In my previous life, I studied hard to escape poverty and secure a better future, consistently topping my class.
In this life, I downplayed my abilities initially to avoid the same fate of having my designs plagiarized. I kept my grades average on purpose.
Now that I was forced to reveal my true capabilities, topping the class would be a breeze.
Hearing about my bet, Joel came to comfort me. "Erica, we all know Juliette's level. Don't let the assistant get to you. Apologize to her, or you might really not get your diploma!"
Juliette, on the other hand, was smug. Her head was held high all the time.
Last time, I had overshadowed her in the class beauty contest.
This time, she was ready to crush me with her academic prowess, and she was strutting around with a newfound swagger.
I pushed Joel away. "We'll see who has the last laugh."
As I juggled studying and running the ad agency, the campus Independence Day Gala finally arrived.
In my previous life, the gala was a painful memory. Juliette closed the show with a sensational dance that drove the crowd wild. At the end of her performance, she turned the spotlight on me, dragging me onto the stage and announcing that I would also perform a dance for Joel despite my complete lack of experience.
I was thrust onto the stage in front of a jeering crowd, feeling like a clown. Amid the laughter, I saw Joel and Juliette standing together, sharing a private joke. Juliette playfully punched Joel's arm and leaned on his shoulder, laughing as he smiled at me and said, "Erica, you prepared a dance for me? Let's see it! Don't let me down!"
The laughter grew louder.
"What dance could she possibly do? Does she think she's Juliette? Her family collects trash…"
"Look at her, trying to perform. She should be hiding in a hole instead…"
"Going out with Joel? He wouldn't even hold her hand. If I were her, I'd just disappear…"
Amid the mockery, the lights suddenly went out. I scrambled off the stage, nearly tripping, and I fled the scene.
This time, I knew history was about to repeat itself, but I was going to rewrite it.
Before the event, I approached the organizer, offering to sponsor the gala with the condition of adding a performance.
After I came into money, I didn't become arrogant. Instead, I frequently helped others and sponsored various events, which earned me a great reputation and made me well-acquainted with the event organizers.