Chapter 2

Nina's anger hadn't subsided when her phone rang.

After replying to the message, her expression grew even darker.

"So annoying! He asked me to see a movie tomorrow. I said no, but he still won't give up!"

Mom quickly tried to persuade her. "Nina, don't reject him outright."

"In a small place like ours, everyone knows everyone. If you shut him down today, tomorrow people will start gossiping, saying you think you're too good for locals just because you work in New York."

Dad nodded along.

"Exactly. Relationships are complicated around here. Who knows what relatives or friends his family knows? If you offend someone, it'll be inconvenient whenever you come back to handle things."

Nina glanced at me, her tone patronizing.

"Sarah, you go tomorrow instead."

"Just help me deal with him. Don't mess it up."

I didn't argue. I just nodded silently.

No one asked if I was willing. In this family, I'd never had the right to say "no."

To avoid messing up, I stayed up all night researching the movie Rowan had suggested.

The plot, the hidden meanings, the director's filming techniques—I filled an entire page with notes.

The next day when we met, Rowan was clearly surprised to see me.

I explained, "Nina had something come up at the last minute. She asked me to apologize on her behalf."

Then I casually mentioned a couple things about the movie.

His eyes lit up. "Since you understand film too, Miss Snow, the tickets are already bought. Let's not waste them."

After the movie, he discussed it with me enthusiastically for quite a while.

Dinner was his treat.

It was relaxed throughout. None of the sleazy preaching Nina had described.

Instead, he was very considerate, proactively serving me food and asking if everything was to my taste.

After dinner, he suddenly led me into a nearby jewelry store and picked out two necklaces.

Seeing the nearly thirty-thousand-dollar price tag, I froze and quickly tried to decline.

He smiled and shook his head, paying for them.

"Last time I brought gifts in such a rush, I didn't have time to prepare something individual for you and your sister. You keep this one, and please give her the other as an apology from me."

I accepted the pendant, understanding in my heart that he still cared about Nina.

After all, Nina was beautiful and an HR manager at a publicly traded company—a top student.

As for me, I was decent-looking at best. Thoroughly ordinary.

But I had no intention of giving the pendant to Nina just yet.

When I got home, Nina glanced at my hands and snorted.

"Oh, he didn't buy you anything? I told you he was poor and cheap. Takes you out and doesn't even know how to be generous."

I ignored her and went back to my room to put away the pendant hidden in my bag.

I'd just sat down when SnapChat popped up a notification—Rowan had accepted my friend request from last night.

I touched up my makeup, put on the pendant, took a photo, and posted it to my feed.

Less than two minutes later, Rowan liked it.

Outside my room, Nina's complaints continued.

"Thank god I sent Sarah instead. Otherwise he would've annoyed me to death. That broke loser actually thought he could chase me. He should take a good look at whether he's even worthy."

Mom and Dad chimed in their agreement.

"Exactly. Nina's so outstanding, she'll definitely find someone better in the future."

"I think we should just let Sarah handle these things from now on."

I leaned against the door, feeling nothing in my heart.

I'd gotten used to it long ago.