Chapter 4The Roster Queen

I was ready to decline.

But then Phoebe mentioned it. Ashton was bringing a welcome gift for each roommate.

A solid gold chain for everyone.

I immediately canceled my plans. Damn capitalism!

The day of the dinner, I wore a simple t-shirt and jeans, no makeup, and chose the seat furthest from the head of the table. I wanted zero attention. Phoebe was the star.

When Ashton walked in, I glanced up.

Pale skin, perfect, chiseled features. An aura of cool, detached entitlement that only comes with obscene wealth.

Yes, I thought. Definitely a guy who can drop a million in a mobile game without blinking.

After my momentary appraisal, I went back to looking at my phone.

Ashton’s eyes lingered on me for a second, then quickly moved on.

Phoebe rushed to greet him, all fake sweetness.

“You’re late, sweetie! Punishment: you have to peel all my shrimp for me later.”

She reached out to take his hand. He subtly sidestepped the touch.

“My apologies for the delay,” Ashton said with a faint smile. “I brought some gifts for everyone. Thank you all for taking care of my girlfriend.”

He turned to Phoebe. “Sweetie, will you introduce me to your roommates?”

“Of course.” Phoebe went down the line, but when she got to me, she paused, a venomous smile playing on her lips.

“And this is Skylar Rhodes. The campus queen. Beautiful, smart, and a long line of admirers. She’s famous for juggling three guys at once, so she’s pretty talented.”

Ashton froze. “Three…?”

I looked up, meeting his intense, dark gaze.

I gave him a calm, casual smile. “Correction. Only two now.”

Ashton stared at me, his eyes wide and unblinking.

The atmosphere turned instantly arctic.

Luckily, the waiter chose that moment to serve the main course, easing the tension.

During the meal, Phoebe worked overtime to show off their ‘relationship,’ demanding Ashton feed her and peel her shrimp.

I kept my head down, hunched in the corner, casually eating and texting on my phone.

Suddenly, my phone was snatched out of my hand.

I looked up. Ashton was standing over me, his face disturbingly calm.

“Why are you on your phone the whole time? Is the food not to your liking?”

The nerve of this guy. Zero boundaries.

I frowned, simply holding out my hand, silently demanding my phone back.

Ashton ignored me, instead glancing down at the screen.

“What’s so interesting? Can I see?”

The vibe was getting seriously weird.

Phoebe, looking confused, chimed in hesitantly. “Skylar always eats lightly, Ashton. Just ignore her, let’s keep eating.”

He didn't acknowledge her. He just kept his unsettling gaze on me, then asked, each word distinct and loaded:

“Who, exactly, are you texting?”

Uh oh. Even the thickest person at the table should have noticed the shift.

Phoebe’s voice was trembling. “Ashton, what is the meaning of this? You’ve been staring at Skylar since you walked in! You won’t even talk to me! Do you even want to be with me anymore?”

Ashton looked at her with pure, cold disdain. He tsked softly.

He didn't even bother to explain. He just delivered a sharp command:

“Ten seconds. Take your roommates and leave. I’ll let this slide. Otherwise… you won’t want to know the consequences of my bad mood.”

Phoebe’s eyes welled up, but her two other, more self-preserving roommates quickly pulled her away, practically dragging her out of the restaurant.

I considered a swift exit, but Ashton was already standing in front of me, blocking the path.

His eyes were red, and his voice cracked with a wounded sound.

“It’s just us now. Can you explain?”

He sounded genuinely heartbroken.

“Why did you give the account to your roommate? Why did you dump me? You said I was your good little puppy, your most special one! Why did you have other backups behind my back?”

Ashton’s questions came faster and louder. He slammed my phone onto the table in front of me.

“Is it because of this ‘(872) 422-xxxx Ryder Jensen, the Race Car God’? Is this jerk hitting on you? You’ve been texting him nonstop since I walked in!”

He was panting now.

“I saw he sent you a bunch of chest selfies! That shameless loser, hitting on another man’s girlfriend! What does he have that I don’t? Skylar, say something!”