I lucked out, securing a guaranteed admission spot at Westbridge University—the one the real heiress throws away.

Nicole Stewart drops out for love and runs off with the school's bully, shattering what should've been her perfect life.

Meanwhile, I'm branded a thief, accused of stealing her place. However, I fight my way up to become a powerhouse in business and even marry her childhood sweetheart, Spencer Lowe.

Yet, at the peak of it all, I open my eyes to find myself back to graduation day of senior year, right when I'm filling out my choices of colleges.

A live barrage of comments flashes before my eyes.

"That fake heiress, Gloria Stewart, is nothing but a thief. She stole Nicole's life!"

"In her last life, Nicole actually dropped out of school to start a business with some school bully. She even gave her childhood sweetheart, who was her fiance, to someone else! Ugh, she's so stupid and pathetic."

"Good thing Nicole gets a second chance. This time, the real heiress has awakened, so let's just see how miserable that fake heiress who stole her life becomes!"

I just smile at the scrolling insults.

Sorry, but I carve my own path. Nicole can be reborn a hundred times, and she still can't stop me from rising to the top.

Suddenly, I was reborn on the day we filled out our college applications. I froze for only a few seconds before settling into calm.

Turning my head, I caught sight of Nicole's shockingly bright eyes. They were burning with the ecstasy of regaining what was lost and a fierce determination to win.

She glanced sharply at me before bolting out of the back door of the classroom toward the tall, handsome figure at the end of the hall.

It was Spencer, Nicole's childhood sweetheart, from Class A of senior year. And in my last life, he was my husband.

"Spencer! I like you. This time, I won't give you away to someone else again!" Nicole sobbed as she threw her arms around his lean waist. Immediately, tears began to soak through his clean, white shirt.

Spencer was stunned for a moment by the sudden embrace before an overwhelming joy surged through him.

Almost clumsily, he wrapped his arms around her in return and patted her back with awkward gentleness. "Okay," he whispered. "I'll always be here for you."

Sunlight outlined their embrace, the two of them framed like a perfect still from a movie poster.

The barrage of comments dripping with undisguised malice and glee instantly exploded in front of me.

"Yes, that's how it should be! The real heiress belongs with the resilient childhood sweetheart who never stopped protecting her. That dumb school bully can step aside."

"Gloria's nothing but a lowlife thief. She stole Nicole's spot at Westbridge University, her heiress identity, and her man! People like her are honestly disgusting!"

"This time, the real heiress got her head straight. She's 100% stepping into her main-character era. As for that fake heiress Gloria, I'd love to see how she's supposed to succeed now without that Westbridge University spot."

I couldn't help but laugh after reading those self-righteous comments.

The memories of my previous life replayed before me with crystal clarity.

After Nicole was brought back into my family, she quickly grew resentful of high-society rules. Longing for so-called freedom and true love, she fell hopelessly for Yale Walker, a useless school bully.

All for the sake of running off with him, she tore up her guaranteed admission letter to Westbridge University with her own hands and publicly renounced her engagement to the Lowe family.

The news sent my dad, Duncan Stewart, into a heart attack from the rage.

The entire upper-class circle watched as she turned herself into the biggest scandal of the year. I, the fake heiress who suddenly lost everything the moment the real one returned, could only stay silent.

Under the weight of stares filled with either scorn or pity, I bent down to pick up what she had tossed aside like trash—the Westbridge University admission letter, and with it, the engagement she had sneered at.

For ten years, I walked on eggshells—from the day I stepped through the gates of Westbridge University to the day I clawed my way through the Stewart Group and finally gained a foothold.

Every step I took was paid for with sweat and scheming no one ever saw. By the time I finally secured the CEO's position, I was no longer the so-called impostor who once had to live at the mercy of other people's moods.

Now that I had been reborn, I wanted to find out one thing. Without the shine of a fake heiress and Westbridge University, could I still reach success relying on nothing but myself?

The very next second, the bell signaling the close of applications rang out.

The homeroom teacher—Edwin Payne was his name—walked into the classroom beaming, clutching a gold-embossed envelope in his hand. His smile was so bright it seemed ready to spill over.

The barrage of live comments erupted in an instant.

"It's here! Nicky's guaranteed admission letter to Westbridge University is here!"

"In her last life, the fake heiress stole this opportunity to turn her fate around and thrived because of it. But now that Nicky's got her wits about her, I don't think the fake heiress will have the guts to steal it again!"

My expression didn't change as I watched Mr. Payne's face light up with joy.

He cleared his throat and announced loudly, "Congratulations to Nicole! With her outstanding grades, she has earned an early admission to the Physics Department of Westbridge University."

The classroom instantly erupted into thunderous applause, and countless envious gazes fell upon Nicole.

In this life, she didn't reject the guaranteed admission. Instead, she accepted the admission letter from Mr. Payne's hand.

"Thank you, Mr. Payne. I accept the offer from Westbridge University."

After speaking, Nicole turned and looked straight into my eyes. On her face was an undisguised smugness, along with the satisfaction of long-awaited revenge.

She then leaned down and whispered in my ear, "Did you think I would refuse this offer? I must've disappointed you."

