Stake My Love On Your Nemesis Game

"If you can't pay the rent by the end of today, you should move out!" said Simon Liu, the landlord.

"Sir, we do have the money, but we'll need a few days' time. Could you at least grant us that?"

"If you already have the money with you, where is it?"

The moment Yolanda Wen stepped into the stairwell, she heard the voices of two people arguing. One of them sounded harsh, while the other was pleading.

She rushed upstairs and yelled, "Isn't the rent just a few hundred dollars? Why do you have to be such an asshole?"

"Yolanda, Mr. Liu is your elder. You can't be rude to him," her mother warned. Charlene Xu grabbed her daughter, Yolanda Wen, who was in fit of rage, and dragged her aside. She cast a glance at Simon Liu and felt terrified. She then turned to her daughter and whispered, "We already owe him half a month's rent now. If you piss him off, he'll be sure to evict us."

Upon hearing her mother's words, Yolanda's heart ached and she was on the verge of tears. However, she managed to smile and said bluntly, "I know that we owe him money. It's just that I don't like the way he talks. Why does he have to be so harsh?"

She walked up to Simon Liu and asked in a calm tone, "How much is the rent?"

The second Simon Liu heard the mention of money, his eyes lit up. He smiled and replied, "Due to the inflation and rising costs of everyday expenses, the rent has been slightly increased from what was originally charged. You need to give me one thousand dollars."

"One thousand dollars? Are you kidding me? You agreed to rent it at five hundred dollars a month, and now, you have doubled the cost. Do you take us for fools?" Yolanda Wen asked, completely disgusted with the unfair surge in the rent. Although she was enraged, she maintained a calm expression.

Ever since she started living with Charlene Xu alone, she had managed to hide her exhaustion and sadness well. She was no longer the entitled and arrogant girl from a wealthy family.

"Kid, tell me honestly, how many times have I called an ambulance for your mom in the past two years that you two have lived here?" Simon Liu asked with a smug look on his face. He glanced at the middle-aged woman next to him, and said in a sullen voice, "Your mom's condition requires medical assistance around the clock. Do you really think anyone will be willing to have you as their tenants?"

His cruel words made Yolanda's blood boil with rage. She felt as if she was going to explode. She tried her best not to lose control, but deep in her heart, she wanted to scream whenever someone commented about her mother.

The very next second, Yolanda Wen lashed out, unable to control her anger. "Shut up!"

Her eyes were red with fury and her sleepless nights had added to her spite. She couldn't help but feel like her sanity was in the verge of its destruction.

"You've always given me cold stares whenever you saw me, and I have kept quiet. But today, you've crossed the line! How dare you talk to me in such a tone! I'll teach you a lesson," Simon Liu roared. He was annoyed by just the mere sight of her. He glared at Yolanda Wen and wished he could rip her apart into pieces.

When Charlene Xu saw what was happening, she rushed forward, acting as a barrier between Yolanda Wen and Simon Liu. Protecting her daughter, she begged, "Mr. Liu, Yolanda is still a child. She doesn't know anything. Please forgive her. Give me two days' time, I'll gather the money and pay the rent."

When Yolanda Wen heard her mother's humble words, she felt like someone had slashed her heart open. "Mom! Don't beg him. He's deliberately doing this," she protested.

"Yolanda, I have already made us dinner. Get in, I'll be with you shortly," Charlene Xu pleaded. She was worried that Yolanda Wen might prolong the quarrel.

"Pay what you owe before you take another step!" Simon Liu warned. Before Yolanda Wen could even react, he stepped forward and blocked her way.

Yolanda Wen was stunned. She finally understood what he meant, and asked, "Are you trying to rub salt in our wound?" Only a few days ago, Charlene Xu had been discharged from the hospital. They had already spent nearly five thousand dollars for the treatment. They had had enough money to pay the rent, but they had spent it all on medical expenses, so naturally, they were left with nothing.

Yolanda Wen couldn't help but feel disgusted because Simon Liu knew they had spent a great deal of money only a few days ago. Even then, he kept demanding money.

