Jenny smeared some ghostly white powder on
my lips. I look washed out after working
overtime all week.
I must look like death warmed over.
Through the window, I got my first close–up
look at Blake.
It’s August, but he’s still wearing a scarf
around his neck.
A scar snaked up from under the scarf, right
up to his left cheekbone.
It had been treated, but the skin was still all
uneven, all mangled. It must have been a
terrible wound.
Jenny rushed over, sounding worried.
“My sister suddenly got a stomach ache, and
I was rushing her to the hospital. I mixed up
the gas and the brake. I am so sorry!”
“Anyway, it’s all my fault. I’ll definitely pay for the damage.”
That seemed to touch a nerve with Blake. His
icy face softened a little.
“Don’t worry about it,” he said. “Get your
sister to the hospital.”
“My driver, Old Mike, will handle everything.”
Blake turned to leave, but Jenny blocked his
path, holding out a business card.
“Here’s my contact information. I won’t run
away from this responsibility.”
Blake looked down at the white card. It said
Jenny was a partner in a pet hospital and a
guest lecturer at Southern State College.
He stared at Jenny from head to toe, then
pulled out his phone.
“No need for that. How about we just add
each other on WeChat?”
Blake left in a Maybach. A tow truck took
away the sports car.
The hood of my car was crumpled, and one of
the headlights was shattered.
“That was my car from yesterday! What are
you going to do?”
Jenny ignored me all the way home. The
second she walked in the door, she grabbed
Dad’s arm, telling him I was giving her a hard
time.
Dad, of course, patted Jenny on the head and
told me to deal with it.
“Don’t give your sister a hard time. You’re not
acting like an older sister.”
This morning, Jenny had insisted on driving.
She doesn’t even have a license. She failed
her driving test five times.
Dad was worried about her, so he insisted I
go with her.
Stepmom Wendy came out of the kitchen.
with a bowl of fruit, and get this, only three
forks.
They were happily munching on watermelon
and mango, like I didn’t even exist.
“Blake was staring at me. He couldn’t take his
eyes off me.
“I thought this Wall Street tycoon would be
hard to get! Turns out they are all the same
as other men.”
Jenny said, fishing out her phone to show off
Blake’s WeChat contact.
“When Jenny marries Blake, we’ll be related
to them.”
Wendy clapped her hands, and Dad was
already dreaming about hitting the jackpot.
Then, Jenny’s tone changed. She popped a
piece of durian into Dad’s mouth.
Г
“Dad, I still owe $30,000 for the finishing
school.”
Dad frowned.
The family’s income comes from the shops
downtown. But city planning skipped.
downtown. The business is in the tank.
That finishing school cost $50,000. It
promised to help you marry rich.
Jenny graduated with a two–year degree and
spent all her time getting cosmetic surgery,
taking photos, and trying to look like a
socialite. She hasn’t worked.
The first $20,000 for tuition emptied Dad’s
savings.
く
“You know, Jenny signed up for that finishing
school so we can live a better life!”
Wendy jangled her gold bracelet, saying, “If
you don’t pay for this, don’t expect to mooch
off Jenny later.
“Besides, someone here has a job. Families
help each other, right?”
She was hinting I should cough up the money.
Last time, the family was drowning in debt
because of Jenny’s “dreams.” The debt.
collectors came to my office and ruined my
career.
Besides, they seemed clueless about Blake’s
sports car, and were sure Blake wouldn’t
I wasn’t going to pin my hopes on a
pipedream.
So, before they could ask, I told them I was
moving out.
“I already found a place. I’ll change my
address, too.”
Wendy tsked, saying I was jealous. She said I
couldn’t stand that Jenny was going to be a
rich trophy wife.
“The most important thing for a woman is to
have a pretty face and marry a rich guy.
“You’re just jealous.”
“Your little paycheck? Haha. Moving out?
く
My phone vibrated. My coworker just said
there’s an emergency meeting.
I went to my room to get my stuff, ready to
head back to the office.
Jenny said I was wasting my time, and I was
useless.
Dad just shook his head and told me, “You
better start sucking up to Jenny.
“If Jenny’s happy, she might buy you a condo,
so you don’t have to rent.”
Jenny smiled, waiting for me to grovel.
I clenched the file in my hand and looked at
each of them.
“Blake’s money isn’t Jenny’s, but my money
will always be mine.”
