Chapter 2

Chapter 2 He frowned and questioned me, "Am I a stranger to you? What's that supposed to mean?" I replied calmly, "I can buy my own clothes. No matter what my current job is, I believe it's respectable. There's nothing shameful about it, and I don't feel like I'm giving up on myself. You should save that money for someone who truly needs it." He stood there, holding the check tightly, lips pressed into a thin line. Lyra walked over to stand beside Elias. When she glanced at the check in his hand, a flash of realization crossed her face. Though anger sparked in her eyes, she still forced herself to maintain a gentle demeanor. "Selene," she said sweetly, "you don't want our goodwill? Then let's offer you something even more practical." "I just opened a nail salon on Ravenshollow Avenue. You can start there as a nail technician apprentice. The salary's not high, but it's at least USD1700 a month. The important thing is you'll learn a skill. Even if you have no way out in the future, you can open your own nail shop," she added. She smiled at me as if offering a priceless favor. "What do you think? Interested? It's definitely a lot more respectable than whatever you're doing now." I kept calmly eating, unfazed, and politely refused their so-called kindness. "Thank you both for the offer, but I'm very happy with my current job. I have no plans to change careers." Some classmates around us began shouting at me, "Selene, what's wrong with you? Can't you see they're trying to help? Elias and Lyra are being generous — offering you money and a job — and you're turning them down?" "Exactly! Look at the state you're in, and you're still clinging to your pride? Coming to a class reunion like this — weren't you just hoping to snag some resources? Now you're pretending to be above it all?" Lyra quickly jumped in with fake concern, "Everyone, don't be so harsh! Maybe Selene really loves her current job!" Then she turned to me, her voice syrupy sweet, "Look, this is a sincere offer — from the heart, for old times' sake. Don't miss a good opportunity just because of pride, okay?" I truly didn't understand why they were trying so hard to shove money and a job onto me. "I really don't need it. Thank you," I said again. Lyra kept smiling sweetly, but her eyes were full of mockery and disdain. Elias clenched the check tighter in his hand and sneered coldly, "Useless. Just a pile of worthless mud. We try to help, and you still can't be saved. You might as well stay broke for the rest of your life!" Right after he spat out those words, a group of former male classmates suddenly swarmed around me. They tried to force drinks on me. "Selene, look how pathetic you are now. Come on, have a drink with us — I'll give you a thousand bucks if you do!" "If you're really that pitiful," another one laughed, "I'll even throw in a little extra!" The looks in their eyes were disgusting, and the crowd burst out laughing at the scene. Not a single person stepped forward to help me. I frowned, feeling a deep disgust rise in my chest. This reunion was nothing like I had imagined. If I hadn't still been waiting for someone, I would've walked out without a second thought. Just as I was about to call security, Elias — who had been standing off to the side — suddenly crushed his cigarette underfoot and strode over. Without a word, he grabbed the arm of the man harassing me and twisted it sharply. His gaze was icy cold, filled with anger. "Back off," he ordered. The man cried out in pain, howling as Elias tightened his grip. Lyra rushed over, tugging urgently at Elias's sleeve. "Elias! What are you doing?!" "I'm stepping in to do the right thing," he said sharply, his expression cold. "This is a class reunion, not a place for you to act like a lunatic." With that, he shoved the man aside. The man didn't dare argue back, but he did shoot me a vicious glare before slinking off. I couldn't help but glance at Elias, surprised that he had actually stepped in to help me. Lyra looked like she was about to grind her teeth to dust, but she still forced a smile and said, "I heard the young master and the CEO of Redmond Group are upstairs right now having a meeting. If we're lucky, we might catch a glimpse of New York's richest man!" At those words, the crowd immediately buzzed with excitement. The richest man in New York — rumored to be devastatingly handsome, incredibly wealthy, and only in his thirties — already had a five-year-old son. Yet, no one had ever seen his wife in public. "Maybe we'll even catch a glimpse of his wife tonight!" someone squealed. "I'm definitely posting it on TikTok!" "This would be breaking news!" another said eagerly. Soon, a group of bodyguards escorted a little boy into the banquet hall. The room practically exploded with excitement. "Look at that entrance! That has to be New York's little prince! What a good-looking kid!" The male classmate who had harassed me earlier — though he'd just been roughed up — didn't dare complain out loud. Instead, he turned his anger on me, his words dripping with bitterness. "Selene, if it weren't for Lyra, trash like you — just a nobody grinding away at some dead-end job — would never even catch a glimpse of New York's crown prince! If I were you, I'd get on my knees right now and thank her properly. Who knows? You might even land a decent job… or hell, marry someone like me — I make a solid six grand a month." Pathetic. I completely ignored him, keeping my cool and turning my gaze toward the little prince. Everyone else, however, was practically falling over themselves, crowding around with their phones out, desperate to snap photos and record videos. Even Lyra — always so high and mighty — was now wearing an overly sweet, almost sycophantic smile as she hurried toward the little boy. "Hey there, little guy! Is there anything you want to eat? I will buy it for you!" As she spoke, she even reached out, trying to pinch the little boy's cheek. What no one expected was that the little boy surrounded by bodyguards didn't pay any attention to the adults around him. Instead, he walked straight toward me.