Chapter 23: High Standards?

Mike Carter sat next to his mother, Mary Carter, at home. He couldn't help but notice the disdainful look in Lisa Ross's eyes. Particularly when Lisa's gaze flickered toward Mary, it was filled with an unspoken judgment, tinged with something akin to condescension.

"Oh, yeah. I have a car," Mike answered, nodding with a straightforward sincerity.

Lisa let out a scoffing laugh, waving her hand dismissively. "Sure. Great. Well then, we'll wait for you to come pick us up."

Inside, Lisa was sneering. Mike, you've gone to college, and you're still such a loser. If you don't have it, just admit it. But you had to lie to me? Fine. If you want to pretend, I'll make sure tonight you embarrass yourself so badly you'll wish you stayed home.

Her mind was already racing with ways to humiliate him. You'll learn that chasing vanity will only bring shame—especially when it's your poor old mother who ends up paying the price.

Lisa threw him a saccharine smile and fluttered her eyelashes in mock flirtation. "Looking forward to it!" she said, her tone dripping with sarcasm.

Mike, however, remained unfazed. To him, Lisa's behavior was laughable. Sure, a stunning woman batting her eyelashes could be alluring. But someone like Lisa—a woman who relied heavily on makeup to cover up her insecurities while playing coy—was nothing more than mildly irritating.

Once Lisa left, Mary turned to her son with a worried expression. "Mike, what are you talking about? We don't have a car," she said gently, though a hint of reproach tinged her tone.

Mike could understand her concern. She thought he wanted to impress a pretty girl, and as a mother, she could sympathize. But she also knew their family's financial situation didn't allow for such luxuries.

What Mary didn't know was that Mike had become quite wealthy recently. Buying an expensive car wouldn't even put a dent in his wallet. However, Mike knew that if Mary found out, she'd surely lecture him for days.

After a brief moment of thought, Mike replied, "Mom, Lisa invited me to a gathering, and it's clear she's looking to embarrass me. Don't worry. A friend of mine is letting me borrow his car today. It'll be fine."

Hearing this, Mary's face softened with relief. "That's great. Just make sure you take good care of your friend's car. Don't scratch it or anything," she advised.

"Got it, Mom," Mike assured her with a grin. After dropping Mary back home, Mike began browsing online for cars.

He didn't bother asking Ethan Howard for advice. Ethan's idea of a "proper" car was a Rolls-Royce or Bentley—a level of extravagance that would draw unnecessary attention in their small town.

After a few minutes of scrolling, Mike settled on a car and quickly placed an order.

Lisa's text interrupted his search:

Lisa: "Mike, see you at 8 p.m."

Mike: "How many of you are coming?"

Lisa: "Just six of us from my dorm. Don't worry about the others."

Six people. That was one too many for a standard car.

"Alright," Mike replied simply. He continued browsing until he found a vehicle that met his criteria. Moments later, he finalized the purchase and even paid an additional fee to have the car delivered within hours.

By the time Mary had finished chatting with Mike about his plans, the car had already arrived. A sleek, spacious SUV—perfect for his needs.

Mike took it for a quick test drive and was impressed. Everything from the handling to the interior exceeded his expectations.

"You have great taste," the saleswoman remarked as she handed over the keys. "This car is a rare find. The previous owner only sold it because they were in a financial pinch."

She hadn't expected the buyer to be a college student—let alone one who lived in such a modest neighborhood.

Just as Mike wrapped up the paperwork, Lisa's text came through again.

Lisa: "Mike, are you coming or not? If you don't show up soon, we're just going to order rideshares and leave."

Lisa was smug. She fully believed Mike didn't have a car and was lying to save face.

Mike: "I'll be there in ten minutes."

The response left Lisa stunned.

Around her, the other girls—dolled up in their best outfits—grew impatient.

"Lisa, why are you even wasting time on Mike?" one of them said. "You know he's broke. Didn't he have to rely on his mom selling blood just to pay for school?"

The story of Mary's sacrifice had spread like wildfire during high school. It earned Mike the humiliating nickname "Blood Money Prince."

"Exactly," another chimed in. "Lisa, your boyfriend's loaded. Why not just have him pick us up in his Benz? Honestly, I wouldn't mind riding in style."

Hearing this, Lisa's vanity soared. Nothing stroked her ego more than flaunting her boyfriend's wealth.

"Alright," Lisa said, dialing her boyfriend, Victor James. "Hey, babe. Could you come pick us up?"

The other girls squealed in delight.

"Oh my god, Lisa, you're so lucky," one gushed. "I can't wait to post about riding in a Mercedes!"

But just as Lisa confirmed Victor's arrival, another notification lit up her phone: Mike had arrived.

"Guess what, girls?" Lisa announced gleefully. "Mike and Victor are both picking us up. Let's see how their cars compare, shall we?"

The group erupted in laughter.

"Come on," one girl snickered. "It's not even a contest. Victor's Mercedes costs, like, thirty grand. Mike's car is probably worth less than my handbag."

Another chimed in, "Oh, maybe his mom sold more blood to help him afford it."

Among the group, only Emma Lewis remained quiet. Emma had always been the outlier. She and Lisa didn't get along, partly because Emma had been close to Mike in high school. After Lisa's failed attempt at dating Mike, she'd demanded Emma cut ties with him. But Emma refused, widening the rift between them.

As the girls waited, Mike pulled up in his new SUV.

"He's here," Lisa said, checking her phone.

One of the girls scanned the street. "Where? I don't see anything decent."

Another pointed. "Oh, wait. There's a van over there. Is that him?"

When they realized the SUV belonged to Mike, laughter erupted.

"Oh my god, it's a van!" one of them howled. "Mike Carter, the Blood Money Prince, has arrived in style!"

Lisa snapped a photo of the vehicle, uploading it to a reverse image search. The result? The make and model matched a van priced around $10,000—secondhand.

"Unbelievable," Lisa sneered. "Mike, this is what you call a car?"

Mike stepped out and gestured toward the vehicle. "Hop in. There's plenty of room."

For Mike, the SUV had been a deliberate choice. Spacious enough for six people and expensive enough to reflect his newfound wealth. But the group's reaction left him puzzled.

Lisa folded her arms, smirking. "Sorry, Mike. I think I'll ride with Victor. His Mercedes is a bit more… fitting."

"Yeah, I'll pass too," another added.

"Same here," the rest echoed.

Only Emma approached him, her tone soft. "I'll ride with you, Mike. Let's go. I know where the restaurant is."

As Mike started the engine, he couldn't help but wonder, Have standards really gotten this high? One hundred thousand dollars, and it still wasn't enough?