Chapter 1
The new scholarship student who transferred in ended up with Edward Sterling.
She couldn't stand me, so Edward used his connections to get me moved to Class 1.
After graduation, I announced my relationship with the genius from Class 1, and Edward actually cried.
*****
During the second semester of my junior year in high school, a poor scholarship student named Chloe Rivers transferred into our class.
She was gorgeous, had a sweet voice, and always dressed with that pure-yet-seductive vibe everyone online was obsessed with.
At sixteen or seventeen, she was the unattainable dream girl every guy secretly crushed on.
After the monthly exams, we got new seats.
Edward was still firmly at the top of the class, so he got first pick of any seat.
As usual, Edward would pick to sit with me.
But this time, he used Chloe's poor grades as a reason and said, "Sophie, let's sit apart for a while. I'm going to help Chloe with her studies and try to pull up our class average."
My heart skipped a beat when I heard that.
"Do you really need to sit with her just to help her study?" I asked.
Edward patted my head and smiled, "It's way more effective if we sit together. Honestly, that's what the teacher said too."
Once Edward mentioned the teacher, I knew he'd already made up his mind.
Edward was the eldest master of the Sterling family in the city.
When he started school, his dad donated two academic buildings to the campus.
Ever since then, the school leaders had always been super respectful toward him.
If Edward wanted something done but didn't want to do it himself, he'd just mention it to a teacher, and they'd step in to make it happen.
It was the same this time when he wanted to sit with Chloe.
During our class meeting, the teacher stood up and said, "Our monthly exam results weren't great this time. To help out the students who are struggling, I'm pairing the top performers with those who need a boost, so the stronger students can help pull up the class average."
With that, the seating chart got a complete overhaul.
And just like that, Edward and Chloe were naturally paired up as seatmates.
During class, they'd often exchange glances, and sometimes one could practically see the sparks flying between them.
During breaks, they'd be joking around and laughing together over some problem.
Sometimes, when I ran into a tough question and wanted Edward to explain it to me, Chloe would suddenly cut me off and say, "Edward, this problem is so hard! I've been stuck on it forever. Can you help me first?"
Edward nodded without hesitation, then looked over at me.
"She's struggling more than you are, so I'll help her first."
Out of the ten-minute break, they'd spend eight or nine minutes together, leaving me with just a minute or two at the end.
Edward would grab his pen and quickly work through the problem for me. "First, you do this... then this... and finally, that's it," he'd say.
Honestly, he didn't even care if I got it or not; it was like as long as he went through the motions, that was enough for him.
I tried to push my luck one more time.
"I'm still not really getting it. Maybe you could explain it to me again after class?" I asked.
For the first time ever, Edward turned me down.
"Why are you so clueless? I've got to help Chloe after class. Just go ask the teacher," he said.
That was when I realized things between us were starting to fall apart.
Edward and I first crossed paths at the start of our freshman year.
We were both so attractive that the chemistry between us was off the charts.
I was just a regular girl, and honestly, I never even dared to dream about being with someone like him.
But Edward was the one who made the first move and started showing up in my life.
He even got the teacher to transfer him to my regular class, and ended up sitting right next to me.
From then on, he started making moves on me.
Seriously, who could resist a guy like him, smart, gorgeous, and basically every girl's dream?
Definitely not me.
So, just a month later, I was totally hooked.
After we got together, Edward always treated me like a princess.
He made sure every little thing felt special, like we were living in a romance movie.
On my birthday, he'd plan out every detail and throw me a themed party.
On Valentine's Day, he'd bring me flowers, gifts, and even write me a love letter.
When I was on my period, he'd make me warm brown sugar water and even buy me pads without a second thought.
When it came to school, whenever I hit a tough spot, he'd always take the time to walk me through it, never losing his patience.
And if I bombed a test, he'd go with me to talk to the teacher and figure out where I went wrong.
Little by little, my life just kept getting sweeter, and my grades started climbing too.
During winter break, we went to the beach together.
That was where I gave him my first kiss.
And he made me a promise, "Sophie, I'll love you forever."
Looking back now, it was clear he tossed that promise aside like it meant nothing.