Chapter 1

100 days before the SAT, I drowned and woke up as a lowly maid in an ancient royal household.

After I accidentally stained the head housekeeper's clothes, she crushed my right hand, the one I used for writing.

For the whole 100 days, I did whatever it took to survive in this rigid old-world society. I ate dog food, slept in a woodshed, and was even forced to empty chamber pots for the entire household.

While I was made to collect firewood from the rockery in the backyard, I overheard two armed guards chatting as they smoked.

"She's in this situation because she's the biological daughter who was just brought back," one of the guards said.

He continued, "To make sure the Steeles' other daughter gets the one chance that can secure her place at Arvona University, Mr. Locke spends tens of millions to rent out this entire film studio and keeps her trapped here as a maid.

"Once the SAT ends at 5:00 pm tomorrow, it'll be too late to change anything, and this whole act will be over."

The firewood in my arms fell to the ground, and I felt a chill ran through me.

Ezra Locke, my childhood sweetheart and boyfriend, did all this just to give Rhea Steele that one chance at Arvona University.

However, they still didn't know that I already had a guaranteed admission offer from Jeston University.

The next night, as the entire household lined up to welcome the young lord and his cousin, I looked up for the first time and locked eyes with Ezra. He was dressed like royalty.

My voice was hoarse as I called out, "Ezra, you spend millions hiring hundreds of actors to put on this act with me. Do you really think this is fun?"

Chapter 1

The whole set went dead silent. All the hundreds of extras in period costumes immediately lowered their heads.

The smile on Ezra Locke's face froze.

Beside him, Rhea Steele wore an elegant embroidered gown. It stood in sharp contrast to my rough linen clothes, stained with human waste.

I looked at the absurd scene before me. I didn't know if I should feel relieved that I hadn't traveled back in time or heartbroken that my best friend and boyfriend had betrayed me.

"Piper, now that you know, it's time to put an end to this. After all, the SAT already ended this afternoon," Ezra said.

He waved a hand. The maids and guards scattered, all looking relieved.

I stood frozen on the spot, my right hand still throbbing with pain.

To make it all look real, the head housekeeper actress hadn't held back when she crushed my hand in the torture clamp.

Ezra walked down the steps and reached for me, but I stepped aside to avoid him.

His hand hung in the air.

A flash of annoyance crossed his face, and he said, "Piper, it was just a prank. Go wash the makeup off your hand.

"So what if Rhea got the special admission opportunity? Taking a gap year to retake the SAT won't be that hard for you."

He called it all a prank? And makeup on my hand?

I looked down at my right hand. It was raw and covered in pus.

My throat tightened.

"Why did you do this?" I asked hoarsely.

Ezra took a deep breath and said, "Rhea was on the rooftop, crying for me because of her depression."

He continued, "You've always been independent, and you can handle anything on your own. But Rhea can't. She needed that opportunity to get into Arvona University."

Ezra had forgotten.

Just four months ago, he kissed my fingertips in the study. He swore, "Piper, when you get into the university, I'll write you love letters for the rest of our lives."

I put all my strength into my left hand and slapped him hard across the face.

Ezra's head snapped to the side, and his eyes were filled with shock.

Rhea hid behind Ezra, her eyes red-rimmed with tears.

"Piper, I'm sorry. Please don't blame Ezra. It's all my fault," she said. "I just desperately wanted to get into Arvona University. Without that opportunity, I never would've made it.

"You're so smart. Just think of it as helping your former best friend, okay?"

I stared at her coldly.

When I was first brought back into the Steele family, she held my hand and cried.

She said we would always be best friends, and she would never push me away just because I was the family's biological daughter.

But then she turned around and cried to Ezra that I had stolen everything from her.

My biological brother, Yves Steele, walked out of the director's tent.

He handed a glass of orange juice to Rhea and said, "Rhea, this place is so hot. Here, have something nice and cold."

Yves ruffled her hair affectionately, then turned to me with a deep frown.

