2025-04-11 18:15:53Nancy skidded to a stop in front of them, her breath coming fast. “Wait… what?” She looked them over, confused. “You guys are out? Just like that?”
James and Andrew exchanged glances, still unsure how to process what had just happened themselves.
“I thought you were in trouble,” Nancy continued. “I was literally on my way to help. The whole thing was on Tyler’s livestream. What happened?”
Jackson took control before anyone could blurt out too much. “We were allowed to pay for what we could afford.”
Nancy’s brows furrowed. “That doesn’t sound like Julian.”
He shrugged. “It’s done now.”
She exhaled, shaking her head, then turned to Jackson with an apologetic look. “I’m really sorry for what happened back there. I should have been there sooner.”
Jackson gave her a small smile. “It’s not your fault.”
“Well, I can at least make sure that salesgirl gets fired,” Nancy said firmly. “The manager’s a close friend of my mom. She’ll handle it.”
Jackson said nothing, but deep down, he didn’t care what happened to Julian anymore. The whole ordeal was already behind him.
Then, Nancy changed the topic. “Listen, I invited someone to Tyler’s party tonight. She’s a friend of mine, and I want you to meet her.”
Jackson raised a brow. “Why?”
Nancy hesitated before saying, “Because you deserve better after what Emily did to you.”
Jackson sighed. He had zero interest in Tyler’s party, much less in meeting some random girl. He had planned to avoid the scene altogether. But then Nancy added, “It’s also my birthday.”
His eyes widened slightly.
Damn.
He had completely forgotten.
Now, skipping out wasn’t an option.
Nancy smiled, sensing his hesitation. “Don’t worry, you don’t have to pretend to be excited about the party. Just come for me, okay?”
Jackson nodded. “Yeah… I’ll be there.”
As they walked back to campus, Jackson’s mind was elsewhere. He needed a gift.
Nancy had always been one of his closest friends, someone who genuinely looked out for him. She deserved something special.
So he called Mr. Copper.
By the time he arrived at the venue, a delivery guy was waiting for him.
A Birkin bag.
Worth $75,000.
Ultra-rare. Ultra-exclusive. Ultra-coveted.
Only 999 were made each year—the kind of item that people waited years to own. A true status symbol.
But Jackson had connections.
Still, he had no time for the extravagant packaging, so he stuffed the bag into a simple black nylon sack and headed inside.
Inside the lounge...
Nancy was seated comfortably, surrounded by her close friends. Beside her sat Claire Staunch—a certified school goddess, beyond beautiful, and from a wealthy background.
Claire was everything Nancy had described—tall, elegant, and effortlessly sophisticated. She had the aura of someone born into money, someone used to the finer things in life.
The girls had been friends since childhood, inseparable through every phase of life. Tonight, Claire had joined Nancy’s party with some of her dormitory friends, and though it was Tyler’s event, this was Nancy’s night too.
She had made sure Claire came for one reason—to meet Jackson.
Meanwhile, a familiar unwanted presence entered the lounge.
Jonah.
Nancy’s face hardened the moment she saw him.
Jonah, one of Tyler’s closest friends, had been part of the humiliation Jackson suffered on his birthday. Once upon a time, he and Nancy had been close—friends since high school. But when Jonah’s behavior turned toxic, she cut ties with him.
And after what he did to Jackson? She had nothing to say to him.
Jonah approached with his usual arrogance, but this time, there was an attempt at humility in his voice.
“Nancy,” he started, flashing a practiced smile. “Are you still mad at me because of what happened with Jackson last night? Who would have thought he would meet his girlfriend and Tyler in such position?”
“Shut up, Jonah.”
Her words were ice.
Jonah winced but chuckled, trying to brush it off.
Claire, watching the exchange, turned to Nancy. “Who is he?”
Before Nancy could answer, Jonah took the chance to introduce himself to Claire instead.
He straightened his posture, flashing a grin that screamed confidence. “Jonah. And you must be Claire.”
Claire gave him a polite nod. “Nice to meet you.”
Jonah’s smile widened. He had wanted Claire for a long time—she was the most beautiful girl he had ever seen. Tonight was his chance.
Jonah wanted to use his apologize to Nancy as an opportunity to meet with Claire when he heard she was around.
She glanced at Nancy. “Is he the Jackson you wanted to introduce me to?”
Nancy’s expression turned disgusted.
Jonah? Jackson?
The insult.
Jonah laughed, seizing the opportunity to speak first. “Nah, Jackson’s my classmate. A broke dude we made fun of last night.”
Nancy’s temper flared.
“Jonah, shut up,” she snapped.
Jonah held up his hands in mock surrender. “Relax. I won’t say anything else.”
But the damage was done.
Claire’s expression shifted.
She had been curious about this Jackson guy. But now?
Her excitement disappeared.
If Jonah’s words were true—if Jackson was just some pauper—then she had no interest in him at all.
Her eyes lowered in disappointment.
Just then—
Jackson walked in.
His friends rushed to greet him, and Nancy instantly hugged him, excited that he came.
Jackson smiled, embracing the warm welcome.
Then, his gaze landed on Jonah.
Jonah was already smirking, arms crossed, watching him like a predator eyeing weak prey.
If Jackson had walked in wearing a designer suit, Jonah would have acted differently. But Jackson?
Wearing cheap clothes.
Carrying a black nylon bag.
Jonah was disgusted.
Claire also looked up at Jackson.
She had wanted a boyfriend, but if Jackson wasn’t rich, then… what was the point?
She studied his outfit.
Nothing expensive.
Nothing impressive.
She sighed internally.
