By the end of the term, I ranked first in my major, receiving a £5,000 scholarship. I decided to thank Stefan, taking him shopping—but he bought things for me, not himself.
At the mall, my family appeared. My mom sneered, but Stefan's sharp tongue defended me. My father and brother were powerless.
Later, Stefan admitted he fancied me. I blushed, gave him a cheek kiss, and ran off. My parents' chaos escalated: father transferred abroad, mother vanished with another man, brother fell into trouble.
As I read Stefan's message—"Come downstairs. Dinner's ready."—I smiled. For the first time in months, I felt a small sense of stability.