Billy was taken aback for a second, then sneered, "You callous bitch. You're so damn shallow. You used to beg to be with me when I had money, but now I'm in trouble, you want to leave me?"
Cathy snorted but didn't say anything. That was exactly what she was going to do.
When they had first left the police station yesterday, she had planned to stay with Billy for a while, just because she felt sorry for him. But then when Billy ran out of money, she had had enough.
"I've already told you, we're over." Cathy stood up and tried to leave, but Billy grabbed her hand, hurting her.
"I should've known from the beginning what you're really like. You're not nearly as special as you think you are. I'm sick of you." Billy looked Cathy up and down, and continued, "You can leave if you want, as long as you give me back all the money that I spent on you."
"Billy, are you even a man? You want to ask a girl like me for money—don't you have any shame?" When Cathy heard him ask her for money, she was horrified. "I was your girlfriend for so many months. You should be paying me money for all the time I've spent with you, not asking me for money. Have you got no pride?"
"I spent hundreds of thousands on you. Do you really think you were worth it?" Billy was not thinking straight. First, I have to find three hundred and fifty thousand to pay back, and now Cathy says she's leaving me. "Ok, since you're begging, I'll let you off some of the money. You did give me some good times in bed. If you pay me three hundred and fifty thousand dollars, we'll be even."
"Psycho," Cathy said as she stared at Billy in disbelief. "You're not getting a cent from me. It's you who has to pay back the money. You're the one the police are after."
"You bloody whore. Trying to get one over on me," Billy said as he looked at Cathy. Her face had five finger marks on it and her hair was messy. He continued, "You know, I know some dangerous people. If you don't get my money for me within a week, you had better watch your back."
Billy wouldn't stop talking. "If you can't pay me back, you're in big trouble. Even if I have to go to jail, I'll get even for this," he whispered into Cathy's ear. His sinister sneer made her shiver.
"Now piss off." Billy gave Cathy a hard shove.
Cathy knew a little about Billy's past. She knew that with his connections and determination, he would get his revenge if she didn't give him the money he wanted. But where was she going to find three hundred and fifty thousand dollars?
Cathy walked past Alex in a daze. Her mind was filled with thoughts about the three hundred and fifty thousand dollars, and she didn't even notice him there.
Alex sighed. He felt a little sorry for Cathy. When she had first fallen in love with Billy, he had worried that it would end badly, but he had never imagined it would be as bad as this.
It's all Cathy's fault. She's always been so greedy. He shook his head and continued eating.
Cathy walked out of the cafeteria looking dejected. All her usual energy had gone.
The huge amount of three hundred and fifty thousand dollars pressed down on her so heavily that she could barely breathe.
Cathy sat down on the curb outside. She didn't care if her pants were dirty and other students were laughing at her. She hugged her knees and let the tears flow from her eyes.
Hating herself, she thought, why did I have to aggravate Billy when I knew how angry he already was? And now what have I achieved? Not only am I not going to marry a rich man, but I have to find this huge sum of money to give him.
Her mind turned naturally to Alex. When I was with Alex, he always put me first, without any ulterior motives. Even though I humiliated Alex when I left him, he never tried to get his own back on me as Billy did.
Thinking about the two men, she realized how much better Alex was than Billy.
If Alex is rich after all, maybe I should try to win him back. Maybe he could still care about me, Cathy couldn't help but wonder.
It's been proven that it was Billy who stole the three hundred and fifty thousand, which means that the money that Alex donated was his, which proves that Alex is rich after all. And, yesterday at Graham's banquet, Alex won the diamond necklace. He is rich.
If Alex was willing to help Cathy, then all her problems would be solved.
Thinking of this, Cathy became excited. She felt a ray of hope. The key question now was, would Alex help her?
When we were together, he gave me everything I wanted. Although I left him, he used to love me.
Debbie, that peasant, has been with Alex for quite a while now, but he probably only got together with her because he was lonely and couldn't have me. I outclass her in looks, clothes, and education. If I beckon him, I'm sure Alex will come running back to me like a dog.
Cathy felt much better as she thought of this. She stood up from the curb and looked around to see a few boys watching her.
