The Ex-Boyfriend Scam

Pinned Message: Knox and Silas. $50k pot. Who beds the new scholarship charity case first? 30 days.

My phone glares. Im in the group chat.

Floating text suddenly burns across my retinas. The Chat.

LMAO. The NPC got added to her own takedown group.

She deserves it. Thief. She stole Auroras rank the second she transferred.

Look at this hillbilly. She thinks they like her? She stopped studying to rot with them. Watch her get pumped and dumped.

I stare at the screen. My heart doesn't race. It calculates.

Panic? No. This is a payday.

My thumbs fly across the keyboard. I hit send.

"Sup boys. I'm the scholarship girl's Ex-Boyfriend."

"I know it all. Her dirty secrets. Her kinks. Her triggers."

"Check the pinned post. My rates aren't cheap. Serious buyers only."

They bite. Hard.

My intel is terrifyingly accurate. The notifications don't stop. Ding. Ding. Ding.

They pay for everything. My comfort cravings. My worst period cramps. My sensitive spots.

I make a killing. My bank account looks like a phone number.

But the boys? They are crashing out.

"We did the list!" Knox texts. "Why is she still freezing us out?"

Silas types back, furious. "Yo Ex. How the hell do you know this much? You sure she isn't still obsessed with you?"

Chapter 1

My advertisement sat in the chat, glowing on the screen.

For a few seconds, total silence.

Then, the rich kids lost their minds.

WTF? You're Maya's ex?

You know her privacy settings?

This smells like a scam.

I sent a smiley face emoji.

100% legit. Satisfaction guaranteed. No refunds.

Knox, the school's resident nightmare, chimed in with a scoff.

Easy way to find out if he's lying.

Tell me where Maya is right now. If you're right, I'll transfer you two grand.

The Chat scrolled past my eyes again.

Here we go. Knox is a pure hater.

Ever since Maya took the top spot from Aurora, he's been on a warpath. He calls her a hillbilly and a stinking outsider every day.

So he hates me? Perfect. I don't need his love. I need his money.

I replied instantly.

Library. Third floor. Fifth row. Window seat.

If you leave now, you'll catch her.

Ten minutes later.

I was sitting in the library, pretending to read, when a shadow fell over my table.

Knox pulled out a chair and sat directly across from me. He didn't say a word to me. He just typed into the group chat.

She's here.

The group exploded again. I suppressed a smirk and typed back under my alias.

Told you. I'm the expert on this girl. You can call me Ex-Hubby.

Knox looked at his phone, then at me. He typed back.

Deal's a deal, Ex-Hubby.

A notification pinged on my phone.

Transfer received: $2,000.00.

My hands were trembling under the table. Not from fear. From the sheer, unadulterated dopamine hit of cash hitting my balance.

God, why didn't I think of this sooner?

I finally looked up, meeting Knox's gaze.

Chapter 2

Knox.

Heir to the family dynasty. Born with a platinum spoon in his mouth and a chip on his shoulder. The school's untouchable tyrant.

He looked like a model who got into street fights. Dangerous. Feral. A mad dog in designer clothes.

He was resting his chin on his hand, staring right at me. His eyes were playful. Predatory.

I immediately dropped my head. The picture of a scared little rabbit.

Knox typed into the group chat.

Interesting. I'm sitting right in front of her, looking this good, and she doesn't even blush.

Spencer chimed in.

I saw her in the library last week. She actually looks kind of pure.

Knox scoffed in the chat.

Pure? Please. The quiet ones are always the dirtiest in bed.

Hey Ex-Hubby. Did you bang her?

I replied instantly.

Nope. We were planning to lose our V-cards on graduation night. Too bad we broke up before the fireworks.

But if you pull it off, you owe me a bonus.

Knox sent a laughing emoji.

Deal. When I get her in my bed, I'll send you a fat check.

Now. How do I get her number?

I typed back.

That requires a strategy consultation. Four grand.

A notification pinged.

Transfer received: $4,000.00.

I tapped 'Accept' faster than a heartbeat. I continued typing.

