Chapter 1

"My family has declared bankruptcy," Justin Lowen said. "I can't give you what you want. You should switch targets as soon as possible if your goal is money."

Ignoring my aching body, I crawled up from the bed.

Justin was looking down at me from the tip of his nose. He was already fully dressed, and his words were both upsetting and dripping with mockery.

I could tell that he viewed me as a scheming woman who tried to steal her own best friend's boyfriend. He only left with me last night because he wanted to toy with me.

I wasn't surprised at all. "I know," I said calmly.

Justin was stunned by my words.

"You do?" he asked with a frown. "Then, why did you…"

I knew that he was referring to what happened between us last night.

I slowly raised my head. My eyes were bloodshot as if I was being forced to deal with something terrible.

"Do you really believe that I wouldn't know when it was all over the news? What kind of person do you take me for?"

I took a deep breath before continuing, "If I harbored ulterior motives toward you, why would I wait until your family went bankrupt to make a move?"

Surprise flickered in Justin's eyes.

"Then… Why did you…"

I pursed my lips. Tears pricked my eyes, but I didn't say a word. I simply turned around and pulled out a card from my pocket, saying, "I want to help you."

Justin didn't accept the card. He left my hand suspended stiffly in midair as more tears welled up in my eyes.

Meanwhile, I was discreetly calculating the odds of whether I would succeed in breaking past Justin's psychological defenses in my heart.

We were stuck in a stalemate when my stomach rumbled loudly.

The tension in the air dissipated in an instant.

I blushed furiously and didn't dare make eye contact with Justin.

Justin chuckled and said, "Let's get breakfast downstairs."

His tone was as casual as ever, but it lacked the icy edge from before.

Justin's expression darkened when we entered the hotel's restaurant.

My best friend, Winona Quentin, was being intimate with Justin's best friend, Hunter Jackson.

Hunter came from new money, and he often benefited from Justin by getting in his good graces.

Based on how affectionately Winona and Hunter were behaving around each other, it became obvious that they had been involved with one another for a long time.

Winona looked at me. Her eyes strayed toward my and Justin's intertwined hands. Her lips curved up into a mocking sneer as she said, "Do you enjoy picking up other people's trash that much, Robin Dorne? The Lowen family has already declared bankruptcy, and yet you're still so eager to be the rebound?"

I immediately planted myself in front of Justin before he could get a word in.

"You've already broken up with him, Winona. You have no say in what goes on between Justin and me," I said seriously. "All I know is that even when he was still rich, he was never a cheater."

I could feel Justin's casual gaze turning cold behind me.

Winona's face twisted into an upset expression. She seemed to recall something as she glanced at me. She clicked her tongue and asked, "Don't tell me that you actually have feelings for Justin?"

My body stiffened as a blush stained my cheeks.

My appearance made it seem as if Winona had seen right through me, but in reality, I was silently praising Winona's perceptiveness in my heart.

It would be too obvious if I confessed to Justin directly. He would only lower his guard around me if Winona were the one who exposed me.

As expected, Justin let out a light but uneasy cough behind me.

Winona looked incredibly smug when she assumed that she had revealed my secret. Her sense of superiority was off the charts.

"Well, I lost interest in him when his family declared bankruptcy. I suppose I can let you have him. We were best friends, after all. If you beg me, I might even consider asking my boyfriend to introduce someone to you. I can guarantee that he'll have a brighter future than this pauper."

I couldn't help myself and burst into laughter.

Winona truly was a fool.

Didn't she know that a starving camel was still bigger than a horse?

How could she think that someone from new money could compete with the Lowen family's generations of resources and connections?

Meanwhile, Hunter was staring at the mark on my neck. A salacious smile stretched across his lips as he asked, "So, you're Winona's best friend? Why are you following that useless piece of trash, Justin, around? You should come with me instead."

He then pointed at Justin and said mockingly, "To think you used to be the cream of the crop of the elites that everyone used to fawn over. You don't even deserve to carry my shoes for me at this moment."

Just then, Justin draped his coat over my shoulders, hiding them from Hunter's obscene gaze. He then stepped forward, and his eyes flashed coldly.

"Keep talking, and I'll make sure you'll regret it."

Hunter immediately shrank back at Justin's words.

Worried that Hunter would take an interest in me, Winona hastily made up an excuse and dragged him away.

"Thank you," I murmured as I pursed my lips and shot a soft, appreciative look at Justin.

Justin averted his gaze. "I misunderstood you about what happened last night. Don't overthink things. I'll definitely make it up to you when I get the chance."

He turned around and left after he was done speaking, acting as if he wasn't willing to get involved with me.

I didn't chase after him. I knew that I couldn't be hasty when worming my way into the heart of someone as proud and arrogant as Justin.

Besides, I had already achieved more than I set out to do that day. Justin stepping forward to defend me meant that he already viewed me as someone who was on his side.

I brushed my fingers along the coat across my shoulders. A knowing smile stretched across my lips.

I already had an excuse to see Justin again.