Chapter 2

Looking at the gossiping faces of my classmates, I smiled at Asher.

“But you haven't actually asked me out yet.”

“If we end up in the same university, then let’s officially be together.”

Asher gazed at me, his eyes shining like a sky full of stars.

My classmates cheered and clapped, while also pointing fingers at Tiffany.

Mortified, Tiffany stood rooted to the spot, the tears she’d held back for so long finally falling.

Caleb slammed his dictionary onto his desk.

“Everyone shut up! What’s so funny about this?!”

He then grabbed a tissue from my desk and handed it to Tiffany.

Unlike his hidden affection in the previous life, his blatant love now seemed to overflow from his chest.

“Don’t cry, he’s not worth it!”

Tiffany looked at Caleb, her eyes full of gratitude.

Caleb’s eyes glowed. In the previous life, at this very moment, Tiffany never spared him a single glance.

He seemed emboldened. He kicked my chair, sending it toppling over.

“Aubrey, are you enjoying this? Making Tiffany look bad, isn’t that just your pathetic way of getting my attention? Well, too bad, you failed. You just make me hate you even more!”

Tiffany cried even more pitifully.

“Don’t say that about Aubrey, Caleb. She’s really smart, beautiful, and has a great personality. Her family is well-off too. I’m just not worthy…”

Caleb sneered dismissively.

“Her? She’s a complete waste of space. In my heart, she’s not even one-tenth of what you are.”

Asher stepped in front of me, shielding me. He shot Caleb a quick glance, his voice soft but laced with authority.

“Pick up the chair.”

Asher was the only son of the Ashford family, the wealthiest in New York.

In the previous life, besides Tiffany, none of us knew this until many years after college graduation.

But Caleb, with memories from the last life, naturally didn't dare to confront him directly.

Caleb begrudgingly complied, an even deeper layer of disgust in his eyes as he looked at me.

The drama finally ended with Asher and Caleb swapping seats.

Asher leaned back casually in his seat, then suddenly turned, leaning closer to me. The fresh, clean scent unique to teenage boys enveloped me.

“Miss Aubrey, I'll see you at Oxford.”

I nodded vigorously.

Life became simple: classes, homework, tests, day after day.

One evening after our late study session, I lingered for a few extra minutes, as was my habit.

As I passed a corridor corner, I heard Tiffany's voice, thick with tears.

She pecked Caleb’s lips gently, her face flushed.

“Caleb, you’re so wonderful. Of course, I don’t dislike you. It’s just, we really need to focus on our studies…”

Caleb spun around, pinning her against the wall and kissing her passionately.

His fingertips lightly traced her cheek, wiping away her tears.

The regret of unrequited love from the previous life seemed to find its completion in this moment.

After a long moment, he leaned his forehead against hers, a desperate plea mixed with intense possessiveness.

“Tiffany, forget Asher. Be my girlfriend.”

Tiffany shook her head.

“I’m not good enough for you. Your family would never accept me, unless…”

Caleb's family? Did they even have the right to be picky?

His parents were just my family's driver and housekeeper. I'd begged my dad to get him into this elite prep school.

To make him happy, I'd bought him limited edition clothes, shoes, and watches, sending them to his house like a never-ending stream.

He took them all, then lectured me.

“Aubrey, besides insulting people with money, what else can you do?”

But the very next day, he'd wear the things I'd given him to school, marveling at his classmates' awe.

He was the mysterious, low-key scion of an old money family.

In my previous life, I loved him so deeply, I couldn't bear to expose his true background.

As soon as we graduated, I convinced my dad to fund his company.

To protect his fragile ego, I secretly channeled several multi-million dollar contracts his way.

He became Mr. Caleb, adored by everyone.

No one, not even Tiffany, knew about his humble origins.

Back then, dressed head-to-toe in designer labels, she’d smiled at me faintly.

“I don’t love him, but I can’t leave him. To be precise, I can’t leave his money.”

I truly wished I could see Tiffany's reaction when the money-hungry girl discovered Caleb was just a driver’s son.

My thoughts drifted back, and I saw Caleb, seemingly impatient, ask, “Unless what?”

“Unless I can get into Oxford. Caleb, only by getting into Oxford will I have the courage to stand by your side. Do you understand?”

“I can’t give you any promises now, because if I don’t get into Oxford, my parents will force me to marry some old divorced man…”

“There are only two spots. Asher will definitely take one. For the last one, I really don’t know if I can beat Aubrey, after all, she has all the resources my family can provide, and I have nothing.”

Tiffany sounded so pitiful, but I knew the truth.

She wanted to go to Oxford to pursue Asher, to marry into the Ashford family, and become truly rich.

Caleb pulled her into his embrace, his heart aching.

“You have me. I’ll make sure your dreams come true.”

Tiffany stood on her tiptoes and kissed Caleb passionately.

In my previous life, the day before my Oxford entrance exam, Caleb had suddenly asked me, looking utterly crestfallen.

He was going to Harvard, and I to Oxford. Did this mean we would be in a long-distance relationship for four years?

Talking about the hardships of being apart, he even shed a few tears.

I loved him to my very core and couldn't bear to see him sad, so I voluntarily gave up on the exam.

In the end, Tiffany got the spot.

This time, I wouldn't be so foolish.