“Just in case.”

Ivy knew Roberta was struggling financially, but since Roberta insisted on treating, she chose the café above the student dining hall—affordable, nothing fancy, popular with students.

As they ate, Roberta thanked her again, then brought it up herself. “Honestly, I know you never liked that jerk. We just weren’t close back then, so you didn’t say anything. I dated him for over two years, and he always seemed decent—but it turns out, he was just a master at pretending. Now I have dreams about him every night, and we’re always fighting.”

Ivy had little interest in other people’s love lives, but since Roberta wanted to talk, she decided to offer some advice.

“If you want payback, it’s simple. Your ex graduated from Neo Haven University, right? Post what he did on the campus forum. He’ll become a social pariah in the alumni circle overnight.”

People in finance rely heavily on school connections. Once this gets out, he won’t last five minutes in Neo Haven’s financial world.

Forget about his job—his new girlfriend, the boss’s daughter, will probably drop him like a bad habit.

Roberta’s eyes lit up. “That’s exactly what I was thinking! I just haven’t posted yet. After what he did to me, I need everyone to see who he really is.”

Ivy nodded, looking up at her. “I’m curious—why did you come to me for help?”

Roberta looked her in the eye, earnest. “Because I know you won’t gossip about this, and honestly, you’re the most financially stable person I know.”

Ivy chuckled to herself. Roberta was clearly smart—so why did she lose her head when it came to relationships?

“What if I’d refused to help you?”

Roberta didn’t hesitate. “I’d take out a student loan. There are flyers for those everywhere. No way am I telling my family—my mom would worry herself sick.”

Student loans—predatory ones—Ivy shot her a look, feeling a little uneasy.

Those things were terrifying; once you got tangled up, the interest piled on like an avalanche. Miss a payment, and you’d get harassed for money, even blackmailed for compromising photos.

“I know those loans are a nightmare,” Roberta said, reading Ivy’s face. “But when you’re desperate, what else can you do? That’s why I’m so grateful to you—and your husband, too. You’re both genuinely good people.”

Ivy didn’t think of herself as particularly good-hearted. After what she’d been through, she sometimes felt downright cold.

But after hearing Roberta thank her so many times, and now being called a “genuinely good person,” she couldn’t help but feel a little pleased.

A good deed a day—call it karma.

After dinner, they walked downstairs together.

The staircase was narrow, so Ivy’s bodyguard had to follow behind her.

At the landing, they ran into a group coming up.

Everyone was just walking, nothing unusual. But as the two groups were about to pass, one man suddenly reached out toward them.

“Watch out! Ah-” Roberta was in the middle, closest to him. When his hand shot out, she instinctively twisted away—then yelped as a sharp pain stabbed her in the side, like something had jabbed her hard.

It all happened so fast, Ivy barely registered it.

Students on the stairs jumped at the shout, turning to stare at Ivy and Roberta.

“What happened? Are you okay?” Ivy grabbed Roberta’s arm, worried and tense.

Before Roberta could answer, the man turned and bolted.

But he was no match for a professional. Ivy’s bodyguard vaulted down the stairs, tackled the man, and pinned him to the ground in seconds.

Roberta clutched her waist, grimacing in pain.

Ivy shifted to check the spot. “Where are you hurt? Let me see how bad it is.”

Roberta gingerly pulled up her shirt at her side, wincing. “I’m not sure, it feels like I got jabbed with a needle. Still hurts…”

“A needle?” The word made Ivy’s heart race. She grabbed Roberta and hurried her outside where the light was better.

Sure enough, sticking out from Roberta’s shirt at her side was a syringe needle.

The bodyguard, having dragged the attacker down, forced him to his knees and barked, “What was on the needle?”

The man trembled. “I…I don’t know.”

“Who sent you?”

He kept shaking his head. “No idea. I just got paid to do it.”