Chapter 2The Sneaker Flip

I stared at the message, a mix of emotions churning in my gut.

Should I expose him right now, break up, and tell him to get lost? No, that would be letting him off too easy.

After thinking for a moment, I backed out of the chat and changed the shipping address to my best friend Sarah's apartment complex.

Once I confirmed everything, I clicked "Buy Now."

The moment the payment went through, a new message popped up.

"Thanks for the quick payment! I see you're local. I'll Uber Connect it to you right now! Please confirm receipt as soon as you get it, I really need the cash!"

I stared at the text and replied:

"Sure, send it."

An hour later, I was holding the package at Sarah's place.

The shoe box was pristine. The seal was unbroken.

The gift card I had specifically asked the brand to include was still tucked into the side slit.

He hadn't even opened it.

"Aren't those the shoes you gave Brad?" Sarah frowned, leaning in. "What's going on?"

I handed her my phone and let her scroll through the Marketplace history herself.

Sarah flipped through a couple of pages, her face getting colder by the second.

"That scumbag!" she hissed. "What are you gonna do? March over to campus and slap him?"

I shook my head. "That's boring."

If he dares to cash out on me, I'm going to make sure he loses everything.

Just then, another notification popped up from the app.

"Hey, the driver says it was delivered. Could you confirm receipt on the app? I really need the money urgently. Trying to buy a birthday gift for my girlfriend."

I froze. Girlfriend?

My birthday is in October. It's March.

Which girlfriend is he buying a gift for?

Sarah saw it too and let out a cold laugh. "Looks like this piece of trash isn't just using you for money, he's cheating too! Unbelievable."

I didn't say a word. I clicked "Confirm Receipt."

The second the money transferred, I picked up a utility knife from Sarah's counter. I gently sliced a cut across the outer wrapping of the shoe box.

I took a photo and sent it to Brad's seller account.

"Hi, I just started opening the package and noticed a tear here."

Brad exploded immediately.

"No way, lady! It was perfect when I gave it to the driver! Not a scratch on the packaging! You did that yourself!"

"You didn't check it upon delivery. You already signed for it and now you're claiming damage? Who knows if you cut it yourself trying to get a refund? No way!"

"You already confirmed the receipt! Whether it's broken or not has nothing to do with me now! Don't try to scam me!"

Before I could reply, he blocked me.

I smiled. That was exactly the guarantee I was waiting for.

Whether it's broken or not has nothing to do with him.

I switched to iMessage and called Brad immediately.

He picked up, his voice cheerful. "Hey babe, what's up? Miss me?"

I replied, "Yeah. Just wanted to ask, did you get the shoes? Do they fit?"

Silence on the other end for a split second.

"I got them," he said, sounding slightly unnatural. "They fit great. But honestly, babe... I don't really like them."

"Oh? Why not?"

"I'm a second-year grad student. I'm about to start interviewing for internships. Wearing thousand-dollar sneakers feels a bit... juvenile."

He paused, softening his tone deliberately. "I know you meant well, but I need a mature, professional image right now. These shoes just don't suit me."

I curled my lip.

"Is that so? Then return them. The official site has a 7-day return policy. As long as you haven't worn them outside, you can return them. They cost over a grand. Return them and I'll get you something more mature."