Chapter 3

Everyone who heard about it looked at Brock with contempt.

"And he's supposed to be a special admissions student? Turns out he even needs a rich girl to buy him his rank."

"Shh, keep it down. Watch out, or he'll get her to come settle scores with you."

Brock's face turned pale. He walked up to Lara, his voice tight with anger. "Lara, I never asked you to do this for me. I'll get my own grades."

With that, he turned and walked off with his head held high. Even as Lara chased after him to explain, Brock quickened his pace without looking back.

Elena ground her teeth on the side. "Aiden, that jerk!"

Kaia Grant, the Grants' heiress, leaned against a pillar in the hallway and spoke up slowly. "I have an idea."

She curled her lips into a smile. "A nerd like him has obviously never dated anyone. Why don't I go after him? Once he thinks I actually like him, I'll dump him hard. When the time comes, he won't even have time to cry, let alone take first place."

The others exchanged glances, a meaningful light flashing in their eyes.

Unaware of their plot, I headed home after school.

I pushed open the three-meter-tall, carved iron gate. The moment I stepped into the living room, a crowd of thugs in suits turned around and gave me a deadly stare.

Seeing it was me, everyone instantly burst into bright smiles.

"Hey, look who's back! Our top scholar, Aiden!"

"Our little star student! Let me take a look at you. You've gotten thinner. Is the school food that bad?"

I greeted them one by one. "Hey Uncle Elliot, how's business been?"

The scar-faced man burst into laughter. "Thanks to you, we took seven big orders last month. I've been so busy!"

"Uncle Lewis, heard you took over three rival turfs last month? Body holding up alright?"

The usually stone-faced capo cracked a wide smile. "Don't worry! I still got plenty of fight left in me!"

After I greeted everyone, my parents finally squeezed out from behind the crowd. Both of them had matching rainbow hair, looking like a pair of walking Skittles.

My lip twitched. "What is with the look?"

Dad scratched the back of his head with a foolish grin. "Your mom said it's all the rage with high schoolers nowadays. Do you like it?"

I let out a chuckle. "It's... pretty unique."

Then I slung my backpack over my shoulder. "I'm going to study. Final exams are in a month."

Dad sighed and called out to my back, "Man, this kid is great in every way, except he works too hard! He doesn't take after his mom and me at all. Back then, we were busy fighting, skipping class, and dating!

"I was waiting for him to get expelled so he could come back and inherit the family business, but it looks like we won't live to see the day."

Uncle Elliot slapped him on the shoulder. "Stop humble-bragging! You've got a son at the top of his year. Just be happy!"

The rest chimed in, and thunderous laughter filled the living room.

Upstairs in my room, I set down my bag just as my phone buzzed with a message.

[Hey, it's Kaia. Can we get to know each other? You're not like the other guys.]

I stared at the screen for three seconds, grinned, and threw open my door. Then I shouted downstairs at the top of my lungs, "Dad! I'm getting a girlfriend!"

The living room went dead silent.

Dad's eyes widened. "What?! Which family's girl is it?"

Ignoring him, I slammed the door shut and messaged Kaia back.

For the next month, Kaia began chasing me.

Every morning, a cup of coffee was placed on my desk. Right when school ended, she would show up at the classroom door. On weekends, she went out on dates with me. During evening study sessions, she sat next to me without flipping a single page, resting her chin on one hand and staring at me with affection.

We were inseparable. She clung to me from morning till night, dragging me all over the place, leaving me no time to study.

Meanwhile, she began ignoring Brock. Whenever Brock tried to find her, she coldly avoided him.

Rumors began spreading at school.

[Kaia Falls for Grade's Top Student.]

[Is It Over For the School's Heartthrob?]

Brock's supporters called me shameless behind my back, but I pretended not to hear a thing.

Finally, the term exams ended.

The day before the results came out, Kaia asked to meet me on the school rooftop. When I arrived, Elena, Lara, and Myra Clark were all there, standing in a line with Brock protected right in the middle.

Kaia crossed her arms, tilting her chin up with an arrogant tone. "Aiden, let's break up. The game is over."

She then turned to Brock, her voice softening. "See? Everything between him and me these past few days was fake. I was just playing with him."

Though the corners of Brock's mouth curled up, he looked away, his voice calm. "Who cares who you like?"

Kaia turned back to me, no longer hiding her malice. "Aiden, I never liked you. Every single day I spent with you made me feel disgusted. I only did this so you wouldn't have time to study. Let's see how you take first place this time."

She paused, her tone growing colder. "Turns out you're just another vain guy, taking the bait after a little chasing."

She looked at me triumphantly, waiting for me to be heartbroken, but I laughed out loud.

"Is that so?" I nodded. "Sure, then. Let's break up."

Kaia clearly hadn't expected such a calm reaction and froze for a second. "Keep acting tough. Once the scores come out, let's see if you can still laugh."

Just as she finished speaking, everyone's phone buzzed with a mass notification of final exam scores from the academic office.

"Results are out!"

Kaia shot me a smug look and opened her phone.

The next second, her face changed.