Chapter 2

Three days later, in the woods behind Riverdale University. This place rarely saw anyone, and the only sound was the crunch of fallen leaves underfoot.

Sean rushed up to me, dropping all pretense of being polite. "Susan, did you do that?"

His eyes were bloodshot, and he was breathing hard, barely holding back his rage.

Just half an hour ago, his counselor called him in. His special grant was put on hold.

The reason was that he was accused of living too lavishly, with money coming out of nowhere.

"What did I do?" I asked, hands stuffed in my coat pockets.

"The counselor said someone snitched on me." Sean stormed closer angrily.

He pointed right at my face, his finger shaking. "Who else would do it except for you?

"What is your problem? Are you seriously trying to screw me over?"

I stared at his distorted features. "I only gave the spot to someone who actually needs it."

"Bullshit!" Sean shouted. "That grant is mine. I'm the top student in my manor. I earned it fair and square!"

"That doesn't cover up the fact that you're living lavishly every day," I replied coldly. "Not a single thing you wear or spend is actually earned by you."

Sean's face darkened with a mix of anger and embarrassment, and he was clearly stung by my words.

Then, he suddenly dropped the tough guy act and started pleading, his tone turning downright pathetic. "Susan, come on, I'm begging you.

"Just go tell the school all that stuff was borrowed from you, that you were helping me look like I had it together.

"I really need this grant. It means everything to me."

He was so desperate for that money that he didn't even mind begging me.

I watched him, pathetically groveling for mercy.

Edwin spent his whole life being upright and honorable. How did he end up teaching someone so greedy and selfish?

I took out a deep blue paper bag from my purse and handed it to him.

"What's this?" Sean looked at me with suspicion.

"It's a scarf I knitted myself, with Mr. Smith's favorite technique," I said calmly. "The weather's getting colder. Before he passed away, he always said you had a weak constitution and were prone to coughing."

This was Sean's last chance.

I wanted to see if he could remember even a little of what our mentor taught, and if he still had any conscience left.

Sean froze.

He stared at the paper bag, his face shifting through a storm of emotions.

First, there was shame, then embarrassment, and finally, his features twisted with something dark and bitter.

He snatched the bag and tore it open. The deep gray cashmere scarf spilled onto the ground.

"Susan, stop using that old relic to guilt-trip me!" Sean stomped hard on the soft scarf. "He's dead and buried, and you still want to use his name to tie me down?"

He twisted his foot into the cashmere, muddying it in seconds. "Who do you think you are? Just a broke relative of Joanna's.

"If I hadn't let you hitch a ride, you wouldn't even know what a Rolls-Royce door handle feels like."

He pointed at the scarf on the ground, his voice shrill. "You actually dare to give me this kind of trash as a gift? What a joke."

I stared at the scarf, now unrecognizable in the mud. I'd spent three sleepless nights, painstakingly knitting every stitch. Now, just like Edwin's hopes for Sean, it was trampled into the filth.

"Do you even know how much the material for this scarf costs?" I asked.

"Dozens of bucks, at most." Sean sneered. "Susan, you'd better take back that report, or I'll make your life hell in Riverdale.

"You're nothing but a mooch, a broke loser. Without the Scott family, you're nothing."

With that, he stomped on the scarf again, then turned and strode away.

I stood there, watching his figure vanish into the depths of the woods.

The fire in my heart, the sense of duty to care for Edwin's last student, finally died out.

I pulled out my phone and sent a text. [Joanna, pull up the bill for the 150 thousand dollars startup fund we gave Sean.]

*****

A week later, at Nightfall Club, the most lavish club in Riverdale, the bass was pounding so hard that it felt like the whole place might explode.

Today was Sean's twentieth birthday.

I walked in, heels clicking, and pushed open the door to the VIP room.

The room was thick with haze and noise. Riverdale University's movers and shakers were partying hard, and the tables were stacked with expensive champagne.

Center stage on the sofa, Sean had his arm around Lily Lane, a famous heiress at Riverdale University.

"Sean's awesome. He's covering everything tonight!" Luke shouted, raising his glass.

Sean's face was flushed with pride as he waved his hand. "Enjoy. Tonight's all about having a good time."

I watched all this with a cold stare.

The 150 thousand dollars I sent Sean last month was meant to be his startup fund. It was also my last test to see if he could handle it. However, he wasted every cent on this absurd birthday party.