Blurb：
I vowed to transfer schools with my childhood friend Shane Page when he claimed he was being bullied. But the day before finalizing, I overheard the cruel truth: Shane Page faked the bullying to push me, Alice Wiley, away. His real motive? Protecting fragile new girl Esther Howell. Shane Page’s betrayal cut deep—our lifelong bond shattered by his lies. Now, I’m crossing out Oatheport High and enrolling in the international academy alone. But Shane Page underestimated my loyalty—and my resilience. This isn’t just a transfer; it’s my revenge. Will Shane Page regret discarding the girl who’d take a beating for him? Discover a story of shattered trust, hidden crushes, and the icy strength of Alice Wiley as she rises from humiliation. Esther Howell’s arrival changed everything, but Alice Wiley’s exit will change even more.
Content：
I vowed to transfer schools with my childhood friend when he claimed he was being bullied.
But the day before we were to finalize the transfer, he backed out.
His friend teased him. Man, you faked being a punching bag just to get rid of Alice Wiley? That’s cold. You two have been thick as thieves since forever. Are you really cool with her going to a new school alone?
Shane Page brushed it off. “It’s just another high school across town. Not a big deal. I’m tired of her always being up my ass. This works out perfectly.”
I stood frozen outside the door for a long time. Finally, I turned and walked away.
On the transfer form, I crossed out Oatheport High and filled in the international academy my parents had been pushing for.
Everyone seemed to forget that Shane and I were never equals.
Chapter 1
The moment I overheard the truth, my heart slammed against my ribs.
In the past month, my childhood friend, Shane Page, had been feeding me stories of being jumped, framed, and humiliated at school.
I threw myself into shielding him, but I couldn’t block every blow. When it became unbearable, I suggested he transfer schools for a clean slate.
That day, he was soaked from a bucket of ice water, his sharp cheekbones ghostly pale. He grabbed my hand, trembling. “I can’t face a new place alone.”
We’d been inseparable since kindergarten, walking to and from school together for over a decade. Deep down, I’d been nursing a quiet crush on him.
So, in a rush of loyalty, I promised, “Don’t worry, Shane. I’ll go wherever you go.”
But standing outside that private room, I realized it was all a cruel ruse to push me out of his life.
“Does he hate me that much?”
Inside, his friend kept talking, “Alice is crazy about you. What if she falls for someone else out there?”
“Her?” Shane scoffed, as if the idea was absurd. “She is so loyal she’d take a beating for me and not even flinch. You think she’d ever stop loving me?”
His friend muttered, “I don’t know, but she doesn’t seem like someone you mess with.”
“No chance,” Shane said lazily. “Our school is full of rich kids, but has she ever given any of them a second glance?”
His tone dripped with disdain as he continued, “She is always up my ass. It’s annoying.”
The room burst into laughter, sharp and mocking. I wanted to run, but my feet felt rooted to the floor, forcing me to endure the humiliation.
One guy clicked his tongue. “First time I’ve seen someone push away a girl who is crazy about them. Respect, bro. But if you’re sick of her, why not just tell her? She doesn’t seem like the type to pester you.”
Shane frowned. “She is too intense. Being straight with her wouldn’t be that easy.”
He paused, then dropped the real bombshell. “Besides, Esther gets all torn up whenever she sees Alice. She only feels okay when I’m there to hold her hand. I’m doing this for Esther’s sake. Alice will just have to deal with it for a bit.”
It clicked like a puzzle snapping together. Shane started faking the bullying just a week after Esther Howell was transferred to our school.
“You sly brat! A new girl shows up, and you’re already whipped?” someone chuckled. “But Esther has got that fragile, damsel-in-distress vibe. Guys eat that up. Unlike her, Alice is sharp and always has that icy glare that keeps everyone at arm’s length. No matter how gorgeous she is, that’s a tough sell.”
The others piled on, tearing me apart like sharks on a feeding frenzy. Shane didn’t stop them or defend me. He even nodded along, agreeing with their jabs.
My heart sank into a dark, throbbing abyss. For a fleeting moment, I wanted to knock down that door and demand answers.
Why did he lie? Did he feel even a flicker of guilt watching me get hurt for him? Did our years of friendship mean nothing?
