Chapter 2
Not long ago, a vengeful criminal barged into our school and took me hostage. Lucas, without hesitation, traded himself to the kidnapper to get me out.
I knew Arthur, who had just come back from a business trip overseas, totally misunderstood the situation.
He thought Lucas liked me.
But that wasn't the case.
Just today, Lucas was planning to kick me out to the class full of spoiled rich kids, just to make room for Chloe to join the top students' class.
The one Lucas liked was Chloe, the new girl.
It wasn't me, Emily Bridges.
But just as I was about to explain, a check was slid across the table to me.
"Apart from this check, once the SATs are over, I'll arrange for you to study abroad. The Bennett Family will cover every penny," Arthur said.
"In exchange, you must never contact Lucas again. Can you do that?
"I never want to see you coming out of Lucas's room like you did today again."
Arthur's gaze was heavy, and his silent pressure was unmistakable.
"Yes, sir, I can do that," I said.
Tears of humiliation streamed down my face as I hugged the check, my shoulders shaking as I walked back to my room.
Three! Million! Dollars!
I was so excited, I did a few squats and nearly blacked out from the thrill.
Chill out, Emily.
Now, my life was an open field—anything was possible.
I sat back down at my desk, thought for a moment, then carefully folded the check and tucked it into my diary. Out of nowhere, the promise I'd made with Lucas about going to the same university popped into my head.
For some reason, it really bothered me.
Guess I won't be able to keep that promise after all.
Not that Lucas would even notice.
After all, he was still completely hung up on another girl.
It was just like a scene from a teen drama—a wide-eyed girl wandering through an unfamiliar campus, only to accidentally stumble right into his arms.
As she bent down to pick up her dropped necklace, a spark of recognition flashed in Lucas's eyes.
"Chloe?"
He hadn't spoken in so long that his voice came out rough and hoarse. Embarrassed, his ears flushed red, and he awkwardly grabbed the water bottle I'd given him, gulping it down in one go.
He was so flustered and rushed that he ended up spilling water all over one side of his collar.
After clearing his throat, he called out again,
"Chloe, it's you."
That day, a post titled [Lucas Bennett Spoke!] blew up on the school forum.
[Damn, is this some kind of miracle? The ice-cold campus heartthrob who's been mute for years finally opens his mouth after bumping into the clumsy new girl? What kind of novel plot is this? I'm shipping them already!]
[Put yourself in Emily Bridges's shoes—growing up with your childhood buddy, and he never says a word to you, but breaks his silence for another girl. That's like the sky falling.]
[Correction—Emily's just someone the Bennett Family bought to be a live-in companion.]
[Honestly, I've never liked Emily. She walks around with her back so straight, acting like she's some big deal. Calling her a live-in companion is generous—she's basically just a maid and a simp!]
[Who else gets that weird satisfaction when everyone finally sees how annoying someone is?]
The more everyone shipped them, the more the hate against me ramped up.
It was honestly kind of creepy.
I asked Lucas to delete the post, since it was one of his drama-loving buddies who posted it.
He could totally talk now, but he still just texted me instead.
[Chloe just transferred here, and she needs some buzz to help her make friends.]
[She's all alone in a new place—I can't just ignore her.]
[Let me explain. She's the girl who grabbed my hand and helped me run when I was kidnapped as a kid.]
So what, I'm just supposed to be the one who gets thrown under the bus?
I was so mad I wanted to claw his face off, but then I remembered I was just a freeloader living off the Bennett Family. So I threw a mini tantrum and slammed my phone down on the pillow.
And that was that.
But it still stuck in my throat.
"Ah," I sighed.
In the darkness, I opened my eyes.
My mind kept drifting to Arthur's promise to pay for my education abroad, and that check tucked away in my diary.
My future felt so bright, it kept me awake.
The next day, I dragged myself into the Bennett Family's car, dark circles under my eyes, heading to school.
The driver stopped me as I was about to get in.
"Miss Bridges, Lucas wants you to sit up front," he said.
I shot Lucas a puzzled look.
He was in the back seat, eyes closed, dozing off, his handsome face glowing in the morning sunlight.
He never really got enough sleep in the mornings.
Usually, on the ride to school, he'd make me sit beside him and hold his hand so he could relax and drift off.
Does he not need me anymore?
A suspicion crept into my mind.
Sure enough, as the car turned onto an unfamiliar road, Chloe came bounding over, practically bouncing with excitement.
The rabbit charm on her backpack swung up and down, just as lively and adorable as she was.
"Lucas, thanks for picking me up! You're seriously the best!" Chloe chirped.
"Ta-da! I brought you breakfast!"
She said this with her mouth stuffed full of sausage biscuit, and honestly, the smell in the air-conditioned car on a hot summer day was pretty rough.
Having looked after Lucas for twelve years, I instinctively reminded her, "Lucas, he doesn't really like eating in the car."
"Oh, really?" Chloe's cheeks flushed with embarrassment. "Sorry, I had no idea."
Lucas shot me an annoyed look.
He clearly thought I was overstepping. With a slightly stiff but gentle motion, he took the sausage biscuit from Chloe and said, "Don't worry about it, it's not that strict."