Chapter 394 Balance a Spoon on My Nose
Deborah was totally floored, her eyes wide with pure terror.
Stinky Megan—that was her middle school nickname, and she hadn't heard it in forever!
How the heck did this guy know?
She frowned and shot back, "Who the hell are you?"
Ryder smirked. "I'm Ryder, don't you remember?"
"No way, it's you?"
"Yeah, it's me!"
Deborah's jaw practically hit the floor.
She knew Ryder. They were middle school classmates back in their small town.
But Ryder? He used to be this honest, dark-skinned, scrawny kid from a poor family—basically a nobody!
She never thought he'd change so much after all these years!
Ryder was just as shocked when he realized Deborah was his old classmate.
Back in the day, Deborah was one of the prettier girls in class.
Like Ryder, she came from a modest background and went to school in town.
Everyone stayed at school from Monday to Friday and went home on weekends.
Ryder remembered scraping by on $40 a week, saving $10 to buy treats for his sister.
Deborah, on the other hand, blew through $60 by Wednesday and was broke for the rest of the week!
Eventually, she dropped out in the second year of middle school.
She ended up working at a salon near the school, hanging out with other dropouts, getting tattoos, dyeing her hair, smoking, and even hooking up!
They wouldn't have crossed paths again, but after Ryder went to high school in the city, he ran into Deborah at the school gate one day!
She wanted to borrow money from him!
Deborah looked rough and was pregnant.
She needed cash because she got knocked up by her boyfriend, who bailed when he found out. She couldn't go home and had no money for an abortion!
She'd tried borrowing from others but struck out.
So she thought of her middle school classmate, Ryder, and ran into him by chance!
Ryder, feeling sorry for her, lent her the $158 he'd saved from half a semester's worth of food expenses after she practically begged and promised to pay him back tenfold.
But after that, Deborah vanished!
They lost touch completely!
And now, here they were, face to face again!
Deborah knew exactly what Ryder was hinting at with that $158.
But those were some seriously embarrassing memories, and she didn't want them out in the open!
So she flat-out denied it. "What? I have no idea what you're talking about, Ryder. Sure, we were middle school classmates, but we barely talked. You must be mistaken; I never borrowed money from you!"
Ryder sneered. "Oh, really? Seems like some folks get real forgetful after moving to the city. Not only do they look down on us country folks, but they can also lie through their teeth!"
"You..."
Deborah's voice wavered, caught between anger and embarrassment. She snapped, "Ha! Ryder, don't think I don't know what a loser you've become! I heard you rely on your wife to support you after college! A college grad? What good is that degree? You spend your days serving your wife, with zero masculinity! Compared to me, you're way behind!"
She yanked out two bills from her wallet and tossed them in Ryder's face. "I don't remember owing you money, but seeing you so pathetic, here's $200. This is chump change to me, just take it!"
This whole act gave Deborah a twisted sense of satisfaction.
Since dropping out of middle school, she'd struggled because of her lack of education.
Every time she saw her friends living it up in high school and college, she felt a mix of envy and jealousy.
This inner turmoil made her eager to see her more educated classmates living worse lives than hers.
'What's the point of all that education? In the end, aren't they worse off than me?'
This mindset gave her a warped sense of superiority when she saw Ryder.
Ryder's eyes narrowed.
The help he offered back then was repaid with this kind of treatment—human nature at its worst.
At that moment, Deborah barked at the sales assistant, "What are you standing there for? Hurry up and pack this sailor suit for me; I don't have all day!"
The sales assistant looked troubled. "Ma'am, I've already told you, this outfit was first..."
Before she could finish, Deborah slapped the sales assistant across the face!
A red handprint appeared on the sales assistant's cheek!
She stood there stunned, tears streaming down her face.
Deborah scowled. "I've warned you many times, yet you still talk back. You deserve that. I can't tolerate uncouth country folk like you!"
She raised her hand to slap the sales assistant again, but Ryder grabbed her wrist.
She couldn't break free!
Deborah shouted in disgust, "Ryder, get your filthy hand off me. If you don't let go, I'll sue you for molestation!"
Ryder's expression was cold, his voice steady. "I wouldn't have any interest in someone like you!"
"What?"
Deborah sneered, her lips curling in mockery. "Ryder, living off your wife and still so arrogant? You are poor and destitute! To be frank, if a woman with half my charm and grace talked to you, I'd balance a spoon on my nose! How dare you still be so arrogant?"
Just as Deborah finished speaking, Barbara walked out of the fitting room not far away!
She looked charming and elegant in a white-themed JK outfit. Her long, slender legs wrapped in white knee-high socks, exuding absolute cuteness and beauty!
She could outshine any female influencers on TikTok!
Barbara skipped over to Ryder, spun around in place, her pleated skirt fluttering!
"Ryder, do I look pretty in this?" Barbara asked expectantly.
Ryder didn't answer but turned to Deborah with a playful expression. "Keep your word."
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