Chapter 2

Victoria's POV

"Break up? Vic, have you lost your MIND?"

Carter's eyes went wide, like I'd just said I was bombing the school.

Of course he was shocked. After all, I was the one who chased him. For three years, I'd been a complete doormat. His apartment, car, clothes, gym membership—all on my dime.

To him, I was just some desperate girl who'd die without him.

"Pretty sure I was clear." I crossed my arms. "We're DONE. Did you not HEAR me?"

Teammates packed the doorway like they were watching reality TV.

"Carter, please..." Mia covered her face, her voice shaking. "Don't fight over me. This is all my fault. I shouldn't have made that drink. I made Vic angry..."

She sobbed, her body suddenly going limp like she'd lost all strength. Carter immediately caught her.

I fought the urge to roll my eyes.

I'd seen her pull this act twenty times before.

"Mia!" Carter held her, eyes blazing. "Vic, you've crossed the LINE. Having money doesn't mean you can treat people like GARBAGE. You're cruel."

"Cruel?" I took a step forward. "If I'd drunk that bottle and had an 'accident' during tryouts—THAT would be cruel! She was trying to KILL me!"

Panic flashed across Mia's face.

"Vic... how can you say something like that? I just... I just wanted to help boost your energy. I know it wasn't as good as what you're used to, but how can you say I wanted to kill you?"

She clutched Carter's shirt tighter. "Carter, I really was just trying to be good to her..."

God, the Oscars owed her a statue.

"Vic." Carter's voice turned ice cold. "You need to apologize. RIGHT NOW."

"Apologize?" I laughed out loud.

"Victoria's lost it," someone muttered in the crowd.

"Definitely jealous of Mia," another voice chimed in. "Mia works SO hard, never slacks off in training."

"Right? Mia's so sweet, how could she hurt anyone? Victoria's just bullying her because she's rich."

The room erupted in whispers. Everyone stared at Mia—her trembling shoulders, her wounded eyes, her pitiful expression.

Nobody gave a damn what I said.

"Vic, do you have ANY proof?!" Carter's jaw clenched. "If you don't, apologize to her. NOW."

That was it.

These people weren't worth my breath. They just wanted to believe their fairy tale—poor girl bullied by evil rich bitch.

Fine. Let them believe it.

But I'd make them see exactly what they were defending.

"Proof?" I walked toward the shattered bottle on the floor. "You want proof?"

I crouched down and picked up the cap.

White powder clung to the rim.

"See this?" I held up the cap to the light. "THIS is your proof, Mia. Want me to send it to the lab for testing?"

All the color drained from Mia's face. "That... that's just... just protein powder... I might've poured too much..."

"Protein powder?" I smiled. "Protein powder leaves THIS kind of residue in water? Nice try."

"Vic, ENOUGH!" Carter knocked the cap out of my hand. Fragments scattered. "Your family has tons of meds. Mia lives with you—it's normal if she accidentally grabbed the wrong bottle! Can't you cut her some SLACK?!"

He pointed at Mia. "Look at HER! She got up THREE HOURS early to make this for you! She has NOTHING and just wants to help you! But you treat her like a SERVANT!"

Like a servant?

I glanced at the Tiffany necklace sparkling around Mia's neck and suddenly laughed.

"Servant?" I stepped forward and yanked the necklace off her neck. "What kind of servant wears Tiffany?"

"Vic!" Mia shrieked.

"Shut UP! Be glad I'm not making you take off everything I bought you RIGHT HERE." My voice went ice cold. "Every single thing you're wearing? I BOUGHT it."

For three years, this leech had been sucking me dry. I never called her out because of our supposed "friendship." But now? Party's over.

"Vic, what are you DOING?" Mia's face flushed red.

"What I should've done a long time ago." I stared her down. "Think you could afford ANY of this without my money?"

"That's not—" She grabbed Carter's arm. "Vic INSISTED on buying me those things! I never asked—"

"I insisted?" I cut her off, pulling out my phone to open my bank records. "You're right. I insisted on buying you designer clothes. Insisted on renting you a luxury apartment. Insisted on paying your monthly allowance. And your way of thanking me? Playing victim so everyone thinks I'm a monster."

I turned my phone screen toward the crowd.

"Last month, you said your mom needed surgery. I gave you ten grand. Three months ago, you needed textbooks. Five hundred. Last week, rent was due. Two thousand."

I paused, my voice flat and cold. "Just in the past year? One hundred twenty-seven thousand dollars."

Everyone sucked in a breath.

Mia went white as a sheet. "Vic..."

"As of RIGHT NOW," I said coldly, "the money train stops. Not my problem anymore."

I stared at her.

"Oh, and that apartment you're living in? The lease is in MY name. You've got till tomorrow to get out."

"You can't..." Mia's voice shook.

"I can. And I just did."

"Vic!" Carter stepped forward, veins bulging in his neck. "You'd DESTROY her over a misunderstanding?! What's she supposed to DO?!"

"Misunderstanding?" I laughed coldly. "She knows EXACTLY what she put in that drink. And when I dropped dead on the mat later, she'd cry about how it was all an accident."

"Have you LOST IT?!" Carter grabbed my arm. "Mia's been so GOOD to you! And you—"

I shook off his hand, out of patience.

"Enough, Carter. Since you think I'm such a bitch, hand over the car keys."

He froze. "What?"

"That Audi R8," I said. "That was MY birthday present from my dad. Since we're done, give me back the keys."

Carter's face flushed red. "Vic, that was a GIFT!"

"Wrong. A LOAN." I corrected him, my voice getting colder. "You can't even afford the insurance on that thing. I've been paying for everything."

"After all, your dad's company tanked three years ago. Every single thing you own? MY money. Without me, you couldn't even pay tuition."

Everyone sucked in a breath.

Carter's face went from red to white. "You... you'd destroy me just because we broke up?!"

"Destroy you?" I raised an eyebrow. "I'm just taking back what's mine. You and your true love can go live in the dorms together. I'm sure your football scholarship is enough for you both to eat in the dining hall."

"Victoria Vanderbilt!" Carter yanked the car keys from his pocket and hurled them at the floor. "You're gonna PAY for this!"

The keys clattered across the floor and stopped at my feet.

"Mia, we're LEAVING!" He pulled the still-crying Mia up and stormed out.

You could hear a pin drop.

They looked at me like I'd grown a second head.

I picked up the keys and dusted off my hands.

"Show's over," I said. "Tryouts are about to start."