Chapter 1

It was only the first week of college, but Antonia's university life was already buzzing with laughter and new faces.

Stepping onto campus as a freshman can be intimidating, but she carried a rare, effortless warmth that instantly broke the ice. She possessed a natural friendliness and an easygoing charm that made absolute strangers feel like lifelong friends in a matter of minutes.

Before her very first week of lectures even finished, Antonia was already surrounded by a wonderful crew of friends, effortlessly turning the massive college campus into a place where she truly belonged.

One ordinary noon, Antonia was carefully carrying her lunch tray through the crowded university cafeteria.

Distracted by the sea of faces, she didn’t see the figure turning the corner and unintentionally bumped straight into someone. Food rattled, drinks sloshed, and the entire cafeteria suddenly went dead silent.

Antonia looked up to see Portia, the most popular student in the university. Having studied there from elementary school all the way up to college, Portia was practically royalty—a permanent fixture of the institution.

A collective gasp echoed through the room. Everyone watched in absolute shock, knowing exactly how dangerous it was to cross her.

Portia possessed the fierce, untouchable attitude of Dao Ming Si, the infamous leader from the classic Taiwanese drama Meteor Garden.

Portia looked down at her clothes, her eyes flashing with a familiar, fiery arrogance.

Before Antonia’s friend could even process the harsh words, Portia raised an eyebrow, brutally staring them down with cold disdain.

"You wanted to be a superhero, then be it," Portia sneered, her voice cutting through the silent cafeteria. "Do you have any idea how much this uniform costs? It is a personal one, not the same uniform you are wearing right now, stupid!"

"Hey!" Antonia interrupted, her usual warmth instantly vanishing. She could no longer tolerate Portia's toxic attitude, especially when her friend was caught in the crossfire.

Step by step, Antonia stood firmly between Portia and her shaken friend. "You are too much. It's just clothes. It's my fault, so don't target my friend here."

The tension in the room was thick enough to cut with a knife. Portia slowly brought her piercing gaze back to Antonia, studying the freshman's defiant stance. A slow, mocking smirk touched Portia's lips.

"At least you are using your brain, freshie," Portia replied smoothly, crossing her arms.

Portia looked down at the small smudge on her custom uniform, then locked her eyes back onto Antonia. A cruel, calculating smile spread across her face.

"You say it’s your fault? Good. Then you pay for it," Portia demanded, her voice echoing in the dead-silent cafeteria. She tapped the heel of her designer footwear against the polished floor.

"This uniform is a limited-edition bespoke piece from a luxury boutique, costing fifty thousand pesos. And don’t even get me started on these signature shoes you almost ruined—they're worth eighty thousand. Total it up, freshie."

When Antonia heard the astronomical numbers, her heart instantly dropped, leaving her utterly shocked. One hundred and thirty thousand pesos for a single outfit? To a girl like Portia, it was pocket change, but to Antonia, it was an impossible fortune.

How could she even afford to pay for something so ridiculous? Meeting her daily expenses, from commuting to buying cheap meals, was already a struggle.

The only reason she was even stepping foot in this prestigious university was because of her hard-earned, full academic scholarship. If she got into trouble or failed to settle this, her entire future could be ruined.

Antonia swallowed the lump in her throat, but she didn’t back down. The shock in her eyes quickly hardened into fierce defiance. She looked straight into Portia's arrogant gaze, refusing to let her financial status make her a victim.

"I won't pay for that," Antonia said, her voice steady and clear enough for the entire cafeteria to hear.

"It was an accident, and those prices are completely ridiculous. A small stain doesn't cost a hundred and thirty thousand pesos. I apologized, but I will not be extorted."

The entire room seemed to hold its breath. No one had ever spoken to Portia that way.

Portia’s smirk vanished, replaced by a cold, dangerous glare. Her eyes narrowed as she absorbed the freshman’s open defiance.

Slowly, she reached into her designer bag and pulled out a sleek, customized black card embossed with a gold crown—her personal trademark, the university’s modern equivalent of the infamous Meteor Garden red card.

With a flick of her wrist, Portia let the card drop onto Antonia’s stained food tray.

"Since you can't pay with money, you'll pay with your sanity," Portia whispered maliciously, leaning in close.

"From this moment on, you don't exist to this university. Anyone who talks to you, helps you, or even looks at you will answer to me. Let's see how long your precious scholarship lasts when your life here becomes a living hell."

With a sharp turn on her designer heels, Portia walked away, her entourage falling into step behind her.

As the cafeteria doors swung shut, the atmosphere instantly shifted. Antonia looked around and noticed that even her new friends were slowly stepping back, looking away in fear.

In a matter of minutes, Antonia’s bright, promising university life transformed into an absolute dilemma—a raging storm that she would have to face completely alone.