Chapter 2

On Rachel’s birthday, while I was still in the dorm, she excitedly invited our other two roommates right in front of me.

"Today’s my birthday, so I’m treating you both to dinner!"

Natalie and Chloe lit up, their eyes going wide with excitement. "Really? That’s awesome!"

I waited a long time, certain Rachel would turn to me next, but the invitation never came.

When I finally looked up, my eyes met hers. I forced a laugh. "What about me, Rachel? Don’t act like I’m invisible!"

Rachel gave a light, dismissive smile. "Lila, don’t you have Student Office work today? You always seem so busy, so I didn’t want to bother you."

I froze. "I don’t have work today."

Her eyes flickered with impatience. "Well, the cake I ordered is just enough for three. There won’t be any left for you."

I laughed awkwardly. "Then I won’t go. You guys have fun. Make sure to enjoy yourselves."

Rachel didn’t answer me. She linked arms with Natalie and Chloe, striding to the door.

"Let’s go! Tonight it’s Dorm 115’s private party!" she shouted loud enough to make sure I heard.

I sat there, unsettled. Was she really leaving me out just because I was busy with Student Office work? On my birthday, I’d invited her. Even if she thought I might be too busy, shouldn’t she at least have the decency to extend a polite invitation?

Left alone in the dorm and ignored like I didn’t matter, I felt restless.

I video-called my boyfriend, Ryan Cooper, hoping he’d come walk with me and distract me from all this, but he declined my call.

My chest tightened with unease. I quickly texted him: "Is something wrong?"

He replied: "Yeah, something urgent."

"More urgent than my call?" I asked.

He shot back, his tone edged with irritation: "Obviously."

"Okay then, I’ll let you get back to it."

His reaction stung. I didn’t understand why he’d snap at me like that. Maybe something really had come up. I tried to think positively and soothe myself.

A little later, he texted again: "Baby, sorry. I was busy just now. My tone came out harsh. It’s my mom’s birthday today. I bought her a Gucci necklace. Now I’m short on cash…"

He attached a picture of the necklace with the price tag: 1,600 dollars.

My face stayed blank as I typed: "So you mean you want me to give you some of my living expenses again?"

He sent a laughing emoji. "Baby, what are you talking about? The money your family gives you… it’s ours. Why are you making it sound like I’m begging you?"

My brows furrowed. "You’ve already gone through over 3,000 this month, and it’s not even mid-month yet. At this rate, I’ll run out of living expenses too."

He sent a rolling-eyes emoji. "Baby, just ask your dad and brother for more. Don’t bother me with this."

That comment left me raw and bitter.

Yes, my family lived comfortably. My dad, Richard Blaine, and my brother, Andrew, both doted on me. Dad gave me 3,000 dollars a month, and Andrew sent another 2,000. They always said a girl should be raised generously so she’d never have to bow her head to anyone.

Ryan, on the other hand, came from a poor farming family. He was a year ahead of me, and I’d first seen him onstage at the freshman orientation ceremony, where he gave a speech as the top student. Later, when I joined the Student Office, I got to know him through work.

He relied on scholarships and student loans to get by. Once we started dating, he learned I received two allowances. He often cried poor to me, insisting my money was our shared property.

Even before I could agree, he’d already grabbed my phone and set himself up with a linked card through my account, using the full amount of my allowance as his limit. He swore he’d only ever take a few hundred in an emergency.

Alas, that "few hundred" soon grew bigger, until he was spending nearly my whole monthly allowance.

He always justified it by saying it was for his mom, who he claimed was frail and sickly.

But the shocking truth? The "mom" he spent my money on… was Rachel Travis.