But my mom’s words echoed in my mind. “Don’t waste energy on pointless battles. People don’t turn rotten overnight.”
In the end, I turned and walked away.
Chapter 2
The pain crept in slowly.
I could’ve shrugged off a friend’s betrayal, but Shane had crossed that line, blurring the boundaries between friendship and something more. That made the cut deeper.
The day we agreed to transfer, he dragged me to a bar to celebrate our escape. The dim neon lights cast a hazy glow, and I couldn’t tear my eyes off the guy I’d loved in secret for years. My heart raced, wild and untamed.
When he leaned in to kiss me, I didn’t pull away. Years of bottled-up feelings surged, overwhelming me like a tidal wave.
Unable to hold back, I asked, “Shane, what are we now?”
He dropped a tender kiss on my forehead. “What else, silly?”
The bar exploded with cheers, mirroring the spark in my heart. But just two days later, his words shattered that fragile hope.
I laughed through my tears, the sound bitter. It looked like that flirty, vague answer was just another trick to shove me aside and make way for Esther.
The wind chimes in my bedroom clinked, the breeze drying my tears bit by bit. My broken heart began to mend.
Shane was wrong about us from the very beginning. He was just the Page family’s illegitimate son, while I was the sole heiress to the Wiley empire.
We were never meant to be tethered together. We belonged to different worlds.
The transfer form in my hand was a wreck, the ink smudged by my tears, but it didn’t matter.
I’d print a new one. The Wile family always had a backup plan.
I filled out a new form, pausing at the section for the new school. Then I called Pauline Wiley. “Mom, what’s the elite school you mentioned before? Yeah, I’m going alone.”
The wind chimes rang out, crisp and joyful, like they were cheering me on. I closed my eyes, and for the first time in years, Shane’s face didn’t haunt me.
Instead, I saw a guy who looked a little like him. Sharper and more striking, he flashed a cocky grin, just like he did two years ago. “Mark my words, Alice. You’ll ditch Shane for me.”
Back then, I thought he was just messing around. Now I was done with Shane.
I finished the form and heaved a deep sigh of relief. My heart was finally at peace.
Then came a knock on the door, startling me. I lived alone in this house, and except for me, only one person knew the passcode.
I opened the door, and there stood Shane, his voice as warm as ever. “You didn’t show up to say goodbye to our friends. I was worried.”
I kept my tone even. “My stomach’s acting up, so I’m staying in.”
As I moved to close the door, I caught a glimpse of someone behind him.
Esther, small and fragile, flinched when our eyes met. Shane noticed her reaction and pulled her close, his arm a protective shield. “Alice, you’re scaring her.”
There she went again, acting so timid, like I was some monster when I hadn’t done a thing.
My expression hardened. “I told you, I don’t want strangers in my house.”
Shane’s brow furrowed. “Esther’s not a stranger. She came because she cares about you.”
Before I could respond, Esther’s eyes welled up with tears. “Alice, I’m sorry. I know you’ve always looked down on me, but I swear I shower every day.”
She sniffled, all pitiful. “I won’t mess up your house.”
Shane glared at me. “Her family is not rich, but she’s not what you think. You’re really letting me down here.”
Esther tugged at his sleeve, playing the bigger person. “It’s okay, Shane. Don’t fight with her over me.”
She forced a teary smile. “She said you two go way back. How could I ever compare?”
“Don’t say that,” Shane murmured, cupping her face gently. “You’re one of a kind.”
Then he turned to me, his expression cold as ice. “Esther is upset. I’m taking her home. Reflect on your behavior. And don’t forget to get your transfer form stamped.”
He was right about one thing. I did need to reflect, but on my blindness.
I changed the passcode without hesitation. The knot in my chest loosened, like I’d finally exhaled a breath I’d been holding for years.
Chapter 3
The next morning, I took my new transfer form to school.
As the secretary stamped the seal, a pang of emptiness hit me. I stared blankly at the ink until someone blocked my path.
Shane’s brows creased. “You changed the passcode on your house? I went back to check on you after dropping Esther off, but I couldn’t get in.”
I cut him off. “Yeah, I changed it.”
He swallowed his displeasure, slipping back into that familiar, warm tone. “What’s the new code? So, I can swing by and look after you.”
