“Hold up.”
Jake stopped and turned around, his face
showing annoyance.
He obviously thought I was going to try to
guilt–trip him.
I held out my hand.
He looked confused.
“I’m pretty sure I put the money on your meal
card. Now that we’re done, give it back.”
Jake just stared at me.
He forgot that the future CEO who dropped
thousands on a single dinner was once a
college kid who couldn’t afford ramen.
Brittany probably had no idea that all those
gifts Jake gave her, every fancy meal, came
out of my pocket.
I was so worried about his ego that I never
told Brittany about his financial situation.
く
I felt bad for him, so I transferred money to
his meal card, and Jake always paid when the
three of us ate together.
Brittany never paid, she’s got a poor college
student grant, just like Jake.
Brittany frowned, giving Jake a quick glance.
One look was all it took to make Jake’s face
turn red.
Brittany was all about subtlety, which is what
made her the campus queen.
I used to think she was so selfless and would
hand her things every opportunity I got.
Now, I just wanted to kick myself.
He looked me dead in the eye and slapped
the meal card into my palm.
“Annie, we’re even.”
The cold plastic was as cold as my heart felt
in that moment.
Brittany looked like she wanted to say
something.
“Annie, are you sure about this?”
I looked right back at her.
I’ll never forget Brittany showing up with a kid
at my anniversary party with Jake.
She was begging me not to break them up.
く
Her three–year–old child was hitting me,
calling me a bad lady for stealing her dad.
Jake simply said, “The kid’s mine. I was
always in love with Brittany. You took her
place all these years. It’s time to give it back.”
Betrayal by my best friend and my man
taught me the harshest lesson of my life.
Jake died thinking I’d stolen Brittany’s place,
riding his coattails into high society.
I’m giving Brittany back her spot, once and
for all.
Jake and I were both orphans, but the
difference was that I was the sole heir to a
fortune.
Г
Jake was legit broke.
To keep him from working himself to death, I
set up a scholarship for our major.
Jake aced everything, so he got thousands
every year, and between that and student
loans, he didn’t need to work.
After graduation, I encouraged him to start
his own business, secretly pouring money into
it and turning him into the CEO he became.
He ran off with Brittany who had just gotten a
divorce and moved back from Europe.
He wants a do–over, so I will have my own life
too.
く
I pulled out my phone and called a number I
knew by heart.
“Kyle, I’m in for the engagement.”
My parents set me up with Kyle’s family when
they passed away.
I never liked him, so I kept my distance.
It’s time to give Kyle a chance.
At least, he was single with no baggage.
Word spread around school that Jake and I
were done.
He became the first of many chasing Brittany.
く
Wherever Brittany was, Jake was.
He was totally infatuated.
Jake’s tall frame was dappled by the light
from the trees outside my dorm.
My friend, Jenny, looked at me nervously.
“Annie, you’re gonna find someone hotter and
more successful than Jake.”
I gave her a weak smile and didn’t respond.
Everyone thought Jake dumped me for
Brittany.
I’ve been dealing with pitying looks all week.
<
I can almost ignore them.
All of a sudden, a nervous guy jumped out
from behind a tree.
“Annie, this is for you.”
He was holding a box of imported chocolate.
Super expensive. Pretty packaging.
But this wasn’t for me. It was for Brittany.
Everyone knows Brittany and I were attached
at the hip.
All the guys chasing Brittany like to go
through me first.
At a reunion after graduation, I learned how
<
bad my reputation really was. People thought
I was a player, only interested in rich guys
and free stuff.
Brittany knew this and happily accepted the
gifts while playing all the guys.
“I can’t give her stuff for you anymore, she’s
going to have to get used to it,” I said,
making the guy blush.
Just then, Brittany came out of the dorm.
Jake stepped forward, looking stern.
“Annie, what are you talking about? Brittany
never took anything from him,” he said, like
someone was trying to steal his precious
treasure.
“Oh, really?”
Brittany was the pure, untouched goddess,
not about to get caught doing that.
“Brittany, you didn’t take any gifts from other
guys, right?”
Brittany gave a small grin.
“Annie, I know you and Jake broke up, and
you’re upset, but I don’t blame you.”
I was even colder to her than I am to Jake.
“That expensive phone you’re holding is from
him, the headphones are from this other
dude, and the flowers last week were from
him too. She told him flowers were too cliché,
المناحصصنا
Г
so he gave her fancy lipstick.”
I know all the details.
“Annie, those were all from your admirers,
weren’t they?” Jenny asked.
I shook my head.
“All for Brittany. I gave them all to her.”
Brittany stopped with the cute act.
“I thought they were for me.‘
11
I scoffed.
“Do you believe her?”
Jenny threw her hands up.
Г
“Of course not!”
But Jake was staring at her, so she touched
her nose nervously.
“Maybe she just misunderstood.”
Jake said, “You accepted someone else’s
gifts and blamed Brittany. Are you for real?”
I felt a pang of pain, but I shook it off.
“What’s wrong?”
Jake rushed to help me, his brow furrowed.
I snapped back to reality and pulled away.
“If you don’t believe me, I can call everyone
and we can all talk together.”
“If you don’t believe me, I have people who
will testify.”
I looked at Brittany’s clenched fists and said, “I have everyone’s contact info. Every time Brittany took something, I let them know.
Should I call them now?”
I acted like I was going for my phone.
“Enough, Annie! You’re just jealous that Brittany’s more popular than you. You’re
jealous that she’s prettier than you. You’re
pathetic!”
I heard Jenny gasp.
Jake’s parents died, and he became mature.
Г
He’s always been a gentle scholar in front of
everyone.
But there’s one exception.
Whenever Brittany was involved, he’d lose it.
I thought we were in the same boat, helping
each other through tough times, but he didn’t
have any other options at the time.
I closed my eyes and wanted to tell him.
He wasn’t even in the top ten on Brittany’s
list.
Jake became the big boss and was now
feared by all.
く
Brittany came back from Europe and finally
gave him a chance.
They were secretly going on dates while I was
giving him advice about life.
How many times did Jake feel annoyed when
I sent him all those messages about taking
care of himself while he was having fun with
Brittany?
I never told Jake that his success was
because of me.
His ego was fragile.
I’m so happy I’m not the one being used this
time.
Г
He had the audacity to accuse me of being
jealous.
I had to set the record straight.
“Jake, why are you defending Brittany?”
Ignoring his face, I grabbed Jenny and left.
I think I got under Jake’s skin, because he
