Chapter 4

The moment I stepped out, I slipped into the storage room at the end of the hall.

There was a tiny camera hidden inside that throw pillow.

On my tablet, every move in the dorm room came through crystal clear.

"She's driving me up the wall! She did that on purpose!"

Bianca kicked a chair. "Buying all that durian just to rub it in our faces!"

Paige was just as worked up.

"Right? Who does she think she is, flaunting her money?"

Silvia sat off to the side and let out a fake, helpless little sigh. "Maybe Jenny really does have a use for it all."

She paused, then dropped her voice.

"But she bought so much. She can't finish it alone."

"How about... we share it around with everyone?"

Bianca's and Paige's eyes lit up at once.

"Yes! Silvia, that's a great idea!"

Paige slapped her thigh. "Last time you handed out her skincare samples, she was fuming, right? Face all twisted up, and she still didn't dare make a peep."

"Exactly!"

"Same thing this time. She won't dare do anything to us!"

Paige gave a cold little laugh. "She won't turn on us. She never does."

She pulled out her phone and posted in the floor group chat.

"Come to our room for top-grade Musang King durian, Silvia's treat."

Within minutes the doorway was packed with people.

The whole crowd swarmed the table, cracked open the durian shell and each took a bite. Every face instantly scrunched up.

"Silvia, why does this taste so weird?"

"Bitter and rank, like leftover herbal dregs."

"It's not a rotten one, is it?"

"What do you people know!"

Bianca jumped in, and to show them all up she stuffed a big piece into her mouth right in front of everyone.

"This is tree-ripened top-grade Musang King. The slightly bitter medicinal aroma is exactly what makes it the best!"

"Exactly!"

Paige shoved a big chunk in too, mumbling along in agreement.

"No taste at all, and food still can't shut you up!"

Silvia picked up a piece, placed it in her mouth with great poise, as if savoring some rare delicacy.

"That's just how Musang King is. The stronger it hits, the pricier it is."

With the three of them leading the charge and forcing it down, the others weren't sure, but they had no choice but to swallow it too.

And they kept praising Silvia for being so generous, until she was practically floating.

On the tablet, the three of them choked it down with pinched faces, still putting on their whole connoisseur act.

I almost couldn't hold back my laughter.

When they were at their most smug and carried away, I timed it, then shoved the dorm door wide open.

"What do you all think you're doing?!"

The room went dead silent.

Paige still had a piece in her mouth, cheeks bulging, staring at me without daring to move.

Bianca lost her grip on her spoon, and it dropped into the durian shell.

Silvia jumped at the sight of me.

But when she saw me staring at the durian shells on the table, the smugness in her eyes broke right through.

"Oh, hey, Jenny, you're back."

Silvia wiped her mouth and gestured at the mess of durian shells on the table.

"Forgot to mention, I saw you had way too much durian and I was worried it'd go bad, so I invited everyone to share it."

She flashed me a taunting smile.

"You're not going to be mad, are you?"

Everyone turned to look at me in unison, more than a little eager for a show.

Looking at their yellow-stained mouths, I bit back my laugh and forced a troubled expression.

"It's... not that I mind you eating it."

I drew a deep breath and pretended to worry.

"I'm just afraid... afraid you'll make yourselves sick."

Bianca heard that and instantly patted her stomach, laughing it off.

"What a joke! Since when does durian make anyone sick?"

"Let me tell you, Jeanette Finch, whatever happens with this durian today, sick or dead, it's got nothing to do with you!"

"Right! Nothing to do with our Jenny!"

The others joined in, egging her on.

Watching them dig their own graves, I finally couldn't hold it in and laughed.

"But the thing is, that's not durian in there."

The room went silent in an instant.

Everyone froze in place, their mouths stopping mid-chew.

The smugness on Silvia's face froze too.

"Then... then what is it?"

I looked around at all their horrified faces and gave a small smile.

"What's in there..."

"is my very own special-recipe durian!"