It was true. For ten years, I fought back against anyone who bullied me—even over a harsh word.

Eventually, it became second nature.

Until Anna showed up.

Taylor said, “Anna is small and delicate. Her family favors boys and neglects her completely. If it weren’t for her grades—and the teacher and police stepping in—she would’ve been married off to some old bachelor for dowry money. Now she has to juggle school and part-time work just to survive. Her life’s tough. Unlike you. You’re carefree and have everything handed to you.”

“If I don’t feel sorry for her, who will? Can’t you show a little understanding? A little empathy?”

His sense of chivalry and need to protect were triggered. He was enjoying the role of savior to someone who knew how to act vulnerable.

Just like now. Anna sobbed quietly, and his glare turned to me—cold and sharp.

“Why are you crying? You think that’ll make me pity you?”

“Does crying excuse what you did? Let me tell you, Desiree, I don’t pity you—I find you disgusting.”

Right then, I heard Anna’s thoughts again:

“Tsk, this guy’s such a scumbag. Even if he doesn’t believe in his childhood sweetheart, this is too much. If I were Desiree, my heart would’ve shattered.”

“And he claims no girl matters to him but Desiree. Look at this fool, one wave of my hand and he’s wagging his tail like a puppy.”

“But hey, who complains about having too many rich, dumb lapdogs?”

I cried—and laughed.

A wild thought crossed my mind: What would he do if he could hear her real thoughts one day?

I wanted to leave.

But Taylor grabbed my wrist, his eyes sharp.

“Trying to run?”

“Apologize to Anna.”

“I won’t. Why should I? I told you—I didn’t take her competition essay, and I definitely didn’t tear it.”

I stood tall, chin raised, tears held back, locking eyes with him.

The stares from our classmates pressed on me like a weight.

“Clearly, Taylor has feelings for Anna. Desiree got jealous and ripped her essay. Poor Anna.”

“Wow, Desiree’s vicious. I’m staying away from her—I don’t want her canceling my plans with Taylor too.”

“Apologize! You owe her an apology!”

No one heard me.

They were all trapped in their own narratives, casting accusations like stones. Each one crushed me a little more until I wished I could vanish.

And Taylor was the first stone to hit.

He slammed his fist into the wall beside him, his face twisted with rage.

“Fine. You won’t apologize? Then don’t come to me for anything. Don’t even tell people you know me.”

Anna flinched and clutched his hand, tears in her eyes.

“Don’t hurt yourself,” she pleaded.

“She doesn’t want to apologize, fine—but my competition essay’s still gone. I’ll have to rewrite it anyway.”

Taylor didn’t back down, but then the bell rang, and the crowd scattered.

I lowered my head and returned to my seat.

Next was English class—taught by the infamously strict teacher everyone called “the she-devil.”

A few days ago, we’d taken a baseline test, and today the teacher was collecting our answer sheets.

I was sure I had put mine in my bag, but now it was missing.

Panic set in, and sweat trickled down my neck.

The teacher’s face darkened.

I bit my lip and held out my hand.

Each strike from her pointer landed harder than the last—no mercy.

My palms turned red, welts rising across the skin.

Afterwards, her voice was as cold as ice.

“This won’t happen again. Go stand in the back.”

It felt like a slap across the face. Tears streamed down uncontrollably from the sting. I wasn’t a model student, nor did I study hard, but I always gave the teacher a well-behaved impression.

It was the first time I was punished to stand.

In front of everyone.

A 45-minute class felt like 45 years.

When the bell finally rang, Taylor walked over lazily, tore the test paper in his hand into pieces, clicked his tongue against his cheek, and said, “You didn’t listen today. This is your punishment.”

“Treat others the way they treat you.”

“If you admit you were wrong and apologize to Anna, I won’t hold it against you.”

It felt like my throat was choking. I couldn’t make a sound, just stood there, humiliated and hurting.

The last string in my heart snapped.

