CHAPTER FOUR

LILIAN

“What?” I exclaimed, but before she could say anything, Mom called from downstairs. “Fiona, come for dinner.”

Fiona gave me a smile as she headed for the door. “Where are you going?” she asked, glancing back at me as I got up from the bed.

“Where else other than to eat?” I replied, and she laughed.

“You don’t pity yourself,” she said before walking out of my bedroom. I followed her, my stomach already rumbling because I had a large appetite and, despite everything, I liked to eat.

There had been a time when I practically starved myself trying to achieve a snatched waist just to please Michael. “Lilian,” Mom’s voice pulled me from my thoughts as I entered the dining room. I blinked and looked toward her.

“You actually came to eat?” she asked, laughing as she watched me pile food onto my plate. “You are unbelievable,” she added, shaking her head.

“Mom,” Fiona called, dropping into her seat. I sat down and started eating, barely noticing the way Fiona’s eyes followed every bite I took. Her expression tightened as I reached for another piece of food.

“Mom, don’t you think Lilian should eat in her room?” Fiona asked, wrinkling her nose. “She disgusts me with the way she eats.”

My fork stopped halfway to my mouth. I lowered it, picked up my plate, and pushed my chair back without saying a word. “If you’ll excuse me,” I said, turning toward the stairs.

“Mom, there’s a guy in college who caught my attention,” Fiona suddenly announced. I slowed when she mentioned that he was the hockey captain of Dad’s hockey organization, my fingers tightening around the edge of my plate.

Whatever she was saying didn't concern me.

Whatever happened between Alex and me tonight was simply a show.

I had barely settled onto my bed when my phone buzzed. I picked it up, and the first picture that loaded made my stomach twist.

The hockey captain carries a fattie.

My thumb froze over the screen. Another post appeared beneath it.

Fattie dumps ex for hockey captain.

The comments were multiplying faster than I could read them. Then another caption caught my eye.

Hockey captain, all this is just for a show.

I swallowed and scrolled.

Hockey captain’s actual girlfriend.

The next picture loaded.

Alex was locking lips with a girl.

Chelsea.

I knew her.

She was Alex’s ex-girlfriend and one of the team players. She was so good at hockey that there were times I wondered why I wasn't anything like her.

Then I saw Alex’s comment beneath the picture.

It is an old picture.

I stared at the words before scrolling again. Another comment caught my attention.

How could Alex, whose GPA is 3.75 out of 4.00, date a girl whose GPA is barely above 2?

Heat rushed to my face.

My GPA.

The one thing I had managed to hide was now sitting on a screen for everyone to see. I tightened my grip on my phone and stared at the anonymous account.

Who the heck was this person?

I wasn't even done when another notification dropped from W******p. The department group was exploding, with almost two hundred tags of Alex and about fifty of me.

Then Fiona’s name appeared.

Guys, chill.

Another message followed.

Not only is Lilian a fattie, she serves me as a maid. She is the maid of the Williams family—my family.

My jaw tightened as she flaunted her identity as the daughter of the hockey organization. She had managed to turn herself into the center of attention without even being in the room.

Someone replied.

We saw the wristwatch Lilian gifted Michael for his birthday. That doesn’t exactly give a maid.

Another message appeared.

And we all know Lilian is actually very rich.

At least she has something. No brain, but at least she’s rich.

I sighed and rubbed my forehead.

Then Fiona sent another message.

You did not possibly think that she stole it?

My eyes fixed on the screen.

Lilian is desperate. She can do anything to make sure a guy likes her. That was why she was desperate for Michael.

My eyes burned.

Before I could lock my phone, another message appeared.

You have a point, Fiona. Why did we not think of that?

A desperado can do anything to win a guy’s heart.

I blinked rapidly and wiped beneath my eyes.

Then another message appeared.

But it is weird how Alex would date his cousin’s leftover.

If she were worth it, it could be better. He is so boring.

My chest tightened.

Another student replied.

What do you mean, leftover?

The response came almost immediately.

I am certain Michael was scared to get involved with a fattie like that. She is a virgin.

My vision blurred.

I stared at the words until they began to swim across the screen. One tear slipped down my cheek, and I quickly wiped it away.

Then someone compiled a video.

If you missed Michael’s birthday party, you missed an episode. Everything is giving love triangle vibes.

I stared at the caption.

Sounds like a book.

My phone suddenly rang.

I wiped my cheeks with the back of my hand before answering. “Hello?” I said, hoping my voice wouldn't give me away.

“You keep opening the messages in the group,” Alex said. “The more you do that, the more you’ll get heartbroken.”

I pressed my lips together and stared at the ceiling.

“So sleep,” he continued. “Tomorrow is going to be a long day at school.”

“Remember the assignment Professor Lydia gave us?” he asked. I glanced at my laptop sitting untouched on the desk. “Have you done it?”

“No,” I admitted. “I’m not a book freak like you.”

He laughed quietly.

“This is your senior year, Lilian.” His voice became more serious. “Your GPA isn’t impressive, so you need to work hard this year if you want to maintain it.”

“Thank you,” I said.

He hung up.

I switched off my phone and placed it beside me, deciding I wasn't going to read another message tonight. The words from the group chat were already loud enough in my head.

The following morning, I woke up and headed downstairs. Dad was sitting in the living room, and the moment his eyes landed on me, his expression hardened.

“Dad,” I called.

He looked at me like I was something he had found beneath his shoe. My steps slowed as I watched his fingers tighten around the arm of the chair.

“I saw the pictures and videos of someone I raised as my child,” he said. His jaw clenched as he stared at me. “You've been spending money on a guy.”

I opened my mouth, but no words came.

Fiona walked down the stairs and stopped beside him. “Dad, Lilian is really disgraceful,” she said.

Dad looked down at me.

“Dad, don't you think it's time you withheld Lilian's allowance and everything she owns?” Fiona continued, moving closer to him. “She isn't your real daughter.”

My chest tightened.

“The way she carries herself, acting like you're her real father, makes me pissed,” Fiona said. She folded her arms and glanced at me.

Dad didn't even think twice.

“Henceforth, you won't be getting any monthly allowance,” he said. “If you need money, you work for it.”

I stared at him, my lips parting slightly.

Those were words he had never used on me before. Not until Fiona came into the picture.

I lowered my eyes, blinking rapidly as the sting behind them grew stronger.

“And there's something else,” Dad said.

My head snapped up.