She Hired the Poor Scholarship Student to Save Her Grades — Then She Fell for the One Guy She Was Afraid to Love
Chapter 4
Madison had built a reputation at Westbridge.
She was confident.
Social.
Untouchable.
Her friends expected her to date athletes, wealthy heirs, influential students.
Someone like Ethan didn’t fit the picture.
Which meant she couldn’t let anyone know how she felt.
She began hiding small things.
She stopped mentioning tutoring.
She avoided sitting beside Ethan in public.
When her friends saw him, she pretended he was just helping with homework.
One Friday night, Madison hosted a party at her family’s estate.
Chloe watched Ethan walk past the gate carrying a stack of printed notes.
“You invited him?”
Madison’s heart jumped.
“I didn’t.”
“Then why is he here?”
“He brought my exam materials.”
Chloe smiled.
“You’re blushing.”
“I’m not.”
Ethan approached.
“You’re missing tomorrow’s study session.”
Madison glanced at her friends.
“Right.”
She lowered her voice.
“Can we do it another day?”
Ethan looked at the crowd.
Then back at her.
“Sure.”
He turned away.
Madison felt strangely guilty.
Later that night, she found him outside near the garden.
“You shouldn’t have come.”
“I didn’t come to the party.”
“Then why?”
“You forgot your notes.”
He handed them to her.
She took them.
“Thanks.”
He started to leave.
“Ethan.”
He turned.
She wanted to say something.
Anything.
Instead, she said:
“Goodnight.”
He nodded.
“Goodnight, Madison.”
She watched him disappear through the gate.
For the first time, she hated the person she was pretending to be.
