and swung his fist at me, but I dodged it smoothly.


    There was only so much resistance I could offer. If I struck a professor that day, I would never be able to clear my name.


    Even though Roger attacked me, I didn''t fight back because I''d soon make him pay a price more hefty than getting a beating.


    After dodging the punch, I nced~~


    back at Louis and gave him the


    middle finger. Without saying


    single word, Louis looked at me with


    anger, fear, and glee.


    I had no regard for Tom and Roger. Naturally, I wouldn''t be afraid of him. Louis


    must know about this, too.


    After


    he office, I called


    Victor.


    time, I asked you to organize a professional course for


    me at Welsington Unive Cout


    "How are things going? My professional course professor is Roger Hopkins, and I don''t want to attend his sses."


    Victor immediately answered, "The


    professor is ready. He has been preparing the lectures for the past couple of days. I think he''s almost ready if you need him urgently, I''ll ask him to report to the university today, Mr. White."


    "Tell him toe today, then."


    After talking back to Tom and Roger, I could foresee that they''d gang up to deal with me.


    In the worst case, I''d be publicly criticized. In a more severe case, I''d receive demerit points and even be expelled.


    I must specte their actions with the worst intentions and act before them.


    The lecture ended when I returned to the ssroom. Liam, Benjamin, and the others quickly surrounded me.


    "How did it go, William? Did Mr. Parker cause you any trouble?"


    I grinned and replied, "No. He was rather polite and merely asked about the situation."


    I hid the truth because I didn''t want them to worry.


    Liam sighed deeply in relief after hearing me. "That''s great. I was scared and didn''t listen to the lecture at all."

 Chapter 395

    "Come on. Let''s head back to the dorm," I suggested.


    Matthew replied, "Yeah. You guys should go back and get changed. We''ll have lunch togetherter before catching my cousin''s performance."


    I quickly asked, "Is Isabelleing?"


    "Of course not! She''d shred me to pieces!" Matthew stuck out his tongue yfully and dashed out of the ssroom, eager to see his cousin.


    I shook my head, exasperated. One look at him, and no one would believe he had a tonic rtionship with his cousin.


    Benjamin, Liam, and I reluctantly returned to our dorm. While we were going down the stairs, I spotted Charlotte.


    Worried about Gabrielle, I stopped her and started walking alongside her. "How''s Gabrielle? Did her family give her a hard time after I left?"


    Charlotte sighed. "Of course they did. They scolded her so much that she ended up bawling her eyes out."


    "What happened in the end? Did she give in?"


    "No," Charlotte replied, shaking her head. "She''s as stubborn as a mule and wouldn''t budge. She''s even refused to eat for the past two days since her family wouldn''t stop forcing her."


    Refused to eat?


    Although I did encourage her to stand up to her family, I never expected her to resort to methods that would harm her own well-being. What a silly child.


    If her family truly cared about her, they wouldn''t be forcing her to marry such a horrible man. On the contrary, since her family saw her as nothing but a tool, starving herself would change nothing.


    "Can she still use her phone? I''d like to give her a call."


    Charlotte shook her head. "As if her parents would allow that. They confiscated her phone long ago."


    I was dumbfounded. I couldn''t understand how such families and parents still existed in this day and age.


    I suddenly understood why she had run away from home. I''m sure trying to reason with a family like hers felt like talking to a brick wall. She probably went mad from sheer


    frustration, just trying to starta conversation.


    "By the way, I heard you got into a fight with Remy yesterday," Charlotte suddenly said.


    Not bothering to hide anything, I nodded truthfully.


    She was surprised. "How could you dare fight him? Don''t you know that he has someone to back him up?"


    "Yeah. I know he''s the grandson of the Chancellor''s uncle."


    I was hoping this piece of information would spread far and wide. That way, if Remy started causing trouble again, the university would think twice before trying to cover for him.


    Charlotte''s jaw dropped. "No wonder! But how did you know that?"


    "Our counselor mentioned it." I was more than happy to throw our counselor under the bus after he falsely used me of murder earlier.


    Charlotte nodded. "Don''t worry. I won''t tell anyone about this."


    I was expecting her to start spreading the news. How else would others know if she didn''t?


    Still, knowing her personality, she


    didn''t


    that mean that. I was certain


    Over


    tomorrow, the entire


    university would know


    I would know about this.


    At noon, Matthew called us and told us the location of his cousin''s performance.


    So, Benjamin, Liam, and I hailed a cab to get there.


    The performance was being held at the Welsington Grand Theater, which was quite impressive.


    Thanks to Matthew, we were taken straight backstage.


    On the way there, we passed by several makeup and dressing rooms. Eventually, Matthew led us into a private room.

