Chapter 1

"Chloe Brooks? Why aren't you saying anything?"

Aaron Smith dropped the university application guide onto the table, his voice carrying a deliberately restrained frustration.

"Honestly, I don't even think a college degree matters that much anymore. Plenty of graduates still end up working for bosses who only finished middle school. Learning an actual skill is what really matters."

He reached over and held my hand.

"How about we apply to a vocational college together? Mechatronics graduates get hired straight into major factories. The pay's no worse than what regular university grads make.

"You'll go with me, right?

"Chloe?"

When I still didn't respond, Aaron frowned slightly and reached for the mouse in front of me.

"Are you worried Auntie won't agree? It's fine, I'll help you submit it. I'll take responsibility for everything in the future. We'll go together and--"

"Wait!"

I jerked my hand back sharply. Those glaring floating comments were still hanging in front of my eyes.

I stared at him, trying to find even the slightest crack in his expression.

"Aaron, why did I hear that you massively overperformed this exam and scored over 680?"

The expression on his face froze instantly. A flicker of panic flashed through his eyes before disappearing.

He quickly looked away, his voice suddenly rising with offended anger.

"Chloe, what's that supposed to mean? You don't even trust me now?

"We've known each other for over ten years. We grew up together. Our families even arranged our engagement. Do you really think I'd lie to you about something like this? Are you even still my fiancée?"

And precisely because we had grown up together for so many years, I could read every tiny change in him. Even the rhythm of his breathing was enough for me to tell what he was thinking.

Right now, he looked exactly like he did as a child after smashing that antique vase, pretending to stay calm while panicking inside.

A crushing sense of absurdity and betrayal swept over me.

I took a deep breath and forced myself to calm down.

"Choosing a university is a major decision. I still need time to think about it."

"You still need to think about it?"

Aaron reacted like a cat whose tail had just been stepped on.

"Chloe, didn't you promise me before that no matter where we went to university, we'd stay together? So what is this now? Do you look down on vocational schools, or are you embarrassed because I didn't do well on the entrance exams?"

To pressure me, he had actually positioned himself as the victim, pointing fingers at me like I was the one in the wrong.

I stared at him in disbelief.

He seemed to realize he had gone too far, because his tone immediately softened.

"Chloe, ever since people found out you're not the real daughter of the family, everyone's been mocking you. I'm the only one who stayed by your side.

"So this time, why can't you sacrifice a little for me?

"Even if we go to a vocational college, we still have family money. We'll still have a good future ahead of us. The important thing is that the two of us stay together.

"Be good, alright? Let me help you submit the application."

The moment he finished speaking, he forcefully snatched the mouse out of my hand, his fingers flying rapidly across the keyboard.