Ghost Billionaire-Chapter 41: Some Kind of Thug

The very next day, Matthew showed up at school without any fuss. He went straight to the exam hall, sat down, and started writing. He didn’t speak to anyone. He finished early, packed up his things, and walked out with Teddy before most of the others were even halfway through.

After leaving the room, they headed to the library.

Teddy opened his notebook and began reviewing notes. Matthew, on the other hand, grabbed a thick economics textbook, found a quiet corner, and sat down. Within minutes, he had tilted his chair back slightly and used the book to cover his face. Then he dozed off.

Nearly an hour later, Teddy reached across the table and pushed a folded sheet of paper against Matthew’s forehead.

"Hey," Teddy said. "Wake up."

Matthew shifted slightly, pulling the book down just enough to peek out. "Is it time?"

"Not yet," Teddy replied. "But you should take this."

Matthew blinked at the paper. "What is it?"

"The invitation for the Valentine’s Gala. They handed one to each student during the exam. Without it, you won’t be allowed inside the hotel."

Matthew took the paper and unfolded it. "Oh," he muttered. "Right. That thing."

Teddy returned to his notes, flipping pages while Matthew stared at the invitation in his hand. The Gala.

He remembered it vaguely—one of those milestones from his past life that still left an unpleasant taste. That was the night Catherine officially agreed to let him court her. He never figured out why. At the time, he convinced himself it was because his persistence had finally moved her.

He slipped the invitation into his bag without another glance and pulled his book closer. It was the last subject of the day.

Surprisingly, the exams had gone smoothly. It went almost too smoothly. Everything he’d studied with Teddy came back to him instantly. Even a few things he hadn’t looked at in years, things buried deep in his memory, surfaced without effort.

Matthew leaned back slightly, frowning. Maybe it had something to do with being a Nexian. Some kind of mental enhancement? An extra perk?

But it came with a cost.

The more he tried to pull on those memories, the more drained he felt. His body wasn’t used to it. By the time he finished reviewing the first subject, his eyes were already starting to shut on their own. He didn’t need anyone to tell him. He immediately knew that this was some kind of side effect. Whatever ability he had, it wasn’t free.

"I’m glad I found you here..." a voice suddenly interrupted his stupor.

Matthew almost jumped out of his seat. He froze and slowly turned to his right. Standing before him was the ghost girl who disappeared last night!

"What? You thought I wouldn’t find you?" the ghost girl snorted, sliding into the seat across from him, right beside Teddy. "Don’t even try to pretend you weren’t ditching me last night. You really left thinking you’d gotten rid of me, didn’t you? Well, Mr. Ghost... dream on."

Matthew frowned. Why was this woman talking about him like he was some kind of thug?

"So?" the ghost girl suddenly hovered beside him, her voice in that same persistent mumble. "You’re still going to help me with my body, right? I mean, you basically agreed last time. It’s not a bad deal, you know."

Matthew took a slow breath and resisted the very real urge to swing at thin air. He could already feel Teddy’s eyes on him from across the table.

"What?" Matthew asked, turning toward Teddy.

Teddy blinked. "Nothing. I thought you were talking to me."

"I wasn’t." Matthew stood up, grabbing his bag. "I’m heading out. See you later."

Without waiting for a reply, he walked out of the library, the ghost girl trailing after him.

"Wait, wait—hold on," she said, floating easily beside him. "You’re still in high school? Huh. You actually look decent in that uniform. Not great. Just decent. Kind of plain, honestly."

Matthew’s jaw clenched.

"I mean, I knew you were young. I just didn’t think—"

"Will you shut up?" he snapped, louder than he meant to.

A few students nearby turned to look. He ignored them, quickening his pace until he slipped through a side exit and headed toward the back of the campus, near the old buildings. Once he was sure no one was around—and no cameras were pointed his way—he stopped and turned.

The ghost hovered in place, arms folded, expression unreadable.

"Why are you so upset?" she asked.

"You’re loud. You follow me everywhere. You don’t know when to stop talking," Matthew said, rubbing the side of his head. "And I’m not in the mood."

The ghost’s expression changed slightly. "You’re not feeling well?"

"I’m sick," he said flatly.

"Sick how?" she asked, moving a little closer. "Like, dying-sick or flu-sick?"

"I don’t know. Just... tired. My head hurts. I feel like I’ve been hit by a truck."

The ghost stayed quiet for a moment, unusually still. Matthew leaned back against the wall, closing his eyes.

"Nexians don’t usually get sick," the ghost girl said after a long pause. Then she let out a dramatic sigh. "Unless of course... they are about to die."

Matthew opened one eye. "What the heck are you talking about?"

"Nexians have stronger bodies," she explained, floating a little closer. "Stronger constitution. Better physical systems. They’re not regular humans. Their bodies are built to store and control spiritual energy."

She stopped in front of him and tilted her head. "Hold still."

Before he could react, she floated right up to his face and sniffed him.

"What the hell are you doing?" he asked, pulling back.

She ignored the question. "You don’t have enough spiritual energy. It’s almost drained. What did you do today?"

Matthew frowned. It wasn’t a hard question to answer. "Exams," he muttered.

She blinked. "Exams?" ƒreewebηoveℓ.com

"Yeah. Exams? Tests? You haven’t heard of those?"

"You used spiritual energy... to take a written test?" she asked, eyes wide.

"I didn’t do it on purpose," he said. "I just... remembered a lot of things. It helped." Obviously, he couldn’t tell her that he was trying to recall the answers from his past life.

She stared at him like he had grown another head. "You’re telling me," she said slowly. "That you burned through spiritual reserves... to recall something for your test answers?"