For four years, Harry was the kind of cheapskate who made every single penny scream. Then, on the eve of graduation, he threw a black card with half a million dollars on it directly at my face. Harry held Cherry close, his smile sharp, mocking, and entirely unfamiliar. “Renata, let me tell you the truth: I’m not poor. Not even close. The empty bank accounts, the fake illnesses—it was all an experiment. I just wanted to see exactly how pathetic you would be for me.” “Now? I’m bored. And I have Cherry.” He flicked the card against my cheek, laughing. “Half a million. For four years of your life. That’s more than enough, right?” Laughter erupted around us in the crowded bar. “Oh my god, Harry played broke for four years and she actually fell for it?” “Well, look at her. When Harry said he didn’t have money for dinner, she lived on stale bread just to buy him medicine. When he said he was sick, she literally sold plasma to pay for his doctor bills.” “The funniest part? Just last week, she was working four separate shifts a day to buy him some ridiculous birthday present. She almost passed out in a convenience store.” “A charity case actually thought her cheap little ‘true love’ could bag a billionaire heir.” They all knew. They had all been in on it. They were waiting for me to shatter. Waiting for me to cry, to beg like a dog at his feet, pleading with him not to leave me. Instead, I simply bent down, picked up the card, and looked up at him with a small, calm smile. “Half a million dollars for four years. That’s a hundred and twenty-five thousand a year. Honestly? Worth it.” Because the truth was, during those four years… My actual feelings for Harry Kingsley weren’t even worth a dime. 1 “If we’re done here, I’ll be on my way,” I said, slipping the card into my bag and turning to leave. But before I could take a single step, Harry’s friends blocked my path. “Come on, Renata, cut the act,” Jared said, stepping in front of me with a smirk. “You snatched that card so fast it’s embarrassing. Who are you trying to fool with this stoic routine? We know your type. You play tough during the breakup, then cry yourself to sleep in some dingy apartment.” Jared leaned in, his eyes full of condescension. “If you’re really that desperate, just bow your head. Apologize to Harry in front of everyone. Who knows? If he’s in a good mood, he might still keep you around.” “Though, don’t go dreaming about a title,” another guy added, shooting a look at Cherry. His grin was greasy. “Cherry is the official girlfriend now. You? You’re just a toy he’s done playing with.” Cherry clung to Harry’s arm, her voice dripping with artificial sweetness. “Stop it, guys. Don’t tease Renata like that. She’s sensitive. She can’t handle this kind of pressure.” The bar erupted into louder laughter. I looked at them, my voice completely devoid of emotion. “Are you done?” “If you are, get out of my way.” The air in the room suddenly went cold. Harry finally looked up at me, his eyes dark with a heavy, patronizing intensity. “Renata, who are you putting this show on for?” “You think taking the money and pretending you don’t care is going to make me respect you?” “I know you better than anyone. You love me so much it’s pathetic. Without me, you won’t even last three days.” I met his gaze, my expression flat. “Really?” “Then maybe you don’t realize just how cheap you actually are.” Harry’s face immediately darkened. The room fell deathly silent for a fraction of a second before exploding. “Is she insane? She actually talked back to Harry?” “She’s broke, dumped, and still trying to act proud?” “Perfect,” Jared said, clapping his hands to stoke the flames. “Let’s place a bet. How long before Renata comes crawling back to beg Harry to take her back?” “I bet three days.” “Two days.” “I say tonight. Girls like her have no backbone. She won’t survive the night.” “Yeah, she’ll be crying into her phone by midnight, writing him a ten-page essay about how sorry she is.” “Or maybe she’ll crawl to Cherry, begging her to share him! Haha!” Uproarious laughter. Jared turned to Harry. “What about you, man? How long do you give her?” Harry stared at me, his eyes filled with absolute certainty. To him, I was a stray dog—no matter how much I struggled, I would eventually crawl back to my master. After a tense silence, he let out a sharp, mocking chuckle. “By tomorrow night.” “She’ll be begging me.” It was as if my four years of obedience, of quiet endurance, had merely been trophies he had collected to display. Jared let out a sharp whistle, jerking his chin toward me. “Hear that, Renata? The man has spoken.” “So, when are you planning on bowing down?” Every eye in the room was on me—mocking, cruel, waiting for the punchline of a joke. I remained quiet for a moment. My fingers brushed against the folded approval letter for my study abroad program inside my purse. A sudden, genuine smile touched my lips. “Actually, let’s make a real bet.” “On what?” Jared asked, caught off guard. I looked up, letting my gaze sweep over every single one of them before settling on Harry’s rigid face. “I bet that for the rest of my life, I will never look back at him again.” 2 Four years ago, when I got accepted into Easton University, I couldn’t even afford the deposit, let alone tuition. When every door had slammed in my face, Mrs. Kingsley—Harry’s mother—approached me. She had only one condition: get close to Harry, keep him in line, and ensure he finished his four years of college without causing a scandal. Now, the four years were up. The $600,000 Mrs. Kingsley had promised was sitting safely in my bank account. Combined with Harry’s parting “severance pay,” I finally had enough to leave the country and build the life I had actually wanted. When my words settled, the room fell quiet again. Then, Jared broke the silence with a loud snort. “Listen to her. ‘For the rest of my life.’ Renata, you sure talk a big game.” Harry glared at me, his eyes dangerously dark. He let out a cold, sharp laugh. “Fine.” “Renata, you said it. Not me.” He took a step closer, lowering his voice so only I could hear. “I hope you don’t come crawling back on your knees.” I met his gaze, smiling faintly. “Don’t worry. Even if you were the one on your knees, I wouldn’t look back.” Harry’s face contorted, his anger barely contained. “Get out.” Without another word, I turned and walked away. But I knew this wouldn’t be the end of it. A guy like Harry, raised on a silver platter, couldn’t handle being publicly humiliated—especially by someone he believed was entirely beneath him. Sure enough, the retaliation began the very next morning. The owner of the convenience store where I had just resigned called me, his voice dripping with venom as he accused me of stealing from the register, refusing to pay my last two weeks of wages. Then, rumors started spreading around campus. Whispers that I had been using Harry while secretly hunting for other wealthy targets—that I was nothing but a high-end escort with a price tag. Someone even dug up old photos of me—selling plasma at the clinic, working late night shifts at the store, handing out flyers in the freezing cold outside a bar—and spliced them together into a post on the university forum. The title was vicious: [The Campus “Broke Girl” Secret Guide to Hooking a Sugar Daddy: Faking Innocence, Playing Victim, and Sleeping Her Way to the Top] The post went viral overnight. The comments section was a wasteland of mockery and slurs. “No wonder Harry dumped her when he got bored. He saw right through her.” “Why is she acting so pure? She’s basically a call girl anyway.” “I heard she’s trying to go abroad? Lol, probably found a new target to bleed dry.” My phone buzzed. I looked down. It was a text from Harry. [Seen the forum yet?] I didn’t reply. A second later, another message popped up. [Turns out Cherry’s ideas are pretty effective.] [How does it feel? Having everyone call you a gold-digger and a whore? Hurts, doesn’t it?] My eyes lingered on the words “Cherry’s ideas.” A dull, cold ache flared in my chest. Before I could even think of a reply, more texts flooded in. [All you have to do is apologize. Kneel down in front of my friends, say you’re sorry, and tell them you’re willing to be my side-chick.] [Do that, and I might consider having the post taken down.] I stared at the screen, and then, slowly, a laugh escaped my throat. I took a screenshot of the messages. Harry wanted me to regret. He wanted to corner me until I had nowhere left to turn, forcing me to crawl back to him. But he had severely miscalculated. I closed the browser, opened my contacts, and dialed a number I hadn’t called in months. “Mrs. Kingsley, our deal was for me to manage Harry for four years. It didn’t include clean-up duty for your son’s tantrums.” “Now, he’s coming after me.” “How do you plan to handle this?” 3 On the other end of the line, Mrs. Kingsley’s voice was utterly detached. “I don’t.” I froze. “Renata, your money has been transferred. Our arrangement is officially over.” “The forum, the rumors—they are nothing but temporary noise.” “For the last four years, you were at Harry’s side. To put it nicely, it was a transaction. To put it bluntly, I paid for a well-behaved guard dog.” I kept quiet. She didn’t seem to care, adding one final, icy remark: “A stray is still a stray, even if you pave her road with gold.” “Renata, you of all people should know that.” Then, the line went dead. The dial tone buzzed sharply in my ear. I stood there for a long time before slowly lowering the phone. For the next two days, I barely left my apartment. I spent my time organizing documents, tracking my passport and visa applications, and transferring my funds into an overseas account in installments. I also finalized my personal statement with Megan, an older student who had been mentoring me. On the third night, I went to a quiet bar near campus as planned. Megan was stuck in traffic and texted me to head inside first. The moment I walked through the door, I ran straight into Harry and his crowd. Jared saw me first and immediately let out a loud laugh. “Well, well, look who’s here. Renata. Didn’t you say you’d never look back? Changed your mind already?” The entire booth turned to look at me. Harry was sitting in the center of the leather sofa, Cherry draped over his arm. When his eyes met mine, a flicker of smug satisfaction crossed his face. “Come here,” he said, jerking his chin. He pushed a row of shot glasses across the table toward me. “Drink them.” “Do that, and we can get back together. I’ll even have the forum posts taken down.” My voice was flat. “I’m not here for you.” Laughter erupted from the booth again. “Not here for Harry? What, did you just happen to wander in?” “Renata, who are you trying to kid?” Cherry snuggled closer to Harry, her tone faux-sympathetic. “Renata, if you want to apologize, just say it. Harry is all bark and no bite. If you just soften up a bit, he won’t keep holding a grudge.” Jared sneered from the side. “Harry is throwing you a lifeline, and you’re still acting proud? Do you really think you