Chapter 1

After an intense night, Sophia Lane suddenly realized that Caleb Lancaster hadn't used protection.

Panic surged through her. "Wait... when did you take it off? Where am I going to get the pill this late at night? What if... What if I get pregnant?"

Caleb, however, only chuckled, his grip around her waist tightening. "What's there to be afraid of? We'll just have the baby if that happens."

She was at a loss for words. Before she could react, his slender fingers had already made their way to her lower abdomen.

"But Sophia, your belly is so small." He smirked mischievously. "All I have to do is to put it in once, and it'll swell up. Do you think such a tiny belly can bear a child for me?"

His dirty talk made her face turn crimson. She turned away, unwilling to meet his gaze.

Caleb let out a soft laugh. "Oh, Sophia, I told you before—I love seeing you blush, especially when I'm the reason."

He leaned in, his warm breath brushing against her ear. "I'm not done yet. Come on, let's have another go at it..."

That one night, he took her three more times.

It was almost dawn when Sophia finally slipped back to her dorm.

Just as she walked in, her phone rang, catching her off guard. It was Caleb.

"Hello?" she answered, only to hear chaos from the other end.

Caleb must have butt-dialed her.

She was about to hang up when she unexpectedly heard laughter from his close friends.

"The deadline for the guaranteed grad school spot is coming up soon, Cal. Are you sure you can knock Sophia up before then?"

Sophia's body stiffened instantly.

Then, she heard Caleb's unhurried voice. He drawled, "What's the rush? There's still plenty of time."

More laughter erupted on the other end of the line.

"Caleb is such a romantic! Even after Christine dumped him, he still holds her in his heart. He's so worried Sophia Lane would take her graduate spot that he's sacrificing himself!"

Caleb's tone plunged in temperature. "Who said Christine dumped me? We only separated because she didn't want distractions before grad school applications."

His buddies all chimed in with laughter.

"Right, right. We're talking about the great Caleb after all! Who cares if Christine Sawyer is the campus belle? She couldn't possibly forget Cal!"

"No doubt! Even a goody-two-shoes like Sophia Lane didn't escape his charms. She even sneaks out every night to hook up with him on the field!"

"But Cal, let's not stray from the topic. Sophia Lane is a rare gem—she's innocent yet seductive. She's nothing less than Christine! After all these nights, are you sure you haven't caught feelings for her?"

One of them spat, "What are you talking about? Everyone knows Cal only has eyes for Christine. He only went after Sophia and got in bed with her for Christine's sake!"

"Exactly! Christine is dead set on grad school, but there's only one spot guaranteed for those in finance. Cal was worried that Sophia, the top student, would take it from Christine, and thus approached her!"

"If Cal puts a baby in Sophia and gets her to give up graduate school before the selection is finalized... That spot will automatically go to Christine. Isn't that right, Cal?"

A brief silence settled before Caleb's cold voice came through the phone's speaker. "That's right. That's exactly my plan."

Hearing every word they shared, Sophia felt all the blood drain from her face.

She had been obedient since childhood, dedicating her whole life to her studies. Because of that, she never had a boyfriend until her junior year.

It was a year ago when Caleb Lancaster, a sophomore in computer science, barged into her life.

With little regard for the consequences of his actions, Caleb had spelled out her name with candles on the field.

When the warden arrived to chase him off, he ran like the wind, yelling in the direction of the girls' dormitory, "Sophia Lane, I'll make you my girlfriend! You mustn't forget me—I'm Caleb Lancaster, sophomore in computer science!"

Sophia wasn't new to being pursued, thanks to her beauty.

But no man had ever courted her in such an unconventional way.

Little by little, she was drawn in. With Caleb's dedication and commitment, she ultimately agreed to date him.

Six months into their relationship and after endless coaxing, she gave herself to him completely.

She could still remember their first time, how he skillfully stole her breath as he slipped his hand under her skirt. She was a bundle of nerves and couldn't stop trembling, but he had only chuckled against her ear, nibbling. "You're so cute when you're shy, Sophia. You're so pure... Can you promise to keep this look solely for my eyes from now on?"

Then and there, Sophia thought she had met her destined one. She was ready to give everything up for him.

But now that the truth had come to light, she finally understood. It had all been a lie.

Caleb had only been using her for his ex-girlfriend, Christine Sawyer, the girl who also majored in finance but always ranked just below her—all of this, just for the sake of a grad school spot.