 Chapter 396

    "This is my cousin''s waiting room. She''s the lead dancer, so she gets special treatment. Everything here is just for her! Besides that, she also..." Matthew was bursting with pride as he rambled on about his cousin.


    Uninterested, I tuned him out and started scrolling through my social media.


    I saw that Lina had posted a photo of the stray dog. She seemed to have grown closer to it. At least, she was close enough to get the photo taken.


    I liked her post and immediately received a message from her.


    "William, did you hear that Joshua''s returning to uni?"


    I was taken aback. "What? Since when?"


    "Just this noon. I ran into him on campus and asked him for the money he owed me. That''s when he told me that he''s resuming sses in a few days, though he won''t be staying in the dorms."


    So, he was returning to sses, huh? Why had he stopped living hisfortable life as someone''s boy toy? Had that wealthy woman dumped him?


    Joshua was nothing more than a clown to me, and I couldn''t care less about him. Yet, knowing how much he detested me, I couldn''t help wondering if he''d start causing trouble for me again after returning.


    Just as I was mulling it over, cheerful chatter came from outside. Momentster, several girls in dance costumes walked in.


    "Matthew!"


    The tallest and most striking woman dashed into Matthew''s arms, her face brimming with joy.


    "I thought you weren''ting today!"


    Matthew hugged her back, grinning. "How could I miss your final performance?"


    "You''re always busy with your girlfriend and can never make time for me. How was I supposed to know if you coulde?"


    "That''s not true. I spend plenty of time with you."


    "Don''t lie! The time you spend with me doesn''t evene close to the time you spend with your girlfriend!"


    She pouted but stayed in his arms without trying to move away.


    Simrly, Matthew made no effort to push her away. Instead, he hugged herfortably and kept coaxing her.


    Seeing this, even Benjamin and Liam exchanged knowing nces. We were all certain something was going on between them.


    When would cousins behave in this way?


    Soundsides, the way she spoke


    sounded just like a jealous girlfriend. Yet, the other dancers seemed


    unfazed as they carried on chatting.


    l.ne


    Matthew finally led his cousin over to introduce us. "These are my roommates I told you about-Liam Harper, Benjamin Carter, and William White."


    His cousin perked up at the mention of my name. "You''re William White? I''ve heard so much about you!"


    Oh really? I shot a re at Matthew, who blushed. "I-I didn''t say anything bad! Just good things!"


    I was sure he''d shared all my


    embarrassing stories. After all, that''s how guys were. They''d happily use their friends'' misfortunes to make themselves look better in front of women.


    The longer I interacted with this cousin of his, the less I liked her. Poor Isabelle.


    "Matthew, my zipper felt weird during my earlier performance. Help me check it out!"


    With that, she dragged Matthew into the dressing room.

 Chapter 397

    Matthew''s cousin was going overboard! Even a fool could guess how steamy things would get while dealing with the zipper in the fitting room!


    The three of us felt disgusted, especially Liam, who scratched at the goosebumps on his arms. Still, we couldn''t say much and had to pretend to be unaware of this.


    Because of this, we didn''t pay much attention to the performance. After all, things felt too ufortable after witnessing that earlier.


    After the performance, Matthew invited us to the celebratory dinner. We refused by lying that we were shy and headed back to campus early.


    Once we were back, Benjamin burst out, saying, "What is Matthew thinking? Doesn''t he like Isabelle? How could he act like this?"


    Liam snorted. "He probably thinks that nothing will really happen between him and his cousin, so he''s enjoying the thrill and excitement of it. After all, he still has a girlfriend like Isabelle who''s waiting to pamper him afterward."


    Liam sounded slightly bitter, but I could understand his feelings.


    Compared to Matthew, he was definitely a better person who would make a great and faithful boyfriend.


    Matthew might seem loyal, but he was actually a huge yboy. Yet, while Liam remained single, Matthew had managed to score a great girlfriend. It was natural that Liam felt resentful.


    I sighed and stayed silent since it was none of our business.


    We could grumble all we wanted, but we couldn''t step in since things could easily get out of hand if we did.


    Just then, my phone buzzed. I grabbed it and saw that Roger had posted the marks for a recent quiz. I learned that I had received a big fat zero.


    I was furious. I hadn''t even sat for the test, so how could I even obtain that score?


    He could''ve marked me absent yet deliberately gave me a zero. It was obvious that he was trying to humiliate me!


    Benjamin eximed, "89? How could that be? I knew all of the answers!"


    Liam was just as dismayed. "I only got 86! Didn''t we go over the answers together? We got everything right!"


    These two were steady schrship students and usually scored close to perfect marks during quizzes. Never had they gotten less than 95, let alone 90. It was clear that


    something was off.


