I squeezed the card tightly in my palm.

“Thanks. I’ll arrange the school transfer soon and go with my dad for his treatment.”

“I’ll pay you back this money, but it’s going to take some time.”

Ethan just scoffed. “Who’s asking?”

I didn’t tell anyone about the transfer.

On a completely ordinary afternoon, we left that city for good.

After switching hospitals, my dad’s condition slowly started to improve.

The curriculum at my new high school was intense, and I was constantly running between the hospital and our rented apartment, but luckily, my academic foundation was strong, and I didn’t fall behind.

My dad’s health gradually got better.

In college, I started a business while going to school, running myself ragged.

The money I had borrowed from Ethan, I paid back in monthly installments to the account number he’d left me.

Fortunately, my business venture was a modest success, and I paid off the entire debt by the time I graduated.

Seven years flew by.

I never thought I would run into Chloe again.

So when we did, it caught me completely off guard.

It was at a party for the rich-kid crowd that my old college buddy, Jake, had dragged me to.

Everyone there was either loaded or from an old-money family.

I didn’t really want to go, but Jake took a drag from his cigarette and teased me.

“Mr. CEO is that busy, huh? Can’t even find time to grab a bite with me.”

“Guess our friendship has faded.”

Jake was my college roommate. I’d lost touch with most of our classmates after graduation, but he and I had stayed in contact.

I couldn’t get out of it, so I had to agree.

When I pushed open the door to the lounge, I froze for a second. I had a feeling something was going to happen tonight.

Just as Jake had said, this was exactly the kind of high-end place these trust-fund kids frequented.

My mood was actually pretty good, right up until I entered the private room.

The moment I walked in, my eyes immediately found Ethan in the crowd.

He looked a lot different than he did seven years ago. The teenage awkwardness was gone, replaced by a mature and steady confidence in every move he made.

I never thought I’d see him here again.

Ethan clearly hadn’t expected it either.

He was so surprised he knocked over his drink.

The room was loud and lively. Jake pushed me forward, and a bunch of people started yelling for him to introduce me.

Ethan stared at me and smiled slowly. “An old classmate. I know him well.”

The teasing instantly got louder.

“An old friend, huh? C’mon, Ethan, give us the details!”

“Oh, I’ll give you the details, alright.” Ethan leaned back in his chair, looking thoughtful.

We locked eyes across the crowded room.

He smiled and asked me, “So, should I start with the time you stole my watch, or should I just start with your name?”

His words fell, and the buzzing room went completely silent.

The smiles on the faces of the people who’d been joking around froze, and their expressions shifted to disgust as they looked at me.

Then, a storm of stares and scrutinizing looks fell on me.

The scene from seven years ago felt like it was replaying right in front of my eyes.

Ethan was still smiling.

Jake immediately flared up. “The hell are you talking about? Don’t you dare spread lies like that. You know who my friend is, what kind of person he is? There’s no way he’d steal your stuff.”

Ethan looked at me. “Why don’t you ask him yourself?”