Chapter 2

Lucas still wasn't satisfied. "Signing a pledge isn't enough. Cancel all of Daphne's upcoming orders right now."

"Sure."

I opened the campus gig platform. Daphne's status was so painfully straightforward that it almost broke my heart.

[Desperate for money. Trying to survive. Urgent.]

Below it was a list of her bookings for the next two weeks: buying me breakfast before morning classes, helping me organize the mistakes I'd made on practice tests during lunch break, saving me a spot in the shade during PE, taking my basketball shoes to the gym after school, and practicing tennis with me on weekends.

Daphne had originally charged just 40 dollars for tennis practice. But she thought my skills were so terrible that practicing with me would ruin her mood, so she'd stubbornly raised the price to 100 dollars.

Right in front of Lucas, I canceled every order, one by one.

[Order withdrawn.]

[Exclusive booking privileges disabled.]

[Outstanding balance payment suspended.]

Lucas' tense expression finally softened. He thought he'd freed Daphne from my clutches.

To me, it looked more like a termination notice.

Suddenly, a guy nearby raised his hand. "Hey, Dominic, do you still need someone to save you a seat? Daphne charges 40 dollars. I'll do it for 35 dollars."

Another student immediately chimed in, "I'll do it for 32 dollars. I'll even wipe down your desk for free."

Lucas stared at them in disbelief. "How can you willingly subject yourselves to this kind of humiliation just for money?"

The first guy scratched his head. "It's just saving a seat. What's so humiliating about that? My mom makes me get up early to buy groceries, and she doesn't even pay me a cent."

Someone nearby burst out laughing.

Lucas's face turned pale.

I waved the students off. "I'm not hiring anyone for now. I don't want someone else getting all worked up on your behalf again."

Lucas carefully tucked away the pledge, his eyes bright with the satisfaction of victory. "When Daphne comes back, she'll thank me. Starting today, she won't have to put up with your attitude just to cover her living expenses."

I glanced at the remaining balance on her campus card: 1.08 dollars.

Fair enough. She wouldn't have to put up with my attitude anymore. She'd just have to answer to her bank balance instead.

…

The next morning, I'd barely stepped into the classroom when every conversation around me came to an abrupt halt.

The guy in front of me hurriedly flipped his phone facedown. He looked at me as if I were some criminal whose crimes had just been exposed on the evening news.

I set down my backpack. "What? Did the campus forum convict me overnight?"

My deskmate slid his phone over to me.

Lucas had posted another lengthy exposé in the early hours of the morning.

[Who will save Daphne Wilson from being conditioned by money?]

This time, he'd attached plenty of photos: Daphne carrying my basketball shoes, waiting in line to buy me cake, and picking up my jacket beside the sports field. One photo even showed her kneeling at the foot of the steps, her head bowed as she tied my shoelaces.

Lucas had added a special caption: [She used to be so proud. Now, for a few hundred bucks, she's forced to bow her head to Dominic Harris in front of everyone.]

The comments section was ablaze with outrage.

[So having money means you can treat people like dirt?]

[Does making the campus bell kneel and serve him give him some kind of sick thrill?]

[Dominic is absolutely shameless. He's taking advantage of her misfortune to force her into some twisted romance.]

[I feel so bad for Daphne. She used to be too proud to even read the love letters people sent her. Now she has to put up with this just to eat.]

…

Lucas approached me, his eyes red. "Have you seen it? I'm not the only one who thinks you're in the wrong."

I looked at the photos and nodded. "Yeah, I've seen it."

His expression relaxed. "So you're willing to apologize now?"

"No. I've just figured out why the school's average literature grade never improves," I said flatly.

Lucas' smile froze.

Just then, someone at the back of the classroom suddenly shouted, "Wait a second! I found Daphne's gig account!"