Chapter 2

Sure enough, he sabotaged Iris's campaign, then turned around and accompanied her to work part-time jobs, experiencing all of life's hardships.

People who bullied her got beaten into the hospital by him.

I continued as usual—studying, working part-time, doing homework for others.

Just when I thought our lives would become parallel lines.

I walked into the classroom and heard a recording.

"Luna, you need money badly, right? How much do you charge?"

"Quick job's fifty bucks, slow one's five hundred."

It was my voice.

Someone screamed, others laughed.

Derek stood right in the middle.

He said it in a frivolous tone.

"I told you, she's cheap."

The noise continued.

Lewd stares fell on me.

I was stunned for a moment.

That recording had been edited.

In high school, I did homework for others.

The person in the recording was asking about homework prices.

Even though I felt uncomfortable, I answered honestly.

Now it was being played publicly.

Iris threw herself into Derek's arms in disbelief.

"Why did you play that recording?"

Derek rubbed her head,

"Who told her to steal your competition spot."

I silently sat down and opened my phone.

Found all the transaction records and posted them to the class group chat with full context.

At the same time, I switched all my major courses to other sections.

They could enjoy college life freely, or find entertainment at others' expense.

But I couldn't.

I had to repay the Williams family ten thousand dollars every month.

I didn't have time to participate in their attacks on anyone, including myself.

Seeing I had no other reaction.

Derek sat in the seat in front of me after class.

He smiled carelessly,

"Luna, I was just drumming up business for you."

"Shouldn't you say thank you?"

I looked at him.

Nasty, arrogant, gloomy.

The sunny, cheerful, sincere and polite young master of the Sterling family seemed to have died in that accident.

Along with him died the optimistic, confident Luna.

I lowered my eyes, my voice dry, "Thank you."

His expression darkened as he twisted his lips,

"Don't thank me."

Derek quickly discovered I'd switched classes.

He brought Iris to the coffee shop where I worked part-time.

Iris "accidentally" bumped into me, making hot coffee spill all over me.

My arm turned bright red from the burn.

She frowned and stepped back two steps,

"Can't you even carry coffee properly?"

"You got it on me! This outfit costs more than you'd make selling coffee your whole life!"

My motion to crouch down and clean up paused.

I looked up at her.

All designer brands, latest season.

Definitely expensive.

The coffee splashed on her clothes was so little you could barely see it.

I stood up,

"Call the police then. The surveillance caught everything clearly."

Especially her deliberately reaching out to push me.

She choked, pulling on Derek's hand,

"The clothes you gave me are all dirty."

Derek glanced at her, soothingly patting her head, "I'll buy you more."

Iris smiled, "Let's go."

She hummed a song, linking arms with Derek as they left.

Leaving behind a floor covered in coffee.

I stood silently for a while, then crouched down to clean up.

Delivery brought burn ointment with a note attached,

"Switch your classes back."

I ignored it.

But two weeks later when the big group project assignment came around, classmates would look away the moment they made eye contact with me.

A girl I'd talked to a few times told me,

"Someone told us not to team up with you."

The professor replied to me,

"Luna, the midterm project must be done in groups of 2-3 people as a rule."

I stared at my computer blankly.

Derek sent me two words.

"Come back."

At the same time, someone sat down beside me.

It was Adrian.

Top of our year.

He said.

"Want to team up together?"