Chapter 4
The photos showed me in the back kitchen, washing dishes in a cheap work uniform, grease splattering on my face.
There was also me handing out flyers on a street corner, getting hassled by some drunk guy.
It included me curled up in my cramped rented room, staring blankly at a bowl of canned soup.
Each photo exposed my poverty and misery for everyone to see.
Eugene's voice was steady and clear, echoing through the courtroom speakers. "Your Honor, my client, Mr. Owen Fleming, is from a wealthy family and has women lining up for him.
"Meanwhile, the plaintiff, Miss Claire Walters, is barely scraping by, juggling multiple low-paying jobs. So tell me, how does someone who can hardly afford to live keep 'accidentally' running into a rich guy who's chauffeured everywhere?"
He paused, pushed up his glasses, and glanced at the jury. "The answer's simple. This is a planned scam.
"The plaintiff played the damsel in distress card to get close to Mr. Fleming. When she couldn't get the big payout she wanted, she got mad and spun this whole 'assault' lie."
"That's not true!" I jumped to my feet, my voice shrill with anger. "It was him, Owen. He stole from me and hit me."
The judge frowned at me and banged his gavel. "Plaintiff, please control your emotions."
Eugene smiled at me, his expression as cold as frost in winter.
"Miss Walters, you say Mr. Fleming hit you, but your only evidence is a minor bruise report. On our side, we've got three eyewitnesses," Eugene said.
As soon as he finished, those random bystanders and the homeless guy I'd pinned my hopes on took the stand. They all told the exact same story.
"I was really too far away to see anything."
"It looked like the girl just tripped and fell by herself."
"All I saw was her pestering the guy, holding him back and refusing to let him go."
Lies.
All of it were lies.
I went cold all over, like I'd fallen into a frozen lake. I searched their faces for any flicker of guilt, but none of them would meet my eyes.
Finally, Eugene played a video.
It was footage of Owen's tall buddy dumping dirty water all over my head.
The video had been edited, with dramatic music and flashy subtitles. I was drenched in filth, looking like a total mess, while the caption screamed: [Tried to extort, got schooled by his friend.]
"Order in the court!" The judge banged his gavel again.
But the buzz of gossip was already crashing over me like a wave. Every look thrown my way was full of contempt, mockery, and pure disdain.
I felt like a clown, completely exposed, standing center stage for everyone to judge.
I opened my mouth, but it was like my throat was stuffed with cotton. No words would come out.
Dignity, it turned out, was something that could be crushed so easily.
*****
*****
The very next day, the international student office called me. The voice was polite but cold, reciting the news like a script: because my actions had brought "irreparable negative impact" to the school's reputation, they were kicking me out.
I didn't even get to say a word in my own defense.
As I dragged my suitcase out of the dorm, I bumped into a few classmates I used to be close with. The moment they saw me, they looked like they'd seen a ghost and hurried off, giving me a wide berth.
When I got back to my apartment, the landlady was blocking the doorway, her face twisted in disgust as she threw all my belongings out onto the street.
"You filthy thing! I don't want a slutty scammer like you to dirty my house. Get out, now," she yelled.
A few faded old clothes, some college textbooks, and a battered photo frame with my mom's picture spilled across the ground. A drizzling rain started, soaking everything in no time.
I crouched down quietly, picking up each item and hugging them to my chest.
I had nowhere left to go.
Just then, my phone rang. It was an unfamiliar number from back home.
I hesitated for a second, but picked up anyway.
"Is this Claire? It's your Aunt Ingrid." Aunt Ingrid's voice was sharp and nasty. "You actually have the nerve to answer? Do you know your mom's in the ER?
"The doctors say she needs emergency surgery, and it's going to cost a fortune! And you? What have you been up to abroad? Your scams are all over the news. You've completely embarrassed the family."
"What happened to Mom?" My mind went totally blank. It felt like an invisible hand was crushing my heart, making it impossible to breathe.
Aunt Ingrid yelled, "What happened? It's all your fault! Your father died early and your mom struggled to raise you alone. She sent you overseas, hoping you'd make the family proud.
"But what did you do? Messing around with strange men, letting everyone know about your scandals. Listen up, you won't get a single penny from us. Even if you die out there, don't expect us to care."