Chapter 465

Chapter 465:

It yanked him back to his grim reality.

Neal opened the input box and typed, “Can you lend me fifty thousand dollars?”

But his fingers hesitated on the send button.

His courage faltered like a crumbling bridge.

He had already asked her for two hundred thousand dollars when their connection first began. That request had been the spark that lit their unusual relationship.

How could he stoop so low as to ask her for more?

Yet, his desperation outweighed his pride.

He had no other options, no other lifelines—except for Fernanda.

But even the thought of turning to her made his stomach churn. At least with Cutie, the anonymity cloaked him, shielding him from the full force of his shame.

Minutes passed in agonizing hesitation before he added another line, “I promise I’ll pay you back as soon as possible. Is that okay?” Then, with his eyes shut tight, he hit send.

The moment the message left, he couldn’t bring himself to look at the screen.

A minute later, six notification chimes rang in quick succession.

When he opened the app, his chest tightened.

There were five transfers, each for ten thousand dollars.

Her message followed: “My card has a transaction limit of ten thousand, so I split it up. Don’t stress about paying me back quickly, alright? Just promise me you won’t stay upset. I’ll help as much as I can.”

Neal’s eyes burned, tears threatening to spill.

He didn’t deserve someone like her—someone so kind, so selfless, so willing to give without expecting anything in return. He certainly didn’t deserve to exploit her affection just to navigate his storms. Neal felt despicable, his self-loathing growing heavier by the moment. He resolved to end their relationship once he repaid her.

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He also promised to return the previous two hundred thousand when his contract was renewed, believing it was the only way to salvage his dignity.

But his plans unraveled when his signing fee was cut by more than half, making his already dire situation even worse.

Lately, Fernanda had noticed Neal seemed distracted in class. He appeared calm, but his tense expression betrayed the turmoil within him.

One weekend, Fernanda joined some friends for a meal.

While walking, Fernanda broke the silence. “Neal, I caught your competition stream the other day.”

Turning slightly, Neal gave her a brief glance.

His appearance spoke volumes of his fatigue; his eyes were red, his normally sharp gaze now dull and unfocused.

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