University sprawled across the hillside, and the path to Harbor Dorm was basically an uphill climb, steep and unforgiving.
Josh used his knees to crawl up, scraping them raw. Blood streaked the concrete behind him as he inched forward, every movement sending sharp pains up his legs. He had been coddled his whole life; enduring this kind of agony was unimaginable. Tears threatened to spill, but he gritted his teeth, knowing that without Jason Carter's forgiveness, things would get far worse.
Finally, he reached the entrance of Harbor Dorm, but he didn't rise. He stayed on his knees, enduring the searing pain, forcing himself to remain there. After half an hour more, his strength was nearly spent when his phone buzzed.
It was a message from Emma: "You deserve it. People like you should kneel forever."
The two had broken up completely, yet neither had deleted the other from WeChat — mostly because of the lingering debt. Emma still couldn't return the money, and Josh's frustration flared. How could she be so blind, so reckless?
He bit back the urge to scold her. Now was not the time — anything to provoke Jason Carter would be disastrous. All that mattered was the apology; the rest was irrelevant.
Josh quickly typed: "Emma, have you apologized to Mr Jason? I messed up, but you were even worse."
Emma fired back immediately: "Bastard, who gave you the right to scold me? It's all your fault! Otherwise, I'd have been part of a wealthy family ages ago."
Josh groaned and typed frantically: "Stop. Stop. Stop. Now is not the time to blame anyone. Both of us need to apologize. If you can get Mr Jason to forgive you, even a little, it might help us both. And if he does, you might even have a chance at something more."
Emma: "I already apologized, of course. I chased him, but he wouldn't forgive. What else can I do?"
Josh snorted. "Being Jason Carter's lover is a dream for countless women. You don't even realize how bold and unstoppable he is."
Emma: "I know… I know…"
She told him everything she knew about Jason — though clearly, she had only scratched the surface. Josh shook his head, replying: "What you know is barely the tip of the iceberg. You have no idea. Recently, Harbor City is developing its tourism sector. Jason spent over $60 million to buy seven prime units, and the moment he did, the property values skyrocketed, shooting past $150 million in just days."
Josh's phone screen glowed in his hands as he continued, carefully explaining every detail. Every word was a strategy — if Emma could deliver the apology correctly, the damage Jason Carter had the power to impose could be mitigated. Pain, humiliation, risk — none of it mattered. Kneeling here, sending messages, orchestrating this apology — it was survival.
The path was brutal, the climb uphill, but Josh knew this was the only way to hope for mercy. Every scraped knee, every burning muscle, every humbling moment was a small price for staying alive in Jason Carter's shadow.
"And he also bought a 300-acre industrial plot for $418 million, and under the new city zoning plan, it instantly turned into commercial land worth over $1.8 Billion."
"The backstory behind this shows just how much power Jason Carter has, but I can't reveal that. You probably wouldn't even understand it. But making hundreds of millions in just a few days? That part you can grasp, right?"
In the girls' dorm, Emma and Lily stared at the messages in the group chat, their mouths slightly agape.
They already knew Jason was rich — flashy cars worth millions, a mansion worth tens of millions — but this… this was another level entirely. Hundreds of millions invested at every turn, and now hundreds of millions in gains in days? It was beyond imagination, far exceeding any over-the-top tycoon they'd ever seen on TV.
Marrying into a family like that… even being his lover would guarantee a life of wealth and comfort beyond dreams.
Lily, practically bouncing in her chair, grabbed Emma's hand, trying to suppress a squeal: "Oh my God… over $270 million in a few days! Jason Carter is insane. And Josh actually called him Jason Carter instead of by name… that shows just how untouchable his family is!"
Her roommates were just as shocked. Hundreds of millions in days? Their understanding of money and power had just collapsed.
Even if Josh suddenly knelt and apologized to Jason, they hadn't expected Jason's real wealth to be this shocking.
Meanwhile, Lily had to calm herself. Jason's riches were impressive, but what did that have to do with her?
Emma, however, felt a pang in her chest. Jason had been distant lately, and now knowing the scale of his wealth, she felt she had missed out not just on millions, but potentially billions of opportunities.
Emma muttered, almost to herself, "I finally understand why he pretended to be modest… his background is huge. If he revealed everything, attending class like normal would be impossible. It's my fault… I couldn't recognize him for who he really was."
She straightened up, resolve flaring. "No… I have to get his forgiveness. There's still a tiny part of him that might care about me. I'll go downstairs to his dorm and set up a love candle to confess."
In Emma's mind, she imagined the scene perfectly: her apology accepted, Jason's forgiveness, and her life in his enormous mansion. Her heart raced at the thought.
Emma: Favorability +15
Status Update:
Name: Emma
Age: 21
Appearance: 8/10
Height: 5'4"
Weight: 106 lbs
Favorability: 62 → 77
Ex-boyfriends: 3
Venereal disease: None
Before Josh appeared, Emma had maintained her reputation, and Jason had respected her for it, thinking she was pure and loyal. Despite pursuing her for three days, he hadn't given up.
But in her past, there were two serious relationships during high school — one in sophomore year and another in junior year.
Jason looked at Emma's updated "favorability" stats and inwardly grimaced at the lingering flaw in her record.
Regardless, Emma and Lily went downstairs to Jason's dorm, setting up candles for her love confession, fully confident that her gesture might reach Jason's heart.
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