Turning My Life Around

1

"Did you do it on purpose?" Laura Scott folded her arms and stared at me, her pretty, clean shoes kicking my stomach.

Her friends joined in, saying, "Melanie Sheldon definitely did it on purpose, for sure. We warned her just before the test, but she intentionally snatched the first-place position. I'm telling you, she's only trying to take the top spot from Miss Scott."

I brushed off their comments.

They were abusing their authority and influence.

Before the exams, they confronted me and gave me a serious talk.

I didn't pay it much mind, and after the exams, I still held the first-place position.

And that's how we ended up in this situation today.

She ordered her friends to drag me into the restroom where they splashed dirty water on me and slapped my face. They tore my exam papers to bits and scattered them over my head.

"What's your problem? Unhappy about it, but do you dare to resist? Do you even have the means to defy us? Do you know where you are? It's the prestigious school in this city, and my dad is a shareholder in the school," she sneered, bending slightly to take a stack of money from her bag and lightly patting it against my face.

"Compensation, remember to behave next time."

Her friends, still unsatisfied, waited until Laura left and snatched the money from my hand, dividing it among themselves before subjecting me to more punches and kicks.

I stared at them coldly, not wanting to provoke further trouble.

I had just transferred to this school earlier this year.

For some reason, my mom insisted on sending me to this prestigious school, even though we couldn't afford it.

Luckily, the school offered subsidies for top-performing students, but only the top three students in each exam received financial rewards exempting them from tuition fees.

Without the exemption, the annual tuition here was three hundred thousand.

My mom couldn't afford that.

When I returned home, my mom didn't seem to care about my disheveled appearance.

"Where did you get all dirty like this? It annoys me just looking at you. Go clean up and don't stand here disturbing me while I'm watching TV," she said.

I clenched my fist and asked, "Don't you care at all why I ended up like this?"

She munched on chips, constantly changing the channels until she stopped on a news channel.

"Famous businessman Peter Scott is about to celebrate his daughter's birthday..."

I unplugged the power cord.

"What are you doing? Are you courting death!?"

She got so angry just because I unplugged it.

"Do you even realize that it's because of you? I was doing fine at my previous school, why did you insist on transferring me to this prestigious school? You couldn’t even afford the tuition fees, and do you know they bully me at school? I want to transfer back to my old school."

She plugged the power back in and then gave me a slap.

It was much louder than the slaps in the restroom, and I felt an instant, burning pain and shame.

"Bullied you? Why are you the only one getting bullied? Melanie Sheldon, I've taught you to find reasons within yourself, rather than blaming others. You lack tolerance, not at all like a girl should be. Now, go to your room and study. Your presence annoys me," she scolded.

Back in my room, my tears finally couldn't be held back any longer.

I come from a single-parent family, and she raised me all by herself.

But she treated me terribly, frequently scolding and hitting me, as if nothing I did was ever good enough for her.

When I got hurt, she didn't care.

When I had a cold, she didn't care.

When I was hungry or cold, she still didn't care.

But I still yearned for a mother's love and would instinctively try to please her, even if it meant enduring her insults and mockery repeatedly.

Just now, for the first time, I truly felt disappointed.

I wouldn't beg for her love anymore.

If she wanted me to remain at that prestigious school, that's fine. I wouldn't strive to be the top student anymore, it wasn't necessary.

If the school required tuition fees, she could handle it, and if it came to that, I wouldn't mind even if they expelled me.

"Come out and have dinner."

My mom habitually offered me a treat after mistreating me. In the past, I endured her disapproval just for that one treat.

But now, I wasn't willing.

Why should I keep enduring this over and over again?

"I'm not hungry."

As soon as those words left my mouth, she exploded.

"I work hard to prepare a meal for you, and you won't eat it? What do you want to eat? Street food? Or those unsanitary fast food places? Forget it! I can't afford to feed you junk like that. If you won't eat, then starve. I've been lenient with you enough. Show me which daughter dares to speak to her parents like this."

I covered my ears and hid under the blanket to read.

I locked the door, and she cursed and grumbled outside for about ten minutes before leaving, banging the dishes and cutlery as she went.

Surprisingly, I fell asleep as soon as I lay down.

The next day, the alarm clock rang, and I got up to get ready for school.

On my way to school, I always bumped into a teenager selling breakfast. He wore a faded shirt, jeans, and a pair of black canvas shoes.

"I'll have a cup of milk and a sandwich, please," I said.

The teenager moved quickly, calculated the money, and handed it to me.

"Aren't you going to school?" I asked.

I took the breakfast from him with a slight smile. He pulled out an egg from the side and offered it to me.

"Huh? I don't want the egg, I don't like to eat it," I replied.

He gestured toward my face. I had left home in a hurry and forgotten to wear a mask, and one side of my face was quite swollen.

"Are you suggesting I should put it on my face?" I asked.