She's desperate for money. She's been looking for tutoring gigs to cover living expenses. Use that.

Knox scoffed.

Didn't she just bag the merit scholarship? That's twenty grand. Is that not enough for her? For a charity case, she sure has expensive taste.

I explained.

It's complicated. Dead mom. Deadbeat dad with a gambling addiction. Grandma in the ICU. She sent every penny of that scholarship to the hospital.

She needs this job to survive.

Knox paused.

Her family is that messed up?

Fine. I'll ask her to tutor me.

The next second, the test paper on my desk was snatched away. I looked up. Knox was leaning against the edge of my table, looming over me.

He spoke, his voice lazy and arrogant. You're Maya, right? I hear you're a brainiac. Tutor me. I'll pay you ten grand a month.

My heart did a backflip. But on the outside, I feigned hesitation.

That's that's too much. I can't accept that. Three or four thousand is fine.

Knox raised an eyebrow. The rich boy temper flared.

Are you looking down on me? That's the standard rate for all my tutors. Take it or leave it.

I bit my lip, pretending to be cowed. Okay. I understand.

Knox grinned. Good. Give me your number.

A few minutes later.

Knox posted the proof in the group.

She said yes. Got the digits.

I replied immediately.

Congrats!

The other rich kids went wild.

Damn. The Ex really knows his stuff.

He got the number that fast? Knox might actually be the first one to hit that.

Chapter 3

The weekend. Knoxs private study lounge.

I was walking him through Physics. I didn't go easy on him. My tutoring style is basically boot camp.

By the end of the session, Knoxs eyes looked glazed over. The "feral dog" looked more like a lobotomized golden retriever.

Finally, break time.

Knox immediately raged in the group chat.

Knox: F ck. This is actually tutoring.

Knox: Don't laugh. She actually makes sense. It's easy to understand.

Knox: Hey Ex. I want to make a move. Where is she most sensitive?

Suddenly, a system notification popped up.

Silas has joined the chat.

Silas.

Student Body President. The Golden Boy. The guy who looks like he walked out of a Ralph Lauren ad and into a senate campaign. He fits every definition of the "Prince Charming" archetype.

The rich kids in the chat went wild.

Spencer: Whoa. The Prince is here.

Spencer: Thought you said this group was trash and quit?

Silas typed back, his tone smooth even in text.

Silas: Heard Maya's Ex is actually helping Knox make progress. Figured I'd join the fun.

Silas: What? Knox can buy intel from the merchant, but I can't?

I sent a smiley face.

Me: Business is open to everyone. Welcome to the party. Call me Ex-Hubby.

Knox tagged me immediately.

Knox: @Ex-Hubby shut up. Don't talk to him. Just tell me. Where is Maya sensitive?

Notification: Transfer received: 0-00,000.00.

I tapped 'Accept' instantly. Do I know where I'm sensitive? No. Do I know how to lie for ten grand? Absolutely.

I typed back.

Me: There's a mole on the back of her neck.

Me: Kiss it. Just graze it with your lips. She falls apart. She'll shake like a leaf.

Knox sent a grinning emoji.

Knox: Bet. I'm doing it.

Silas: Kissing her neck on the first tutoring session? You'll catch a harassment charge, Knox. Don't be a creep.

Knox paused. Valid point.

Notification: Transfer received: $4,000.00.

Knox: Give me something safer. Normal physical contact.

I pretended to think.

Me: Her ears. They're super sensitive. Just a light touch or a breath and they turn bright red.

Me: Want the R-rated spots? That costs extra.

Spencer: Damn, Ex. You're actual trash. Selling your girl's secrets like that.

I rolled my eyes at the screen.

Me: Hey, gotta eat. It's a dog-eat-dog world. Don't hate the player.

Silas chimed in, smooth and self-righteous.

Silas: Don't judge the merchant. We aren't saints either.

Silas: The goal is to break Maya. Destroy her. For Aurora.

Silas: I saw Aurora crying in the stairwell after that hillbilly took First Place. It broke me. She deserves to pay.

