Two Reborn, One Throne novel Chapter 27

"Please, just take pity on me. I'm still a student, just let me return everything we bought last night." Joanne had deliberately rubbed her makeup to make her eyes look swollen from crying. "I won't lie to you. The guy who paid yesterday is my classmate, and I had no idea he was swiping his mother's credit card."

"His mom has been calling me all morning, threatening to break my legs if I don't return everything. Look, this is her calling me right now."

"Please help me. I grew up without a mom, bouncing from house to house just to eat. If I don't bring this money back today, I'm going to be locked out and starved."

"I know it puts you in a tough spot, but just deduct a restocking fee and give me the rest in cash. His mom said she'd accept the fee as long as I get the money back."

Joanne sobbed pathetically.

Grace had indeed called her that morning, threatening to expose all the dirty things she'd seen Joanne doing in the alleyways if she didn't hand over the money.

Joanne didn't mind being a street thug, but having her reputation dragged through the mud online was a different story.

She had realized last night that she wouldn't be able to keep the luxury goods, which was why she made sure not to take the tags off when Lucian bought them.

She had slept in them all night and rushed over this morning to return them. To make the clerk truly buy her sob story, she had even changed Lucian's contact name in her phone to "Grace," showing the screen as proof she was being harassed for the money.

The clerk frowned, considering the situation carefully. Seeing as she genuinely was a student, the clerk agreed to process the return minus a twenty percent restocking fee, handing Joanne twenty-four grand in cash from the register.

Joanne looked up with overwhelming gratitude, praising the clerk for her beautiful heart and promising she would be rewarded for her kindness.

Clutching the twenty-four grand, Joanne went straight to the bank to deposit twenty of it. With the remaining four grand in hand, she finally answered her phone when it rang again. "Hello? Lucian, I'm so sorry. It's all my fault. I begged the clerk for so long, but they only agreed to give me four grand back for the return."

"Lucian, what do I do? If Grace finds out the thirty grand turned into four grand, she's going to tear me apart."

A sly smile crept onto her lips as she waited to see how Lucian would react.

Lucian had already guessed his mother would harass Joanne into returning the goods.

Although he was slightly surprised that luxury items could be returned so easily, Joanne's crying completely broke his heart, leaving him no room to think critically. "Joanne, where are you? I'm coming right now. We aren't returning anything. That was the first gift I ever bought you, and there is no way we're taking it back."

Joanne feigned surprise. "But it's already returned. If we try to reverse it now, they'll call the cops. Lucian, I don't want you getting in trouble with the school. Finals are right around the corner; you can't afford any black marks on your record."

"Lucian, let's just figure out how to explain this to Grace."

Joanne layered her voice with thick, fake sobs, though her eyes were completely dry.

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