Chapter 1

In my family, everything was decided by a blind box draw.

Even on the day my twin sister and I were born, my parents used a blind box to decide who would be the older and younger sibling.

My sister, who was born four minutes before me, drew 'The Beloved Little Daughter'.

I drew 'The Responsible Elder Sister'.

For 18 years, my parents would place two blind boxes in front of us for everything—from picking our bedrooms and clothes to deciding who got the chicken drumstick.

I always ended up drawing things like 'Clean the Entire House' or 'Eat the Chicken Wing Tips'.

Meanwhile, my sister always got 'The Latest Princess Dress' or 'Secret Edition: Family Vacation'.

Whenever I felt upset, my parents would always say, “That’s fate. Whatever the blind box gives you, you have to accept.”

That was until my 18th birthday. My parents brought out the blind boxes again.

This time, I drew 'The Right to Attend College'.

My younger sister, the girl who had been spoiled and cherished her entire life, drew 'Work in a Factory'.

Chapter 1

I thought fate had finally been fair to me for once.

However, that night, I walked past my parents’ bedroom and heard my mother talking to my sister.

“Why are you crying, silly girl? This blind box is something I made for your sister to draw on purpose.

“If she doesn’t have a legitimate reason to enroll in college, how else can we get that 50,000-dollar scholarship money and then have her take out a 180,000-dollar student loan?

“Once we get the money, I’ll immediately send you abroad for your studies. As for your sister? In a few days, we’ll just let her draw something that says, 'Drop Out and Work.' Then she’ll have no choice but to accept her fate!”

I froze outside the door, staring at the full scholarship acceptance notification that had just appeared on my phone. It was to a globally renowned institution.

They did not know that I was destined to go to college no matter what I drew from the blind box tonight. After leaving this time, I would never come back.

…

The moment I submitted my application to the university, Mom knocked on my door.

“Elena, come out. It’s your 18th birthday today and Avery's as well. I’m taking you girls out for a nice meal.”

Avery Hale stood behind her. The second she heard the word 'dinner', her eyes lit up.

“Yay! We’re having a feast tonight!” Then she paused and asked cautiously, “Mom, are we doing the blind box again?”

Mom smiled. “Of course. It’s our family tradition.”

Soon, two boxes were placed on the coffee table. Avery immediately picked the one on the right. The moment she unfolded the slip of paper, her eyes sparkled.

'Secret Edition: 1,688-dollar seafood buffet.'

When it was my turn, I reached into the box and pulled out a slip—'Fifty dollars or less—choose any takeout you want.'

The living room fell silent for a second.

I looked down at the paper in my hand. Strangely, I was not surprised at all.

Just then, our neighbor, Mrs. Warren, walked past the door carrying groceries. When she saw the slips on the table, she smiled and poked her head inside. “Oh, you’re doing your blind box thing again?”

After seeing what we had drawn, her smile slowly faded.

“The rewards are way too different, aren’t they? Mrs. Hale, both children are your daughters. They were even born on the same day. You can’t favor one over the other.”

Mom’s expression immediately turned awkward. She snatched the slip from my hand and crumpled it up.

“Oh, I didn’t think it through.”

Then she looked at me and softened her voice. “Elena, how about I change it? You can order anything under a hundred dollars. Whatever you want.”

Avery instantly wrapped her arms around mine. Her voice was sweet enough to make my teeth hurt.

“Elena, you're so lucky! You can order so much food for a hundred dollars! Fried chicken, noodles, and roasted pork. You can even get extra toppings!”

Mom frowned and gently tapped her forehead. “We don’t eat that kind of food. Your stomach is sensitive. What if you get sick?”

I lowered my eyes. Avery had always been a picky eater, and Mom cooked everything according to her preferences. I had stomach problems too. It was just that no one ever remembered that.

In the end, the three of them left together.

Before leaving, Mom specifically reminded me, “Order something yourself. Don’t go over a hundred dollars. Send me the payment link when you've decided.”

Avery wore her new dress and turned around at the doorway, waving at me. “Elena, I’ll take photos of the king crab and show you when I get back!”

The door closed, and the house instantly became quiet.

I closed the takeout app without ordering anything, then I walked back to my room and opened the cabinet at the bottom of my closet. Inside the cardboard box were all the blind box slips I had drawn over the years.

'Wash dishes for a week', 'Eat chicken wing tips', 'Use old backpack for another year', and 'Give your sister the birthday cake wish'.

