Chapter 1

My brother has been reborn, too.

In our last life, the school's golden girl, Seraphina Sterling, was head over heels for me―the cold, high-achieving genius. My brother, Jace, couldn't handle the rejection.

He ended up assaulting her in a fit of rage and died shortly after in a gruesome car accident.

Now that he has a second chance at life, he is desperately trying to mimic my every move. He smirked at me today and said, "This time, she'll only have eyes for me."

I almost burst out laughing.

Just like in our previous life, he's still a pathetic loser whose world revolves entirely around women.

A man like him will never be a worthy opponent of mine.

1

"Nolan is a straight-A student. It doesn't matter which school he attends; he'll succeed anywhere."

"But my grades are terrible. I don't want to rot in that vocational school anymore. I want his spot at Northridge High. Their resources are way better."

"Besides, vocational school is much cheaper. I just want to save you guys some money. I know how hard it is for you to support both of us."

The moment I opened my eyes, I heard Jace feeding this garbage to our foster parents.

My head was throbbed with a dull ache as memories of my past life rushed back like a tidal wave.

In that life, these two people―my foster parents―had forced pesticide down my throat until I stopped breathing.

They screamed at me, "If it wasn't for you, Jace would still be alive! You're a curse on this family!"

I could still feel the phantom burn of that poison corroding my internal organs. The agony was something I would never forget.

"Jace makes a good point," my foster father said, turning his cold gaze toward me.

"Nolan, you're transferring to Valley Vocational. Go pull your registration papers from Northridge today."

It wasn't a request. He didn't give me a chance to say a single word.

In my last life, I had earned my spot at Northridge High, the most prestigious prep school in the city, through sheer hard work.

Jace had failed the entrance exams and ended up at the vocational school, where he met the school's notorious beauty, Seraphina Sterling.

He became obsessed with her, chasing her like a loyal dog.

But because I was the top student at Northridge, known for my icy and intellectual vibe, Seraphina became fixated on me instead.

She used to ditch her classes just to follow me around.

That jealousy drove Jace insane, leading him to commit a crime that eventually cost him his life in a car crash during his escape.

I looked at Jace. He was staring back at me, his eyes overflowing with hidden malice.

I realized it instantly. He had been reborn, too.

"Nolan, you wouldn't mind helping Mom and Dad save some money, right?" Jace pressed, a fake smile plastered on his face.

I let a small, mysterious smirk play on my lips. "Of course not. I'd be happy to."

Jace had no idea that this actually played right into my hands.

Valley Vocational was far away, which meant I'd have to live in the dorms.

It was the perfect excuse to get away from this toxic family and focus on my own future.

So what if it was a vocational school? A diamond still shines, even in a pile of coal.

My foster parents didn't waste a second taking me to handle the transfer.

To them, my future meant nothing. In fact, they probably enjoyed seeing me fail.

After all, I wasn't their biological son.

They only took me in because my real parents died saving them years ago. The adoption was just a show for the police and the neighbors.

Behind closed doors, they treated me like a stray dog.

I did all the chores, while Jace got the best clothes, the best food, and all the love.

But it didn't matter. I would learn to love myself. That was enough.

The next morning, as I was leaving for school, I ran into Jace.

He was wearing a crisp, clean Northridge High uniform and a pair of simple white sneakers.

He looked exactly like I did in my previous life. He was literally wearing my identity.

Back then, he hated uniforms. He used to wear nothing but designer streetwear and limited-edition Jordans.

He leaned in close, looking triumphant.

"Big brother, this time, she's going to fall for me."

"You can stay in that trashy school and rot. Have fun being a loser," he whispered, laughing as he walked away.

I didn't even give him the satisfaction of a response. I just walked past him.

What kind of idiot still looks down on vocational schools in this day and age?

At the end of the day, everyone sits for the same college entrance exams.

Plus, at Valley Vocational, I could learn technical skills that prep schools didn't offer.

I chose to major in Computer Science.

It was the same field I had excelled in during my previous university years.

The curriculum here was basic, but it was perfect for sharpening my foundations while I worked on my own projects.

After picking up my textbooks from the advisor, I headed to my new classroom.

The moment I pushed the door open, a thick cloud of vape smoke hit me.

A group of kids in expensive clothes were huddled around the teacher's podium.

Sitting right on top of the desk was a girl in micro-shorts with a prominent tattoo on her arm.

I recognized her immediately. Seraphina Sterling.

She shot me a sharp, sideways glance and suddenly hurled a heavy chalkboard eraser at my head.

My reflexes were sharp. I tilted my head, and it zoomed past me.

She hopped off the desk and marched over.

"Who told you that you could dodge?" she snapped, her eyes full of disdain.

With a sudden, violent shove, she knocked the stack of books right out of my hands.