Chapter 1

Six months after our breakup, I ran into my ex-boyfriend, Arlo, at the Beach Club's VIP party.

His new girlfriend, Calliope, tapped her champagne flute to demand everyone's attention.

"Let’s propose a toast to Arlo, who finally crawled out of his pathetic past."

Arlo wrapped his arm around Calliope and threw a mocking glance at my dress.

"The smartest thing I ever did was letting that charity case pay off my fifty-grand car loan."

"Once I got my Varsity jacket, I dumped her for my actual queen."

A collective gasp ripped through the room.

Everyone thought I would storm out in tears, but I just smiled and signaled for the show to go on.

"What exactly are you raising a glass to, Juno?"

I leaned back in my chair and looked at her calmly.

"I’m just celebrating that you guys are having fun on my turf."

"YOUR turf?"

——

A frat boy next to her burst out laughing.

"Vanguard Holdings owns this club, what does a broke nobody like you have to do with it?"

I looked at him with a straight face.

"I am the sole heiress of Vanguard Holdings."

After a brief silence, the VIP box erupted into roaring laughter.

"Juno, have you been watching too many billionaire TikToks and lost your mind?"

"Look at your faded, washed-out dress. At least pick a believable lie!"

I looked down at my vintage slip dress and the haute couture silk scarf tied around my neck.

I guess to their untrained eyes, I really did look like a broke cabana waitress.

Before I could even speak, Calliope’s mocking voice cut in again.

"It’s been six months, Juno. Why are you still so desperately vain?"

"Tonight is a private event for the elites. You really just need to accept reality."

I looked at her, completely unfazed.

"I'm telling the truth, believe it or not."

"Without my permission, do you really think you could even be eating here?"

I hadn't even wanted to come to this party in the first place.

I didn't want to see Arlo, and I had absolutely no interest in forcing my way into their circle.

The cheer co-captain had called me twenty times, swearing it was just a casual bonfire.

But Calliope was here, showing off her fake elite status.

A gold-digger pretending to be a socialite.

It was genuinely hilarious.

But this fake socialite just wouldn't let it go.

Clearly, she was doing this on purpose to embarrass me.

"Stop blowing smoke, Juno. My cousin Lennox booked this suite with his VIP card, what does that have to do with you?"

"With your cheap rags, if you weren't leeching off our status, do you think you'd even be allowed in here?"

The crowd laughed again, looking at me with blatant disgust.

I waved my hand dismissively and sneered.

"So what you're saying is, I’m the one acting shameless?"

Calliope rolled her eyes and pointed at the seafood tower and the champagne.

"Obviously."

"Without my cousin, would you ever taste caviar like this, or drink this Dom Pérignon?"

I couldn't help but laugh out loud.

"Calliope, you really haven't seen the real world at all."

"At my house, the gardeners use that vintage to water the lawn. I wouldn't even touch it."

This sparked a new wave of insults from the room.

"Juno, stop pretending to be rich. Without Calliope, you wouldn't even make it past the front door!"

"Seriously, I wouldn't have even swiped my access card for you!"

"Chug three shots right now and apologize to Calliope!"

The insults kept coming, but I didn't care at all.

Because every single word I said was the truth.

If I hadn't wanted to keep a low profile to experience normal college life, I would have told them this entire club belonged to me.

Seeing my silence, Calliope walked right up to me with a glass of champagne.

"Do you know why Arlo threw you away?"

"If you don't have a trust fund, stop pretending to be one of us."

"Drink this right now, and I'll pretend none of this happened!"

Looking at Calliope, I stood up slowly and stared right into her eyes.

"Calliope, gave you an inch and you really think I'm still that obedient, invisible girl from six months ago?"

With that, I turned toward the hallway and yelled.

"Manager, bring me the hidden summer wine list!"

"Tonight's entire tab is on me!"