What a joke.

Her first time…

Her reputation…

Her sincerity…

All her efforts meant less to him than the guaranteed grad school spot.

Sophia lowered her head, and tears began to fall.

…

That night, she didn't sleep a wink.

Thinking back to their rough activity, Sophia made up her mind. She took a cab out of campus in the middle of the night to buy emergency contraception.

Then, she sat outside the convenience store, waiting for sunrise.

As dawn broke, she dialed her mother's number. "Mom, I've thought about it. I've decided to go abroad for graduate studies."

Unbeknownst to Caleb, Sophia had never been interested in the guaranteed spot.

She boasted excellent grades and had authored multiple papers alongside professors during her undergraduate years. Prestigious universities overseas had sent her admission letters long ago.

All along, her plan was to further her studies abroad. It wasn't until she met Caleb that she debated staying in the country for him.

But now...

Pauline Hinton was a little taken aback on the phone but no less supportive. "Alright. But international universities start their terms earlier. Since you've completed all your credits here, why not head there sooner to adjust? You could leave next week—how does that sound?"

Sophia's gaze fell to the ground. "That sounds perfect. The sooner, the better."

Chapter 2

After ending the call, Sophia returned to the campus.

Her first class that morning was a computer science course she shared with Caleb.

Although she had already completed her required modules, she had enrolled in a few extra classes. This was in part to enhance her research skills, but also to spend more time with Caleb.

Now, however, she had no desire to see him. Yet, her sense of responsibility as a student wouldn't allow her to skip class.

As always, she was the first to arrive in the classroom.

Shortly after sitting down, she felt the dizziness strike. She was no stranger to this feeling—the last time she took the pill, she had a fever for three days straight.

She rested her head on the desk, hoping to recover for a moment.

Just then, someone abruptly yanked her by the arm and pulled her behind the curtain.

Startled, she looked up to see Caleb.

The young man's domineering kiss fell before she could react. His hand snaked beneath her skirt. His fingers grazed over something, and he let out a chuckle.

"You didn't shower?" he let out another sordid titter. "What, were you reluctant to wash off a part of me?"

Sophia's face turned crimson from shame and fury. "Let go of me! I... I have a fever!"

Stunned, Caleb touched his palm to her forehead and found her burning hot indeed.

But that didn't stop his wandering hand. "Sophia," he croaked, his voice growing hoarse. "I heard that your insides grow hot, too, when you have a fever. I've never experienced that..."

Sophia was bewildered. It took her more than a couple of seconds to catch the meaning behind his words.

She felt more blood gushing to her cheeks. She was just beginning to resist when footsteps and chatter filled the room.

More classmates were arriving.

"Damn! Why are there four legs behind the curtain? There's a four-legged monster!" joked one student.

Finally, Caleb removed his hand from under her skirt.

"What a bummer," he grumbled before emerging from behind the curtain.

Seeing him, the male students in the room started whistling and teasing.

"I was wondering who had so much energy this early in the morning. Turns out it's Cal and Sophia!"

"Cal, class is about to start! Your endurance is not great, is it?"

Caleb flung a book in his way, hollering. "Get lost! I didn't even get to enjoy the main course—it's all your fault for ruining the moment."

His friends erupted in laughter. "Got it, just the appetizer then."

"Is it just me, or does Sophia look different? It's like she has developed."

"You don't get it, do you? It's the massage! Our baseball star, Cal, sure knows how to handle things."

After straightening her clothes, Sophia walked out in time to hear the playful remarks.

Her face paled.

Meanwhile, Caleb did nothing to stop them. He simply sat with his head lowered, engrossed in a mobile game.

The men's blatant stares and the women's quiet, judgmental whispers brought tears to her eyes.

"Five more days," she kept reminding herself. "Just five more days, Sophia Lane, and this will all be over."

…

As soon as the class ended, Sophia got up to leave.

However, Caleb's friends mentioned a gathering at a karaoke bar outside campus. Before she could refuse, Caleb dragged her along.

Christine was the first person Sophia spotted as they walked into the room.

Unlike Sophia's bare-faced goody-two-shoes look, Christine stood out with her polished appearance. Despite her excellent grades, she knew how to dress up. She was the kind of person who could effortlessly draw attention in a crowd.

Sophia couldn't help but notice Caleb stiffen beside her.

