Chapter 4

The crowd immediately sensed which way the wind was blowing.

Kevin, a chubby guy who used to sit in the back row, was the first to attack.

"Chloe, that's completely uncalled for! Just because you don't want to get rich doesn't mean you have to drag us down with you!"

"Tiffany is being generous enough to share her wealth, and instead of saying thank you, you're throwing cold water on everyone."

"What kind of sick mentality is that? You just can't stand seeing other people succeed, can you?"

Brad, who had just transferred twenty grand, was naturally her fiercest defender.

"Exactly! Know your place, Chloe!"

"Look at Tiffany's status! She drives a luxury car and owns a multi-million-dollar villa! Why would she care about your chump change?"

"She offered you this because she respected you, and you threw it in her face."

"Even if you're broke, have some damn dignity. Don't assume the whole world is out to get you just because you're poor."

Their words flew at me like daggers. So much for high school camaraderie.

In the face of greed, they had completely abandoned logic and basic decency.

Looking at their twisted, eager faces, I felt only pity.

I had tried to throw them a lifeline, and they treated me like an enemy.

That was human nature—once greed blinded you, truth became invisible.

"I was merely offering a suggestion. What you do with your money is your business. Keeping mine is my right."

I picked up my fork again, done wasting my breath.

"I'm not paying."

Those four words completely snapped Tiffany's patience.

She lunged forward, grabbed my porcelain plate, and smashed it onto the hardwood floor, sending ceramic shards flying everywhere.

"Chloe, don't test me!"

"If you don't invest, I'm kicking you out of the alumni group right now! We're cutting ties with you completely so your bad luck doesn't ruin our financial aura!"

"Yeah! If you're not investing, get the hell out!"

"We don't want broke losers here!"

"Chloe, if you don't have twenty grand, get lost! Don't ruin our bag!"

The crowd began screaming, practically spitting as they yelled in my face.

I remained seated by the kitchen passage, my posture perfectly straight.

Seeing that intimidation wasn't working, Tiffany’s rage deepened, but she quickly shifted her tactic.

She took a deep breath, putting on a face of righteous heartbreak.

"Chloe, do you just look down on us?"

"We're all in the same group chat. I know you've always had an ego. You thought you were so special back in school."

"Well, newsflash: we live in the real world now. Can you drop your pathetic pride for five seconds?"

"Or are you just green with envy because I made it and you didn't?"

She stepped closer, dripping with moral manipulation.

"You're jealous that I'm young and successful. You're jealous that I can afford an estate like this! That's why you're trying to sabotage everyone's bag, isn't it?"

"Just admit it. You hate seeing people do better than you!"

Her words resonated with the crowd, and a chorus of disgusted sneers followed.

"Chloe, that's disgusting. You won't hustle yourself, and you want to drag everyone else down?"

"People with that kind of mindset are born to stay broke."

Listening to their delusional, self-righteous accusations, the last shred of my patience finally evaporated.

I pushed my chair back, brushed an invisible speck of dust from my blazer, and looked straight into Tiffany's eyes.

"Tiffany, are you done performing?"

"You think I'm jealous of you? That's hilarious."

"This house belongs to me. Why on earth would I believe a word coming out of your mouth?"

"You rented my villa just to pitch a pyramid scheme to my face. Tiffany, you've got some nerve."