"Piper, how dare you hit Ezra?" he asked. "Rhea's depression came back because of your return. What's wrong with letting her have the opportunity?"

My chest tightened as the pain spread through me until I felt numb.

I had suffered through 100 days and nights of torment.

To them, it was nothing but a show put on to comfort Rhea, the Steele family's adopted daughter.

Ezra's phone suddenly buzzed.

He answered it, and Mom's voice came through.

"Piper, Ezra told me everything. You're just being too emotional," she said. "Rhea is fragile, and she can't handle another year of studying to retake the SAT.

"You're already well-prepared. Taking it next year won't make a difference for you. Stop making a scene and come home with Ezra."

Not once did she ask how I survived those 100 days.

She never asked if I was afraid when I was beaten and humiliated like I was a worthless lowlife.

Ezra saw me fall silent and thought I had given in after venting my anger.

"Alright, enough. You hit me, and you've made your point," he said. "Let's go home. I promise I'll stay with you through your gap year and be there when you retake the exams."

His voice was filled with the kind of patience one would show someone they pitied.

He wanted to take a gap year with me?

I gave a bitter smile and walked out without saying a word.

I didn't need them anymore.

I wanted nothing from Ezra, Mom and Dad, or Yves ever again.

Chapter 2

When I returned to the Steele family's villa, everything felt unfamiliar.

I opened the door to my room and found it filled with easels and designer bags. All of my study materials were gone.

"This is Rhea's art studio now."

I didn't know when Mom had appeared behind me. Her eyes were full of guilt and pity.

She walked over and gently held my left hand as tears welled up in her eyes. "Piper, I know you've suffered. Thinking about everything you went through out there kept me awake every night.

"But Rhea was diagnosed with severe depression. If she didn't get that special admission opportunity, she might actually do something to herself.

"For my sake, please help her. Okay?"

Dad walked over and handed me a bank card. "There's one million dollars on this card. We're family. As your parents, we'll make it up to you from now on. Go ahead and buy whatever you want."

One million dollars was all it took for them to think they could erase the 100 days of torment I suffered.

…

At dinner, the table was covered with seafood I couldn't eat. It was Rhea's favorite.

"Rhea, this king crab is especially fresh today. Have more of it. It's good for you," Mom said as she happily put food on Rhea's plate.

Ezra sat beside me, casually putting food on Rhea's plate.

I held my spoon with difficulty with my left hand. My right hand hung uselessly at my side, still throbbing with pain.

Suddenly, a fluffy dog ran over and rubbed against Rhea's leg.

My whole body went stiff.

In that fake royal household, the vicious dog I was forced to feed every day by the head housekeeper was actually Rhea's pet, Lucky.

It had bitten my calf when I fought over scraps of food.

"Piper, why aren't you eating?" Ezra finally noticed me. He frowned at the barely touched food in front of me.

"My hand hurts," I said calmly.

Then I picked up the bowl of scalding soup in front of me and dumped it at the dog's feet without warning.

The dog yelped in pain, tucked its tail between its legs, and ran away.

With a loud bang, Yves slammed his spoon onto the table.

"Piper, have you lost it? Why are you taking it out on a dog?" he shouted. "Everyone on the set signed an agreement. At most, they made you do some work just to scare you.

"Are you seriously trying to cause trouble at dinner now?"

I looked up at him. "It bit me. I could've skinned it alive, but I held back for the sake of the family's reputation."

"Stop pretending to be the victim!" Rhea suddenly teared up and put down her fork.

She continued, "You're just mad at me for taking your special admission opportunity. If you really can't let this go, I'll go to the admissions office tomorrow and give it back!"

Then, she ran upstairs in tears. Ezra and Yves immediately followed her.

Mom panicked. When she turned to look at me, there was a hint of blame in her eyes.

"Piper, even if you're angry, you can't act out during dinner. Look how scared you made Rhea!" she scolded.

I sat alone at the empty table and swallowed my last bit of food with a blank expression.