I typed back, playing the part.

Me: Exactly. Supply and demand. No shame in the game.

Conversation over. I put the phone down and looked at Knox.

Break's over. Let's get back to the questions.

Knox said, Oh.

But his eyes weren't on the paper anymore. They were drifting.

Chapter 4

We were a few minutes in when he leaned closer.

Teacher, he murmured, his voice dropping to a rough, low timber. I still don't get this one.

I leaned in, checking the page. Which part?

Right here.

I raised my hand to point at the equation. I parted my lips to explain.

He closed the distance.

He didn't look at the paper. Instead, he tilted his head and blew a soft, hot breath directly into the shell of my ear.

A shiver ripped through me. It was violent. Instant.

I gasped, slapping a hand over my ear and recoiling.

What the hell?

I didn't know I was actually sensitive there.

Knox froze. He stared at my ear, watching the flush of crimson spread like wildfire across the skin.

Then, his gaze dragged down. It locked onto the mole on the back of my neck.

The air in the room grew heavy. Charged.

I saw his throat work. His Adams apple bobbeda harsh, audible swallow. His eyes went dark, pupils blowing wide as if he wanted to devour that small patch of skin.

He propped his chin on his hand. A slow, predatory smirk curled his lips.

Teacher, he drawled. You really are sensitive.

I stiffened, forcing my face into a mask of stone-cold professionalism. Look at the question.

The second the session ended, Knox was in the group chat.

Knox: Her ear turned red.

Knox: She's insanely sensitive there. If I caught her off guard and licked her earlobe sh t. Her whole face would burn. It's fun.

The chat lit up.

Spencer: Haha. Ex-Hubby definitely knows that taste. Spill it.

I sat on my bed, counting my cash, and typed back.

Me: Oh yeah. Honeymoon phase. I used to lick her ear while she did homework. Shed melt. Couldn't even hold a pen.

Me: I've got way better spots than that. But the price just went up. 5x multiplier.

Me: Anyone else want the goods? I've got the R-rated stuff ready.

I waited for the bids. But Knox snapped.

Knox: You are actual garbage. Making money off your ex's secrets? How did she ever love a scumbag like you?

The group paused.

Spencer: Whoa. Why are you raging?

Spencer: You're literally paying him for the info. Don't bite the hand that feeds you.

Spencer: Wait. Did one tutoring session turn you soft? Do you actually like Maya now?

Spencer: I mean, she is the innocent, good-girl type. That's your weakness.

Knox scoffed in the chat.

Knox: Impossible. She isn't even a fingernail compared to Aurora. Why would I like her?

Knox: By the way. I saw a burn scar on her hand during the session. It's nasty. What happened?

I didn't blink.

Me: Money first.

Notification: Transfer received: $2,000.00.

I accepted the cash. Then, I spun the tragedy.

Me: Oh, that. It's her dad. Rick.

Me: He's a violent drunk. When she was little, he used to chain her up by the neck during the day. Like a dog. So she couldn't run.

Me: At night, if he lost money gambling, he'd come home wasted. He used her arm as an ashtray. Burned her with cigarettes.

Me: That's why she hates men who drink. It triggers her.

The chat went dead silent. No emojis. No jokes.

After a long minute, Knox typed.

Knox: She lived like that?

Silas chose that moment to slide in.

Silas: Come to think of it, Knox you love your alcohol, don't you?

Silas: Looks like I win.

Knox fired back instantly.

Knox: Shut up. I'll quit.

Chapter 5

Two days. Twenty thousand dollars.

I was making money faster than a printing press. The scholarship? That was slow money compared to this side hustle.

That night, I treated myself. I ordered the most expensive steak on the delivery app and added a strawberry milkshake.

My phone buzzed. A private DM from Silas.

Silas: I'm curious. How did Maya fall for you?

Silas: You're the Ex. There had to be a reason.

Silas: Knox is an idiot. He asks about surface-level trash. I want the psychological key.

Silas: I'll wire you twenty grand. But I get exclusive rights to this intel.

