Chapter 1

It was 10:00 pm. Cassidy Sherman, who had just gotten off her tutoring job, had put on a clown costume. A staff member led her into a private room.

Her roommate, Yvette Larson, worked part-time at this club. Tonight, her boyfriend had suddenly come to see her. So, she asked Cassidy to cover her shift.

Yvette told Cassidy that a group of rich heirs and heiresses was throwing a party. All she had to do was wear the costume and entertain them. The pay was 100 dollars per ten minutes, plus tips. It was basically free money.

The moment Cassidy stepped into the room and looked up, she saw a familiar face. Her footsteps came to an abrupt halt.

"Isaac, aren't you tired of pretending to be poor?" a guy asked with a laugh. "So many women are into you. How did you end up choosing some broke nobody?"

Isaac Slater smiled and replied, "You don't get it. All those women who say they like me are after my money. Only Cassidy truly loves me. She works three jobs just so I can eat and dress better. Can they do that?"

Isaac was Cassidy's boyfriend of more than two years. Just ten minutes earlier, he had told her good night over the phone.

Pretending to be poor? Cassidy's mind went blank, and all she heard was a loud ringing in her ears.

Isaac had told her that his family only gave him 500 dollars a month for living expenses. He claimed that he couldn't even afford proper meals and could only survive on plain bread and soup.

As Isaac had just told his friend, Cassidy had taken on three part-time jobs in order to let him have a better quality of life.

For her senior year in university, she had very few classes. During the day, she worked at a cafe. At night, she helped at a food truck. On weekends, she tutored children in their homes.

Cassidy barely had time to rest.

She couldn't bear to fork out a few hundred dollars to buy herself a nice dress, but she casually bought Isaac a pair of sneakers that were worth over a thousand dollars.

Whenever she ate alone, she chose the cheapest meals in the cafeteria. When she went on dates with Isaac, she always took him to restaurants that cost several hundred dollars for a meal. She was always the one who paid.

When there were times she was so tired that she felt she couldn't go on, she thought of Isaac.

He would look at her with deep affection and say, "Cass, I love you so much. I want to give you a home."

With guilt written all over his face, he would say, "Cass, you've suffered so much just to be with me. When I have money in the future, I'll definitely give you a good life."

For the past two years, Isaac had been her motivation to keep going. But it turned out that all of it had been nothing more than a game for him.

"I heard you're planning to meet Cassidy's parents during winter break and get married right after graduating next year. You're not actually serious about her, are you?" the guy asked again.

Isaac leaned back against the couch, gently swirling a glass of red wine with one hand while holding a cigarette in the other.

"Of course not," he said casually. "She was raised by a single mother and lacked a father figure in her life. That's why she wants to get married early and have a 'complete' family of her own. I just went along with it to keep her happy. How could I really marry her?"

The guy laughed. "I get it now. No wonder she's such a hopeless romantic. You pretended to be poor, and she still stayed with you for two years. Not only did she not spend your money, but she even supported you. Turns out it's because she lacked parental love growing up."

Isaac's other friends began to join in on the conversation.

"Yeah, you're the heir of the Slater family. How could you possibly marry a poor woman like Cassidy? Your union would be heavily mismatched."

"Exactly. If the Slater family's heir really fell for a penniless woman like her, that'd be the joke of the century."

"Women who lack a father's love are the easiest to fool. Just a few sweet nothings, and they'll devote their whole life to you!"

"Only Quinn is worthy of you."

"She'll be here soon. If she finds out you have a girlfriend in college, how are you going to explain that to her?"

Isaac smiled, unconcerned. "Didn't Quinn leave me and go abroad for three years too? It's even better if she knows. I can use Cassidy to make her jealous."

"If Cassidy found out that you casually bought Quinn a bag worth 300 thousand dollars, she'd probably cry herself to death."

"Yeah. You pretended to be poor and fooled her for two years. You lived off her and used her money. She even worked three jobs to support you. If she knew you were throwing money around on other women, she'd probably lose her mind."

Isaac's smile faded. After a moment of silence, he said flatly, "Cassidy won't know."

Well, he didn't know that Cassidy was standing right in front of him.

The clown costume felt heavy and suffocating. Cassidy could barely breathe. She felt as if someone had ripped her heart open, and the bloody hole was causing her unimaginable pain.

"So, do you plan to keep hiding everything from Cassidy?" one of them asked.

Isaac replied seriously, "I'm not done playing with her yet. If any of you run your mouth and tell her, I'll deal with you myself."

