A Life Beyond Limits novel Chapter 143

As Jack's gift was finally brought forward, Wesley couldn't resist teasing him.

"Jack, what kind of big surprise did you prepare for the campus queen?"

He had seen Jack borrow money earlier and figured Jack must've gone all out on a gift for Phoebe. The thought made him curious—and a little amused.

Feena and Phoebe also turned their attention to Jack's gift, eager to see what he had picked out.

Phoebe carefully unwrapped the package, handling it delicately as if afraid of damaging whatever was inside.

Meanwhile, Jack felt a sinking feeling in his gut.

Then, under everyone's watchful eyes, Phoebe pulled out a watch.

At first glance, it looked fine, but a closer look revealed rough engravings and an unimpressive finish. It was clear that this watch wasn't expensive.

The room fell silent for a split second. Then came the inevitable reactions—shock, snickers, and even outright disdain.

Jack already felt awkward, but Mia's next words made him want to disappear.

"Wait a second," she said, narrowing her eyes. "I think I've seen this watch before… Oh! Isn't this from that little shop on campus? You can buy one for, like, 20 dollars."

Thomas turned to Jack with a smirk.

"Be honest. Did you really get this from the campus strip mall?"

Jack wanted to lie—just something, anything, to get out of this moment.

But then he saw Phoebe's eyes—clear, calm, and expectant. And suddenly, he couldn't do it.

The whispers grew louder. The quiet snickers turned into full-blown amusement.

Not wanting to leave a bad impression on Phoebe or Feena, Jack explained, "Phoebe, I actually wanted to get you something better, but I lent most of my money to a friend."

Wesley realized what Jack was talking about and quickly stepped in to back him up. "It's true! Jack spent everything on this gift. He even borrowed money from me just to grab a meal earlier."

His intent was to show that Jack cared and that he had given everything he had.

Feena, understanding Jack's situation, said gently, "Phoebe, the watch does cost quite a bit."