Chapter 1

My roommate Sophie is a stunning beauty who is popular across the entire school and serves as its beloved cheerleading captain.

So when my online boyfriend asks for another photo, she suddenly snatches my phone out of my hand.

She puts on a worried expression, as if she is only thinking of me.

“Are you sure you want to send one now? You’re almost two hundred pounds. I’m just afraid he won’t be able to handle it once he sees you.”

Then she tilts her head and adds, “Why don’t you send him one of mine first? At least I won’t scare him off.”

The girls beside us burst into laughter.

“Two hundred pounds and you’re still dating online? Isn’t that basically catfishing?”

“If he ever sees you in person, he’ll probably block you on the spot.”

I lower my head and pinch the soft flesh around my waist, hesitating over whether I should send him my roommate’s photo instead.

Then, out of nowhere, a line of translucent text flashes before my eyes.

[Don’t send it! She already knows your online boyfriend is the heir to a fortune worth millions.]

[Sophie is pretending to help you, but she’s the one who wants you to send her photo first.]

[Once you two arrange to meet in person, she can easily take your place and steal your boyfriend.]

I freeze for only a second.

Then I snatch my phone back and pull up a photo from three years ago.

“No need.”

“After all, once I slim down, I’m much prettier than you.”

Chapter 1

My words carry across the empty lecture hall.

For one second, the room falls silent. Then everyone bursts out laughing.

“You’re almost two hundred pounds. Seriously, look in a mirror. What makes you think you can compete with Sophie?”

“Sophie is trying to help you, and you’re still ungrateful? Your heart is just as ugly as your face.”

Not a single person believes what I said.

Sophie glances at the old photo I pulled up, and her face settles into an expression that says she knew this was coming.

“Emily, are you really going to send him a photo that’s been edited this much?”

She lets out a soft sigh.

“I’m not trying to put you down.”

“But you look nothing like this anymore. You’re going to disappoint him even more when you finally meet.”

Someone beside us leans over for a better look. They immediately laugh even harder.

“How could that possibly be her? Her features don’t even look the same.”

“If that’s really her, I’ll eat this seminar table right now.”

“Using a photo like that to date someone online? No wonder he’ll be pissed when he finds out what you actually look like.”

They don’t know.

Three years ago, I used to be the girl everyone noticed.

My grandmother raised me. When she died, I lost the only person in the world who had ever truly felt like mine.

I felt hollowed out.

During the worst part of it, food became the only comfort I could hold on to. Then came college applications, exams, moving away from the only place I had ever known.

One thing after another piled on top of me until I simply gave up on myself.

But that darkness is behind me now.

I’ve moved on. I’m at a new university.

Maybe it’s time I found the old version of myself again.

I ignore the laughter and keep scrolling through my photos, looking for one to send to Richard, my online boyfriend.

That’s when the professor walks in carrying a stack of papers and taps the podium.

“Emily, could you come over for a moment? I want to go over the revised outline for your essay from last week.”

I instinctively put my phone down and get to my feet.

The professor asks me a few questions about the structure of my paper, then reminds me about next week’s office hours.

By the time I return to my seat, Sophie is already pushing my phone back toward me.

She looks as if everyone around her has forced her into doing something she doesn’t want to do.

“There. I sent one for you.”

“You kept refusing to send a picture. He was definitely going to get suspicious. Just use mine for now and get through this, okay? At least it won’t be too embarrassing.”

I grab my phone.

Sophie’s selfie has already been sent.

The transparent messages immediately start flooding my vision.

【Nicely done. Sophie finally sent him the photo.】

【Richard is definitely going to remember that face.】

【He’s a wealthy heir who keeps a low profile. He’s usually cold and distant, but he has a weakness for girls with that clean, pretty look.】

My fingers turn cold.

I immediately try to unsend the photo. But Richard has already replied.

【Is that you in the photo?】

A few seconds later, another message appears.

【I like this face. She’s beautiful.】

A flicker of triumph crosses Sophie’s eyes before she quickly replaces it with an apologetic smile.

“He’s already seen it.”

“Maybe don’t explain yet. When the time comes to meet him, if you don’t know how to handle it, I can go in your place.”

Chapter 2

My fingers are shaking with anger.

But faced with Sophie’s expression that says she is only trying to help me, I force the anger back down and message Richard.

【No. The girl in that photo is my roommate, Sophie.】

【She accidentally sent the wrong picture. But it’s fine. Now you know I’m even prettier than she is.】

I don’t hesitate.

I send him several of the best photos I have from three years ago.

【This is me.】

By then, the professor is already taking attendance.

