CHAPTER 336: CHAPTER 336: BANKRUPT

The class froze again, everyone’s eyes darting between Olivia’s furious face and Mateo’s calm expression.

But Mateo only chuckled, a low laugh that made Olivia’s skin crawl. He shook his head slowly, almost as if he were pitying her.

"You can say that all you want, Olivia. But I know the truth. You do like me. You always have. But because of your family, maybe because of pride, you never dared to admit it. That is why you kept rejecting me. That is why you are acting like this now."

Olivia’s jaw dropped. She could not believe her ears. He was twisting her words, twisting her feelings into something completely false.

"You...!" she began, her voice shaking with rage.

But before she could finish, a calm, amused voice came from the door. "Has Mateo ever thought about going to a mental hospital?"

The entire class turned their heads at once. For a moment, silence swallowed the room again. Then, gasps and whispers broke out.

Standing at the door was a tall young man. His skin was pale, smooth like porcelain. His hair was deep black, slightly messy, but it only added to his charm.

He wore expensive-looking headphones around his neck, a designer jacket, and shoes that looked like they cost more than an entire month of allowance for most of the students. Every detail of his clothes screamed wealth.

He walked in casually, his steps relaxed, his aura confident. It was as if he owned the room the moment he entered. Students could not help but stare at him.

Girls’ eyes widened, their cheeks flushing pink. Boys shifted uncomfortably, suddenly aware of how plain they looked compared to him.

The young man’s name was Louis. He stopped in the center of the classroom and looked straight at Mateo. His dark eyes were sharp, but his expression was cool, almost playful.

"I have seen many mental patients," Louis said calmly, his voice smooth but cutting. "And you resemble them a lot."

Laughter rippled through the classroom, though most students tried to cover it with their hands.

Mateo’s face turned red with anger. He quickly pulled Eleanor closer, hiding her behind his body. "You have no right to say that to me!" Mateo barked.

Louis tilted his head slightly, his lips curving into a half-smile. He nodded, as though agreeing. "You are right," he said softly. Then his eyes glinted with amusement as he added, "Talking with a mental patient for too long can make one sick too."

The class erupted. Some students burst out laughing openly, while others slapped their desks to hide their giggles. The tension that had been choking the room moments before cracked wide open, replaced by laughter and gasps.

Olivia blinked, her anger slowing for a moment.

Mateo stood there, his chest puffed up, his face red like he was about to explode. He pointed at Louis with a shaking finger and said loudly,

"Your mannerism is very lacking! This is not how you talk about any classmate!" His voice was shaking from anger, but he tried his best to sound calm, as if he was the one in control.

Louis just tilted his head slightly, and then, to everyone’s surprise, he laughed. It was not a loud laugh but a soft, amused one, as if he had just heard a joke only he understood.

"Classmate?" he repeated slowly, his tone dripping with sarcasm. Then his lips curved into a playful grin as he added, "I was never talking with a classmate to begin with. I was talking with a dog who loves to bark."

The whole class erupted in laughter. Some students slapped their desks, while others covered their mouths, trying not to laugh too hard. The air was filled with giggles and whispers.

Nobody had expected Louis, who had just appeared, to have such a sharp tongue. Even the boys who usually acted tough could not help but smirk at his words.

Mateo’s face turned purple with anger. He held Eleanor’s hand tighter, pulling her behind him like she was a shield. "You... you are going too far!" he shouted, his voice trembling.

"If you continue like this, I will make sure you will not have any face left to stay in New York!"

The students gasped again. His words were bold, maybe too bold, but it was clear he was trying to show his power in front of everyone.

For a second, silence returned as all eyes moved back to Louis, waiting for his reply.

Louis did not even flinch. He looked straight at Mateo with a relaxed face, like a cat staring at a barking dog. He nodded once and said calmly,

"If that is the case, then do so. I am curious to see. After all, from what I have heard, your background is rather simple."

Mateo’s face twitched, but instead of looking defeated, he suddenly smirked. He had been waiting for this very chance, the chance to reveal what he thought was his biggest trump card.

His chest swelled with pride as he stepped forward and shouted loudly enough for the whole class to hear,

"I am not some poor man! Do not look down on me! I was only hiding it, but now it is time for you all to know my true background. My full name is Mateo Greenfield!"

The classroom went silent. The name dropped like a stone in water, sending ripples through everyone’s hearts. Students glanced at each other with wide eyes. Then, whispers started.

"Greenfield? Did he just say Greenfield?"

"Wait... the Greenfield family? The one that owns those organic stores?"

"Yes, the Greenfield family that sells fruits and vegetables. They also restore food chains, right? I heard they make millions already."

"They are aiming for hundreds of millions soon. I saw it in the news last week!"

The whispers grew louder and louder. Everyone was stunned, even the students who had been laughing at Mateo just moments ago.

Their expressions turned complicated. Some looked impressed, others looked shocked, and a few looked suddenly respectful.

Mateo felt a rush of joy flood his chest. He looked at all of them, his chin lifted high, his eyes glittering with pride. In his heart, he was telling himself,

’See? Now they all regret not being close to me. They must be wishing they had been my friends from the start.’

What Mateo did not know was that while some of the students were indeed impressed, others were thinking something completely different.

A few were silently regretting that they had not bullied him harder before. Now that he had revealed his identity, they could not risk it. It was too late. If Mateo knew this, he would have vomited blood right there from anger.

Louis, however, did not react much. His lips curved slightly, but his eyes remained calm and cold. He slipped his hands into his pockets and simply watched Mateo, not even showing a hint of fear.

Olivia, on the other hand, showed no surprise at all. She did not gasp like the others. She did not whisper with her classmates.

She simply sat there quietly, her gaze fixed on Louis instead of Mateo. Her calmness was so obvious that it made Mateo’s blood boil.

He turned quickly, searching her face for signs of shock or regret. But Olivia’s expression did not change. She only stared calmly at Louis, as if Mateo’s big reveal meant nothing to her.

Mateo’s hands shook in fury. His teeth clenched as he thought,

’Why? Why is she not stunned? Shouldn’t she feel regretful? Shouldn’t she realize what a big fish she has lost?’

But then, Olivia suddenly turned her eyes toward him. There was a small look in her gaze, something soft, something like pity.

Mateo’s heart jumped with joy.

’Yes,’ he thought, that is it. ’She is finally realizing it. She regrets it. She knows she has lost someone great, and now she is filled with pity for herself. She must still love me inside. She must!’

But if Mateo could hear Olivia’s real thoughts, he would have fainted from rage on the spot.

Olivia was not feeling regret at all. Instead, she was thinking in her heart,

’What bad luck. He tried so hard to hide his background and find a girl who would not bankrupt him, but in the end, he ended up with Eleanor. Out of all people, it had to be her. This man’s luck is truly rotten.’

Her eyes flicked briefly to Eleanor, who was still clinging to Mateo’s sleeve with trembling hands. Olivia knew Eleanor better than anyone else in the classroom.

They had almost grown up together, both struggling through poverty in their early years. But while Olivia had learned to stand on her own feet, Eleanor had always dreamed of someone else lifting her up.

Eleanor used to joke about it often.

"One day, my rich husband will buy me all the designer bags I want. His money will be mine, and I will not need to worry about anything anymore."

She always laughed when she said it, but Olivia had noticed the glint in her eyes, the hunger that hid behind those words.