"Don't think that I don't know who you are, even though you've managed to keep your identities nicely hidden. You know Andy Wen, right? He's the one behind the Wen Group. I'm sure that if you ask him for help, he'll gladly give you millions of dollars. A thousand dollars is nothing to someone like him!" Simon Liu said with a sneer.

Andy Wen...

The moment Yolanda Wen heard his name, she felt like she was struck by lightning. Her expression dulled, and her anger vanished into thin air. She was lost in thought.

She had hoped to never hear that name again for as long as she lived.

"How did you know?" Charlene Xu asked nervously. When Yolanda Wen heard her mother's shaky voice, she could almost feel the stinging pain in her heart. They had never talked about it in the past two years, but now, all her feelings were flooding back to her.

"So tell me, are those rumors true?" Simon Liu asked scornfully. He stroked his beard and cast a glance at the horrified Yolanda Wen. Then he turned towards the panicked Charlene Xu and added, "I have a plan to make sure you both never have to worry about the rent ever again, but I'm not sure if you'd be willing to cooperate."

Although Charlene Xu was still in shock, the moment she heard that there was a way to solve the problem, she blurted out, "Mr. Liu, what do we have to do? Please, tell us."

As soon as Yolanda Wen heard that, she realized that there might be an ulterior motive behind his plan. She dragged her mother aside while glaring at Simon Liu, who seemed like an evil monster. "Don't worry, you will get the money you are owed," she said.

"Where is the money, then?" Simon Liu asked, picking his nose, which made Yolanda Wen feel like she was going to throw up.

"Mr. Liu, we..." Charlene Xu was about to say something, but Yolanda Wen interrupted her.

"You will get your money by midnight. But you're not to trouble my mom anymore," she said. With those words, Yolanda Wen ignored his scowl and pulled her mother aside. "Mom, let's go inside."

Simon Liu snorted. "I'd like to see that happen!" Even after she entered the house and closed the door behind her, Yolanda Wen could hear Simon Liu shouting from outside.

The small room was as silent as a grave.

Yolanda took a deep breath. When she saw her mother's weak back, her heart ached. She wanted to talk to her and comfort her, but couldn't say anything.

She curled up on the sofa and thought about how she could get enough money to pay the rent.

"Yolanda, come, let's have dinner!" Charlene called out with a gentle smile.

"All right! Mom, do you think that I was being too impulsive?" Yolanda asked, staring at her mom with a trace of guilt in her eyes.

"No, you weren't. I'm the one to be blamed, I'm useless," Charlene replied, her eyes shimmering with tears. All their troubles had caused her skin to wrinkle, making her look much older and weaker than she really was.

She was tortured by her illness, and it was taking its toll on her body.

"Mom, please, don't say such things. I will somehow pay the rent before midnight!" Yolanda assured. She was not too stressed out about it. In fact, she gave a bright smile and pretended to be relaxed. "Do you remember? Jenifer owes me the two thousand dollars that I lent her when she wanted to replenish her stock."

"Are you serious?" Charlene couldn't help but ask in doubt.

"Why would I lie to you? If you don't believe me, I'll call Jennifer now," Yolanda replied as she reached for her phone and dialed Jennifer's number.

Charlene rushed to Yolanda, stopping her, and said awkwardly, "Don't call her, I believe you. Besides, Jennifer has just opened her clothing store. It won't be very nice to ask her for money now."

"Mom, she's my best friend. Moreover, her business has been doing really well, so she would obviously have plenty of money in hand right now." In order to get rid of her mother's worries, Yolanda told a series of lies. However, she was scared that Charlene might sense something suspicious if she lied too much, so she said, "If Jennifer is having trouble making profits, I'll only ask her for the money we owe for our rent."

"That's much better," Charlene said with a smile. She then lowered her head and ate the food in her bowl. She hesitated for a moment before she added, "Yolanda, you can actually⁠-"

But before she could finish her sentence, Yolanda interrupted and said, "Mom, I have to finish my dinner soon, or I'll be late. Anyway, I need to tell you that I don't have the key, so please don't go anywhere."

