Caleb's expression stiffened as he processed Aidan's bold demand. Asking for 200,000 without hesitation? It left a sour taste in his mouth. His family wasn't like the Whitewoods, swimming in wealth and privilege. His monthly allowance barely scratched 100,000, and even the 100,000 he'd handed over before had been painstakingly saved from his New Year's gift money. Now, Aidan wanted double that? Did he think I was some kind of walking bank? Aidan's impatience grew as the silence dragged on. His brows knitted in irritation. "What's the holdup? Don't tell me this is an issue." "Aidan," Caleb began hesitantly, his discomfort evident. "It's just... Well, some relatives from out of town are visiting, and my dad's insisting I clear out this room for them. So, you see…" His voice trailed off as he struggled to find the right words. Aidan's face immediately fell, his anger surging up like a tidal wave. He had always considered Caleb a close friend, yet here he was, being asked to leave. His pride couldn't tolerate such an affront. "There's no need to make this awkward. Linara and I will leave. We won't be a burden," he snapped, his voice sharp with irritation. Caleb, sensing the shift, quickly tried to clarify, "Aidan, I didn't mean it that way. It's just that my relatives are coming to stay for an extended period." Aidan cut him off, his patience wearing thin. "There's no need for further explanation," he said, turning to Linara. "Pack up, we're leaving." Linara, glancing from her furious brother to the uncomfortable Caleb, quietly headed to their room to gather their belongings. As they prepared to depart, Caleb opened his mouth to speak, but in the end, he chose to remain silent, letting the moment pass without another word. He hated having to take this step, but his father had left him no choice—either they were to be thrown out, or the consequences would be dire. The reasoning was simple: the true heir to the Whitewood Group, the real daughter of the family, had an undeniable advantage. It was clear that, eventually, the company would be passed into her hands. As for Aidan and Linara, their future was already doomed. It was painfully obvious to everyone that Seraphina had a strained relationship with the Whitewoods' two stepchildren, and the Jennings Family wouldn't risk alienating her over two people who had little value in the grand scheme of things. Frustrated, Aidan stormed out with Linara and quickly dialed a number. "Harrison, it's me, Aidan." Harrison Grant, Aidan's best friend, asked, his tone relaxed, "Hey, Aidan, what's going on?" Aidan responded, "Harrison, you once offered me a place to stay for a few days. Well, I've got some free time now—are you still up for it?" Harrison casually shoved the woman beside him aside. "Aidan, bad timing. I'm down in Southbay on vacation. But as soon as I'm back, I'll swing by to pick you up. Anyway, I've got something urgent here. We'll catch up later." Before Aidan could respond, the call abruptly ended. Just a discarded pawn. There's no need to think about it. Aidan stared at his phone in disbelief, then dialed another number. One after another, his calls were met with excuses—either they were too busy, had bad reception, or were dealing with family issues. He stood there, dumbfounded! Just two weeks ago, everything was different. How had it all changed so fast? Now, it felt like people were avoiding him like the plague. Linara, feeling the weight of the situation, attempted to reach out to her closest friends, but each call was met with hesitation and half-hearted excuses too. "It's that wild girl's doing, I'm sure of it. She's the one pulling the strings, pressuring us to go back," Aidan muttered, his face darkening with anger. Never before had he felt so humiliated, reduced to a mere joke in the eyes of others. "Aidan, what should we do now?" Linara asked, her voice laced with despair. "Don't worry, we'll find a hotel to stay in for now," he replied, attempting to mask his frustration. Though he didn't have much left, the money from Caleb was enough to cover a few days. To conserve their funds, they chose a modest four-star hotel and opted for the most basic room available.