Chapter 3

When Ethan's signature matte black Maserati pulled up outside our sorority, it instantly turned heads and caused a stir, like something straight out of a movie.

Everyone crowded around the window for a peek. Leah let out a sigh.

"That car's gotta be worth at least two hundred grand, right? We'd have to work forever just to afford something like that. Some people are born with a silver spoon, and the rest of us are just buried in student debt," she said.

Madison struck a pose, one hand resting on a baby bump she didn't even have, then tucked her hair behind her ear and shot us a smug, show-off look.

She sneered, "Believe me now? My boyfriend is Ethan Sterling. Take a good look, peasants. This is probably the closest you'll ever get to real money. Enjoy it while it lasts."

I curled my lips into a sly smile. Ethan spotted me at the window and waved enthusiastically. Madison, thinking the wave was for her, started frantically waving back, looking like she was auditioning for the cheer squad.

I paid her no mind, grabbed my bag, and walked out.

But as I reached the door, Madison slammed her shoulder into me, shooting me a furious glare.

"Watch it, will you? If you bump into me, do you even know what that could cost you? I'm gonna be a Sterling. What's your hurry? Or are you just dying to get close to my boyfriend's car?"

I just let out a cold laugh. I'd met plenty of idiots, but Madison really took the cake. Just to make sure she couldn't blame me if anything happened, I stepped aside and let her go first.

Madison, having gotten her way, strutted past me with exaggerated confidence. She tossed me a dismissive glance over her shoulder, even letting out a small scoff, like she'd done me a favor. "Smart move, loser."

Honestly, my family was just as wealthy as Ethan's. I simply kept a low profile. I wore Loro Piana and The Row, but no one there recognized the brands. They just assumed I was wearing something ordinary.

I hadn't gotten my U.S. driver's license yet, so the brand-new Aston Martin my dad gave me for my eighteenth birthday had been sitting in the garage, collecting dust.

Madison's words didn't even faze me. I was just waiting to see if her gold-digging dreams would ever actually pay off.

When she got downstairs, Madison hopped into the passenger seat like she owned the place. The crowd of students around us shot her envious looks, and some even whipped out their phones to snap photos.

Ethan had been waiting outside the sorority house, his eyes fixed on the entrance, so he didn't even notice when Madison suddenly rushed over and got into the car.

I took my time heading downstairs. When he finally spotted me, he leaned out the window with an exaggeratedly annoyed look. "V, what took you so long? I was starting to think you weren't coming."

I couldn't help but laugh. Ethan had been chasing after me since we were kids, always sticking around. Well, some things never changed, even in college.

I arched an eyebrow, shooting a look at Madison, who was already settled in the passenger seat, touching up her lipstick in the rearview mirror.

Madison caught my gaze and, making sure everyone could hear, turned to Ethan with an over-the-top, syrupy voice, clearly showing off.

"Baby, can we go already? I know you wanted to make me look good in front of my sorority sisters, but that's enough. I'm literally starving. Take me somewhere with caviar."

Ethan turned around and saw Madison, his face looking like he'd just spotted an alien, completely stunned. He pointed at himself, totally confused. "Baby? Me? Uh, who are you, lady? Why are you in my car?"

Knowing Ethan for years, I could tell he was genuinely confused, not pretending. So the liar here was definitely someone else. Now that was getting good.

Madison's smile froze, and then she exploded in rage. "Ethan Sterling, what the hell is this? We've been hooking up for two weeks, and now you're just gonna pretend nothing happened? What a jerk are you?"

Before Madison could finish, she spun around to look at me outside the car, eyes wide like she'd just figured it all out.

"I get it now! Is it Victoria? Did that bitch seduce you? Yeah, she's got brains and looks, I'll give her that, but you can't just toss me aside for her! I'm your actual girlfriend!"

Honestly, I felt nothing. If anything, I almost wanted to laugh. Madison was basically hyping me up without even realizing it.

Ethan looked totally freaked out. He jumped out of the car and rushed over to me, frantically trying to explain himself so I wouldn't get the wrong impression.

"I swear to God, there's nothing between her and me! I don't even know who she is! Dude, is this girl on something?"

I arched an eyebrow, watching the whole mess play out. "So, are we still grabbing dinner or what?"

Ethan nodded like a bobblehead. "Yes! Absolutely! Let's go!"

I nodded toward the passenger seat. "So, where am I supposed to sit? On the hood?"

That was when Ethan finally got it. His face dropped, and he marched over, practically dragging Madison out of the car. "Get out! You don't belong in my car!"

Madison was dragged out, stumbling and shrieking at the top of her lungs. "Ethan! What the hell are you doing? How could you do this to me?"

Ethan acted like he didn't hear a thing, dusting off his hands with a look of disdain, then opened the back door like a gentleman, and shielded me as I got in.

Madison sat right down on the pavement, kicking and screaming like a child throwing a fit.

"Are you kidding me? What a shameless bitch. You don't go after someone else's man. I've already been with him, and now she's really trying to come at me? Fine. I'll post this on TikTok. Let's see how you like that!"

The crowd started giving me weird looks, and a few people whipped out their phones to record the drama.

Ethan couldn't care less. He slammed the gas pedal, and the Maserati roared like a wild animal as we sped off, leaving Madison in a cloud of exhaust.