"You're nothing but a poor designer."

Michael's words hit me harder than I expected. For a second I simply stood there, staring at him, and then everyone laughed. The sound surrounded me from every direction, whispers rippling through the students gathered in the university courtyard, followed by poorly hidden giggles.

"Poor designer." Someone repeated the words. ,Another person laughed.

I tightened my grip around the portfolio pressed against my chest. Three sleepless nights, that was how long it had taken me to finish the designs inside it. Three nights of surviving on cheap coffee and instant noodles because I couldn't afford to turn down another commission. Those designs weren't just drawings. They were my future, and Michael knew that. He knew exactly how much they meant to me. Yet he stood there with his arm around another girl.

Valerie. His new girlfriend.

I swallowed the lump in my throat and looked at him. "So that's it?"

Michael shrugged. "What do you want me to say?"

"The truth would be a good start."

A few people laughed again. My cheeks burned, but I refused to look away.

Michael sighed like I was already exhausting him. "Fine. The truth is I'm tired of pretending."

"Pretending what?"

"That we're compatible."

Valerie giggled beside him, and I looked at her. "So you replaced me before you even broke up with me?"

She smiled. "Don't make it sound so dramatic."

"Dramatic?" I almost laughed. I couldn't believe he was doing this here, in front of everyone. Michael had decided that publicly humiliating me was easier than giving me the basic respect of a private breakup.

He looked me up and down. "Jessica, look at you."

I frowned. "What exactly am I supposed to be looking at?"

"You're always struggling. Always working. Always talking about your little designs."

"My career."

Michael rolled his eyes. "Whatever."

I felt something inside me snap. "My designs are my career."

"Exactly." He laughed. "You're obsessed with them."

"And you're obsessed with money."

The laughter around us stopped. Michael's face hardened, and I took a step toward him.

"You know what the difference is?"

He stared at me.

"I'm actually building something."

"You think drawing clothes is going to make you successful?"

"Maybe." I lifted my chin. "But at least I'm trying."

Someone behind me whispered, "She's brave." Another person laughed. Michael's face reddened.

"You really think you're better than me?"

"No." My voice was surprisingly calm. "I think I'm better than the version of myself who would stay with someone who doesn't respect me."

A few people gasped. Michael stared at me like he couldn't believe I'd actually said it.

Valerie stepped forward. "Don't talk to him like that."

I looked at her. "I wasn't talking to you."

Her smile disappeared. "You should be grateful he even dated you."

"Grateful?"

"Yes." Her eyes traveled over my clothes, my worn-out shoes. "Not everyone gets a chance to date someone like Michael."

I looked at Michael, then back at her. "Clearly."

Someone laughed loudly. Valerie's face turned red. "You think you're funny?"

"No." I adjusted my portfolio. "I think you're wasting my time."

I turned around. I was done. I didn't care if Michael wanted Valerie, and I didn't care what anyone on this campus thought about me. I had a design presentation to finish. I had a future to build, and I wasn't going to let a breakup destroy it.

I barely took two steps before Valerie grabbed my arm. I immediately pulled away. "Don't touch me."

"You're unbelievable."

She raised her hand. I saw it coming, but before she could slap me, someone caught her wrist. Hard.

The laughter stopped. The entire courtyard went silent. I froze, then slowly turned.

Jeremy Blackwood stood behind Valerie.

My heart skipped. Everyone knew Jeremy. He was impossible not to notice, the heir to the Blackwood family, the kind of person people lowered their voices around. I'd seen girls trying to get his attention. I'd seen people practically fight for a seat beside him. But I'd never seen him interfere in anyone's business.

Until now.

His expression was cold. Terrifyingly cold. Valerie's face changed the moment she saw him.

"Jeremy…"

He didn't even look at her. His eyes stayed fixed on the hand she had raised against me. "Let go."

"I wasn't going to—"

"I said let go."

She lowered her hand immediately. Jeremy finally looked at her, and then his eyes moved to me. For some reason, I felt strangely exposed beneath his gaze.

Before I could understand what was happening, he reached for my wrist. I frowned. What was he doing? Then he looked at the crowd, and though his voice was calm, everyone heard him.

"She's my girlfriend."

My brain stopped working. What?

The courtyard exploded.

"What?"

"Jeremy has a girlfriend?"

"Since when?"

"Her?"

"Isn't she the poor designer?"

"I thought Sandra liked him."

"Maybe she seduced him."

My face burned. I looked at Jeremy. He looked completely calm, as if he hadn't just detonated a bomb in the middle of campus. I pulled my wrist away.

"What did you just say?"

"Come with me."

