Played Me for a Fool

Eyes brimming with tears, I'd memorized the name on the business card, but lost the card in the midst of chaos. Now, as I beheld Aaron's handsome yet contemptuous face, a chilly realization settled over me.

As it turned out, he and Felicia had been toying with me all along.

"If you're done making a scene, Julian, I suggest you leave before you embarrass yourself," Aaron said smugly.

Felicia stood beside him quietly. She did not speak up for me even as she watched Aaron hurl insults in my face.

Aaron patted my face condescendingly and appraised me as if I were a pest. "Felicia saved your life. It's only right that you do everything she asks of you. You were happy to wait on her hand and foot, so why whine about it now?

"Felicia is the heiress of the Holden family, and that makes her extremely popular among men. And yet, she settled for an ordinary guy like you. You had nothing to lose!"

Nothing to lose? I stared at my callused hands and gritted my teeth. I wasn't born with a silver spoon in my mouth, but that didn't give anyone the right to trample on my dignity and feelings!

Aaron's smile was one of cruel satisfaction when he saw me shaking with rage. He walked over to Felicia and pulled her into his arms, then turned to look at me with something close to pity. "Reality is tough, Julian. You're nothing in this world without money or an influential background. Did you think that Felicia truly loved you? Don't kid yourself. She was only toying with you."

The corner of his mouth twitched upward. "Let me guess, Felicia told you that she wouldn't marry anyone in this lifetime except you, huh?"

The sweet memories I'd shared with Felicia surfaced in my mind. They were like a sharp blade that slit my heart open. I couldn't stand the smug look on Aaron's face. I clenched my fists tightly and gritted my teeth.

Felicia noticed my hostility and quickly shielded Aaron, showing the same bravado she had when she shoved me out of the motorcycle's way years ago. Only this time, she was protecting someone else, not me.

I met her gaze, only to see that her brows were drawn, and her face was full of wariness.

Aaron grew even more excited. "I've already looked into you. You grew up in the orphanage and did not know who your family was. You had no parents. Basically, you were an unwanted runt. So, I told Felicia to lie about being an orphan. I was confident you'd empathize with her and take pity on her."

These rich folks had to be bored out of their minds to devise such diabolical plans!

"I was right about you, Julian. A bottom-feeder like you will rise to take the bait and fight tooth and nail just to wait on Felicia! I even made a bet with my friends to see if you'd ever discover that Felicia was lying to you. Trust me when I say that we made big bets.

"But we didn't think you'd be duped for three whole years and still not suspect a thing! It was hilarious! If I hadn't invited Felicia to tag along today, you might have believed her lies forever! You should be thanking me."

An intense roaring filled my head as the cold and hard truth hit me. It was as if my world was crumbling right before my eyes.

I snapped entirely. "You enjoyed playing the role of someone with speech impairment, huh?"

I picked up the mop and swung it at Felicia and Aaron. "You sure are generous, Mr. Schumer. You don't seem to mind tangling with an heiress who happens to be an ordinary bottom-feeder's sloppy seconds!"

Just as the mop was inches away from Aaron, Felicia shielded him. I couldn't draw the mop back in time, and all I heard was a muffled thud as the mop struck her squarely on the arm.

Felicia grunted in pain as her face paled. Beads of sweat trickled down her forehead as she took the hit quietly.

I froze, and Aaron clambered to his feet in time to knock me down with a punch. "You maniac! I'll call the cops and have you arrested!"

He furiously fished out his phone and landed several violent kicks on me.

When Felicia heard that Aaron was planning to call the cops, she quickly clutched the leg of his pants and pleaded, "Don't call the cops! This is all my fault, to begin with."

Aaron cursed angrily, then crouched to inspect Felicia's wound. Blood pulsed in my ears as I watched them huddle close like a couple, the last of my sensibility vanishing.

Aaron growled, "A pissant like you will never reach the top!"

The back of my head hit the ground with a sharp thud, and my vision blackened with the pain.

Felicia looked guilty and apologetic when she saw me groaning in pain and struggling to get up. She broke free from Aaron's embrace and limped over to help me get on my feet. "I'm sorry, Julian…"

I heaved myself upright with newfound resolve and smacked her hand away. "As opposed to a lousy apology, Ms. Holden, I'd rather you make good on your word and pay me back the money now."

At this point, I could not be stupid enough to let my pride be trampled on without any money to show for it. I would make her pay back every penny of the money I'd worked hard to save for her treatment.

Upon hearing this, Felicia gaped at me in bewilderment.