2025-04-11 18:13:20Jackson dragged his tired feet into the hostel, his shirt damp with sweat, his pockets heavier than usual but never heavy enough. Another day of being everyone’s errand boy—running across campus, fetching food, carrying bags, doing whatever it took to scrape together a few dollars.
Today was his birthday. And Emily’s too. The one thing they had in common, the one thing that made him work even harder. He had skipped lectures, swallowed insults, and humiliated himself all day just to make sure he had enough for her.
Two thousand dollars. Enough to buy her a luxurious handbag, maybe. Enough to take her out to an expensive restaurant. Enough to make her happy, at least.
As he stepped into his room, the scent of cheap vanilla frosting filled his nostrils.
“Hey, birthday boy!” Andrew grinned, pointing at a small, homemade cake on the desk.
James patted Jackson’s back. “We know you’ve been running around all day, so we thought, you know… You deserve something too.”
For the first time all day, Jackson smiled. His friends were the only ones who treated him like a human being and genuinely cared for him. They have been friends since he joined the school. Same department, same room, and same level.
He took a bite, hardly chewing, his mind already elsewhere. Emily was waiting. He needed to get to her place fast.
Just then—a loud, impatient bang at the door.
Jackson opened it, and there stood Jonah.
Tyler Stanley’s lackey.
Tyler was the son of a multimillionaire, and he was a playboy. Jonah was also from a wealthy background, his family were surbodinates to the Stanleys, Tyler’s family.
Jonah’s gaze crawled over Jackson like he was looking at filth. He tossed a wad of cash on the floor—$500. A pack of condoms followed.
“Deliver this to Tyler’s place. Now.”
Jackson hesitated. It was degrading. Disrespectful.
But $500 was $500. It could mean just one thing—an even better gift for Emily.
Jonah scoffed, shaking his head. “Pathetic.” Then, without waiting for an answer, he turned and walked away.
“Don’t do it, man,” James warned.
“Forget about them,” Andrew added.
But Jackson had already made up his mind. Today was Emily’s birthday and his only thoughts were towards anything that could help him prove his love for her. Jonah’s gig may be humiliating but came with great prize—$500. If the other jobs he did all day paid as much each, he would have being a rich man by now.
Jackson sprinted to Tyler’s apartment, two blocks from the hostel. The house of a prince. Tyler had it all—money, power, and the arrogance to match. Son of a multimillionaire. Playboy. Untouchable. No wonder he always had his way with others.
Jackson didn’t care. He just needed to drop the package and leave.
As he reached the door, it opened on its own.
And then—he heard it.
Loud moans. Breathless gasps. Tyler’s name, repeated between them. The sound of skin against skin.
Jackson froze. ‘What is going on? This is too loud,’ he thought to himself. Of course, who doesn’t know Tyler the Playboy? He is fond of bringing in all kinds of baddies to his apartment, especially, other people’s girlfriends. “I wonder which guy lost his girl to Tyler tonight.” Jackson mutter to himself as he slowly walked in.
Walking in, he was met with an unexpected sight. Something he never thought he would meet. The lady held in a doggy-style position was not just a familiar face…it was Emily.
His Emily.
Naked, bent over by Tyler Stanley.
The world stopped.
Jackson’s voice trembled as he stepped forward. “Emily?”
She look up, her face flushed—not with guilt, but with shame that he had seen her. Emily quickly pulled away from Tyler and wrapped herself with the sheets.
Almost a year of dating and Jackson had never had the pleasure of seeing Emily undress. The most he got was a hug and he could count on one hand how many times that occurred. Yet, here she was on a day so special to them both, fully naked and intimately involved with another guy.
Jackson was the unfortunate one tonight. Tyler was hosting his girl.
Before Emily could speak, Tyler laughed.
Laughed.
“Damn, bro,” Tyler smirked, adjusting himself carefree. “You look like a kicked puppy.”
Jackson clenched his fists. “How could you—after everything—”
“Everything?” Tyler cut him off. “What? Those cheap-ass gifts? Your broke ass running around campus like a slave just to afford what? Dinner?” He scoffed. “You really thought a girl like Emily would settle for that?”
Laughter erupted from the door. Jonah and a group of students had gathered with their phones recording.
Jackson turned to Emily, begging her with his eyes.
“Say something. Please.”
She hesitated. For a second, he thought she might defend him.
Then she sighed, brushing her hair back. “I can’t waste my time on you, Jackson. Tyler’s a better man.”
Jackson staggered. Like she had just stabbed him.
He reached into his pocket, pulling out the envelope filled with $1,500. “I—I saved this. For you. To get you an expensive birthday gift tonight.”
Tyler snatched it. Tore it open. Pulled out the bills and let them rain onto the floor.
Everyone burst into laughter at the litters of one-dollar bills which made up most of the money in the envelop.
“Fifteen hundred?” Emily scoffed. “Tyler got me a $15,000 gift.”
Silence. Everyone was left in awe.
Then Tyler smirked. “Wanna stick around? Maybe watch what I do to her next?”
At this point, Jackson’s heart was heavy. He has faced humiliations all his life and even throughout the day today, but nothing was compared to what he just witnessed with Tyler and Emily. He snapped.
His fist crashed into Tyler’s jaw.
A second later, Jonah and his gang were on him, punching, kicking, stomping.
By the time James and Andrew reached him, Jackson was curled on the floor, bleeding, broken.
Back in his hostel, Jackson lay on the bed, staring at the ceiling. Everything was pouring on him all at once—poverty, betrayal, humiliation. He couldn’t sleep as the thoughts of his misrable life made him restless.
While at it, he recieved a text on his phone but refused to check it. He switched off the phone. To Jackson, maybe it was Emily texting to apologize or Tyler texting to humiliate him further. Either way, he has had enough of them both for one day.
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