The floating textThe Chatscrolled across my vision again.

Silas is so smart. He's a total sociopath, but he's brilliant.

LMAO. The hillbilly actually thinks he likes her? Please. It's a bet.

Whoever destroys the side character's life gets a reward. A first kiss from Aurora.

I stared at the air.

So that was it. A kiss.

They were going to ruin my life for a peck on the lips from the "Protagonist."

I looked at the transfer notification pending on my screen. Twenty thousand dollars. I didn't hesitate. I tapped 'Accept'.

Me: Done.

Me: Here's the secret. She likes the "Soft Boy" aesthetic. Gentle. Attentive.

Me: I memorized everything. I knew exactly which day her cramps were the worst. I knew exactly where to massage her back. I even knew her favorite color for lingerie.

Me: Do you want the full dossier? I can send a PDF.

Five minutes later, Silas was gloating in the main group chat.

Silas: Just had a chat with Ex-Hubby. He gave me the keys to the castle. Non-refundable.

Knox immediately got defensive.

Knox: Whatever. She's alone with me every day for tutoring. Just us. In a locked room.

Knox: Look at my face. It's only a matter of time before she cracks. Biology always wins.

Silas sent a laughing emoji.

Silas: Why are you competing with me? Remember why we started this group?

Silas: We are here to destroy Maya.

Silas: Make her fall in love. Make her obsessed. Then distract her. Make her fail her exams. Make her drop out. Make her life a living hell.

Silas: Isn't that the game?

Knox went silent for a long moment.

Knox: Tsk. I know. You don't have to remind me.

Knox: Wait. Can the Ex see this? Won't he snitch on us?

I jumped in immediately. I couldn't let my cash cows get spooked.

Me: Don't worry, boys. I fully support your mission.

Me: I'm a businessman. As long as you keep paying, I don't care if she ends up on the street. I only love money. Her fate is none of my business.

Knox: Damn. You are a complete scumbag. A thoroughbred piece of trash.

I laughed so hard my stomach hurt.

Coming from a pack of wolves planning to destroy a girl's life for a kiss?

Being called trash by them was the highest form of irony.

Chapter 6

The next day after school.

I was walking back to my rental, counting the cash in my head. The hallway smelled like stale beer and bad decisions.

Rick blocked my path. My father.

Look at you, he slurred. Living the high life while your old man starves.

I heard you got that twenty grand scholarship. Hand it over. The sharks are calling.

I scoffed. Gone. Spent it all.

His eyes bulged. Veins popped in his neck.

You lying little b tch.

He raised his hand. A heavy, calloused palm.

I didn't wait. I spun around. I ran.

I ducked into an alleyway, heart hammering against my ribs. I pulled out my phone. 911? No.

A notification popped up. Silas.

Silas: Is there any way to get close to Maya recently? I need an opening.

I smirked.

Me: Exclusive tip. Three grand. Take it or leave it.

Silas: Talk.

Me: Her deadbeat dad is cornering her at her apartment right now. He's violent. If you show up now? You're the hero.

Notification: Transfer received: $3,000.00.

Found you.

A hand clamped onto my hair. Yanked back. My scalp screamed. My feet left the ground.

He dragged me out of the alley like a sack of trash. I kicked. I clawed at his fingers.

Rick shouted, playing the victim.

She's my daughter! I'm disciplining her! Ungrateful brat! Got into a fancy school and thinks she's too good for her own father!

I raised her! Now she watches me starve!

Then, a blur of motion.

Silas.

He didn't slow down. He launched a kick straight into Rick's chest.

Thud.

Air left Rick's lungs. He flew backward. Skidded on the pavement.

Silas stood over him. Cold. Lethal.

You borrow from sharks and make your daughter pay? You coward.

Rick scrambled up. Eyes wild. Red. He grabbed a loose brick from a construction pile.

He swung. Aiming for Silas's temple.

Silas didn't see it coming.

That brick would kill him. And I didn't want a body count.

I didn't think. I moved. I threw myself between them.