The barrage of comments flashed across.

"Look at that fake heiress' lost soul expression." One commentator laughed. "She must be fuming right now."

"This is so satisfying! The spot has returned to its rightful owner. This is the first step in shattering that impostor's delusional dream."

"Great job, Nicky! Dumping that trashy school bully, getting into the same university as the male lead, and reclaiming everything that belongs to you? This is what the real heiress should do!"

I stayed silent.

Nicole took a deep breath, as if exhaling all the grievances she had bottled up since her rebirth.

"Gloria, I'm so sorry. This guaranteed admission was always mine to begin with. It feels wonderful to take back what should've been mine.

"Tell me, what could you possibly achieve in the future without Westbridge University's reputation?"

She stared hard into my eyes, trying to find a trace of collapse, despair, or even the faintest flicker of anger.

But there was nothing.

Her expression hardened, stiff with dissatisfaction.

The truth was, I really didn't care.

The SAT was important, of course, and getting into a good university was indeed a crucial stepping stone in life. But even more important was making choices that truly suited oneself at every stage of life.

I brushed past her and calmly submitted my application to a flagship state university for finance and economics—Harrington University.

My test scores were just enough to get me into the honors program for finance.

With the ten years I had spent navigating the business world in my past life, I knew that this university's alumni network, location, and practical approach to training would serve me far better at this moment than the distant prestige of some famous name.

The live comment section instantly boiled over when the viewers saw my college application.

"This is funny. Without Nicky's Westbridge University spot, the thief can only settle for some no-name trash school."

"Harrington University? Never even heard of it! At best, she'll end up as a lowly accountant in the future."

"Sure enough, stolen things never last. Her true colors show the moment she has to rely on herself. I'd like to see how she struggles for the rest of her life without her family's support and the name of Westbridge University behind her."

I simply smirked, not even feeling the urge to argue back.

They sneered at Harrington University as a "no-name trash school". However, in my previous life, its alumni founded the nation's top AI robotics company and steered the industry for years to come.

I packed up my bag and was about to leave when the back door of the classroom was suddenly slammed open with a loud bang.

A figure in a studded leather jacket with a punk hairstyle stormed in aggressively. It was none other than the notorious school bully, Yale, who also happened to be Nicole's true love in her previous life.

His eyes blazed with fury and violence as he strode straight toward Nicole.

"Nicole, what the hell do you mean by this? Yesterday, you were in my arms, swearing we'd drop out together and saying these bullshit schools weren't good enough for us!

"And now you have accepted Westbridge University's offer? Are you taking me for a fool?"

The entire class erupted in shock, and every pair of eyes instantly snapped toward Nicole.

Her face immediately drained of color.

The confidence and pride she had flaunted just moments ago vanished, leaving only embarrassment and panic at being exposed.

She instinctively stepped back and asked, "Yale, what nonsense are you spouting?"

"Nonsense?" Yale let out a furious, mocking laugh. Then, he suddenly kicked the empty desk beside me.

The loud bang made the entire classroom fall silent.

He pointed a trembling finger at Nicole and roared, "You liar! You said you'd run away with me! And now you're betraying me for that pretty boy Spencer?"

The more he spoke, the angrier he became.

He raised his fist, about to strike Nicole, when a cold voice suddenly rang out.

"Stop!"

Spencer had appeared at the doorway at some point. He rushed in and pulled Nicole behind him without hesitation to shield her from Yale.

His gaze was sharp as he stared at Yale, carrying an uncommon force for someone his age.

"What do you think you're doing? This is a classroom!"

"Spencer!" Nicole grabbed his arm tightly like a lifeline, trembling as she hid behind him.

Yale's eyes reddened at the sight. He pointed at Spencer and shouted, "You damn pretty boy! You tricked Nicky! Get the hell out of my way."

As he spoke, he tried to push past Spencer to grab Nicole.

The classroom instantly fell into chaos.

Spencer kept shielding Nicole while blocking Yale. Only when the teacher arrived was the commotion finally put to an end.

When Spencer was comforting Nicole, he happened to sweep his gaze over my desk, which had been knocked askew in the chaos.

On the edge of the desk was a small butterfly I had doodled out of boredom, simple in form yet faintly defiant.

Spencer's gaze lingered on the butterfly without him realizing it.

"I feel like I've seen this butterfly somewhere before," he said with a slight frown, as though puzzled.

Though his voice was quiet, it clearly reached Nicole, who was pressed close to him. She suddenly jolted, and following his gaze, she saw the butterfly too.

In an instant, a wave of panic seized her.

In her past life, it was this so-called impostor she had always looked down on who eventually took everything, including Spencer, from her.

"Spencer, let's go! Now!" Nicole practically screamed, yanking Spencer's arm to break his gaze and drag him out. She was desperate to cut off any chance of him noticing me.

The live comment feed, which had briefly paused during the chaos, now exploded across the screen again.

"Holy crap! This school's bully is totally mad! Nicky, run!"

"Okay, Spencer's such a protective boyfriend who would even fight for Nicky! I definitely ship them!"

"Wait. Did Spencer just look at Gloria's desk and say that the butterfly looked familiar? What's going on here? Did they know each other before?"