Chapter 2

When I left the café, I returned to the staff dormitory at my school.

As soon as I walked in, the place was filled with laughter and cheerful voices.

Hannah Lockwood and Sebastian were sitting at the small dining table I'd bought myself.

Scraps of food still lingered in the bowls and plates on the table.

I frowned when I saw the greasy residue.

Then I noticed something else. The small pot of pork ribs I'd spent three hours slow-cooking that morning was empty. Completely scraped clean.

And to make matters worse, the jar of collagen drinks I'd spent half a month's salary on was completely gone too.

Rage surged through me, fierce and uncontrollable.

This was meant for Grandma.

How did it end up in their stomachs?

"You're back," Sebastian said casually. "Perfect timing. Wash the dishes. I'm taking Hannah for her prenatal checkup later."

Sebastian didn't even bother to ask. He just told me what to do.

I shot him a fierce glare, my expression anything but friendly.

Hannah immediately jumped in, trying to smooth things over. "I'll wash them, I really will. I was starving earlier and my hands were shaking. Sebastian was worried something might happen to me, so he brought me into your room. We ate the meat you'd already cooked. I'm so sorry. How much did it cost? I'll pay you. Please don't be mad at him."

But before I could even open my mouth,

Sebastian jumped in, putting on his good guy act.

"Come on, it's just a bit of meat. She's not that petty. And you're pregnant. You'll need every penny for the baby. We're neighbors, it's only right to help each other out," he said, sounding all generous.

I let out a cold laugh. Yeah, Hannah and I are neighbors, since we both work here and live in the dorms.

But since when did Sebastian count as my neighbor?

"The meat cost thirteen dollars and eighty-five cents," I said evenly. "Add the vegetables, seasoning, and time. I won't overcharge. Make it fourteen eighty-five. The small bottle was bird's nest I bought for my grandma. That was fifty-six dollars. Total comes to sixty-nine eighty-five. I'm not rounding it down. Pay me now."

I held out my hand to Sebastian, waiting for him to pay up.

Sebastian's face darkened, and he just stared at me in disbelief for a moment.

Hannah swallowed, sighing softly. "Wait, that little jar was collagen drinks? I thought it was just some cheap dessert or something, so I didn't think twice. I'm really sorry…"

I chuckled. "No worries. Just pay me and I'll get another one."

I eyed both of them warily.

Sebastian pressed his lips together, sounding annoyed. "It's just some collagen drinks. Do you really have to make such a fuss?"

I didn't hold back. "If you don't have the money, then stop pretending to be generous. That meat and those collagen drinks were for my grandma, and I paid for them out of my own pocket. You two just walked into my place and helped yourselves without even asking. How am I supposed to just let this slide? If you don't pay up, I'll call the police and let them sort it out."

Sebastian instantly lost his temper.

"What's your problem? Do you even see me as your fiancé anymore? You're really going to call the cops just for eating a bit of your food?" he snapped.

I wasn't about to let him off the hook. "Sebastian, after you refused to register our marriage and gave my birth permit to her, I made it very clear. We're no longer engaged. You brought your mistress into my room. That's illegal entry. Taking things without asking is theft. Calling the police is completely reasonable."

Sebastian's face went pale, but he was still furious. There was no sign of calming down at all.

He totally lost it and flipped the small dining table over.

The bowls and plates shattered across the floor.

"Fine," he snarled. "Don't regret this."

"Regret?" I yelled back. "The only thing I regret is ever dating a two-timing bastard like you!"

Sebastian was practically grinding his teeth in rage.

He started dragging Hannah with him as he headed for the door.

I shouted at the top of my lungs, "Those dishes cost me two bucks. You smashed them, so you better pay up. You've got three days to get the money together, or don't blame me when I show up at your job and raise hell."

These days, your job was everything. People would rather die than lose it.

Sebastian came by the next day, cash in hand.

I counted the bills and gave him his change.

He was all calm now, nothing like the hothead from earlier. He pressed his lips together and said, "Alright, here's the money. Come on, we're all family here. Why hold a grudge?"

He handed the change back to me.

But I insisted, shoving the coins right back into his pocket.

Without another word, I moved to shut the door.