Chapter 9 Gossip About the Richest Man

"I know you don't know me, so I thought we could get to know each other. We don't have to be a couple, we can start as friends ... " He looked a bit stunned, clearly not expecting me to turn him down so quickly. As the finance department's heartthrob, he was usually the one rejecting others. I chuckled at myself. "I never thought the finance department's star would even notice me. But since you brought it up, we're all students, so there's no harm in getting to know each other. You can keep the roses—thanks for the kindness." I never liked rejecting people too harshly, but I really hadn't expected Ronald to take an interest in me. He visibly relaxed and said, "Actually, a lot of guys have noticed you. But when you first started college, Colin spread the word that you were his childhood sweetheart and fiancée. He even claimed that his parents sent both of your living expenses to you. So, everyone assumed your relationship was already that serious and backed off." I let out a frustrated laugh. "Funny how I was the last to know." Ronald looked at me in surprise. "You seriously didn't know? The guys' dorms have been talking about it for a while—it even spread to our building." Our building is a double-room dormitory, half male and half female, much quieter than the regular dormitories in front. "You two planning to stand here gossiping all day? I'm starving," Yara chimed in with a sarcastic tone. "Sorry about that! Let me treat you both to a meal—you can pick the place. Consider it a celebration of our new friendship." Ronald grinned, flashing a set of bright white teeth. To be honest, he looked much more cheerful than Colin. With his warm looks and friendly vibe, he had that classic "nice guy" charm. Colin, on the other hand, always carried a bit of gloom—maybe because of his family situation. He was handsome, but there was always a shadow over him. My feelings for him were probably half admiration, half sympathy. Before I could refuse, Yara immediately accepted. She even turned to me and said, "Marcella, this guy's wealthy. If he wants to treat us, we might as well go. Worst case, we can treat him next time." Hearing that, Ronald's grin grew even wider. "Exactly! You two can just take turns treating me next time." We ended up at the most upscale Jarnett restaurant in Agreste, where we booked a small private room. Yara and I both loved this kind of all-you-can-eat Jarnett spot—80 dollars per person, with unlimited delicacies. Just as I was about to carefully go through the menu, Ronald casually waved his menu at the waiter and said, "Bring one of everything on here to start." I was stunned. Is this how rich people order food? Yara didn't seem too surprised. She just frowned slightly. "There's a lot on the menu. Can we finish all of it?" Ronald casually sat cross-legged on the floor cushion and shrugged. "Relax. The portions of Jarnett restaurant are small, and in a buffet like this, they're even smaller. You could probably finish a whole plate in one bite." We couldn't help but laugh—it was true. Almost every dish came with just three pieces, so with one per person, they were gone in an instant. Half an hour later, I still wasn't full. By then, we had already warmed up to Ronald. He was chatting with me like an old friend. "Colin really screwed up, giving up on you to be with Tiffany. What a joke. He thought she was an only child and would inherit her dad's company, but that's basically a pipe dream!" After a few cups of wine, the so-called campus heartthrob started spilling gossip about Tiffany. Yara's eyes lit up—she loved high-society gossip and juicy rumors more than anything. "Why's that? Does her dad have an illegitimate child?" I was curious too, though even more intrigued by how Ronald knew so much about Tiffany's family. Ronald continued, "I haven't heard anything about a secret child, but I don't think her dad is fond of her. She was raised by her mom, and even though she carries the Wagner last name, the family elders don't treat her like one of their own." "How do you know all this?" I finally asked the question that had been nagging at me. Ronald grinned. "Well, we're technically relatives, but we're not close. We barely talk unless we run into each other at family gatherings." Yara and I exchanged surprised looks. "You two are related? We've never heard that before." "Yeah, her dad is my uncle, so she's technically my cousin," he said casually, tossing a piece of conch meat into his mouth. "My grandparents are not fond of her, and honestly, my uncle treats me better than he treats her. I usually just pretend I don't know her." Yara looked skeptical. "Your uncle doesn't like her? Then why did he send her 18,000 just because she called?" "You just don't understand my uncle. Giving money is the easiest thing for him. What's truly valuable to him is his time, and he only spends it on people he cares about. "For example, when I was a kid, he would take me to a theme park and beach vacations. But Tiffany? She never got that kind of treatment. His way of ‘caring' for her was always just handing over money and letting my aunt take her shopping." I wasn't sure what to say. "So ... Tiffany was basically raised by a single parent?" "Not exactly," Ronald said. "As far as I know, my uncle and aunt never divorced, but they haven't lived together for as long as I can remember. They only appear together at important events." Yara was intrigued. "Your uncle sounds kinda ... like a scumbag." Ronald's expression darkened. "That's not fair. My uncle's a good guy. The whole family dislikes Tiffany and her mom—there has to be a reason for that." He paused for a moment, then lowered his voice. "Honestly, I have a feeling Tiffany might not even be his biological daughter." Yara's eyes sparkled with excitement, like a squirrel stumbling upon a jackpot of nuts. "Are you saying the richest man in Agreste got cheated on?"