All Chapters of THE CLEANER'S TRIPLE BET: Chapter 31 - Chapter 40

Lila's POV The whispers started the very next day.I noticed it as soon as I walked onto campus. A group of girls near the entrance stopped talking when they saw me. One of them looked me up and down and muttered something to her friend. They both laughed quietly. I kept my head down and walked faster, but the feeling followed me everywhere.By afternoon, the rumors had spread like wildfire.In the library, two guys from the basketball team were sitting behind me. I heard one of them say, “Yeah, that fat cleaner girl. She’s using Jax for money. Gold digger, man. He gave her cash or something.”The other laughed. “No way Jax would go for her unless she’s offering something in return.”I felt my face burn with shame. I wanted the ground to swallow me whole. My hands shook so badly I couldn’t hold my pen. I packed my things and left without finishing my work.Everywhere I went, people looked at me differently. Some with disgust, some with pity. “Poor girl had to sell herself.” “She’s us

Lila's POVI stood in the dorm head’s small office, my hands clasped tightly in front of me. The room felt too warm and too small at the same time. The rumors had finally reached her, and she had called me in right after my shift started. She sat behind her desk, arms crossed, looking at me with a mix of anger and disappointment that made my stomach sink.“Lila,” she said, her voice sharp but tired, “I’ve been hearing some very disturbing things about you. Rumors that you’re using the boys here — especially Jax — for money. That you’re taking advantage of them. Is this true?”I swallowed hard, my throat tight. “No, ma’am. It’s not true at all. I didn’t take advantage of anyone. Jax, Theo, and Miles… they were just helping me. That’s all.”She leaned back in her chair and let out a short, bitter laugh, like she couldn’t believe what I was saying. “Helping you? Come on, Lila. Be realistic. Those boys come from good families. They have money, status, and high standards. Do you really exp

Lila's POVI was at my locker in the small staff room, trying to change out of my uniform as quickly as possible. My hands were shaking a little as I pulled off the tight black dress. The rumors were still swirling in my head, and avoiding the guys had become exhausting. I just wanted to go home, curl up in bed, and pretend none of this was happening.The door to the staff room suddenly opened.I jumped, clutching my regular clothes to my chest. Miles stepped inside and quietly closed the door behind him. The click of the lock made my heart leap into my throat.“Miles…” I whispered, my voice small. “What are you doing? Please… come out.”He didn’t move. He just looked at me with those calm blue eyes, but there was something deeper in them tonight — worry mixed with determination.“I’m not leaving until you explain why you’ve been avoiding us,” he said gently, but firmly. “Jax, Theo, and I have been worried sick. You disappear every time we try to talk to you. What happened, Lila?”I c

Lila's POVThe garden talk with Miles left me feeling raw but lighter. After we sat there for a while, he offered to drive me home. I said yes. The bus felt too far tonight, and part of me didn’t want to leave his side just yet.We walked to the parking lot in comfortable silence. Miles opened the passenger door for me like always, and I climbed in. The car smelled clean and faintly like him — fresh soap and something warm that always made me relax. He started the engine and pulled out of the campus lot, the streetlights casting soft glows across his face.For a few minutes, we drove quietly. Then Miles reached over and gently took my hand, resting it on his thigh. The simple touch sent warmth through me. I squeezed his fingers, and he smiled softly.“You don’t have to say anything if you don’t want to,” he said. “But I’m really glad you talked to me today.”I nodded, looking at our joined hands. “Me too.”The car felt smaller the longer we drove. The air grew thicker. I kept stealing

Lila's POVI was walking toward the dorm for my usual night shift when Abigail appeared out of nowhere. She stepped right in front of me on the path near the entrance, her two friends flanking her like bodyguards. My stomach twisted the second I saw her face. She looked smug, angry, and determined all at once.“Lila,” she said, her voice sharp. “We need to talk. Now.”I tried to walk around her. “I have to get to work.”Abigail grabbed my arm, stopping me. “You’re not going anywhere until you hear what I have to say.”I pulled my arm back gently, my heart already racing. “What do you want?”She crossed her arms and looked me up and down. “Quit your job. Stop working as the cleaner in the boys’ dormitory. Tonight.”I stared at her, confused and scared. “Why? I need this job. I can’t just quit.”Abigail laughed coldly. “Because you don’t belong there. Everyone knows you’re using Jax, Theo, and Miles. A gold digger like you has no business being around them every night. My father has a l