Chapter 2

2

I had no time for any of it.

My only focus was my education.

I didn't want anything to do with Zach Vance ever again.

After class, he approached me on his own.

His tone was full of contempt: "Go ahead and chase your useless academic dreams this time. What's the point of being a genius if your research always fails anyway?"

"Harper, this time, none of you are going to stop me."

In my past life, my research in the biology department was plagued by failures.

I had hoped to complete my report so I could join a major project on life sciences.

But I failed over and over.

Even though my algorithms were perfect.

I only found out later that Zach had been secretly altering my data.

He made it impossible for me to catch the errors in time.

"Because of you, I gave up the piano. Now, I'm going to make sure you suffer too!"

What he didn't know was that the research project was actually a gift I intended to dedicate to him.

My thoughts snapped back to the present.

He was still secretly seeing his childhood sweetheart, Whitney Shaw, just like before.

But this time, I didn't interfere.

The teacher caught them first.

The same drama unfolded in the classroom.

Zach looked at me with pure venom in his eyes.

He disappeared for three days.

His mother dragged him home to teach him a lesson.

"Was it you again? Are you that obsessed with me?"

"I told you, no one is stopping me this time!"

"It wasn't me," I said calmly.

I looked at him coldly: "Your life has nothing to do with me. The teacher saw you two together and got suspicious."

"Harper! You're such a snake! I know it was you!"

He didn't believe a word I said.

"One day, you're going to regret this!"

My connection with Zach broke right then and there.

After high school graduation, I still heard bits of news about him.

I heard he got into a decent college and went abroad with Whitney to study.

I threw myself back into my research, picking up where I left off in my previous life.

A few years later, he had become a somewhat famous pianist.

I was still grinding away at my postgraduate studies.

One evening, I was at a concert hall collecting samples from the discarded materials after a show.

I heard two sets of footsteps approaching.

Was there anyone left after the show?

I looked up in confusion and saw Zach and Whitney standing there, holding hands.

He looked at me as I handled the trash, his face twisted in a sneer.

"All those years of school, and you ended up as a literal beggar?"

I ignored him.

"Harper, I've made it. But look at you..."

"Tsk, tsk, tsk."

Our first meeting in years, and all he had was insults.

"That academic career you were so obsessed with turned out to be a dead end."

"I really don't know what you're holding on to."

"Zach, just leave her alone," Whitney added, acting smug.

They stood there like a comedy duo, mocking me relentlessly.

"Our high school is having its anniversary gala next week. As a famous pianist, I'll definitely be there."

"Is a garbage picker like you even allowed to show up?"

He seemed desperate to see me humiliated.

"Actually, it's fine. We haven't seen each other in a while. Think of it as a reunion with an old classmate."

"Just try not to look too pathetic."