The list went on and on. I used to truly believe I was just unlucky, so I just kept comforting myself that it would be different next time.

Then, on my 18th birthday, I finally drew 'The Right to Attend College'.

I thought fate had finally chosen me. However, I was wrong. That was not luck either. It was simply the excuse my parents needed to trade my future for a plane ticket for Avery.

I placed the slip I had just drawn, 'Fifty dollars or less—choose any takeout', on top of the pile and then closed the box.

Just as I finished, the doorbell rang. When I opened the door, my boyfriend, Rafael Torres, was standing there. He held a beautifully wrapped gift box in his hands. “Elena, happy birthday.”

He walked inside and placed the box on the table. Inside were two small blind boxes.

“I prepared graduation gifts for you and Avery.”

He glanced at the empty living room, then lowered his voice, acting as though he was giving me a special privilege. “Avery is still out eating. Pick yours first.”

I looked at the two blind boxes and casually picked up the one on the left. I unfolded the slip, and there were only two words written on it—'First Prize'

Chapter 2

Rafael was even more excited than I was. “Elena, see? I told you your luck was good today.”

He smiled and gently ruffled my hair. “First prize. Your reward is a brand-new dress.”

I was startled for a moment. “A dress?”

“Yeah. Didn’t you like that white dress you saw before? It wasn’t in stock back then, but I asked about it a few days ago, and it’s finally here.”

I remembered the day after our SATs ended. Rafael and I had walked past a mall display window. I only glanced at the white dress inside for a few seconds. I never expected him to remember.

Ever since we were kids, whenever I drew something bad from the blind boxes, Rafael would secretly make it up to me. When I drew 'Eat Chicken Wing Tips' while Avery drew 'Eat Fried Chicken', he showed up at my door with an entire roasted chicken that same night.

“Congratulations, Elena! You’ve drawn the secret edition!”

When I drew 'Use Your Old Backpack for Another Year' while Avery drew 'New Princess Backpack', he handed me a luxury fountain pen the next day.

“You might have to keep using your old backpack, but a top student like you deserves the best pen.”

Those little gestures were the only thing that helped me survive all those years. At least there was someone who knew I had been hurt.

A sudden sound at the door pulled me back to reality. My sister and my parents had returned.

The moment Avery stepped inside, she raised her phone excitedly. “Elena! Look at the king crab we ate! I watched the chef prepare it right in front of me!”

Mom followed behind her, her voice full of affection.

“She’s the only one who knows how to enjoy good food. She thought the 1,688-dollar option wasn’t good enough, so your dad upgraded it to the 2,888-dollar package for her.”

Dad laughed. “You only turn 18 once. As long as Avery is happy.”

That was when Avery finally noticed Rafael. Her eyes lit up as she ran over, shouting, “Rafael, you’re here! What did you bring us?”

Rafael pushed the gift box toward her. “Graduation gifts. Elena already opened hers.”

Avery immediately looked at me. “What did you get, Elena?”

Rafael answered, “First prize.”

For a split second, the smile on her lips froze, but she quickly recovered. “Wow, Elena is really lucky.”

Rafael smiled and patted my head. “Of course, she is. Elena has always been lucky.”

Then he lifted his head and looked at Mom. “Mrs. Hale, would it be okay if I took her to buy her new dress later?”

Before Mom could answer, Avery immediately hooked her arm around Rafael’s. “Rafael, can I come too? I can help Elena pick one.”

Mom instantly agreed. “Of course. Avery has great taste.”

Only then did Rafael look at me. “Elena, is that okay?”

Avery was still holding onto his arm as she said, “Elena wouldn’t mind, right?”

I nodded slightly. “Whatever.”

That afternoon, we went to the mall together. Rafael took me to the store, where the shop assistant brought out the white dress.

“This is our latest design. It only arrived last week. Sir, you have great taste!”

Rafael handed the dress to me. “Go try it on.”

Avery sat on the couch, resting her chin in her hand. “Elena will definitely look beautiful in white.”

Inside the fitting room, I was halfway through pulling up the zipper when it got stuck. I looked down at the tag and saw that it was one size too small. With the dress in hand, I stepped outside to call over the shop assistant, but that was when I heard Avery's voice.

“Rafael, you know the rules. I cooperated with you just now and let Elena believe she drew the first prize. I even praised her for being lucky. Now that she’s happy, shouldn’t you make it up to me?”

