Chapter 3

The next morning, I took the money and went out, but I didn't go to any convenience store for lottery tickets.

Instead, I went straight to my school and paid off my overdue fees for the college prep tutoring program.

In my last life, because we had no money, I missed the final prep classes. My grades plummeted, and I ended up at a bottom-tier community college.

Meanwhile, Leo, funded by the rare times our dad actually won money, got to go to a decent university.

He used to brag about his college life constantly, mocking me for being a failure.

"What's the point of a girl studying so much anyway? You’re just going to end up marrying some guy."

"Elena, your life is a dead end."

In this life, I wasn't going to let him have his happy ending.

When I got home that evening, Frank and Sarah were sitting stiffly on the couch, waiting for me.

"Elena! The tickets? Did you buy them?"

I pulled out a few scratched-off, losing tickets I had picked up from the trash can earlier and handed them over.

"I bought them. We didn't win."

Frank’s face fell instantly.

Sarah quickly tried to soothe him. "It’s okay, honey. Luck comes and goes. Next time for sure!"

Frank ran a frustrated hand through his hair, his eyes shifting to me, searching for someone to blame.

"Did you doubt yourself when you bought them? I told you to buy the first ones you saw! Did you hesitate?!"

Before I could answer, Leo walked out of his room, smirking.

"Dad, you actually believed her? I bet she spent the money on herself."

He snatched my backpack, turned it upside down, and dumped everything onto the floor.

The bright pink receipt for the college prep program fluttered down, landing right at Frank’s feet.

Frank’s eyes turned bloodshot in a second.

"You stole my money for some stupid tutoring?!"

He lunged at me, grabbing my hair and slamming my head against the wall.

"I gave you that money to change our luck, and you ruined it! I'm going to teach you a lesson you'll never forget!"

My head hit the drywall with a sickening thud, making my vision blur and my ears ring.

Sarah screamed, trying to pull him back. "Frank, stop! She’s just a kid!"

Leo stood back, folding his arms, enjoying the show.

"She deserves it. I’m sick of her acting like she's so smart. She’s studying herself into stupidity."

Frank kicked me hard in the stomach. I curled into a ball on the floor, gasping for air, cold sweat pouring down my face.

In my past life, this scene had played out a hundred times.

Every single time, I would beg for mercy, hoping they would feel some shred of pity.

But not this time.

I swallowed the metallic taste of blood and forced out a weak whisper through the pain.

"Dad... today... at the store... I saw a guy... win fifty thousand dollars..."

Frank froze.

"He said... he calculates the exact time... and sends the family member with the best energy to buy it... That’s how he won..."

I gasped for air, spinning my lie piece by piece.

"He also said... luck is a continuous chain... If you break it today... you have to wait a very long time to restart it..."

Frank let go of my hair, his expression shifting from rage to sheer panic.

"What did you say? The chain of luck is broken?"

Sarah rushed over, shaking. "Then... what do we do?"

I looked at them, letting out a weak, fragile smile.

"The man said... unless... we find an even bigger wave of luck to override the break..."

Leo rolled his eyes. "What kind of garbage is this? Dad, don't listen to her crazy stories."

But Frank, grasping at straws, grabbed my arm tightly.

"What bigger wave of luck?! Tell me!"

I stared directly at Leo and said, word for word:

"Leo's college is hosting the annual Tech & Startup Pitch Competition, right? I heard the grand prize is a hundred thousand dollars."

Every eye in the room instantly locked onto Leo.