I send one last message.

【Class is starting. I’ll talk to you after.】

Then I put my phone away.

I don’t look at it again. Not until the class ends.

As the students begin packing their things and filing out of the lecture hall, my phone vibrates right on cue..

I answer.

Richard’s voice comes through the phone, low and steady.

“Emily, I saw them.”

“You don’t need to compare yourself to anyone. You’re beautiful just the way you are.”

There is a brief pause.

Then his voice turns serious.

“If you’re willing, I’d really like to meet you in person.”

My face heats up. I think about it carefully before answering.

“When summer break is over. The day fall semester starts, we’ll meet.”

I have three full months until then. Three months to push myself.

Richard is silent for a few seconds.

Then I hear something that sounds almost like a quiet laugh.

“Okay. I’ll wait for you.”

“But until then, don’t let anyone else make decisions for you.”

The call ends.

A moment later, a large sum of money appears in my account.

【This isn’t a gift.】

【If you want to change dorms, apply for summer housing, hire a lawyer, or do anything that helps you get out of your current situation, use it.】

【You can refuse me. But don’t refuse yourself a chance to start over.】

I stare at the message for a long time.

That reason is one I can’t reject.

The transparent messages weren’t lying. Richard really is wealthy. But he isn’t just wealthy.

He is gentle and considerate. He helps me quietly, in exactly the ways I need, without ever making me feel like I owe him anything.

Sophie notices that I accept the money.

The jealousy in her eyes is almost impossible to hide.

“Emily, you don’t really think you can keep this hidden forever just by editing a few pictures, do you?”

The transparent messages immediately appear again.

【It doesn’t matter. Once Richard gets disappointed in Emily, Sophie can step in.】

【The harder Emily tries now, the funnier she’ll look in the end.】

【When Sophie stands beside her, Richard will naturally know which girl to choose.】

Their contempt only makes me more determined.

I use Richard’s money to apply for summer housing.

Then I book a private trainer at the university rec center.

I have only one goal.

By the time summer break ends, I will become the girl I was three years ago.

The trainer looks over my information, then gives me a serious look.

“Starting today, your workouts and diet follow the plan.”

“If you want to see a noticeable change before fall semester, you can’t rely on motivation alone. You have to stick with it. Can you do that?”

I nod firmly.

Richard didn’t give me money to show off. He gave me an opportunity to choose myself again.

I can’t waste it.

And I can’t let down the girl who spent all those years being pushed aside and laughed at.

After my first workout, I’m so exhausted that I sit on a bench outside the locker room and quietly cry.

Of course, that is exactly when Sophie walks in with her cheer squad friends.

Someone spots me.

She immediately laughs.

“What is she doing at the gym? Don’t tell me she’s actually trying to lose weight.”

“She seriously thinks she can look like Sophie after a few months?”

Sophie gives a soft laugh, as if she’s trying to smooth things over.

“Whatever the result, at least it’s a good start, right? I think Emily needs some encouragement.”

Before I can react, she quickly takes a picture of me.

I’m drenched in sweat, my face still wet with tears.

Then she sends it to our entire class group chat.

She even adds a cheerful message, pretending to encourage me.

【Everyone, give Emily some encouragement! She’s already started losing weight so she can meet her online boyfriend when school starts.】

Chapter 3

The class group chat quickly comes alive.

“She really went to the gym? I thought she’d quit after signing up for a membership.”

“Come on. Is the rec center treadmill okay today?”

“Someone should probably remind the trainer to check the weight limit on the equipment.”

Someone turns the photo of me crying miserably at the gym into a meme and floods the group chat with it.

Sophie even tags me, her words sweet on the surface.

【Emily, don’t be sad. It’s brave of you to take the first step.】

【The photo is a little embarrassing, but everyone just wants to encourage you to keep going.】

I swallow the tears burning behind my eyes and look at myself in the mirror for the first time.

Years of binge eating have thrown my hormones out of balance. My face is covered in acne, and stretch marks are visible across my body.

Thankfully, my trainer tells me that if I stick to the workout plan and change my diet, these problems will gradually improve.

From that day on, my life changes completely.

The first thing I do when I wake up is no longer head to the dining hall and pile my plate with pancakes, bacon, and hash browns.

Instead, I put on my sneakers and head to the campus track for a brisk walk and a slow jog.

Whenever I don’t have class, I spend most of my time at the rec center.

At night, I drag my aching body back to the dorm, only to face Sophie’s carefully feigned concern all over again.

Thankfully, I get a call from Richard every night before bed.

After I start training, I actually talk to Richard more than before.

