Chapter 1

Mom buys a four-thousand-dollar laptop for my sister, Scarlett Lowine, when we're shopping for school supplies.

Dad chooses a luggage bag for her while my brother, Christopher Lowine, buys a pair of noise-cancelling headphones for her.

My childhood friend, Jasper Greeson, crouches in front of a shelf, comparing eye-caring desk lamps with a serious look on his face.

"Gabby has bad eyes. This lamp's brightness is perfect for her."

A warm sensation spreads through my chest. However, the feeling only lasts for a few seconds before Jasper places the lamp in Scarlett's shopping cart.

"Be sure not to tire yourself out when you're doing revisions at night, Scarlett," he says, smiling.

I stand on the side with my empty shopping cart, feeling like an outsider who's just responsible for watching over their bags.

"Aren't you going to buy your supplies too, miss?" the cashier asks.

Mom seems to only remember my existence then. She frowns as she looks at me and asks, "Your things are still working, right? They're fine as long as you can use them during university."

I look down at the note app on my phone.

For the past year, I've written down a list of things that I want to buy for university, including a laptop, bed drapes, a desk lamp, a luggage bag, a pair of sneakers, and more. I've also noted down the price for every item.

However, nearly every item on the list has been crossed out.

They tell me that Scarlett has a weak constitution, so they need to take care of her.

They tell me that it's fine for me to endure a little hardship because I have good results.

But they don't know that I've already used my scholarship money to buy a plane ticket to another city.

As they pack Scarlett's luggage bag until it's bursting, I'm finally going to erase every trace of myself from this family.

Chapter 1

Gabriella's POV

"Aren't you going to buy your supplies too, miss?" the cashier asked while holding a barcode scanner.

Mom was busy handing the cashier the latest laptop model on the market that cost 4,000 dollars. She paused for a moment upon hearing the cashier's words before turning to look at me.

"Your things are still working, right?" she asked, frowning. "They're fine as long as you can use them during university. It's not as if you're joining a competition to see who has the best-looking supplies."

My brother, Christopher Lowine, tossed a pair of noise-cancelling headphones on the counter. He didn't even bother lifting his head when he sneered, "Can you stop giving Mom attitude when we're outside, Gabriella Lowine? Those things would be wasted on you."

I quietly stood in place and didn't make a retort. Instead, I looked past them at my childhood friend, Jasper Greeson. He kept his head down as he paid for the items, carefully cradling a desk lamp.

Ten minutes ago, Jasper was crouching in front of a shelf while earnestly comparing the color temperatures of the different lamps.

"Gabby has bad eyes. This lamp's brightness is perfect for her."

I had assumed that Jasper was going to give the lamp to me.

During my entire senior year of high school, I had spent every night practicing questions in the dim hallway, which resulted in my nearsightedness worsening significantly.

But in the next second, Jasper turned around and placed the desk lamp in my sister, Scarlett Lowine's shopping cart.

"The total is 4,860 dollars," the cashier said.

Jasper scanned the QR code before Mom could. "Let me pay, Mrs. Lowine. Just treat it as my gift to Scarlett for starting university," he said, his smile gentle.

There was a reassuring glint in his eyes when he turned to look at me. "The desk lamp's really heavy, Gabby. I'm going to bring it back home for Scarlett first. I'll take you to eat your favorite honey-glazed ribs once the weekend rolls around."

I looked down and tapped on the notes app on my phone.

For the past year, I had written down a list of things that I wanted to buy for university, including a laptop, bed drapes, a desk lamp, a luggage bag, and a pair of sneakers.

I brought my finger close to the screen and lightly crossed out "desk lamp" from the list.

"There's no need for that," I said softly as I locked my phone.

Jasper was briefly stunned. He probably never expected me to reject his offer of honey-glazed ribs. In the past, whenever I got upset, he just had to comfort me to convince me to keep trailing after him.

