Chapter 1

The Internet cafe was freezing from the blasting air conditioning. Ezekiel Smith clenched his teeth, his voice strained with obsession and unwillingness to accept defeat.

"Emma, the system said you're the Child of Fortune. No matter which university you attend, your life trajectory will always keep you on track.

"I'm your destined male lead. If we don't end up together at the same university, the plotline will deviate from its original route. Once that happens, I'll be erased by the world mechanics and disappear from this world."

Heartache filled Emma Slater's eyes. She reached up and gently touched his face, her tone unwavering. "Zeke, who cares about those top universities? For you, I'd even give up my life as long as you can stay in this world."

The moment she finished speaking, she gripped the mouse and pressed the submit button without the slightest hesitation. The surrounding students all sucked in sharp breaths, staring at her like she had gone insane.

Relief washed over Ezekiel's face. He immediately clasped Emma's hand in return and pulled her into his arms, as though she were some hero who had just saved the entire world.

I watched the scene unfold and tightened my grip around my own mouse.

In my previous life, Emma and I had grown up together as childhood sweethearts. Everyone believed we would eventually get married. Ever since Ezekiel transferred into our class, though, everything changed.

Without the slightest shame, he pointed at Emma and declared, "The world you live in is actually a novel, and I'm the male lead of that story. As the female lead, you're destined to fall in love with me."

At first, everyone treated Ezekiel like a joke. Emma, especially, looked utterly disgusted and told him to get lost. However, he was like gum stuck to the bottom of a shoe.

No matter what happened, he just wouldn't go away. Somehow, he always did the right things that slowly won her heart.

When Emma injured herself during dance practice, he silently bandaged her wounds without asking for credit. When her father publicly scolded her, he stepped in front of her without hesitation and shielded her behind him.

After a few times, I could vividly feel Emma's attitude toward him changing. What began as rejection slowly turned into silent tolerance, then restrained concern.

At some point, Emma and I, who had once been inseparable, suddenly became a group of three.

The real breaking point happened during PE class. Since Ezekiel was constantly around Emma, the guys in class collectively isolated him. During volleyball practice, nobody wanted to pair up with him, so the teacher assigned me as his partner.

During practice, I accidentally spiked the ball off target. It slammed straight into his head. He let out a muffled groan and stumbled backward onto the ground. His forehead scraped against the floor hard enough to break skin.

Almost instantaneously, Emma rushed over like she had lost her mind. She shoved me away with all her strength and pulled Ezekiel protectively behind her. Her eyes were red as she screamed at me.

"Joseph, are you insane? You're just jealous that there's another guy who treats me sincerely! How can you be this petty?"

When I saw the guarded disgust in her eyes, my heart went cold. From then on, our relationship never recovered.

Emma became increasingly hostile toward me. To prove to Ezekiel that she could complete his so-called mission, she threw herself deeper and deeper into rebellion.

Skipping classes, getting into fights, smoking, drinking… She forcibly turned herself from a favored young woman into a full-blown delinquent.

In my previous life, I thought she had only been temporarily manipulated. I did everything I could to drag her back onto the right path and even helped her secure admission slots at Kingswell University and Bellgrave University.

What I got in return was a shattered body and a miserable death. Even now, the agony still seemed carved into my bones.

This time, I would never allow the tragedy to repeat itself.

I withdrew my gaze and, without the slightest hesitation, clicked confirm on my own application portal. Kingswell University and Bellgrave University—information verified.

I shut down the computer, pulled off my headphones, and prepared to leave.