Chapter 3

"I won't give you a single cent."

I said calmly, "Not only won't I pay you, I'm going to collect what you owe me."

Hearing this, Marcus's mother collapsed back to the ground, wailing:

"Help! This girl is trying to kill us!"

"My son works so hard for his money, up early and late every day, barely saved any money and she scammed it all!"

"And now she's turning the tables on us! She's heartless!"

My colleagues also criticized me:

"Evelyn, you're going too far. How can you demand money from them? Playing the victim!"

"Exactly! Debts must be repaid -- it's only right. Have some shame!"

The director had lost his patience. "Evelyn, pay up now. Stop embarrassing yourself!"

I ignored them and held up the itemized list for everyone to see.

"Everyone, look carefully. This is what he wants me to repay."

"Marcus and I ate four meals together. He paid for two, I paid for two. I have payment receipts."

"Why is he charging me for all four meals?"

The murmuring stopped as everyone crowded over to look.

I pointed at the list and continued:

"He drove to the restaurant -- twenty minutes according to GPS. But he charges $120 for gas each time, four times totaling $480."

Marcus's mother stopped crying and jumped up, shouting:

"So what if he made a mistake! Everyone makes mistakes with their accounting!"

"You're nitpicking these tiny errors just to avoid paying!"

"My son spent so much money on you, and you have the nerve to find fault? You have no conscience!"

But my colleagues' expressions had already changed:

"Four hundred dollars off is a small error? This is clearly inflated!"

"The gas doesn't add up either. A twenty-minute drive doesn't cost $120. This is fraud."

"I don't think this is as simple as it seems."

Seeing things turn against them, Marcus's mother lunged to grab the list, but several colleagues who wanted to see more drama held her back.

I simply read aloud:

"Pre-date chewing gum, $20. Haircut, $280. Car wash, $180. Phone bill, $80..."

"Marcus, you took me to a movie, I bought you bubble tea. I never took advantage of you."

"But why should I pay for the chewing gum you chewed before our date, your haircut, your car wash?"

The crowd erupted:

"What the hell? He's charging her for his haircut? And car wash fees? Is this dating or a business transaction?"

"The prices are wrong too! Twenty dollars for chewing gum? One-eighty for a car wash? Think we're idiots?"

"This is ridiculous! He's clearly trying to scam her!"

The onlookers turned against them. Marcus's face alternated between red and white as he shouted desperately:

"Don't let her mislead you! These expenses are real!"

"I gave her a gold bracelet worth $6,888! That's real gold!"

I laughed coldly and pulled the bracelet from my pocket, holding it up for everyone to see:

"This bracelet isn't gold at all!"

A colleague who knew jewelry took it and looked it over, immediately laughing:

"It's fake. Same one's online for $9.99 with free shipping."

Now the crowd was truly furious, pointing and cursing at them:

"You gave her a fake gift and have the nerve to cause a scene at her company? What shameless liars!"

"This guy's just a scammer! Call the police!"

I looked at Marcus, my tone ice-cold:

"You gave me a $9.99 knockoff, but I gave you a genuine watch worth $7,000."

"Seven thousand dollars. Pay me back now."

The crowd also demanded he return the money, with some saying they'd call the police.

Marcus's face turned ashen as he pulled out his phone and made the transfer.

Marcus's mother tried to stop him, but Marcus pulled her aside and whispered something. She went quiet.

After Marcus paid, he dragged his mother away.

As she left, she shot me a venomous glare and hissed through clenched teeth:

"This isn't over! You'll see!"