Someone even tripped me on the stairs, muttering, “Slut.”
Confused, I limped to the corner, only to overhear Sandy chatting with my two childhood friends.
“I really did see Amelia getting out of the Princeton University board member’s car in the middle of the night, but that doesn’t necessarily prove anything. Maybe she really did get in with her own grades.”
“Sandy, stop defending her. She doesn’t even dare to make her grades public. She must be hiding something!”
“Exactly, Sandy, you’re too kind. She’s so scheming—there’s no telling what she’s capable of.”
After joining the research program, I had signed a confidentiality agreement that required me to keep my grades private.
I never imagined that this would give Sandy the opportunity to slander me.
However, of all the people who knew me, I didn't expect that my childhood friends would think of me like that. They knew how hard I had studied for my grandmother’s sake, yet they still chose to believe Sandy’s lies.
I let out a bitter laugh and consoled myself. It didn’t matter. Once I officially joined the program, all my personal information would be concealed.
By then, I could finally cut ties with them completely.
I wouldn’t have to endure these hurtful words anymore, nor live foolishly amidst lies and deceit, ending in such a tragic death.
Pretending I hadn’t heard anything, I walked up to the three of them.
“What do you want?” I asked.
Henry’s disdain vanished in an instant, replaced by a bright smile. “Amelia, this is great! We’ll be at the same school again. All your hard work has finally paid off.”
Kristoff smiled as well, his expression equally warm.
"We can continue to protect you now, but four years isn’t enough—we’ll need a lifetime to do it!" Kristoff added eagerly.
Several passing girls cast envious glances in my direction, but my heart remained unmoved.
In my past life, the four of us attended the same university. I worked tirelessly for a bright future—studying hard and actively participating in school activities.
But in the end, my scholarships and postgraduate recommendations were secretly manipulated and handed over to Sandy.
There were even rumors about me having an improper relationship with a school official, and I endured isolation and bullying for four long years because of that.