Chapter 4
At 6:30 AM, my phone started vibrating on the pillow beside me.
I curled deeper into my blanket cocoon, ignoring it completely.
At precisely 7:00 AM, the faculty residence door flew open with a bang.
“Riley!” Jack stood in the doorway, his designer suit impeccable despite the early hour. “Do you have any idea what time it is?”
I weakly moved my lips, then suddenly clutched my abdomen and curled into a tight ball.
“Mr. Crawford,” Dr. Harrison hurried in carrying a hot water bottle, “she’s been having severe cramps since around 3 AM. She can barely stand.”
She discreetly positioned himself between my bed and Jack. “For a girl in this condition, traveling is strongly inadvisable.”
Jack glanced at his Rolex, his brow furrowing into deep lines. “We can reschedule the flight, but she absolutely must leave today.”
Then, softening his tone slightly: “Riley, I’ll have a doctor waiting at the airport.”
“Jack…” I extended a trembling hand toward him, my fingertips deliberately cold, “The pain is
unbearable. Could I possibly wait a couple more days?”
Dr. Harrison interjected: “Mr. Crawford, she’s genuinely not fit for international travel right now. If something were to happen mid–flight-”
‘As it happens, I’m not proctoring any exams this year, and since Riley isn’t taking her Finals, she
could stay here with me during this… delicate time.”
Jack’s calculating gaze flicked between us.
Right on cue, the examination bell rang across campus. His rigid shoulders finally relaxed a fraction.
“Tomorrow at the latest,” Jack maintained his authoritative stance.
[ leaned weakly against the headboard. “Jack, since the timing is so unfortunate, couldn’t I at least
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They steal My biltily I Stol then butike
Chapter 4
wait until my friends finish their exams? Have one last dinner together before I go?”
“Absolutely not!” he blurted out, then immediately realized his overreaction. “Mom and Dad are… extremely anxious to see you.”
“Then let me video chat with them. I’ll explain everything myself. Surely they’d understand wanting to properly say goodbye to friends and the place I grew up?”
“Jack,” I suddenly reached for his phone, “just call them now.”
His reaction was lightning–fast, jerking away from my touch. “Fine. You rest properly. I’ll explain the situation to our parents myself.”
“Thank you, Jack!”
The moment the door closed, I pulled out my exam ID card hidden beneath my pillow.
Dr. Harrison silently handed me a warm towel, and we exchanged knowing smiles.
On the evening after the final exam, we all gathered in a private dining room at Bella Notte.
On the surface, we looked like two happy couples, but in reality, I was the fifth wheel at my own
dinner.
Noah hadn’t glanced at me once since arriving.
His blazer deliberately draped over the chair, creating a barrier between us.
I traced the rim of my water glass, observing the happy trio before me.
A fake heiress, a backstabbing “best friend,” and a cheating boyfriend.
Could anyone’s life be more absurdly tragic than mine?
“That question was definitely C,” Camden tapped his chopsticks smugly against the table. “I totally
called it!”
Noah smiled while adding extra pasta to Valerie’s plate. “That last calculus problem was practically identical to the one we practiced last week.”
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They Stole My ideality. I stole their future
Chapter 4
Valerie sipped her sparkling water delicately, her eyes repeatedly darting in my direction. “Riley…. you really didn’t take any of the exams?”
I wiped my mouth methodically. “Nope. Spent three miserable days in bed.”
“Such a shame,” she blinked innocently, though her voice couldn’t mask her excitement. “You’ve always had such excellent grades…”
“Not a shame at all,” I interrupted with a smile. “I’ve calculated my potential score anyway–I would’ve hit around 1550 on the SAT.”
They stole Mouldentity I State Their Future
