Chapter 4
Morning sunlight filtered through the gap in the curtains, casting a bright patch on the floor.
Nerissa blinked a few times, trying to adjust to the light. Last night felt surreal, like a messed-up dream — but the soreness all over her body made it painfully clear that it had actually happened.
She sat up and looked around. The room was big, spotless, and tastefully furnished — definitely not your average guest room.
On the nightstand sat a neatly folded stack of new clothes, with a note beside it: [Wear these. Your clothes are ripped. Cash is on the dining table downstairs.]
The handwriting was bold and no-nonsense, just like the man from last night.
Nerissa felt her face heat up. She grabbed the clothes and quickly changed. When she went downstairs, the villa was quiet. A middle-aged housekeeper was cleaning the coffee table in the living room.
"You're awake, miss? Breakfast's ready," the woman said with a kind smile.
"Thank you, but I'm good," Nerissa replied, fiddling nervously with her fingers. "Um... is Mr. Whitmore around?"
"The gentleman left for the hospital early this morning. It's his clinic day," the housekeeper said, motioning toward the dining room. "He left something for you on the table."
Nerissa felt a tight knot form in her chest. She walked into the dining room, and sure enough, there was a thick envelope sitting neatly on the table. Inside, six stacks of cash — sixty thousand dollars in total, perfectly arranged.
"He asked me to tell you to use this to finish your education," the housekeeper added from behind her.
Biting her lip, Nerissa quietly stuffed the money into her backpack. She'd wanted to personally thank Jace, maybe even make it clear she wasn't the kind of girl people usually assumed. But it was obvious — he wasn't interested in talking.
"Thank you," Nerissa said with a polite nod. "Please let Mr. Whitmore know I'll pay it back."
With that, she walked out of the quiet, elegant villa.
Out on the street, the morning wind carried a hint of chill. Nerissa walked along the sidewalk, emotions swirling up inside her.
Her phone buzzed suddenly. It was a call from he friend.
"Nerissa! Where were you last night? I called you so many times, you didn't answer!"
"It's fine, I... I spent the night at a friend's place," Nerissa replied vaguely.
"You don't sound right. Are you okay?"
"I'm really fine." She forced some energy into her voice. "I've got stuff to do, let's talk later."
She hung up and headed toward the bus stop. Morning rush hour had it completely packed, so she found a less crowded spot to stand, her mind a mess.
Jace's expression from last night kept flashing in her head. He'd helped her, gave her a place to stay, and even left a huge pile of cash. But not a single word when he left.
'Maybe to him, it was just a random act of kindness,' she thought bitterly. They came from totally different worlds — without last night, their paths would've never even crossed.
The bus pulled in, and the crowd surged forward. Nerissa got pushed in with them and managed to grab a spot in the middle of the bus.
Outside the window, the city flew by in a blur, just like that brief twist of fate between her and Jace.
