Chapter 2
Just then, the bathroom door swung open. Alex stepped out, drying his hair, freezing rigid the moment his gaze locked on me.
His face drained of all color in an instant. "A-Alice... what are you doing here?"
I stared at him, a bitter laugh bubbling up inside me. "If I hadn't come, I'd never know how thrifty you two are.
"Even sneaking off to a hotel, you choose to spend my money."
He parted his lips, struggling to find the right words. "It's not what you think."
"Then what is it?" I held his gaze steady. "Explain this to me. A 230-dollar deluxe king suite, breakfast for two, my temporary payment access, and the two of you sharing one bed. What other explanation could there possibly be?"
Tears welled up in Chloe's eyes, her voice trembling. "Alice, please listen. Alex only came here to keep me company. I wasn't feeling well today..."
"You weren't feeling well, so you spent my money?" I demanded.
My single sentence left her speechless, her face flushing pale with embarrassment.
Regaining his composure at last, Alex stepped closer and lowered his voice. "Don't make a scene here. We can talk this out back on campus."
"A scene?" I tapped the room key resting on the nightstand. "You had no scruple enjoying this hotel room together, but suddenly I'm the one causing a scene just for asking for my money back?"
The hotel manager stood awkwardly off to the side, not daring to intervene.
I turned to him calmly. "Please preserve the check-in records, itemized charges, and surveillance timestamps for tonight.
"I've already screenshot the transaction alert. If they refuse to repay the full amount, I'll file a police report and submit an official appeal to the university."
Alex's expression darkened instantly.
He'd never feared my tears or my tantrums.
What scared him most was seeing me dead serious like this.
He knew I wasn't the type to throw petty fits; once I shut down emotionally, there'd be no easy way to fix things.
Dropping her fake vulnerable act at last, Chloe snapped, "Alice Summers, is this really necessary? It's just a few hundred dollars."
I stared at her, suddenly realizing how blind I'd been all this time. "To you, 230 dollars might just be the price of a new lipstick. To me, it's hard-earned money Mom makes standing twelve-hour shifts on the assembly line.
"I don't care if you two date each other, sleep together, book hotel rooms together. Do whatever you want.
"But don't pay for it with my mother's wages."
Silence fell over the room, thick and heavy.
It was not a peaceful quiet. They'd finally woken up to the truth.
I hadn't come here sobbing to ask why they'd betrayed me. I'd come to settle every last score.
Right in front of them, I unlinked my bank card from the payment app, revoked the temporary authorization access, and filed a freeze request for the unusual transaction.
After verifying my identity details, the customer service agent informed me that my remaining account balance was only 37 dollars.
Eleven days left until the end of the month.
A hollow ache washed over me, sharper than the pain of catching them cheating.
Alex hadn't just spent 230 dollars.
He'd drained my budget for breakfast, lunch, and dinner for the next eleven days, money that was already spread painfully thin to cover my monthly expenses.
I ended the call and lifted my gaze to Alex. "You'd better hope this is the only unauthorized charge.
"If I find more transactions like this, Alex Sheridan, you'll regret ever crossing paths with me."
With that, I turned on my heel and walked out.
Alex chased after me the second I reached the hallway door, grabbing my wrist tightly. "Alice, calm down. We can explain everything properly."
I wrenched my arm free without hesitation. "Don't worry. I'm far more clear-headed now than I ever was when we were dating."
I didn't head back to the dorm that night. Instead, I went to the 24-hour study room beneath the campus library.
Munching on a simple sandwich, I sifted through every transaction record from the past four months, one by one.
The more I read, the more hollow laughter welled up in my chest.
March 5th: Harmony Cinema couple screening hall, 56 dollars.
That same day, Alex had told me he was stuck revising lab project documents with no time to eat. Worried about his stomach, I'd ordered him a warm soup delivery.
March 11th: Blue Ridge Hotel, 200 dollars.
Chloe had claimed severe menstrual cramps that night and had gone to bed early. I'd tiptoed around the dorm all evening, afraid of waking her up.
March 19th: upscale restaurant couples set menu, 142 dollars.
Alex had complained about overpriced competition materials that day and borrowed 100 dollars from me.
April 2nd: Riverside Inn boutique lodge, 250 dollars.
That week, I'd downgraded my usual two-meat one-veggie cafeteria meal to a cheaper single meat portion, all because he'd said he was strapped for cash. I'd wanted to save up to buy him a new pair of sneakers.
April 14th: ride-hailing fare, 10 dollars, from Blue Ridge Hotel to the south campus gate.
Early that morning, he'd stood by the sports field wearing the jacket I'd bought him, holding me close and promising he'd take me to the movies once his competition ended.
As I stared at the transaction list on my phone, a nauseous emptiness twisted in my stomach.
It was not from hunger, but revulsion.
I'd always believed being poor didn't matter, that a simple life was enough. As long as two people worked toward the same future, we'd get through the tough days together.
Now I finally saw the truth.
He hadn't been struggling alongside me at all. He'd been draining the little savings I scraped together to spoil someone else.