She was worried that in her absence, her mother would go to Simon again and beg him, asking for more time to pay the rent. That was why she deliberately left the key home and asked her mother to stay home until she returned.

"Be careful on the bus," Charlene said to her, waving goodbye. There were so many things that she wanted to say, but she couldn't bring herself to say them. She just stood at the door and anxiously watched Yolanda leave.

It was a hot summer's day and the scorching sun put Yolanda in a bad mood. After only walking a few steps from her home, she was soaked with sweat. When she finally arrived at the bus stop, she grabbed a tissue from her pocket and wiped her face with it. She then took out a few coins from her purse to buy a ticket with.

It was the weekend, so a lot of people preferred to travel by bus. Moreover, they lived in a busy area where many people worked. The bus stop was very tightly packed, making it almost impossible to wait there.

"Why are so many people taking a bus on the weekend? It's so crowded. I was supposed to be having dinner with my boyfriend almost an hour ago, but I'm still stuck here," a girl with a soft voice complained to her friend.

"Stop complaining! Your boyfriend loves you so much. He's been busy with work, that's why you're taking a bus now. Unlike you, I take the bus every day!" her friend argued.

"Well that's your fault. You should have found someone as loving as my boyfriend! Although Thomas may not be the most handsome man, at least he knows how to treat a lady," the girl said. She had stopped complaining and started to praise her boyfriend instead.

"Oh please! Can you at least speak with conscience? Isn't Thomas Wen relying on his dad for money? You need to watch out, girl! I've heard rumors that he's a playboy. If he gets bored of you, he might..."

Thomas Wen? Yolanda felt her heart leap to her throat when she heard that name. She immediately turned to see who those girls were.

"What the fuck are you talking about, Jessica? Are you jealous of me?" The girl's swearing didn't match her pink dress. She was pretty, but her youth was concealed behind a thick layer of make-up. She seemed to be going for a more mature appearance.

"I don't mean that. I wish you well." The girl named Jessica Ge lowered her voice and began to flatter her with a smile. "Okay, okay, okay. Your Thomas Wen is the best. He has a good family background, he's good at sports, and he's also good at pleasing girls. He is the ideal boyfriend in every girl's heart!"

Her words worked. The girl with heavy make-up smiled happily and said, "Of course, his father owns the Wen Group. Who wouldn't want to marry a rich man like him?"

"That's true, but my heart already belongs to someone else."

"Of course, or how can we be good friends?" The girl with heavy make-up stopped laughing and said seriously, "But I heard from Thomas that the man you like was once his sister's boyfriend. At that time, they were such a sweet couple that they were envied by everyone in C University. Then they broke up inexplicably. Have you heard of it?"

Jessica Ge was stunned. She shook her head and said, "I met Kevin Lin abroad last year. After returning home, I inquired about his past..."

Kevin Lin! The name sounded in Yolanda's ears like thunder, awakening the long-hidden memories that she had buried at the bottom of her heart.

"Well, I advise you to give up on him. Unrequited love is no longer a trend, you know?"

"Don't be so superficial. I heard that the reason why Kevin Lin broke up with his ex-girlfriend was because she was willful and rude. I am gentle and quiet, so I'm the type he likes." Jessica Ge smiled shyly, but her tone was full of confidence.

"Quiet? Why don't I see it?" The other girl didn't agree at all. "Anyway, although I haven't seen Thomas' sister before, I heard that she's very beautiful. At that time, the number of boys who chased her in school was not less than the number of girls who admired your prince charming, Kevin Lin. As for why they broke up, he didn't tell me. Besides, he specifically warned me not to ask more about his family. So as a good girlfriend, I didn't ask!"

"Kristal Feng, I'm so unlucky to have such a bad friend like you! Just wait and see. When I become Kevin's girlfriend, you won't be able to laugh at me!" Jessica Ge was so angry that she stamped her feet. But when she saw the bus coming, she said, "The bus is here. Let's talk after getting in."