"Honestly, even though Cassidy is poor, she's pretty. She's fair but not sickly pale. She has a pretty face and a great figure. Even I'd be tempted. You have good taste, Isaac."

"Of course." Isaac smiled as he took a sip of wine. "I'm just killing time, but I still have standards. I won't go for an ugly woman."

"You've been dating for two years. You must have slept with her already, right?"

Isaac scoffed. "Nope. I'm just playing with her. Why would I touch her? Women from poor families tend to get clingy. If I took her virginity, I wouldn't be able to dump her later. It'd be too much trouble."

Everyone in the room laughed uproariously.

Cassidy opened her mouth with difficulty, but no sound came out. All she could taste was blood. She had bitten her lip raw without realizing it.

Someone said frivolously, "When you're tired of her, let me have some fun. If you won't sleep with her, I will. She's so pretty. It's a waste if you don't get a taste."

Isaac's expression darkened. He glared daggers at the guy who said that.

Sensing his anger, the guy said sheepishly, "Don't be mad. I was just joking."

With a grim face, Isaac said with nuanced emphasis, "I'm warning you. If you dare touch Cassidy, I'll destroy you."

"Please spare me, Isaac. I'm sorry. I wouldn't dare."

Just then, the door to the private room opened. A woman dressed in expensive designer clothes walked in. She wore a Chanel suit, and her chestnut hair fell over her shoulders in soft waves. She exuded a mature, womanly charm.

"What were you talking about?" she asked with a smile as she sat beside Isaac.

Isaac adjusted his expression and said with slight resentment, "So you finally came back. I thought you'd already forgotten about me."

Quinn Underwood smiled flirtatiously. "How could I? You're the one I can't let go of."

"Really?"

"Cross my heart." Quinn leaned over and pressed her lips to Isaac's.

Isaac didn't push her away.

Cassidy stared blankly at the sight before her. Her heart seemed to stop beating at that moment.

Isaac's friends started cheering. "Quinn, when are you and Isaac getting back together? He's been waiting for you for three years."

Quinn pulled away and casually brushed back her hair. "That depends on his performance." Then, she looked at the clown and asked, "And this is?"

"Someone we hired to entertain you," Isaac said, finally looking at the clown who had been standing silently for a long time.

Cassidy didn't move.

"What are you standing there for? Dance!" Isaac ordered impatiently.

Only then did Cassidy return to her senses.

Before she came, Yvette had repeatedly reminded her to do this job well. If she messed it up, not only would she not get paid, but Yvette would also be fired from the club.

Not wanting to drag Yvette down, Cassidy swallowed her heartbreak and humiliation. She played the part of a clown, entertaining another woman right in front of her boyfriend.

As she danced, she saw Isaac hugging Quinn and kissing her again. They kissed passionately and for a long time, like they were a couple deeply in love.

Cassidy's tears fell without warning.

How ironic, she thought. The person beneath the clown costume was the real clown.

She had no idea how she made her way out of the club.

It was December, and the weather was very cold in Jervia. A light rain fell from the sky. The damp, icy wind seeped into her collar and sleeves. It was the kind of chill that one would find unbearable, but she felt nothing.

Cassidy wandered aimlessly through the rain.

Her phone vibrated several times before she finally took it out.

It was a call from Erica Watt, her neighbor. Cassidy answered numbly.

"Cassidy, come back quickly. Your mom needs you!"

Chapter 2

The apartment Cassidy shared with her mother, Kate Sherman, sat on the outskirts of Jervia. She needed to take a long-distance bus to get home.

At this hour, no buses were running. She tried to book an Uber, but after waiting anxiously for five minutes, no driver accepted the request.

Just as she was pacing around at a loss, a black Maybach pulled up in front of her. The rear window rolled down, revealing an impossibly handsome face.

Cassidy froze for a moment and said blankly, "Mr. Archer?"

The man had striking, chiseled features. Behind his gold-rimmed glasses, his deep-set eyes looked steely and sharp. He was just as distant and aloof as ever. His presence was intimidating.

Stefan Archer studied her for a while before saying, "Get in."

His tone allowed no refusal.

Cassidy glanced at her phone. Still no Uber driver. She bit her lip and hesitated for a second before canceling the ride and opening the car door to get in.

Stefan's baritone voice sounded beside her. "Why were you alone on the street so late? It's raining. Why didn't you bring an umbrella?"

As he spoke, his driver tactfully got out and retrieved a brand-new towel from the trunk. He then handed it to Stefan through the rear window.

Stefan took it and passed it to Cassidy with his slender hands. "Dry yourself. Don't catch a cold."

