Chapter 2

The door slammed shut behind me. I turned to face Danny, my expression icy.

"Danny, explain yourself," I said coldly.

He stepped forward, his voice urgent, "Vanessa, seriously, there's really nothing between me and her."

"Her family's got it rough, but she's super driven and hardworking. I was just impressed by her grit, so I wanted to support her. That's all," Danny added, anxious.

I let out a cold laugh.

I blurted out, my voice calm and cold, "When she was in high school and couldn't earn money, it was fine for you to help her.

"But now she's in college. She's perfectly capable of supporting herself.

"Starting next month, you're only covering her tuition. You don't need to give her a cent for living expenses.

"I'll contact the school and arrange a part-time job for her at the library. It won't affect her studies."

I looked up at him, making it crystal clear as I spelled out the final deal.

I went on, "You're cutting off all contact with her, whatever you call this sponsorship thing.

"From now on, the money goes straight from my personal account to the school."

"And," I stared him down, "every single thing you gave her, like dresses, necklaces, or any other luxury stuff, you're taking every last thing back."

I glared at him. "Stella is a poor student, not some princess waiting to be pampered."

Danny's face shifted between pale and ashen, and in the end, he just gave a defeated nod and walked out the door.

Back then, the Fisher family groomed Danny to be their perfect heir, and they sent him my way, hoping to break into the real elite circle.

He was gentle, considerate, and drop-dead gorgeous. I never really cared about romance, but I figured a partnership like that, two powerhouses coming together, wasn't a bad deal.

So I agreed to the marriage.

After we got married, we actually hit it off. For years, we had a sweet relationship that everyone envied.

Over the past few years, our feelings faded, but we still treated each other with respect.

I got that marriages mellowed out over time, but cheating was something I'd never put up with.

The next day, Danny brought back all the stuff, just like I asked.

The dress and necklace were carefully laid out in velvet boxes before me.

"Vanessa, I told her straight. There won't be any more contact between us," he said.

He raised his hand like he was making a solemn vow.

Seeing him so cooperative, my anger cooled off a little, and I let it go.

As soon as Danny left, my phone buzzed with a friend request.

It was from Stella.

I was still trying to figure out how she even got my contact information when, bam, another request popped up.

Figuring she was probably just asking about the sponsorship, I accepted the request, ready to keep things strictly business.

But before I could even type a single word, her messages started flooding my screen.

[Ms. White, you're just a clinging vine living off your husband's money. Don't you think you're meddling way too much?]

[What gives you the right to take back the things Mr. Fisher gave me?]

[He paid for all of it. It's his stuff, and he can give it to whoever he wants.]

[You're the CEO's wife, and you're bullying a student like me? Is that really something to be proud of?]

I read her taunting words, a cold smirk tugging at my lips.

So that was all the innocent act. It turned out she was a venomous snake, ready to strike.

I typed back, taking my sweet time.

I messaged, [Danny and I are legally married, and we share everything. Spending his money is my right.]

[And every penny he spent on you? That's marital property. It belongs to both of us.]

[If I want, I can sue you for trying to take what's ours, and you'll have to cough up every single thing, plus interest.]

[Stella, you're a scholarship kid. This is how you talk to the person funding your education?]

[Don't forget where you stand.]

[Getting from the countryside to college isn't easy. Don't ruin your own future.]

[I'll chalk this up to you being young and naive. But if you try this again, your tuition and your job are gone.]

She went quiet, sending me no more words.

I couldn't care less. Girls like her were always trying to climb up by latching onto someone with power. I'd seen it a hundred times, and it never ended well.

Just then, my phone rang, sharp and sudden.

It was my dad.