After the two women's voices disappeared, Yolanda snapped out of her thoughts and smiled bitterly. Her eyes were moist with unfallen tears. The name that she hadn't heard for a long time had managed to shake her calm heart.

She thought she had almost forgotten him, but as soon as she heard his name, her longing for him surged into her heart like a flood, drowning her into nothingness.

"Miss, if you're not getting on the bus, don't block the way!" A fierce voice rang in her ears.

"Uh..." Yolanda was no longer in a trance. She quickly climbed onto the bus and bought a ticket. Then, she found a seat near the window and sat down, looking at the passing scenery with a melancholy expression on her face. She continued to be lost in her thoughts. The world around her seemed to go silent.

"Kevin, my parents got a divorce. I have no home. You are the only one I have now..."

"Listen up, Yolanda. I'm going to study abroad soon. I'm not in the mood to be in love with you anymore. Let's end it today!"

Those cruel words had crashed upon Yolanda like endless curses. Every time she thought of them, her heart was filled with pain.

After getting off the bus, she shook her head heavily and took a long breath. She thought to herself, 'It's been two years. It's time to let it go, Yolanda.'

It was a summer evening and the city was pressed down by the heat. Yolanda walked along the tree-lined path and turned towards the alley that led to her best friend Jennifer's store. As she got closer, she could hear the upbeat music getting louder and louder.

"What a pleasant surprise, Yolanda! I wasn't expecting you here." She heard a sharp and enthusiastic voice coming from before her as she walked towards the store's entrance. Yolanda lifted her head and saw Jennifer's smiling face.

"Have you had your dinner? I haven't seen you for just a week and you've already become so weak and fragile-looking. Did you miss me?" Jennifer walked up to her and asked in a concerned voice.

Her concern made Yolanda smile like an innocent child. For just a moment, she felt like she had no problems in her life. She knew that Jennifer cared about her, but she also knew that Jennifer's concern for her would only make her think about the miserable things that were a part of her life now, so she changed the topic of the conversation. "How has your business been doing lately?"

Jennifer's store was brightly-lit and colorful, even though it was small. She looked around with a frown and complained, "Not great, I'm afraid. I hardly get a few customers a day."

Upon hearing that, Yolanda couldn't help but feel sorry for her. She wondered if it would be a bad idea to ask her for help.

"By the way, Yolanda, how is your mom doing? Is she okay?" Jennifer asked, her eyes filled with worry as she poured Yolanda a glass of water.

"She is doing all right now," Yolanda replied, holding the glass of water in her hand. Although her mind was filled with so many thoughts and worries, she always managed to smile.

"That's great. These are some of the new styles that arrived just yesterday. You can take any outfit you'd like for free," Jennifer exclaimed, enthusiastically pointing to the rack of women's clothes.

"Thank you, Jennifer, but I can't accept your offer. I already have a lot of clothes," Yolanda replied nervously. After saying that, her face turned red from embarrassment.

She was no longer the girl who spoke mindlessly. Her voice shook for every word that she uttered. She had been defeated twice now, so she wasn't her prideful self anymore.

"But Yolanda, you've been wearing this dress for almost two years now," Jennifer blurted out with a pout.

Yolanda felt like her heart was in a knot as she awkwardly looked at her dress. It was not because she didn't like the dress, but because it had been two years since she had broken up with Kevin.

"What does it matter? As long as it's clean and in good condition, it can be worn for as long as it lasts," Yolanda said with a smile. She took a sip of the water and swallowed it just like she swallowed most of the bitterness in her life.

"I really don't know what to say. It hurts me to see you like this. Fate always makes people suffer, but you shouldn't let that stop you from having a good life. You used to be so happy," Jennifer said with a deep sigh. She knew how strong-willed and adamant Yolanda could be.

