Chapter 33: Leila Cries

The car beeped.

The sound was melodious and striking.

Leila Stewart's face froze, her expression taut as she doubted her own hearing.

Mike Carter pressed the key fob again and said, "Excuse me, can you step aside? I need to head home."

The car belonged to Mike?

Then Mike… was actually wealthy?

A GTR's price far exceeded Leila's family's total assets. This limited edition alone was worth tens of millions. Owning such a car indicated the driver was no ordinary person.

Could it be that Mike was a top-tier heir, hiding his fortune all this time?

How deep was his act?

Leila didn't say a word, instead turning to Tom Parker with a complicated expression. "Tom, what's going on here?"

What could be going on?

Clearly, the car wasn't his.

Tom glanced at Mike, utterly stunned. As a thirty-something entrepreneur with three companies under his name, Tom couldn't afford such a car. Yet here was Mike, just a college student, casually owning one.

Judging by Mike's simple attire, it made no sense. He didn't look the part.

"Hand over the keys," Tom demanded, extending his hand with a tone of authority.

Mike raised an eyebrow. "Excuse me?"

"You found my keys. Hand them over, and I'll give you this money as a reward," Tom said, offering a few thousand dollars. He was convinced Mike had stumbled upon the keys.

Leila joined in, her voice firm. "Mike, the car can't possibly be yours. Return the keys."

Mike sighed. Had he kept too low a profile?

Today, he'd put an end to that.

"Leila, do you think for a second? If this car is his, ask him: What's inside it?" Mike retorted sharply.

Tom froze, unable to respond.

"Enough talk!" Tom snapped, his temper flaring.

Mike narrowed his eyes and pointed toward the blood-stained street. "Watch your tone, or you might end up like that."

Leila finally sensed something was off. Just days ago, Tom had claimed the car as his. But despite several excuses, he'd never let her ride in it.

"Tom, is this car yours or not?" Leila asked again, her tone icy.

Tom remained silent, confirming her worst fears.

"It isn't?" she pressed further, her voice trembling.

"So what if it isn't?" Tom growled, his patience wearing thin. "Leila, you're just a shallow college student obsessed with money. Do you think owning this car defines me? Look at yourself before you judge!"

Tom stormed off, leaving Leila stunned and motionless.

She'd been deceived.

"Leila, Leila?" Mike waved a hand in front of her face, but she didn't respond.

"Need a ride home?" Mike offered.

Leila snapped out of her daze and shook her head. "No, thanks."

Under the quiet night sky, Mike noticed tears glistening on Leila's cheeks.

Though their relationship wasn't great, Mike couldn't stand seeing her cry. "It's just one guy. You're beautiful, Leila. There are plenty of decent men out there."

Instead of calming her, Mike's words provoked an outburst. "What do you know?" Leila shouted.

"I skipped Sophia's graduation gala for him!" she cried, sinking to the ground in despair.

Mike was taken aback, unsure of how to console her.

After a long silence, Leila finally looked up, her gaze fixed on the GTR.

"Is the GTR really yours?" she asked.

"It is," Mike replied wearily.

Leila wiped her tears. "So… you're wealthy?"

"I get by," Mike replied modestly.

"Then… was it you stealing from my family's store?"

"Did you see me do it?"

Leila shook her head. "No, but the figure looked like you."

"Then it wasn't me," Mike affirmed before asking gently, "What exactly did he do to you?"

Leila hesitated before confessing, "My family is in financial trouble. My parents are drowning in debt, and I wanted to help. But there's not much I can do… Tom promised to invest in our store and even said he'd give me this car if I dated him."

Mike stood frozen, realizing the irony. He could offer both those things and more.

Leila sobbed, adding, "I even blocked you and Sophia because of my assumptions."

Mike understood. As Sophia's close friend, Leila had wanted the best for her.

Wiping her tears, Leila pulled out a ticket. "Here, this is for the graduation gala. Sophia's performance is the last act. Consider this a token of apology."

Taking the ticket, Mike hesitated.

"Go on! Why are you standing there?" Leila urged.

-----------------------------------------------

Five minutes later, Mike arrived at the academic center just as Sophia's performance was about to begin.

Checking the program, Mike noticed she was performing "Because of Love" with Chris Miller, the student council's vice president and a wealthy, influential figure.

Mike's heart sank as he realized Chris intended to confess his love publicly.

As he walked in, he heard whispers around him.

"I knew Mike would show up."

"Does he really think he has a chance with Sophia? It's laughable."

Ignoring them, Mike entered the hall. Sophia was already on stage, and the crowd erupted with excitement.

Sophia's ethereal beauty was captivating, but her gaze searched for someone. When her eyes met Mike's, they sparkled with emotion.

The music began, and the crowd grew hushed.

Instead of the expected lyrics to "Because of Love," Sophia began singing:

"Twinkle, twinkle, little star, how I wonder what you are…"

The audience was stunned. Was she singing a nursery rhyme?

But Mike knew. This wasn't just a children's song. It was a special message, meant for him.

Chris, standing beside her, was dumbfounded. His microphone slipped from his hand as Sophia continued singing.

Unbothered by the chaos, Sophia held the microphone close and asked softly, "Mike, did you like it?"