He nodded, and I realized that in all the time I'd been coming here, I had never heard him speak a single word.

I didn't even know if he went to school or not.

Our only interaction was during this morning breakfast exchange.

It was unexpected to see how caring he could be.

"Thank you. I'm off to school," I said.

The classroom was empty, almost deserted.

Most of the students in the class came from wealthy or influential backgrounds.

They didn't bother with early or late study periods.

There were only one or two students who showed up for early self-study periods, and I sat at the back, quietly starting to read.

Gradually, the classroom started to fill up with students.

Laura walked in, wearing a cheerful smile, accompanied by the class monitor.

She had a crush on the class monitor for a while, but the class monitor liked me instead. He once confessed his feelings to me, but I rejected him.

That rejection seemed to have fueled her anger towards me.

Grades were one of the reasons she disliked me, but what she really hated was that the class monitor had feelings for someone like me.

"Hey, isn't this our top student? What were you doing last night? Your face is so swollen. I heard some older men have unusual tastes, don't they? Haha."

Her friends joined in the laughter, and it was all very unpleasant to hear.

The class monitor looked at me with a surprised expression, as if he couldn't believe I could do such a thing.

"Melanie is just that kind of person. Otherwise, why would she even be here? She's not well-off, dressed modestly. If it weren't for dating an older man, how could she attend our school? She's only got a pretty face."

The classroom was abuzz with conversation, all of it aimed at me, spreading rumors.

I had initially wanted to calm things down, but I hadn't expected them to become even more relentless.

2

Laura's index finger was almost poking my nose when the class monitor finally spoke up, "Laura, just drop it!"

That one sentence set off a chain reaction.

Laura's insults got worse, and her friends knocked over my desk, causing the pendant inside to fall and shatter. It was an heirloom from my dad, and I couldn't take it anymore.

I grabbed a chair and swung it at Laura's friends.

"Do you all think I'm a pushover or something?"

With a loud "thud," one of them was hit on the head, and blood started to flow.

"Oh my gosh, there's so much blood! Someone call a teacher!"

I picked up the broken pendant and stuffed it in my pocket.

I punched a few of Laura's friends, one by one.

"Do you all get uncomfortable if I don't hit you? Speak up!"

Laura hid behind the class monitor, trembling.

"And you, Laura? Do you think you can act recklessly just because you're wealthy?"

My attempt at revenge didn't work, and I was taken to the principal's office. Several teachers and school leaders followed.

After all, my fight involved several wealthy girls, and Laura, as the daughter of a prominent family, was present. How could the school not take it seriously?

"Melanie, the school admitted you because of your good grades. Otherwise, do you think you could have entered our school? If you don't focus on your studies and keep causing trouble, we won't hesitate to expel you!"

The headmaster was overweight, and his face turned red as he raised his voice.

He was unattractive, but the more I looked at him, the more familiar he seemed.

"You're still staring at me. Do you think you did nothing wrong? Look at what you've done to them. Apologize, or else we'll have to expel you," the headmaster said.

Laura finally regained her composure and stood there proudly.

"I won't apologize. You can expel me if you want,” I rebutted.

The headmaster was furious, and not even a few sips of tea could calm him down.

I didn't know which one of Laura's friends had called their parents, but a string of parents showed up, including Laura's.

Her parents seemed to dote on her, completely unwilling to hear the truth or distinguish right from wrong.

"Call the police. Since you're unwilling to do anything, a week or two in jail should set you straight," Laura’s mother said.

"Are you Laura's mom? Do you know what she's like at school? She leads her classmates in bullying me just because I took first place in the exams. She spread rumors about me because the boy she likes confessed to me. Do you know what your daughter is like at school?" I said, glaring at Laura's mother.

I didn't know why, but I suddenly had so much to say to her.

However, it only earned me a loud slap, and I chuckled bitterly.

"Fine, since you’re abusing your wealth and power, nothing I say matters. Go ahead, call the police and take me away!"

The police quickly took us into custody, skipping the usual questioning process, and I found myself spending a week in jail for no apparent reason.

My mom finally got the news and rushed over. "Officers, there must be a misunderstanding! My daughter would never hurt anyone. She still has to study, and locking her up like this will affect her studies. The college entrance exams are coming soon!"

"You're aware that your daughter is preparing for the college entrance exams? If you knew that, why did you transfer her to this school?"

"We have evidence. Your daughter assaulted someone at school. You can see for yourself that the parents have come in person, and there's no way to reconcile. We'll have to wait a week."

My mom froze, staring at the thin notebook.

Then, she rushed to me immediately. "Who did you hit? Laura? How dare you hit Laura?"

I frowned. Whether I admitted to hitting her or not, what difference would it make?

"So what? What do you want to say?"

She slapped me twice as if she had gone mad, but I was already numb. Not a single tear could escape my eyes.