“No need,” I said flatly. “I’m moving out after the transfer.”
He glanced at the folded form in my hand and facepalmed. “Oh, right, I forgot about that. Don’t worry, I’ll get mine stamped tomorrow.”
Walking and talking with him felt like a faint echo of our past. Ever since Esther entered the picture, these moments had all but vanished.
I closed my eyes, letting nostalgia tug at me one last time. Then I tested him. “After all we’ve been through, you don’t need to worry about me.”
He was silent for a moment. “Actually, I…”
Esther suddenly appeared behind him, clutching a stack of notebooks. Her voice was sugary and whiny. “Shane, you promised to help me study. Where did you run off to?”
She shoved the notes at him, batting her lashes. “I saw your tutoring plan goes two months out, so I prepared some study materials. You’re not mad I snooped, right?”
“Not at all,” Shane responded with a forced smile, shooting me a quick, guilty glance.
When I didn’t react, his eyes dimmed a little.
I knew what was going on. While he was pushing me away, he’d been planning a future with Estherone that didn’t include me.
I kept my expression neutral, but inside, bitterness spread like a slow-burning whiskey. I dug my nails into my palm to stay grounded. “I’ll leave you to it.”
Esther gasped, acting like she’d just noticed me. “A-Alice? Are you upset because I’m studying with Shane? I don’t have the money or connections like you do, so…”
Her voice cracked, and she started sobbing.
Unimpressed, I said, “Get out of my way.”
Shane’s guilt vanished at my blunt words. He grabbed my wrist, his voice hot with anger. “What’s with that attitude?”
He yanked me toward Esther and barked, “Apologize to her!”
The last shred of longing in my heart crumbled. My hand flew up, slapping him across the face. “You’re the one who owes an apology. Not to Esther, but to me.”
Chapter 4
Back home, I sifted through the keepsakes Shane had given me over the years.
The silver necklace, my eighteenth birthday gift, gleamed under the light. I’d worn it to school once, proud as anything, until I saw an identical one around Esther’s neck.
She’d blushed, saying, “Shane promised I’d have everything you have.”
The limited-edition Teddy Bear was just an empty box now.
Shane had taken it, claiming he loved the perfume I’d sprayed on it, but the very next day, it was sitting on Esther’s desk.
Then there were the strappy heels from my coming-of-age party, the indigo-scented oil… Everything I thought was mine alone had been handed out like cheap trinkets.
Worse, it wasn’t even equal.
A bitter smile tugged at my lips as I recalled Shane’s endless doting on Esther, always taking her side. If that was how he wanted it, these relics could go straight to the dumpster.
I booked a flight for the next day, ready to spend my last night in quiet reflection.
At 2 a.m., my phone blared, jolting me from a hazy dream. I answered groggily, but the line was silent.
Just as I was about to hang up, Shane’s voice came through, heavy and low. “Alice, I’m sorry.”
My brain snapped awake. ‘Is he finally coming clean?’
But then, he said, “Esther hurt herself. I can’t leave her alone, so I’m delaying the transfer.”
That spark of hope crashed and burned, leaving me feeling like a fool. I wanted to scream at him and demand answers to the pain I suffered from his fake bullying.
Oblivious, he continued, “Just say sorry.”
I was stunned. “What?”
He doubled down, his tone firm. “You need to apologize to Esther. She hurt herself because of you.”
I was speechless, but then it all made sense. With Esther around, every word I said was wrong.
Shane’s voice turned colder than a winter storm. “You’re so disappointing. If you say sorry, we can pretend this never happened. In two months, I’ll join you at the new school. Are you really going to throw away our years of friendship over this?”
His words carried a sharp threat, but I felt no pain or reluctance. There was only annoyance.
I hung up, blocked his number, and deleted it from my phone. I couldn’t wait to board that plane.
The world abroad felt vibrant, like a fresh canvas.
Someone grabbed my suitcase, and I looked up into Stanley Rossi’s eyes. He grinned, “Alice, long time no see.”
I shook his hand, a genuine smile breaking through. “Good to see you, Stanley.”
My phone buzzed, cutting through the moment. It was one of Shane’s friends.
When I answered, Shane’s voice came through, laced with panic. “Alice, which class did you transfer to? Why is everyone saying they haven’t seen you?”
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