On the day the SAT ended, I died in a dirty alley behind a bar.

The person who caused all this was the one I loved most, Gregory Reynolds.

After I died, my soul saw the scores come out.

Gregory got the top spot that should have been mine.

My soul shook, and I was reborn back to one week before the SAT.

***

Coppell High School.

When Catherine Williams regained consciousness, she had just been pushed into the school fountain.

She looked like a soaked mess while everyone watched.

Gregory stood coldly across from her.

Whispers came from around her.

"I remember Catherine is Gregory's childhood sweetheart, right? Gregory usually spoils her. Why is he letting people bully her like this?"

"You haven't been back to school in a while, so you don't know. Catherine's mom seduced Gregory's dad and made his mom so mad that she died. Now they are step-siblings. Gregory hates her now; he doesn't even wanna see her..."

Catherine looked down and clenched her hands. She climbed out looking messy.

She came from a single-parent home.

She grew up with her neighbor, Gregory. They even promised to be together when they grew up.

But six months ago, Gregory's mother, Evelyn Reynolds, got sick.

Her dying wish was for Catherine's mother, Dorothy Davis, to marry Gregory's father, Anthony Reynolds.

She wanted someone to take care of the father and son she was worried about.

The Reynolds family was wealthy. Dorothy was tempted. She ignored Catherine's objection and married him.

Gregory insisted that Dorothy and his dad were together before his mom died.

Since then, he hated Dorothy and also Catherine.

After the SAT, he tricked Catherine into going to the roughest bar in Texas by saying he wanted to make up.

Yet, he let people assault her until she died...

Right now, Catherine looked at the boy across from her with tear-red eyes.

"Gregory, you..."

She just started speaking when Gregory interrupted her coldly.

"You are so dirty it makes me sick. Don't get in the car with me today. Walk home yourself."

Catherine watched Gregory walk to the gate. He got into the Bentley that the driver brought around.

She stood there, and her mind cleared up.

Now she finally believed that she had been reborn.

Catherine always thought Gregory hated her because of love and they could go back to how things were.

But after dying once, she understood.

They could never go back.

The hope from her previous life was gone.

This time, she would stay away from Gregory, and take back the top SAT scorer spot that belonged to her.

As soon as Catherine got back to the Reynolds's home, she bumped into Dorothy.

Dorothy looked at her and frowned. "Didn't Grey say you went hang out with your classmates? Why do you look like such a mess?"

On the sofa nearby, Gregory looked over calmly. He acted like it had nothing to do with him.

Catherine squeezed her hands tight. She said with a raspy voice, "I was playing by the lake and slipped."

This bullying had been going on for six months.

But she never said a word.

Dorothy heard this but didn't care anymore. "You are so clumsy. Go change clothes and eat. I have to cook the dishes Grey loves. The soup Anthony wants should be ready, too..."

Since she married into the Reynolds family, her focus was entirely on Gregory and Anthony.

Even though Gregory didn't appreciate it, she still enjoyed it.

At the dinner table, Catherine took a few bites without tasting anything.

Suddenly, she heard Anthony speak up. "The SAT is in just a week. Have Grey and Cathy decided where to apply?"

Catherine just looked up. A deep voice with a smile came from her side.

"Cathy and I made a promise. We are going to Harvard together, right?"

She turned her head to see Gregory's smiling face. Her blood froze for a second.

In her previous life, she was so happy to hear this and thought that they finally had a chance to make up. So she agreed right away.

But this time, she just gently put down her fork.

On the way back, Catherine had already made a decision about her future.

After a moment, she said firmly, "I plan to go abroad. I have already applied for a scholarship to the University of Paris-Saclay!"

The table went quiet as soon as Catherine said this.

Gregory looked over with cold eyes. They were sharp like a blade.

She curled her fingers and tried to smile. "I want to see a different world."

Anthony spoke first. "You are growing up and have your own ideas. As long as you can get into the University of Paris-Saclay, we will be proud. I support you."

As soon as he finished, Gregory said coldly, "I'm full."

He stood up and left. His chair scraped loudly against the floor.

Catherine's heart jumped.

