Chapter 3

In an instant, my pencil case went flying out the window, and someone scribbled all over my brand-new textbooks.

I swallowed my anger.

Standing in front of me was Mason Reed, the school’s resident bully. He was a notorious troublemaker who got into fights like other people ate meals.

A dragon tattoo ran along his arm, adding to the intimidation.

Beside him, Chloe was crying prettily.

“It was her! She humiliated me in front of the whole class!”

Mason stepped closer and grabbed my collar as if I weighed nothing.

“You think you can bully Chloe? I’ll make you regret it! Guys, flip her desk!”

His two followers immediately stepped forward and overturned my desk. My neatly stacked books crashed to the floor.

Then they poured soda into my backpack. Before long, almost everything I owned was ruined.

Chloe looked at me smugly before putting on a reluctant expression.

“Evelyn, Mason’s only trying to stand up for me. If you’re going to blame someone, blame me, not him. How about this? Apologize to me in front of the entire school, and I’ll ask him to stop.”

Nobody around us dared challenge him. A few even tried persuading me.

“Just apologize. There’s no point making things worse for yourself.”

“Yeah. Say you’re sorry, and it’ll be over.”

I hadn’t said a word. I simply watched their little rampage.

When Chloe twisted the blame onto me, I fought the urge to slap her.

If I wanted a secure place in the Bennett family, I couldn’t get dragged into open warfare.

Chloe wasn’t their biological daughter, but they’d spent seventeen years together. Mom and Dad still loved her.

I smiled faintly as the urge to perform took over. Looking up at Mason with tearful eyes, I said,

“This is all your way of getting my attention, isn’t it? I understand. Teenage boys can be so childish when they like a girl.”

Everyone stared. Mason looked stunned.

What kind of logic was that?

How had I turned blatant bullying into a crush?

Chloe’s attack had landed on a pillow. She looked as if she might choke.

“Do you think you’re the heroine of some romance novel?”

At some point, a crowd had gathered outside the classroom. After hearing my explanation, they spread it from one person to the next. Soon the whole school was saying the school bully had fallen for the new girl.

Apparently, he was the obsessive, unhinged type.

A teacher heard the rumors too and called me in.

“This school encourages independence, but that doesn’t mean we allow romantic drama to disrupt classes. Have your parents come in.”

When Mom and Dad arrived, they found me soaked and miserable, my desk looking like a disaster zone. They asked cautiously,

“You and that boy…”

I burst into tears.

“He probably wanted revenge for Chloe! He thinks I stole her place. Fine, I’ll leave! Isn’t that enough?”

Mom’s eyes reddened with anger. “Chloe! This is unacceptable! I’ve raised you all these years, and you can’t show Evelyn even the slightest kindness?”

Dad was so furious he slapped her.

“You teamed up with outsiders to bully your own sister! You’re not coming back to school for now. You’ll stay home and think about what you’ve done!”

Chloe couldn’t talk her way out of it. She trembled with rage, looking at me as if she wanted to kill me.

After Chloe was grounded, things quieted down for a while.

I used the opportunity to win over the Bennetts.

Grandma and I had heartfelt talks, and soon she couldn’t stop calling me her precious granddaughter.

Every day, I offered to lend Chloe my class notes. Mom, Dad, and Ethan were touched, though it hurt them to see how hard I was trying.

Chloe ripped up my notebook in a rage. I didn’t get upset. I taped it back together and left it on the dining table.

Mom and Dad were so angry that they made Chloe copy out the notes ten times to make it up to me.

Life was pretty comfortable during that stretch.

At school, nobody dared mess with me. After all, even the school bully “liked” me.

At home, my parents and brother treated me better every day.

I was even starting to enjoy being everyone’s favorite. But deep down, a voice kept warning me that Chloe wouldn’t give up this easily.

Then came our birthday.

The Bennetts threw a lavish party, inviting prominent figures from every corner of high society.

Chloe invited her followers and Mason.

The second they saw me, the insults started.

“Here comes the delusional farm girl. Stay away from us!”

“You told people I liked you? Go take a good look in the mirror. You think you’re good enough for me?”

I gave him a bright smile.

“Oh, look. Chloe’s lapdog.”

Mason’s face turned green.

When the party began, Chloe and I put on the gorgeous gowns our parents had prepared.

We took turns going up to the stage to speak.

When my turn came, I caught sight of Chloe. She looked certain of victory, her eyes shining with excitement.

A second later, the zipper down the back of my dress burst open. The straps slipped off my shoulders, and the entire gown slid rapidly toward the floor!