"You're nothing but a poor designer."

Michael's words hit me harder than I expected. For a second I simply stood there, staring at him, and then everyone laughed. The sound surrounded me from every direction, whispers rippling through the students gathered in the university courtyard, followed by poorly hidden giggles.

"Poor designer." Someone repeated the words. Another person laughed.

I tightened my grip around the portfolio pressed against my chest. Three sleepless nights, that was how long it had taken me to finish the designs inside it. Three nights of surviving on cheap coffee and instant noodles because I couldn't afford to turn down another commission. Those designs weren't just drawings. They were my future, and Michael knew that. He knew exactly how much they meant to me. Yet he stood there with his arm around another girl.

Valerie. His new girlfriend.

I swallowed the lump in my throat and looked at him. "So that's it?"

Michael shrugged. "What do you want me to say?"

"The truth would be a good start."

A few people laughed again. My cheeks burned, but I refused to look away.

Michael sighed like I was already exhausting him. "Fine. The truth is I'm tired of pretending."

"Pretending what?"

"That we're compatible."

Valerie giggled beside him, and I looked at her. "So you replaced me before you even broke up with me?"

She smiled. "Don't make it sound so dramatic."

"Dramatic?" I almost laughed. I couldn't believe he was doing this here, in front of everyone. Michael had decided that publicly humiliating me was easier than giving me the basic respect of a private breakup.

He looked me up and down. "Jessica, look at you."

I frowned. "What exactly am I supposed to be looking at?"

"You're always struggling. Always working. Always talking about your little designs."

"My career."

Michael rolled his eyes. "Whatever."

I felt something inside me snap. "My designs are my career."

"Exactly." He laughed. "You're obsessed with them."

"And you're obsessed with money."

The laughter around us stopped. Michael's face hardened, and I took a step toward him.

"You know what the difference is?"

He stared at me.

"I'm actually building something."

"You think drawing clothes is going to make you successful?"

"Maybe." I lifted my chin. "But at least I'm trying."

Someone behind me whispered, "She's brave." Another person laughed. Michael's face reddened.

"You really think you're better than me?"

"No." My voice was surprisingly calm. "I think I'm better than the version of myself who would stay with someone who doesn't respect me."

A few people gasped. Michael stared at me like he couldn't believe I'd actually said it.

Valerie stepped forward. "Don't talk to him like that."

I looked at her. "I wasn't talking to you."

Her smile disappeared. "You should be grateful he even dated you."

"Grateful?"

"Yes." Her eyes traveled over my clothes, my worn-out shoes. "Not everyone gets a chance to date someone like Michael."

I looked at Michael, then back at her. "Clearly."

Someone laughed loudly. Valerie's face turned red. "You think you're funny?"

"No." I adjusted my portfolio. "I think you're wasting my time."

I turned around. I was done. I didn't care if Michael wanted Valerie, and I didn't care what anyone on this campus thought about me. I had a design presentation to finish. I had a future to build, and I wasn't going to let a breakup destroy it.

I barely took two steps before Valerie grabbed my arm. I immediately pulled away. "Don't touch me."

"You're unbelievable."

She raised her hand. I saw it coming, but before she could slap me, someone caught her wrist. Hard.

The laughter stopped. The entire courtyard went silent. I froze, then slowly turned.

Jeremy Blackwood stood behind Valerie.

My heart skipped. Everyone knew Jeremy. He was impossible not to notice, the heir to the Blackwood family, the kind of person people lowered their voices around. I'd seen girls trying to get his attention. I'd seen people practically fight for a seat beside him. But I'd never seen him interfere in anyone's business.

Until now.

His expression was cold. Terrifyingly cold. Valerie's face changed the moment she saw him.

"Jeremy…"

He didn't even look at her. His eyes stayed fixed on the hand she had raised against me. "Let go."

"I wasn't going to—"

"I said let go."

She lowered her hand immediately. Jeremy finally looked at her, and then his eyes moved to me. For some reason, I felt strangely exposed beneath his gaze.

Before I could understand what was happening, he reached for my wrist. I frowned. What was he doing? Then he looked at the crowd, and though his voice was calm, everyone heard him.

"She's my girlfriend."

My brain stopped working. What?

The courtyard exploded.

"What?"

"Jeremy has a girlfriend?"

"Since when?"

"Her?"

"Isn't she the poor designer?"

"I thought Sandra liked him."

"Maybe she seduced him."

My face burned. I looked at Jeremy. He looked completely calm, as if he hadn't just detonated a bomb in the middle of campus. I pulled my wrist away.

"What did you just say?"

"Come with me."

He turned. I didn't move.

"Jeremy."

He stopped.

"You shouldn't have done that."

His eyes narrowed. "You were about to get slapped."

"I could handle her."

He looked at me like I'd said something ridiculous. "Not as if you can defend yourself."

My temper flared. "That was unnecessary."

"So was standing there while she tried to hit you."

"She didn't hit me."

"Because I stopped her."

I folded my arms. "Why did you say I was your girlfriend?"

He stared at me for a moment. "I just wanted to protect you."

"You cannot protect me."

His jaw tightened. "And you're even worse than Michael."

His eyebrows lifted. "That's absurd."

I turned away. "Everyone thinks I'm going out with you now."

"You can actually be my girlfriend."

I slowly turned back. "How?"

His expression didn't change. "Let's fake date."

I blinked. "What?"

"You heard me."

"No."

"Three months."

I shook my head. "No. I can't do that. That's not possible."

Jeremy watched me for a moment. Then he said the one thing that made me stop.

"Ten thousand dollars."

My fingers loosened. My portfolio slipped from my hands, and my books and design sketches scattered across the pavement.

"What did you say?"

"I'll pay you ten thousand dollars to be my girlfriend for three months."

Ten thousand dollars. My heart pounded. That amount could change everything. It could help with my tuition. It could replace the broken laptop I'd been struggling to work with. It could give me enough money to invest in my designs. It could give me room to breathe.

I slowly walked toward him. "You're serious?"

"Completely."

I opened my mouth, but before I could say anything, a furious voice cut through the courtyard.

"There you are, you slut!"

I froze. I turned around. Sandra was storming toward me, her eyes blazing with fury.

"How dare you try to seduce my man?"

The courtyard went silent again. I stared at her, then looked at Jeremy. He didn't look surprised, and suddenly I realized something.

I hadn't even agreed to be Jeremy Blackwood's fake girlfriend yet.

But somehow, I had already become the most hated girl on campus.