"Thank you," Cassidy murmured as she took the towel out of its plastic wrapping to dry her hair.

The heater was cranked up high inside the car. Cassidy gradually felt warmth returning to her body. In the confined space, Stefan's clean, woody scent drifted over her. It stirred up some old, bittersweet memories.

Cassidy met Stefan for the very first time five years ago when she was a junior in high school.

Zoe Archer, who sat next to her in class, was a very close friend of hers. One weekend, Zoe invited Cassidy to her house to hang out.

That was the first time Cassidy had ever set foot in a villa. Standing before the luxurious house, 17-year-old Cassidy's eyes widened with shock. That was also the first time she experienced how the rich and poor were a world apart.

Zoe held Cassidy's hand and took her on a tour of her family's villa. When they passed the swimming pool, Stefan happened to come up from the water.

Cassidy unexpectedly met his gaze. She froze on the spot because she was utterly stunned.

She had never seen someone so good-looking. Stefan was exceptionally handsome and had refined features that looked as if they were sculpted by God himself.

The setting sun had cast an orange glow over him. Water droplets clung to his hair and shimmered dreamily. His defined abs had been on full display.

Cassidy heard the violent pounding of her own heart. It echoed endlessly on that summer evening.

She had fallen in love with Stefan at first sight. However, she kept her feelings for him buried deep in her heart.

Later that summer, after she graduated from high school, she went to Zoe's house again. She heard from Zoe that Stefan seemed to be in a relationship.

His girlfriend was his childhood sweetheart. She was beautiful and outstanding in every way. In other words, she was the perfect match for Stefan.

Not long after, Cassidy saw Stefan's girlfriend in person at Zoe's birthday party. Just as Zoe had said, she and Stefan were like a match made in heaven.

Watching them stand together from afar, Cassidy felt a deep sense of inferiority. Her secret crush had come to an unceremonious end that very day.

"Where are you going?" Stefan's cool voice pulled her back to the present.

Cassidy said awkwardly, "Could you take me home? I need to see my mom, but I can't get a ride. I'll pay you for the trip."

"Address."

And so, Cassidy gave him her address.

With the heater running, it didn't take long for her clothes and hair to dry. The entire drive passed in silence.

As they neared the entrance of her apartment complex, Stefan finally spoke up. "If you need help with anything, you can always ask me."

Cassidy hadn't expected him to say that. She assumed he was just being polite and didn't take it seriously.

"Thank you, Mr. Archer," she said, grateful for his help. "I've wired the fare to you."

They had exchanged numbers before, but they hadn't really been in touch over the past few years.

Right after thanking him, Cassidy hurried out of the car and rushed home.

Stefan watched her figure until it disappeared. Then, he slowly withdrew his gaze.

Right then, his phone rang. It was a fall from his friend.

"What took you so long? Don't tell me you ran into some kind of trouble on the way," the person on the other end joked loudly.

Stefan's voice was even and emotionless. "Something came up. I won't be going tonight. You guys have fun."

"What? You're ditching me again? What on earth could have come up?"

"Something important."

…

Cassidy ran all into the elevator.

When she got home, Kate was sitting on the couch, her face pale and worn. Erica was sitting beside her, keeping her company.

"Mom, what happened?" Cassidy asked, out of breath.

Earlier, Erica had only said Kate needed her without explaining anything over the phone.

Erica sighed. "Kate, you should tell Cass yourself."

"Cass…" Kate began but hesitated.

"Mom, what's the matter?" Cassidy asked, dread tightening in her chest. She had a terrible premonition. The dread pressed down on her, and she found it hard to breathe.

Kate looked at her for a moment. With a pained look on her haggard face, she said hoarsely, "I have stomach cancer."

Cassidy's ears rang and her mind went completely blank.

Erica said, "Cassidy, you need to talk some sense into her. She's only in her 40s. How can she give up on treatment? If I hadn't come by tonight to drop something off and happened to see her medical report, she would've kept hiding it from you."

Kate sighed as tears welled up in her eyes. "Don't try to persuade me. It's stomach cancer, not gastritis. There's no cure. Instead of draining us dry to get myself treated, I'd rather save the money for Cass."

Cassidy took two steps toward Kate. Her legs suddenly felt weak, and she nearly collapsed.

In a gravelly voice, she said, "Mom, what are you saying? How can my studies be more important than your life?"

Kate broke down. "Cass, this illness can't be cured. I don't want to die either. I'm not afraid of dying. I'm just afraid of leaving you all alone."

