Chapter 1

Chapter 1

I gave up my fellowship at Yale just to follow my childhood friend, Leo Sterling, to London for his MBA.

The night before I was supposed to submit my final paperwork, a few anonymous messages popped up in my inbox.

【The Award for Best Safety Net of the Year goes to her!】

【Can't wait for this idiot to find out her Prince Charming has been living with the Campus Goddess for months.】

【She probably doesn't even know the bank statements in her visa application are forged, does she?】

I sat in silence for a long time. Then, I deleted every single application file and resubmitted my fellowship acceptance for my current university.

Ten years of devotion couldn't buy a single spark of truth. This time, I'm living for myself.

...

The next day, on the application deadline, Leo suddenly called me.

"Jade, you've finished all your London applications, right?"

I arched an eyebrow and replied with a steady voice, "Of course."

Leo didn't suspect a thing. Instead, he let out a cheerful, mocking laugh.

"Gosh, Jade, are you really planning to move to London? I was actually just joking when I suggested it."

"You're about to inherit your family's empire. I can't believe you actually listened to me."

"Moving that far away... your mom would be devastated."

Listening to the smugness in his tone, my expression darkened.

It seemed those floating comments were right. Leo had been planning to dump me all along. I was nothing but a backup plan to him.

I suppressed my anger and asked, "The graduation ceremony is about to start. Where are you?"

He replied breezily, "Picking out a graduation gift for you. It's something I prepared very carefully."

【This girl is so easy to play. She believes every word he says.】

【What gift? It's probably some freebie left over from what he bought the female lead.】

【The female lead is planning to run away with him, and she's still in the dark.】

【Poor girl. She wasted ten years as a backup and almost threw her career away.】

【Isn't being a rich heiress enough? Why does he have to choose that pathetic little flower instead?】

【Wake up. The second lead is destined to be a stepping stone for their epic romance.】

A stepping stone?

Why the hell should I be a backup for anyone? Why should I pave the road for their shitty love story?

The night of the graduation ceremony was loud and vibrant, but I sat alone in a dark corner.

A few of my close girlfriends surrounded me, slapping my shoulder hard.

"Hey girl, what have you been up to? We haven't seen you since you started stressing about that fellowship."

"Don't push yourself too hard. With your talent, you're a shoe-in."

"Let's go on a trip after the ceremony. We need to blow off some steam."

One of them nudged me with a smirk.

"By the way, where's that little shadow of yours? Aren't you two usually glued at the hip?"

Looking at their concerned faces, I suddenly realized how much sisterhood I had sacrificed over the years just to chase Leo.

Even worse, in the original plot, they would all be targeted by Leo later. He'd ruin them just to prove he was protecting his precious girlfriend.

My eyes stung. I quickly took a sip of water to hide my face.

This unusual behavior clearly startled them.

In their minds, I was always the ice queen―composed and untouchable.

"What's wrong, Jade?"

One of them squeezed my shoulder.

"Talk to us. We grew up together. There's nothing we can't handle as a squad."

"Did you have a fight with your boy toy?"

"Hey, I didn't do anything! She made her own choices."

Right then, Leo Sterling walked in, wearing polished leather shoes and holding hands with Crystal Vance.

【Now that is a match made in heaven!】

【The hero is so cool, and the heroine is so soft and beautiful.】

【And the rich girl is over there crying. How pathetic.】

【The elite girl has less backbone than the poor girl.】

Crystal was dressed simply, but she radiated a gentle, innocent aura.

She walked up and patted my shoulder with a fake, pitying smile. "Jade, I heard about your situation. It's not the end of the world. You can succeed anywhere."

Then, she pulled out a small gift bag. "By the way, I got this specifically for you."

【She's so kind. She even bought a gift for her rival.】

【So poor yet so generous. Truly a saint.】

【Wait, she's seriously giving her that piece of junk?】

【It's the thought that counts! Does a rich girl even care about the price?】

I glanced at the bag. Inside was a cheap, flimsy silver-plated bracelet. Probably a free gift from a mall kiosk.

Meanwhile, around Crystal's neck sat a limited-edition Cartier gold necklace.

The mockery from the comments made my blood boil.

These two were disgusting. They treated me like a fool while pretending to be the bigger people!

I slammed her hand away. The gift bag hit the floor with a sharp "thwack."

【Is she crazy?】

【So what if you're rich? You have no manners!】

【Just ship her to London already. Stop ruining the vibes.】

Leo froze for a second, then instinctively pulled Crystal behind him.

A mutual friend looked at us, totally confused. "What's going on with you guys?"