"Why are you throwing a tantrum?" he asked with a frown, reaching his hand out to ruffle my hair. "Scarlett's eyes are sensitive to strong light. You should stop fighting with her all the time."

I turned my head to the side and avoided his hand.

"Gabriella Lowine!" Dad snapped.

He had a dark look on his face as he approached us, carrying a newly bought pink luggage bag.

"Why are you being difficult when Jasper's treating you to a meal out of the goodness of his heart?"

"Exactly," Christopher said, scoffing. "She's been like this since she was a child, always fighting Scarlett for her things. Why do you have to be so petty over a desk lamp? All of them work the same way anyway since your nearsightedness is so bad."

I looked at them—at my blood-related family and my childhood friend, who once promised to protect me for the rest of my life.

The throbbing ache in my heart suddenly disappeared.

"Let's go," I said, turning around and pushing the shopping cart to its original spot.

As the shopping mall's air conditioning blew across my arms, I felt a sense of relief that I had never experienced before.

…

Dad drove us back home. Mom and Scarlett sat in the back, putting their heads together as they looked through the new laptop's manual. Christopher was in the passenger seat, playing songs on the radio via Bluetooth.

I walked over to the car and was just about to open the backseat door when Jasper suddenly slipped inside, cradling the shopping bag in his arms protectively.

"Make some room, Gabby," he said as he placed the desk lamp on the seat in the middle. "Don't want to accidentally crush Scarlett's laptop."

There wasn't much space in the backseat to begin with.

I quietly retracted my hand and squeezed myself into the cramped space between the door and the seat.

The streetlights beyond the car window zoomed past.

I had crossed out every item on my list in my notes app.

I didn't need to buy anything anymore.

Chapter 2

Gabriella's POV

The car slowed to a stop in front of the villa.

Christopher and Jasper started moving all the newly bought items into the villa.

Several shopping bags of different sizes filled the living room.

"Try on these new shoes, Scarlett. See if they hurt your feet," Mom said as she pulled out a pair of limited edition sneakers, kneeling down to put them on for Scarlett.

Scarlett walked around a few steps after she changed into them and happily spun around in a circle. "Thank you, Mom! They're a perfect fit!"

I hoisted my own faded backpack over my shoulder and headed toward the stairs.

"Stop right there, Gabriella," Mom said.

I halted my footsteps.

She rose to her feet and pointed at the empty cardboard boxes on the floor and said, "Throw the trash out. Also, wash the clothes that Scarlett just changed out of. Don't forget to hand-wash them."

"Okay," I said, calmly nodding before I bent over to pick up the cardboard boxes.

Just then, Jasper came out from the kitchen with a glass of warm water. He frowned slightly when he saw me kneeling on the floor. "Gabby must be tired too after today's outing, Mrs. Lowine. She can wash Scarlett's clothes tomorrow."

Mom scoffed. "Why would she be tired? She was empty-handed while she was following us around the mall."

Jasper sighed and walked over to my side. He then pulled out a small, pink fan from his pocket. "Your room doesn't have air-conditioning, right? You can use this at your dorm too."

I looked at the fan. The box it was in was already crushed flat. A massive logo of the laptop's brand was printed on the cover.

This was Jasper's so-called compensation for me—a complimentary gift that came with Scarlett's four-thousand-dollar laptop.

"Thanks," I said without taking the fan. "But I'm not scared of the heat."

Jasper's hand was left suspended in midair. A hint of frustration flickered across his eyes. "It was just a desk lamp, Gabriella. How much longer do you intend to throw a tantrum?"

"I'm not throwing a tantrum," I said, stacking the flattened cardboard boxes before rising to my feet. "I just don't need it."

"You were always so understanding in the past. What happened to you?" he hissed in a hushed voice, his words taking on a warning edge.

Understanding.

That word was like a chain that kept me shackled for over a decade.