"Jennifer, I'm actually here because..." Yolanda tried to confess, but she couldn't. She had taken a long and tiring bus ride to get to the shop. But after meeting Jennifer, she couldn't tell her the reason behind her visit, because whenever she looked at Jennifer, her pride stopped her from doing so.

"What's wrong? Are you in trouble?" Jennifer asked nervously when she noticed Yolanda's hesitation.

Yolanda shook her head. "No. It's just that my job hasn't been paying me well. I would like to get a new job, one that preferably pays me every day. Do you know where I can find a job like that?"

"Are you sure? Is there really nothing else that's been troubling you?" Jennifer asked with a suspicious look.

Although Yolanda shook her head firmly, she couldn't help but feel guilty for lying to her friend. However, she couldn't bring herself to tell her the truth. "I'm afraid that I have to leave now. It's getting late and my mother will start to worry. Regardless, I couldn't talk to you about this over a phone call. I have to go home now. You know it's not easy to get a bus on the weekends, right? Help me find a job if you can," she said in a serious tone.

She couldn't stay in the shop any longer, for she feared that if she did, she might have to confess about her problems to Jennifer. Hence, after she said those words, Yolanda rushed out of the shop.

But before Yolanda had walked out of the door, Jennifer ran up to her and said, "Yolanda, wait! I know you're prideful, but as your friend, I can't watch you walk around wearing that old dress." She then handed her a bag of some new outfits.

Jennifer and Yolanda had been best friends since their high school years. Jennifer had helped her a lot during the past two years, so Yolanda was grateful to her.

"I'll accept it just this one time, okay?" she said with a smile. Yolanda knew that life was not easy for Jennifer either, so she accepted the outfits to make her happy. However, she couldn't ask her for money, knowing that she was going through tough times.

"Done! You can trust me when I say this, I will be successful very soon, I promise," Jennifer exclaimed with joy when Yolanda took the clothes.

Yolanda was surprised by her friend's words, but she was still worried about the rent, so she said, "Remember to eat, even if you are busy."

"The same goes for you, Yolanda. At least I would never starve myself, even if I'm busy. If your mother comes to know of you starving yourself to save money, she will be torn up about it."

Her kind words made Yolanda sniffle. She forced a smile and replied, "All right! It's time for me to go."

After she walked out of the shop, Yolanda felt helpless. She sat on a bench next to the pavement, staring at the constant stream of lights from the vehicles on the road. All of a sudden, she felt lost, like she didn't know what to do or where to go.

Would it help if she swallowed her pride and asked Andy for money?

She shuddered at the thought as soon as it came to her mind, and shook her head.

Yolanda had cut all ties with her dad two years ago, so she couldn't bring herself to go to him now.

As nightfall came, the street lights started to appear brighter and brighter. Yolanda stood up and crossed the road, mindlessly looking down. Her head was filled with many doubts and worries. Suddenly, she heard a screeching sound and saw a car come to an abrupt halt in front of her. She staggered for a few steps and stopped.

"Are you blind?" A man's cold voice came. Although he sounded indifferent, she felt like she had heard that voice before.

Ignoring the scratch on her elbow, Yolanda straightened herself up and said apologetically, "I'm sorry, I wasn't looking."

Yolanda didn't look at his face. All she saw was a pair of shiny leather shoes and well-tailored beige suit pants. A faint odor of cologne came from the man, making her feel nervous.

When Yolanda didn't hear any reply from the man, she apologized again. "I'm really sorry, sir. Please forgive me."

"Are you really going to keep your head down? Don't you at least want to see who I am?" She felt a slight tinge of disappointment in his voice, but it faded away soon and he said coldly, "Perhaps, you don't want me to see you down. Am I right?"

It was his voice. She had not heard that voice for two years now. Although she knew whose voice it was, she felt so strange hearing it.

Yolanda pursed her lips. She felt like she had a lump stuck in her throat, choking her. She didn't have the courage to look him in the eye, so she turned away from him and walked off.

Since he hated her so much, he should be satisfied looking at her misery. Besides, he must have expected this, right?