I Bought Her Boyfriend for Three Dollars

My roommate, who weighed roughly 220 pounds, offered to sell me her online boyfriend for ninety dollars.

Just then, a comment appeared: [When the male lead, a rich heir, finds out the truth, the side character who meets him in the female lead’s place will be the first on the chopping block!] My roommate admitted she’d been using my pictures all along, but said I was the one he liked anyway.

The floating comments kept defending her, saying she’d become dropdead gorgeous once she lost weight. I looked at the page on her phone and smiled. “Ninety dollars is too much.

How about nine?” Chapter 1 “Are you out of your mind?” Molly Reynolds shrieked. “My boyfriend is loaded!

I’m only being nice and selling him to you for ninety dollars because you’re poor!

How dare you haggle?” I leisurely set down the phone I’d gotten free with my plan and glanced at her. “You want me to take him off your hands.

You’re lucky I’m not making you pay me.” “You—” Molly’s ample chest heaved with anger.

I looked down at the lovely manicure I’d gotten through an exchange of favors and named my price. “Three dollars.

Keep this up and you’ll owe me a cheap iced tea.” This time, Molly wasn’t the only one left speechless. The comments chimed in. [I can’t.

How does this side character have the nerve?] [What else can she do? The male lead happens to be coming to New York for a business deal, so he asked to meet our girl.

There’s no way she can keep hiding it.] Oh, so that was it. My eyes crinkled as I deliberately asked, “What’s the matter?

Buying me that iced tea?” Molly glared down at her phone and sent me the login and password. “Forget the money.

Just remember to meet him tomorrow.” I gave her a sugary smile. “Thank you!” I’d had enough of being broke. Finally, it was my turn to cash in. I skimmed the account’s chat history.

She and Chase Montgomery had talked about everything, from some nameless flower beside the road to his family’s investments.

One thing never changed: Molly laid on the sweetness and always made him feel good. When I reached the latest messages, I found she hadn’t answered the ones he’d sent today.

After some careful thought, I took screenshots of their conversation and sent them to an AI chatbot. [Help me figure out how to respond. I’m his girlfriend.

Make it gentle and sweet.] I pasted in the replies one by one. Luckily, although Chase’s responses were cool, he didn’t question anything.

He even sent me our meeting place for tomorrow: a Michelinstarred restaurant. I breathed a sigh of relief. Then I heard faint sobbing overhead.

Molly had been crying under her covers for ages. The comments kept consoling her. [Does our girl really have to suffer this much?

What is wrong with this author?] [But without the side character pushing her, she won’t get slim and gorgeous so fast.

Then he’ll fall for her on sight and have to grovel to win her back. That’ll show everyone.] [Our poor baby girl. I’m crying.

And that side character is so cheap, scrambling to pick up a boyfriend someone else hands down.] Oh. So that was my role. Reading those comments sent a flare of anger through me.

Well, I wasn’t going to provoke Molly just because they wanted me to. I tipped my smiling face up toward her as she cried in the top bunk. “How about I sell you my pictures?

You keep dating him, and I just go to the inperson meetings for you.

If he tries to kiss me or hold me, I’ll say no.” “Obviously, you’d split whatever money you get out of him with me.” Chapter 2 Before Molly could answer, the comments got angry. [Does this side character think our girl isn’t serious?] [She doesn’t know jack.

Our girl truly loves him.

That’s why she doesn’t want to keep talking to him while wearing someone else’s face.] [So what if the side character takes her place at their first meeting?

Once our girl slims down, he’ll still fall for her at first sight!] I got it now. As far as these people were concerned, everything I did was wrong.

Molly poked her head out, her eyes swollen from crying. Her voice was cold and stubborn. “No need. He’s just a man.

You can have him.” She whisked her bunk curtain shut. “Okay… sure,” I said. “Don’t mind if I do.” The next day, I put on the only decent dress I owned and made an elegant entrance at the restaurant.

The waiter opened the door, and the man inside cast a casual glance my way. He had a remarkably handsome face.

Admiration flashed in his eyes when he saw me, but his voice was light, with a strange hint of amusement. “LittleCircle… it’s you?” He lowered his eyes and gave a short, mocking laugh.

That puzzled me. Molly had sent him loads of pictures of me, either taken from my posts or snapped without my knowledge. All kinds of shots, from all kinds of angles.

There was no way he wouldn’t recognize me. Why did he sound so surprised?

I kept smiling as I walked toward Chase and teased him. “Baby, I’m right in front of you, and you don’t recognize me?” Just then, a timid voice came from behind me. “What a coincidence, Jocelyn Perry.

You’re eating here too?” The familiar voice made my spine stiffen. I looked back. Molly stood behind me, carefully dressed up but looking haggard.

I guessed she’d followed me here, then spent ages working up the nerve.

She reached out and tugged at the hem of my dress. “You have a private room?” she asked hesitantly. “Could I join you?” I frowned a little and looked at Chase.

I wasn’t the one paying, after all. His gaze stayed fixed on Molly.

