Chapter 2

My bedroom was so quiet I could hear my own breathing.

I stared intently at my phone, which was now just a black screen, my heart pounding.

What had just happened felt like a dream.

Compared to my youthful crush on Ethan, the undeniable regret and exhaustion in my future self's eyes were like a bucket of ice water poured over my head, snapping me wide awake.

My hands trembling, I pulled a notebook from my drawer and carefully wrote down the lottery numbers. Below them, I marked in red — "Don't sell Grandma's house, Horizon Tech."

After I finished, I let out a long breath.

Just then, my phone buzzed with a SnapChat message from Ethan:

[You changed your college applications to Texas College, right? Lily loves the ocean, so we'll both go with her to the coast.]

Lily's message followed immediately:

[Chloe, Ethan said you'd come to college with me and take care of me.]

[Thanks! You really are the best sister in the world.]

My gaze fell on the constantly popping up messages on my phone screen, and I slowly closed my eyes.

Ethan was my childhood sweetheart, we grew up together.

Lily was my half-sister.

Half a month after my mom passed away, Dad brought Lily and her mom home.

That's when I found out I had a sister, Lily, who was only half a month younger than me.

Grandma was worried I’d be mistreated, so she took me in and raised me.

It wasn't until Grandma passed away that I was sent back to live with Dad.

Dad felt guilty and tried to make it up to me in every way possible, giving me more allowance than Lily.

My stepmom was relatively kind; at least, she didn't overtly make things difficult for me.

Lily, on the other hand, loved sticking by my side, always telling everyone she had a super-smart older sister who aced everything.

But after that phone call, I realized these people might not be worth it.

My life, my future, should be my only pursuit, something I should give my all for.

Perhaps seeing that I hadn't replied for a long time, Ethan called directly.

"Chloe, what's going on? College applications are almost due. Have you even—"

"Don't worry, I've filled them out."

My voice was calm.

Hearing this, the person on the other end of the line let out a sigh of relief.

Then came Lily's sweet and lively cheer,

"Yay! That's great! The three of us can be together again!"

Lily's voice was as innocent and harmless as it had been countless times before—she was a girl who truly grew up surrounded by love.

Before, I would have thought that Lily depending on me and Ethan being by my side was the best thing ever.

But now, I just felt a bitter irony.

On the other end of the line, Ethan was completely at ease, his tone as gentle and confident as ever.

"Chloe, I knew you'd be the most understanding."

"Texas College has a nice environment and is close to home. It'll be convenient for all three of us to come back on holidays, much better than going thousands of miles north."

He always took things for granted.

He never considered that I could have gone to Harvard and had a brilliant future.

But thankfully, it wasn't too late.

I washed up and went to bed.

I had a dreamless night.

The next day, as soon as it was light, I woke up with a start.

In my mind, that string of numbers, enough to rewrite my destiny, flashed over and over, perfectly clear.

I quickly changed, not even stopping for breakfast, and rushed out the door, heading straight for the nearest lottery store.

The morning breeze was cool, dispelling the summer heat.

I walked up to the counter and recited the numbers I knew by heart:

"Excuse me, I want to buy 122033, ten lines."