"Suzy Johnson, why isn't your card working? You embarrassed Clara and me in front of everyone!" Jonas Hayes slammed the desk in frustration, holding my supplementary card as he glared at me.Clara Dove patted his back with an exaggerated show of concern, her tone dripping with mockery. "Oh, Suzy, I get it. You’re jealous of how well Jonas treats me. But let’s be honest, having no money on credit? The only one who’s embarrassed here is Jonas, not you. What you did shows you don't care about Jonas at all!"Watching their dramatic display, I suddenly remembered. This was the day Jonas rented out a hotel to throw Clara a lavish birthday party. Unfortunately, the bank’s system was under maintenance, and Jonas’ card hit its spending limit.Instead of handling it maturely, he stormed out, leaving everyone behind to track me down at school. I hadn’t even been invited to the party, yet he berated me like I was responsible. Back then, blinded by my foolishness, I apologized profusely and even ca
Seeing that I didn’t argue back, Jonas assumed he’d won. He snapped his fingers, drawing everyone’s attention, and flashed a grin. “Well, today was just a little hiccup. I’ve been moving a lot of funds around, and the bank flagged it for review...” Before he could finish, the room erupted with admiration: “That’s what it means to be loaded. I don’t even know what a bank review is!” “Of course! Jonas is a proper trust-fund heir. There’s so much we don’t know about his world.” Soaking in the praise, Jonas couldn’t help the smug smile creeping onto his face. “But I’ll admit, it was my oversight today, and I made everyone come out here for nothing. So, I’ve decided to move Clara’s birthday celebration to my family’s estate!” The classroom fell silent for a few seconds before bursting into an uproar of excitement: “Did I hear that right? I’ve never been to an estate in my entire life!” “Jonas is incredible! How are we even going to get there?” “It’s my greatest fortune to
A procession of luxury cars swept into the estate, the convoy looking like something straight out of a billionaire's daydream. As soon as everyone stepped out and took in the sprawling courtyard, their jaws nearly hit the ground. “This isn’t just an estate—are you telling me this is a palace?” “Oh my God, I’ve peaked. I’m ready to be crowned king!” Jonas stood at the grand entrance, his chin held high as he struck a dramatic pose. “Welcome, everyone. This is merely the smallest property in my family’s portfolio.” He wasn’t entirely wrong—it was the smallest one. This estate, nestled halfway up a mountainside, was designed as a summer retreat. With a cool breeze and the sound of a nearby stream, my parents often stayed here to escape the heat. That was why I’d chosen this place for today. The estate’s architecture had a distinct palatial style, complete with a plaque above the massive front doors. Inscribed on it were two prominent words: Johnson Manor. It didn’t take lo
Jonas broke out in a cold sweat, swallowing hard as he stammered, "Just have the security guards stand down. It’s just a scratch. No need to blow this out of proportion!" With the butler's help, I slowly got to my feet, fixing Jonas with a cold stare. "So, you're saying you're willing to take responsibility for them shoving me?" Jonas blinked rapidly, misinterpreting my words as a new way of seeking his attention. With a cocky grin, he said, "I’ll take full responsibility! This is my family’s estate, and what I say goes!" I watched his bravado with narrowed eyes. "Alright, Mr. Hayes, if you insist. Go ahead." Thinking I had backed down, the classmates began laughing again, their taunts growing louder. Clara, basking in the mockery directed at me, stepped to the doorway with Jonas, positioning herself like the lady of the manor. "Come on in, everyone! Let’s have some fun today!" Relieved he hadn’t been exposed, Jonas’ expression softened as he played along. Acting like a gra
Clara, clearly emboldened, stood up and pointed a finger at me, forgetting all about the earlier tension."Suzy, enough is enough! Jonas has been way too patient with you, but I’m not. Get out of his house right now! You’re not welcome at my birthday party!"Jonas, instead of defending me, stepped to her side, his expression cold. "You should listen to Clara. Don’t make this any uglier than it already is. Oh, and before you leave, make sure the chef prepares dinner."Just as he finished speaking, a firm, commanding voice rang out from the doorway."Who dares tell our young lady to leave her own estate?"Jonas’ face drained of color as he turned toward the door, shooting me frantic looks as though begging me to do something.Before he could get a word out, the butler entered, his expression dark with concern."Miss, the security team called me. I came as quickly as I could. Are you alright?"I nodded calmly and gestured toward Jonas. "He borrowed our summer estate for a birthday party b
The crowd immediately flocked to Jonas’ side, piling on insincere flattery in a desperate bid to escape blame. "Jonas, we were just standing up for you and Clara. You wouldn’t be mad at us, right?" "Yeah, Jonas is too kindhearted to criticize the staff, so we were just trying to help. Of course, he wouldn’t mind!" Meanwhile, my shoulder throbbed from where I’d been shoved, and I winced as I rubbed the sore spot. The butler, breathing heavily with rage, snapped at them, "You’ve gone too far! To dare lay a hand on the young lady of the house. You’ll regret this!" Even now, Jonas was stubbornly trying to maintain his façade, frantically signaling to me with his eyes, clearly hoping I’d help him smooth things over. "Suzy, tell the butler to drop it and leave now. Otherwise, you can forget about ever seeing me again!" Just as the last word left his mouth, the gates to the estate swung open. A pair of hands helped me to my feet. "You dare lay a hand on my daughter in my hous
