When Layla returned to her apartment, she felt a mix of emotions. She hated school, but the thought of spending five days a week on campus, away from Trevor's annoying face, made the idea of school life seem not so bad.

Her cellphone rung happily. It was Angel.

“Hey! You little bean sprout, finally decided to call me?” Layla teased.

“Layla, I have enrolled in the Foreign Language Institute and got my student loan approved! I just settled in and wanted to be the first to call you. Stop complaining! By the way, how's it going on your end? Are you all set for school?” Dou Ya was thrilled to have finally entered her dream university.

“I finished my enrollment too and just got home. I’ll go to school tomorrow morning for the opening ceremony,” Layla replied. She hadn't told Angel the whole truth, just saying her dad had a change of heart and was sending her to Dervay Saints Academy. Growing up together, Angel completely trusted Layla.

“So you're not at school! I thought we could hang out since our schools are so close,,” said Angel, a bit disappointed.

“We'll have plenty of chances later! Once school starts, we can see each other often. As for today, you should get to know your new roommates and maybe grab a meal with them,” Layla said, genuinely happy for Angel. She admired her friend's good grades and social skills, and now Angel didn't have to rely on anyone else.

“Don’t forget about me now that you’re at a fancy school,” Angel teased, wishing she could visit Layla’s school. Dervay Saints Academy was the top prestigious university in Avalon, and just walking around would be an eye-opener.

“Come on, when have I ever forgotten my friends? I’ll treat you to a big meal sometime,” Layla said before saying goodbye.

Today, she had an important task: to cook dinner for Trevor. 

Ever since Layla went all out with a feast of vegetarian dishes, Trevor had turned into a foodie, coming home for dinner every night. If he had a lighter workload, he'd even make time to come home for lunch.

Thinking about how school was starting soon, Layla knew she wouldn't have much time in the kitchen. With the dorms arranged for her, she planned to whip up a few of her best dishes today.

Now that Layla had some money, her cooking could rival that of high-end restaurants. She was particularly good at Chinese cuisine—stir-frying, braising, and stewing were all her specialties.

By the time Trevor returned home, the dining table was filled with dishes.

There were sweet and sour pork ribs, cola chicken wings, caramelized pork hock, shrimp with Longjing tea, steamed mandarin fish, and corn with bell peppers... 

Trevor counted eight dishes, mostly meat, and said, “Baby, what’s the occasion? Why so many dishes today?”

“There’s even more! I made a soup with old duck,” Layla said, placing a blue-and-white porcelain bowl on the table, then quickly touched her ear. “Ouch, that’s hot!”

“Adding the fruit platter, that’s ten dishes today,” Layla grinned.

“Babe, you still haven’t told me what’s making you so happy today? Why all the delicious food?” Trevor asked, curious since Layla usually made only four dishes and a soup.

“Oh, it’s nothing! I just thought, with school starting tomorrow and me only coming back once a week, I won’t have much time to cook for you. So I wanted to make a big feast today,” Layla explained, but Trevor’s expression darkened immediately.

“Who agreed to let you stay at school?" Trevor asked sharply. 

“The school arranged the dorms. I’ve been boarding since high school," Layla replied, sensing Trevor's icy glare. She suddenly lost her earlier nonchalance and felt more timid. 

“They set up dorms so you can rest at school during lunch, not for you to live there full-time," Trevor said firmly. He wouldn’t allow Layla to board; he couldn’t bear to miss her cooking and, more importantly, the right to be her husband at night. 

“Remember, don’t hang out after school. Come home early to cook. Got it?" Trevor commanded. Layla nodded, wishing she hadn’t made such a big meal.

Even though Trevor forbade Layla from boarding, he knew she'd need to focus on her studies once school started. So on the last night before school, he made sure to make the most of their time together.

All night long, he was passionate, clinging to her, until she finally fell asleep from exhaustion. 

The next morning, Trevor Moore pulled the sleeping-like-a-pig Layla Evans out of her warm blanket, insisting she leave early and take a taxi to school. Not a minute’s delay was allowed. 

Layla, however, thought taking a taxi was too expensive. Sticking to her frugal nature, she boarded Bus 303, which had a direct route to Dervay Saints Academy. The bus stop was near Avalon Foreign Language College, located right next to Dervay Saints Academy. Getting off there, she could easily walk to the academy.