"Then live," Cassidy said as she sat beside Kate. She rested her head against Kate's and wrapped an arm around her shoulders with tears streaming down her face.

"Please listen to me," she pleaded. "You should get treatment. Don't give up, okay? I can't go on without you, Mom…"

Erica chimed in to persuade Kate as well. "That's right. The doctor said it can be treated. You're in stage three, so it's not too late. Don't give up."

Kate shook her head, crying. "We can't afford the medical fees. I've only managed to save a little over 100 thousand dollars all these years. I've already asked the doctor. The whole treatment would cost millions.

"Where do we get that kind of money? And even if we do have it, there's no guarantee it will work. Let's just forget it."

Cassidy said firmly, "Don't say that, Mom. I'll figure out how to get the money. You don't need to worry about that. I've saved some money from my part-time jobs. We'll use my money to get you admitted first. Tomorrow morning, I'll take you to Jervia Central Hospital."

"Cass…" Kate tried to argue.

Cassidy's voice broke "Mom, I'm begging you. I really can't live without you. Do it for me, please?"

Kate let out a long, weary sigh and finally gave in.

That night, Cassidy slept with Kate. It had been many years since the two of them had shared a bed. She curled up in Kate's arms, just like when she was little.

"Mom, you're my only family. Please don't leave me," Cassidy whispered.

Kate stroked her hair with tender affection. "Cass, you have to take good care of yourself."

Cassidy gripped the hem of Kate's sleeve. "Mom, I'll take care of myself, and I'll take care of you too. You'll be fine."

She barely slept at all that night. She was afraid that if she closed her eyes, she might wake up to find Kate already gone.

In the darkness, she bit her lip and silently cried until her tears ran dry.

Chapter 3

The next morning, just as dawn was breaking, Cassidy got up to make breakfast.

Kate hadn't slept well either. The stomach pain had woken her several times during the night. Afraid that Cassidy would worry, she endured it in silence. When breakfast was ready and Cassidy called her to eat, Kate pretended she had just woken up.

Cassidy had no appetite. While Kate ate, she packed the items she would need for a hospital stay.

After breakfast, Kate went back to the bedroom. She was just about to call for Cassidy when she saw her sitting on the bed, crying. Her eyes were red and swollen.

Kate sighed and turned away. Tears fell uncontrollably down her cheeks too.

…

Once they finished preparing, Cassidy carried a duffel bag in one hand and held Kate's arm with the other as they headed out.

As soon as they stepped out of their apartment building, Cassidy was stunned to see the familiar Maybach parked outside.

The driver got out of the car and walked toward them respectfully. "Ms. Sherman, Mr. Archer asked me to pick you up."

Cassidy took in a deep breath. Her first instinct was to refuse.

The December morning was bitterly cold. The moment a gust of icy wind blew past, Kate shivered. Her immune system had weakened, so she couldn't stand outside in the cold for long.

Besides, since the car was already there, refusing would be awkward. The driver would have trouble explaining it when he went back too.

Cassidy thanked him politely.

The driver put their luggage into the trunk and asked, "Where are you headed, Ms. Sherman?"

"Jervia General Hospital."

"Got it."

After they had been driving for a while, Kate asked, "Cass, who sent the car?"

Cassidy pursed her lips and replied, "It's Zoe's older brother."

Kate smiled faintly and said, "Oh, so it's Zoe's brother. Are you still in touch with her?"

Back in high school, Zoe had come over to their place for dinner several times. She was cheerful, talkative, and very polite. Every time she came, she made Kate laugh heartily. So, Kate had always liked her very much.

Cassidy replied, "Yes. She'll be back in the country soon."

After graduating from high school, Zoe had gone abroad to study. A few days earlier, she had messaged Cassidy to say she would be returning soon.

"I like her. When she comes back…" Kate's voice trailed off.

She had wanted to say that they could invite her over for a meal. But the moment she remembered she had cancer, she swallowed the rest of her words.

Noticing the shift in Kate's mood, Cassidy gently squeezed her hand to offer silent comfort.

A while later, Cassidy opened her Cash App and saw that Stefan hadn't accepted her transfer from last night.

He had replied with a single message, "Don't worry about the fare."

Cassidy stared at her WhatsApp chat history with him. Under normal circumstances, they rarely talked to each other.

Their previous message was from three months ago, when she had her birthday.

Stefan had texted, "Happy birthday."

Cassidy had replied, "Thank you."

Before that was New Year's Eve.

Similarly, he had messaged, "Happy New Year."

And she simply texted back, "Same to you."

