Chapter 3

With graduation around the corner and my graduate school acceptance locked in, I swung by the dorm to pack my stuff.

Overhearing Amber, Jessica, and Ruby, I learned they were all in on the foreign job. The $50,000 salary and three-day workweek had them hooked, even if their guts told them that it was too good to be true. Greed trumped caution.

As they plotted, they couldn't resist tossing shade my way. I stepped into their circle, cutting their giggles short. Their faces soured like they'd bitten into lemons.

Jessica crossed her arms. "What do you want, Sabine? You're not welcome here."

I ignored her and zeroed in on Amber. "If you don't pay me that $10,000, I'm dragging you to court. I'll make sure you're blacklisted and can't board a plane."

Ruby shot up, jabbing a finger at me. "You're crossing a line over $10,000? You're heartless!"

"Then you pay it for her," I shot back.

She plopped back down, speechless. I wasn't letting Amber slip away with my money. That $10,000 wasn't much to me, but I'd be damned if she profited from my kindness.

Amber, oddly composed, patted Ruby's shoulder. "Chill. Don't waste your breath on someone like her."

"Pay me!" I held out my hand, unyielding.

Amber fiddled with her phone, transferring the money.

Just last night, she'd texted me begging for plane ticket money, promising to repay me once her paycheck hit. I had ignored her.

I didn't care where she scraped the money from. Once it was in my account, I packed my things and moved out.

With weeks before graduate school, I headed home.

I'd called my head ahead, and when I walked in, the smell of his famous lasagna hit me. He poked his head out of the kitchen, apron splattered with tomato sauce.

"There's my superstar!" he beamed. "Grab some apples from the table. Dinner's almost ready."

His warm, booming voice cracked something in me. Tears streamed down my face as I remembered how my kindness to Amber had led to his death.

I ran over and threw my arms around him, hugging his stocky frame.

My mom and he had been childhood sweethearts, building the company from nothing. After her accident, he raised me alone, never remarrying. He poured his heart into me and the business.

Amber's lies about him were a sick joke. He'd never cared about having a son.

He set down his spatula, concern creasing his face. "Sweetie, what's wrong? Someone mess with you? I'll handle it."

I shook my head, forcing a smile. "Just missed you, Dad."

After a cozy dinner, I sprawled on my bed, scrolling through Instagram, until Amber's post caught my eye.

She was having a lavish trip with Jessica and Ruby, all on her dime. In the caption, she threw shade, calling me a backstabbing leech.

A classmate commented below: [Wow, you guys are loaded! That summer resort is expensive. You guys are enviable. I'm still stuck grinding away at a crappy job.]

Amber didn't respond, but Jessica replied for her: [Amber got an offer from a big international company. She is making bank.]

More comments flooded in, all more envious than the last, with a lot of people asking if the company was still hiring.

In our group chat, they mocked me for passing on such a golden opportunity to others. I smirked, wondering how long Amber's funds would hold.

With nothing else to do, I interned at my dad's company, running its social media.

Our brand was time-honored, and Logan's persona as a devoted husband had already made us a hit online, so I leaned into my degree, posting nostalgic content that went viral and generated tremendous orders.

I was swamped until a call interrupted my work.

Thinking it was a supplier, I answered, "Forbes Foods."

"Sabine, please, you gotta save me!" Amber's voice, raw with sobs, cut through. "Can you lend me $200,000?"