He turned. I didn't move.

"Jeremy."

He stopped.

"You shouldn't have done that."

His eyes narrowed. "You were about to get slapped."

"I could handle her."

He looked at me like I'd said something ridiculous. "Not as if you can defend yourself."

My temper flared. "That was unnecessary."

"So was standing there while she tried to hit you."

"She didn't hit me."

"Because I stopped her."

I folded my arms. "Why did you say I was your girlfriend?"

He stared at me for a moment. "I just wanted to protect you."

"You cannot protect me."

His jaw tightened. "And you're even worse than Michael."

His eyebrows lifted. "That's absurd."

I turned away. "Everyone thinks I'm going out with you now."

"You can actually be my girlfriend."

I slowly turned back. "How?"

His expression didn't change. "Let's fake date."

I blinked. "What?"

"You heard me."

"No."

"Three months."

I shook my head. "No. I can't do that. That's not possible."

Jeremy watched me for a moment. Then he said the one thing that made me stop.

"Ten thousand dollars."

My fingers loosened. My portfolio slipped from my hands, and my books and design sketches scattered across the pavement.

"What did you say?"

"I'll pay you ten thousand dollars to be my girlfriend for three months."

Ten thousand dollars. My heart pounded. That amount could change everything. It could help with my tuition. It could replace the broken laptop I'd been struggling to work with. It could give me enough money to invest in my designs. It could give me room to breathe.

I slowly walked toward him. "You're serious?"

"Completely."

I opened my mouth, but before I could say anything, a furious voice cut through the courtyard.

"There you are, you slut!"

I froze. I turned around. Sandra was storming toward me, her eyes blazing with fury.

"How dare you try to seduce my man?"

The courtyard went silent again. I stared at her, then looked at Jeremy. He didn't look surprised, and suddenly I realized something.

I hadn't even agreed to be Jeremy Blackwood's fake girlfriend yet.

But somehow, I had already become the most hated girl on campus.

"There you are, you slut!"

Sandra's voice cut through the courtyard. I turned toward her and immediately felt every pair of eyes around us shift in our direction. She was marching toward me, her face twisted with anger, her eyes fixed on me as though I had personally committed some unforgivable crime.

"How dare you try to seduce my man?" Sandra demanded.

For a moment I couldn't believe what I was hearing. I pointed at myself. "Me?"

"Yes, you," Sandra snapped.

I looked at Jeremy, then back at her. "I've known Jeremy for about ten minutes."

A few students laughed. Sandra's face reddened. "You think this is funny?"

"No," I replied. "I think it's ridiculous."

Sandra stepped closer to me. "Don't pretend you don't know what you're doing. You've been throwing yourself at Jeremy."

I stared at her in disbelief. "When exactly did I do that?"

"You've been trying to get his attention for months," Sandra accused.

"Months?" I repeated. I turned toward Jeremy. "This is actually the first real conversation I've ever had with him."

The students around us immediately started whispering. Sandra looked at Jeremy. "Tell her she's lying."

Jeremy's expression remained calm. "She isn't lying."

Sandra's face fell. "What?"

"She isn't lying," he repeated.

Sandra stared at him as though she couldn't believe he had actually taken my side. "Jeremy, you can't be serious."

Jeremy didn't answer her. I folded my arms. "See? I didn't seduce anyone."

Sandra's eyes flashed with anger. "You think because Jeremy called you his girlfriend, you're suddenly important?"

"No." I shook my head. "I think you're angry because you don't know what's going on."

Sandra stepped closer. "You stole him."

I almost laughed. "I didn't steal anyone."

Sandra pointed at Jeremy. "You knew exactly what you were doing when you went after him."

"I didn't go after him," I replied, glancing at Jeremy. "He came to me."

The crowd erupted into whispers again. Sandra looked embarrassed. Before she could respond, Michael stepped forward.

"Jessica, what's going on?" he asked.

I slowly turned toward him. "What do you mean?"

Michael pointed between Jeremy and me. "You and Jeremy? Are you actually dating him?"

I stared at him. The nerve. "You dumped me," I reminded him.

Michael frowned. "I know that."

"And then you introduced Valerie as your new girlfriend in front of everyone," I continued.

Michael glanced briefly at Valerie before looking back at me. "So?"

I gave him a cold smile. "So you don't get to question me about who I date afterward."

Several students laughed. Michael's expression darkened. "I was just asking," he said.

"No," I replied, looking directly into his eyes. "You were trying to find out if I had already moved on."

Michael's jaw tightened. I knew I'd hit the truth.

