Chapter 3The Price of the Golden Ticket: A Sister's Choice

Chloe quickly secured the top spot in our grade.

The people surrounding her were all top-tier students.

But she noticed that I didn't seem to be isolated by all the girls like she was in her past life.

On the contrary, everyone still joked and laughed with me.

She couldn't understand why, even though we both possessed beauty, and I had been posted on the school's confession page several times and recognized as the school's "it girl," I wasn't facing jealousy from other girls.

In reality, the reason she was hated in her past life wasn't because she was beautiful.

"Mia, I'm taking you out to karaoke after school, you in or not?"

Jackson, the bad boy from the class next door, appeared at our classroom door again.

Jackson's family was wealthy. His dad was involved in both legitimate and shady businesses, and the biggest entertainment complex in town belonged to his family.

With a background like that, even the teachers didn't dare cross him.

In my past life, Jackson had fiercely pursued Chloe.

Chloe was very high-profile back then, frequently riding on the back of Jackson's motorcycle, showing off around town.

Like a heroine in a teen drama, while others were studying hard, she skipped class every day and bullied classmates, relying on Jackson's power.

So, even though she was impossibly pretty, many people still hated her.

But I wasn't going to follow her path.

Jackson slammed both hands on my desk, looking down at me.

He was good-looking, generous with his money, had many fangirls, but had a terrible temper.

"Are you going or not? Give me an answer."

I shook my head: "No, I have to go home today."

This was the fourth time I had rejected him.

He was clearly losing patience, a hint of anger in his eyes, and the way the people around him were looking at him made him even angrier.

"Mia, don't push your luck!

"I like you right now, so don't play hard to get with me."

Everyone watched the drama in silence, no one daring to speak up. After all, Jackson had just put a guy who offended him in the hospital with severe injuries last month.

I lowered my eyes and pinched my thigh hard.

Then I looked up, my eyes red, brimming with tears.

"Jackson, how could you be so mean?"

The anger boiling inside Jackson instantly deflated. He scratched his head, looking lost.

"Oh, shit, I didn't even say anything bad!

"Don't cry, okay? If you don't want to go, you don't have to."

I didn't respond to him, just sniffled, wiped my tears, and ran out of the classroom.

I had to run, otherwise, I wouldn't be able to force out any more tears.

I had to admit, beauty was sometimes a weapon.

But it's a double-edged sword. When not used properly, it only hurts yourself.

Going head-to-head with Jackson was obviously unwise. Showing appropriate weakness was the only way to keep myself safe.

Before I had a way to protect myself, my beautiful face was like a child holding a block of gold in a crowded market.

But I didn't plan to do what Chloe did and find a powerful man to protect me.

Entrusting your life to a strange man, using beauty to tie them down, is clearly a decision that goes against human nature.

No matter how beautiful a flower is, there will come a day when someone gets tired of looking at it.

A canary in a gilded cage is destined never to fly high.

What I wanted to do was be an eagle soaring freely.