Chapter 2

2.

Professor Miller sounded genuinely thrilled on the other end.

"Aria, I'm so glad you came to your senses! Don't worry about the money. I'll talk to the department about an extra grant for you. We can even start a fundraiser for your boyfriend's medical bills..."

"That won't be necessary, Professor."

I softly interrupted his kindness.

"I can cover my own expenses. Please give the grant to someone who needs it more. As for the medical bills... they aren't an issue anymore."

The professor didn't pry, assuming I had found a new source of funding.

"That's wonderful. Now you can focus on your studies. You have two weeks before you need to report. Use this time to wrap things up at home."

"Thank you, Professor."

I didn't explain. I hung up and gripped my backpack tighter.

I didn't waste another second. I left the hospital, deposited every cent of the five hundred thousand into my account, paid my tuition, and booked a one-way ticket out of the country.

After everything was settled, I only had two thousand dollars left.

I pressed my hand against my aching abdomen where the surgery had been, looking at the balance on the screen. I let out a bitter laugh.

I actually felt a twisted sense of relief.

I was lucky I found out the truth before I handed that blood-money over to Quinn.

When I returned to the hospital room, Quinn was alone, lying back on the bed.

I bit my lip and pushed the door open.

In an instant, he dropped the arrogant smirk and reverted into the perfect, caring boyfriend.

"Aria, why are you so late today?"

My fingers curled into my palms as I looked down.

"Something came up at school."

Quinn didn't suspect a thing. He took my hand, his eyes shining with a fake excitement he couldn't suppress.

"I have some great news to tell you."

I paused, then forced myself to ask.

"What's the news?"

"The doctor just came by. It was a misdiagnosis! I'm not sick at all!"

Of course.

I closed my eyes. I had caught a glimpse of his phone screen on the nightstand earlier.

A contact named "Janessa" had sent a message to a group chat.

"Quinn, hurry up and tell that peasant girl it was a misdiagnosis. I want to see her face when she realizes she wasted all that money for nothing. It's going to be hilarious!"

The replies below were full of people cheering, calling it a brilliant prank.

Some were even betting on whether I would blow up at him.

The last message was from Quinn himself.

"Anything for you, my princess."

For two years, Quinn had been incredibly obedient to me. I thought I had found a saint.

In reality, his devotion was just a task assigned by Janessa Sterling.

To them, I was just a toy.

I forced a smile and spoke with a hollow sincerity.

"I'm just glad you're okay."

My calm reaction caught Quinn off guard. He hesitated for a second before putting on a guilty face.

"It's all my fault for not getting a second opinion. Now all the money you worked so hard for is wasted."

I shook my head slowly.

"If it was for you, it was worth it."

That money would be the price for buying back my life from him.

Sixty thousand dollars for two years with the heir to the Lucas fortune? Most people would call that a bargain for a poor student like me.

My words seemed to hit Quinn like a sledgehammer to the chest.

As the Lucas heir, he was surrounded by sycophants and fake concern his entire life. He was immune to empty words.

But I was different. To his knowledge, I didn't know who he really was. Everything I said was supposedly from the heart.

I had been willing to spend every cent I had on him.

Even when it was all "wasted," I didn't utter a single word of resentment.

A flicker of complex emotion crossed Quinn's eyes as he pulled me into a tight hug.

"Aria, thank you."

I looked over his shoulder, hiding the cold mockery in my gaze.

When we got back to our cramped apartment in the outskirts, Quinn collapsed onto our small, cheap bed with a sigh.

"Nothing beats being home."

I spoke softly.

"You've worked hard."

You've worked hard pretending to be a pauper, sleeping in this tiny bed when you own a mansion and a king-sized mattress.

But don't worry. Soon, we'll both be free.