Her words made it sound like I had sunk so low I needed her to graciously offer me a kennel to crawl into.

Kervin, hearing this, only grew more self-righteous. "See how kindhearted Rosalie is? Don't be ungrateful."

"Just take the key and stay there. Better than wandering around pointlessly—and it'll make it easier for you to save us those library seats."

Watching the two of them sing their little duet, whatever faint trace of hope I still held for him finally went cold.

I forced a thin smile. "No need. I have somewhere to go."

"Somewhere to go?" Kervin's brows furrowed even tighter, disbelief etched across his face.

"Where could you possibly go? You don't have any relatives or friends around here."

"Home," I answered evenly.

"Home?" He let out a short, incredulous laugh. "You didn't get a ticket. How are you going home—flying?"

Maybe his words were meant as nothing more than angry sarcasm.

But I nodded seriously.

"Mm. I'm flying back on a private jet."

At that instant, the air froze.

The fake kindness on Rosalie's face stiffened, like someone had pressed pause button.

Kervin stood there, stunned, until a few seconds later when fury rushed up, burning away his shock.

"Danna!"

"Are you insane? Do you even hear yourself? A private jet? Why don't you just say you're taking a rocket home?!"

His voice rose with every word, brimming with contempt.

"You didn't get a ticket, that's fine. But to spin such an obvious lie just to save face? You only make yourself look pathetic!"

Rosalie finally found her voice and gave his sleeve a soft tug, her tone all gentle and sympathetic. "Kervin, don't be angry... Danna must be too upset, and desperate, that's why she said something like that. Let's... try to understand her."

"Understand?" Kervin sneered, eyes filled with disappointment and disgust.

"How am I supposed to understand this? Danna, how did I never realize you were this vain, this irrational?"

"A private jet? Do you even know what you're talking about? You can't even buy a single business-class ticket without struggling for three days, and now you expect me to believe this nonsense?"

I looked at his furious face, then at Rosalie's expression—barely hiding her gloating amusement.

Suddenly, it all felt meaningless.

Arguing with them was like playing music to a cow—just pointless.

I couldn't be bothered to explain.

"Whether I'm lying or not... you'll find out soon enough."