Chapter 5
I saw the look on Corbin’s friends’ faces and smiled sweetly.
Then I faked a little irritation.
“I’m Corbin’s actual girlfriend, thank you. Sugar mama? Side chick? Come on.”
“Sure, I gave him forty grand per semester, but I wasn’t sponsoring him.”
“Back then, he was a broke student.”
“If I hadn’t paid his way, he would’ve dropped out.”
“Where exactly would I find a sugar daddy in that scenario?”
The moment I said forty grand per semester, one of the guys damn near choked.
“Damn, where’s my rich older sister?! I swear I’m just as cute!”
A couple girls jumped in too.
‘Girl, gender’s just a social construct. We can negotiate.”
But Corbin’s little crew-his ride-or-die friends-started flipping out.
‘Are you serious? Corbin almost dropped out? No way.”
Even if he was broke, student loans and scholarships exist.”
He didn’t need your money.”
If you’re gonna make stuff up, at least make it sound believable.”
Look, even if he was some broke-ass dude, doesn’t mean you can rewrite the narrative and call it dating. Corbin hasn’t said a word yet.”
watched Corbin’s face go from pale to flushed.
He loved his image.
And I just tore it apart in front of a crowd.
io of course, he lost it.
Can we not? This is a graduation party, not the damn Jerry Springer show. Sit down and eat.”
The room quieted. Nobody pushed it.
Adults know when to drop it.
But as we sat down, I felt eyes on me from every direction.
One girl next to me glanced at my wrist and nearly shrieked.
Hold up-is that a real Patek Philippe?!”
That model runs over $150K!”
1
‘My dad gave my mom the same one for their anniversary. I swear, that’s the real deal.”
Then she looked closer.
“Wait a sec… you’re the CEO of Vortex Tech, aren’t you?”
“Holy shit-no wonder Corbin spent like crazy. He was dating you?”
Chapter S
The table went silent.
Phones came out.
Flashlights flickered.
I heard someone whisper. “I just Googled it.”
“Yep, that’s her. Elara Vincent. CEO of Vortex Tech.”
“No wonder she gave him that kind of money.”
“Didn’t Corbin and Serena just get jobs there?”
“Damn. No wonder they got in with zero qualifications. Total nepotism.”
“Man, I wish I had an Elara in my life. Corbin hit the jackpot.”
It wasn’t just me hearing all this.
Corbin heard every word.
And his face?
Total meltdown.