One of his friends muttered under his breath, "Why didn't anyone mention Christine would be here?"

"Forget it. We're already here. Let's just have fun."

They all sat down and began a game of Truth or Dare. They spun the bottle, and the first victim was Caleb.

Cheers filled the air.

"Cal, when was your last time, and where?"

Caleb casually fiddled with his lighter and smirked. "Yesterday, in the woods behind the hill."

The crowd broke out in howls.

"Classic Caleb! Bold as usual!"

"Who would've thought? Sophia looks so innocent; she doesn't even wear makeup. Who knew she's got a wild side too?"

Countless frivolous jibes rang out, and Sophia inadvertently clenched her fists. When she lifted her gaze, she caught Caleb stealing a glance at Christine.

The second bottle spin landed on Christine.

The room quieted slightly.

It didn't last long, as a drunken man blurted out, "Christine, say, since you used to be Cal's girlfriend, did he ever take you behind the hill?"

Chapter 3

The color instantly drained from Christine's face.

Before she could respond, a loud clatter reverberated through the room.

Caleb had overturned the table.

Drinks spilled across the floor, and the entire room fell into stunned silence. Everyone looked up to meet his dark, stormy expression.

"Do you have any shame asking a lady such a question?"

The guy who had asked the question sobered up immediately. His face was pale, and he dared not speak another word.

Christine stood up and announced with a trembling voice, "I'm not feeling too well. I'm going to head back for now."

With that, she turned and left.

Caleb kicked aside an empty glass and added coldly, "I'm going out for a smoke."

Only after he left did the group erupt in murmurs.

"What's going on? Wasn't Cal just joking around earlier? What made him snap so suddenly?"

"Are you an idiot? He jokes, but only with some people and not others. Don't you get it?"

His close friends were about to explain further when they noticed Sophia sitting there, her face deathly pale. They quickly fell silent.

Sophia got up and walked out of the room.

At the entrance of the karaoke bar, she saw Christine and Caleb.

Christine tossed a bag to the ground and frigidly stated, "My apologies, but I don't like accepting favors from someone who already has a girlfriend."

"You..." Caleb sounded frustrated, but more than that, he seemed helpless. "I heard from your roommate that you've been feeling under the weather lately. I know you're busy studying, but you can't neglect your health. What if it gets worse?"

Christine pressed her lips together and said no more.

Caleb picked up the bag and shoved it back into her hands. "I'm begging you. Please, just take care of yourself, okay?"

Standing nearby, Sophia finally looked away, unable to watch any further.

So this was what preferential treatment meant.

For Christine, a slight cold made him rush over with medicine. When she told him she was running a temperature, all he said was how warm her body must feel.

One inappropriate comment, and he had lost his temper on Christine's behalf. Yet, she had been the subject of countless crude jokes, and he never protested.

The difference between love and indifference was stark.

Tears welled up in her eyes uncontrollably. When her phone rang, she picked it up numbly, only to hear Pauline's excited voice.

"My darling daughter, I've booked the tickets! I'll be flying off with you next week. Anyway, I just remembered—you mentioned you had a boyfriend and wanted to introduce him. Now that you're going abroad for grad school, what's happening with your relationship?"

Sophia turned slightly, catching a final glimpse of the ex-couple. Christine was getting into a car while Caleb stood watching with visible concern.

She retracted her gaze and replied softly, "It's fine. We broke up."

In her heart, she declared, "Caleb Lancaster, I won't love you anymore. Not even an ounce."

…

The next day, Sophia went to the hospital for a medical checkup. Considering access to healthcare abroad may not be as convenient, she wanted to ensure her health was in order before leaving.

After picking up her report, she ran into Christine and Caleb.

"Sophia?" Caleb called, his voice filled with surprise.

Before he could say anything else, Christine interjected with a flat voice. "Caleb, I told you—you don't need to accompany me. I can check in on my own."

She turned and walked off, leaving Caleb behind. That was when his eyes fell on the folder in Sophia's hands.

His brows furrowed.

"Why are you at the hospital? You..."

His expression suddenly changed. "You're not pregnant, are you?"

Sophia was startled. Looking around, she realized that the physical examination department was right next to the obstetrics and gynecology wing.

That must have led him to misunderstand.

She was about to deny it when a thought crossed her mind.

Instead, she stopped herself and said, "What if I said I am?"

Chapter 4

Caleb's eyes widened in shock. "I..."

