Chapter 2

[Bianca Sinclair from Willowbrook]

[Top Scorer Rejects Scholarship, Tutors to Pay Her Own Tuition]

[The Poor Student from a Poor County]

These topics trended online for days, sparking nationwide discussions about students who lose the chance to continue their education due to poverty.

In my previous life, what trended wasn't my story.

It was a photo of Sophie and me. In the photo, she radiated confidence and beauty, while I looked pale and gaunt.

She was hailed as a kind-hearted princess and praised for her beauty and generosity. Meanwhile, I, the actual top scorer, was reduced to her shadow.

Scrolling through the trending topics now, I caught a glimpse of some less-than-flattering comments.

[Sophie got into Jadebrook College with a special recommendation for her aerobics skills. That's nowhere near as impressive as Bianca, who earned the top score in the entire city.]

[The dress Sophie is wearing in this photo is from Dewberry Couture's summer collection. It costs a whopping 30 thousand. She's definitely a pampered little princess raised by a wealthy family.]

[Sophie's dress costs 30 thousand, and Edward only donates 50 thousand dollars a year to students in Willowbrook? Why not skip a few dresses and help more kids?]

[Donating isn't an obligation. If he donates, it's generosity. Why are people nitpicking? Can you do better?]

I skimmed past the comments without lingering as I had another tutoring session to rush off to.

My mother had died giving birth to me. As a girl, I was deemed a disappointment. My father abandoned me to my aunt and never looked back.

My aunt was single and childless, and she had poured all her time, effort, and money into raising me. Because of her, I couldn't allow myself to slack off. I used my top scorer title to pick up four tutoring sessions a day, doing everything I could to lessen her burden.

When the semester finally began, I thought rejecting Reed Group's 50 thousand dollars scholarship would mean I could sever ties with Sophie entirely.

Don't blame me for being a coward.

I had no family connections, no powerful background, and no ambition to challenge families like the Reed and Lewis families—two of the wealthiest and most influential households.

Having been given a second chance at life, all I wanted was to stay far away from Sophie and live a life that belonged solely to me.

But the moment I walked into my dorm, I ran straight into her.

I was in the medical program, and she was in broadcasting and hosting. There was no logical reason for us to be assigned to the same dormitory.

But then I remembered—the school library was funded entirely by the Lewis family. If Sophie wanted to be in my dorm, all it would take was a single word from her.

Since our lives were destined to be tangled up again, I decided I had nothing to fear.

After all, in this life, I hadn't taken the Reed family's 50 thousand dollars.

As soon as Sophie saw me, she smiled and eagerly linked her arm with mine.

"Bianca, you're here! What a coincidence—we're in the same dorm. From now on, we'll be the best of friends!"

Sophie had that typical, delicate, innocent look that made everyone like her on sight.

In my previous life, I had been drawn into her trap step by step. I was allured by her warm smile, completely unaware of what was happening.

But this time, I was no longer the naive person from before. I had been reborn, and I wouldn't fall for her tricks.

I subtly pulled my arm away from hers and said, "Sorry, I just moved my suitcase, and my clothes are covered in dust. I don't want to dirty your beautiful dress."

For a brief moment, I saw the flicker of disdain flash across Sophie's face, but she quickly masked it and stepped away.

Once all the roommates arrived, we took turns introducing ourselves.

As in my past life, one of my roommates, Claire Robinson, was studying journalism. Meanwhile, Zoey Carter was in business administration.

Though we hadn't interacted much before, I knew them to be decent, hard-working individuals.

Sophie then suggested we take a group photo to mark the beginning of our college life. Despite our objections, she insisted, and we ended up taking the photo.

She eagerly created a group chat and posted the picture.

I stared at the photo and froze. All four of us shared certain features in common, but it was clear that Sophie was the most striking of us all. She looked more refined and radiant.

With suspicions in my mind, I quietly inquired about Claire's and Zoey's backgrounds.

Claire's father worked for Reed Group, and Zoey's mother worked for Lewis Group. As for me, I was the poverty-stricken student the Reed family had been trying to help.

The three of us seemed connected to Sophie in some way, and we were all top scorers.

A bold hypothesis crossed my mind—Could it be that Sophie had handpicked us to be part of her high-IQ breeding program?!

In my previous life, I didn't learn much about the Lewis family's twin brothers until we became closer. I found out that when they were six, they were kidnapped while playing in the park.

Sophie had been there too, and she was also just six years old. But despite her age, she had fearlessly tried to save the twins. Unfortunately, the kidnappers stabbed her in the belly during the struggle, leaving her unable to have children.

But the Lewis family were grateful for Sophie's bravery. They supported the Reed family's business in return, eventually helping Edward rise to prominence in the business world.

After that, the Lewis brothers were inseparable from Sophie, and their bond grew deeper.

Even the twins' mother, Lilian Hart, promised that, despite Sophie's inability to have children, the position of Lewis family's first daughter-in-law would be hers.

But in a wealthy family, heirs were still essential, and the issue of childbirth remained a major problem.

Both the Lewis and Reed families were rich and resourceful, and they could certainly find a surrogate. However, no one would compare to us—the top scorers.

Besides, what could be more thrilling than luring a promising, bright student from a prestigious college? Convincing her to willingly offer herself, body and soul?

And once they had trapped her, they could even justify it with a cruel accusation.

"Wasn't it you who foolishly dreamed of marrying into a wealthy family?"

As for me—the poorest, the most starved for love—I was the easiest to control and the perfect choice.

I couldn't help but gasp in realization.

The innocent smile on Sophie's face before me slowly merged in my mind with the twisted, malicious expression I had seen just before my death in my past life.

When classes officially began, I made a conscious effort to avoid Sophie. I started leaving early and coming back late, spending all my free time in the library.

In my previous life, I had lost so much study time trying to play the role of her devoted follower. I almost fell behind because of that.

This time, I was determined to focus and earn the highest grades possible!