The other trust-fund kids, spurred on by Max Garcia, turned to look at Alice (47) "So "this" is the chick who dissed our business school? Brave girl,” sneered Chad (one of the rich kids), adjusting his designer sunsses.


    "Ugh, total country bumpkin, chimed in Brittany (another rich kid), sniffing the air disdainfully. You can practically smell the ramen noodles on her."


    Max, a queen bee in a designer dress, sashayed up to Alice. "If you kneel and apologize right now, "in front


    of everyone“, we might consider letting your off the hook.


    Across the hall, Chloe () smirked, delight dancing in her eyes. Alice had just ticked off the entire business school elite. Her future looked bleak.


    Alice, however, didn''t flinch. I didn''t diss your school," she said, her voice calm but sharp. I just think a business school that epts students who scored zero on the SATs is lowering its standards."


    Chloe''s jaw dropped. This little nobody was actually "fighting back"?


    Chloe, trying to salvage the situation, piped up, “Alice, you can look down on me, but don''t disrespect the business school!"


    Max, her voice dripping with arrogance, announced, “Everyone saw what happened! Freshman Alice just dered war on the entire business school! Anyone caught siding with her is dering war on "us"!” This country bumpkin had gone too far. Alice "had" to be taught a lesson, or the business school would be aughingstock.


    The other students instantly scattered, creating a wide berth around Alice. Her roommate, Chloe (E), pulled her other roommate, Chloe (R), away. “Are you crazy? These rich kids? We can''t mess with them!"


    Chloe hesitated, then fell silent. No one could believe a freshman would dare to confront the business school''s royalty. Now, she was public enemy number one.


    Alice stood alone at the stairwell, a slender figure looking incredibly vulnerable. Chloe''s lips curled into a triumphant smile. “Alice, you don''t want to be ostracized on your first day, do you? Apologize now, and I might put in a good word for you with Max, for old times sake!”


    Alice''s eyes were cial."I don''t care."


    She turned and walked away,pletely ignoring them.


    This unexpected act of defiance stunned everyone. Who would have thought she was so gutsy? She didn''t even fear the business school''s elite!


    Max gritted her teeth, fury bubbling in her chest. She red at Chloe and Chloe. "You''re roommates with her, right? Stay away from her, or I''ll make your lives hell.” Chloe nodded frantically.


    Chloe, feelingpelled to speak, stammered, “Alice... her parents died when she was young. She''s an orphan. That''s why she''s... like this."


    “So what? I gave her a chance! She blew it. Whose fault is that?" Max had never been treated with such disrespect.


    Chloe looked at Chloe in surprise."Alice''s an orphan? So she''d truly cut ties with her wealthy family.


    even mentioning her connections. This


    good for Chloe.


    Chloe feigned a sigh." Alice was always like this in high school. Always isted. But she got away with it because she was smart and the teachers protected her."


    Max sneered. This isn''t high school, sweetheart. This


    This is Harvard University Chloe lowered her eyes, a a smug smile ying on her lips Alice was finished. Later, Alice walked alone across the quad, her first day of college already a disaster. She''d hoped for a normal college experience clearly, that was a pipe dream. Escaping her family hadn''t brought her the peace she''d hoped for, Chloe, that viper, always seemed to be lurking in the shadows, ruining everything.


    Her phone buzzed. A text from her older brother, Noah: Alice, I''m outside Harvard. I got you


    Some stuff. Free when you''re done?”


    Alice was too irritated to see anyone from her family. She replied: "Don''t bother. Give it to Chloe." Noah stood by his car, a flicker of hope in his eyes when he saw Alice''s message, quickly reced by a wry smile. It seemed Alice wasn''t ready to forgive him. Chloe was going back to her hometown to retake the SAT, anyway, so that n was out.


    He lingered outside Harvard, wrestling withplex emotions. He knew she was inside, but he couldn''t bring himself to approach her, afraid of alienating her further. He hadn''t realized how bright his sister was, how incredibly well she had done. Yet, he''d focused on Chloe.


    of students in blue uniforms the Harvard business As he was about to leave, he saw a group of students in blue uniforms school. One face stood out.


    Noah''s face paled.“Chloe? What are you doing here?”


    Chloe''s face flushed crimson."Noah? What are "you" doing here?"


    “I should be asking you that! Why aren''t you back studying for the SATs? And why are you wearing a business school uniform?"


    Chloe stammered, "My older brother... he said I didn''t need to retake the test. He said it''s better to make connections in the business school..."


    Noah''s voice hardened."The business school is where all the heirs and heiresses hang out! What good is that to you?"


    Chloe''s eyes welled up,


    but her mind was made up. She wouldn''t return to her small town. She''d stay in Harvard, use her brother''s connections, and marry rich. She wasn''t going back to a life of poverty


    Noah frowned."Come with me. I need to talk to your brother."


    "Noah, I know I''m not... important. But I have my own dreams. I don''t want to retake the test. My friends are waiting. I have to go. Chloe fled. She had to cultivate those connections. Noah watched her go, furious. He called his older brother, Ethan (R):“Brother, why is Chloe at the business school? She was supposed to retake the SATS."


    "I arranged it. It''ll benefit her."


    "But didn''t you say that business school spot was for Alice?" Ethan had mentioned it when Alice''s grades were lower. But she''d gotten into Harvard on her own merit.


    "The


    spot was for Alice," Ethan said coldly. "But look at her. She cut ties with the family, crashed


    37


    thepany''s


    system. Does she deserve the perks the


    perks the family provides? Noah felt a deep, hollow ache. He couldn''t swallow, couldn''t spit it out."Brother, aren''t you afraid of hurting Alice?" He knew she''d found out about Chloe being at the business school.


    "It seems she already knows." Ethan hung up and immediately called Alice. His voice wasced with a smug triumph.“Alice, do you regret it now? That business school spot was yours."