Lost the Golden Ticket, Found My Own Path

Every step I took was paid for with sweat and scheming no one ever saw. By the time I finally secured the CEO's position, I was no longer the so-called impostor who once had to live at the mercy of other people's moods.

Now that I had been reborn, I wanted to find out one thing. Without the shine of a fake heiress and Westbridge University, could I still reach success relying on nothing but myself?

The very next second, the bell signaling the close of applications rang out.

The homeroom teacher—Edwin Payne was his name—walked into the classroom beaming, clutching a gold-embossed envelope in his hand. His smile was so bright it seemed ready to spill over.

The barrage of live comments erupted in an instant.

"It's here! Nicky's guaranteed admission letter to Westbridge University is here!"

"In her last life, the fake heiress stole this opportunity to turn her fate around and thrived because of it. But now that Nicky's got her wits about her, I don't think the fake heiress will have the guts to steal it again!"

My expression didn't change as I watched Mr. Payne's face light up with joy.

He cleared his throat and announced loudly, "Congratulations to Nicole! With her outstanding grades, she has earned an early admission to the Physics Department of Westbridge University."

The classroom instantly erupted into thunderous applause, and countless envious gazes fell upon Nicole.

In this life, she didn't reject the guaranteed admission. Instead, she accepted the admission letter from Mr. Payne's hand.

"Thank you, Mr. Payne. I accept the offer from Westbridge University."

After speaking, Nicole turned and looked straight into my eyes. On her face was an undisguised smugness, along with the satisfaction of long-awaited revenge.

She then leaned down and whispered in my ear, "Did you think I would refuse this offer? I must've disappointed you."

The barrage of comments flashed across.

"Look at that fake heiress' lost soul expression." One commentator laughed. "She must be fuming right now."

"This is so satisfying! The spot has returned to its rightful owner. This is the first step in shattering that impostor's delusional dream."

"Great job, Nicky! Dumping that trashy school bully, getting into the same university as the male lead, and reclaiming everything that belongs to you? This is what the real heiress should do!"

I stayed silent.

Nicole took a deep breath, as if exhaling all the grievances she had bottled up since her rebirth.

"Gloria, I'm so sorry. This guaranteed admission was always mine to begin with. It feels wonderful to take back what should've been mine.

"Tell me, what could you possibly achieve in the future without Westbridge University's reputation?"

She stared hard into my eyes, trying to find a trace of collapse, despair, or even the faintest flicker of anger.

But there was nothing.

Her expression hardened, stiff with dissatisfaction.

The truth was, I really didn't care.

The SAT was important, of course, and getting into a good university was indeed a crucial stepping stone in life. But even more important was making choices that truly suited oneself at every stage of life.

I brushed past her and calmly submitted my application to a flagship state university for finance and economics—Harrington University.

My test scores were just enough to get me into the honors program for finance.

With the ten years I had spent navigating the business world in my past life, I knew that this university's alumni network, location, and practical approach to training would serve me far better at this moment than the distant prestige of some famous name.

The live comment section instantly boiled over when the viewers saw my college application.

"This is funny. Without Nicky's Westbridge University spot, the thief can only settle for some no-name trash school."

"Harrington University? Never even heard of it! At best, she'll end up as a lowly accountant in the future."

"Sure enough, stolen things never last. Her true colors show the moment she has to rely on herself. I'd like to see how she struggles for the rest of her life without her family's support and the name of Westbridge University behind her."