Now, she typed, "Thank you for sending the driver."

After thinking for a moment, she added "Stefan" at the beginning. Then, she deleted it and replaced it with "Mr. Archer" to make it sound more polite.

Cassidy sent the message and exited the chat window. Then, she saw the contact pinned at the top.

Her breath caught. She hadn't had time to deal with Isaac on WhatsApp last night.

Cassidy had saved him as "Darling" in her contacts. Now, it felt ridiculous.

She had originally wanted to block Isaac. But when she thought of Kate's illness, she hesitated.

She and Isaac had been together for two years. Over those two years, she had taken meticulous care of him and worked three jobs for his sake.

Even if it were just a pet one had raised for two years, they would still feel some attachment to it, right?

Last night, she had heard that he casually spent 300 thousand dollars on a bag for someone else. If she asked him for money now, would he lend it to her?

…

After Cassidy finished handling Kate's hospital admission, she thought it over again and again before finally sending Isaac a message.

"Text me when you wake up. I need to talk to you."

Isaac didn't respond until it was 2:30 pm.

"Hey, babe. I went to a classmate's birthday party last night. We stayed out late. Everyone was there, so it would've been awkward for me to leave early."

At this point, Cassidy's mind was filled with thoughts of how to raise money for Kate's treatment. She had already gone numb to Isaac's lies and deception.

She walked out of the hospital room into the hallway to call him.

It was obvious that Isaac had just woken up. His voice was low and husky as he called her "babe."

In the past, Cassidy had loved the way he called her name sleepily after he woke up. After learning the truth, now all she felt was disgust.

"Isaac Slater." She addressed him by his full name in a serious voice.

He replied languidly in a playful voice, "What's wrong, babe? Why aren't you calling me darling? Are you mad because I went home late last night? I'm sorry. I promise it won't happen again. Don't be mad at me, okay?"

Cassidy took a deep breath, having made up her mind. She mustered all her resolve and asked, "Isaac, can you lend me some money?"

Isaac hadn't expected that.

He fell silent for a few seconds before saying, "Why are you suddenly asking me for money? You know… You know I come from a poor family. I don't really have any money…"

Cassidy felt a pang in her heart. She said with difficulty, "Isaac, my mom is sick and urgently needs money. Can't you lend me some? I can write you an IOU. I'll definitely pay you back."

Isaac went silent again, seemingly deep in thought. Cassidy didn't speak and just waited for his answer.

Each second felt endlessly drawn out.

Finally, Isaac spoke again. However, his reply plunged her into icy despair.

"Babe, is this some kind of test? If I had money, I'd definitely give it to you. Forget lending, I'd give you everything I have to spend. But I really don't have any money right now. This joke isn't funny at all. Even if you want to test me, don't joke about Kate's health."

Cassidy closed her eyes. A single tear slid down.

Even now, Isaac was still pretending to be poor. He mentioned Kate so lovingly like she was his own mother, but he was unwilling to lend Cassidy a single dollar.

Her hand trembled as she held the phone. "Isaac, if you won't lend me money, then at least pay me back the money I spent on you."

Over the past two years, she had spent about 30 to 40 thousand dollars on him. She hated herself for being such a poor judge of character and for being so blinded by love.

Cassidy had scrimped and saved to spend money on Isaac. She had worn the same down jacket for three years and never bought a new one. However, she had bought him a down jacket worth over 1,000 dollars without hesitation because she was afraid he'd be cold.

How ridiculous.

The moment Isaac heard she wanted her money back, he demanded incredulously, "Babe, what do you mean? Are you seriously asking me to pay you back? Why?"

Cassidy let out a hollow laugh. "I just suddenly feel like it's all meaningless."

"Have you gotten tired of me?" Isaac had the audacity to sound hurt.

"Yes," Cassidy said flatly.

"Did I do something to make you angry? Tell me. I can change. Don't leave me. I'll do anything you want. I can't live without you," Isaac begged humbly.

"Is that so?" Cassidy could hear the sarcasm in her own voice. "Then give me one million dollars."

Isaac thought he had misheard. "What? One million? You know I don't have that kind of money, babe. You've made up your mind to break up with me by demanding that, haven't you?

Cassidy felt completely dead inside. "Was it fun, Isaac?"

Chapter 4

That afternoon, Cassidy received a call from Zoe.

Zoe sounded extremely excited. "Cass, my flight lands at Jervia Northern Airport at 9:00 pm on January 4th! Are you coming to pick me up? It's been so long! I miss you so much!"

