chapter one

Jason sat in the cramped corner of the café, staring down at his phone. His hands trembled as he scrolled through the list of expenses Linda had just sent him. He had been working two part-time jobs just to scrape by, and now, all of that hard-earned money was about to disappear into the virtual shopping cart of someone who didn’t seem to care. He took a quick glance at Linda and could see her cold gaze fixed on him.

“Jason,” Linda said, her voice sharp as she tossed her phone onto the table. "Pay for it. I added everything I need. You can handle that, right?" she asked nonchalantly

Jason hesitated, his heart thudding. It wasn't the first time he would have to empty his wallet,his savings just to please Linda and at the end, he got nothing in return but her cold attitude.

The total amount was suffocating—nearly his entire paycheck. He had just received his salary today, and most of it was already allocated for his tuition f*e, which had been overdue for months. His university had given him an ultimatum: pay today, or he would be dropped from his classes. If he lost this opportunity, everything he had worked for would be gone.

"Linda, I just got paid today, but I need the money for my tuition," Jason said, trying to keep his voice steady. "If I don’t pay it by tonight, I’ll get kicked out of school. Is that really what you want?"

Linda rolled her eyes. “God, Jason, why are you always so poor? Every time I ask you to do something for me, there’s always an excuse. I don’t care about your stupid tuition. If you cared about me, you’d find a way.” she said sharparly fodling her hands liej she didnt hear what Jason had just told her

Her words stung, cutting deeper than Jason wanted to admit. He had been with Linda for over a year now, and each time she belittled him, he thought it would be the last. He loved her—at least, he thought he did—but moments like this made him question everything. Still, the fear of losing her outweighed the pain of her insults.

“I’ll figure something out,” Jason muttered

Linda’s phone buzzed on the table again. Out of the corner of his eye, Jason noticed a text message appear on the screen. The words that flashed across the phone made his blood run cold: "Miss last night? I can't stop thinking about you." he looked at he phone before him and back at Linda

Jason blinked, his stomach twisting in knots. His mind raced as he tried to process what he had just seen. Who would send Linda something like that? Before he could ask, Linda snatched her phone off the table and glared at him.

“What do you think you’re doing?” she snapped.

“Who was that?” Jason asked, his voice trembling.

“That’s none of your business,” Linda hissed, shoving her phone into her bag. “You’re so pathetic, Jason. Always snooping around, always acting like you own me when in reality you haven't actually done anything for me."

Before Jason could respond, Linda stood up and stormed out of the café, leaving him sitting there, humiliated. His heart raced as he scrambled to his feet, following her outside. He needed to know who sent the message.

The moment he stepped through the doors, he froze. A sleek, black luxury car was parked just outside the café. Standing next to it, dressed in an expensive designer suit, was Ethan—Jason’s classmate and the son of one of the wealthiest families in the city.

Jason felt his breath catch in his throat as he noticed Ethan holding a massive bouquet. Only, it wasn’t flowers he was offering—it was a bouquet of neatly rolled bills, cash fanned out like roses.

A row of bodyguards stood behind him, creating a scene as the surrounding students gathered to watch the drama unfold. Whispers and giggles filled the air, and Jason could hear the murmurs of admiration for Ethan’s wealth.

“Is that Ethan? He’s like the richest guy in town!”

“Look at that car. I heard his dad owns half the businesses around here.”

“He’s so lucky, and he’s so good-looking too.” One of the female students said again.

Jason clenched his fists, a wave of nausea rising in his chest as he realized what was happening. Ethan wasn’t just here to flaunt his wealth—he was here for Linda.

Ethan smiled, offering the bouquet of cash to Linda, who had walked up to him with a playful, almost flirtatious grin on her face. She glanced at the money, her eyes widening in excitement, but she quickly tried to mask her enthusiasm with a coy expression.

“Ethan, you didn’t have to do this,” Linda said, though her tone betrayed how pleased she was.

Ethan chuckled. “Anything for you, Linda. You deserve only the best.” he said turning his attention from the look on Jason's face to Linda who was now standing right in front of her

Jason couldn’t believe what he was seeing. His stomach churned as Ethan and Linda stood there, exchanging flirtatious glances. It was as if he didn’t even exist in that moment—as if Linda had forgotten everything about him.

Summoning whatever courage he had left, Jason stepped forward. "Linda, what’s going on? What are you doing with him?"

Linda’s smile faded as she turned to face Jason, her eyes filled with disdain. “Jason, go home. This is none of your business.”

“What do you mean it’s none of my business?” Jason’s voice trembled with frustration. “We’re—”

“We’re what?” Linda interrupted, her voice dripping with venom. “Do you really think you matter to me? You’re just some broke loser. I’m not your girlfriend, Jason. I never was.”

Jason felt like the world had crumbled beneath his feet. Her words hit him harder than any physical blow ever could. He stood there, numb, as the students around them snickered and whispered.

Linda raised her hand and, before Jason could react, slapped him hard across the face. The sting of the impact paled in comparison to the humiliation that followed.

“You don’t mean anything to me,” she spat. “You never did.”