Chapter 3 The Price of Being Misunderstood

Lawrence was the only one who looked startled. "Calvin? What are you doing here?"

Our eyes met.

His face instantly went pale. "Were you out there the whole time?"

Before I could answer, I heard hurried footsteps outside.

Lawrence and I both paused. It was my father and Celine. They seemed to be chatting with some business partners.

I had just started to get up when Lawrence suddenly bolted out of the room. "Dad! Celine!"

"Lawrence?" They both looked surprised. "What are you doing in a place like this?"

Tears streamed down Lawrence's face.

"I didn't want to come here, but I got a message saying Calvin was in a private room with a bunch of women."

Their eyes widened.

The next second, the door was kicked open. They stared at the men and women filling the room, then at me standing there in shock.

My father caught a whiff of the strange smell and slapped me hard across the face. "You bastard! Is this how you repay everything I've done for you?"

Celine grabbed me by the collar and slapped me too. "Look at yourself! Look at what you're wearing! Have you no shame?"

My mouth filled with the taste of blood. I shoved Celine away. "I was just working here!"

The women immediately caught on and chimed in. "That's right! It's all part of the sexy-uniform act!"

My father's and Celine's expressions darkened even further.

"Dad, Celine, I—"

A hard kick landed in my stomach. Sweat rolled down my forehead from the pain, and I couldn't get another word out.

"You bastard! Do you have any idea how upset your mother would be if she saw you like this?"

My back slid down the wall until I collapsed onto the floor. I couldn't summon the strength to move.

My paycheck card slipped out of my pocket.

Celine picked it up and raised an eyebrow. "What? Is this money from your gig?"

She gripped the card with both hands and snapped it in half.

"Get the manager in here! I want every dollar he's been paid back!"

"No!" My eyes widened.

That card held every dollar I'd earned over the past two weeks. I only needed ten more days to earn the last $1,000. But now, it was all gone.

I was supposed to leave soon. Where was I going to find another $5,000 now?

"Look at you. You're absolutely shameless!"

Celine tossed the broken pieces of the card at my face, then draped an arm around Lawrence's shoulders. She looked at me with open disgust.

"You can sink as low as you want, but don't you dare drag Lawrence down with you."

My father shot me a disdainful glance. "We've raised Lawrence since he was little. If you lead him astray, don't expect me to go easy on you."

I was fired that very day. With nowhere else to go, I had no choice but to return to the estate.

The house was empty.

Apparently, Lawrence had been so shaken by what he'd seen at the club that the whole family had taken him out for a special dinner to calm his nerves.

Ignoring the strange looks from the household staff, I stumbled back to my room in a daze and slept without waking.

The next day, a deposit appeared in my account.

It was exactly $5,000.

My mother sent me a message.

"I know what happened. No matter how badly you need money, you shouldn't stoop that low. Thank goodness Lawrence told us. Otherwise, you might have gone down the wrong path. I've sent you some money. If it's not enough, just ask us for more. We still love you."

I read the message and smiled faintly. Then, I transferred the $5,000 straight back. I had no intention of having anything more to do with this family.

After a good night's sleep, I was ready to get back on my feet.

I knew finding another job that paid as well wouldn't be easy, but I believed I could find another way.

I would move to another city for work, somewhere they couldn't bother me anymore.

By the time they returned, I was packing my things.

Celine sneered when she saw me. "Don't bother packing. You're not coming on Lawrence's 18th-birthday trip."

I stopped and looked up. "His 18th-birthday trip?"