Grandma took me to the city from the countryside when I was seven. Since I was enrolled in school two years later than everyone else, I ended up in the same class as Scarlett.

Jasper held my hand and pointed at Scarlett, saying, "I'll protect you while you protect Scarlett, Gabby."

However, to protect Scarlett, I was forced to give up Mom's and Dad's love, my new clothes, and the room that rightfully belonged to me. In the end, I also had to give Jasper up.

As I studied Jasper's familiar face, I suddenly felt as if I was looking at a complete stranger.

"I'm still very understanding now," I said, picking up the stack of cardboard before circling him and heading outside.

Jasper stood rooted to the spot, his expression dark.

…

I returned to my room after I threw the trash out.

My room was actually a storage room under the staircase on the first floor.

I dragged out my luggage bag from under my bed and stacked a few old clothes inside.

There was a plane ticket at the very bottom of the bag. The destination was Bellion.

Just then, my phone started vibrating. I took a deep breath before answering the call.

"Have you had dinner yet, Gabby?"

Grandma's aged voice echoed from the receiver. Her words were colored with a thick countryside accent.

My eyes immediately began to sting. "I've already had dinner, Grandma," I said, trying my best to keep my voice steady.

"I went to town today and wired 2,000 dollars into your bank account," she said in a hushed voice. "I got the money from selling eggs. You're heading off to university, so you should buy some new clothes for yourself. Don't let the city kids look down on you."

Teardrops splattered on the back of my hand.

In the Lowine family, 2,000 dollars wasn't even enough to buy Scarlett's new laptop. But I knew that it would cover Grandma's living expenses for six months.

"I got a scholarship, Grandma," I said. "The university also waived my school fees. I have enough money."

I pressed a hand to my mouth, trying to muffle the sounds of my sobbing.

"Just take it. You might need it for a rainy day, especially since you'll be away from home," Grandma said stubbornly. "You got such good results, Gabby. I'll dote on you even if your parents won't."

I bit down harshly on my bottom lip.

"Okay."

"Don't look back after you leave for the big city, Gabby," Grandma continued, sighing. "Don't be like me. Don't rot away in the mud for the rest of your life."

"I understand, Grandma."

I picked up the plane ticket after I hung up and slipped it neatly into my diary.

I could hear Scarlett playing the piano beyond the door. I could also hear Jasper's soft humming and singing.

I closed the diary and pushed the luggage bag back under the bed.

I just had to stay strong for a few more days.

Chapter 3

Gabriella's POV

The Lowines threw a party to congratulate Scarlett on getting into university the next afternoon.

The private room was packed with my relatives.

"Scarlett truly made something of herself, Harry. She was accepted into Julliena University," Uncle Frank exclaimed.

He was all smiles as he raised his wine glass.

Dad had a rosy glow on his face as he waved his hand, saying, "She had a weak constitution ever since she was a child. We're already more than satisfied that she managed to get into one of the top local universities."

"Julliena's a perfectly good university," Aunt Dahlia chimed in, smiling. "It's close to home too. She can even visit you over the weekend and have dinner with you."

She then turned to me and asked, "What about you, Gabby?"

Silence descended upon the room in an instant.

I didn't say a single word. Instead, I kept my head down and continued poking the mashed potatoes on my plate with my fork.

Mom immediately joined the conversation, saying, "Gabby's also going to Julliena University. She can help me take care of Scarlett since she's studying in a local university too."

My relatives nodded and praised me.

I didn't stop poking my mashed potatoes, turning it into a mushy mess on my plate.

They had no idea that I didn't apply to Julliena University at all.

Jasper had been standing behind me when we were filling in our university applications. As a result, he saw when I typed Julliena University as one of my options.

I waited till he turned around to pour a glass of water for Scarlett before calmly pressing the backspace button. I then listed Bellion University as my first choice.

"What are you daydreaming about, Gabby? Tell the waiter to bring a jug of warm water," Christopher snapped while kicking my chair.

