hapter 37
Ryan’s face, however, was a mixture of fury and panic.
He looked as if he wanted to melt into the floor. He hadn’t wanted me to show up like this, in front of everyone.
His plan was for me to settle things quietly, preserving his ego.
But I had no intention of playing along.
The tension in the room was thick as I walked toward him.
His friends were whispering, their gazes shifting between him and me,
I smiled sweetly at Ryan, whose expression was growing increasingly desperate.
“Well,” I said, my voice loud enough for everyone to hear, “it looks like someone’s been living beyond their means.”
Ryan’s face flushed with embarrassment, but I continued, unfazed.
“I guess it’s time for the truth, Ryan. Why don’t you tell everyone who’s really been paying for all those fancy dinners?”
He stood frozen, his mouth opening and closing as he tried to come up with an excuse.
But there was nothing he could say. The lies were finally crumbling around him, and there was nothing he could do to stop it.
This time, I wasn’t going to save him.
The afternoon had been different.
All these people–their perfectly groomed appearances, dressed to the nines, had looked down on me with their usual arrogance.
was nothing more than a background character to them, a girl they barely noticed, someone they believed was beneath them.
But now, things had shifted dramatically.
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the same group, now circled around Ryan and me, had lost that smug superiority.
There was nothing more humiliating than being stuck in a fancy hotel without the ability to pay the
bill
I could feel their eyes on me as I approached, their whispers trailing in the air.
They no longer wore those condescending expressions but instead looked nervous, confused.
I smiled, leaning into the moment.
“What’s wrong
with everyone? Isn’t this Ryan’s big birthday party? It doesn’t seem like much fun anymore, does it?”
Ryan stiffened at my words, his face paler than I’d ever seen.
His jaw clenched, and I could see the struggle in his eyes as he fought to maintain any remaining dignity.
I shot him a pointed look, one that told him exactly what I was doing. He knew.
We both knew.
inda stood beside me, biting her lip, her gaze darting between Ryan and me.
I could see the gears turning in her head, slowly piecing everything together.
She had to be realizing that something wasn’t right with Ryan’s so–called wealth.
The manager, standing nearby, cleared his throat and tried to maintain his professionalism, though even he seemed aware of the absurdity of the situation.
“Mr. Ryan… well, he hasn’t settled the bill for tonight’s event,” the manager explained, hesitating before adding, “I just informed them that they would need to cover it.”
Before Ryan could respond, Mia, always quick to jump in with her sharp tongue, sneered, “Isn’t Sophia just the daughter of the maid in Ryan’s house? Why don’t you go and fetch your master to settle the bill, then?”
iler words cut through the room, and the crowd went silent, watching for my reaction.
The manager’s eyes widened in surprise, as if he had just heard something completely out of line.
But I smiled, my composure unshaken.
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Is that so?” I said smoothly, my voice calm despite the tension. “What a small thing. There’s no need for such a fuss. After all, we’re all classmates here, aren’t we? Tonight’s expenses can go on my
account.”
The room erupted into a mix of gasps and murmurs, as everyone processed what I had just said.
Their glances at me shifted from disdain to confusion and shock.
The silence was broken only by the awkward shuffling of feet and the clearing of throats.
They couldn’t believe it. Ryan’s birthday party-“his” celebration–and I was the one paying for it?
Ryan’s face flushed with embarrassment, anger flashing in his eyes.
He glared at me, his hands curling into fists at his sides.
I knew exactly what he was thinking. In the past, I had always handled the bill discreetly, making sure he got to bask in the glory of being the “big spender” in front of his friends.
But not tonight. Tonight, I was making sure everyone knew who the real source of his money was.
The manager returned to me after checking the bill, his tone respectful as he handed me the receipt. Miss Sophia, the payment has been processed. Here’s the final total.”
I took the bill, glancing at the number before reading it out loud, making sure everyone could hear.
“One hundred and sixty thousand,” I said, then turned to Ryan with a smile that was both sweet and cutting.
“Happy birthday, Ryan. Consider this a loan. You’ll need to pay it back as soon as you can, though I may not be hurting for money, but even I have my limits.”