Cassidy was silent for a moment before saying, "I might not be able to, Zoe. I need to stay at the hospital to take care of my mom."

The excitement in Zoe's voice instantly died down. "Is Ms. Sherman sick? Is it serious?" she asked with concern.

Cassidy hid nothing from her. She replied sadly, "She has stage three stomach cancer."

Zoe's mood took a nosedive upon hearing that. There were a few seconds of silence on her end before she spoke again. "Cass… I'm so sorry. I had no idea. And to think I even asked you to come pick me up like that."

"Why are you apologizing? You didn't do anything wrong," Cassidy replied gently.

Zoe quickly said, "I'll help you contact the best doctors for stomach cancer. Stage three cancer can still be treated. Don't worry too much."

Cassidy knew what she said was true, but how could she not worry?

At the mention of Kate's illness, her eyes grew hot. She sniffed and said, "Okay. Thank you, Zoe."

"I'll contact the doctors right away. Take care of yourself while you're taking care of Ms. Sherman, Cass. Don't wear yourself out, got it?" Zoe reminded.

Cassidy hummed softly in agreement.

After hanging up, she went to the woods on campus alone. At this hour, there was no one there. She sat on a stone bench and buried her face in her hands. Finally, she broke down and sobbed uncontrollably.

…

Zoe called Stefan right away after ending her call with Cassidy.

"Stefan, do you remember my best friend from high school? Cassidy?" Zoe asked. "I brought her to our house a few times."

Upon hearing Cassidy's name, Stefan lifted his gaze from the computer screen. "What's the matter?"

Zoe got straight to the point. "Her mom is sick. She has stage three stomach cancer. Use your connections and resources to help find the most experienced doctor for treating stomach cancer. It's urgent!"

Stefan's breathing hitched. He was taken aback to learn that Cassidy's mother had stomach cancer.

Although the driver had reported that Cassidy and Kate had gone to the hospital that morning, he had assumed it was something minor or just a checkup. He hadn't expected it to be something so serious.

He fell silent for several seconds.

"Hello? Are you listening, Stefan? I'm asking you for a favor. Cass is my best friend. You have to help me," Zoe urged anxiously.

Stefan returned to his senses and replied evenly, "Alright."

…

Cassidy's shift at the food truck started at 5:00 pm.

In order to have dinner with Kate, she called her boss, Shawn Zink, to ask for two hours off.

Shawn wasn't happy with her request. "We have a pre-order today. Five tables booked, starting exactly at 7:00 pm. We're already short-staffed, and you want time off? You really know how to pick the busiest time to ask for leave, don't you? If you're not here by 5:00 pm, you're fired!"

After cursing her out, he hung up.

Cassidy sighed and checked the time. It was already 4:00 pm. If she didn't want to get fired, she had to head to the food truck right now.

She desperately needed the money. Even though the pay was low, it was better than nothing.

Cassidy went back to the hospital room to tell Kate, then hurried off to catch the bus. On the swaying bus, she endured the discomfort from motion sickness while scrolling through messages in the college part-time job group chat.

Most of the listings were tutoring jobs or jobs at nearby restaurants and cafes. The pay was similar to her current three jobs.

Tutoring paid slightly better by the hour, but the rest were pure physical labor that paid only 20 to 30 dollars an hour. They were nowhere near enough to solve her urgent financial crisis.

Just as she was at her wits' end, Zoe called again.

Cassidy answered and heard Zoe say, "Cass, the best hospital in the country is Haven Hospital in Norville. I've contacted the best doctor for stomach cancer. I can help you get an appointment. Time is of the essence given Ms. Sherman's condition. You should transfer hospitals as soon as possible."

"Thank you, Zoe," Cassidy replied. "I'll talk to my mom about it tomorrow."

"Okay. Do make a decision quickly. If you go to Norville, you'll probably be there for a long time. My family has a place there. You and your mom can stay there. But first, take care of things at your college," Zoe advised.

"Alright. Thank you for everything, Zoe."

…

The food truck stayed open until 4:00 am.

Cassidy's college enforced a curfew. So, she couldn't swipe her card to enter campus after 11:00 pm. Luckily, there was a secret entrance behind the woods near the north gate.

The iron fence in that area was old and rusted. Some students had bent two bars far apart, leaving a much wider gap. Anyone could squeeze through sideways.

This secret entrance even had a very down-to-earth nickname. It was known as "the crawl hole".

Whenever Cassidy got off work late, she would crawl through to get back to her dorm.

Cassidy lived in a four-person dorm with bunk beds above desks. Yvette had been staying at a hotel with her boyfriend these past few days. Another roommate lived in Jervia proper and had gone home that day.

