Chapter 3
Francis probably pictured me as some poor, self-conscious girl who would be eager to find a way to repay him for buying me a meal.
But I kept pushing my luck.
Not far away, Julius and Nelson were heading my way.
Both of them had their eyes glued to me, like they were afraid someone else might snatch me up before they could.
"Estelle, I saw your signature. Your handwriting is really distinctive," Julius said.
Julius naturally exuded a polite, scholarly charm, and his smile was understated yet warm.
Nelson, sporting his platinum-blond hair, flopped down next to me like he owned the place.
"I chewed out those guys who were giving you trouble. They won't dare mess with you again," Nelson said.
I glanced at both of them, my eyes finally settling on Julius.
"You're the top student in our class. My French isn't great. Could you help me out?" I asked.
He gave me a knowing smile. "Of course, I'd be happy to."
Francis was getting flustered.
Francis said, "Estelle, from now on, I'm the one treating you. You can only eat at the cafeteria with me."
I paused to think about it, then nodded.
After school, I called my grandma from the pavilion by the pond to remind her to take her medicine.
She had severe diabetes, and one of her feet was basically ruined. She couldn't walk anymore.
I used the money I earned from my summer job to buy a secondhand phone for both myself and my grandma.
The battery on my phone was getting worse every day. Before I could even finish talking, it powered off on its own.
I smacked the back of it in frustration, but it was totally dead.
A breeze swept by, bringing with it the sweet scent of osmanthus blossoms.
I drew in a long breath, trying to loosen up and let the tension melt away.
Grandma always said that leaves stay green all year round, but flowers only bloom for a season.
After all the storms and rough weather, it was the leaves that stuck around on the branches when everything else was gone.
That was my philosophy on life.
Leaves might seem plain, but they were the ones who survived till the very end.
Francis appeared out of nowhere behind me.
He grabbed my cheap knockoff phone, gave it a quick look, and tossed it right into the trash.
"Let's go; I'm buying you a new phone," he said.
I went along with it.
On the way, he kept showing off his family's wealth and status, keeping a close eye on how I reacted.
Looks like he decided to change tactics.
I made sure to look just the right amount shocked, envious, and starstruck.
While I wasn't paying attention, he typed in the group chat, [So she's a gold digger, huh? Should've said so earlier. Money's never been a problem for me.]
When we arrived at the mall, he picked out the latest smartphone for me, grabbed it, and we left right away.
"This whole mall belongs to my family. No need to pay," he said.
I paused in front of a pair of leather shoes, and with a casual wave from him, someone instantly packed them up for me without a word.
"Francis, you're really sweet," I said.
I gave him a happy grin and gently touched his palm.
Francis didn't miss the chance. He took my hand right away.
But just a moment later, I pulled my hand back and walked on like nothing happened.
By the time we stepped out of the mall, I somehow ended up with a shiny new watch and a fancy bracelet on my wrist.
Francis gave me a sly smile, pointing across the street at a hotel. "Want to go over and relax for a bit?"
"There's an even bigger surprise waiting for you inside," he teased.
"What surprise?" I asked bluntly, popping open the top button and showing off my collarbone.
Francis thought he almost had me, his eyes lighting up with excitement as he raised an eyebrow.
"I'm making a movie. How about starring as the leading lady?" Francis suggested.
Probably the kind that would trash a girl's reputation.
I pretended not to get it and asked straight up, "So, how much does it pay?"
"Fifteen grand," he said.
That was just his weekly pocket money. He was so stingy.
"I want double," I said.
"Deal," he replied.