Part 2Splitting the Billionaire's Bill

The next day, I brought the bag back to our dorm room.

Veronica and Ashley were in the middle of their elaborate makeup rituals, whispering conspiratorially. The moment I walked in, they exchanged a smug, knowing glance.

I ignored them and walked over to our third roommate's desk. Brianna was sweet, but hopelessly obsessed with status, constantly fawning over Veronica's designer everything in a desperate bid to be accepted into their circle.

I casually set the bag down on her textbook.

"Brianna," I said.

She looked up, her eyes wide with a gossip-hungry curiosity.

"You like this, right?" My voice was even. "You can borrow it for the day."

Brianna’s jaw dropped. She reached for it instantly, her fingers twitching with excitement as if she were about to hold the Holy Grail.

But before her hand could even graze the strap, Veronica’s entire demeanor shifted. The sunny facade vanished, replaced by a dark, thunderous scowl. She shot up from her vanity chair, moving with a speed I'd never seen before, and snatched the bag off Brianna's desk.

"This was a gift for Josie," she said, clutching the bag to her chest as if it were a life raft. "It's not something you just pass around."

Her voice was glacial.

Her over-the-top reaction confirmed everything. The system wasn't bound to a person. It was bound to the object.

She was scared. Terrified that if Brianna carried the bag, the system would activate and her secret would be exposed.

Ashley quickly jumped in, her tone dripping with passive aggression. "Seriously, Josie. That's so tacky. This was a meaningful gift from Veronica. You're supposed to treasure it."

Veronica hugged the bag tighter, her eyes locking onto mine with a venomous glare. It was a clear warning: don't screw this up.

My heart stuttered, but I kept my face a blank mask and simply lowered my gaze.

It was all crystal clear now. I had to act fast. I couldn't afford to wait. My plan to switch my fake bag with Seraphina Monroe's real one at the charity gala had to work.

I pulled out my phone and went straight to the university website, looking up the event details. I needed a legitimate reason to get close to Seraphina.

Without a second's hesitation, I signed up to be a student volunteer.

That afternoon, I got a call. It was Veronica. Her voice was practically singing with smug satisfaction.

"Hey, Josie. I heard you signed up to volunteer at the gala," she began, the sound of magnanimous charity oozing from her words. "I actually pulled a few strings for you. I got you assigned to the main VIP lounge. You'll just be directing guests. It's super easy, and you'll get to see all the important people up close."

I had to stop myself from laughing. She wasn't helping me; she was fast-tracking her own demise. She wanted me in a high-traffic area, guaranteeing that I’d be carrying her cursed bag all weekend. She wanted the system to start billing me the second the gala began.

I pitched my voice to sound overwhelmed, on the verge of tears. "Ronnie… that's… that's so nice of you. Thank you."

Then, for the final, gut-wrenching twist of the knife, I added, "I'll make sure to carry the bag you gave me. I won't let you down."

The performance was so convincing, I almost believed it myself.

Veronica hung up, clearly satisfied, and I could hear her derisive chuckle just before the line went dead.

A moment later, a notification lit up my phone's lock screen. A text from Veronica, clearly meant for Ashley, that I caught just before it disappeared.

Can't wait to watch her go broke by Monday. A peasant like her won't even know what hit her.

My hand balled into a fist, my nails digging into my palm.

Rage, pure and hot, churned in my stomach. My legs felt weak. She was still dreaming of my destruction, completely unaware of the hell that was about to break loose.

Just then, the dorm room door opened and Veronica walked in. She saw me and strolled over, tapping a perfectly manicured nail on the bag I was holding.

"Wear this on Saturday," she said, her voice a low, menacing purr. "I'll be checking."

I nodded meekly, my voice catching in a sob. "I will."

As she turned away, a triumphant smirk on her face, the corner of my mouth twisted into a smile that was anything but grateful.