Chapter 2

"How dare you lay a hand on Leah?" Zack shouted.

He shoved Wendy away and shielded me with his body.

The strap of Wendy's nightgown slipped off her shoulder, leaving the red marks covering her body exposed.

She didn't seem to care. She stood there looking at me with a mocking smile.

"Zack and I are only getting married as part of a family arrangement," she said. "We don't have feelings for each other, so you two can still be together.

"I'm a great best friend, aren't I? I don't even mind that my fiance cheated on me, so why are you making such a big deal out of it?"

I murmured, "An arranged marriage?"

Wendy was famous at school for being rich and beautiful. There were hundreds of posts on the campus forum from other people confessing their feelings for her.

But Zack had always seemed to come from an ordinary family. He even told me that he missed today's graduation photos because he was working overtime at his company.

Not long ago, I had asked him excitedly when he was going to marry me.

He had pulled me into his arms and smiled as he tapped the tip of my nose.

"Once I graduate, get a permanent job, and start making good money, I'll give you a grand wedding and marry you!"

Wendy snorted when she saw my expression. "Leah, you really are dumber than I thought!"

She pointed at Zack and smiled mockingly. "Zack is the only son of the Warner family and the sole successor to Warner Corporation!

"Everyone at school knew from the first day. He paid everyone to keep quiet because he insisted on playing poor with you.

"You were the only one who couldn't tell, even though you were with him every day. You were kept in the dark like an idiot!"

I burst into tears, frantically wiping them away, but I couldn't stop crying.

"Enough! Don't say anymore!" Zack cut Wendy off sharply. He reached out to wipe away my tears, his face full of concern.

I backed away from him, putting distance between us.

I stared blankly at Zack. "Is it true? Have you been lying to me this whole time?"

Zack was silent for a long time before he sighed. "Wendy's right. I really am the Warner family's heir."

He looked guilty, but his voice held a hint of relief.

"Remember the watch you gave me for my birthday last year? I said I couldn't bear to wear it, but the truth is, I thought it was too cheap.

"I didn't tell you who I was because I was afraid you'd be like other women and only care about my money.

"Leah, you can't even recognize the brands I wear. I can't exactly marry you and bring you home just to become a laughingstock, can I?"

I bit down hard on my lip, my chest numb with pain.

For all four years of college, I had worked part-time every day to earn money.

Zack knew my mom, Carla Goss, was sick and needed money for medical treatment. He had secretly sent me money, then deleted the transfer records so I wouldn't find out.

Then I saw Zack handing out flyers in a heavy mascot costume in 104-degree heat. He was nearly dehydrated.

I had sobbed so hard I couldn't speak, but he pretended it was no big deal.

"I'm not doing this for you. I'm just saving up for my future wedding!" he had said.

For Zack's birthday, I had scrimped and saved for three months before buying him a watch from a lesser-known luxury brand.

I didn't have much money, so I used what I had to show him how I felt.

Zack was rich, but he used money to test my feelings.

Wendy looked at me with pity. "Leah, you need to know your place. The Warner family would never allow a woman like you to become part of them.

"I told you a long time ago to find a new boyfriend, but you were too stupid to understand me."

After Zack and I started dating, Wendy always complained that I was so caught up in my relationship that I forgot about her.

But she still couldn't bear to see me go hungry just to save money, so she always found ways to help me out.

She would buy me an extra meal or cover my delivery fees.

It turned out they were nothing but handouts.

A metallic taste spread through my mouth as humiliation washed over me.

I shoved Zack away and screamed, "You bastard!"

But Zack caught my hand and pulled me into his arms.

He gently wiped the tears from the corners of my eyes.

"Don't cry. The graduation ceremony is tomorrow, and you still have to give a speech as one of the top graduates. You'll look awful if your eyes are all swollen.

"Besides, you and Wendy are close. We'll be family soon, so you won't have to worry about money anymore."

Wendy leaned lazily against the wall and scoffed. "If I weren't worried that another woman would marry you and mistreat Leah, do you think I'd agree to this marriage alliance?

"Leah, don't worry. No one can compare to the bond we've built over the past ten years. You and Zack can still be together. He and I are only pretending."

I pulled away from Zack's arms and slapped him across the face. "Absolutely not!"

I ran out crying, but Zack didn't chase after me.

…

The next day, I showed up at the school auditorium with badly swollen eyes.

Before I went onstage, someone recognized me and cried out, "Aren't you the one whose boyfriend cheated with her best friend?"