The Stand-In's Shining Future

Upon hearing my words, Eliana grew furious with shame.

“Are you really that impressed by a few crumbs she threw your way? Fine! Go then. Don’t come crying to me when she’s done with you!”

After saying this, she stormed off in a rage.

Early the next morning, I went to the private styling studio. After three hours of effort, I looked like a completely different person.

When I came out of that studio, Bella became very excited and circled me several times.

“You look even more like him now! Smile for me.”

I gave her my brightest and most radiant smile.

Bella instantly transferred another 10,000 dollars to me.

I felt intense satisfaction when I received the payment notification. Earning ten thousand so easily made my gaze toward Bella grow even more covetous.

After the styling session, Bella took me to a restaurant for a meal. She ordered many delicacies that I had only ever seen on television.

Throughout the entire dinner, I attended to Bella with meticulous care. I maintained a gentle and handsome smile.

Bella thoroughly enjoyed the meal.

Halfway through, she suddenly stood up. “Wait here. I’ll be right back.”

I simply nodded in agreement without asking anything and waited quietly.

“Goodness, Ethan. Why are you sitting all by yourself? Where’s your sugar mommy?”

I looked up and saw Eliana. She was with several of her classmates. That was when I recalled that our class’s back-to-school dinner was also being held at this restaurant.

“She just stepped out for a minute,” I answered plainly as I wiped the grease from my fingers.

“Or did she go to call her friends to share you?” a girl said with malice.

Quite a few classmates were jealous that I had earned tens of thousands of dollars in a single day, and she was one of them.

“See? I knew that trust-fund princess Bella was up to no good!”

“Well, did she even pay? They’re going to stick you with the bill. If you can’t cover it, in the best-case scenario, you’ll get thrown out. In the worst-case scenario, you’ll end up being sent to jail.”

“Look at him. What a sellout. He traded his dignity for a few stacks, and now he’s just the punchline of her joke.”

“Exactly!”

A few other classmates laughed loudly, “Totally. He’s licking her boots for scraps, and for what? He won’t get much money and will have ruined his own future.”

“A person should be down-to-earth and live an honest life.”

After listening to their taunts, I fired back directly. “You guys don’t need to worry about me.

“The money Ms. White gave me is more than enough to cover this bill myself, with plenty left over.

“That alone is enough for my living expenses.”

At that moment, a server approached me. “Sir, your 100,000-dollar bottle of wine has arrived from our headquarters. Would you like us to decant it for you?”

Hearing the amount, Eliana’s face momentarily twisted in envy. She said with a sour tone, “You can put that wine back. There’s no need to open it. He’s a paid entertainer. His sugar mommy just walked out. He can’t afford it.”

“Yeah, you should run the check for this table now. Get payment upfront, before someone here decides to dine and dash.

“Otherwise, you’ll be the one held responsible.”

Just as the group hurled insults at me freely and other guests in the hall began to look over, Bella returned carrying gifts. She saw the mocking expressions on their faces. Her entire demeanor immediately turned hostile.

“What kind of lowlife came to cause a ruckus while I was away? Who gave you the nerve to mess with my man?!”