“Andrea is so petty and weird. She doesn’t deserve someone like Nicholas!” Kim’s voice rang out above the chatter.

Kim was in her element, basking in the attention. When she caught sight of me entering the room, she didn’t stop. No, she pushed harder, her words like knives aimed directly at me.

“Isn’t that right, sis? You were so afraid of losing to me that you tore up your guaranteed recommendation?” she said, her tone laced with mockery.

“And now, just because Nicholas gave me a ride, you’re throwing a tantrum and breaking up with him? Honestly andy, you need to stop being so stubborn. Life doesn’t revolve around y—”

Before she could finish, I marched up to her and slapped her across the face.

The sound of it snapped the room into silence. Everyone froze, their eyes wide as they turned to look at us.

“What are you doing?” Kim shouted, her voice trembling with shock and anger.

The murmurs started immediately.

“What’s gotten into Andrea? She’s acting like a completely different person today. And now she’s even hitting her sister.”

“Looks like Kim was right all along. Andrea’s all about putting up a fake high-and-mighty act, but deep down, she’s just petty and mean.”

I sneered at the whispers and scanned the room with a cold glare. Those speaking up against me instantly fell silent.

Kim’s face turned red with anger, her eyes brimming with tears. She raised her hand, ready to slap me back, but I act fast. I grabbed her wrist and slammed it onto the desk, pinning her in place.

“You want a bet? Fine, I’ll take you on,” I said, my voice low but firm. “Listen Kim, I ignored your little games before because I didn’t want to stoop to your level. But don’t mistake my patience for weakness.”

“You’re just like your mother,” I continued, leaning in so only she could hear. “You play the sweet and innocent girl in front of men, but behind the scenes, you’re as vicious as they come.”

“Remember this,” I said sharply, releasing her with a shove. “Don’t come near me again, or you’ll regret it.”

Kim collapsed onto the desk, sobbing quietly. None of the other students dared to approach her. The tension in the room was suffocating, but I felt a sense of relief. I’d stood up for myself and it felt good. I returned to my seat, opened my book and continued reading as if nothing had happened.

After one more study session, the school day finally came to an end.

As usual, my mom was waiting for me at the school gates. Kim used to stop and throw out a few snide comments every time she saw her. But today, she sped past us without a word, her head down.

I trailed behind her, meeting my mom’s confused gaze. A wave of bitterness welled up in my chest. Why did they always target her? Why did my mom, who’d done nothing wrong, have to endure their bullying?

I clenched my fists. Not anymore. I wouldn’t let them hurt her anymore.

When we got home, my mom made all my favorite dishes for dinner.

“I heard the recommendation letter finally arrived,” she said with a smile. “You’ve worked so hard. Now I don’t have to worry about you anymore.”

“Mom…” I hesitated, my appetite fading. “I tore it up. I don’t want to go to Whittendale University,” I admitted quietly.

Her eyes widened in shock.

“But don’t worry,” I quickly added. “I signed a confidentiality agreement. After graduation, I’ll go straight to a research institute to continue my studies.”

My mom stared at me, stunned. “Why didn’t you discuss this with me first? Wasn’t Whittendale always been your dream, with Nicholas and Zach?”

I lowered my gaze, the memories of my past life flashing through my mind. Slowly, I told her everything—everything I’d gone through in that other timeline.

“I know it sounds crazy,” I said, my voice shaking. “But it’s the truth. I lived through it all. Mom, we can’t go through that nightmare again. We can’t sacrifice our lives for people who don’t care about us.”

She was silent for a long time. Just when I thought she wouldn’t believe me, she spoke.

“I believe you,” she said softly. “I’ve been having strange dreams lately too. Dreams so real, they felt like memories. But I kept telling myself the opposite had to be true.”

She sighed, her expression hardening. “My marriage wasn’t happy. All I ever wanted was for you to marry someone who truly loved you. If Nicholas isn’t the right one, then forget him.”

Relief washed over me and I threw my arms around her.

We only had each other. And in this life, I was going to protect her no matter what.

As for my teacher, they’d already been informed by Mr. Hanson and didn’t even bother asking me about the torn recommendation.