She looked at the two adults. "But I will still take the SAT. I want to put a perfect period on my high school life."

She was going to be the top SAT scorer.

It would be her revenge on Gregory before she left.

But Catherine did not expect an accident to happen so fast.

That night, she had just finished her shower when she heard a loud noise outside her door.

She rushed out of her room. She saw Anthony carrying her mom out the door.

"Anthony, what happened to my mom?"

Anthony replied, "Your mom suddenly started vomiting. It must be food poisoning. I'm taking her to the hospital. You and your brother stay home."

Catherine felt her chest tighten. This did not happen in her previous life.

She instinctively wanted to follow them, but a hand reached out and grabbed her wrist.

"The test is coming up soon. We need to study. Don't get in the way."

She turned her head and met Gregory's warning look.

Catherine's heart beat fast. Her voice was rough. "Gregory... did you do this?"

Gregory did not deny it.

He leaned close to her ear. "University of Paris-Saclay? Going abroad? That sounds exciting.

"But you will be so far away. If your mom has another accident, will you be able to make it back?"

The sound of the car engine faded away outside. Catherine's blood turned cold.

She thought of her tragic death in her previous life. She did not dare to gamble with her mom's life.

She could only hold the railing with shaking hands. She tried hard to stay calm. "I will withdraw my application. Just... don't touch my mom again."

Gregory smiled when he heard this. He raised his hand and touched her hair.

"Good. Go back and rest. We have the school prom tomorrow."

But Catherine could not sleep. She stared out the window at the dark night until the sky began to lighten.

Prom registration started in the evening. Once everyone had arrived, the dance began.

Catherine didn't dare to get close to Gregory. She went out early.

Gregory appeared on stage to give the student speech. He wore a light gray suit and looked just like the Prince Charming every girl dreamed of.

Catherine heard the girls around her talking excitedly.

"I wonder who Gregory will invite for the first dance. Will it be the prom queen, Kimberly Malone, or the prettiest girl in class, Cecilia Morris?"

"Maybe it will be me? He smiled at me last time. Anyway, it won't be Catherine..."

Catherine felt a sharp pain in her nerves.

In her previous life, she wanted to fix their relationship. She went up and invited Gregory to dance.

But Gregory sneered at her. "Do you deserve it?"

Then he turned and accepted the prom queen's invitation. Catherine became a joke to everyone.

This time, Catherine would not humiliate herself.

Just as she planned to leave, a clear voice came from the stage.

"I want to invite my sister to have the first dance with me!"

Catherine froze. She turned around to look.

Gregory had already walked down from the stage. He reached out his hand to her.

"Cathy, may I have the honor?"

Kimberly and the other girls looked at her with jealousy.

The students were surprised too. "Why her? I thought Gregory hated her?"

"Maybe he invited her because of that. There'll be rumors if he invited anyone else. They are siblings anyway..."

Catherine looked down to hide the self-mockery in her eyes. She put her hand on his warm hand.

"Okay... Grey."

The music started. They danced in the middle of the hall.

People around them started to join the dance floor.

Catherine looked up at his sharp face. She felt a bit dazed.

She had always hoped to have her first dance with Gregory at the school prom. She never thought this unfulfilled dream from her previous life would come true now.

Was it because she said she was leaving the previous night?

She couldn't help but ask, "Why did you invite me?"

Gregory curled his lips. "You will find out soon."

Catherine was stunned.

Suddenly, the lights in the hall turned off. The dance floor plunged into darkness.

Immediately, Catherine felt someone hold her waist tight. A pair of warm lips covered her lips. A familiar cool scent brushed across her face.

Her mind went blank.

This was her first kiss.

"Gregory..." she called out vaguely. She wanted to push him away, but she couldn't muster the strength.

Just then, the lights suddenly turned on. The two of them were exposed to everyone.

Catherine didn't even have time to react. The person who was kissing her gently just a second ago pushed her away hard.

She fell in the middle of the dance floor.

Gregory looked down at her. He wiped his lips with disgust.

"Catherine, what are you doing? I'm your brother!"

In an instant, countless astonished and disdainful gazes fell upon Catherine.

