Chapter 5 Dad!

After leaving, Joanna headed straight for the cafeteria.

She pulled out her meal card and swiped it.

A beep confirmed the transaction.

Sliding the card back into her bag, she picked up her tray and found a seat. But something felt off.

Why had she only seen one meal card?

Her heart sank. She quickly unzipped her backpack and rummaged through every pocket.

Minutes passed. Nothing. A long sigh escaped her lips.

She had misplaced Tatiana Bennett's meal card.

Tatiana, her roommate, was a wealthy girl-entitled, bossy, and generous only when it suited her. She treated Joanna like a personal errand girl, tossing her small tips in exchange for favors.

Fetching Tatiana's meals had been one of those favors.

Joanna never minded. A little extra money was worth the trouble.

But now, she had lost Tatiana's card.

Her stomach twisted. That card still had a balance of three thousand dollars.

It would take Joanna forever to make that kind of money at her part-time job.

Despair welled in her chest.

Nothing had been going right for her lately...

Slumped over the table, she took a moment to gather herself before finally calling Tatiana to inform her of the missing card.

There was a pause from Tatiana's end. "Where did you lose my meal card?"

Joanna bit her lower lip. "I'm not sure. It was in my bag before the party yesterday, but this morning... it was gone."

She braced herself, expecting Tatiana to demand payment.

Instead, Tatiana's laughter rang through the phone-light and unbothered. "Maybe someone at the party picked it up! Whatever. Don't stress over it."

Joanna blinked, confused. Why did Tatiana seem so pleased about losing her meal card? But since Tatiana wasn't upset, Joanna felt a small sense of relief.

That evening, as planned with Julissa, Joanna left the school.

The car Julissa had arranged waited in the most obvious spot near the school gate.

The moment the driver spotted her, he hurried over and yanked her toward the vehicle as if she might bolt.

Disgusted, Joanna jerked away from his sweaty grip. "I'm not a prisoner. Don't touch me."

She slid into the seat and buckled up. But as she glanced at the rearview mirror, she froze.

The man from last night stood beside the car behind them, exchanging parting words with Coen.

With his tall frame and striking features, he effortlessly drew the attention of a group of girls who watched him in hushed admiration.

The man leaned down, stepped into his car... and it pulled onto the road-right behind them.

At first, she thought nothing of it.

But as the drive continued, something felt off-no matter how many turns they took or red lights they stopped at, the man's car never fell behind, sticking to them like a shadow.

Had he spotted her earlier and was now tailing her for revenge?

She remembered the look in his eyes after she slapped him. That frigid, unreadable stare.

Her unease grew with every passing minute.

When they reached the Harvey family residence, she pleaded with the driver to step out with her.

The driver scoffed, eyes gleaming with suspicion. "Nice try. I know exactly what you're up to-you're looking for a way to run. Not going to happen!" Before she could protest, he unbuckled her seatbelt and shoved her out. The tires screeched as he sped away.

Joanna staggered back. "Hey!"

The car trailing them screeched to a sudden halt.

The car door swung open, followed by the sharp click of leather shoes against the pavement.

Her breath hitched.

Truth be told, a part of her dreaded the man.

Taking a deep breath, she turned to face him. The man's eyes narrowed slightly, as if surprised to see her.

He asked, "What are you doing here?"

Joanna scowled. "I should be the one asking that. Why are you stalking me?"

Well... This girl and her ridiculous accusations. Without a word, he walked right past her.

Joanna watched him go, confused. If he wasn't here for her, then why-

Her eyes drifted to the sign beside her. Harvey Mansion. A flicker of memory surfaced. Coen had called him Mr. Harvey.

Her stomach twisted as a thought struck her. No. It couldn't be.

Before she could shake the thought, the front doors swung open. A young man dashed out, his face lighting up the second he spotted Owen. Grinning ear to ear, he rushed straight toward him. "Dad!"