"Hey, gorgeous, don't be sad. Billy is a bastard. Let's go, we'll buy you a drink." The boys had seen her arguing with Billy in the cafeteria and tried to cheer her up.
"Don't think I don't know that you're only after one thing," Cathy sneered at them. The sadness from earlier was long gone. "Why don't you piss off?"
She snorted coldly and walked toward her dorm. She needed peace to think of a plan to win Alex back.
**
When he had finished eating, Alex went back to his dorm to catch up with Ben and the others. They were thrilled to see him and asked him about everything that had happened. Alex didn't tell them everything about Harmony Island, only that he had been keeping a low profile, and decided to come back when he heard that the real thief had been arrested.
He was worried that their friendships would change if he told them who he was. How would he know whether their feelings were genuine, or if they were just after his money?
Alex knew he would hate that, so he decided to keep his wealth a secret for now.
Only after they'd had lunch together did his friends stop asking Alex questions and let him go.
**
Alex noticed that Cathy didn't attend their afternoon class. He was really afraid that Billy might have done something to her.
**
In the evening, Alex wanted to have dinner with Debbie, but she had to stay in the classroom to take supplementary lessons, so Alex left her to it.
Just as he was thinking of going out for a meal, Cathy called him. Alex hesitated for a moment but finally answered her call.
"Alex." Cathy pretended to be relieved that he had answered her call, but deep down she was sure that he still had feelings for her. When you saw that it was me calling, you answered the phone so quickly, she thought.
"What's wrong?" Alex asked in a friendly tone. He was afraid that she would do something stupid.
Cathy cried softly.
"I'm fine. I just really want to meet with you. Is that okay?" she said in a low and dejected tone. She was trying to get his sympathy.
Alex hesitated.
"Can't I just want to see you? You used to be happy to see me at any time of the day or night. Have your feelings for me have changed so much?" Cathy asked with a sob. "All right, if you don't want to see me, then I have nothing else to say. I guess that the year we spent together meant nothing."
She was disappointed, but she didn't end the call.
"All right, I'll meet with you," Alex said lightly.
"Great. Meet me right now at The Angel bar outside the school." She quickly ended the call before Alex could change his mind.
Cathy was already in The Angel. She took out her small mirror and admired herself in it. A proud smile appeared on her face.
She thought, Alex, I didn't think that you would still care so much for me after so long. The moment I called you, you agreed to meet me. You have no pride left at all.
However, I don't blame you. You're not blind after all. How could you not want to be with me again?
It didn't cross her mind that if Alex was there, he would probably have told her that he only agreed to meet her to get her to stop calling him.
As one of the few bars outside of Preston University, The Angel was popular with university students. It was always buzzing.
Alex walked into the bar and saw Cathy waving at him from a dimly lit corner seat. "Here," she called out.
Alex sat down opposite Cathy, who called the waiter over and said, "I want a glass of champagne. Give him a single malt on the rocks."
These two drinks came to almost fifty dollars, but Cathy thought, why not, since Alex will be paying?
The drinks were served quickly. Cathy and Alex were sitting opposite each other at a small table.
Cathy took a sip of her wine and quickly said to Alex, "I broke up with Billy. Yesterday, I found out that he was a thief, and I felt terrible for blaming you for the crime. He's a total thug. I can't be with a criminal, so, yesterday, when the police confirmed that it was Billy that stole the money, I broke up with him straight away."
"Didn't you break up this morning?" Alex asked with an amused smile as he looked at her.
Cathy became emotional.
"Alex, I couldn't stop thinking about everything last night when I was lying in bed. My mind was all over the place. I realized that I hate Billy. I asked myself what kind of person I want to be with, and I gradually understood the qualities that are important to me. I want someone with integrity, kindness, someone who loves me. I realized that it has nothing to do with whether he has money or not. I began to wonder if I've already met the man who's perfect for me, and I realized that I have. Do you know who my perfect partner is?"
"Who?" Alex replied hesitantly.
There was a trace of tenderness in Cathy's eyes. She gradually slid her hand toward Alex. "That person is you," she whispered.