Chapter 2
I couldn't help but laugh.
I had no idea what I was even supposed to regret.
Yeah, the dorm was tiny and I had to squeeze in with seven other girls, but at least it was on campus, so it was safe and I didn't have to waste time going back and forth every day.
Even after sitting through the SAT ninety-nine times, I still couldn't afford to slack off.
I kept grinding through practice questions and reviewing every single day.
When the first mock exam rolled around, I came out on top and ranked first in the entire grade.
When Daniel came looking for me, I was busy explaining the last math problem to my classmate.
When I ignored him, he grabbed me and dragged me off without a word, just like he always did.
As soon as we got out into the hallway, he immediately started firing questions at me.
Daniel said, "Do you even realize how upset Ella is because you took first place in the grade?"
"Next time, you better not even make it into the top hundred. You hear me?"
I tightened my fists.
Daniel had told me before not to score higher than Ella.
The reason was simple.
If I did better than Ella, the fake heiress, everyone would start mocking her.
They'd say the rich girl couldn't even beat the orphan.
It would make her look even more like an imposter, stealing someone else's place.
She'd be embarrassed and end up crying.
Daniel couldn't bear to see her like that.
He'd always been like this, doting on Ella to the core.
He even held himself back a whole year just to be in the same class as her, so he could look after her.
Back then, I had no choice but to go along with him, just to stay on his good side.
But now, nothing was holding me back anymore.
I didn't have to do what he said anymore.
I snorted, my tone mocking.
"Her bad grades aren't my problem.
"If she wants to prove herself for real, she should actually earn it, instead of relying on others to step aside for her."
Daniel hadn't expected me to talk back to him right then and there.
His eyes widened in fury.
He said, "What's that supposed to mean, Amelia?"
"Because of you, people say Ella's just a fake, always talking behind her back. She's already miserable enough, and you're still here making things harder for her?
"If you hadn't come back, she wouldn't have to deal with all this crap!"
As soon as he finished speaking.
It was like he suddenly realized he'd said something harsh.
He was stunned for a second.
But I just laughed.
My mocking laughter echoed softly down the hallway.
I said, "That's exactly why I cut off all ties. We're not family anymore."
"Mr. Miller, we're nothing to each other now. You've got no right to boss me around!"
Daniel's face darkened with rage.
He gritted his teeth and snarled.
He said, "Amelia, if you don't do what I say, you can forget about ever coming back to the Miller family!"
I waved him off with a look that said I couldn't care less.
"As if I want that," I shot back.
Like that threat could stop me from acing the second mock exam and taking first place again.
This time, Daniel didn't come looking for me.
He just sent out invitations for Ella's birthday party to everyone in the grade.
Everyone in the grade got one, except me.
Ella and I have the same birthday.
But every time they threw a birthday party, they always skipped me.
After failing the quest ninety-two times, even the system was at its wits' end.
It couldn't hold out any longer and finally relented.
The system sighed, "Look, if you can get them to throw you a birthday party just once, I'll call your quest a success."
So I started dropping hints about the birthday party every chance I got.
But I still got left out, every single time.
Every invitation only had Ella's name on it, and she was always the only one called up to cut the cake.
The system was exasperated and annoyed.
It complained, "Seriously, you still can't even get them to throw you a birthday party? Are they even your real family?"
By then, I'd already failed the quest ninety-nine times.
Even with me reminding them, they still forgot my birthday for the twenty-second time.
I was just worn out.
All I could do was manage a bitter smile.
Daniel probably thought I still cared about the birthday party like I did the last couple of years, so he made a big deal out of it, hoping to get under my skin.
But I didn't care anymore.
I could celebrate my birthday on my own, no big deal.
I treated myself to a nice dinner, splurged on a pair of shoes, and then headed back to school.
When I got downstairs at the dorm, to my surprise, my parents, Daniel, and Ella.
Daniel locked his eyes on my new shoes, frowning deeply.
He said, "Those shoes must've cost at least a few hundred dollars. Didn't we freeze your card? Where did you get the money?"
Ever since I left the Miller family, I never touched the card they gave me.
I just found out they went and froze it.
Whatever.
The Miller family only ever gave me 150 dollars a month, tops.
My parents always said since I grew up poor, if they gave me too much, I'd just get used to blowing money.
But deep down, I knew the truth. They were worried that if they gave me too much, Ella would feel left out and get all hurt and upset.
I just couldn't understand it.
If they only cared about Ella's feelings and never gave a damn about me, then what was the point?