Valerie stepped forward immediately. "Don't act like you suddenly have choices because Jeremy feels sorry for you."

I turned toward her. "I'm not acting." My voice was calm. "And Jeremy doesn't need to feel sorry for me."

Michael scoffed. "Jessica, this is obviously some kind of act."

I smiled. "Funny."

Michael frowned. "What?"

"You're the one who taught me that relationships can be fake," I replied.

The laughter around us grew louder, and Michael's face tightened. Before he could respond, Jeremy stepped forward.

"Jessica, come with me," he said.

I looked at him. "Why?"

"We need to talk."

"About what?"

"The arrangement."

I remembered his offer. Ten thousand dollars. Three months. A fake relationship. I nodded. "Fine."

Jeremy turned and walked toward the university building. I followed him, but not because he had ordered me to. I needed answers.

We walked through the building until we reached a quiet hallway. Jeremy stopped, and I stopped a few feet away from him, crossing my arms. "Start explaining."

Jeremy turned to face me. "What do you want to know?"

"Everything."

His eyebrows lifted slightly. "Everything?"

"Yes." I stepped closer. "You called me your girlfriend in front of the entire university."

Jeremy looked at me calmly. "You needed help."

I frowned. "I didn't ask for help."

"You were about to be slapped," he reminded me.

"I could have handled Valerie."

He gave me a skeptical look. "You could have been hurt."

"I've survived worse."

For a moment his expression changed. "What?"

I shook my head. "Nothing."

Jeremy studied me for another second before speaking again. "You need the money."

My eyebrows pulled together. "How do you know that?"

"I know."

"That isn't an answer."

Jeremy stayed silent. I narrowed my eyes. "Have you been watching me?"

"No."

"Then how do you know I need money?"

"I pay attention," he said.

"To me?"

"Yes."

His answer made me uncomfortable. "Why?"

Jeremy didn't answer. Instead he said, "Ten thousand dollars."

I stared at him. "For three months?"

He nodded. "You pretend to be my girlfriend for three months. In return, I'll pay you ten thousand dollars."

I couldn't believe how casually he was saying it. "You're actually serious?"

"Completely."

I laughed once. "This is insane."

"Probably," he admitted.

"You don't even know me."

His expression remained unreadable. "I know enough."

That answer bothered me. I looked away. Ten thousand dollars. I knew exactly what I could do with that money. My laptop had been struggling for months, my design software crashing constantly, and I couldn't afford better equipment. Ten thousand dollars could change that. I could buy proper materials. I could improve my portfolio. I could invest in my work. Most importantly, I could take the first real step toward building my own design brand.

I turned back toward him. "I have conditions."

Jeremy nodded. "Tell me."

"You don't interfere with my studies."

"Agreed."

"You don't interfere with my design work."

"Agreed."

"You don't tell me who I can talk to."

Jeremy paused briefly before answering. "Agreed."

"And you don't control me."

He looked directly into my eyes. "I wasn't planning to."

"Good." I took a breath. "When the three months are over, we're done."

Jeremy nodded. "Agreed."

I studied his face. He was making this far too easy. "What do you get from this?"

His expression became unreadable. "That's my problem."

"No," I argued. "If I'm going to pretend to be your girlfriend, I deserve to know what I'm pretending for."

Jeremy looked away. "It's complicated."

"Then simplify it."

He looked back at me. "I need everyone to believe I'm in a relationship."

I frowned. "Why?"

"Because I do."

I sighed. "You're impossible."

A faint smile appeared on his lips. "I've heard that before."

I almost smiled back. Almost. Then I remembered who I was dealing with.

I held out my hand. "Ten thousand dollars."

Jeremy looked at my hand before taking it. "Three months."

"Three months," I repeated.

His fingers closed around mine. "Deal."

For one strange second, neither of us moved. Jeremy stared at our joined hands, then he looked at me. His expression changed, and I noticed immediately.

"What?" I asked.

He released my hand. "Nothing."

"You looked strange."

"I didn't."

"You did."

Jeremy turned away. "Forget it."

I watched him carefully. There was something strange about this boy, something I couldn't understand. But I pushed the thought aside. I had another question, a much more important one.

"Why me?"

Jeremy went still. I continued before he could answer. "You could have chosen anyone."

He said nothing.

"There are hundreds of girls at this university who would agree to pretend to be your girlfriend."

"I know."

"Then why did you choose me?"

Jeremy looked at me. For several seconds neither of us spoke. Finally he answered.

"You were there."

I frowned. "That doesn't make sense."

"It doesn't have to."

"Yes, it does," I argued, stepping closer. "You didn't randomly walk into that courtyard and choose me. You knew exactly what you were doing."

