Alaricka listened quietly before replying stubbornly: “Teacher, I won’t delete it.”

Ms. Wright sounded exhausted, helpless, even hating her own powerlessness: “Alarieka, do you remember you still have the National College Entrance Examination? Are you giving up?”

Alarieka had anticipated neither Ms. Wright nor Paloma would approve of her actions. That’s why she decided to act first and explain later—though explaining now proved painfully difficult.

Alarieka’s fingers quivered slightly. She lowered her eyes, voice barely audible: “Teacher, you also said I always have my own mind. So don’t worry. I’ve planned my future. I won’t miss the exam. I’ll keep studying.”

“It’s just,” Alarieka continued, “there’s too much happening here. I don’t want my energy drained by chaos. I need… temporary escape, to focus entirely on my future. Once settled, I’ll call you. Alright?”

After speaking, Alarieka’s heart pounded violently. Nervous sweat dampened her palms.

After a pause, Ms. Wright sighed: “Alarieka, perhaps this is best. I regret I can’t help more. I just want you to live better—at least live simply, more youthfully—like other high schoolers, not trapped in online storms, pressured to apologize to someone who wronged her.”

The words pierced through Alarieka’s heart, making it tremble.

“Teacher, don’t worry. I’ll live very well.”

Long after hanging up, Alaricka remained dazed.

This decision—she’d never made anything like it in both lifetimes.

She couldn’t know if the road ahead would be smooth or rockier than now. Everything remained uncertain.

Alaricka swore to everyone that she had solid plans and thorough preparations, promising she’d be much better off in the future.

But truthfully, Alarieka herself had no idea what her future held.

Ever since making this decision, she could no longer see what lay ahead.

The capital was a place she’d never set foot in across two lifetimes.

In her previous life, the Argent family kept her imprisoned—she couldn’t even leave this city. This lifetime? Forget about it.

So the capital remained an entirely new and unknown city to her.

She’d only gathered scattered bits about it from others’ stories or online snippets.

Truth be told, her current city—dubbed the Magic City—was somewhere countless people nationwide, even globally, dreamed of visiting. An economic powerhouse where opportunities and challenges go hand in hand, it hosted headquarters of world-renowned corporations—a true frontier for young trailblazers.

Like the capital, the Magic City stood among the nation’s top-tier metropolises, places other cities couldn’t hold a candle to.

It was great here. Truly great.

But its chaos and crowds overwhelmed Alarieka. For peace, she needed a fresh start elsewhere.

Barring surprises, she’d spend years there.

Alarieka spun her phone absently. Since her online post, unknown calls flooded in relentlessly. Vile messages piled up faster than she could block them.

She stopped bothering.

Opening her social account, she found tens of thousands of comments beneath her post—a toxic sea of curses from Roschelle Whitaker’s fans.

The private messages were worse. A single one contained enough threats to land someone in jail for days.

Alarieka skimmed them, expressionless, until she saw Kieran Argent’s incoming call.

Staring at the familiar name, Alarieka’s eyes froze. The incessant ringing and vibration from her phone kept urging her to answer.

Alarieka silently watched Kieran’s name on the screen, her fingers unmoving.

No need to ask—Kieran must’ve seen her online post and was calling to demand an explanation.

According to his darling Rose, she’d already developed “depression,” and might now suffer “worsening depression at home” because of that post.

Alarieka didn’t pick up. Tossing the phone aside, she pulled out her suitcase to pack.

She had nothing left to say to Kieran.

Her flight was booked, Lorelai Cowan’s hospital arrangements were settled. The day after tomorrow, she’d leave for the capital.