The brick didn't hit his head. It smashed into my forearm.

Crack.

The sound of bone under stress. A white-hot spike of agony shot up my arm. Exploded in my shoulder.

My vision blurred. Grey static at the edges. My stomach rolled. Bile rose in my throat.

I couldn't breathe. The air felt too thin. A scream ripped out of my throat. Raw. Ugly.

Silas's pupils contracted. Pinpricks of black. He moved faster than thought.

He grabbed Rick by the collar and slammed him into the ground. Head against concrete.

Rick went limp.

I sank to my knees, cradling my arm.

Tears spilled over. Half from the blinding pain. Half for the performance.

Silas was there. Instantly.

He dropped to his knees. He pulled me into his chest. His arms were rigid. Trembling.

I've got you, he whispered.

His hand stroked my back. Up and down. A rhythmic pressure.

It's okay. You're safe. I'm here.

He smelled like expensive cologne and fear.

Hold on. We're going to the hospital.

Chapter 7

At the hospital, Silas played the role of Prince Charming to perfection.

He handled the registration. He spoke to the doctors. He carried my bag. I was a doll on a shelf; I didn't have to lift a finger.

He even crouched in front of me while we waited for the X-rays, his eyes wide with rehearsed guilt.

If I had been faster, he murmured, you wouldn't be hurt.

Oscar-worthy performance. If I didn't have a front-row seat to his soul in The Chat, I might have actually believed he gave a damn.

While he went to the pharmacy counter to pick up my painkillers, my phone buzzed in my lap.

Silas: Maya just broke down in my arms.

Silas: She took a brick for me. She actually protected me.

Silas: By the way when she leaned in? She smells incredible. Like vanilla and rain.

Knox replied instantly.

Knox: WHAT? She's injured?

Knox: You're a useless coward, Silas. You can't even protect one girl?

Knox: If I was there, nobody would have touched her.

Silas paused for a few seconds before firing back.

Silas: Calm down. You're just jealous I'm winning.

Silas: It won't be long before she's obsessed with me. Next time I pay the Ex, it won't be for trivia. It'll be for her favorite confession ideas and kissing techniques.

Knox exploded.

Knox: You make me sick.

Knox: Wait. Why is the merchant so quiet today? Hey Ex, wake up.

I looked down at my arm.

I had strategically blocked the brick with my left arm. My right thumb was perfectly fine to secure the bag.

I typed back with my good hand.

Me: Confirmed. Silas went full hero mode. Beat the hell out of her dad.

Me: Her father is her biggest trauma. I bagged her by being her protector back in the day. Silas just unlocked the cheat code. Her affection meter is spiking right now.

Knox panicked.

Knox: Ex! Why didn't you give me this intel first?

I didn't blink.

Me: Silas paid the premium. $20k buys priority access.

Notification: Transfer received: $30,000.00.

Knox: Is that enough?

Silas sent a cold, laughing emoji.

Notification: Transfer received: $20,000.00.

Knox: Try me.

Notification: Transfer received: $50,000.00.

The chat went silent. The other rich kids were stunned.

Spencer: Wait. Is this an auction now?

Spencer: Damn. They really want that first kiss from Aurora.

I stared at the screen. The numbers. The zeros.

My heart was hammering against my ribs. My handthe uninjured onewas trembling violently.

It wasn't pain. It was adrenaline. It was greed. It was the best high I had ever felt.

Maya?

Silass voice broke through my trance. He was standing over me, looking panicked.

Why are you shaking? Is it the pain? Do I need to get the doctor?

I snapped back to reality. I locked the phone screen instantly.

No, I whispered, forcing my voice to tremble for the right reasons. It's fading.

I looked up at him. Soft. Vulnerable.

Silas why did you help me today?

He froze.

His eyes shifted slightly. I could practically see the gears turning, calculating the perfect lie to manipulate me.

I didn't let him answer. I smiled. A sad, grateful, broken smile.

It doesn't matter why. Thank you. You are a genuinely good person.

Chapter 8