Chapter 3

At lunch in the cafeteria, I only had three dollars left in my account.

I bought a plain roll and carried a bowl of free soup to sit in a corner.

Before I'd taken two bites, a bottle of ice water suddenly slammed onto my table.

Soup splashed all over me.

I looked up into the mocking face of Ethan Harrison.

Standing beside him was the fake heiress my parents had adopted, Chloe Harrison.

Chloe wore designer clothes from head to toe, covering her mouth as she laughed delicately.

"Summer, why are you eating this kind of stuff? Doesn't Linda give you twenty thousand a month?"

Ethan snorted coldly, snatched my roll, threw it on the floor, and ground it under his foot.

"Stop playing pitiful! Linda said you caused a scene at school today. She sent me to teach you a lesson."

I stared at the trampled roll on the floor, anger suddenly flaring inside me.

I stood up abruptly, staring hard at him.

"Ethan, tell me the password."

"What password?"

He froze for a moment, then sneered.

"How should I know the password? Linda said you're a spendthrift with no self-control. The money in that card is being saved for you. She'll give it to you when you really need it."

"I need it now!"

My voice was hoarse, almost shouting.

"I can't even afford to eat, and I'm a week late on my dorm fees. How am I supposed to survive!"

Chloe sighed, putting on a concerned expression.

"Summer, stop pressuring Ethan. If you really don't have money, I'll lend you a hundred dollars."

She pulled a bill from her twenty-thousand-dollar handbag and tossed it on the table like she was giving charity to a beggar.

Students around us pointed and whispered.

"Chloe is so kind. She treats her sister so well."

"Summer is so ungrateful. She has such a good sister but always has that sour face."

I stared at that hundred-dollar bill, my fingers tightening bit by bit.

I didn't take the money.

I turned and walked out of the cafeteria with my back straight.

That afternoon, my advisor called me to her office.

"Summer, if you don't pay your dorm fees today, you'll have to move out tonight."

I opened my mouth but couldn't say a single word.

Bank card: one dollar and fifty cents.

PayPal: two dollars and thirty cents.

Combined, I couldn't even rent a bed.

I stood in the hallway and called my parents over a dozen times.

No answer.

I opened my mom's Instagram.

She'd just posted a minute ago.

"Bought Chloe a new necklace. Girls deserve to be spoiled."

The photo showed a diamond necklace worth thirty thousand dollars.

I stared at that post, my eyes gradually stinging.

So they weren't broke, and they weren't stingy.

They just didn't want to spend money on me.

That night, the dorm supervisor kicked me out.

It was pouring rain outside.

I dragged my suitcase down the empty street.

My stomach cramped with pain.

I squatted by the roadside, cold sweat instantly soaking my back.