Layla’s ride went smoothly, and she arrived at the school gate. The opening ceremony at Dervay Saints was the most grand event of every semester, and every student had to attend. Students here were all either rich or powerful, each arriving in a luxury car.

At the entrance, a few students were arguing over who should let the other pass. Their flashy cars—Lamborghinis, Maybachs, Ferraris—were all custom-built. No one was willing to back down, creating a traffic jam at the gate.

Layla couldn’t stand spoiled rich kids like these. In her eyes, these brats thought too highly of themselves just because they had some money. Even though she was now married to a wealthy man, she still considered herself a poor girl at heart.

Perhaps it was her insecurities, but she just wanted to bypass the scene quietly and head to the auditorium for the ceremony.

“Ah! Look! That’s Zion Oren!”

“Wow, Senior Zion is so handsome!” 

“No wonder Zion Oren is the most handsome guy at Dervay Saints!” 

“He’s at least six feet tall, right?”

“So stylish! He’s perfect from every angle!”

Following everyone’s gaze, Layla saw a tall young man with a touch of melancholy in his expression walking into the gate on foot. Dressed casually, he still exuded an extraordinary aura. His short, tousled hair was messy yet refined, and the depth in his eyes carried a wisdom beyond his years.

Although Layla wasn’t fond of the rich kids, she didn’t mind this seemingly indifferent young man. Not because of his looks or wealth, but because he chose to abandon his luxury car and walk in on foot.

Even without his car, Zion Oren radiated an understated elegance, drawing the attention of everyone around him, especially the young female students who were just beginning to experience romantic feelings.

Zion noticed Layla walking as well. He nodded at her with a fleeting smile. Layla returned his gesture with a bright smile.

Zion felt a slight flutter in his heart—her smile was beautiful, pure, and sincere. She wore no makeup, unlike the other girls at Dervay Saints, making her stand out in his eyes.

The two exchanged a silent nod, acknowledging each other’s presence. Although there was a hint of mutual attraction, neither spoke. They simply went their separate ways, soon disappearing from each other’s sight.

The auditorium of Dervay Saints Academy was both grand and spacious, capable of seating ten thousand people. With over eight thousand students and faculty members attending the opening ceremony, there was no worry about running out of space. 

Layla ran into Lily Evans inside the auditorium. Lily, dressed in designer outfits and with freshly styled hair, had her mind set on catching the attention of the academy’s most eligible bachelors during the ceremony.

Despite her parents' advice to behave, Lily couldn’t resist her sharp tongue. She sneered at Layla’s modest attire, saying, “So the little sparrow turned into a phoenix, huh? Still can't shake off that shabby vibe. You’re hopeless.”

“Ouch!” Layla suddenly felt a sharp pain in her foot—Lily’s stiletto heel had deliberately stomped on her canvas shoe.

 Layla instinctively shoved Lily, causing her to lose her balance and stumble backward—right into the arms of a towering boy, nearly 6’3” tall.

The boy, wearing a red basketball jersey reminiscent of Michael Jordan’s, grinned lazily and teased, “Hey, could you not use me as a body pillow?”

“Oh! I’m so sorry!” Lily quickly stood upright, smoothing her clothes and fixing her hair out of habit.

But as soon as she looked up and met the boy’s eyes, her heart skipped a beat, and her cheeks flushed pink.

He was exactly the prince charming she had been dreaming about.

“Excuse me,” the tall boy said, gently moving Lily aside. He then nudged Layla, who was still sitting on the floor rubbing her foot.

It was Reed Franklin—the heir to the Franklin Group and the son of one of the academy’s board members. Known for his striking looks, Reed was a passionate basketball player, with Michael Jordan as his idol.

 Lily's eyes stayed fixed on Reed. In that moment, she felt a spark—this was the one. She hurriedly sat in the nearest seat, hoping to catch his attention.

About thirty minutes later, the opening ceremony finally began.

Layla sat in a corner, utterly bored. She scrolled aimlessly on the phone Trevor Moore had bought her, tuning out the formal speeches given by one important figure after another.

“Now, let’s welcome Zion Oren for the student address.”

The moment Zion’s name was announced, the auditorium burst into applause and excited cheers.

Startled by the sudden noise, Layla looked around in confusion. The wealthy boy she had seen at the gate—the one she didn't entirely dislike—was now walking up to the stage.