have options?” “Look at the forum,” someone else chimed in. “Your reputation is trash. Who else is going to touch you?” Cherry sighed softly. “Renata, Harry is being incredibly generous. With your name ruined like this, who else would ever want to help you?” Tired of the back-and-forth, I turned to leave. But before I could move, a hand gripped my wrist like a vice. Harry stood up, looming over me, his face twisted in a dark, terrifying scowl. “Renata, have you forgotten where you came from?” “Selling plasma, working double shifts, begging for scraps because you couldn’t even afford tuition.” He leaned down, his breath hot and smelling of alcohol. “Someone like you would sell her own soul for a dollar. Now suddenly you’re too good for a few drinks?” A roar of laughter went up around the table. “Those drinks probably cost more than her life is worth!” “Maybe just one shot is enough!” I stared at him, finding the entire spectacle pathetic. “Are you finished?” I whispered. “If so, let go.” That was the breaking point. The last shred of Harry’s control snapped. He grabbed a glass from the table and poured the amber liquid straight over my head. 4 The cold alcohol dripped down my hair and neck, instantly soaking into my collar. Then came a second glass, and a third. The sharp, burning liquid seeped into my eyes, stinging fiercely. Cherry put on a shocked expression, murmuring, “Harry, stop, she can’t take this…” Yet, even as she spoke, she handed him another glass, her smugness barely hidden. “Renata, why do you have to be so stubborn? Just apologize, and it’s over.” Jared was practically buzzing with excitement. “Pouring it is too boring! Since she won’t drink, just hold her down and force it!” The next thing I knew, someone grabbed my wrists, while heavy hands slammed down on my shoulders, forcing me to the ground. My knees hit the hardwood floor with a sickening crack, and the pain made my vision go white. “Let go of me—!” Before I could finish, my hair was violently yanked back, forcing my head up. Harry pinched my jaw, his grip so tight I thought my bones would shatter. “You won’t drink?” He stared down at me, his voice trembling with a terrifying chill. “Let’s see how strong you really are.” I clenched my teeth, refusing to make a sound. In the struggle, my bag was ripped open, and its contents scattered across the floor. A damp piece of paper slid right next to Harry’s shoe. The alcohol had soaked through its edge, but the English header at the top was unmistakable: International Research Program Application Harry’s eyes caught the paper, and his brow furrowed as he stared at it. But before he could read further, Cherry quickly bent down, picking up the paper and sliding it under a nearby glass. “Oh, look at Renata. Even at a bar, she’s still carrying her homework around.” With one casual comment, she diverted everyone’s attention. Jared laughed. “Typical. She always loved putting on a show.” A strange, uneasy feeling flickered in Harry’s chest. But it was quickly swallowed by his anger. Jared handed him a freshly opened bottle of hard liquor, his eyes gleaming. “Harry, you’re not getting soft on us, are you?” Harry’s hand moved to my neck, squeezing just tight enough to cut off my air. “Soft? For a charity case? She’s not worth it.” His expression hardened. He forced my jaw open and began pouring the burning liquor down my throat. The harsh alcohol choked me, burning a path down to my stomach. Tears welled in my eyes. But he didn’t stop. His hand on my neck tightened, his voice shaking with a cold, manic energy. “Keep going.” “I want to see when she finally breaks.” As the liquor kept flowing, my vision began to fade to black, and my strength ebbed away. All around me, there was nothing but laughter, cheering, and Cherry’s soft, mocking sighs. To them, I was just a stray dog they could kick into the dirt whenever they pleased. Then, the door to the private room was slammed open. “Stop it!” Megan rushed in, her face pale with shock. She immediately threw herself over me, shielding me from them. “Are you all insane? This is a felony!” Harry’s hand froze. Taking advantage of the distraction, Megan pulled me up from the floor. I could barely stand. My wet hair clung to my face, and I was trembling, struggling to draw breath. “I’ve recorded everything tonight,” Megan spat, her voice fierce. “If anyone touches her again, I’m calling the police.” The room finally fell silent. Harry stood there, his face incredibly dark, but he didn’t try to stop us. Megan supported my weight as we walked out, step by agonizing step. As we passed him, I didn’t look at him once. The next afternoon, once the alcohol had worn off, Harry found himself haunted by the memory of my pale, empty face from the night before. Agitated, he ran a hand through his hair and finally dialed my number. When the call connected, his voice was still cold and arrogant, as if he were granting me a favor. “I can overlook what happened last night. Come back, and I’ll make sure those forum posts disappear.” But there was only silence on the other end for a few seconds. The voice that answered wasn’t mine. It was the dorm manager. “Renata? Oh, she checked out yesterday morning. Her room is completely empty.” Harry froze, his voice dropping. “What did you say?” “Didn’t she tell you?” the manager asked, confused. “She caught an early flight this morning. She moved abroad.” Harry gripped his phone, the absolute certainty on his face shattering for the very first time.
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