That was why Lisette had taken a year off from school.
And also why her parents rushed to marry her off to Tobias when she was just twenty-one.
That year…
Yeah, best not to go there.
Lisette pressed her long fingers against her temples, forcing herself not to sink into those awful memories.
In her previous life, everything had gone downhill after the divorce – her break from school turned into a complete dropout.
She never finished college.
That, on top of her shattered family, became another painful regret she couldn’t erase.
Snapping out of it, she tapped three words onto the screen: [Count me in.]
*****
Once she locked down the time with Evan, Lisette swiped through some stock info for a bit, then slid into the sleek Aston Martin sports car gifted by Scarlett and drove toward Veridia University.
Veridia University was one of Sion’s top colleges, on par with Aurelian University.
Veridia thrived economically, and the campus?
Full-on luxury.
Unlike Aurelian’s scholarly vibe, Veridia flaunted its wealth every chance it got.
Students at Veridia mostly fell into one of three categories: trust fund kids, children of high-ranking officials, and crazy-smart students with once-in-a-lifetime talents.
The parking lot looked like a luxury car expo – everywhere you turned, there was another high-end ride.
Lisette cut the engine and stepped out of the car.
As she emerged from the driver’s seat, her soft waves of hair swayed just right, flipping into a perfect arc that practically sparkled in the sunlight.
A few windows on the nearby sports cars rolled down.
Heads popped out, and wolf whistles echoed.
“Hey there, new around here?”
“Whoa, Aston Martin – pure predator energy!”
“Gotta say, your ride totally matches your vibe.
Wild and classy.
Bet you’ve got a fierce streak.”
“How about we hit the track sometime?”
Lisette turned back, spotting the guy whose smirk could rival a movie villain’s.
He threw in a wink for good measure, the picture of smug confidence.
Lifting a brow and curling her lips into a smile, she asked, “Wanna race, huh?”
“Absolutely!” the guy nodded like his head was on springs.
Lisette stared at his massive dark circles under both eyes – major evidence of one too many all-nighters.
Her eyes glimmered like a curious cat’s as she blinked slowly.
“Well, in that case, maybe sort out your health first.
Kinda looks like your kidneys are waving a white flag.”
With that, she turned on her heel and left, leaving the guy steaming behind her.
He slammed his steering wheel and shouted, “Damn it – it’s not weak kidneys, it’s loneliness!
LONELINESS!”
Laughter exploded around the lot.
After submitting the program entry with Evan, Lisette headed to the dorm to grab some textbooks.
Veridia University was only a half-hour drive from the Cavendish estate.
Back in her previous life, she’d rarely stayed in the dorms – they were just a glorified locker for her.
But this life?
She was determined to finish what she started.
Dropping out was no longer an option. Find the original chapter at g.com.
Around lunchtime, her three roommates had just returned from eating.
When Lisette opened the door, they were deep in a heated convo about the season’s hottest luxury items.
“That new limited-edition Vee bag?
So gorgeous!”
“Yeah, but good luck getting your hands on one here.
Totally sold out.”
“Not just here – even overseas it’s a nightmare to find.”
“The high fashion jewelry this season?
Beyond pretty!”
“I swear, this new Vee collection is the best they’ve ever done!”
“Eh, not all of it.
That bright pink coat?
So out there.
The price tag’s wild, too.”
“The color’s kinda loud, sure, but the tailoring’s on point.
Shame they didn’t release more shades – it’d fly off the shelves.”
“Apparently, the coat was personally designed by the brand’s chairman in memory of her daughter who passed away over two decades ago…”
The door creaked open again.
Lisette stepped inside.
She wore that exact bright pink coat they’d just trashed – it hugged her curves like it was made for her.
The cut?
Flawless.
Pink like that could easily look tacky or cheap on the wrong person, but on her, it looked like it belonged on the cover of a fashion mag.
With every step, she really did look straight out of a movie scene.
She didn’t even need a spotlight – just standing there was enough to steal every glance in the room.
The three roommates froze for a beat.
Then, almost in sync, their eyes darted from Lisette to the magazine in their hands, then back again – triple confirmation.
All three blinked hard.
No mistake-the Vee seasonal “Nostalgia” coat they were just drooling over?
Lisette was wearing it like it was no big deal.
And that wasn’t all.
Her bag, her jewelry, even her shoes – every last piece was from that hard-to-get collection they’d been obsessed with.
The room went silent.
Lisette didn’t react to their stunned faces – her eyes were locked on her bed.
Three huge suitcases were tossed on top like it was a storage shelf.
Her desk was worse – half-eaten food containers, trash no one bothered cleaning up – it was a whole mess.
Her textbooks?
Jammed into a dim, dirty corner, gathering dust like forgotten junk.
Lisette’s eyes went cold instantly.
Realizing they’d messed up, the three girls scrambled – one snatching up garbage, another grabbing a rag to wipe down the desk like their lives depended on it.
Less than a minute later, the desk looked spotless again.
Then come the fake smiles and sugar-coated voices.
You’re back!
Why didn’t you tell us?
We could’ve met you at the gate!”
“Yeah, you’ve been MIA since the break – we missed you!”
“Totally!
We were just saying last night that we should go out and celebrate when you got back.”
Lisette stared at them, expression icy as ever.
Their dorm was nicknamed “Beauty HQ” – the voice majors weren’t just gifted vocally, they could win beauty contests blindfolded.
Especially her three roommates – each one more stunning than the last, practically made for the spotlight.
Last time around, Lisette had stayed off-campus but still got along pretty well with them.
Her mom, Daphne, was a shopping fanatic who loved spoiling her daughter with so many clothes and accessories Lisette couldn’t even keep up – so she often passed extras to her roommates.
After marrying Tobias, she moved to Aurelian, and while Tobias’ grandma Eleanor Hastings tried transferring her, Lisette used school as an excuse to stay in Veridia.
Every time she came back, Eleanor would load her up with fancy gifts like she was heading to war.
And Lisette always brought back stuff for the girls – bags, clothes, you name it.
When they smiled, she smiled too.
After the Cavendish family’s collapse, she clung harder to every relationship around her.
Even after they graduated and hit rough patches, Lisette pulled every string she could to help.
Clara Adams married her rich heir friend.
Bella Hill got a spot on a talent show thanks to Lisette and hit it big overnight.
Lucy Judd, with her soft, innocent vibe, landed a massive collab with Maverick that shot her into stardom.
But now…
Lisette realized she’d probably misjudged everything.
If they were really friends – if they actually cared – how could they turn her desk into a trash heap?
Seriously – why toss trash on her desk when the bin was right there?
What, low-key throwing shade?
As Lisette quietly reevaluated the three polished beauties in front of her, they were busy scanning her top to toe again, eyes locked on her limited edition designer bag.
She used to bring them gifts every time – luxury items like bags, clothes, accessories.
But this time?
Just the bag she carried herself.
So, of course, they assumed the gift this round had to be something else.
Jewelry, maybe?
Which brand would it be?
Could it be that piece they’ve been dying for but could never afford?
The three of them waited with eager, sparkling eyes, hoping she was about to unpack the goods.
But Lisette didn’t miss the greed glinting behind their excitement.
Not one bit.