Chapter 1

At the semester's icebreaker mixer, a circle of us sat playing truth or dare.

When it came to Miranda Fox, she chose truth without a second's hesitation.

"Marvin Barnes, that famous rich heir from the class next door, is my boyfriend. We met online and finally met in person."

She paused, and her eyes cut toward me, edged with a warning.

"And let me give Louise Swanson some advice: stop throwing yourself at him like you have no shame. Being the other woman is not a good look."

The room went silent, and then every gaze landed on me.

"She really doesn't know her place. Marvin comes from a family with a private helicopter. Why would he ever look twice at a broke girl in a hearing aid?"

"I saw her hitching a ride in Marvin's luxury car a couple days ago. So shameless."

"His actual girlfriend already spoke up. If she had any sense she'd back off."

The whispers spread around me, all of them mocking.

I raised an eyebrow.

"Did Marvin say that himself?"

"Of course." Miranda smugly tapped her phone and put it on speaker.

Marvin's careless voice came through.

"Babe, you're asking about Louise Swanson? She's just a lapdog who circles around me."

Instantly the whole room burst out laughing.

I curled my lips coldly.

They didn't know my hearing aid was custom-made overseas and worth over a million.

And Marvin, this rich heir everyone fawned over, couldn't even pay his own tuition without my family's support.

...

"Call Marvin. Ask him exactly whose problem this is."

I lifted my eyes to Miranda's smug face.

"Since you're saying I've been chasing him, then get it straight. Don't hand out convictions just because your mouth is running."

Not one of them knew Marvin was a student my family had sponsored for five years.

Three years ago he'd started pursuing me, and I'd turned him down.

Now he was playing the rich heir in front of his girlfriend, and that was his business. But smearing my name was another matter, and it had to be made clear.

Seeing how calm I was, the room slowly went quiet.

Miranda scoffed.

"Still talking tough at this point. I guess you won't give up until you hit rock bottom."

She whipped out her phone, dialed Marvin, and switched it to speaker.

"Perfect. I'll have Marvin tell everyone himself exactly who's been shamelessly throwing herself at who."

The call connected fast, and Marvin's lazy voice came through.

"What's up?"

Miranda lifted her chin and shot me a triumphant look.

"Marvin, didn't you tell me before that you and Louise Swanson met privately a few times, and that she was the one chasing you? I told everyone, and somehow some people don't believe me."

"Just make it clear, what's really going on."

She didn't mention that I was standing right there.

I frowned and waited for his answer.

Marvin and I really had met privately a few times, but that was to discuss the sponsorship and sign the paperwork.

After a short silence, he spoke.

"She did come find me a few times. I've been careful to keep my distance. Babe, don't get the wrong idea, and don't blow this up into something big."

I shot to my feet, unable to believe it.

The way he put it sounded like nothing, but with the beginning and end cut off, it made me sound like I was the one hounding him.

Sure enough, the others started whispering at once.

"So it really was Louise chasing him on her own. And she still had the nerve to argue back. I actually thought there was more to it."

"A cripple in a hearing aid, dreaming she could land a super-rich heir. What a fantasy."

"Marvin already has a girlfriend, and she's still trying to be the other woman. Zero shame."

"Okay, honey, nothing to worry about. Go do your thing."

Miranda hung up and looked at me, pleased with herself.

"Well? Anything left to say?"

I drew a breath and tried to explain. "I wasn't chasing him. I did go find him a few times, but it was all to discuss real business."

"You're a cripple. You and Marvin aren't even on the same level. What real business could you possibly have to discuss? Drop the act."

"From now on, be smart about it, or don't blame me for not being nice."

With that she turned and swept out, her crowd of classmates laughing along behind her.

I steadied myself and sent Marvin a private message.

【What did you mean by all that? Why did you lead everyone to think I was chasing you!】

The reply came almost instantly.

"Louise, you heard it just now? Where are you right now? I'll come find you, let me explain!"

His eager tone took a little of the edge off my anger, and I sent him the address.

Twenty minutes later Marvin showed up in front of me, out of breath, a cup of milk tea in his hand.

"Louise, it's your favorite, jasmine milk green tea."

He held the cup out to me, his voice earnest.

"I'm sorry. What happened just now was my fault. I put it too vaguely and I let you take the blame."

"I didn't mean to make you look bad. You know how it is, being sponsored by your family has always made me feel small. I just didn't want anyone to know I'm a charity case. I never thought it would get twisted like this."

I took the milk tea and drew a deep breath. "Forget it. Just go explain it clearly to everyone——"

"Louise Swanson! Have you no shame at all?"

A shrill voice cut in behind me. Miranda came storming over.

"He spelled it all out just now, and here you are still clinging to him behind everyone's back!"