He started to say something, but the corners of Sophia's lips hooked upward in a sarcastic smirk.

"Relax, I was joking. I'm not pregnant—I just came for a routine checkup."

Caleb froze for a moment before a frown furrowed his brows. "Why are you getting a checkup out of nowhere?"

Sophia replied calmly, "I wasn't feeling well. What about you? Were you here to accompany Christine?"

Awkwardly, he forced a light cough. "Don't overthink it. I just happened to run into Christine, so I thought I'd bring her here."

The explanation was vague and lacked genuine concern for Sophia's health from the beginning to the end.

Anyhow, she had long grown numb to this kind of treatment. She simply said, "I have class. I'm off now."

Then, she turned and walked away.

As she strode toward the hospital entrance, Caleb never came after her.

…

Sophia headed straight back to campus.

She couldn't tell if it was her imagination, but she felt like people were whispering and pointing at her wherever she went.

It felt strange, but she brushed it off until she reached her dorm room.

As soon as she opened the door, her roommate rushed over in a panic. "Sophia! There's trouble!"

Emily Carter slid a phone in front of her, visibly distressed. "The school forum is flooded with photos of you—you know, those kinds of photos!"

A loud buzzing filled Sophia's mind. She grabbed the phone for a closer look. Sure enough, the screen was covered with indecent images.

But the moment she saw them, she let out a slight breath of relief.

"These photos are edited," she said immediately. "Not a single one is real."

For a split second, she had truly feared that Caleb had taken pictures of her and posted them online.

Thankfully, those images were all fake.

Emily sighed helplessly. "Of course, I know that. You have a birthmark on your leg, and none of these pictures show it—they're obviously fake. But people online don't care about the truth! Look at the comments—they're awful... Wait, Sophia, what are you doing?"

She had pulled out her phone without hesitation.

"Calling the police, of course," she said coldly. "I trust them to track down whoever posted this nonsense."

She could tolerate casual jokes, but this was far beyond acceptable. She wasn't going to stay silent and let something this serious slide.

However, before she could even dial the number, her other roommate burst into the room. Panic was written all over her face.

"Sophia! Your boyfriend got into a fight with someone!"

Chapter 5

Sophia's fingers paused mid-air. "You mean Caleb?"

"Yeah!" Olivia Bennett spoke anxiously. "Your boyfriend saw the photos those people posted online. Since he majors in computer science, he managed to track down the culprit's IP address and dorm room right away. So, he's rushed straight over to confront them!"

She paused to catch her breath. "You should go check on him! I heard he's practically beating the guy to a pulp!"

Sophia didn't bother calling the police anymore. She turned and ran out, heading for the boys' dormitory.

By the time she arrived, a crowd had already gathered outside.

When they saw her, murmurs ensued. The onlookers parted to make way for her.

Sophia beheld the scene before her.

Caleb had pinned a chubby young man with glasses to the ground, his eyes blazing with fury. His fists rained down on the man's face, one relentless punch after another.

The fatso was crying out for mercy, "I was wrong! I shouldn't have edited those photos of your girlfriend! Please, I'm begging you—let me go!"

But Caleb seemed deaf to his pleas. His fists only struck harder.

The man's face was covered in blood. Eventually, he passed out, yet Caleb didn't stop.

Snapping out of her daze, Sophia threw herself forward and wrapped her arms tightly around him.

"That's enough!" she yelled, her voice trembling. "Caleb Lancaster! That's enough!"

Only then did his attacks halt.

Thereafter, the incident quickly escalated. The other party's parents were ready to press charges. However, upon learning their son had been the one to post the photos, they decided to let the matter drop.

Meanwhile, Caleb sustained some injuries himself. Sophia accompanied him to the infirmary to get bandaged.

Her voice wavered slightly as she took in the sight of his battered hands. "Caleb, why go this far?"

They were only pretending to be a couple, weren't they? Why take it so seriously?

Caleb only smiled nonchalantly. "You're my girlfriend. It's my job to protect you if someone bullies you. Don't you agree?"

Sophia's expression grew even more conflicted.

That afternoon, she had class, so she left not long after.

After her lesson and much hesitation, she bought chicken soup before returning to the infirmary.

But just as she reached the door, she heard Caleb's friends laughing inside.

"Man, Caleb really knows how to play the game. When the beauty trap doesn't cut it, he pulls out the wounded hero act!"