"I shouldn’t have given you the chance to go school in the first place! You even hit Laura. You’re not even worthy to touch Laura!"

3

She kept repeating two sentences, then, after scolding me, she left without paying any more attention to me.

It was the police station intern who finally took pity on me, poured me some hot water, and gave me candies.

She even brought a warm towel to soothe my swollen cheeks.

"Thank you, officer."

I lay on the hard bed, feeling uneasy for the first time.

Something was off about my mom's reaction to Laura.

There had to be something fishy going on.

But I didn't expect to be released the very next day.

The person who helped me get out was the boy who sold breakfast.

As it turns out, he wasn't a poor boy at all, he was William Blair, from the affluent and prominent Blair family in the capital.

I went with him, and when I tried to leave, he grabbed my hand and led me to his luxurious car.

It was my first time in such an extravagant car. I couldn't bring myself to enjoy the ride, and I still couldn't believe that he was from the Blair family.

"Is your cheek still in pain?"

It was the first time I heard him speak, his voice slightly hoarse but pleasant.

I shook my head and looked out the window. Through the glass, I could sense him looking at me, but he didn't say anything, probably because of the presence of others.

The car stopped in front of a modest house, and he led me inside.

"I didn't mean to deceive you. I had a disagreement with my family before, so I came to stay at my grandmother's."

He seemed worried that I might misunderstand, explaining frantically. His face turned red from his cheeks to his neck.

"I know you don't like people of our status, so I didn't say anything. Will you... forgive me?"

I shook my head as I sat in the chair.

It wasn't his fault. I hadn't asked for his name or his background, and he had no reason to tell me.

Besides, I needed to thank him for helping me get out of jail.

I sat there for a long time, until my legs went numb, before I finally got up to leave.

"Where are you going?"

William grabbed my wrist, trying to keep me with him.

I turned to look at him. "To find some answers. Thanks for your help today. If you ever need my help in the future, feel free to ask."

I pulled away from his grasp and returned home, but my mom wasn't there.

She was either out shopping or doing something else.

I reached into my pocket, trying to piece together the broken pendant, but no matter how I tried, I couldn't succeed.

I would have to find someone to restore it properly when I had the money.

While my mom was still away, I went into her room.

Her room was neat and tidy, and I began searching every corner, starting with the drawers.

To my surprise, I found a mobile phone and a few photographs.

The mobile phone had a password, and after two unsuccessful attempts, I decided to give up.

But when I saw the photos, I was completely stunned, tears streaming down my face.

Every single photo was of Laura.

The locations seemed to be from birthday parties Laura's family had arranged, which were then captured by the press and uploaded online. I flipped through them and noticed some handwritten words in black ink.

"To my dearest Laura: Happy 16th Birthday! You're growing more beautiful with each passing day, radiating such grace in your lovely princess dress, with a towering cake, and loving parents. Mommy is delighted for you, and when you're happy, I’m happy too."

Behind each photo were messages of blessings, each one so sincere, and something I had never heard before.

I had never celebrated a birthday, didn't know what birthday cake tasted like, or what it felt like to receive well-wishes.

I returned the photos and the mobilephone to their rightful place and collected my mom’s hair strands from her bed.

It all made sense now!

Everything was clear.

If that's the case, Laura, for your 18th birthday, I'm going to give you a grand and unforgettable gift!

In the evening, my mom came back and was surprised to see the lights on.

We didn't exchange a word, she was just curious why I'd come back from school so soon.

I didn't answer her, and she didn't press further, but she kept muttering, "Don't anger Laura again when you return to school this time. How can you even compare to a young lady like her? Do you realize your own status? Do you know how much effort it took for you to attend that school?"

I blinked at her but didn't respond, heading straight to my room.

If I wasn't mistaken, Laura was her biological daughter? Then, whose daughter was I?

I had already guessed it. I was almost certain. I was the true daughter of the Scott family, while Laura was just an imposter.

If it were in the past, I might have gone to my mom and asked her what was happening, why she did this.

Maybe I would have gone to Laura's family or even just told Laura.

But I had matured rapidly during this time.

I no longer yearned for family ties, family was no longer my weak spot, and no one could threaten me.

The next day when I returned to school, Laura was clearly shocked.

Her friends had all taken leave to go to the hospital, leaving her alone.

I raised an eyebrow at her.

What's wrong?

Scared now that I'm back?

Don't worry, you won't be spared.

I knew her birthday, and I was surprised when I first found out.

I never thought our birthdays were on the same day, let alone such a coincidence.

The whole real vs. fake rich heiress thing happening to me was also quite the twist of fate.

Speaking of which, her birthday was just two weeks away, right before the college exams.

I lowered my head to study, not planning to pay her any attention.

In the afternoon, the classroom was empty, with only me studying while everyone else had left.

After a while, I walked to Laura's seat and found two strands of hair neatly placed in transparent tape.

I left the school and took a taxi to the hospital.