Chapter 3

I bought the ticket, waited for the draw, and sure enough, I won.

Fifty thousand dollars wasn't a massive fortune, but after taxes, it was enough.

I transferred a few hundred to Hazel to cover her room and board.

With proper sleep, her energy levels skyrocketed. She had missed a lot of classes, so while I tutored her, it also helped me reinforce my own knowledge.

A month flew by.

On the day of the finals, I performed perfectly. I chose the same college as my past life because I wanted to leverage my memories and I missed my old friends.

Hazel performed exceptionally well, scoring high enough to get into a decent state college.

Her college was very close to mine.

In our parents' eyes, having both sons get into college was a miracle. They immediately threw a massive graduation party and invited all our relatives.

I quickly realized the perks of being the "neglected" brother.

My parents had always ignored Lucas. At the party, they swarmed Ethan—well, Lucas in my old body—and completely ignored me.

To my brother, this neglect used to breed intense jealousy.

But now, as I watched Ethan being treated like a superstar in the crowd, a cold smile crept onto my face.

Free things always come with the highest price.

Everyone was putting him on a pedestal now, and our parents had massive expectations. The higher they climbed, the harder they would fall.

I had learned that lesson through blood and tears.

Soon, Ethan and I started college. Hazel was at the nearby campus and kept in touch, occasionally coming over to hang out.

To afford tuition, Hazel worked a part-time job from day one, keeping herself extremely busy.

Meanwhile, Ethan was out partying every night. He skipped classes constantly, got written up by the RA, and was on academic probation.

One day, I went to the store where Hazel worked to bring her some lunch. I ran into Ethan, who was shopping there.

He had his arm around a gorgeous girl with flawless makeup and expensive clothes. She clearly came from a wealthy family.

I recognized her instantly. It was my ex-wife from my past life, Chloe Vance.

"Oh, look who it is! My old classmate!" Ethan noticed Hazel first and waved.

Then, his eyes landed on me, and his face lit up with smug satisfaction. His expression practically said, *See? Your beautiful, rich wife is mine now.*

"Wow, you two are hanging out?" Ethan patted my shoulder, laughing. "Hey, do you want me to introduce you to some hot girls? She's a bit too plain, don't you think?"

Chloe slapped his arm playfully. "What are you talking about? Do you know a lot of hot girls?"

Ethan quickly pacified her. "Of course not, babe. I'm just trying to help my loser brother out."

I smiled slightly, completely unbothered.

I felt absolutely nothing for Chloe. My past life had completely cured me of any affection for her. She had cheated on me, had a child with her lover, and let me raise him for years without knowing the truth. Why would I ever want a toxic woman like her back?

Hazel looked insecure, nervously rubbing her hands. "I'm just working here. Lucas and I are just friends."

Chloe hummed, looking Hazel up and down, but said nothing.

"Alright, we have a date to get to. We won't disturb your little study group," Ethan laughed, pulling Chloe away. "When you guys get paid, make sure to buy your big bro a nice dinner!"

Watching them walk away, Hazel sighed. "Ethan and his girlfriend seem so happy."

"Yeah, I hope they stay together forever," I said casually. In my mind, I thought: *A trash man and a trash woman. A match made in heaven.*

I knew exactly why Chloe and Ethan were together. Chloe liked Ethan’s handsome face, and Ethan wanted Chloe's family money.

They were bound to destroy each other.

But that was none of my business.

Soon, graduation rolled around.

During my four years of college, I hadn't been idle. I started my own business.

Having lived a whole life in the industry, I still had all my connections.

One of them was my old angel investor.