Meanwhile, Nancy was beaming.
“Jackson, this is Claire! Claire, this is my friend, Jackson.”
Nancy introduced both of them with a smile on her face.
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Chapter 368: Time To Come Back Home!
“Isn’t she?” Don took a slow sip of water, his eyes never leaving hers. “She took in a woman who compromised your relationship. She listened to a stranger’s story over your lived experience. She asked you to swallow your pride, your pain, for the sake of her own moral posturing. That is not solidarity, Samantha. That is patronage. She keeps you close to feel better about herself, not to protect you.”Each sentence was a brick, building a wall between her and the memory of Hailey’s laughter, her unwavering support during the darkest days after Jack. The wall obscured the truth that Don’s own manipulations had been the catalyst for Jack’s death. In her vulnerable state, the simplified, brutal logic of his words began to overwrite the messy, complicated truth.“Evans is lost in his own world,” Don continued, mercilessly. “A useful man, perhaps, but compromised. Unreliable. And this nurse… Lorraine. She is a symptom of the disease, not the cause. The cause is your continued allegiance to
Chapter 367: A Father’s Manipulation!
The amber liquid arrived, catching the low light like a captured fire. Samantha lifted the glass, the first sip a familiar, welcome burn that traced a path of heat down her throat, momentarily eclipsing the cold knot in her stomach. She took another, longer pull, willing the alcohol to do its work—to blur the lines, to soften the hard edges of Hailey’s disappointed face, of Lorraine’s frightened eyes.How could she?The question had morphed, twisting into a more painful cousin: Had she driven Hailey away? The bourbon offered no answers, only a deepening haze. She was halfway through the glass, the world beginning to lose its painful definition, when a prickling sensation crept up her spine. A shift in the air. The faint scent of expensive cigar smoke and old-money cologne cutting through the bourbon-and-perfume haze.Someone was behind her. Watching.Her body went rigid, the glass freezing halfway to her lips. Every instinct, honed by a life of navigating corporate boardrooms and pers
Chapter 366: Just A Bottle Of Alcohol!
Lorraine moved toward the door, her movements deliberate. She had no shoes, no money, no real plan. But she had her pride, and a burning need to protect Hailey’s peace. She has no idea yet that Hailey is her little sister Dorin, whom she had spent the last two decades of her life trying to find.But there was this thing about Hailey that she really couldn’t explain, and coupled with the kindness that Hailey had shown her, she knew it would be insensitive of her to be the reason for the fracture between her and Samantha, and with that, she had to leave.Samantha watched her go, her expression conflicted. The righteous anger was still there, but it was now tinged with a sliver of something else—guilt, perhaps, or the uncomfortable awareness that she was casting out a wounded person into the night.As Lorraine’s hand touched the doorknob, Hailey made a decision. “Wait.” Her voice was firm. She turned to Samantha, her own resolve hardening. “Sam, I love you. You’re already like a sister t
Chapter 365: A Difficult Choice!
Hailey shot Lorraine an apologetic, worried glance before crossing to the door. She opened it, and there was Samantha, her face tight with stress, like someone who had spent the entire day working her ass out. That had become typical of Samantha since she lost her brother Jack.."Hey, Sam, come in," Hailey said, trying to keep her voice light, stepping aside.Samantha walked in, already talking. "You won't believe the news vans still camped outside the—" Her words died in her throat. Her gaze had swept past Hailey and landed on the living room, on the figure curled on the sofa in borrowed clothes.All the color drained from Samantha's face. Her friendly, stressed expression twisted into one of pure, icy shock, then hardened into anger."What is she doing here?"The question wasn't curious. It was an accusation, a reminder that not everyone is welcomed, especially not someone like Lorraine."Sam, just try and calm down," Hailey said quickly, moving to block Samantha's line of sight, he
Chapter 364: When Sisters Meet!
"It's secure. We can take you there." She looked at Andrew for confirmation. He gave a tight, reluctant nod, his eyes still glued to the road, scanning for any sign of pursuit.They drove in tense silence to Hailey's apartment building. Andrew pulled into a guest spot near the entrance but left the engine running.Hailey got out and opened the back door for Lorraine, who emerged stiffly, the knife now tucked discreetly but awkwardly into the waistband of her jeans, hidden by her torn shirt. She looked up at the well-lit lobby, a world away from the concrete hell she'd escaped.Andrew rolled down his window. "Hailey. A word."Hailey gave Lorraine an apologetic look. "Just a second. You can wait inside the lobby, it's warm."Lorraine nodded mutely, shuffling toward the glass doors, her bare feet cold on the pavement. She stepped into the sterile, bright lobby and stood just inside, watching them through the glass.Outside, by the car, the conversation was hushed but intense."Hailey, lo
Chapter 363:Unplanned Reunion!
Lorraine then moved like a ghost in the sudden dark, her bare feet silent on the cold concrete. The enforcer was a hulking silhouette, arms outstretched, swearing as he tried to regain his bearings. She slid past him, close enough to smell his stale sweat, and slipped through the open doorway into the dimly lit hall beyond.Freedom was a narrow corridor with peeling paint and the hum of a distant generator. She didn't look back. She ran.The hallway ended in a T-junction. Left or right? She chose right, following the slight draft of cooler air. Her heart was a frantic drum against her ribs, her breath ragged in her throat. The sound of the enforcer's furious yell echoed behind her, followed by the pounding of his boots.The corridor opened into a larger storage area—a cluttered space filled with crates and old machinery. The cool air was coming from a half-open metal door ahead, beyond which she could see a sliver of night sky.She was ten feet from the door when a second man steppe
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