She immediately blushed and shyly lowered her head, only for him to drawl, “That wouldn’t really be appropriate, would it?” Molly looked up in disbelief.

Chase raised an eyebrow. “Ma’am, this is the first time I’m meeting my online girlfriend in person…” The comments were already seething. [This hurts so much for our girl.

She should be the one he invited to sit here!] [And then we have to watch him take the side character on dates every day while our girl’s heart breaks.

It makes me hate that girl even more.] I could barely keep a straight face at that. Molly had handed me the account herself so I could clean up her mess.

At most, I was picking through the leftovers. How had she become the injured party in their eyes? Molly’s eyes reddened. I sighed inwardly. Fine.

She hadn’t charged me for the boyfriend, after all.

I gave Chase a pleading look. “Baby, she’s picked up lots of things you ordered for me…” Actually, I was the one who’d picked things up for Molly.

Chase’s look grew even more meaningful. “If you’ve put her to all that trouble, we really do owe her dinner.” As though she’d been granted a reprieve, Molly gingerly sat down beside me. “I won’t be in the way, will I?” I shook my head.

But when the waiter brought the menu and Chase courteously passed it to us, Molly suddenly sighed.

Chapter 3 “The food at Michelinstarred places is so refined, but honestly, it always feels a little uptight to me.

It’s missing that everyday warmth.” She looked up and smiled at Chase, seemingly without any particular intent. “I still prefer food trucks. I can relax more.” My heart gave a jolt.

Of course Molly was the one who’d grown up eating delicacies and preferred foodtruck meals for a change. Her family had money. Me?

I was just someone whose stomach had been forged into iron by cheap street food: all additives, nothing natural, and maggots spawning at random in the summer… The comments began catching on too. [Wait, that sounds so familiar…] [That’s what our girl told him in their chat!

He even praised her for loving life!] [She’s being awkward about it, but she’s dropping hints!

She’s telling him she’s the one he’s been talking to!] For a moment, Chase stopped tapping his fingers lightly on the table.

Surprisingly, as one elaborate dish after another arrived, he still didn’t take the bait. He remained as indifferent as ever.

Perfectly at ease, I picked up my old digital camera and snapped several pictures: the table, the view through the floortoceiling windows, my profile as I raised my glass.

That left me thoroughly satisfied. Molly wasn’t nearly so content. She kept starting conversations with me, bringing up thoughts she’d mentioned on the account. I wasn’t stupid.

At two hundred and twentysomething pounds, she wouldn’t dare admit she was Chase’s online girlfriend before she lost weight. She was just making a little show for my benefit.

She was the one he loved. Right now, though, her smile grew more strained the longer he remained unmoved.

She wanted to keep talking, but Chase suddenly interrupted. “LittleCircle told you all that?” He lifted his wineglass, studying the pale gold liquid with the hint of a smile.

His question flustered Molly, but she was even more delighted to have his attention. A faint blush spread over her cheeks. “Not… not that much.

Just little things, like the music you like and your cat. She mentioned those. She said you were a really, really good person.” I took a sip of soup, my face blank.

After that performance, I hated to think what Chase thought of his online girlfriend. Apparently, I blabbed about everything.

The comments were thrilled. [Oh my God, a female lead who actually makes a move!

She’s no pushover.] Others threw cold water on their excitement. [Does anyone actually want him to recognize our girl right now? Please, no.

He’ll think she’s an ugly liar!] Molly’s gaze settled on empty air. Her face suddenly went white, and she clenched her hands in a panic. Chase set down his glass.

His faint smile held a chill. “Really?

After everything you’ve told me, I take it she never mentioned how much I hate people criticizing the person treating them to dinner.” Silence fell. That was brutally blunt.

I gave him an apologetic smile and dragged a sobbing, distraught Molly out of the room.

Once outside, I lowered my head, my expression cold, and leaned toward her ear. “Molly, you want him to recognize you, right? Then go back in there and tell him the truth.

Right now. I won’t stop you.” She went rigid. “Find an excuse and leave,” I told her flatly. Molly finally raised her head, looking hurt and furious. “How could you?

You won’t even let me see him once? You’re so selfish!” The comments started arguing too.

Chapter 4 [Does the side character think keeping them apart will make him fall for her?] [Please. He doesn’t care about a pretty face.

He loves the person who talks to him every day.

Our baby girl.] [If our girl didn’t make herself so small for the man she loves, the side character wouldn’t stand a chance!] My answer was to grab Molly’s hand. “If you don’t leave, I’m going in there and telling Chase you’re his online girlfriend.” I was about to go through the door.

Molly blanched in terror. She said a quick goodbye to Chase, clutched her stomach, and left claiming a stomachache. He gave a dispassionate nod.

But after we finished dinner, he suddenly said, “Jocelyn Perry, don’t bring your roommate next time.” After a pause, he held out his hand, its knuckles well defined. “You took a lot of pictures today, didn’t you?” I nodded, and his next sentence followed immediately. “Sell me all of them.

Ten thousand dollars each.” All of that day’s irritation melted away like cream