I placed my fork down and rose to my feet. I heard Jasper speak up in a gentle voice seconds after I left the private room.

"Don't worry, Mrs. Lowine. Gabby and I will take care of Scarlett together during our time in university. The three of us can have meals together every day just like before."

I headed toward the restroom, turning the tap on and letting the cool water run over the back of my hands.

I looked at my reflection in the mirror. I was wearing a pair of black, thick-framed glasses and a faded T-shirt. My face was pale from pulling too many all-nighters.

This was the Gabriella Lowine that everyone else saw—a side character who didn't need to have her own life.

All the dishes had been served by the time I returned to the private room.

Jasper was wearing a pair of plastic disposable gloves. He placed the peeled shrimp on Scarlett's plate and said, "Be careful when you're eating them. You have a weak stomach, so you can't eat too much seafood."

"I know," Scarlett whined while playfully glaring at him. "You're so naggy, Jasper."

Jasper simply smiled. He peeled another shrimp and placed it on my plate. "Have one too, Gabby."

I looked at the shrimp on my plate. There were still some black bits on the back of the shrimp, and it wasn't completely peeled.

I couldn't help but think that the sloppily peeled shrimp was just like his feelings for me. It was obvious that he had a favorite, while his feelings for me were cheap and perfunctory.

"I don't eat seafood," I said, using my fork to push the shrimp off my plate and onto the tablecloth.

Jasper's expression darkened in an instant.

Christopher slapped his hands on the table and shouted, "Why are you giving Jasper attitude when he was kind enough to peel shrimp for you?"

Mom shot a cold look at me and said, "She's always been like this ever since she was a child. She always has to fight Scarlett over what she has. Now, she's being petty over shrimp."

Scarlett's eyes reddened as a troubled look crossed her face. "I won't let Jasper peel shrimp for me anymore, Gabby."

I didn't look at them. Instead, I grabbed a wet tissue and wiped the water stains on the tablecloth.

"I'm allergic to seafood," I said.

Silence descended upon the room instantly.

Jasper's hand froze in midair. He turned to look at me with a bewildered expression, asking, "Allergic to seafood? But I saw you eat it in the past."

The confusion in his eyes was a little amusing.

Jasper had taken me to a seafood buffet when we were ten. He wanted to use his Christmas money to treat us, so he only brought Scarlett and me. He peeled a huge plate of lobsters when Scarlett whined about wanting to eat them.

I steeled my nerves and forced myself to have a few bites because I didn't want his efforts to go to waste.

However, I got rashes all over my body and also contracted a high fever that night. I kept scratching myself as I tossed and turned on the hard bed in the storage room all night.

The next day, when Jasper came over to play with Scarlett, Mom told him that I was being lazy and hadn't gotten up yet.

I never touched seafood again from that moment on.

"Yes, I had it in the past," I said, wiping my hand with the wet tissue before throwing it in the trash. "I almost died in the storage room after eating it."

Mom's hand froze in midair. She cleared her throat and snapped, "Why are you making a mountain out of a molehill? There was no need for you to bring that up here."

Jasper looked at the shrimp that I had pushed off my plate. Panic flickered in his eyes for a brief moment. "Gabby… I didn't know that—"

"I'm full," I said, placing my fork down.

I sat upright in my chair and listened to my relatives rave about Scarlett's future.

Jasper sat next to me. He didn't say another word for the rest of the meal. He occasionally snuck glances at me as if he was waiting for me to take the initiative to make peace with him just like before.

But I just kept my head down and looked at my phone.

I had just received an email with my acceptance letter from Bellion University.

The university's blue emblem glowed with a faint light on the screen.

Chapter 4

Gabriella's POV

The villa was in utter chaos the day before the start of the semester. There were three huge bags spread out in the living room.

Mom was holding a long roll of paper, checking the items on the list with Scarlett's items in the bags.

