His Mother Paid Me to Love Him

I took on the school’s notorious playboy, Ashton Sterling. Everyone in high school thought I was head over heels in love with him. When he skipped classes and got into street fights, I was the one who took perfect notes and covered for his absences. When he flirted with other girls, I acted as his alibi. For three long years, I was his ultimate doormat. I poured my blood, sweat, and tears into tutoring that lazy rich kid, eventually getting him accepted into Yale. But right before college started, he dumped me. He looked down at me from his pedestal and said, "Chloe, I know you’ve liked me for a long time. But your entire life is just studying. Compared to Hailey, you’re just too boring and rigid. Let’s break up. I’m with Hailey now." Everyone was waiting to see me break down and cry. I glanced at my phone screen, looking at the notification of the extra $5 million that had just been wired to my bank account. With absolute sincerity, I replied, "Okay. Congratulations." Nobody knew that the only reason I had tolerated being his loyal puppy was because his mother, Victoria Sterling, simply paid too much. Now that the money was safely in my account, it was time for me to disappear. 1 "She actually just said 'congratulations' after being dumped by the hottest guy in school?!" "She hung up the phone in less than a minute. So cold. Did she lose her mind from heartbreak?" "Doesn't look like it. She was too calm. Honestly, it looked more like she’d been waiting for this breakup forever." At those words, someone carefully glanced at Ashton. He was holding his new girlfriend, Hailey, but his handsome face was incredibly dark and furious. The classmate quickly changed his tune. "Come on, we all saw how much Chloe worshipped Ashton over the years. There’s no way she doesn't care. She must be crying her eyes out in private!" "I bet you within three days, she’ll come crawling back, begging Ashton not to leave her!" Ashton’s expression softened slightly at that. "If she comes back and begs, I might consider forgiving her. Let’s see what she does." I knew nothing about their gossip as I dragged my suitcase toward the train station. Even if I had heard their mockery, I would have only given them a cold, indifferent smile. If it weren't for my abusive, debt-ridden parents who believed a girl’s education was useless and tried to force me to marry a fifty-year-old local creditor to clear their gambling debts... If it weren't for the fact that my drunken father had torn my college acceptance letter to shreds and beaten me half to death, right before Ashton’s wealthy mother found me and offered me a deal— As long as I could get her rebellious, failing son into an Ivy League school, she would not only cover my high school tuition but also give me five million dollars upon his acceptance... I would have never chased after a toxic bad boy like Ashton, acting like a loyal, tireless dog at his beck and call. For three whole years. I used every method possible to turn this arrogant slacker into a straight-A student, successfully securing his spot at Yale. Now that the mission was accomplished, I finally had the money to escape. I was too busy celebrating. Why on earth would I waste a single tear over him getting a new girlfriend? From beginning to end, all I wanted was to crawl out of the hellish environment of my childhood and claim a life of my own. Love was never part of the equation. When the college semester started, I didn't show up at the local university. My parents would have hunted me down there. After all, a daughter with a bright future was a valuable asset they could still sell. If I wanted to leave, I had to make a clean break. During the three months of summer break, I passed my advanced French exams with flying colors. I successfully secured my student visa and admission to a top design school in Paris. Just as I was about to board my flight to Paris, a text from Ashton popped up on my phone. "Why did you block me on Snapchat?" "Chloe, have you not thrown your tantrum long enough this summer? Even if Hailey and I are dating, we can still be friends. Stop being dramatic and unblock me." Every word still carried that same insufferable, condescending tone. He was entirely convinced that, just like the past three years, no matter how much he trampled on my feelings, I would eventually wag my tail and run back to him. I pulled the SIM card out of my phone, snapped it in half, and casually tossed it into the airport trash can. Along with that card, I threw away all the humility, calculation, and painful memories of my past. The plane pierced through the clouds, leaving my old life far behind. 2 Later, a high school friend told me that Ashton had been spamming my old social media accounts with comments. They were all variations of: "Are you done throwing a fit yet?" "It’s just a relationship. Is it really worth being this angry?" "Add me back right now!" She said, "At first, Ashton was so sure you’d come crawling back. When you didn't, he started losing his mind. Now, his face turns pitch black whenever someone even mentions your name." Listening to this was like hearing a story about a stranger. It didn't trigger a single emotion in me. Using the five million dollars from Mrs. Sterling, I started fresh in Paris. I enrolled in the prestigious Paris College of Art. The language barrier, the cultural adjustments, the intense coursework... Everything was a challenge. But there was no Ashton to please, no suffocating family to escape. There were only sketchbooks, blue-prints, and an endless horizon of hope. A few years passed in the blink of an eye. With hard work and a bit of talent, my