…

That night, while packing my things, my phone suddenly lit up.

It was a call from Clara Smith at the Jeston University admissions office.

"Piper, your admission confirmation form still needs one more signature. Please submit it to the school by next Friday at the latest. Don't forget!"

There was a hint of excitement in Clara's voice.

Suddenly, the door opened.

Chapter 3

Ezra walked in holding a glass of warm water.

"Who's on the phone?" he asked, looking suspicious.

Before I could answer, Rhea suddenly screamed from upstairs. "Ah! It hurts!"

Ezra's expression changed instantly. The glass in his hand shattered on the floor, sending shards flying onto my foot.

He didn't even spare me a glance when he turned around and rushed out.

"Rhea, what happened?" he shouted.

Over the phone, Clara asked in confusion, "Piper, is everything okay?"

I closed my eyes and said softly, "It's nothing, Ms. Smith. I'll send the admission confirmation form on time."

Rhea had only nicked her finger while peeling an apple. It was barely even deep enough to draw blood.

Yet Ezra was so worried that he called the family doctor, turning the whole villa upside down in the middle of the night.

I looked at the cut on my foot from the broken glass and quietly wiped away the blood with a tissue.

…

The next day, it was my senior class graduation party.

I didn't want to go, but my homeroom teacher, Tara Boyd, had specifically texted me. She said she needed to hand me my student records and my guaranteed admission offer.

The moment I opened the private room door, the chatter stopped.

Everyone looked at me with open curiosity and mockery.

"Well, well. Look who it is. Isn't this our class's former top student, Piper Steele? Why did you disappear right before the SATs?" someone asked.

"I heard she couldn't handle the pressure and had a breakdown right before the exam," another classmate chimed in. "She was too scared to even walk into the exam room. What a joke."

"Rhea's impressive. Not only did she score well, but with that special admission opportunity, she's guaranteed a spot at Arvona University," one classmate said.

I found a corner and sat down, ignoring the harsh remarks.

Rhea sat in the middle of the group, wearing a custom-made Chanel dress. It was the same outfit Mom had originally bought for my 18th birthday.

Ezra sat beside her, taking the drinks people offered her on her behalf.

"Everyone, that's enough. Piper only missed the SATs because she was sick," Rhea said softly.

Ezra nodded. "That's right. Piper wasn't feeling well. But it's okay. I'll be right there to help her retake it next year."

The private room erupted in cheers and admiration.

"Ezra, you're so devoted!"

"Piper, you don't know how lucky you are. Having Ezra stay by your side while you retake the SAT is something you should be grateful for!"

I only felt like I was going to be sick.

I stood up and walked toward the door.

"Where are you going?" Ezra frowned and got up to stand in my way. "Everyone is worried about you, and you can't even show some gratitude?"

"Move." I stared at him.

Rhea quickly came over and grabbed Ezra's arm.

She said, "Ezra, don't push her. She's already upset."

The moment she walked over, her ankle suddenly gave out, and she fell toward me.

The cup of hot tea in her hand flew straight toward my face.

I instinctively raised my right hand to block it. The hot tea splashed onto my already swollen, infected hand. The pain made me recoil.

Ezra reacted quickly and pulled Rhea into his arms.

To keep Rhea from falling, he grabbed the wrist of the hand I used to shield myself and shoved me away.

I slammed hard against the door, and cold sweat instantly soaked my back.

"Piper, are you okay?" Rhea cried out as she trembled in Ezra's arms. "I didn't do that on purpose. I slipped because I stepped on water."

Ezra looked at me on the floor. There wasn't even a hint of guilt in his eyes.

"Piper, are you done causing trouble?" he asked. "Rhea almost fell. Instead of helping her, you tried to push her?"

I gritted my teeth and supported my limp right hand with my left.

Just then, the door to the private room opened from outside.

Tara walked in with a thick stack of folders.

"What's going on here? If you're here for a party, then act like it." She looked at the mess on the floor and sighed.

