Riches in Disguise

Chapter 2

I really couldn't understand it. Even though I was poor, I hadn't done anything to provoke them. Where did all these hostilities come from?

Lina was still shouting downstairs. It was loud enough for the entire dorm building to hear.

Zack snickered. "You might as well go down. What's the point in hiding?"

Louis took it a step further, yanking the door open and calling out to the crowd in the hallway. "William is right here in the dorm, acting like a coward and too scared to come down!"

Laughter echoed through the hallway, and I forced myself to act like I didn't care at all. With their mocking eyes on me, I walked downstairs, step by step, until I stood before Lina.

I stood still and hadn't looked up. Then, a plastic bag hit me hard.

"William, this is all the junk you gave me. I'm returning it to you! Don't bother me again, got it?"

I looked down at the pile on the ground. Not all the gifts I'd given her were there. The expensive things like necklaces, phones, shoes, and bags remained with her.

The only things tossed back at me were the ones I had made for her myself. Among them was the moon lamp, which I spent an entire month creating.

I tried to stay calm, but when I looked up, my vision blurred for a second.

This was the first time I had loved someone with all my heart. Were all those sweet moments fake?

I couldn't accept it.

"Fine, if we're breaking up, that's the conclusion. But Lina, just tell me one thing, you stop loving me, or did you never love me at all?"

did

Lina's eyes flickered with hesitation for a moment.

But before she could answer, I heard Joshua's voice behind me, mocking me with

a high-pitched, whiny tone. "Lina, did you stop loving me, or did you never love me at all?"

from the crowd, stabbing into me

got cheated on. I was

just didn't

to him, and her tone toward

me from the start, acting like you were some rich kid.

grew louder, people pointing

hear them anymore and didn't want to. I knelt, picked up the

I hoped for peace, but Zack and Louis weren't about to let it go. They kept laughing at me, taunting me with endless

onto the table. "Say one more word

"You got dumped, and you're still

Finally, they shut up.

Even though I tried to force myself not to care,

afternoon, but I didn't answer. She called again in the

Mom showed up at school during a class break to

her. "Mom, what are you doing

said, "I called you so many times, but you didn't answer the call. I was worried. Is someone bullying you at

I didn't want her to worry, so I forced a smile. "My classmates are great and I've even made a few new

semester, Joshua had spread nasty rumors about me. The more I tried to explain, the more my classmates

single friend, and my girlfriend

I felt useless.

smiled in relief. "That's good. I brought you some things. Do you have enough pocket money? Did you bring the

gave me enough pocket money. Besides, I don't spend that much in

nearby giving Mom a strange and unfriendly look. She didn't understand those looks, but I had experienced

school gate and personally made sure she got

After all, she had come a long way to

in the mood. Plus, I was afraid

Here I was, letting my mom down because

leaned out the car window and waved at me with a smile, something inside me was

were still so many people in this world who loved and understood me. Why waste the time and energy

renewed sense of strength. I pulled out my phone and sent Mom a message. "Mom, thank you for coming to visit me. It really made me happy. Don't

Dad and I wanted is for you to be happy.