Kim must've tattled about it, which resulted in Dad's furious call that very night.

“Andrea Ford, are you out of your mind? How could you tear up the Whittendale recommendation letter? What were you thinking?”

His voice was thunderous, nearly tearing through my ear. "What sins did I commit that I raised a fool like you!" His words were sharp, each one dripping with contempt.

“You know what? From now on, you’re no longer my daughter. Do whatever you want!”

In the past, his anger would have sent me running back, begging for his forgiveness. But this time, I finally understood—I didn’t need his approval anymore. Whether he acknowledged me or not, I was still entitled to my share of Grandpa’s inheritance. That was more than enough to secure a comfortable life for Mom and me.

So why bother chasing after someone who had always favored Kim and her mother?

I thought back to my previous life. When Mom and I were at our lowest, desperate for support, my father had chosen them without hesitation. To add insult to injury, he posted a cheerful photo of the three of them—Kim, her mother and himself—on his social media, captioning it "family time."

If he’d already made his choice once, why should I cling to the idea of having a father now?

“Fine by me,” I said, my voice cold and steady. “I don’t want a biased and spineless father anyway. Consider this the end of our relationship.”

Before he could reply, I hung up the phone and immediately blocked his number on every platform.

The next morning, as Mom and I arrived at the school gates, we ran into Dad and Kim. They were dropping her off in his car, with Kim basking in the glow of his attention. She cast a smug glance my way, her voice deliberately loud.

“Dad, can you make dinner for me again tonight? I really love it when you cook for me,” she said sweetly.

I glanced at Mom, worried she might be hurt by Kim’s deliberate jab, but she remained composed. With a calm expression, she took my hand and walked me to the gate, stopping only when we reached the entrance.

“Go on, Andrea. Focus on your studies,” she said gently before turning to leave.

Her resilience made my chest tighten with emotion. She didn’t deserve this—none of it.

As I turned to head toward class, my father’s voice cut through the air like a whip.

“Andrea! Get over here, you ungrateful brat!” I ignored him and kept walking, but he wasn’t done.

“Who gave you the nerve to block me? You think you’re grown now? You think you don’t need a father? Listen here, young lady, if you dare—”

Before he could finish, Mom hurled her bag at him, silencing him mid-sentence.

“What the hell?” he bellowed, glaring at her in shock.

“Teaching my daughter a lesson is none of your business!” Mom shot back, standing her ground.

As things began to escalate, Nicholas and Zach rushed toward us. They quickly flanked Kim, who seemed to be relishing the drama. Given Dad’s booming voice, the whole school was now aware of the situation and Nicholas and Zach shot me disapproving glances.

“Why did you block him? He’s your father, Andrea. You shouldn't be doing that.”

Zach added, “And you suddenly cut ties with us too. What's going on? Why the change in attitude? Did we do something to you?”

From the corner of my eye, I saw more and more people closing in and soon the crowd was swelling. The pressure of so many eyes on me only made my irritation boil over.

“Why? Because I'm sick of seeing all of you!” I exploded. “I know exactly what you are—a bunch of two-faced hypocrites. I’ve done you a favor by cutting ties with you, so you no longer have to pretend to be nice to my face. Got it?”

Nicholas and Zach exchanged a confused look, clearly shocked by the venom in my words.

As usual, Kim seized the opportunity to play the peacemaker, acting all innocent.

“Why don’t we all just take a breath?” she began, her voice sweet. “Andy, hasn’t Nicholas and Zach been your friends since childhood? Why suddenly turn your back on them? Let’s make up and go back to being friends.”

When I remained silent, Nicholas, clearly frustrated, grabbed Kim’s hand and pulled her closer.

“Who wants to be her friend anyway? That was a huge mistake.” Nicholas shot me a glare. Then he turned to Kim with softened gaze. “Kim, from now on, you’re the only one I care about.”

Zach shot me a long, meaningful look, seemingly searching for some sign of discomfort on my face. But he was disappointed. I didn’t even flinch; in fact, I almost wanted to applaud them.

Nicholas’s expression darkened further and he turned to Dad.

“Mr. Ford, sir, I would like your blessing to marry Kim.”