My footsteps stopped. I heard Rafael’s voice, gentle and indulgent. “Tell me. What do you want?”

Avery immediately smiled. “Earlier, when we passed the first floor, I saw a diamond necklace.”

His voice was full of affection. “Sure.”

Avery hesitated for a moment before asking, “What are you gonna do later?”

He replied, “Same thing I've always done. When Elena drew chicken wing tips, I brought her a roasted chicken and then took you out for a private dinner. When she had to keep using her old backpack, I bought her a fountain pen and bought you a whole set of imported stationery.

“She takes things too seriously. She needs to enjoy herself sometimes. Otherwise, if she makes a big deal out of it, your parents won’t know how to handle things.”

Avery hummed in satisfaction.

I stood outside the fitting room door, still holding the dress in my hands.

The shop assistant walked over. “Miss, would you like to try on another size?"

Chapter 3

Rafael walked over, his figure blocking my view. “Wrong size?”

I nodded.

Avery’s face instantly went pale as she stammered, “Elena, how long have you been standing there… D-Did you hear anything just now?”

I shook my head. “No.”

I could clearly see the relief wash over Rafael's face. He handed the dress back to the shop assistant. “Could you get one size bigger?”

Then he turned to me and said, “Stay here and try on the dress. Avery drew a prize too. I’ll take her downstairs to get a milkshake.”

Avery immediately pouted. “Elena’s prize is a new dress, and my reward is only a milkshake?”

He smiled as he ruffled her hair. “Elena's just luckier than you are. You have to accept the result when you play the game.”

Avery quietly muttered, “Then I want extra whipped cream on mine.”

“Sure.”

With that, they left the shop and stepped onto the escalator.

As for me, I did not go back to the fitting room. I followed them downstairs.

Avery leaned against a glass display case and pointed at a necklace. “Rafael, I want this one.”

The sales assistant took it out. “This is our newest arrival. It’s 138,000 dollars.”

Rafael immediately handed over his card. “Wrap it up.”

Avery smiled. “You’re the best.”

He gently touched her head and replied in an affectionate tone, “You helped me put on an act today. I know it's not easy for you.”

Pouting, she said in a whiny, playful voice, “I’m not as easy to please as Elena! Besides this necklace, you have to buy me the latest phone too.”

He laughed at her antics and answered, “Okay, okay. Whatever you want.”

After signing the receipt, he put the diamond necklace around Avery’s neck. Then he heaved a sigh. “Elena really is easy to please. She’s always been like that. Give her a little treat and she’ll remember it for a long time.”

Avery suddenly asked, “Do you actually like her?”

He paused for a moment. “Don’t ask meaningless questions."

He let out another sigh. “I’ve been with her for so long. It’s not like I can just break up with her whenever I want.”

Avery lowered her voice as she asked, “What about me?”

He answered, “You’re different. You can’t stand being wronged.”

Avery sounded a little hurt. “Well, are you still buying Elena her dress?”

“Of course.” Rafael added, “She’ll get suspicious if I don’t buy it.”

I was standing around the corner when my phone suddenly vibrated with a message from Mom: [Avery said she wants to go to that pasta place for dinner. Take a look and get whatever you want.]

A moment later, she sent another message: [Don’t order anything too expensive. You've already spent a hundred dollars today. Keep it under 20 dollars.]

I opened the delivery app. The cheapest side dish cost 28 dollars.

I closed the page and replied: [I’m not hungry. Just order for Avery.]

When I returned to the clothing store, Rafael was already waiting with the dress. “Elena, it’s done.”

I took it from him. “Let’s go home.”

…

That night, I got up to get some water. The main bedroom door was not fully closed, and Mom’s voice drifted out.

“We need to put down the payment first to secure Avery's spot in the program abroad. We’ll mortgage the house and take out the money to enroll her.”

Dad questioned, “But what if we mortgage the house and can’t afford to pay it back?”

Mom replied, “What’s there to worry about? Once Elena starts college, she’ll have a 50,000-dollar scholarship, and she can take out a 180,000-dollar student loan. Once the money comes in, we’ll just make her draw something that says, 'Hand Over Everything to the Family.'”

Dad still sounded uncertain. “What if she refuses?”

She let out a soft chuckle. “She’s been accepting whatever she draws since she was little. Besides, doesn’t Rafael know how to handle her? He gave her one dress, and look, she was happy again tonight.”

