Chapter 3

On the day university application submissions opened, Derek trended across social media. It was all because the Hugh family flaunted their son’s acceptance into a prestigious university by buying up coverage across major media outlets.

In the news footage, Derek wore a crisp white shirt and offered a humble smile to the cameras. When the reporter asked if there was anyone special he wanted to thank, he glanced at Eliza beside him and said, “I’d like to thank my family and my girlfriend.”

Eliza had received early admission to Colombo University’s School of the Arts. Standing side by side in front of the lens, they looked every bit like a golden couple.

The Hugh family even arranged an exclusive interview for Derek. Throughout the piece, my name was brought up repeatedly as the heiress of the Roberts family, who had desperately pursued Derek for years, only to be rejected right after our SATs.

The comment section mocked me.

[The pathetic simp finally got dumped.]

[She tried so hard and still failed. How ironic.]

[Derek and Eliza are the true match made in heaven.]

I didn’t bother responding. Instead, I opened my laptop and submitted my transcripts and research papers directly to Colombo University’s Honors Research Institute. Less than ten minutes after sending the email, a reply landed in my inbox.

[Dear Miss Roberts, congratulations. Following evaluation by the review committee, we cordially invite you to join the Algorithm Research Project at Colombo University.]

I looked at the screen and smiled calmly. They all assumed I was just a helpless girl who had to cling to the Hugh family. What they didn’t know was that I had secretly built my own tech empire long ago.

Back in my sophomore year of high school, I registered a business under the anonymous name “Star”. Under that persona, I took on complex projects, led research and development, and filed multiple patents.

Now, Star was Hugh Corporation’s largest overseas technology supplier. The Hugh family simply had no idea that the person behind it was me.

As for Julian, his test scores looked ordinary on paper. However, standardized testing was never where his true talent lay.

I forwarded his portfolio along with my submission to Colombo University’s advanced research lab. Three days later, the lab sent back a direct invitation.

[Mr. Grey, we were impressed by the signal recognition model you submitted. We would love to officially invite you to join our lab as a specially recruited talent.]

I took a screenshot of the invitation and texted it to Julian. He stared at the screen for a long time before looking up at me.

“I got in?”

“Of course.”

“But my scores…”

“Colombo University values real talent, not the labels other people put on you.”

He looked up, the small red light on his hearing aid blinking softly. “Why are you helping me?”

I met his gaze and teased, “Didn’t you say you wanted to go to the same university as me?”

The tips of Julian’s ears flushed red.

After that day, Julian and I walked to school together. Just as we reached the school gates, Derek and Eliza stood in our way.

Eliza clung tightly to Derek’s arm, wearing a sweet, gentle smile. “Sofia, I heard that both you and Julian got into Colombo University! Congratulations!”

Though she offered her congratulations, she didn’t look genuine.

Derek sneered as he sized us up with contempt. “You actually went through with it? Sofia, are you really throwing away everything just to spite me? And to think someone like Julian had the nerve to apply to Colombo University?”

I pulled up the official admission emails on my phone and held the screen right to his face.

“Look closely,” I said. “I was recruited by the Honors Research Institute, and Julian was personally invited by their advanced research lab. As for you two…”

I shifted my gaze to Eliza. “One of you got in through the arts quota, and the other is just a standard applicant. I'm sure you can figure out who among us here got in through connections.”

Derek’s expression turned hideous.

Eliza bit her lower lip, tears welling up in her eyes in an instant. “Sofia, do you have to speak so harshly? I know you’re upset because Derek rejected you, but…”

Her voice wasn’t loud, yet a crowd of surrounding students had begun to gather.

Derek immediately stepped in front of her, shielding her behind him. “Sofia, apologize to Eliza right now.”

“On what grounds?” I countered.

“Because you still want to marry me!”

I chuckled coldly. “Rest assured, Derek. I would rather marry a dog than you.”

Snickers broke out among the surrounding crowd.

Derek’s face instantly flushed red with rage. He took a step forward, only to be cut off as Julian stepped between us.

As Julian, with his slender figure, shielded me in quiet defiance, Derek glared at him with a cruel, condescending smirk. “What’s this? Are you trying to play the hero, deaf boy? Do you even know what you’re doing?”