Chapter 3
Later, I figured out who she was.
Her name is Margo Kolbeck–one of Erik’s admirers.
She has always ranked in the top ten in our grade, quiet and timid, the kind of girl who stares at him from across the classroom but never dares to get close.
Still, Erik noticed her.
He once said, “She’s just like Hallie, always looking all sad and helpless.
“Who is she putting on that act for?”
He says he hates me, but turns around and likes seeing that same look on Margo’s face.
One afternoon after school, I was waiting in the car for him, as usual, until I spotted a girl in a school uniform trailing behind him.
The door opened, but Erik did not get in. Instead, he stood there holding her schoolbag, raised an eyebrow at me, and said super casually, “Get
out.”
I froze for a second.
Margo gently tugged on his sleeve, her voice soft and careful. “Don’t worry about it, Erik.”
“I can go home on my own.”
Yet, Erik did not budge. His voice turned cold. “I want to take her home.”
Chapter 3
“I already transferred you the money. Go grab a cab.”
I thought to myself, “Why not just send me a little extra so I can buy a car and never ride with you again?” Whatever. I should know when to quit.
I nodded stiffly, bit my lip, tightened the straps on my backpack, and got out without another word.
The street was nearly empty in the evening light. I stood on the curb with my head down, staring at my shoes as silent tears slid down my cheeks.
It was not until their car pulled away in the opposite direction that I wiped my face and checked his message.
Three thousand? Good thing I did not read that in front of him, or else it would have ruined my act.
Erik ended up sending me that 800,000 dollars a little too late. I had not started prepping for the Goethe exam, so I had to cancel nearly all my travel plans and social stuff just to study in my room like crazy.
Downstairs, Erik was throwing a party with his friends. The music was blasting through the walls.
I finally pulled off my headphones and went downstairs. “Can you turn it down a bit?”
One of his friends patted the seat next to him and grinned. “Hallie, you’re home already. Why not hang out with us?”
I gave a small smile. “I’m studying upstairs.”
“Studying?”
They actually paused the music to hear me out.
“I thought people who study all the time only existed online.”
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Chapter 3
“Margo’s here, too. Come join us.”
Erik never looked at me. Margo sat right next to him, smiled sweetly,
then hesitated before asking me gently. “Hallie, are you planning to retake the exam?”
I was not familiar with her, yet she was being so sweet to me. It seemed that she was indeed in a relationship with Erik.
She kept going, “It’s okay if your scores weren’t great.”
With how rich Mr. Svensson is, you’ll still have tons of options, right?”
The moment she said that, the room went quiet.
I smiled politely and said, “Yeah, my family’s rich. Test scores don’t really matter for me.”
“Margo, are you worried about not doing well?”
Her face went pale. That was when Erik finally looked up. He gently patted the back of her hand like he was comforting her.
“Hallie, that’s enough.”
I gave a small nod. “Okay.”
“I’m heading back upstairs to study. Try to keep it down.”
I slipped my headphones back on and headed up the stairs, but I could feel a few pairs of eyes following me.
Their stares clung to my back, making my skin crawl.
