Luke was beyond livid.

He frowned and questioned me sharply, "You could've just said that you didn't want to go. Why did you have to make your roommate put on this whole act? Is the money not enough?"

Fiona had deliberately spoken in my defense as she wanted to provoke Luke and ruin my chances. Her lips curled into a small smirk when she noticed that he was getting worked up.

I immediately shook her off. "Those who are guilty assume the worst in everyone! You keep saying that I'm selling my body. What's with that? Are you perhaps guilty of that?"

Her face turned red with humiliation as she pointed at me, utterly mad. "You ungrateful wretch! I was only trying to help!"

Luke had no interest in watching a catfight, so he turned to leave.

Fiona was more than thrilled to see him storm off. She had flown into a rage just moments ago, but now she was smirking like a cat who had gotten the canary. "Well, you won't even have the chance to offer yourself up even if you want to now."

Before I could respond, some of the onlookers recognized her.

"Hey, isn't that Fiona? I heard her family's pretty loaded. She's always wearing designer brands!"

"She's a wealthy heiress, alright. She's so beautiful and kind too. Look at her trying to do good by her roommate. Honestly, a shameless woman like that deserves whatever's coming for her. Maybe she'll finally regret her actions if she catches some shameful diseases."

Fiona had said the exact same thing to me in my past life, and I was naive enough to believe her.

However, she coldly rebuffed me when I desperately begged for her help after Mom fell ill. "Die if you can't afford the treatment. How's that my problem?"

That was when I knew that her so-called kindness was nothing but a cruel joke. She had thrown every degrading insult known to man at me.

If I were still the naive freshman I was in my past life, I might've crumbled under the pressure like a soggy wet wipe. Sadly for her, I've heard worse comments than that.

So, I didn't bother wasting my time explaining myself. I knew now that the more I tried to defend myself, the worse it would look for me.

Mom needed the money to live. So everyone else could shove their opinions where the sun didn't shine!

I ignored all the scornful gazes piercing my skin as I caught up to Luke and pointed at Fiona, explaining, "She's the girl who propositioned you in that screenshot. She's jealous that you picked me and was trying to provoke you."

Luke blinked in realization, and his expression softened a little. However, his voice was far from welcoming. "So what if she was? This has been humiliating. I'm spending ten grand to get a plus one. Yet, I'm getting cursed at for it?"

I immediately knew what he was getting at and apologized sincerely. "Surely, a generous person like yourself wouldn't hold a grudge against a silly girl, yes?"

His mood, which had improved slightly, got visibly better.

I pressed my advantage, saying slyly, "The banquet's about to start. It won't be easy for you to find someone else now. Besides, you picked me, didn't you? Doesn't that mean I fit your requirements perfectly?

"And you've already spent the money, so the least you could do is actually bring a plus one that pleases your eyes, no?"

Luke immediately turned bright red. He snapped, "What are you even on about? Stop flattering yourself!"

Then, he spun on his heel and stalked off.

My heart sank at the sight. I was just about to reach out to him when Fiona suddenly grabbed my arm in a vice-like grip.

"The counselor is coming! You can't leave! The counselor's here to reprimand you for your disgraceful lifestyle! Yet, you're not even the least bit sorry."

My anxiety was through the roof as I watched Luke leave, but I couldn't break free from Fiona's grasp, no matter how much I struggled.