Chapter 3 · He Called Me Gold-Digger, I Found Gold

Chapter 3

Owen was really good to me the first few years. He took me shopping for clothes. He took me out for nice meals. He told me he would marry me once he took over the company. I believed him.

But the people around him didn't.

His friends, his neighbors, and the ones he grew up with whispered behind my back.

"That Linden heir is going to marry a beggar."

"I heard he picked her out of a half-finished building. She lived with stray dogs."

"Poor guy. She latched onto him and won't let go."

Chloe was Owen's childhood sweetheart. Their families lived across from each other. They grew up together. Her mom once joked with her dad about her marrying Owen when they grew up. When she was little, she even asked Owen, "Will you marry me?"

Owen said no. But that was when they were kids.

Later she grew up. She grew into a beautiful young woman. She went to the best university and landed a job at the best company. Meanwhile, I was still in school, waiting tables on weekends, saving the Lindens whatever I could.

One time, Chloe came to the Lindens' house for dinner. In front of everyone, she said to me, "Natalie, you've got good taste."

I said, "What do you mean?"

She said, "You know how to pick a guy. You picked Owen. You picked a rich branch to hold onto. Now you'll never have to worry about money again."

I didn't say anything. The Lindens' faces turned sour.

*****

After that, the Linden family gave me less money.

They cut my allowance down to 350 dollars a month.

Erica told me, "You need to be thrifty. Don't waste be thrifty. It's already hard enough for us to pay for your school. You need to be sensible."

"Okay," I said.

Three hundred and a half dollars was enough to get by. I lived in the small apartment they rented for me, so no rent. Utilities were paid too. The money was enough for food.

I worked part‑time when I wasn't in class. I waited tables, handed out flyers, and tutored. I saved up. For Christmas, I bought gifts for everyone in the Lindens. A scarf for Erica. A thermos for Owen's dad. A pair of shoes for Owen.

Erica took the scarf out and looked at it. "What brand is this?"

I couldn't name a brand. I got it on sale at the mall. It was 30 dollars after the discount.

She smiled, put the scarf back, and said nothing.

Later I overheard her talking to Owen. "That fiancée of yours, everything she buys is cheap junk, not even fit for the family. Don't let her bring that stuff into our house again. It's shameful."

Owen just said, "Mm."

The next day he told me, "Don't buy us anything anymore."

"Okay," I said.

*****

After I graduated, I found a job paying 5,000 dollars a month.

The Linden family had paid for my schooling back then. From the start of high school all the way through college. Six years in total. I did the math. Tuition, living expenses, plus the occasional pocket money, all added up to around 70,000 dollars.

So when I got my first paycheck, I called Erica. "Mrs. Linden, I'm earning money now. I'll slowly pay back what you spent on my education."

At first I sent 300 dollars a month. Then it went up to 600 dollars. Later, when I made more, I sent more.

They took it without saying a word.

Last Christmas, I added it up. I'd paid back more than 20,000 dollars. Almost one third.

I mentioned it to Owen once. I told him how much was left. I said I was keeping track and would pay it back slowly.

He was playing video games and didn't even look up. "You're crazy. You think our family needs your money?"

I said, "You don't need it, but I should pay it back."

He let out a scoff and ignored me.

In his eyes, this was probably another one of my cheap, embarrassing moves.

Not knowing what was good for me. Not knowing when to stop. Having to make things ugly.

Then Grandma got sick. I had no savings. I had no choice but to ask Owen for 70,000 dollars.

He said, "You can't even earn 70,000 dollars in a year. So what makes you think you can ask me for that money?"

Because I had saved his life.

But I couldn't bring that up either. If I did, I was holding it over his head. I was ungrateful. I was never satisfied.

So when May asked me, "Aren't you afraid he'll make a scene?"

I knew he wouldn't. He couldn't wait for me to leave.

He'd been tired of me for years. Chloe was right. I was a gold digger clinging to him like a lifeline. He never kicked me out only because of that promise his family made back then.

Now if I left on my own, he'd be more than happy.

Chapter 3

Owen was really good to me the first few years. He took me shopping for clothes. He took me out for nice meals. He told me he would marry me once he took over the company. I believed him.

But the people around him didn't.

His friends, his neighbors, and the ones he grew up with whispered behind my back.

"That Linden heir is going to marry a beggar."

"I heard he picked her out of a half-finished building. She lived with stray dogs."

"Poor guy. She latched onto him and won't let go."

Owen said no. But that was when they were kids.

One time, Chloe came to the Lindens' house for dinner. In front of everyone, she said to me, "Natalie, you've got good taste."

I said, "What do you mean?"

She said, "You know how to pick a guy. You picked Owen. You picked a rich branch to hold onto. Now you'll never have to worry about money again."

I didn't say anything. The Lindens' faces turned sour.

*****

After that, the Linden family gave me less money.

They cut my allowance down to 350 dollars a month.

Erica told me, "You need to be thrifty. Don't waste be thrifty. It's already hard enough for us to pay for your school. You need to be sensible."

"Okay," I said.

Three hundred and a half dollars was enough to get by. I lived in the small apartment they rented for me, so no rent. Utilities were paid too. The money was enough for food.

Erica took the scarf out and looked at it. "What brand is this?"

I couldn't name a brand. I got it on sale at the mall. It was 30 dollars after the discount.

She smiled, put the scarf back, and said nothing.

Later I overheard her talking to Owen. "That fiancée of yours, everything she buys is cheap junk, not even fit for the family. Don't let her bring that stuff into our house again. It's shameful."

Owen just said, "Mm."

The next day he told me, "Don't buy us anything anymore."

"Okay," I said.

*****

After I graduated, I found a job paying 5,000 dollars a month.

So when I got my first paycheck, I called Erica. "Mrs. Linden, I'm earning money now. I'll slowly pay back what you spent on my education."

At first I sent 300 dollars a month. Then it went up to 600 dollars. Later, when I made more, I sent more.

They took it without saying a word.

Last Christmas, I added it up. I'd paid back more than 20,000 dollars. Almost one third.

I mentioned it to Owen once. I told him how much was left. I said I was keeping track and would pay it back slowly.

He was playing video games and didn't even look up. "You're crazy. You think our family needs your money?"

I said, "You don't need it, but I should pay it back."

He let out a scoff and ignored me.

In his eyes, this was probably another one of my cheap, embarrassing moves.

Not knowing what was good for me. Not knowing when to stop. Having to make things ugly.

Then Grandma got sick. I had no savings. I had no choice but to ask Owen for 70,000 dollars.

He said, "You can't even earn 70,000 dollars in a year. So what makes you think you can ask me for that money?"

Because I had saved his life.

But I couldn't bring that up either. If I did, I was holding it over his head. I was ungrateful. I was never satisfied.

So when May asked me, "Aren't you afraid he'll make a scene?"

I knew he wouldn't. He couldn't wait for me to leave.

He'd been tired of me for years. Chloe was right. I was a gold digger clinging to him like a lifeline. He never kicked me out only because of that promise his family made back then.

Now if I left on my own, he'd be more than happy.