That meant only Cassidy and one other roommate, Eva Wright, remained in the dorm. Eva usually slept like a log. Once she was asleep, even a storm wouldn't wake her.

Cassidy opened the door and turned on her phone flashlight. She changed her clothes and shoes as quietly as possible. At this hour, there was no hot water supply. So, Cassidy decided she would shower the next day.

After washing up and lying down on her bed, Cassidy checked her phone out of habit.

There were several missed calls from Isaac. When she opened WhatsApp, she saw over a dozen unread messages from him.

She skimmed through them briefly and found that he was still sticking to the same routine. He kept insisting how poor he was and apologized nonstop to beg for forgiveness.

Cassidy typed "Let's break up" into the chat box and was just about to send it when something occurred to her, and she changed her mind.

That night in the private room, Isaac had said he wasn't done playing with her yet. If she brought up a breakup now, there was a high chance he would cling to her relentlessly. She didn't have the time or energy to deal with him right now.

In a few days, it would be exam week. After the finals, she would take Kate to Norville for her treatment. If Isaac refused to give up and chased after them all the way to Norville, what then?

After thinking it through, Cassidy decided not to mention breaking up for now. She would pretend she knew nothing and continue going along with Isaac's little game.

Then, she would leave Jervia and cut things off completely. That would be more straightforward than breaking up in person. It would also eliminate any chance of him begging for forgiveness.

By then, she would block all contact and change her phone number. Even if Isaac wanted to harass her, he wouldn't be able to find her.

That would be a form of revenge.

With that in mind, Cassidy replied to Isaac's messages.

"I didn't look at my phone while I was working, so I wasn't ignoring you on purpose. I just got back to the dorm. I'm so tired. I'm going to sleep first."

It was already 4:30 am. Isaac didn't reply because he was probably asleep.

Cassidy didn't bother with it. She tossed her phone aside and fell into a deep slumber.

Chapter 5

Eva woke Cassidy up.

"Wake up, Cassidy. Your boyfriend asked me to get you. He's waiting downstairs," Eva said as she stood by Cassidy's bed, reaching through the curtain to poke her arm.

Cassidy had always been a light sleeper. With everything weighing on her these past two days because of Kate's illness, she slept even more lightly. She woke up the moment Eva called her.

She sat up, eyes groggy and half-closed. "What?"

"Isaac is downstairs," Eva said. "He asked me to tell you to go down. He wants to see you."

Cassidy clicked her tongue impatiently, and her disgust toward Isaac deepened. He knew she hadn't fallen asleep until 4:30 am.

"I haven't slept enough. Just ignore him," she said before flopping back onto the bed.

In the past, she would have dragged herself up to see Isaac even if she had just fallen asleep.

But now, things were different. She didn't feel the need to keep giving in to his demands.

She slept until 11:00 am before waking up for good. After she had showered and got changed, she went downstairs.

To her surprise, Isaac was still there.

Cassidy frowned, her irritation at him growing.

When Isaac saw her, his eyes lit up. He quickly walked over to her. "Babe, where did you go yesterday afternoon? I went to the cafe where you work, but they said you'd taken the day off."

"I wasn't feeling well," Cassidy replied flatly."I took the day off and slept in the dorm."

"You weren't feeling well? What happened? Were you too tired?" Isaac asked with a worried expression, looking like he was genuinely concerned about her.

But Cassidy knew it was all an act. Isaac had only been dating her for fun. The woman he truly loved was Quinn.

He hadn't broken up yet with Cassidy for two reasons. First, he wasn't done toying with her. Second, he wanted to use her to make Quinn jealous.

Cassidy was nothing more than a pawn in their little game.

Keeping her face blank, Cassidy replied, "It was nothing. I just had a cold and a headache."

"I'll go buy you some medicine," Isaac said immediately.

"There's no need. I already took some. I feel much better now."

"Oh… okay then. Let's have lunch together," Isaac said while reaching out to hold her hand.

Cassidy endured the intense revulsion that arose within her and forced herself not to pull away. If she wanted to get rid of Isaac smoothly later, she couldn't let him suspect anything yet.

Masking her true feelings and showing an even expression, she said, "My mom came to see me. I'm having lunch with her today."

"Oh, Kate came to the city? Then I'll go with you. It's my treat. I just got paid from my part-time job yesterday," Isaac said with a smile.

There it was again. The same fake warmth when he mentioned Kate.

A flicker of disgust crossed Cassidy's eyes.

