A Grand Exit: Passing the Spotlight to My Bestie

Lily thought that by telling me about Vincent on purpose yesterday, she'd messed up my performance.

The moment his name came up, it instantly ignited everyone's desire to gossip.

"What happened? Did Hannah's grades drop because of Vincent?"

"She came in dead last. She seriously has no self-control."

"Hannah, learn from your best friend Lily. She studies hard, she's pretty, and she treats her friends well."

Even Ms. Bolton, the homeroom teacher who usually liked me, said sternly, "You're too young to be acting out. Write a self-reflection essay."

After school, I obediently handed in the reflection essay and got a thorough scolding.

By the time I got back to the classroom, it was already late. Only Lily was still in the classroom, studying alone.

I heard her mutter to herself, "I lost to you way too many times before, Hannah. Now that I've started over, I'm going to keep you under my heel forever."

My heart jolted when I heard that. With this, I finally confirmed that she'd been reborn, too.

I pretended I hadn't heard her and walked off on my own.

Lily's pride bordered on obsessive. In my past life, I often worried about her mental state and would purposely miss a few questions so she could take first place.

This time around, she'd returned with a whole college education from her past life, so she was way ahead of kids our age.

And I, who'd unexpectedly debuted in the entertainment industry, hadn't even gone to college. After being away from books for so long, I barely remembered anything I'd learned.

If I didn't study like my life depended on it, I might never turn things around.

Now that I'd gotten another shot at life, I would repay Lily for everything she'd done to me in our past lives!

…

When I got home, my parents had already cleared the dishes. They evidently had no intention of making me dinner.

"I heard you came last for this month's exam."

My grades had plummeted so badly this time that Ms. Bolton had already called my parents.

"Burying your nose in books is all you know, yet your grades are like trash. You're such a waste of space!"

"Look at Lily—she's gotten first place again. She's smart, well-mannered, and so good at holding a conversation. She'll do a hundred times better than you ever will!"

My parents laid it on me the moment I walked in. Since I was little, they'd never praised me. If I ticked them off even a little, I would get a beating or an onslaught of curses.

"Mom, Dad, look who's here." My brother, Harry Linden, opened the door and bounced in. Lily was right behind him.

Mom and Dad instantly beamed. "Lily! Speak of the devil. We were just praising you!"

Harry started fussing over Lily, his eyes constantly darting toward her full chest. He said, "Mom, Lily and I haven't eaten yet."

Mom fondly patted his head and went straight to the kitchen to make a beef casserole.

"Wow, it must be my lucky day. Mrs. Linden's beef casserole is my favorite," Lily said, looking expectant.

Mom grinned. "Come by often if you like it. I'll make it for you anytime!"

"By the way, Hannah, I brought the comic you asked for last time." Lily pulled out a romance comic and handed it to me, deliberately raising her voice.

The second Dad heard that, he yanked my ear and snatched the book. "So, you're reading this trash instead of studying!"

"Mr. Linden, don't get mad at Hannah. I've read this comic, too. Her grades only slipped because there's a boy she likes at school. She's already reflected on her mistakes," Lily said.

Dad slapped me hard twice. "Can she compare to you? You've always been at the top of the class. She reads a comic and immediately loses her way—boys are all she can think about now!"

That night, Harry and Lily enjoyed Mom's beef casserole.

Meanwhile, in the corner, a phone captured footage of Mom and Dad whipping me with a belt and a feather duster until my skin split and I bled.

I would make Lily pay for this, bit by bit.

…

"You're just a waste of space. What's the point of getting an education?"

In my past life, before the college entrance exams, Mom and Dad had said that to me. Later, when I suddenly went viral, they'd pushed me to debut in the entertainment industry.

My life had slowly stopped being my own, and I became a tool for making money.

Mom and Dad moved into a big villa and found Harry, the uneducated brute he was, a beautiful wife.

They'd gotten all of that after draining my earnings. They only remembered that they had a daughter when they wanted more money.