Jeremy's expression hardened. "You're asking too many questions."

"And you're giving me too few answers."

He stared at me. I refused to look away. For the first time, Jeremy looked almost uncomfortable, and I noticed it immediately.

"Jeremy," I said quietly. "Why me?"

He remained silent. I waited. Then he finally spoke.

"Because I know it was you that could do it."

My eyebrows pulled together. "What?"

Jeremy didn't answer. I stepped closer. "Do what?"

He looked directly into my eyes. There was something different in his expression now, something I couldn't understand. My heart began beating faster. I swallowed.

"You want to know?" he asked.

My phone wouldn't stop ringing.

Half-asleep, I reached across the bed and grabbed it from the nightstand. The screen was filled with missed calls. I blinked at the name. Sarah. My best friend had called me seven times.

"What the hell?" I muttered, rubbing my eyes and sitting up. Before I could call her back, my phone started ringing again. Sarah. I answered immediately.

"Sarah?"

"Jessica!" Sarah's voice came through the phone so loudly that I pulled it away from my ear.

"What happened?" I asked.

"Have you seen it?"

I frowned. "Seen what?"

"The pictures!"She shouted.

"What pictures?"

"The pictures of you and Jeremy!"

My sleep disappeared instantly. "What?"

"Jessica, have you been on your phone at all?"

"No. I literally just woke up."

"Then open Instagram," Sarah ordered.

"Why?"

"Just open it!"

I unlocked my phone. "Okay. I'm opening it."

"Go to the university page first," she instructed.

I searched for the official Blackwood University page. The moment it loaded, I stopped breathing.

"Oh my God," I whispered.

"What?" Sarah demanded.

I couldn't answer. There was a new post at the top of the page.

BLACKWOOD UNIVERSITY'S MYSTERY COUPLE: WHO IS JEREMY BLACKWOOD'S NEW GIRLFRIEND?

My eyes widened. "Sarah…"

"Keep scrolling," she urged.

I opened the post. There were pictures, so many pictures. The first showed Jeremy standing beside me in the courtyard. The second showed him holding my wrist when he stopped Valerie from slapping me. The third showed us walking away together. Then I saw another photograph, one I hadn't even realized anyone had taken. Jeremy was looking directly at me, and the angle made it look as though he was staring at me affectionately.

I swallowed. "Who took these pictures?"

"I don't know," Sarah replied. "But there are more."

I scrolled down. Another picture appeared, this one showing Jeremy holding my hand. It had been taken from behind us, making the moment look surprisingly intimate. My mouth fell open.

"We weren't even dating yesterday!"

"I know!" Sarah exclaimed. "That's why everyone is going crazy."

I kept scrolling. The comments were multiplying by the second.

Who is she?

Is this actually Jeremy's girlfriend?

Since when does Jeremy date?

She's that designer girl, right? The one Michael dumped yesterday?

My face burned. Then I saw another comment. Maybe Jeremy stole her from Michael. I rolled my eyes. "People are insane," I muttered.

"Wait," Sarah said.

"What?"

"Look at the school blog."

I opened another tab. The latest article was already trending. JEREMY BLACKWOOD'S SECRET GIRLFRIEND FINALLY REVEALED? I stared at the headline. "What the…"

I opened the article. It contained several photographs from yesterday, but one made my stomach twist. It showed Jeremy standing beside me right after he had called me his girlfriend. The caption underneath read that the Blackwood heir appeared to have finally gone public with his relationship, and asked who the mysterious girl beside him was.

I scrolled further. There were comments speculating about my family, my financial situation, my relationship with Michael, and even my designs. Someone had called me a gold digger. Another claimed I had deliberately targeted Jeremy. Someone else had written that I'd probably seduced him after getting dumped.

My fingers tightened around my phone. "Sarah?"

"I'm still here."

"Why are people saying I'm dating Jeremy?"

There was a brief silence. Then Sarah answered carefully. "Because apparently, you are."

I closed my eyes. "No, I'm not."

"You're telling me," she said.

I stared at the screen. Yesterday I had been publicly dumped. Today the entire university believed I was dating the most powerful boy on campus, and somehow the photographs made it look completely believable. I scrolled back to the picture of Jeremy holding my hand. Something about it bothered me. Not the photograph itself, but the fact that I couldn't remember anyone taking it.

"Sarah?"

"Yeah?"

"Who took these pictures?"

"I honestly don't know." She paused before adding, "But Jessica…"

"What?"

"You're trending."

I sighed. "Fantastic."

"I'm serious," she insisted. "You're everywhere."

