Mike Carter stared at the message on his phone, his brows furrowing in thought.
Elliot Howard had once told Mike that being truly wealthy wasn't just about having money. It was about class, patience, and composure. A real gentleman had the capacity to forgive and the self-assuredness to stay above petty squabbles.
Mike took a deep breath and decided to let it go. Sophia Rivers hadn't intentionally put him in a bad position. If she truly wanted to humiliate him, she wouldn't have handed him $5,000 of her own savings for the evening.
But there was something else on his mind. The mysterious jar of paper stars sitting on his desk—he needed to know if Sophia was the one behind them.
"Sure. Let's meet. I'll wait for you at the school gate," Mike replied to her text.
On the other side of town, Sophia's heart skipped a beat as she saw his response. "Great! I'll be there soon!" she texted back, her excitement unmistakable.
She hadn't expected Mike to respond so quickly, let alone agree to meet her. After the mess she'd caused at her party, she wouldn't have blamed him for ignoring her completely. Compared to the entitled and temperamental rich boys she usually knew, Mike's calm and forgiving nature was a refreshing change.
She quickly changed into a sporty outfit and headed for the door.
"Where are you off to?" Veronica Rivers asked, raising a perfectly shaped brow as her younger sister rushed past.
"Just grabbing a bite," Sophia said, sticking out her tongue playfully.
Veronica smirked knowingly. "Oh, really? Grabbing a bite? Or meeting someone?"
Sophia's cheeks turned red. "It's not what you think!" she said, before darting out the door to avoid any more probing questions.
At the school gate, Mike leaned against a lamppost, his hands tucked into his pockets as he waited. The cool night air carried the faint scent of blooming flowers, and the moonlight cast a soft glow over the quiet campus.
A taxi pulled up, and Sophia stepped out. Dressed in a simple tracksuit, she looked effortlessly stunning. Her tall, slender figure and radiant smile seemed to light up the entire street as she jogged toward him.
Mike couldn't help but notice how her long legs moved with grace, and the way her hair swayed in the breeze. Her clear, doe-like eyes sparkled with warmth as she stopped in front of him.
"Have you been waiting long?" she asked, standing on her tiptoes slightly as if to close the gap between them.
Mike blinked, momentarily caught off guard. He quickly composed himself. "Not at all. A beauty like you is worth waiting for."
Sophia rolled her eyes but couldn't hide her amusement. "You're such a smooth talker."
"So, what do you want to eat?" Mike asked, trying to focus on the reason they were meeting.
Sophia tapped her chin thoughtfully. "Hmm… how about we eat wherever you usually go?"
Mike froze for a moment. "Where I usually go?" he muttered under his breath. Did she expect him to take her to the supermarket's free sample counter?
After a moment of contemplation, he suggested, "There's a great skewer spot nearby called 8090 BBQ. Let's go there."
Sophia smiled brightly. "Perfect. Lead the way."
The two of them arrived at the bustling street-side eatery. Mike ordered a variety of skewers and a few bottles of beer, settling into the familiar but vibrant atmosphere. For him, eating here had always been a luxury—a meal that would cost more than he usually dared to spend. But tonight, it felt different.
Sophia picked up one of the beers and took a cautious sip. Almost immediately, her face scrunched up. "Ugh! This tastes awful!"
Mike chuckled at her reaction. "Beer's an acquired taste."
Not wanting to back down, Sophia raised her glass. "Fine. Here's to making things right. Cheers, Mike."
She downed an entire pint in one go, leaving Mike staring at her in awe.
They ended up sharing six or seven bottles between them, their laughter echoing in the night as they exchanged stories and jokes. For the first time in a long while, Mike felt completely at ease. Sophia, with her genuine warmth and infectious energy, was a breath of fresh air.
After dinner, they walked back toward campus. As they passed the sports field, Mike noticed how the students who were still jogging stopped to stare at them.
"Is that Mike Carter?" someone whispered.
"No way! How is he walking with Sophia Rivers?"
"What kind of black magic did he use?"
Mike ignored the murmurs and focused on Sophia, who seemed oblivious to the attention. They strolled past the track, their footsteps in sync, until Mike remembered the question that had been on his mind all night.
"Sophia," he began hesitantly, "you… wouldn't happen to know how to fold paper stars, would you?"
Sophia tilted her head, her soft features illuminated by the moonlight. Her lips, full and inviting, curved into a teasing smile. "Paper stars? Mike, are you drunk?" she said, gently placing a hand on his forehead as if checking for a fever.
Mike's face burned with embarrassment. Her reaction was so genuine, so unguarded, that it left no room for doubt. She wasn't the one behind the stars.
"Never mind," he said quickly, trying to laugh it off. "Let me get you a cab."
Later that night, Mike found himself drawn to the university's library building. Its windows glowed faintly, the only source of light on the otherwise dark campus. Something compelled him to walk inside.
As he reached his usual seat, he froze. There, sitting at his desk, was a girl he recognized immediately.
It was Amelia Song.
Quiet and reserved, Amelia rarely spoke to anyone in their class. She moved with a deliberate shyness, her presence so understated that many people overlooked her entirely. But now, in the dim light of the library, Mike watched as she carefully folded a paper star and tucked it into the pages of his textbook.
The realization hit him like a tidal wave. It had been her all along.