"Sunscreen, mosquito repellent, vitamins…" she mumbled. "Oh, that's right. We haven't packed Scarlett's skincare products yet."

"Don't forget the desk lamp, Mom," Scarlett said, pointing at the coffee table as she sat on the couch and ate cherries.

"Definitely can't forget that," Mom said. "Jasper specifically bought it for you. I'll put it on top of everything else."

Dad came out from the study, holding a stack of bills. "Put this in one of the inner compartments. Can't have Scarlett worrying about money when she's in university."

I padded out of the kitchen while carrying a trash bag.

Mom called out to me when I walked past the living room. She didn't even bother lifting her head when she barked out her orders.

"Gabriella, buy two boxes of Band-Aids. Scarlett's shoes might scrape her ankles since they're so new. Also, take the clothes that Scarlett was wearing yesterday to the dry cleaners."

I halted my footsteps. The trash bag that I was holding drooped slightly.

"I'm not free," I said.

Mom stopped checking the items on the list for a few seconds. "What did you say?" she snapped, whipping her head up.

I stared into her eyes and said, "I haven't packed my things yet."

Christopher scoffed. "What do you even have to pack? A few tattered clothes? You can just stuff them into your bag and be done with it. Besides, Julliena University is so close to home. You can just come home and grab whatever you left behind."

I ignored him and made my way toward the front door, changing out of my indoor slippers. Coincidentally, I bumped into Jasper, who was holding several different-sized bags, just as I pushed the door open.

Jasper was holding two card-holders. One of them was pink and bedazzled while the other one was just plain and black.

"Where are you going, Gabby?" he asked, blocking my way.

"Throwing the trash out," I answered.

Jasper offered the black card-holder to me and said, "This is for you. Scarlett likes the pink one, so I'm going to give that to her. I'll drive the two of you to Julliena University tomorrow for your registration. You don't have that many bags with you, so you should help Scarlett with her pink one."

I looked at the black card-holder.

The look in Jasper's eyes when he offered it to me had been identical to how he looked when he bought the desk lamp. He was so certain that I would accept the card-holder—so sure that I would fall at his feet in gratitude for his kindness.

However, things were different this time.

"No need. You can go by yourselves."

I went around him and dumped the trash bag into the trash can outside the villa. I then turned around and headed back inside.

…

The next morning, I woke up when the sky was still dark.

I grabbed my luggage and quietly pushed the villa's front door open.

The living room was silent. Jasper and the others had stayed up all night throwing a celebratory party for Scarlett, so they were still sound asleep.

The morning breeze in autumn felt cool against my skin.

My luggage rolled along unsteadily as I dragged it behind me on the deserted sidewalk.

…

I arrived at the airport at 7:00 am. I got my boarding pass and sat in the waiting area.

My phone began vibrating nonstop.

It was time for Julliena University's new students to register.

Mom sent a barrage of voice messages into the family group chat.

"Where the hell are you, Gabriella Lowine? I told you to help Scarlett with her luggage. You just had to leave by yourself first. Come to the university's south gate right now!"

Christopher sent a picture of Scarlett holding up a peace sign in front of Julliena University's main gates.

"Some people just love being jealous."

A few seconds later, I received a private message from Jasper.

"Stop causing a fuss, Gabby. Which dormitory are you staying in? Scarlett has already set up her bed. Come over and help her hang the bed drapes. I'll treat you and your family to Panean cuisine tonight. Treat it as my compensation to you, okay?"

An announcement echoed through the airport speakers.

"Attention passengers who are traveling to Bellion. You may begin boarding your flight now…"

I looked at Jasper's message for a brief moment before I tapped his profile picture. I tapped the button in the top right and blocked him. I then returned to the main page and blocked the rest of the Lowines.

I rose to my feet, grabbed my worn-out luggage, and headed toward the boarding gates.

A plane burst through the clouds beyond the window, soaring toward the vast sky.