Without hesitation, I slapped Jonas twice across the face, the sound echoing loudly in the room."Love you? In your dreams. If you’re sick in the head, go to a hospital. Stop losing your mind in my house."Finally, the classmates, who had been fooled by Jonas’ lies, began to see the truth. Their outrage was palpable as they surrounded him."Are you insane? Pretending to be rich when you’re broke? Living off Suzy’s generosity and acting like you’re some trust-fund kid?""And you, Clara! Who told you to keep insulting Miss Johnson? Do you realize you could’ve gotten us all into serious trouble?"Clara, refusing to believe what was happening, clung desperately to Jonas’ sleeve."Jonas, say something! Tell them this is all a misunderstanding. You’re just being kind-hearted and looking out for your staff, right?"Jonas swallowed hard, his throat dry, and then roughly shook her off."Suzy, this is all just a big misunderstanding. I know you’re just jealous, but I’m willing to forgive you. I
I knew exactly what he was trying to do—ride the wave of short drama productions, just like he had in our previous life. Back then, we had just graduated, and Jonas, with his sky-high ambitions, insisted on starting his own company. I silently poured six million dollars into his venture, finally helping his business turn a profit. Unfortunately, Jonas always believed that his success was purely a result of his own talent. Now, the same Jonas began pestering every classmate, scraping together whatever he could—ten dollars here, a hundred there—in his desperate attempt to fund his project. Most of them, now fully aware of his broke and pretentious nature, not only refused to lend him money but took the opportunity to mock him as well. In those moments, Jonas would straighten his back with a righteous air and respond coldly, "How shallow. When I finally make it big, don’t even think about coming to me for anything." His good looks, paired with enticing promises, managed to win
A few classmates, noticing the commotion, gathered around and chimed in. "Miss Johnson, we’re tired of cafeteria food too. Can’t we come with you?" Before I could respond, Sharon stepped in front of me, ready to fire back. "Where was this respect when Suzy was being misunderstood and bullied? Back then, you had no problem piling on her. Now you stand here calling her 'Miss Johnson'? Have you no shame?" One of them, unwilling to be left out, stammered, "Miss Johnson, it was all just a misunderstanding. Besides, you were partly at fault too. If you’d explained yourself earlier, wouldn’t we have supported you from the start?" I rolled my eyes in exasperation. "Friends who respect wealth before people? No thanks. I’ll pass." With that, I took Sharon out for a lavish meal and even stopped by the mall to pick up some new outfits. On the way back, Sharon furrowed her brow, her voice full of concern. "Suzy, Jonas seems like he’s completely lost it. You’d better stay far away from
I knew exactly what he was trying to do—ride the wave of short drama productions, just like he had in our previous life. Back then, we had just graduated, and Jonas, with his sky-high ambitions, insisted on starting his own company. I silently poured six million dollars into his venture, finally helping his business turn a profit. Unfortunately, Jonas always believed that his success was purely a result of his own talent. Now, the same Jonas began pestering every classmate, scraping together whatever he could—ten dollars here, a hundred there—in his desperate attempt to fund his project. Most of them, now fully aware of his broke and pretentious nature, not only refused to lend him money but took the opportunity to mock him as well. In those moments, Jonas would straighten his back with a righteous air and respond coldly, "How shallow. When I finally make it big, don’t even think about coming to me for anything." His good looks, paired with enticing promises, managed to win
Without hesitation, I slapped Jonas twice across the face, the sound echoing loudly in the room."Love you? In your dreams. If you’re sick in the head, go to a hospital. Stop losing your mind in my house."Finally, the classmates, who had been fooled by Jonas’ lies, began to see the truth. Their outrage was palpable as they surrounded him."Are you insane? Pretending to be rich when you’re broke? Living off Suzy’s generosity and acting like you’re some trust-fund kid?""And you, Clara! Who told you to keep insulting Miss Johnson? Do you realize you could’ve gotten us all into serious trouble?"Clara, refusing to believe what was happening, clung desperately to Jonas’ sleeve."Jonas, say something! Tell them this is all a misunderstanding. You’re just being kind-hearted and looking out for your staff, right?"Jonas swallowed hard, his throat dry, and then roughly shook her off."Suzy, this is all just a big misunderstanding. I know you’re just jealous, but I’m willing to forgive you. I
