Chapter 1

Chapter 1

The college entrance exams were over, and I had just received a full-ride admission letter to the top Ivy League university in the country. I could not wait to share the incredible news with my mom.

But the moment I reached our doorstep, I saw Mom shoved brutally to the concrete. Her clothes were torn, and she was covered in blood.

I rushed forward to save her, but a girl kicked me hard in the stomach and grabbed a fistful of my hair.

"You fatherless trash! You stole my Ivy League spot and my three-year financial aid grant!" she hissed. "Let me teach you what real power looks like!"

"My family has connections everywhere! If you dare report this, I will beat both of you to death!"

I carried our medical injury reports everywhere, begging for help, only to be falsely accused of starting a street brawl and threatened with arrest.

Driven to the edge of despair, I took the two First-Class Medals of Honor belonging to my father and grandfather. I knelt right in front of the gates of the Central Military Command:

"They say the children of fallen war heroes are protected by the nation! My family gave two generations of martyrs, yet their daughter is being crushed like dirt!"

"I don't want medals! I don't want special privileges! I just want my father back to stand up for me and my mom!"

...

I had earned the full-ride scholarship to the prestigious university through years of tireless effort. This meant Mom would never have to work herself to the bone again.

My father's generation had all been brave soldiers who sacrificed their lives for the country when I was just a little girl. For years, Mom had raised me entirely on her own.

She worked countless odd jobs to save up and open a small boba tea shop, just to put me through school.

Now that I was finally going to the best college in the nation, Mom was going to be overjoyed.

I could hardly wait to run home and tell her.

Yet, the moment I arrived, I saw Mom being knocked to the ground, bruised and bleeding heavily.

I lunged forward to protect her, but someone kicked me down and yanked my hair with vicious force.

"You fatherless trash! You stole my spot and my financial aid grant!" Courtney sneered. "Today, I am going to teach you what power means!"

"Bitch! Beat them until they can't move!" she ordered her thugs.

Mom and I were pinned to the floor and beaten mercilessly for two straight hours. Our little boba shop was smashed to pieces.

Mom shielded me beneath her body the entire time. Even as she slipped in and out of consciousness, she held me tightly and covered my head with her arms.

The men dumped dirty yellow liquid all over us and spat on our faces before leaving.

"How dare you steal Miss Mercer's spot? This is just a warning. Learn your place, and don't mess with people who can destroy you."

The person orchestrating this nightmare was my classmate, Courtney Mercer, the most arrogant bully in school.

I had never interacted with her before. Her father was the richest tycoon in our city, and I had always gone out of my way to avoid crossing her path.

She ruled the high school with an iron fist, tormenting anyone who stood out.

I never imagined she would target me.

I had been so careful all these years.

"I have people protecting me at the very top! Dare to speak a word to the police, and I'll kill both of you!"

Mom's head rested against my shoulder, but I could no longer hear the sound of her breathing.

Tears blurred my vision as I watched the gang walk away. I carefully crawled out from under Mom's battered body.

"Mom... Mom, please wake up!"

Mom's clothes were shredded, and she had seventeen deep cuts across her body. Her face was swollen black and blue, and her leg was bent at an unnatural angle.

Trembling violently, I covered her with my jacket and dialed 911 to rush her to the hospital.

Mom was immediately wheeled into the emergency room. Dragging my bleeding, freshly plastered arm, I clutched our injury reports and headed out to file a police report.

However, someone blocked my path right outside the hospital doors.

It was Courtney Mercer again!

She snatched the injury report from my hand. When I tried to grab it back, she shoved me violently to the pavement, re-fracturing my newly set arm.

She ripped the papers into shreds and threw the confetti in my face.

Then, she brought her heel down hard on my jaw. A sharp, blinding pain shot through my skull, and a scream escaped my lips.

The impact dislocated my jaw with a sickening pop, leaving my mouth twisted open.

Courtney smirked down at me with pure malice. "Didn't I warn you not to report anything? Are you that eager to die?"

"Letting your mom keep her pathetic life was an act of mercy. Next time, I won't be so generous."

With a mocking sneer, Courtney shoved a debit card into my bleeding mouth.

"There's more money in here than you two beggars could earn in ten years. Isn't money all you broke bitches care about?"

"Hailey, get on your knees and bow to me twice. Yell three times that your mom is a whore, and maybe I'll forgive you. How's that sound?"

She burst into obnoxious laughter.

I clenched my fists so hard my nails cut into my palms. "Get lost! I don't want your filthy blood money! I will see you rot in prison!"

Because my jaw was dislocated, my words came out slurred, and saliva mixed with blood dripped down my chin.

Courtney acted as if she had just heard the funniest joke in the world. She laughed for a long time before slapping my bruised cheek lightly.

"Hailey, you really are pathetic and naive. Even if both of you die here today, I will never spend a second in jail."

"Look at yourself lying on the pavement. Has a single security guard come to help you? You're nothing."

She turned on her heel and started walking away.