When I went to the cafeteria, it was nearly empty. I ordered a plate of braised pork ribs and sat by the window. Even my favorite food couldn’t stir my appetite.

At some point, Anna sat down across from me. She toyed with an expensive bracelet on her wrist, eyes gleaming with smugness.

She smiled and said, “Desiree, aren’t you curious how my competition essay ended up in your desk? Or who tore it?”

I stood up, clapped my hands clean, and flung warm seaweed and egg drop soup onto her face.

“Anna, did you think about the consequences before provoking me?”

“I could make you vanish from this school without lifting a finger. No school would take you, and no company would dare hire your family. You wouldn’t last a day in Boston. So tell me, where do you get the courage to parade around in front of me?”

Anna wiped her face, then said with righteous indignation, “Yes, your background is better than mine, and you’re richer. But does that give you the right to ruin someone’s future?”

Her inner voice, though, was crueler: “You act high and mighty just because of money. You’re nothing without your parents—just a parasite. What’s so great about you? You couldn’t even hold onto your childhood sweetheart.”

“He’s practically worshipping me now. What do you have that’s so noble?”

I crossed my arms, smirking. “Yes, money can do whatever I want. Don’t believe me? Try crossing me again.”

She came in like a queen and stormed off humiliated.

After the first class in the afternoon, our class group chat exploded with a voice recording.

It was the conversation from the cafeteria—me and Anna.

Anna ran up to me, eyes red like a rabbit’s, pitifully pleading, “Desiree, it wasn’t me. I don’t know how that recording got out. Please, don’t drag my family into this.”

Just then, Taylor rushed over. He stood in front of her like a shield and shoved me hard.

I crashed into a desk behind me, the edge hitting my waist sharply. Pain shot through me.

There was a flicker of guilt in his eyes, but it vanished as he scowled.

“Desiree, what are you pretending to be so noble for? Didn’t your family sell fish back then? The stink still lingers. Don’t act classy with me.”

“And don’t even think about touching Anna while I’m here.”

“Also, I’ll ask my parents to end all business with the Johnson family.”

Anna gave me a small, triumphant smile.

That smile—both of us understood exactly what it meant.

Her inner voice echoed in my head: “You can’t win, Desiree. I’ll make you lose everything—starting withTaylor.”

“If you dare humiliate me again, I won’t spare you.”

Taylor finished speaking, then led her away.

Outside the school gate, I saw a familiar car waiting.

“Mom? Why are you here?”

“I’ve been busy for half a year. I figured it’s time I spend proper time with my baby girl.”

I leaned into my mother’s arms, sniffled, and said with grievance, “Mom, I missed you so much.”

She gently patted my back and asked softly, “What’s wrong? Did someone bully you at school?”

Something stirred in me. I sat up straighter, as if I'd finally made up my mind, and said with all seriousness, “Mom, I don’t want to go to the U.S. after graduation. I want to go to the U.K. alone.”

Because of my relationship with Taylor, our families had grown closer, and their business partnerships had deepened. Both sides silently approved of our relationship.

As early as last year, they had planned to send the two of us abroad after high school—partly to polish our resumes, and partly to grow our bond.

Mom looked surprised. “Did something happen between you and Taylor?”

“If I told you he can’t tell right from wrong, or good from bad, would you believe me?”

“I believe you.” She stroked my hair with love. “Whatever decision you make, I’ll support you.”

I was so moved I threw my arms around her and poured out everything.

Then, out of nowhere, a mechanical childlike voice echoed in my mind: “Desiree, system successfully activated. Congratulations, host, on unlocking the voice-sharing function. Please select a person to share with.”

I froze, startled. After mentally communicating with it, I realized this strange thing was some kind of system. Why was it bound to me? Let’s just say—fate.

What mattered wasn’t the why. It was the what. The voice I heard—it may now be shared.

In other words, if I choseTaylor, he would be able to hear Anna’s inner thoughts.

So what would happen... when he did?

...

“Host, please confirm. Bind voice sharing toTaylor?”

“Confirmed.”