    Was Roger targeting them as well because we were roommates? The thought


    made me snap, and I immediately dialed Roger''s number.


    However, he declined the call. That bastard!


    "I''m going to see him!"


    Benjamin and Liam quickly stopped me. "Don''t, William. You''ll just end up arguing with him. He has full control


    over our grades, so we''ll just end up with the short end of the stick."


    "He''s right. We''re just students. How will you win against a teacher?"


    They added, "Besides, you''ve already offended him. There''s still a chance he might adjust your grades if you make him forgive you. But if you cross him too much, you might not even be able to graduate."

 Chapter 398

    I sneered. "As if he has the power to prevent me from graduating. You guys are overestimating him! I''m going to talk to him!"


    I was fine with him trying to mess with me, but dragging my friends into this? Hell no!


    I shook off their hands and stormed toward the teachers'' office.


    Worried about me, Benjamin and Liam had no choice but to follow me.


    I headed straight to the third floor and stopped outside Roger''s office. I had just raised my hand to knock when another lecturer opened the door and stepped out. "Who are you guys looking for?" An unfamiliar but friendly-looking lecturer asked.


    Smiling, he repeated, "Who are you guys looking for?"


    "We''re here for Roger Hopkins!" I answered bluntly.


    The lecturer seemed surprised. He probably never expected a student to address


    a lecturer by their full name. "Mr. Hopkins is in his office."


    He stepped aside but didn''t leave. He likely sensed we were here to confront Roger and decided to stick around.


    Well, I didn''t care about that.


    I entered the office and immediately spotted Roger sitting at his desk, happily sipping tea.


    He saw us as well and frowned. "Is there something you need from me?"


    "Of course there is!" I marched forward and growled, "I have two questions for you, Mr. Hopkins. First, why did you mark me as zero when I didn''t even take the quiz?"


    Roger casually took a sip, unfazed by my anger. It was as if he''d expected me to confront him about this.


    "I know that you didn''t take the quiz. After all, you were in ss but left without answering the questions. So, there''s nothing wrong with giving you a zero," he drawled.


    "Without answering the questions? I didn''t write anything because I


    disagreed with your way of and refused to take the test!" I snapped. "Besides, I''d


    ady mat


    it clear that I wouldn''t attend your lectures anymore. What right do you have to grade me?"


    The other lecturers in the office were stunned to hear that and exchanged surprised nces.


    "You there. Mr. Hopkins teaches your core subjects. You won''t earn your credits if you don''t attend his sses, which means you won''t be able to graduate."


    I retorted cooly, "I came here for the learning experience. I couldn''t care less about whether I get to graduate. However, it makes me sick to respect someone like him, who


    doesn''t deserve his positiuate.


    as my lecturer and leads students astray."


    There was a screech as Roger sprung to his feet, ring at me. "Watch your tongue, William White What do you mean I don''t deserve my position? I''ve taught countless students who''ve gone on to reach great heights, and none of them have ever used me of leading them astray!"


    He snapped, "Why am I suddenly the bad guy when ites to you? Did it ever ur to you that you''re the reason I don''t like you?"


    Unfazed by his outburst, I raised my voice and countered back. "Oh, so you admit you have something against me? What a joke. I have a question for all the lecturers here. Is it eptable for a lecturer to be biased against a student?"


    I expected the other lecturers to voice their opinions objectively, but to my dismay, they all defended Roger.


    "You can''t be serious? What''s wrong with a lecturer not liking a student who misbehaves and doesn''t cooperate in ss? We''re humans, too!"


    "Just because lecturers are responsible for teaching and contributing to society doesn''t mean we don''t have emotions! We''re still ordinary employees. No lecturer would like a student who disrespected them."


    Hearing this, Roger grew smug.


    Lifting his chin, he sneered, "William, everyone here knows what kind of person you are. Frankly, you should be grateful you''re even here!"

 Chapter 399

    With the support of the other lecturers, Roger grew even bolder, his words bing sharper.


    "I''m the only one gracious enough to take you in. Go ask around if other departments want you!" he sneered, asking another lecturer, "Mr. Burrows, would you take him?"


    The lecturer chuckled, "Oh no, I wouldn''t dare take on such a troublesome task."


    "How about you, Mr. Cunningham?" Roger smugly asked another lecturer.


    Mr. Cunningham quickly waved his hand to decline. "I could never handle such a difficult student."


    The entire office joined in, making it clear they wanted nothing to do with me. Eventually, Roger shrugged in mock sympathy. "See? Other lecturers would''ve treated you worse, yet you have the nerve toin about me? You ungrateful brat."


    I chuckled coldly.


    Most people would have burst into tears and even started questioning themselves after being cornered by a group of teachers like this.


