The Pauper heir rises

Chapter 1

I sat in the cramped corner of the café, staring down at my phone.

My hands trembled as I scrolled through the list of expenses Linda had just sent me.

I 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.

I took a quick glance at Linda and could see her cold gaze fixed on me.

"Jase," 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.

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

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

"Linda, I just got paid today, but I need the money for my tuition," I said, trying to keep my 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 sharply, folding her hands like she didn't hear what I had just told her.

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

"I'll figure something out," I muttered.

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

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

"What do you think you're doing?" she snapped.

"Who was that?" I asked, my 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 I could respond, Linda stood up and stormed out of the café, leaving me sitting there, humiliated. My heart raced as I scrambled to my feet, following her outside. I needed to know who sent the message.

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

I felt my breath catch in my throat as I 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 I 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.

I clenched my fists, a wave of nausea rising in my chest as I 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 my face to Linda, who was now standing right in front of him.

I couldn't believe what I was seeing. My stomach churned as Ethan and Linda stood there, exchanging flirtatious glances. It was as if I didn't even exist in that moment—as if Linda had forgotten everything about me.

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

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

"What do you mean it's none of my business?" My 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."

I felt like the world had crumbled beneath my feet. Her words hit me harder than any physical blow ever could. I stood there, numb, as the students around us snickered and whispered.

Linda raised her hand and, before I could react, slapped me 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."