"Well, I suppose that makes sense. With the Taylor family's influence, getting you placed here would have been effortless," Elsa said.

She continued, "It's nothing like Flynn and me. We actually had to work ourselves to the bone to earn our spots. By the way, where is that useless son of the Taylor family? Knowing Mrs. Taylor, she must have arranged for him to enroll as well."

I frowned. Before I could say anything, Flynn came over, scowling at me like always.

"Elsa," he said, pulling her behind him. "I already said don't get involved with her."

"Flynn, Enya isn't a bad person," Elsa muttered, putting on an innocent act.

Flynn replied sternly, "How do you know she's not?"

Classes kept us busy all day. I paid little attention to their playful banter and instead opened my management textbooks to study.

When classes ended, Eric and I had agreed to meet at the school gate and go home together. He hadn't wanted to at first, but Mom insisted.

He still looked hesitant after a few days, but he kept bringing me snacks from the stalls outside the school gate. When he handed me a small cake, I froze for a moment.

"I saw the other girls in class eating these," Eric said. "Don't tell me you don't like it."

I couldn't hide the small spark of delight on my face as I took it from him. "I do. Of course I do."

Over the next week, he brought all kinds of snacks—fries, fresh fruit, creamy yogurt. We practically worked our way through every stall near the school gate.

As the semester went on, our relationship slowly got better. That day, I hurried to the school gate as usual, but he was nowhere in sight.

I searched the entire campus without success. Just then, fragments of conversation reached my ears.

"Hey, did you hear? Eric's gone to race on the mountain trail behind the school."

"Seriously?"

"Yeah. The race should have already started by now."

My heart sank as the memory hit me.

In my previous life, Eric had been persuaded to take part in a race. His car was sabotaged, and the mountain trail was treacherous. A terrible crash followed, and because help didn't arrive in time, he was left paralyzed from the waist down, disabled for life.

I couldn't let this happen again. I ran toward the back mountain like I had lost my mind.

By the time I arrived, the race was already underway. The track was packed with spectators, cheering loudly as cars roared past, sending clouds of dust flying.

The next moment, a deafening explosion tore through the air. The red sports car lost control right before my eyes and smashed headlong into an artificial rock formation.

The crowd scattered in panic.

"Eric!"

I sprinted toward him.

I was just a step away from pulling him free when a brutal force hit me from behind, sending me sprawling onto the ground.

"Is this your brother?"

A vicious-looking face loomed before me.

"Call an ambulance, now. My brother is dying!" I screamed.

I looked toward the driver's seat. Eric was crushed inside with barely any space left to survive. My heart pounded wildly.

"Your brother made an enemy of me, and you think I would let you save him? Dream on," he snapped, striking my face again and again.

I shoved him away and swung back, landing a slap of my own as I roared, "This is murder. It's illegal. I won't let any of you get away with this."

I tried to intimidate them and hurriedly reached for my phone, but the next moment, it was snatched away and tossed aside. Another brutal slap struck me, knocking me to the ground.

"Who do you think you are, mouthing off like that?"

A foot pressed down on my face. Pain exploded through me. In my daze, I saw a familiar figure.

It was Flynn.

"Flynn, save me!" I shouted with everything I had left.

I watched as Flynn walked toward me, but halfway there, Elsa grabbed his arm. "Flynn, what are you looking at? Let's not get involved. We should leave. Those people aren't someone we can afford to provoke."

I watched the expression on Flynn's face shift from hesitation to submission.

"Alright."

He looked at me deeply, then turned and walked away.

The man retrieved a sledgehammer from the car. "In all my years, no one has ever dared to hit me. Today, I will make you pay for that slap."

His roar was carried away by the wind.

He raised the hammer and brought it down.