The next day was the weekend.
Megan and two other female classmates had agreed to go to the beach together.
To avoid suspicion, Megan hadn't invited any of her male friend.
Even among those going, there were no boys.
As a girl who understood men far too well, Megan knew one thing clearly — men valued loyalty above everything else.
It was fine to have had past relationships before meeting him, but if she continued to hang around other men after meeting Jason Carter, he would definitely find it disgusting.
Most men didn't have many options, so even if they were jealous or upset, they'd just suppress it and pretend not to care — or she could simply make them fall so deeply for her that they'd forgive anything.
But someone like Jason Carter — born into wealth, power, and endless choices — wasn't the type to be controlled. Disgust him once, and he'd just move on.
He already had plenty of women, which wasn't fair, but then again, this world wasn't fair.
Megan hadn't fully decided to pursue Jason yet, but she definitely wasn't ready to give up either.
She couldn't afford to lose her chance so soon — and as for others, they could wait.
As they walked toward the campus gate, Lily handed Megan a printed brochure."Megan, take a look at this trip guide — see if there's anything missing."
Megan accepted it, but as her eyes ran over the text, her mind drifted back to the trip she'd taken with Jason Carter.
That time, everything had been first-class — no need for guides, no need to worry about anything. A black Bentley with a driver picked her up for the airport; at the terminal, staff handled her luggage while she skipped the lines through Jason's private VIP jet terminal. The entire jet was his — or rather, hers, for that flight.
When they landed, they stayed at a five-star resort on the private coastline, with yacht dinners and personalized spa sessions. Who needed a trip guide then?
Now, just to visit a public beach a few miles away — the kind the school bus could reach — she needed to make an itinerary.
Before, she thought planning guides was fun. Now, it just reminded her of what she'd lost.
It's easy to go from simple to luxurious, but never easy to go back.
Taking a slow breath, Megan forced her expression back to normal and continued reading the guide.
When they reached the campus gate, they still had to wait for the school bus.
Before it arrived, the deep growl of an engine echoed from the nearby parking lot, catching everyone's attention.
A few students gasped.
Megan, Lily, and the others turned toward the sound — a brand new Mercedes-Benz G63 had just pulled out.
Megan's heart skipped a beat. That was Jason Carter's car!
Was this fate? A chance encounter, right before her eyes?
These past few days, Megan had wanted to message Jason — but after her last few invitations, his responses had grown distant.
If she kept trying, he might get annoyed. And since she hadn't made up her mind about committing to him, continuing to reach out might make her seem like she was playing games.
It was better not to push too far. Someone like Jason — a man of power and status — didn't have time to entertain indecision.
But this was different — a chance encounter wasn't her fault. Her heart filled with hope as she turned to look at the driver's seat…
Only to freeze.
It wasn't Jason.
It was Holly Larson — the dance department's beauty queen.
For a split second, Megan's chest tightened like she'd been punched. That was definitely Jason's car. So… had he given it to Holly?
They hadn't been together long, had they? That SUV cost well over two hundred grand, and he just gave it away like that?
Megan had never particularly liked the boxy design of the G-Class, but she knew its price — and the statement it made.
As Holly drove past, a wave of murmurs swept through the students around them.
"She's driving a G-Wagon?""Is that hers? Oh my God…"
Everyone's eyes were filled with envy.
Holly didn't even glance in Megan's direction — she started the car and drove off, heading straight toward the coastal highway.
One left in a luxury SUV.
The other still stood waiting for the school bus.
The difference between them couldn't have been clearer.
"Megan…" Lily's voice was soft. She wanted to say something comforting but didn't know what.
After all, who wouldn't envy someone driving a car like that?
Megan shook her head gently, signaling that there was no need for words.
Just then, the school bus arrived, and Megan pulled Lily onto it.
It didn't take long for them to reach the coast near Bayshore Point. Originally, Megan thought it might take some time to find Holly Larson — maybe they wouldn't even run into her at all.
But as soon as they arrived, they saw Holly standing at the pier, operating a sleek, luxurious sailboat, steering it away from the dock with practiced ease. The wind caught her hair, the sunlight shimmered on the waves, and her confident smile made her look effortlessly radiant.
There were two other girls on the boat, likely her classmates.
Megan froze in place. That sailboat wasn't cheap — just from its design and finish, it was something only the wealthy could afford. Could it be another gift from Jason Carter?
The students who had come on the same school bus also stopped and stared in amazement, and soon, the murmurs began.
"Wait — isn't that Holly Larson, the beauty queen from the dance department? Damn, her figure is incredible, and she's so graceful. But is her family that rich to be sailing like that?"
"I think that's a Hanser 458! No way she owns that herself."
"She actually does," another student said, lowering their voice like they were sharing a secret. "And that GTX300 jet ski over there, plus the Mercedes-Benz G-Class in the parking lot — all hers. My roommate's friend knows Holly personally. Apparently, the sailboat, the jet ski, and even the G-Class were all gifts from Jason Carter."
"What the— that's insane!"
"I just Googled the prices — that jet ski's over twenty grand, the sailboat's like million, and the G-Wagon's at least two hundred fifty grand!"
"Wow. I used to think she was just lucky to be close to Jason, but now? Respect. If someone gave me that much, I'd rethink my entire orientation too."
"Ha! You think that's all? You know, That ultra-exclusive gated community by the ocean? Guess what — Holly lives there."
"Wait, seriously? I've seen the listings — the houses there start at eight million! Which section is she in?"
"She doesn't live in one of the condos. She's in The Seaside One Villa — the oceanfront property with a private beach and helipad. That place is worth nearly thirty million."
"Get out! You're kidding!"
"I'm dead serious. Supposedly, Jason doesn't even stay there much. He just gave her the villa outright. She's even planning to host her birthday party there next week. Invited tons of girls, but… no guys."
"Holy crap. I swear, poverty has officially killed my imagination."
"If I moved Thailand right now and got plastic surgery, do you think I'd still have a chance?"
"With that face? Even if you turned into a girl, no billionaire would look twice at you."
Laughter rippled through the crowd, but Megan stood silently, her chest tightening with each word.
She had never imagined Jason would go that far for someone like Holly.
Looking toward the line of villas along the beach, Megan felt her throat dry. That — that was her dream. A life of luxury, sunlight streaming through oceanfront windows, the kind of elegant freedom only the rich could have.
And Holly Larson wasn't just living that dream — she owned it.
It was more than Megan had ever dared to imagine.
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