Chapter 3

That was exactly how it went in our last life.

He became the top scorer in the state, and overnight, he was the talk of the whole school.

My dad showed up that very day with a contract, making the engagement official.

From that day on, Ryan's whole life flipped, he went from a poor kid to jumping right into the world of the rich and powerful.

Now, he probably thought he could rewrite history.

David was so excited his voice shook. "Ryan, congratulations. The admissions officers from Harvard and MIT are already on their way, and they'll be here any minute. Have you decided which one you're taking?"

Ryan stood up, all eyes on him, and said slowly, "Mr. Johnson, I'm not choosing either."

The classroom went dead silent.

David was stunned. "What? You're not picking either school? Then you—"

"I'm going to community college with Emily," Ryan spoke slowly and clearly, making sure everyone heard him. "Her scores only qualify for community college, so I'm sticking with her."

"What?"

The classroom exploded.

Everyone was left speechless.

The top scorer in the state was turning down Harvard and MIT to go to community college.

All that, just to follow a girl?

Emily sat on the other side of the classroom, her head lowered, cheeks flushed bright red, her fingers nervously fidgeting with her shirt, looking both bashful and deeply moved.

David went pale. "Ryan, are you out of your mind? This is Harvard and MIT! Do you know how many students in this state would kill for that chance? You're throwing away a future like that over your feelings, and you'll regret it."

"I won't regret it," Ryan replied, his voice unwavering, with a hint of martyrdom in his tone. "Real love shouldn't be held back by diplomas or school names.

"If you've got what it takes, you'll stand out no matter where you are. I believe Emily and I will have a future just as good as anyone else's."

As he said that, Ryan threw a sneaky sideways glance my way.

The whole class followed his eyes, turning to stare at me in perfect sync.

Everybody knew Ryan and I were engaged.

And it was no secret that Emily was his childhood crush.

A person would have to be blind not to see what that whole scene was about.

Ryan was calling me out in front of everyone, making it clear he was ready to throw everything away for his so-called true love.

Sure enough, Ryan spoke up again, dripping with sarcasm. "Some people are born with a silver spoon in their mouths, mooching off their family their whole lives, but they're still good-for-nothings. Seriously, what's the point of living like that?"

He was obviously throwing shade at me.

The whole class gave me complicated looks, some sympathetic, some full of disdain, and a few clearly enjoying the drama.

After all, in everyone's eyes, I was just that rich girl who never bothered to study, always living off my family's money.

And Ryan was the hardworking underdog who rose from poverty, and now he was ready to throw away his bright future for true love, so moving, so noble.

Emily looked up at just the right moment, her eyes a little red, her voice barely above a whisper. "Ryan, don't say that. Charlotte didn't mean any harm."

"Emily, you're just too soft-hearted," Ryan said, giving her a gentle smile before turning to me with a cold glare.

"Some people will never understand what real feelings are. All they care about is money and playing games. Even if they live to a hundred, their lives are nothing but empty."

I sat in my seat, lazily twirling my pen, and nearly laughed out loud at what Ryan said.

Empty? Me?

In my last life, I partied, traveled the globe, and had my pick of male models, enough to line up from the classroom all the way to the school gate. I lived it up in comfort until the very end, dying peacefully without a care.

Empty? Please.

Ryan spent his whole last life working for my family, pulling in just one dollar a month. He played the part of a big shot for everyone, but behind closed doors, he had to secretly siphon off company funds just to buy meds for Emily.

That was rich, coming from a man who had lived exactly that way.

Now look at him, reborn, and suddenly acting like some kind of love guru.

David was frantically pacing, clearly on edge. "Ryan, you need to think this over. This is a huge decision, it's going to affect your whole life. You can't just rush into it."

"Mr. Johnson, I've made up my mind," Ryan said, absolutely resolute. "This time, I'm not going to compromise for any gain or benefit. For once, I'm going to live for myself, and for real love."

He spoke with so much conviction, the whole class was stunned into silence.

Several girls quietly wiped away tears, obviously touched by his declaration of "true love."

The guys looked conflicted, some were envious, some thought he was nuts, but most of them actually admired his guts.

Ryan soaked up all the attention, then finally turned to me, daring me to react, totally smug.

He was waiting to see how I'd respond.

He wanted me to break down, throw a tantrum, and plead with him to stay.

Too bad for him, he was in for a disappointment.

I leisurely packed up my bag, stood up, and strolled to the front of the classroom, with everyone watching me.

David glanced at me, a bit confused. "Charlotte, you..."

"Mr. Johnson," I cut him off, flashing a big smile. "Since Ryan's made such a 'heroic' choice, shouldn't we all just respect it?"

David was stunned.

I turned to face the class, my voice clear. "Ryan gave up Harvard and MIT for true love, choosing to go to a community college with his childhood sweetheart. That's honestly touching. I suggest we throw a farewell party for Ryan and Emily to celebrate."

The class fell silent.

Ryan's expression shifted slightly.

Emily was stunned.

I kept smiling. "After all, not everyone has that kind of 'you'll stand out no matter where you are' confidence. We should really support that, right?"

With that, I grabbed my backpack and walked out of the classroom without looking back.

Behind me, the classroom was dead silent.

As I reached the door, I heard Ryan's cold voice. "Charlotte, don't get too cocky. Even without the Foster Family, I'll still make it big. And you? You're just a spoiled brat who'll never do anything on your own."

I didn't stop walking, just raised my hand and waved.

"Sure, I'll be waiting to see that."

I wanted to see how he and Emily would shine on his so-called true love.