I looked at the time. I still had classes. I still had designs to finish. And apparently, I now had a fake boyfriend.

My phone buzzed again. I glanced at the screen. A message from Jeremy.

Be ready by six.

I frowned and typed back. For what?

His reply came almost immediately. My family's gala.

I stared at the message. I never agreed to that.

The three dots appeared, then disappeared, then appeared again. Finally his response came. You agreed to be my girlfriend.

I rolled my eyes and typed back. Fake girlfriend.

His reply came almost instantly. The distinction doesn't matter tonight.

I stared at the screen, hating how easily Jeremy managed to annoy me. Still, the gala was apparently part of the arrangement, and ten thousand dollars was a lot of money. So I agreed.

By six that evening, I was standing outside the largest hotel I'd ever seen. The Blackwood family had rented the entire top floor for the event. Crystal chandeliers hung from the ceiling, expensive cars lined the entrance, and women walked past wearing dresses that probably cost more than my entire wardrobe. I looked down at my own dress. It was simple, elegant, and completely my design. I'd sewn it myself.

Jeremy approached me. For a second he said nothing, his eyes moving over my dress.

"You made that?"

"Yes."

He nodded slowly. "It suits you."

A small smile touched my lips. "Thank you."

Then I remembered the arrangement. "Remember, you're paying me for this," I reminded him.

A faint smile appeared on his face. "I remember."

He offered his arm. I hesitated before placing my hand on it, and we walked inside together. Immediately people began staring, whispers following us through the room.

"That's her."

"Jeremy's girlfriend."

"She's the designer."

"Who is her family?"

"I heard she's from nowhere."

I ignored them, or at least I tried to. Jeremy leaned slightly toward me. "Stay beside me tonight."

I looked at him. "I can take care of myself."

"I know," he replied.

His answer surprised me. I studied his face. "Then why do you keep telling me to stay close?"

His expression tightened. "Just stay close."

Something about his voice made me stop arguing. We moved deeper into the ballroom, where a group of people approached us. One of the older men in the group looked at me, his expression changing immediately. He stared at me for several seconds, then his eyes widened.

"Impossible," he whispered.

I frowned. "Excuse me?"

The man looked at Jeremy. "Where did you find her?"

Jeremy's expression turned cold. "That isn't your concern."

The man looked back at me, suddenly seeming nervous, then quickly excused himself and walked away. I watched him leave, then turned toward Jeremy.

"Who was that?"

"No one."

I sighed. "You really need to find a new answer."

Jeremy didn't smile. Instead he scanned the room. "Stay close," he repeated. Something about the way he said it made the hairs on my arms rise, though I didn't understand why.

The evening continued. I tried to enjoy myself, speaking with a few designers and admiring the artwork displayed around the ballroom. For a few minutes I actually forgot that everyone was watching me.

Then a waiter walked past us carrying a large tray of champagne glasses. Someone bumped into him. The tray tilted, and several glasses slid toward the edge. I reacted without thinking, reaching out my hand. The glasses stopped. For one impossible second they remained suspended in the air, then dropped neatly back onto the tray.

The waiter froze. I froze. The people around us went silent. Someone behind me whispered, "What just happened?"

I couldn't answer. My heart was pounding so hard I could hear it in my ears. I slowly lowered my hand. "I didn't…"

My voice died in my throat. Jeremy suddenly grabbed my wrist. "Come with me."

I stared at him. "Why?"

"Just come with me, Jessica."

He pulled me away from the crowd before anyone could stop us. Once we reached a quiet corridor, Jeremy released my wrist. I immediately rubbed it. "What was that about?"

He looked at me with an expression I couldn't understand. "You need to tell me exactly what you just did."

I frowned. "I didn't do anything."

"You stopped the glasses."

"I didn't stop anything."

"I saw you."

I shook my head. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Jeremy stepped closer. "You reached out your hand, and they stopped."

"I don't know how that happened."

His expression changed. For the first time since I had met him, he looked genuinely shaken. "You really don't know?"

I shook my head slowly. "No."

Jeremy looked away. I watched him carefully. "What aren't you telling me?"

He remained silent.

"Jeremy," I pressed. "What is happening?"

He looked back at me. His eyes were filled with something I had never seen there before. Fear. But I couldn't understand why he was afraid.

Then Jeremy spoke quietly. "You're not supposed to have such power."

My heart stopped. I stared at him. "What power do I have?"

He said nothing.

"What power do I have?" I repeated.

He continued staring at me, and for the first time since I had met Jeremy Blackwood, I realized something terrifying. He knew something about me. Something I didn't know about myself.