She felt like someone had tied her up and was roasting her over a fire.

"Did Catherine just force a kiss on Gregory? How can someone be so shameless?"

"That's incest. It's disgusting!"

"Like mother, like daughter. I feel so bad for our school heartthrob. Will he be scared of women from now on?"

The harsh words rained down on her like arrows.

Catherine looked up at Gregory's mocking face.

She moved her lips. "Is this your revenge on me?"

This was much worse than the school prom in her previous life. It almost destroyed her name forever.

Gregory acted like he didn't understand. He sighed deeply.

"The SAT is coming soon. I don't want to affect you, Cathy. Don't do this kind of thing again."

As expected, the people around them praised Gregory for being handsome and kind.

Then came more attacks and hostile looks directed at Catherine.

Catherine couldn't stand it anymore. She lifted her dress and ran out of the hall.

On the rooftop, her eyes were red. She gasped for air.

Suddenly, that devilish deep voice came from behind her again.

"Catherine, do you like the gift I gave you?"

Catherine turned to look at Gregory's face.

She instinctively took a step back toward the edge of the roof. "Don't come over. Don't come near me."

Gregory stepped closer. "What? Are you going to jump?"

Of course, Catherine wouldn't.

She had already died once. She cherished her life more than anyone.

But the emotions she had been holding back finally exploded. "Why are you doing this to me?"

Evelyn's illness and death had nothing to do with her. Dorothy insisted on marrying Anthony for a stable life, and she couldn't stop it.

Why was she the one suffering all this pain in the end?

"What did I do wrong?"

Gregory finally stopped in front of her. "If you didn't exist, your mom wouldn't keep coming to my house. Then she wouldn't have hooked up with my dad. You are the main culprit."

Catherine smiled bitterly. "Since you hate me so much, let me go. I will disappear forever."

"Let you go?" Gregory's eyes were like ice. "Impossible."

He spoke every word clearly, letting out his overwhelming hate.

"Catherine, I want you to stay in hell with me forever."

A suffocating feeling hit her in waves. Catherine could barely stand.

Gregory turned and left. Only then did she feel the pain in her hand.

She opened her hand and looked. Her palm was covered in blood where she had dug her nails in.

She calmed herself down. She decided she couldn't just sit and wait for death.

As soon as she got home, she found Dorothy, who had returned from the hospital and was resting.

"Mom, I have something to tell you."

Dorothy looked up. "Why do you look so pale? Are you worried about me? Don't worry, I'm fine..."

Catherine held her hand. "Mom, if you had to choose between Anthony and me, who would you pick?"

Dorothy paused. Then she pulled her hand away and touched Catherine's forehead.

"Do you have a fever? Why are you talking nonsense suddenly?"

Catherine looked at her empty hand and her mom's evasive gaze. Her heart felt a sharp pain. A feeling of loneliness rose up inside her.

She forced a smile and said with a raspy voice, "Nothing. It's just that we've depended on each other for so many years. I felt sad thinking about leaving you for college. I wanted you to come with me."

Dorothy sighed in relief. "Silly child. As long as you don't go abroad, I can visit you often.

"Why don't you go to Harvard with Grey? Both of you can take care of each other. We have lived alone for so many years. We finally have a home now. We should cherish it..."

Catherine didn't answer that. She just said gently, "I know, Mom. I have to go study. You get some rest."

When she stood up, she saw the corner of a shirt flash by the door and disappear.

Just then, Dorothy grabbed Catherine again. There was a hint of guilt in her eyes.

"By the way, Catherine, what do you want for your eighteenth birthday gift?"

Catherine thought for a moment. "I don't know what I want. Mom, can you give me twenty thousand dollars? I'll buy something myself."

With this money, she could take the Test pour les Études en France—the TEF exam—buy a plane ticket, and obtain the necessary documents to go abroad.

Dorothy didn't hesitate or suspect anything. "Okay, I'll transfer it to you right now!"

When Catherine returned to school, the results of the last mock exam before the SAT were out.

Just like in her previous life, Catherine took first place in the grade with a score of 1498. Gregory was in second place, just a few points behind.