Startled by a sound he accidentally made, Amelia turned her head. Mike quickly ducked out of sight, his heart pounding in his chest.
Back in his dorm that night, Mike couldn't stop smiling. Amelia—the quiet girl with no voice but so much kindness—had been leaving him those stars. Suddenly, the world felt a little brighter, and Mike made a silent promise to himself:
From now on, he'd protect her, no matter what.
The night was anything but calm.Ethan Bear felt a burning rage course through his veins. The humiliation he had suffered earlier was eating him alive. A mere nobody like Mike Carter dared to stand against him? What a joke!
Back at the Bear family mansion, Ethan paced back and forth in his room, his face twisted with fury. He had been researching all night, looking up everything he could find about "californium." To his dismay, the information only confirmed the absurd value of the metal—a price tag that was astronomical and a rarity that was unparalleled. Its applications in medicine, particularly in cancer treatment, made it one of the most coveted materials on Earth.
The praise Mike had received at the party, especially from Veronica Rivers, replayed in his mind like a broken record. Veronica was known for her brilliance and high standards, having risen to become a successful CEO after earning a prestigious medical degree. For her to openly commend Mike meant one thing: she saw something in him, something Ethan couldn't dismiss.
Ethan clenched his fists. Veronica's admiration for Mike wasn't just a blow to his ego; it was a threat to his social standing.
"Mike Carter," Ethan sneered, his voice low and menacing. "I don't care how you got your hands on that californium, but you've crossed the line. You think you can outsmart me? Pathetic."
Turning to the man standing silently by the door, Ethan's eyes glinted with malicious intent. "I've got a plan, and it's going to ruin him. Not just him—his entire existence. And Veronica? She'll hate him forever."
The man nodded, his face devoid of emotion. "What's the plan, Mr. Bear?"
A sinister smile crept across Ethan's face. "Let's just say, by the time I'm done, Mike Carter will wish he never crossed paths with me. And the Rivers family will despise the very mention of his name."
Laughter echoed through the room, cold and calculating, as Ethan's dark plan began to take shape.
The next morning, the first class of the day was P.E., specifically badminton. At the university, some courses were held with smaller groups, but P.E. was one of the few classes conducted in large batches. Nearly a hundred students from different sections gathered for the session.
Mike arrived early, feeling inexplicably refreshed and energized. As he leaned against a railing near the court, he spotted Amelia Song in the distance.
Amelia walked toward the court alone, her head down, avoiding eye contact with anyone. Her silence and reserved demeanor set her apart from the others. Many of her peers either ignored her or ridiculed her, but Mike couldn't help but notice her quiet resilience.
As she approached the steps leading to the court, Mike's attention was drawn to another figure—Zoe Han.
Zoe casually moved in behind Amelia, a sly smirk forming on her lips. Before Mike could react, Zoe extended her leg, tripping Amelia mid-step.
Amelia stumbled forward and landed face-first on the muddy ground, her books and belongings scattering around her. The rain from earlier that morning had left the ground slippery and damp, making her fall all the more humiliating.
Laughter erupted around the court.
"Oh my God, did you see that? The mute girl just ate dirt!" someone sneered.
"She can't even walk properly. What a waste of space," another voice added.
"No wonder she has no friends," a third chimed in, their tone dripping with mockery.
Mike's blood boiled. His hands clenched into fists as he watched the scene unfold. Amelia, covered in mud, struggled to get up while the crowd's cruel laughter grew louder.
"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Mike roared, storming toward the scene.
Zoe feigned innocence, shrugging as if nothing had happened. As she walked past Amelia, she deliberately stepped on Amelia's hand, grinding her heel into the mud.
Amelia winced but didn't cry out. She simply pulled her hand back, her face pale and expressionless.
That was the final straw.
Mike didn't hesitate. He grabbed Zoe by the arm, spinning her around. Before she could protest, his hand connected with her cheek in a resounding slap. The sound echoed across the court, silencing the laughter instantly.
The crowd froze, their eyes darting between Mike and Zoe, stunned by his sudden action.
"What… what the hell is wrong with you?" Zoe stammered, holding her cheek.
Mike's eyes burned with fury. "That's for hurting her. You think bullying someone makes you powerful? It makes you pathetic."
Zoe opened her mouth to respond, but no words came out. The force of Mike's words—and the slap—left her completely speechless.
Mike turned to Amelia, who was still on the ground. He crouched down, offering her his hand.
"Are you okay?" he asked gently.
Amelia hesitated for a moment before placing her small, trembling hand in his. Mike helped her up, brushing some of the mud off her clothes. She looked at him with wide eyes, her lips moving as if trying to form words, but no sound came out.
"It's okay," Mike said softly. "You don't have to say anything."
Amelia's eyes glistened with unspoken gratitude. For the first time in what felt like forever, someone had stood up for her.
The crowd began to disperse, the air thick with tension. Zoe, still holding her cheek, glared at Mike, her face a mixture of anger and humiliation. This wasn't over—not by a long shot.
As Amelia and Mike walked toward the court together, he couldn't help but glance at her out of the corner of his eye. Despite the mud and rain, she carried herself with quiet dignity. There was something about her that intrigued him, something he couldn't quite put into words.
Whatever it was, Mike knew one thing for sure: he wasn't going to let anyone hurt her again.