Chapter 30 – A Fool’s Gamble

The night air was crisp as Ethan stepped out of the Royal Garden restaurant, slipping his hands into his pockets. The glow of the streetlights cast long shadows, but nothing was darker than the bitter gazes aimed at his back.

Just minutes ago, he had done what none of them had expected—paid the massive bill effortlessly. The sheer disbelief on their faces had been amusing, especially Lucas', whose attempt at humiliation had backfired spectacularly when his card had been declined.

Ethan's classmates—those who once mocked him for his shabby apartment and simple lifestyle—had now been forced to reconsider everything they thought they knew about him. But he had no interest in explaining himself.

Not to them.

Behind him, the restaurant's doors swung open again as more of his classmates trickled out. He could feel their eyes burning into his back, murmurs of speculation growing louder.

"Who knew Ethan had that kind of money?"

"Maybe he won the lottery?"

"Nah, no way. You saw that card, right? I've never seen one like that."

"Lucas looked like an idiot, though. His dad straight-up slapped him."

The whispers continued, but Ethan ignored them as a sleek black sports car pulled up beside him. The tinted window rolled down, revealing Jordan behind the wheel, smirking.

"Need a ride?" Jordan asked.

Ethan gave a small nod before stepping into the passenger seat. The car's interior was luxurious, the leather seats cool against his back. Jordan pulled away from the restaurant, easily navigating through the city streets.

For a moment, neither of them spoke. The hum of the engine filled the silence until Jordan let out a low chuckle.

"You know… I was actually about to cover for you if you couldn't pay," he admitted, gripping the wheel. "But damn, man. You didn't even blink when you dropped 99 grand. That was crazy."

Ethan leaned back against the seat, his expression unreadable. "Money isn't a problem."

Jordan glanced at him. "Yeah, I figured that out when you chose the Ultimate Suite like it was nothing. But dude, what's the deal with that card? No one's ever seen one like that before."

Ethan didn't answer right away.

The black and gold card he had used wasn't just any credit card. It was one of the rarest and most exclusive in the world—only ten people on Earth owned one. But he had no intention of explaining that.

"It's just a limited edition card," Ethan finally said, his tone dismissive. "Nothing special."

Jordan raised a brow. "Nothing special, huh? Yeah, sure. You just happened to have a card so rare that even Lucas' dad had to step in and pay for him."

Ethan smirked but didn't respond.

Jordan sighed. "Alright, alright. Keep your secrets. But man, you've gotta prepare yourself."

Ethan turned to him. "For what?"

Jordan held up his phone, showing an incoming text. Ethan's eyes narrowed when he saw the name flashing on the screen.

Sophia.

Jordan smirked. "Guess who suddenly wants to talk to you?"

Ethan scoffed and turned away. "Let her wait."

Jordan chuckled. "Dude, you know what's about to happen, right? She saw the bill, saw your card, and now she's rethinking everything. She's probably convinced you won the lottery or something."

Ethan didn't reply.

Sophia had made her choice when she left him for Lucas. And now that Lucas had been humiliated, she was trying to crawl back?

Not happening.

---

Meanwhile, Inside the Restroom…

Sophia stood in front of the mirror, reapplying a thin layer of lipstick. Her hands were steady, but inside, she was anything but calm.

Ethan. Ethan Cross.

The same Ethan she had dumped because he was "going nowhere in life" had just casually spent nearly two hundred grand in a single night.

Her mind raced through possibilities.

Where did he get that kind of money?

There's no way he's always been rich… right?

Did he win the lottery? Get some crazy inheritance?

None of it made sense.

But one thing was clear: she had made a mistake.

She should have stayed with him. If she had, all that money could've been hers.

Emily and Tabitha, her two closest friends, stood behind her, exchanging looks.

Emily finally spoke. "So… what's the plan?"

Sophia smirked. "Simple. I'm going to win him back."

Tabitha crossed her arms. "You sure he'll take you back? You kinda dumped him in the worst way possible."

Sophia turned to her, eyes gleaming. "Men are easy. All I have to do is make him think I regret everything. Remind him of what he lost."

Emily raised a brow. "And if that doesn't work?"

Sophia's smirk widened. "Then I'll just find a way to get his money another way."

The two girls exchanged another glance but said nothing. They knew better than to challenge Sophia when she had her mind set on something.

And right now, she had only one goal—Ethan Cross.

---

Ethan's Apartment –

By the time Ethan and Jordan arrived at his shabby apartment, the city was quiet. Jordan parked outside, stretching as he leaned against the car.

Ethan stepped out, shoving his hands in his pockets. "Thanks for the ride."

Jordan grinned. "Anytime. But hey—if Sophia calls, you gonna answer?"

Ethan scoffed. "Not a chance."

Jordan laughed. "Man, she's gonna try hard now. Just watch."

Ethan sighed, walking up the stairs to his place. But before he could unlock the door, his phone vibrated.

He pulled it out and wasn't surprised by the name flashing on the screen.

Sophia.

He let it ring.

A few seconds later, a text came through.

Sophia: Hey… can we talk?

Ethan exhaled sharply. He already knew exactly where this was going.

Jordan, still standing by the car, peeked at his phone and whistled. "Called it."

Ethan tossed the phone onto his couch without responding.

Sophia was about to start her game.

But Ethan?

He had no intention of playing along.