She wasn't surprised by the result because she already knew it.

But just as she was about to go up and take her report card, a voice suddenly spoke up to the teacher from behind her.

"Ms. Bennet, I want to report something. Catherine cheated on this exam!"

Catherine turned around. She saw Cecilia, the prettiest girl in class, who liked Gregory, standing up. Her eyes were full of malice.

Fiona Bennet paused with her hand in the air. She looked serious.

"Cheating? You can't just say things like that!"

This was a top-rated school. If the top student cheated, it would hurt the school's reputation.

Cecilia walked briskly past Catherine. She was holding a few notes.

"Ms. Bennet, I found these at Catherine's seat after the exam. The handwriting matches hers exactly."

Catherine froze when she saw the notes. She looked at Gregory.

They grew up together, so she knew he could copy other people's handwriting.

Gregory sat quietly in his seat. He looked indifferent.

But his friend spoke up. "No wonder I saw Catherine moving around so much during the test. I thought there were nails in her seat. It turns out she was cheating."

The classroom instantly became noisy.

Someone questioned it. "It's just the last mock exam. Is there any need to cheat?"

Cecilia sneered. "The school decides who gets recommended based on the last mock exam. The top student has a chance to get into Yale University."

Catherine paused. She tried to explain, "Ms. Bennet, I didn't do it. I wasn't feeling well that day."

If she didn't explain it clearly, that cheating accusation would stay on her record.

Not long after, Dorothy arrived at the school office in a hurry.

Before Catherine could speak, Dorothy raised her hand and slapped her hard across the face.

"How did I raise you? I can't believe you did something so shameful."

Catherine's face turned to the side from the slap. A bright red handprint quickly appeared on her cheek.

She swallowed the taste of blood in her mouth. "Mom, I didn't cheat."

Dorothy's chest heaved up and down. "Grey told me as soon as I got to school. Would Grey lie?

"Besides, Grey was always the top student before. Don't I know your grades?"

Catherine felt like her heart was being cut open by a knife. She trembled with pain.

She looked up. Gregory was standing at the office door with a mocking look in his eyes.

She turned her head back. She whispered, "Mom, I've worked very hard this year. But you haven't cared about me for a long time."

To keep up with Gregory, she studied late into the night almost every day of her senior year.

Dorothy looked embarrassed for a moment. She instinctively raised her hand again, but Gregory came in and stopped her.

"Dorothy, Cathy probably just wanted your attention. She wasn't thinking straight. Don't hit her. Let's take her home and teach her properly."

Dorothy turned and smiled at Gregory pleasingly. "Gregory, you are right."

She looked at the teacher again. "Ms. Bennet, we accept whatever punishment the school gives. The top spot still belongs to Grey. I will take her home and teach her a lesson."

Just like that, Catherine was condemned by her own mother with just one sentence.

In an instant, she lost all the strength to defend herself.

While Dorothy was apologizing to the teacher, Gregory whispered in her ear so only she could hear. "Cathy, how does it feel to be betrayed and abandoned by everyone?"

Catherine's eyes grew dark.

She closed her eyes.

When she opened them again, her voice was raspy but firm. "It was just a mock exam. Gregory, we will see who's the real deal in the SAT."

Gregory paused. Then he smiled. "Okay, I'm waiting."

Catherine pressed her lips together as she watched Gregory's confident back.

Since she was reborn, she certainly wouldn't repeat the same mistakes she made in her previous life.

But right now, she had to make Gregory think that the SAT was the only path she had left.

Dorothy was still angry when they got home.

"With your behavior, how can you get into Harvard with Grey? You even talked about the University of Paris-Saclay at first. Aren't you afraid of people laughing at you?"

Gregory pretended to be nice and comforted her. "Dorothy, it's okay. I will help Cathy study recently.

"If that doesn't work, Cathy can go to a community college in Massachusetts. She can take singing and dancing classes, or something like that. It suits her well."

He said meaningfully, "We will both be in Massachusetts. I will definitely take good care of her."

It was rare for Gregory to have such a good attitude. Dorothy felt flattered.

