Chapter 3Love Not Charity

"My family's having a dinner party tonight. My mom specifically asked for you to be there," Thomas announced over the phone.

“Your parents will be there too. It's time we moved forward with our engagement. It took a lot of convincing on my part, so please don't show up looking like you're at a funeral."

I rolled my eyes. As if I cared about his stupid engagement.

But then I remembered some important research papers I’d left at home. This was a good chance to have my parents bring them and to get everything over with in one go.

“Fine,” I agreed.

The Chase family villa was a blaze of light.

Thomas’s parents sat at the head of the table, their attitude toward me a mix of detached politeness and cool disdain. Every other sentence was a subtle jab about my ‘humble’ background, a reminder that I wasn't their equal.

My own parents seemed completely oblivious to the condescension, just nodding and scraping, smiling inanely at the Chases. They even started putting me down to curry favor.

“Our Ava, we’ve spoiled her, I’m afraid. She has a bit of a temper. I hope you’ll both be patient with her in the future.”

“She’s so lucky to be marrying Thomas.”

I sat there stiffly, the feeling of being scrutinized making my skin crawl.

During the meal, Thomas’s mother brought up Rena, her tone casual.

“Thomas, I heard you’ve been picking on a girl at your university, a Rena Quinn?”

Her perfectly preserved face held a hint of disapproval, but her gaze drifted over to me, as if blaming me for her son lowering himself.

“Mom, don’t listen to rumors,” Thomas said, setting down his wine glass. “I actually admire Rena. Her family’s got nothing, and she’s stubborn as a mule. I was just teasing her a bit. I made it up to her afterward.”

I tuned them out, mechanically stuffing my face with lobster and abalone.

Halfway through dinner, the butler escorted someone into the dining room.

It was Rena.

She stood awkwardly in the opulent room, wearing a faded dress that stuck out like a sore thumb. All the defiant pride she carried at school was gone, replaced by a timid, hunted look. Her wide, watery eyes darted toward Thomas, pleading for help.

Thomas frowned, rubbing his temples. “Take her upstairs and find her something to wear,” he told the butler.

When Rena returned, she was transformed. The dress was a limited-edition piece from one of the Chase family’s brands, and on her, it had a certain fragile, captivating charm.

At the table, Thomas’s mother was warmer to Rena than she had been to me, her son's actual girlfriend, all evening.

“You must be Rena,” she said, taking her hand. “Thomas told me all about you. You’re a hard worker, your grades are excellent, and now you’ve secured a spot in that honors program. You’re a wonderful girl.”

She announced that the Chase family would be funding Rena’s entire education.

“If you ever need anything, you come to me. We Chases have the utmost respect for resilient young people like you, who pull themselves up by their bootstraps.”

Rena was overwhelmed, her eyes welling with tears as she stammered her thanks.

I knew exactly what this was. Thomas’s mother was using Rena to slap me in the face. She was showing me that even a penniless girl had more grit and value than I, the daughter of a comfortable middle-class family, did.

I was the real parasite, the one trying to worm her way into their dynasty.

I couldn’t stand to look at my parents’ fawning, sycophantic faces anymore. The nausea I’d been suppressing all evening threatened to boil over.

I put down my fork, stood up, and took the file folder with my research papers from my mother's hand.

“I’m sorry, I’m not feeling well. I have to go.”

Thomas shot up from his seat to stop me.

“Ava!”