Chapter 1

I stood in front of the projector in the living room and read through all of their chat records.

Behind me, the door opened.

Four childhood friends and Chloe walked in carrying champagne. They all froze in the doorway.

On graduation night, they had agreed to apply to Stanford with me.

Now, they were busy celebrating their acceptance to Harvard.

Claude Cross, student council president, heir to the Cross conglomerate.

As the ringleader of the Big Men on Campus, he was the first to pull himself together.

"Well, since you've seen it, we won't hide it from you."

"Chloe has no family. She's been getting by on scholarships. Going to an unfamiliar school alone would be too hard on her."

"You've been strong and independent since you were little. You'll be fine going to California alone."

Chloe's eyes reddened. She tried to stop him.

I didn't yell or make a scene. I pointed at the chat records on the screen and asked:

"Who made the fake application materials?"

Claude admitted it without hesitation. "I printed them."

"The dare game on graduation night—whose idea was that?"

Chloe's eyes flickered.

Jack Whitman, the school's football quarterback, immediately stepped in front of her, his tall frame blocking my view.

"It was a group idea. Don't take it out on Chloe."

I nodded, then looked at Claude.

"You agreeing to get engaged to me—was that part of the plan too?"

Claude sighed.

"California is so far. If I hadn't agreed, why would you have gone?"

He said it like it was the most natural thing in the world. He didn't even seem guilty.

Chloe's eyes welled up. Suddenly, she lunged for the phone in Ethan's hand.

"It's all my fault. I'll withdraw my application right now."

"I'll go to California alone. You guys stay in Boston with Vivian."

All four of them surrounded her at once.

Hunter Vance, heir to a media empire, snatched her phone back.

"Harvard's acceptance already came. What are you changing?"

"But what about Vivian? She'll be all alone in California. She'll be so sad."

Claude pulled out a tissue and wiped her tears.

"Vivian doesn't need anyone to take care of her. She'll be fine anywhere."

"You've been alone since you were little, and your health isn't good. Who's going to take care of you in California? Don't gamble with your future just to prove a point."

I stood a few steps away, watching them comfort her.

So this was the answer.

California was too far. They couldn't bear to send Chloe there, but they could bear to trick me into going.

Ethan Montel, the genius designer.

He pushed up his gold-rimmed glasses, his tone as calm as always.

"Vivian, I know the method wasn't exactly honorable, but looking at the results, everyone got the best possible outcome."

"You go to Stanford as planned. We stay in Boston with Chloe."

"No one's future is delayed."

I smiled.

"So I should thank you for lying to me?"

Jack caught the sarcasm and his face darkened.

"You wanted to go to Stanford too. Otherwise, why would you have personally turned down Harvard?"

"We just helped you make up your mind."

I did want to go to Stanford.

Not just because Stanford's program had always been my dream.

But also because on the night of our coming-of-age ceremony, they had raised their glasses and said it themselves.

Five people. Together forever. No one leaves.

For that promise, I turned down Harvard. I turned down Stanford's overseas research project invitation three times.

I sacrificed my own future for them, and they turned it into a game.

I picked up the acceptance letter on the coffee table that belonged to me and started to leave.

Claude instinctively blocked me.

"Where are you going?"

"Home."

"I'll come with you."

"No need. Stay with Chloe."

He sighed.

"Vivian, don't say things like that. I know you've always wanted to be with me."

"We're already engaged. We'll get married after graduation. Isn't that what you wanted?"

"We've been together for eighteen years. Four more years won't make a difference."

So in his eyes, getting engaged to me was already an enormous favor.

Chloe said softly, "Vivian, Claude really cares about you."

"Last night after you fell asleep, he even covered you with a blanket."

I almost laughed out loud.

They tricked me into giving up Harvard, chose Stanford for me, and then he covered me with a blanket.

By that math, I really came out ahead.

"Then you should all stay together forever."

I took off the bracelet I'd worn since childhood and set it in front of Chloe.

"Didn't you always want their things? This one's for you too."

The bracelet had all five of our names engraved on it.

Chloe didn't dare take it.

Claude's brow furrowed deeper.

"What's wrong with you today?"

"Didn't you always say the five of us were like this bracelet, never to be separated?"

"That was then."

I turned and left.

My phone buzzed in my pocket.

It was Stanford's overseas research project invitation.

And today was the last day to respond.

I stared at the screen for a long time, then chose to accept.

Soon, an email came back:

[Vivian, welcome to the overseas research project.]

[After accepting the invitation, please fly to Switzerland within three days for timely reporting.]

After joining this research project, all participants' devices would be sealed, and their whereabouts would not be disclosed.

I turned off the screen and set the five-person group chat that had been with me for eighteen years to Do Not Disturb.

They thought I would obediently go to California.

Wait for them to fly over and "visit me" when they were in a good mood.

But this time, I was really done with them.