The teaching assistant's face darkened again.
After leaving the office, I encountered Juliette and her entourage outside the classroom.
"My dad says that piece of land has been worthless for years. Erica, are you planning to turn it into a recycling station?" Juliette mocked.
"Yeah, you're used to dealing with trash, so maybe you see everything as valuable…" one of Juliette's friends laughed, covering her mouth.
I didn't respond.
Someday, they'll regret what they said and come back begging me.
Under Juliette's dramatic portrayal and smear campaign, the campus forums and social media were abuzz with talk about my purchase of the "worthless" land.
Everyone speculated that I had lost my mind, risking all my assets on a failed investment. Some even started betting on whether I was planning something major or just had a brain freeze.
The topic quickly went viral, topping the campus trending charts.
Even Joel came to see me. "It's okay, Erica. If you're out of money, I'll take care of you."
I wanted to tell him, "I'm not looking for a sugar daddy!"
After sending Joel away, I got a call from Duncan. "There's a lot of talk online about you. Do you want me to help handle it?"
As a computer science major, Duncan could easily manage the online chatter. Although he didn't say it outright, it was clear from my attitude toward Joel that Duncan understood I had my own plans for everything I did.
He would never act on his own without checking with me first.
I declined his offer.
Let the speculation continue a bit longer. Although I never intended to make a big show of it, if Juliette had pushed the narrative this far, I had no reason to end it quietly.
A month later, the news broke that, just like in my previous life, the land was designated as a new economic zone. The value of the land soared, and the compensation was astronomical.
The campus exploded once more.
"I knew Erica was great at turning things around! She's clearly planned something big this time. She's going to be a millionaire…"
"I want to hitch a ride on her success and get rich too. Erica, you're amazing…"
"Not only is she beautiful, but she also dances beautifully and has a great personality. I'm now Erica's number one fan…"
"Count me in. Erica, you're my idol…"
The buzz was so intense that the campus network nearly crashed.