"Then I'll leave it to you, Gregory."

When Dorothy went into the kitchen, Catherine finally looked at him after being silent the whole way.

She spoke up. "Gregory, is this how you get rid of your competition?"

Gregory stared at her for a long time. His smile disappeared. "I never even considered you a threat. Don't forget who taught you."

This sentence brought back memories for Catherine.

In class, a boy pulled a girl's ponytail.

"Catherine, don't sleep. Do you still want to attend the same university as me?

"Catherine, you must memorize this text today. And do three more pages of math problems."

She wasn't a good student back then. Gregory was the one who forced her to learn. That was how she barely got into the top high school in Texas.

Catherine pulled her thoughts back. She held back the tears in her eyes caused by the memories.

"That is a pity. I'm not the Catherine I used to be!"

Gregory didn't catch the hidden meaning in her words.

He reached out and touched a flower branch that Dorothy had carefully trimmed.

He picked the brightest flower and placed it on Catherine's clothes.

He said in a low voice, "It doesn't matter. I raised you, and I will break you with my own hands."

Catherine pulled the flower out and looked at it for a moment. Then she let go, and it fell to the ground.

She stepped over it and walked to her room without looking back.

Gregory would never know that the flower he raised had already died in that dirty alley in her previous life.

Back in her room, Catherine finally had time to organize her thoughts.

Why were there so many "accidents" in this life that didn't happen in her previous life?

"Is it a butterfly effect from changing my attitude toward Gregory after being reborn?" She muttered to herself, but she got no answer.

Finally, she shook her head. "It seems I can't act rashly before the SAT is over."

She only had one chance. She had to make sure nothing went wrong.

The next two days went by normally. Gregory didn't do anything else.

Until noon the day before the SAT, Anthony suddenly returned in a hurry.

"Something happened to a relative back home. I have to go back."

Dorothy was very concerned. "Your health hasn't been good lately. You can't remember to take your medicine. I'll go with you."

Anthony paused. "But the kids are taking the SAT tomorrow..."

Before he could finish, Gregory interrupted him. "Dad, don't worry and go. I will take care of Cathy."

Dorothy agreed. "Yes, yes. We can always trust Grey."

Catherine stood on the stairs watching. She didn't say anything.

This scene had also happened in her previous life.

As soon as they left, unlike her previous life, she did not please Gregory carefully.

Instead, she quickly went back to her room to avoid any contact with him.

Back in her room, she looked at the University of Paris-Saclay scholarship page and filled out the application form.

Just after she submitted it and closed the webpage, a notification popped up.

It was the confirmation of the date for her TEF exam, scheduled right after the SAT.

After doing all this, Catherine started organizing her materials. Suddenly, she heard loud music coming from downstairs.

She didn't want to bother with it, but the music kept getting louder.

She had to get up and go out. To her surprise, she saw many classmates in the villa.

There were Kimberly and Gregory's friends. There were even some troublemakers from other classes.

Gregory sat in the middle, surrounded by everyone like a star.

Catherine frowned. "What are you guys doing?"

Kimberly, wearing a long white dress, said with a smile, "We're having a party to celebrate Gregory getting recommended for Yale University. But Gregory turned it down. He said his goal is Harvard..."

Catherine looked at Gregory's hand resting on Kimberly's shoulder. Her eyes stung.

In her previous life, she was the one recommended for Yale University, but she gave it up to go to Massachusetts with Gregory.

She took a deep breath. "I won't disturb your early celebration. But can you please keep it down so others can rest? The SAT is tomorrow."

Someone said sarcastically, "Don't say we didn't warn you. The consequences of cheating on the SAT won't be as light as a school punishment. You'll lose all your college acceptances and be banned from testing."

Gregory also spoke indifferently. "Catherine, this isn't your house. It's not your place to kick guests out."

His friend added, "Exactly. You forced a kiss on Gregory when the lights went out at the school prom. Since neither of your parents is around today, we were afraid someone might try to crawl into his bed. That's why we came to protect him."

This immediately caused a burst of laughter.

Someone pointed at her. "Look, she came out wearing a nightgown. If that's not trying to seduce him, what is?"