    Fortunately, I knew the whole truth and was sure of myself.


    "There''s no need to ask for outside help, Mr. Hopkins. I only have one question¡ª since you gave me a zero for the test, do you have the test paper with my name on it?" I boldly asked. "If you can prove that you have it, I''ll grovel for forgiveness. But if you don''t, I''ll fight to the end, even if it means bringing this to the Ministry of Education!"


    Roger froze but couldn''t say anything. That was because there was no test paper.


    He hadn''t even handed me a test paper that day, and I''d left right after he announced the quiz.


    He had no right to give me a zero without my test paper. In other words, he was in the wrong here.


    I turned my attention to the other lecturers. "Mr. Burrows, Mr. Cunningham, you two seem to enjoy expressing your opinions. So let me ask you, if a student receives a zero despite not taking a test, and the lecturer doesn''t have the student''s test paper, is the lecturer in the right or wrong?"


    The two lecturers averted their eyes and pretended not to hear me.


    I jeered. "It seems like you two are just as disgusting as Mr. Hopkins!"


    My words infuriated Mr. Burrows, and Mr. Cunningham immediately red at me. They wanted tosh out but held back.


    They had no reason to dig themselves deeper into this mess.


    Defending Roger had been just a favor as his colleagues, but any more than that wasn''t worth the hassle.


    They quickly busied themselves with the papers on their desks.


    I turned back to Roger. "It''s a fact


    that you handled my test


    inappropriately, and nothing you say will change that. Now, for my second question. Benjamin and Liam both answered your quiz correctly, so why did they only score 89 and 86? I demand to see their answers and how you graded them!"


    Roger snapped, "You have no right to ask for other students'' test papers! Who do you think you are?"


    Just then, Benjamin stepped forward. "Sir, I''d like to see my paper. There''s


    nothing wrong with me requesting to review my own paper, is there?"


    spun my head to look at him, taken aback.


    I never expected him to stand up for himself.


    Benjamin and Liam were known for being timid, especially Benjamin. Coming from a poor family, he avoided conflict at all costs since the slightest trouble would destroy him.

 Chapter 400

    Yet, Benjamin was now standing up against Roger.


    He knew that crossing Roger could potentially ruin his chances of graduating.


    If that happened, Benjamin would be devastated. After all, his hopes of having a better future rode on that one certificate.


    Still, he was speaking up.


    I couldn''t tell if he genuinely wanted to see his score or simply wanted to help me, but at that moment, I silently vowed to help him graduate no matter what. If he wanted, I''d even sponsor his masters!


    Roger hesitated.


    The university had clear rules that students had the right to review their test papers if they felt that lecturers had graded them unfairly.


    So, Roger would have no choice but toply with Benjamin''s request.


    Seeing Benjamin''s act of courage, Liam gritted his teeth and stepped forward, too. "I''d like to review my test paper as well, sir! I know I got everything right, and even if marks were deducted for my writing, there''s no way I''d lose 14 points! I demand a review!"


    Behind us, the kind-looking lecturer from earlier suddenly smiled. "Mr. Hopkins, why don''t you just show them their papers? That way, they''ll know what they got wrong."


    Roger shot us a murderous re and turned to Benjamin. "Fine. I''ll show you the papers. But remember, William will be receiving disciplinary action for disrespecting his lecturer, and you''re currently siding with him. This means both of you will face simr consequences, and you''ll never be weed in my ss again, so think twice before you act."


    As expected, Benjamin and Liam hesitated after hearing this.


    Being barred from a core subject''s lecture might not seem like a big deal for university students since they could self-study, but there was the issue with the credits.


    Without the credits of the core subjects, a student would not be able to graduate.


    As freshmen, the thought of being unable to graduate was terrifying.


    I quickly stepped in. "They have the right to review their test papers, so don''t you dare threaten them! I''ve recorded everything you just said. 1 don''t mind posting it online and letting others decide whether your words are fit for a lecturer


    The lecturers around us instantly paled, aware of how uneptable their earlier words were.


    Roger''s face darkened as he struggled to defend himself. "I already said they can see their papers if they want to. It''s just that-"


    I cut him off. "Quit stalling and just show us the papers already!"


    Actually, I hadn''t recorded anything because I didn''t need to.


    I had plenty of ways to deal with him and didn''t need any online support.


    Cornered, Roger begrudgingly pulled out a stack of test papers. He flipped through the pile until he found Benjamin''s and Liam''s papers and tossed them onto the desk roughly.


    Benjamin and Liam scanned their papers and burst out in anger.


    "Sir, why did you deduct five marks for this? My answer is correct!"


    "Mine too! There''s nothing wrong with my answer to thest question, so why did I get zero points for it?"


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    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!