Chapter 19 Top Donor
She checked the creator's name again.
It's CeCe~
Chloe?
Luna opened the comments, surprised. Past the thirst comments about her looks, everyone was tagging the Top Donor.
[Top Donor's gonna get jealous again.]
[Haha last time CeCe posted a video in a short skirt, Top Donor said he'd pay to take it down.]
[Okay but... I ship CeCe and Top Donor so hard.]
Was this Top Donor actually Leo? That ultimate lovesick fool?
Luna scrolled through every comment section on Chloe's videos. Finally found the Top Donor's account.
Profile pic: a luxury car steering wheel. Username: CeCeFan.
CeCeFan...
Luna's mouth twitched. She checked the guy's two videos. Not her dumb brother. Some middle-aged guy with money.
She relaxed. Settled in to read the drama.
Chloe livestreamed every week. The Top Donor would spam gifts every time. His comments had major CEO energy.
Things like: "Don't wear that." "I'll get jealous." "Everyone shut up." "Haters, get out. Don't watch CeCe's stream."
In clip videos, you could see Chloe eating it up. She'd go on and on, thanking the Top Donor.
Luna kicked back in her chair. Read and laughed.
She screenshotted one and sent it to Leo.
Leo was your standard edgy teen. Profile pic: a black-and-white anime guy.
But Luna had him saved as Dumb Brother.
Dumb Brother: [?]
SadSweetie: [Look. Everyone's into mature guys now. Your whiny baby act is out.]
Dumb Brother: [Oh.]
SadSweetie: [Stop acting like some cold prince.]
Dumb Brother: [I am one. Why would I need to act?]
Luna: "..."
X sent a message.
Luna opened it fast.
Now there was a real cold prince.
Jax's physics test was a work of art. Luna copied it with ease.
Today's homework was done. Barely. But actual studying needed to happen.
Half the kids at Westbrook were on the study-abroad track. Luna was on the college exam track.
She needed a tutor.
Luna's grades were lopsided. In her past life, her scores were awkward. Good school meant a bad major. Good major meant a lesser school.
Back then, Luna and Rory had been at each other's throats. Rory and Hayes ended up at the same college.
Luna made a brain-dead decision. Gave up on a good school. Enrolled in the second-tier college next to theirs.
This time, she wouldn't make the same mistake.
Homework done. Luna dug out her freshman year math textbook and workbooks. Started studying.
-
Meanwhile.
A penthouse downtown.
The family of three had just moved in. The place was still bare. Chloe was sweating from unpacking. Her mother pushed the door open, a glass of juice in hand.
Chloe glared. "Mom! How many times? Knock before coming in."
"Right, right, right." Her mother soothed. "Mom's sorry. Mom will knock next time."
Chloe frowned. The irritation didn't fade. "You say that every time. And you never do it."
Being called out stung. But Chloe was the one bringing in money every month. She swallowed it. Forced a smile. "Mom will knock next time."
Chloe's face was dark. Since her videos blew up, she'd made new friends. Famous creators. When they talked about families, they were all rich or well-educated.
When family came up, she was too ashamed to speak. Fans and classmates all thought she was some rich heiress.
She could fake it all she wanted. It was like bubble wrap. One poke and it popped.
"Here. Have some juice. Fresh-squeezed orange." Her mother held the glass out.
Chloe sat on the carpet. Piles of hanfu around her, fresh from shopping. She was trying them on one by one. She saw the juice. More annoyed.
She was in high school. She had to study AND film new videos AND livestream for tips.
Her parents didn't help. They'd quit their jobs. Lived off her money.
She had money now. But did it fall from the sky?
Other parents gave their kids resources. Connections. Hers just leeched off her.
"I don't want it."
"One sip. Mom made it just for you." She held it out, eager to please.
"I said I don't want it." Chloe shoved her mother's arm.
Her mother had been bent over, off-balance. Even though the push was light, the glass slipped. She gasped.
Half the juice spilled on the new carpet. The other half splashed across the hanfu she'd just sorted.
She'd bought the expensive ones. For the camera. The fabric was delicate.
Orange juice soaked into the pink-white hem. Chloe snapped. "Mom. Look what you did."
"Oh, no."
Her mother set the glass down fast. Grabbed tissues. Crouched and wiped. But the stain wouldn't come out.
She panicked. "CeCe, Mom didn't mean it. Mom just wanted you to have some juice."
Chloe screamed. "I already TOLD you! I don't want it! I don't want it! I don't want it!"
"How many times do I have to say it before you listen?"
Her mother froze. Hands helpless. "I was just doing it for you."
"Stop using 'for your own good' to control me." Chloe hurled the hanfu at the door. Her breathing was heavy. She glared at her mother. "If you really wanted to help me, you'd get a real job. Make some money."
Her mother was quiet. A long time. Then: "Didn't you tell me and your dad to stop? You said the fruit shop wasn't making money. You told us to rest."
Chloe had nothing to say.
The hurt swelled up again.
She thought: I told you to rest and you just... did? Since when do you listen to anything I say?
Chloe pressed her lips tight. "Just go. I have homework."
Her mother nodded. Picked up the hanfu from the floor. "I'll wash these for you."
Chloe said nothing.
The door clicked shut. The bedroom went dead silent.
This was the master bedroom. Floor-to-ceiling windows. A princess bed. Pink carpet. A chandelier. The bedroom Chloe had always dreamed of.
The window was open. Cold wind blew in.
Chloe felt her heart go cold too.