The insults made Catherine's face turn pale instantly.

She looked at her long-sleeved, long dress that covered her completely. She told herself to stay calm.

"You guys are just unreasonable."

She didn't look at them anymore and turned back to her room.

She had more important things to do.

After she was reborn, she organized her study notes and sold them online. She had made two thousand dollars so far.

The twenty thousand dollars Dorothy gave her sounded like a lot, but to study abroad, it was just a drop in the bucket.

She had to seize every chance to save money.

Just as she sold another copy of study materials and looked happily at the money in her account, she suddenly heard a click from her locked door.

She froze and looked up.

The next second, the door was pushed open violently. A male classmate, Nicholas Flynn, stumbled in, reeking of alcohol.

When he saw her, he smiled.

"Your mom seduced Gregory's dad. You look just as slutty as your mom. Since Gregory doesn't like you, why don't you try to seduce me?"

Catherine was shocked and scared. She trembled with anger. "Get out."

Seeing that he didn't move, she raised her voice and yelled, "Gregory..."

Nicholas grinned. "Stop screaming. The door was locked, so how do you think I got in?"

A huge chill shot from the bottom of Catherine's feet to the top of her head.

This was Gregory's home. He had spare keys to all the rooms!

Before she could react, Nicholas lunged at her.

The desperate memories from her previous life rushed back. Catherine stopped breathing.

She wanted to run, but the strength difference between a man and a woman was too great.

The smell of alcohol mixed with sweat made her want to vomit.

While struggling, she pulled a stun gun from under her pillow. She had prepared it the second day after she was reborn.

As soon as she pressed the switch, a loud scream rang out.

Nicholas fell to the ground, weak and limp.

People downstairs were immediately drawn by the noise. "What happened? What's going on?"

"Is this Catherine's room? Why is Nicholas lying on the ground?"

Catherine's fear hadn't faded. Her body was still shaking.

When she saw Gregory at the front, she finally asked with a hoarse voice, "Do you want to destroy me that badly?"

Gregory looked at the girl's messy clothes and red eyes. A strange panic flashed in his heart.

But the next second, his face turned dark. "I don't understand what you are saying. Shouldn't you explain yourself?"

Hate and pain mixed in Catherine's heart. She could barely stay on her feet.

She didn't understand how her first crush became like this.

"Are you still playing dumb?" Catherine finally gave up hope.

She forced herself to stand up and grabbed her phone. She dialed the number.

"Hello, 911? I want to report a crime. Someone tried to rape me."

***

Twenty minutes later, at the police station.

The police were very busy because it involved students taking the SAT soon. It also involved so many people.

Catherine curled up in a corner.

Nicholas's parent arrived too. Their voices were loud. "How could my son rape anyone? You must have made a mistake. I know that female student. Her reputation is terrible.

"Her mom seduced her friend's husband, and she likes her stepbrother. My son must have been set up!"

On the other side, Gregory spoke calmly to the police officer. "My house is close to the test center. These classmates planned to sleep at my house tonight, and accidentally walked into the wrong room.

"Officer, my sister was caught cheating at school recently. She has too much pressure. Her mental state seems to be in trouble. I don't know if she just doesn't want to take the test, so she..."

After he finished speaking, a group of classmates also spoke up to testify.

Finally, even the police had to advise Catherine. "Ms. Williams, you weren't hurt, so it is difficult to get evidence for this case. Also, the SAT is tomorrow. There is no need to ruin it for everyone at such a critical moment.

"If you really don't want to take the test, you can talk to your parents. You can always repeat a year."

Catherine's face had gone pale. Her lips were dry and peeling.

Luckily, after she was reborn, she had installed a camera in her room. But she couldn't show it now.

She couldn't let anything mess up her plan to disappear later. So she pretended to be in pain.

"Officer, I understand. I will drop the case."

The other students were taken away by their parents. They didn't say much because of the Reynolds family's power. But they looked at Catherine with contempt.

Finally, only Catherine and Gregory were left.

Gregory signed the papers. He walked up to her and reached out his hand.