jewelry designs began making waves at major fashion weeks, landing me several prestigious international awards. Eventually, I was appointed as the Chief Designer for Lumina, a rising luxury brand, and was sent back to the States to lead our expansion in the North American market. On my first day back in New York. I was grabbing lunch at a café downstairs from our corporate office when a hesitant voice sounded behind me. "Chloe? Is that you?" I turned around and saw a vaguely familiar face. It was Maya Taylor, a girl who used to sit in front of me in high school. Her eyes widened as she took me in, her face a mix of awe and sheer disbelief. "Oh my god! It really is you! You’ve changed so much!" The timid, insecure girl who used to try too hard to please everyone was gone. Time and experience had given me a quiet, elegant confidence. "Hey, Maya. Long time no see." "I can't believe it! What a coincidence!" Maya was ecstatic. "We actually have a high school reunion tonight! It’s right upstairs at the Penthouse Lounge. A bunch of people from our year are coming, including Ashton! You have to come! Nobody is going to recognize you!" Ashton? That name felt like a distant echo from another lifetime. It hadn't crossed my mind in years. I wanted to decline, but then I thought—there was really no need to hide. "Sure," I replied. I spent the rest of the day buried in corporate meetings and market reports, completely losing track of time. By the time I remembered the reunion, it was already late. Too lazy to go back to my hotel to change, I went straight up to the Penthouse Lounge in my casual business clothes. When I pushed open the heavy glass doors, the loud chatter and laughter of the party washed over me. The private lounge was spacious, and a large group was gathered around a lavish table. My eyes instinctively swept across the room and instantly locked onto the man sitting at the center of the crowd. Ashton Sterling. He looked more mature than he did in high school. His jawline was sharper, and he wore an expensive designer blazer, leaning back in his seat with that same lazy, arrogant posture. He was always the center of attention. Sitting close next to him was a beautiful young woman with heavy makeup and flashy clothes. But she wasn't Hailey. I guess his taste in girls hadn't changed, only the faces had. After a brief moment of silence, a guy who had clearly had too much to drink recognized me. "Holy crap! Look! Ashton! Your old simp, Chloe, is here!" That shout instantly turned every eye in the room toward me. The mocking chatter stopped, and a wave of judgmental, amused stares locked onto me. Ashton snapped his head up. When he saw me standing at the door, his pupils dilated in shock. His smug, relaxed expression instantly froze, replaced by raw shock and a wave of complicated emotions. The girl beside him immediately sensed his tension. She tightened her grip on his arm, throwing me a hostile, calculating look. "Chloe?" 3 I completely ignored the whispers and the stares. Walking straight over to an empty seat next to Maya, I sat down and calmly poured myself a glass of water. "Well, Chloe, it’s been a while," Vanessa Jenkins, a girl dressed in a flashy designer dress, spoke up first. "I heard you dropped out of college back then? Honestly, it makes sense. With your family background, how could they ever afford tuition?" "Where have you been working all these years? Please don't tell me you ended up marrying some old sugar daddy like people rumored. I mean, looking at your outfit today... it's pretty casual." She put a nasty emphasis on "sugar daddy," causing a few girls around her to giggle behind their hands. "I’ve been living abroad for a few years. Just got back," I replied smoothly, keeping my tone indifferent. "Ah, living abroad!" Hunter Miller, another classmate, chimed in with a mockingly sympathetic tone. "But it’s tough for expats these days, right? You might get away with some sketchy jobs over there, but that stuff is illegal here. Since we were classmates, let us know if you need help. Do you have a job yet? We could hook you up." "My uncle’s firm is looking for a receptionist. No experience needed, just basic computer skills. The pay isn't great, but hey, it's honest work. Better than whatever you were doing..." He trailed off, his implication crystal clear. "Exactly," Vanessa chimed in with a fake, sweet smile. "Western guys might love exotic girls, but let’s be real, they only use them for fun." "Chloe, we're your old friends. If you're struggling, just say the word." "With your background... I mean, since you never went to college and clearly don't own any nice clothes, you’ll never pass a decent interview. How about I take you shopping sometime? I can lend you some cash. You used to be the top student, it’s honestly a pity to see you end up like this." Ashton remained silent. But his hand clenched tightly around his whiskey glass, his dark eyes burning into me. The new girlfriend next to him, Tiffany Thorne, finally couldn't take it anymore. With a patronizing sneer, she leaned forward, looking down at me with pure disdain. "So you’re Chloe? Yeah, I've heard of you." "Weren't you the pathetic little doormat who used to chase my Ashton around?" "Doing his homework, taking his notes, lying to his teachers?" "Must have been exhausting." She paused, clearly enjoying the amused looks of the crowd. "But at least you had some self-awareness. You knew someone like you could never match a Sterling, so you ran away. But it looks like life hasn't been kind to you since." "Just so you know, Ashton is now the vice president of Sterling Enterprises. And me? I just took over my family’s