Chapter 4

On the first day of the new semester, Mom brought out two blind boxes again. “Elena, Avery, you’re both leaving home today. Draw your travel arrangements.”

Avery immediately reached out. “I’ll go first!”

She unfolded the slip, which read, 'Family drives you to the factory for your first day of work.'

I picked up the remaining slip, which read, 'Cheapest train ticket. Travel alone to college.'

Mom nodded. “Elena, your university isn’t that far. Taking the train is more convenient.”

Dad picked up the car keys. “Avery is leaving home for the first time. We’ll take her there.”

Avery sniffed. “Elena, I’m sorry. If I hadn’t drawn the factory job, Mom and Dad could have driven you to university instead.”

Mom gently stroked her hair. “Elena is understanding. She won’t hold it against you.”

Rafael arrived soon after with breakfast. “Is everything ready?”

Avery immediately ran over. “Rafael, I’m going to work at the factory.”

He glanced at me, then lowered his head to comfort her. “Don’t be scared. I’ll go with you.”

I took the folder Mom handed me. She reminded me, “Once you arrive on campus, apply for your scholarship first. Submit your student loan application as soon as possible too.

“After the money comes through, transfer everything to my account. I’m worried you’ll waste it.”

I nodded. “Okay.”

As they got into the car, Avery leaned against the window and waved at me. “Elena, remember to send me photos of your dorm when you get there!”

I waved back.

Once the car disappeared from sight, I took out the slip I had drawn and placed it back into the blind box. Then, I wrote a new one and placed it on top.

'Secret Edition: A Lifetime Without Seeing Them Again'.

After that, I picked up my bag and headed to the airport. I spotted the group of them from a distance at the security checkpoint. These people, who were supposed to be driving Avery to the factory, were standing at the airport instead, laughing happily.

“We finally got Elena out of the way! Now, our family can go on vacation to Hovana!”

Mom had a smile on her face as she said, “She should still be waiting at the train station right now. In another week, she should have her scholarship and student loan money.”

Dad nodded. “I’ve already asked someone to handle the paperwork for your study program abroad, Avery. As soon as Elena’s money arrives, I’ll send you there.”

The airport announcement rang out, “Passengers traveling to Hovana, please begin boarding.”

They walked toward the gate together.

I lowered my eyes and looked at my boarding pass. The destination was Lotten. I turned around and walked toward the international departure gates on the other side.

…

Half a month later, Mom finally called me, but I ignored every call.

She turned to Rafael instead. “Why isn’t Elena replying to my messages? She’s been enrolled in university for half a month. Why hasn't the scholarship and loan money arrived yet? The creditors are already calling! If we can’t fork out the money, we’ll lose the house!”

Rafael replied, “Mrs. Hale, she probably has a lot going on since she just started university. Maybe she just forgot about it."

Mom gave a cold laugh before spitting out, “What could she possibly be busy with? She can waste half a month pretending to be busy if she wants to, but she'll still have to drop out eventually!"

That day, they went to the university where I was supposed to enroll. They first went to the girls’ dormitory, and the dorm supervisor searched through the records for a long time.

“Elena Hale?”

Mom immediately answered, “Yes. Freshman in the School of Finance. The top scorer in the SATs.”

The supervisor shook her head. “We don’t have anyone by that name.”

Mom’s expression darkened. “How is that possible? She’s been enrolled for half a month. If she isn’t living in the dorm, where else would she be?”

Rafael quickly stepped in. “Could she have been assigned to another building? Let’s ask the administration office.”

Mom rushed to the department office. The moment she entered, she called out, “I’m Elena Hale’s mother. I need to find my daughter urgently.”

The professor looked up. “Can’t you contact the student directly?”

Mom sounded impatient. “She’s throwing a little tantrum with her family. Give me her dorm address. I’ll find her myself.”

The professor checked the system, and a moment later, his expression turned cold. “We don't have any records on a student named Elena Hale."

Mom was stunned for a moment. “What?”

Rafael was dumbfounded too. “Professor, please check again. She was admitted this year.”

The professor replied calmly, “She was admitted, but she declined the offer letter two weeks ago.”

Mom’s expression changed instantly. “Then what about her scholarship?”

The professor looked at her. “She never enrolled. The university will not issue the scholarship.”

Mom immediately asked, “What about the student loan?”

“She isn’t a registered student. The loan application cannot proceed.”

Mom stood there, completely frozen. At that moment, her phone rang with a call from the creditors.