"Cathy, let's go home. We have the SAT tomorrow."

Catherine looked up at him for a long time. She spoke softly. "Gregory, I know you were the one behind this. I just didn't expect you couldn't even wait until after the SAT."

Gregory froze. He didn't quite understand.

Looking at the girl's dark eyes, his heart beat uncontrollably. He felt a bit uneasy.

He paused, then frowned and said coldly, "Believe it or not, he really just went to the wrong room."

Catherine smiled. She didn't say anything about her room being locked. It was meaningless now.

"I won't go back to that house. I'll stay at the hotel next to the police station for the next three days.

"If you want to threaten me with my mom again, go ahead."

After saying that, she didn't even look at Gregory. She walked past him and left the police station.

Gregory instinctively wanted to follow her, but Catherine's words nailed him to the spot.

"Gregory, we are even. Now, not only do you hate me, but I hate you too!"

The SAT started on a Saturday in June.

Many students went to the test centers, feeling hopeful for a bright future.

Catherine had already gone through this in her previous life. No emotions affected her. She held her pen firmly and worked quickly.

The SAT passed in a flash.

As she finished the exam and walked out of the test center, the sun hit her. She narrowed her eyes against the sunlight and smiled.

Good news popped up on her phone. She had received exceptional acceptance from the University of Paris-Saclay, and her scholarship application was approved.

With this money, she wouldn't need financial help from the Reynolds family to study abroad.

Anthony and Dorothy returned that afternoon. They brushed off the police station incident as a misunderstanding.

Catherine thought for a long time. She found Dorothy alone when Anthony and Gregory were not there.

In the garden, she got right to the point. "Mom, those things weren't a misunderstanding. They were real.

"I have been bullied at school for six months. Gregory was the one behind it."

Dorothy stopped watering the flowers. She looked helpless.

Catherine looked at her mom's confused eyes and felt a moment of bitterness.

She said softly, "The SAT is over. I can't stay with the Reynoldses anymore. Would you... leave with me?"

Dorothy stared at her, disappointment slowly filling her eyes.

"Catherine, do you know how hard I worked to give you a whole family? Why would you lie like this?"

Catherine's heart hurt. "You don't believe me?"

She wanted to show Dorothy the scars on her arms, but Dorothy spoke first.

"I know you like Gregory. But you need to understand that he is not a good match for you. Only a complete family will stop people from picking on you when you look for a husband later!

"Remember this. He can only be your brother."

Catherine stopped moving.

"So my mom would let me be bullied under the guise of doing what's best for me?" She asked inwardly.

She remembered how she died in her previous life. After a long time, she smiled sadly. Her eyes were red.

"I understand, Mom. Let's not talk about finding a husband for me. I wish you happiness."

Everyone else was partying, traveling, and having fun while waiting for the SAT results. Only Catherine was running around alone, preparing her documents to study abroad.

Gregory stayed unusually quiet for a long time.

Because she had a top-level score on her TEF exam and the University of Paris-Saclay's exceptional acceptance letter, everything went smoothly the day she applied for her student visa.

Finally, the visa officer asked her a question. "Will you consider settling in France after you complete your studies?"

Catherine shook her head without hesitation. "No, I will return home to serve the country after I finish my studies.

"It is my greatest hope that my research will be known worldwide and bring honor to our country."

The visa officer gave her a thumbs-up and stamped the application with approval.

When Catherine got home, it was already dark. She ran into Gregory, who was coming back from a party, at the door.

Gregory's face changed immediately when he saw the study abroad documents in her hand.

He stepped forward and grabbed Catherine's hand. His voice was dark. "I already let you go. You still want to leave?"

The man's grip was too strong. Catherine frowned from the pain.

"Let me go? What right do you have to say that? I never owed you anything."

Gregory sneered. "You don't owe me? My mother..."

Catherine cut him off right away. "If your mom hadn't been so sick, she wouldn't have come begging my mom to take care of you and your dad. My mom wouldn't have married him."

Her voice choked up. "That way, my mom would still be just my mom now."

Gregory let go of her hand. "That's impossible. My mom loved my dad so much. She would never do that."