Chapter 6

Sophia's hand froze and hovered above the door handle.

Inside the room, Caleb's friends were still chattering loudly.

"There's no time to waste! The selection for the grad school spot is coming up fast. To make Sophia completely devoted to Cal, we had to go all in!"

"Yeah, we posted those photos of Sophia. Then, when she was at her lowest, Cal swooped in like a hero and taught the culprit a lesson. Don't you reckon it stole her heart away?"

"But Cal, don't you think you went a little over the top? I know we agreed in advance that Scott the Fatty would take the blame, but you actually beat him up so badly he ended up in the hospital! Surely that would cost extra to deal with."

In the infirmary, Caleb's expression was dark. He remained silent for a long time before speaking, "I only told him to add a little skin—nothing too extreme. He was the one who went overboard."

His friends burst into laughter.

"Oh, Cal, you're too cautious. If it wasn't extreme, how did you expect it to have an impact?"

"Exactly! Honestly, you're being way too gentle. Since she already sneaks off to the woods with you, why not have a few of us secretly snap some real photos? That'd work way better."

"Yeah! We promise not to get you in the frame. She'd never suspect a thing!"

His countenance grew even glummer.

"What do you take me for?" he sneered. "Some kind of entertainer for your amusement?"

Sensing the anger in Caleb's tone, his friends immediately piped down.

Outside the door, Sophia staggered back, her face pale.

She should have known. Why would Caleb ever go to such lengths for her sake?

All of this turned out to be just another act.

How ridiculous. For a split second, she had genuinely believed that he might have cared for her, even just a little.

She glanced down at the takeout container in her hand and felt the irony strike.

Without hesitation, she tossed it into the trash and left.

…

The next day, Sophia went into the city to shop for her move abroad.

Around noon, she stopped by a café for lunch. She was in the middle of settling the bill when a familiar voice rang out behind her.

It was laced with irritation. "How many times must I tell you not to come looking for me? Is it so hard for you to get that?"

Shocked, Sophia turned to find Christine arguing with a shifty-looking middle-aged man with a buzz cut.

The man chuckled. "I'm your father, like it or not. Just because I chased off your mother and spent some time in jail doesn't mean you can pretend I don't exist. Listen up—no matter what, I'll always be your father!"

Christine's face turned pale. Her hands were tightly balled into fists. "What on earth do you want?"

"Nothing much," the man replied with a sly grin, revealing yellowed teeth. "It's just that last time, you told me you'd secure that rich Lancaster kid. You said you'd give me a big payout once you married into wealth. I'm just here to check if that deal still stands."

Her voice was glacial. "Of course it does."

He narrowed his eyes in suspicion. "But I asked around at your university—everyone said you and Caleb broke up. And he has a new girlfriend now, someone with the surname Lane. Christine Sawyer, are you sure you're capable of pulling this off?"

Growing impatient, she snapped, "You don't understand a thing. Breaking up with Caleb is all part of my strategy. The Lancasters are influential people; with my background, I can't just walk in. I need to pull some tactics to secure a place there.

"You're a man yourself; you should know better than me. Men don't cherish things that are easy to come by. That's why I pretended to focus on my studies and broke up with him. As for his new girlfriend, you need not worry. Caleb doesn't actually like her!

"All you need to do is remember your end of the deal. Once I marry Caleb, I will give you half a million dollars. But after that, you must disappear from my life forever!"

Sophia froze slightly.

Was Christine and Caleb's breakup deliberate?

Before she could process the revelation, a waiter approached her. "Here's your receipt, miss."

She snapped out of her thoughts. Taking the receipt, she stood up and walked out of the café.

…

When Sophia returned to campus, she received several calls from Caleb.

She didn't pick up at all. Instead, she headed straight to the administration office to collect her early graduation certificate.

As she stepped out of the office, a black sedan pulled up beside her. The door swung open, and she was yanked inside.

It was Caleb.

He pinned her down, snatching her phone from her hand. His eyes burned with frustration and a dangerous edge as he sneered, "So, it's not like you lost your phone, huh? Why weren't you answering my calls?"

She averted her eyes. "I didn't realize you called."

"Didn't realize?" Caleb let out a short, incredulous laugh. Just before he could say more, his gaze landed on the graduation certificate in her hands.

His face instantly fell. "Sophia Lane, why are you graduating early?"