Part 1The Comments Told Me To Be Noble, So I Told Them To Shut Up

Bad news: I got hit by a car.

Good news: It was a luxury car.

I was just pulling out my phone to Google how much I could squeeze out of this when a text bubble popped into my vision, distracting me from my impending windfall.

[The heroine and the hero have finally met! The hero will definitely be captivated by her noble spirit when she refuses to take his money.]

Refuse his money? In his dreams. I was thinking a hundred grand, maybe two.

* * *

[How can you be so greedy? Aren't you supposed to be the noble heroine?]

I’m already a corporate drone working myself to death. What’s the point of pretending to be noble?

“Are you okay? I can take you to the hospital.”

A handsome guy decked out in designer brands stepped out of the car. He practically had a theme song of money raining from the sky, and my eyes lit up.

“Oh, my leg! It hurts so much! I think I’m crippled! You’re not leaving without paying me $200,000.”

Landon smirked, gesturing to my legs. “You’re standing there perfectly steady. Crippled? Nice try. If you’re trying to scam me, I’m just calling my insurance.”

Crap. I wasn't really hurt. Insurance wouldn't make me rich.

I grabbed the rich guy’s hand and, in one smooth motion, dropped to my knees in front of him. “Sir, please! I have cancer! I can’t wait for an insurance payout. Just give me a hundred thousand. I’ll be your loyal servant in my next life.”

Landon tried to yank his hand away, but I was faster, wrapping my arms around his leg as he tried to get back in his car. We were locked in a stalemate for a few minutes until his phone rang. Judging by the furious look on his face, he was having a bad day. I was about to offer to settle for fifty thousand.

“Open your payment app. I’ll transfer it.”

I stared at the confirmation on my screen: $100,348.20. That was two years of my miserable salary. I could finally live a little.

[This heroine is so stupid. If she’d just played her cards right and won over the hero, what’s a hundred grand?]

I went home and carefully spread the cash out on my bed, then started yelling at the empty air.

“I’ve had it with you people! Have you ever worked until 2 AM, only to get screamed at by your boss the next day? This hundred thousand is real, and it’s right here on my bed. It’s a hell of a lot better than the empty promises you keep feeding me. I’m going to quit my job right now!”

[So aggressive. I’m out. She’s too dumb to save. Someone else can deal with her.]

I buried my face in the glorious scent of money, ignoring their group chat-style insults. Honestly, their words were way kinder than my boss’s.

After a few days of glorious laziness, one of the disembodied comments suggested I get a job at the Elixir Bar. If I saved the hero there, I could supposedly salvage my image. The comments were always nagging me to be noble, but they were also weirdly psychic. A secret tip for getting rich? I was all in.