She turned Isaac down coolly, her gaze distant. "Next time. Didn't you say it's better for you to meet my mom during winter break? The first meeting should be more formal."

Isaac sounded a little disappointed. "Alright."

Then, he added earnestly, "It wasn't fun, babe. I'm not even kidding. I won't stay out that late ever again. Please don't be mad at me."

Cassidy realized that he was responding to the question she had asked him on the phone.

She had asked, "Was it fun?"

What she had meant was whether his game of pretending to be poor was fun.

Clearly, Isaac had misunderstood. He thought she was upset that he had come back late and was asking whether his classmate's birthday party had been so fun that he stayed out all night.

Cassidy didn't bother clearing the misunderstanding and went along with it. "It's okay. I'm not mad."

"Really?" Isaac smiled and his eyes brightened.

He was wearing the white down jacket she had bought him. It had cost her over 1,000 dollars. He paired it with the white turtleneck sweater she had knitted herself.

Isaac was fairly handsome, with well-proportioned features and clear skin. Even during the two years he pretended to be poor, he still managed to stand out among other guys despite wearing faded shirts and jeans.

The winter sunlight softened his features, making him look like a gentle, loving boyfriend.

It was hard to imagine that someone who looked so gentle could do something so cruel.

Cassidy stopped walking and looked up at him, her mind a tangled mess of thoughts. There were so many things she wanted to say. She felt deeply wronged and couldn't understand why Isaac treated her feelings so carelessly.

Why did he trample on her feelings so mercilessly when she had given him her heart so sincerely?

Why was he able to spend her money without any guilt while watching her work her fingers to the bone every day when he was rich?

How could he say he loved her while kissing another woman so passionately like he never wanted to let her go?

"I'm really sorry, babe," Isaac said, looking aggrieved. "Please don't ignore me. I'll never stay out that late again. Wherever I go, I'll report it to you, okay?"

"Okay," Cassidy said, forcing a smile.

"You're the best, babe." Isaac leaned in and tried to kiss her cheek.

Cassidy turned her head away. "There are people around."

Isaac laughed. "Then next time, we'll find somewhere more private."

"My mom is waiting for me. I need to go."

"Alright, babe," Isaac said. "I'll eat at the cafeteria. Want to have dinner together tonight?"

"I have to go to my part-time job," Cassidy replied automatically. Then, she added, "Finals are coming up, and I still have to squeeze in time to study. I'm also really short on money lately."

After a pause, she said jokingly, "If only you could suddenly get rich. Then I wouldn't have to work three jobs."

Isaac stiffened.

After a moment of silence, he said earnestly, "I'll definitely let you live a good life in the future."

Cassidy smiled and thought, "Go to hell, you liar!"

That was the first time she had ever cursed Isaac so viciously in her heart.

…

Stefan had just wrapped up a meeting when it was time for lunch.

His friend, Tyler Ford, invited him to have a meal together.

Ford Group's office building was directly across the street from Archer Group's. Tyler often asked Stefan to eat together whenever he felt like it.

At the restaurant, Stefan was discussing business projects with Tyler when he casually glanced at a table diagonally across from theirs. What he saw made him freeze.

A woman with thick, voluminous curls was sitting across from Isaac. Judging from her back, she clearly wasn't Cassidy.

They weren't far away, so Stefan could hear their conversation.

"I heard you're dating someone in college?" Quinn asked.

Isaac sat facing Stefan. From that angle, Stefan could see the carefree smile on his face.

"Yeah," Isaac said. "But didn't you also have a boyfriend while you were abroad?"

Quinn sounded displeased as she said, "I broke up with him before coming back. When are you breaking up with Cassidy?"

Stefan frowned, and his expression darkened slightly.

"When I get bored. You know, pretending to be poor is actually pretty fun. At least I can be sure she's not with me for my money," Isaac replied in the same frivolous attitude.

Quinn said unhappily, "It sounds like you don't intend to break up with her."

A devilish smile appeared on Isaac's lips, and he raised an eyebrow. "What? Are you jealous?"

Quinn didn't answer.

Her silence spurred Isaac to add, "Don't worry. I'm just playing around with Cassidy. Once I've had enough, I'll come back to you."

"Stefan?" Tyler called out when he noticed that Stefan was zoning out. He waved his hand in front of Stefan's face and asked, "What are you looking at?"

Stefan withdrew his gaze. His lips pressed into a thin line, irritation clear on his face.

Tyler was confused. "What's wrong? Who pissed you off? What's with that look?"

"It's nothing," Stefan replied icily. "Let's eat."