Chapter 3

Hearing that, Liam's face instantly dropped.

Miranda froze as well, clearly caught off guard that I'd say something like that. She stared at me wide-eyed, as if looking at a complete stranger.

Even if they didn't fully get the deeper joke, neither of them was stupid enough to miss the insult.

Desperate to protect his so-called gentlemanly demeanor and "nice guy" persona, Liam flushed beet red. His anger had reached a boiling point, yet he couldn't even squeeze out a single curse word.

Man, what a pushover.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Miranda glared at me. "Let me tell you, don't you regret this! I was actually thinking about giving you a chance, but since you don't appreciate it, we're done here!"

With that, she spun around, her high ponytail whipping through the air, and stomped out of the classroom in a huff.

"Miranda, don't be mad. He probably really has stuff to do," Liam hurried after her, scrambling to play peacemaker.

Miranda shot him a venomous glare. "Leave me alone. I can take care of myself."

Liam forced a fawning smile, nodding as he trailed behind her like a lost puppy. Standing at the classroom door, I watched their retreating backs and scoffed inwardly.

In my past life, I risked my neck fighting that bully all for Miranda. Only then did she agree to go out with me, and what did I get in return? Complete betrayal. In this life, I was never making that mistake again.

I remembered vividly how, once we got to college, Miranda gave me the cold shoulder constantly, taking half a day just to text back a dry "k," while flirting left and right with frat presidents and campus trainers.

Back then, I actually blamed myself, thinking I was boring and lacked charm. Trapped in her toxic manipulation, I degraded myself into a total simp.

In this life, there was no way in hell I'd let myself be walked all over.

First step: get into a top-tier university on my own terms, and make my first fortune over the summer!

As I was walking out of the school gates, plotting my startup plans, a loud commotion broke out not far away.

"Well, well, look who finally came out! I've been waiting so long my balls are about to burst. Come on, sweet cheeks, help daddy blow off some steam!"

Right by the school gates, a sleazy-looking punk stood leaning against the wall, cutting off Miranda's path.

To be fair, Miranda's looks were undeniably deceptive. She had fair skin, a killer figure, and flirtatious eyes that made every guy feel like she was gazing at them with pure devotion. With her well-developed curves swaying with every step, she gave off an effortless youthful charm. No wonder a thug like Chase was fixated on her.

A flicker of curiosity stirred inside me. I wondered how things would play out for her this time without me jumping in to save the day.

So, I bought a popsicle, found a shaded corner, and sat down to watch the drama unfold. Why should I give a damn if she got pushed around? I'd treat it like free entertainment. If it got good, I might even clap.

Chase didn't waste any time after talking—his hands were already wandering, tugging at her backpack strap and grabbing at her clothes. Miranda instantly looked on the verge of tears, her eyes brimming with moisture, putting on the ultimate damsel-in-distress act.

Yet the more she whimpered, the more hyped Chase seemed to get. His face flushed with excitement as he clamped his hand around her wrist, trying to drag her into the nearby alleyway.

"Let her go!" Liam suddenly roared. He stepped forward, bravely putting himself between Chase and Miranda.

Now this was getting interesting.