She placed the folders on the table and looked around for me. "Where's Piper? Your folder is here, and your—"

"Ms. Boyd." Yves had arrived at some point. "I'm Piper's brother. Since she didn't take the SAT, I'll just take her student records home. There's no need to trouble you."

He reached for the folder with my name on it, ready to open it.

"Why is her folder that thick? There isn't even a transcript in there. Don't tell me it's packed with disciplinary reports." Someone nearby sneered.

Yves' finger was already hooked around the string sealing the folder.

Once it was opened, the admission confirmation form from Jeston University would fall right out.

My heart started racing.

Chapter 4

A phone suddenly rang. Rhea answered, and her face instantly turned pale.

She burst into tears. "Mom, what did you say? Lucky is dead?"

Yves immediately released his grip, and my folder dropped onto the table. He rushed to Rhea's side.

Ezra immediately held her close, his expression filled with worry.

"What happened?" Ezra asked anxiously.

"Mom said Lucky suddenly started vomiting blood and died today." Rhea sobbed uncontrollably.

Everyone's attention instantly shifted. Taking advantage of the chaos, I grabbed my folder from the table and left the room.

…

When I returned to the Steele family's villa, the living room was brightly lit.

Just as I stepped in, a teacup flew past my forehead and shattered against the door behind me.

"Explain yourself!" Dad sat on the couch, pointing at me in fury.

Mom stood beside him, wiping away her tears.

Rhea was clutching a dog collar, her eyes red and swollen from crying. Ezra and Yves stood on either side of her, shielding her.

"Piper, how can you be so cruel? Rhea's dog only bit you once before. Did you really have to put rat poison in its food bowl?"

I looked at them and found the whole thing ridiculous.

"I didn't poison Lucky," I said.

"Are you still making excuses?" Yves charged over and pointed at me. "Who else in this house would poison a dog? You won't even spare an innocent life. Do you even have any humanity left?"

He was talking about my humanity?

100 days ago, when they left me on that set to be beaten by everyone, where was their humanity then?

Ezra sighed.

"Piper, you need to own up to your mistakes. Rhea's already hurting," he said. "Apologize to her, and we'll let this matter slide.

"I promised I would stay by your side when you prepared to retake the SAT, and I'll keep my word. Stop using these extreme methods to get my attention."

Did he really think I poisoned Lucky just to get his attention?

I looked up at the man I once loved.

"That's not necessary," I said calmly.

I turned around and struggled to pull out the small suitcase I had hidden behind the door with my left hand.

"Where are you going?" Mom panicked and rushed over to grab me. "It's the middle of the night. Are you seriously trying to run away from home?"

I yanked my hand away, pulled a piece of paper from my pocket, and threw it onto the coffee table.

It was a declaration to cut ties with the Steeles. My name was already signed on it in shaky, uneven handwriting with my left hand.

From now on, I would no longer bear the Steele name.

"I'm giving your family back to Rhea," I said flatly.

Ezra's expression darkened when he saw the declaration.

"Piper, stop being childish! Your hand is injured. Where will you go after you leave the Steele family? Who will take care of you?" he asked. "You don't even get the chance to college. What future do you have?"

He stepped forward and reached out to grab me, but I backed away and avoided his touch.

I tore the engagement ring he gave me from the chain around my neck and tossed it into the trash can beside me.

"My future is none of your concern," I replied.

"Without us, you won't even be able to afford a hotel tonight." Ezra stared at the ring in the trash, absolutely furious. "You won't last three days. You'll come back starving and crying to apologize!"

Mom agreed coldly. "Let her go! Once she realizes she's worthless alone and suffers enough, she'll come back."

Listening to their condescending pity and confident predictions, I only sneered to myself.

Without sparing any of them another glance, I dragged my suitcase into the darkness outside.

At 9:00 am tomorrow, I would board a flight to Jeston.

I would go to Jeston University and begin my new life as Piper Shaw.

That ridiculous charade was finally over.

I would never see them again.