Catherine took the chance to pull away from him. "Believe it or not, it's up to you."

Gregory stumbled for a moment.

He watched Catherine walk away. Soon, his look became stubborn again.

"Catherine, you want to run before paying for your sins? If that's the case, we'll just have to go to hell together ahead of time."

The day before the SAT scores were released, a post caused a stir online.

"The true face of Coppell High School's beautiful top student is about to be revealed! She accused a classmate of rape to avoid the exam!"

The post clearly pointed to her. Catherine's name and info were soon leaked.

Morally corrupt, forbidden relationships, hereditary homewreckers... various rumors sprang up quickly, like mushrooms after rain.

That night, a huge argument came from the main bedroom of the Reynolds's villa.

Anthony couldn't control his anger. "I always thought Cathy was a good kid. I never expected her to do so many shameful things and even had those ideas about her own brother! Is she trying to ruin my son?"

Dorothy's voice sounded like she was crying. "Anthony, this must be some kind of misunderstanding..."

Anthony said, "What misunderstanding? It's all written clearly online! Even the photos from the school prom were leaked!"

Dorothy sobbed, "I didn't raise my daughter well. She's young and doesn't know better. We need to find a way..."

Anthony yelled, "What way is there? Our family can't handle this shame! We can only send her to a university abroad and let her fend for herself."

Downstairs, Catherine was scrolling through the disgusting things being said online. Her fingertips were ice cold.

Across from her, Gregory, who had been watching her movements, spoke first. "Don't you have anything to say?"

Hearing the challenge in his voice, Catherine looked up at him.

What else could she say? At least she was alive, which was better than the miserable death in her previous life.

She put away her phone, stood up, and walked past Gregory to her room.

She only left him with one sentence. "I hope the day you know the whole truth, you won't regret it!"

Back in her room, Catherine pulled out the suitcase hidden in her closet.

She put in her study abroad documents, her TEF score, and all her IDs, one by one.

After everything was packed, she looked at the room camera. She exported the video, opened the camera on her laptop, and sat down.

As the recording began, her lips moved.

"I am Catherine. I want to make a public statement regarding the online rumors.

"First, about everything I went through at school..."

Then, she showed pictures of her scars from the bullying over the last six months.

She also showed her grades, certificates of participation, and awards from the past three years.

During her narration, she remained calm like an observer, yet her trembling hands proved that she was not at peace inside.

"And for those who say I falsely accused someone of rape, here is the surveillance video from my room the night before the SAT."

In the video, Nicholas's violent face when he rushed in, and everything he said, could be heard clearly.

"Finally, there are the rumors about my mother..."

Catherine paused, clutching her hand tightly. She still spoke. "I want to respect the deceased, but I want to protect my mother more."

Then, she played a slightly blurry video.

In the video, Evelyn looked pale and knelt in front of Dorothy. "Dorothy, we have known each other for so many years. I only ask you for this one thing. Marry Anthony and take good care of him and Gregory for me. I won't rest in peace if you don't.

"It hasn't been easy raising Cathy by yourself all these years, has it? Why not give both children a complete family?"

Seeing this, Catherine finally let the tears fall from her eyes.

She never blamed Evelyn. She only blamed fate.

Catherine looked at the camera and said calmly, "That is all the truth you asked for!"

She finished speaking and looked around the princess-themed room.

"Everyone says I am a burden who causes trouble after my mom married into this rich family, and that I don't know how good I have it. But this isn't my home. I miss living in that small house with my mom more."

Finally, she gave a small, quiet smile at the camera.

"Gregory, my dear 'brother,' if I could choose, I would choose to never know you in the first place.

"So, let's never meet again!"

After the recording was done, Catherine saved the evidence and videos to the draft folders of all her social media platforms. She scheduled them to post tomorrow morning, when her flight would take off.

She had received exceptional acceptance from the University of Paris-Saclay and was about to fly across the ocean to start a new life.

Living life a second time, she finally made her own path. She just had to finish her studies and come back to serve the country!

After doing all this, Catherine quietly pulled her suitcase out in the dead silence of the night and left the Reynolds's residence.