Beating the System

It was also because of the heir’s intense pride that I was given this chance to step into a wealthy family by mistake.

I’m not like them.

A gutter rat like me would never let any opportunity slip away.

Dragging my suitcase behind me as I walked into the room, I closed the door and lay down on the bed, enjoying the rare moment of quiet.

The comments popped up again, wildly mocking my relaxed expression.

[What an idiot! No wonder he’s just cannon-fodder. He actually believed their nonsense so easily!]

[Do you think he really believes he’s become an heir now? Maybe he’ll just turn in a blank SAT paper.]

[That would be perfect. Then the male lead can show up with acceptance letters from Harvard and Yale and throw him out of the house. Just imagining that scene is hilarious. It’s like beating a drowned dog!]

I stared at the floating comments without expression.

They all thought I was stupid.

However, I was sincerely grateful to Blaine’s family for the “rich man’s dream” they had carefully prepared for me.

I opened the suitcase I had brought with me.

On top were just a few simple changes of clothes. Underneath them were stacks of wrinkled exercise books, stuffed tightly together.

[Wait, what? Why is this cannon-fodder guy’s suitcase full of worksheets and problem books?]

[Pretending not to study? This supporting character’s acting is insane!]

I opened my mistake notebook and began reviewing each problem one by one, carefully studying the places where I had gone wrong before.

I kept going until two in the morning.

Suddenly, I heard footsteps outside the door.

I quickly turned off the light and lay down.

Blaine pushed open my door and casually glanced around the room.

“Levi, are you asleep?”

I didn’t answer.

Seeing that I seemed to be sleeping soundly, he let out a cold laugh and turned to leave.

He was really afraid that I might study seriously. It was already so late, yet he still came personally to check on me.

There were one hundred days left before the SATs.

Every day, I rode to and from school in Maddie’s driver’s car.

However, whenever I tried to study seriously in class, whether reading or working on problems, Maddie would walk over and irritably pull the pen out of my hand.

I looked at her blankly. “What’s wrong?”

She stared at me for a long moment before lowering her gaze.

“Levi, you don’t need to study to live a good life. If you’re still studying and reading now, does that mean you don’t trust me?

“I don’t like you being like this. I want you to depend on me completely. That’s what a good fiancé should do.”

Facing the girl I had liked for so many years, I naturally couldn’t refuse.

“If you don’t like me studying, then I won’t study.”

She suddenly leaned closer to me.

It was the first time she had ever done something so intimate. I could even smell her faint scent.

“Then don’t study anymore, okay?

“That way… you can depend on me completely.”

My heartbeat suddenly sped up. Even so, my sharp senses still caught the disgust hidden in her eyes.

Not that I cared, though.

The only thing I was interested in was my own happiness.

I hooked my arm around the back of her neck and made my first request.

“You said I’m your fiancé, and that I should depend on you.

“Then I want a grand confession.

“Maddie, let me see your sincerity.”

In the past, when I liked a girl, I wouldn’t even dare to make the slightest move.

Now, if she wanted something from me, she had to offer something in return.

That was a fair trade.

So, that very afternoon, on the school field, she arranged nine thousand nine hundred and ninety-nine roses and made a grand confession to me.

When those soft, slightly cool lips hesitantly pressed against mine, I finally understood.

In order to turn me into a complete failure, they were willing to put in any amount of effort.