fashion line, and we’re currently in talks for a major collaboration with a top global luxury brand. If you’re really desperate, maybe we can find some crumbs for you." I took a sip of my water. "No, thank you." Tiffany rolled her eyes at my response, her tone turning even more boastful. "You probably don't even know what kind of level I’m talking about. Have you heard of Lumina? The French high-end jewelry brand?" "Their Chief Designer is an absolute genius who won multiple international awards in Paris. She’s incredibly exclusive. I had to pull a million strings just to get an introductory meeting with her. If she agrees to design a capsule collection for my brand, it will completely shake up the fashion industry." "Once that deal goes through, a single word from me could change your entire life." The table erupted into gasps and flattery. "Oh my god, Lumina! Their designs are stunning!" "I heard their chief designer is extremely picky. Ordinary brands don't even get a reply!" "Tiffany, your connections are insane! To be able to book someone of that caliber... Only a woman like you is fit to stand next to Ashton!" Tiffany lifted her chin proudly, soaking in the praise. I looked at her, unable to hold back a soft chuckle. 4 She was putting on quite a show. "What's the designer’s name? She sounds legendary," someone asked curiously. "She goes by the name Eileen," Tiffany said, continuing to oversell her connection. "She's young but incredibly talented, and she has massive influence in Europe. It's not easy for a brand of our size to get her attention, but I’m confident I can make it happen." She leaned affectionately against Ashton. "Right, babe?" Ashton gave a distracted, "Yeah." His eyes were still glued to my face, filled with a mix of resentment and pride, refusing to speak a word directly to me. Seeing this, the others continued to tear me down to boost Tiffany's ego. But I simply held my glass, completely unbothered. Just then, the glass door of the lounge was gently knocked open. A young woman in a smart business suit, holding a thick stack of folders, stepped in with an anxious but respectful expression. "Ms. Thorne, I’m so sorry to interrupt." "I brought the urgent files you requested for the Lumina project. Also, about the designer..." Hearing this, Tiffany immediately stood up. "What about her? Did she reply? Did she agree to meet me?" Her voice was trembling with excitement. The young assistant nodded. "I actually met her today. But her schedule was packed tonight, so she scheduled a meeting with us for tomorrow morning." Hearing her assistant confirm the meeting with the mysterious designer, Tiffany’s face lit up with a victorious smile. "Perfect!" She turned to Ashton, her eyes sparkling with pride. "See, Ashton? I told you I could do it! I’ll seal the deal tomorrow!" The classmates immediately showered her with more praise. "Tiffany, you are truly amazing!" "We’ll all be looking up to you from now on, Ms. Thorne!" "Ashton is so lucky to have such a powerful partner!" Amidst the endless flattery, Tiffany’s vanity reached its peak. She cast a dismissive glance toward me, sitting quietly in the corner. "By the way, Amy, do we have any entry-level openings in our company? Like... janitorial staff?" She paused, pointing her gaze directly at me. "This classmate here, Chloe, used to help my boyfriend a lot in high school." "I heard she’s currently unemployed. Since we’re all old friends, I’d love to help her secure a stable job. Think of it as charity." The room went dead silent for a second before erupting into even louder laughter. "Oh, Tiffany, you’re too kind! But honestly, you shouldn't get involved with someone like her, especially with her family. They’re toxic!" "Seriously! You guys don't know, but after she vanished back then, her parents came to the school and caused a massive scene! They were screaming, crying, and rolling on the floor of the dean's office, claiming the school kidnapped their daughter! They even brought local reporters! It was so embarrassing!" "Exactly! Her entire family is insane. Tiffany, your company is just starting to take off. If her crazy parents start showing up at your office to demand money, you’ll be ruined!" Hearing this, Tiffany put on a look of dramatic horror. "Oh, really? Then I'm so sorry, Chloe. You see, it's not that I don't want to help you, but my brand is in a critical stage. I really can't afford to deal with the kind of drama your family brings." She shifted closer to Ashton, as if standing near me would somehow contaminate her. Ashton just stared at me. His lips parted as if he wanted to say something, but he quickly suppressed it with a bitter scowl. Everyone looked at me with smug satisfaction, expecting me to be humiliated. I really didn't understand why she was so obsessed with finding me a job. Calmly, I repeated what I had said earlier. "No need. I already have a job, thank you." Tiffany sighed. "Whatever job you have, you should probably quit. Being pretty might pay the bills for now, but... that kind of lifestyle will get you sick eventually." A wave of dirty snickers went around the table. Amy, the assistant, smiled politely at first, but as she looked closer at me, her professional expression suddenly froze. The thick stack of Lumina project files she was holding slipped from her hands, crashing loudly onto the floor. White papers scattered everywhere. The lounge went dead silent. Tiffany frowned in annoyance. "What is wrong with you? Can't even hold a few folders?" But Amy completely ignored her boss's anger. She pointed at me, her voice trembling with shock and terror. "Designer Vance?! What... what are you doing here?!"