The crowd immediately flocked to Jonas’ side, piling on insincere flattery in a desperate bid to escape blame. "Jonas, we were just standing up for you and Clara. You wouldn’t be mad at us, right?" "Yeah, Jonas is too kindhearted to criticize the staff, so we were just trying to help. Of course, he wouldn’t mind!" Meanwhile, my shoulder throbbed from where I’d been shoved, and I winced as I rubbed the sore spot. The butler, breathing heavily with rage, snapped at them, "You’ve gone too far! To dare lay a hand on the young lady of the house. You’ll regret this!" Even now, Jonas was stubbornly trying to maintain his façade, frantically signaling to me with his eyes, clearly hoping I’d help him smooth things over. "Suzy, tell the butler to drop it and leave now. Otherwise, you can forget about ever seeing me again!" Just as the last word left his mouth, the gates to the estate swung open. A pair of hands helped me to my feet. "You dare lay a hand on my daughter in my hous
Clara, clearly emboldened, stood up and pointed a finger at me, forgetting all about the earlier tension."Suzy, enough is enough! Jonas has been way too patient with you, but I’m not. Get out of his house right now! You’re not welcome at my birthday party!"Jonas, instead of defending me, stepped to her side, his expression cold. "You should listen to Clara. Don’t make this any uglier than it already is. Oh, and before you leave, make sure the chef prepares dinner."Just as he finished speaking, a firm, commanding voice rang out from the doorway."Who dares tell our young lady to leave her own estate?"Jonas’ face drained of color as he turned toward the door, shooting me frantic looks as though begging me to do something.Before he could get a word out, the butler entered, his expression dark with concern."Miss, the security team called me. I came as quickly as I could. Are you alright?"I nodded calmly and gestured toward Jonas. "He borrowed our summer estate for a birthday party b
Jonas broke out in a cold sweat, swallowing hard as he stammered, "Just have the security guards stand down. It’s just a scratch. No need to blow this out of proportion!" With the butler's help, I slowly got to my feet, fixing Jonas with a cold stare. "So, you're saying you're willing to take responsibility for them shoving me?" Jonas blinked rapidly, misinterpreting my words as a new way of seeking his attention. With a cocky grin, he said, "I’ll take full responsibility! This is my family’s estate, and what I say goes!" I watched his bravado with narrowed eyes. "Alright, Mr. Hayes, if you insist. Go ahead." Thinking I had backed down, the classmates began laughing again, their taunts growing louder. Clara, basking in the mockery directed at me, stepped to the doorway with Jonas, positioning herself like the lady of the manor. "Come on in, everyone! Let’s have some fun today!" Relieved he hadn’t been exposed, Jonas’ expression softened as he played along. Acting like a gra
A procession of luxury cars swept into the estate, the convoy looking like something straight out of a billionaire's daydream. As soon as everyone stepped out and took in the sprawling courtyard, their jaws nearly hit the ground. “This isn’t just an estate—are you telling me this is a palace?” “Oh my God, I’ve peaked. I’m ready to be crowned king!” Jonas stood at the grand entrance, his chin held high as he struck a dramatic pose. “Welcome, everyone. This is merely the smallest property in my family’s portfolio.” He wasn’t entirely wrong—it was the smallest one. This estate, nestled halfway up a mountainside, was designed as a summer retreat. With a cool breeze and the sound of a nearby stream, my parents often stayed here to escape the heat. That was why I’d chosen this place for today. The estate’s architecture had a distinct palatial style, complete with a plaque above the massive front doors. Inscribed on it were two prominent words: Johnson Manor. It didn’t take lo
Seeing that I didn’t argue back, Jonas assumed he’d won. He snapped his fingers, drawing everyone’s attention, and flashed a grin. “Well, today was just a little hiccup. I’ve been moving a lot of funds around, and the bank flagged it for review...” Before he could finish, the room erupted with admiration: “That’s what it means to be loaded. I don’t even know what a bank review is!” “Of course! Jonas is a proper trust-fund heir. There’s so much we don’t know about his world.” Soaking in the praise, Jonas couldn’t help the smug smile creeping onto his face. “But I’ll admit, it was my oversight today, and I made everyone come out here for nothing. So, I’ve decided to move Clara’s birthday celebration to my family’s estate!” The classroom fell silent for a few seconds before bursting into an uproar of excitement: “Did I hear that right? I’ve never been to an estate in my entire life!” “Jonas is incredible! How are we even going to get there?” “It’s my greatest fortune to
"Suzy Johnson, why isn't your card working? You embarrassed Clara and me in front of everyone!" Jonas Hayes slammed the desk in frustration, holding my supplementary card as he glared at me.Clara Dove patted his back with an exaggerated show of concern, her tone dripping with mockery. "Oh, Suzy, I get it. You’re jealous of how well Jonas treats me. But let’s be honest, having no money on credit? The only one who’s embarrassed here is Jonas, not you. What you did shows you don't care about Jonas at all!"Watching their dramatic display, I suddenly remembered. This was the day Jonas rented out a hotel to throw Clara a lavish birthday party. Unfortunately, the bank’s system was under maintenance, and Jonas’ card hit its spending limit.Instead of handling it maturely, he stormed out, leaving everyone behind to track me down at school. I hadn’t even been invited to the party, yet he berated me like I was responsible. Back then, blinded by my foolishness, I apologized profusely and even ca