Chapter 2The Yoga Mat Trap: A Roommate's Lethal Greed

Watching Lily's retreating, furious back, a wave of intense grievance hit me.

She wasn't a malicious person.

Lily was just blunt, outgoing, and honestly, a bit naive.

She was easily manipulated by others; it wouldn't be the first time.

So, she definitely wasn't the mastermind behind this.

Then who was?

My eyes swept over my best friend Chloe's desk. Several brand-new, no-name yoga books were stacked on it.

A terrible suspicion began to take root in my mind.

Right at that moment, Chloe walked in holding her washbasin.

The second she saw me, a complex mix of shame and naked greed flashed in her eyes.

Instantly, she masked it with her usual sweet smile. "Oh, babe! When did you get back?"

I stared at her dead in the eyes, refusing to say a word.

She set down the basin, walked over, and grabbed my hand. "What's wrong? Why are you looking at me like that?"

Tears suddenly started pouring down my face.

She was my best friend. Seeing her act like this pushed my feelings of betrayal to the absolute limit.

"Chloe... did you..."

Before I could finish, seven or eight girls stormed into our dorm room.

The ringleader, Mia, roared furiously, "Oh, look who's back! You greedy, money-grubbing bitch! Scamming your own classmates!"

"Exactly! Were you raised in a barn?! Do you need someone to teach you some manners?!"

Terrified, I stumbled backward.

Chloe smoothly dodged behind the group of angry girls.

Mia got right in my face, aggressively demanding, "Harper! When you said you contacted the factory directly and got us the absolute cheapest price on those yoga mats, did you have any shame at all?!"

I was trembling with rage. "The factory gave us the wholesale price of 68 dollars, and they threw in the yoga blocks and stretching straps for free."

Mia violently hurled the two yoga blocks right at my face.

"Who the hell wants your defective, 'free' yoga blocks?! Take them back!"

"Exactly! 'Free'? You were just throwing us your scraps."

Blood instantly gushed from my nose.

A flicker of panic crossed the faces of a few girls, but it vanished as quickly as it appeared.

I pulled out a few tissues and pinched my nose.

Sobbing, I said, "I have the chat logs with the factory owner. You can look at them."

"Spit on it! Chat logs can be faked! You guys are all rats in the same nest! Who would believe you?!"

Mia pointed her finger at me, screaming, "Let me tell you, stop playing the victim! Refund us the money for those yoga mats right now!"

"Yeah! Refund us!"

"And refund us the extra money you scammed us out of for the classes!"