His low, steady voice keeps me company while we talk about classes, workouts, the weather, and all kinds of meaningless little things.

So many times, I’m exhausted enough to want to quit.

Then I hear his voice, and I grit my teeth and keep going.

The last week of June happens to be my birthday.

That day, I return from the library after studying and find a necklace from Van Cleef & Arpels waiting for me.

【Happy birthday. The moment I see it, I think of you.】

【When we meet, if you’re willing, wear it when you come see me.】

I can barely remember the last time someone really celebrates my birthday.

After my grandmother dies, no one remembers the date anymore.

I carefully try the necklace on.

The pendant rests just below my collarbone.

But somehow, the girl staring back at me in the mirror still doesn’t look worthy of it.

I think about it for a moment.

Once I truly find myself again, I’ll wear it.

Then it will look beautiful.

The days continue.

I prepare for finals while keeping up with my training.

Every day, my muscles ache so badly that even lifting my arms hurts.

But the swelling in my face and body gradually goes down, and my hormones slowly stabilize.

The transparent messages, however, begin to sound uneasy.

【How is she actually sticking with it?】

【What if she really manages to lose the weight?】

【Impossible. Even if she loses weight, she’ll still just be ordinary.】

【A cannon-fodder character is a cannon-fodder character. She’ll never become someone like Sophie.】

I ignore them.

I follow my trainer through strength workouts, stick to my diet, and track my sleep and mood as required by the school’s wellness group.

I don’t just want to lose weight.

I want to be healthy.

I want discipline.

And I want to pull the girl who is too humiliated to lift her head back to her feet with my own hands.

By finals week, I lose almost forty pounds.

But no one notices.

My trainer adds weighted exercises to my routine, so I wear a weighted vest and protective gear under my clothes every day.

I also get used to wearing oversized hoodies and sweatpants.

If anything, I look even bigger than before.

Final grades are released soon after, and most students begin moving out of the dorms.

I apply for summer housing ahead of time and prepare to move into one of the residence halls that stays open during the summer.

On the day I leave the old dorm, Sophie leans against the doorway and looks me up and down.

Her lips curve into a small smile.

“Emily, haven’t you been practically living at the gym lately?”

“How come you don’t look any thinner? If anything, you look even bulkier.”

She lowers her voice deliberately, as if she’s genuinely worried about me.

“Summer break is officially starting.”

“And when it ends, you’re supposed to meet Richard.”

“If you’re worried about it, I can help you.”

I don’t bother answering.

I turn around and walk away.

Chapter 4

Once summer break officially begins, the campus empties almost overnight.

But every now and then, someone in the group chat still brings me up.

【Who’s still on campus? Go check the rec center and see if Emily is still there. I bet she already quit!】

Someone quickly replies.

【Let’s start a pool. Bet on whether Emily will actually show up to meet Richard.】

【I’m putting fifty on her. She’ll definitely claim she’s sick at the last minute.】

【I’ll put a hundred on her making Sophie go instead.】

【Then I bet she won’t even make it to fall semester.】

The bets keep getting higher.

I don’t respond.

I don’t have time to.

My training enters the hardest plateau yet.

The number on the scale barely moves. My body seems determined to fight me every step of the way.

Thankfully, my trainer keeps adjusting my plan.

Diet. Strength training. Cardio. Sleep.

Every part of my routine gets recalibrated.

I don’t have time to obsess over the numbers.

I can only keep moving forward, one day at a time.

After losing a little more weight, I become noticeably smaller.

The acne on my face gradually fades. My skin settles down, and my features and jawline slowly become more defined.

I start enjoying taking pictures again.

Sometimes I send Richard a blurry side profile or a shadow of myself by the window after a workout.

He always replies seriously.

【I’m really looking forward to meeting you.】

His voice and his messages become part of what keeps me going.

My trainer tells me that at around five foot six, staying somewhere around one hundred and thirty pounds would be a healthy and attractive weight for me.

I remember that number.

During the final month, I get used to eating clean, regular meals.

I no longer reach for snacks or sugary drinks whenever I need comfort.

Strength training, running, yoga, Pilates.

I slowly work my way into all of them.

My weight keeps dropping, slowly but steadily. My body becomes firmer. And with every change, I feel more confident.

Richard’s anticipation becomes more obvious too.

【I’ve already confirmed the fall semester schedule.】

【I’ll come to your school on the first day and find you.】

【Don’t be nervous. I just want to see you as soon as possible.】

I stare at the number on the scale and push myself through the final stretch.

The day before we are supposed to meet, the number finally settles at one hundred and thirty pounds.

After my workout that day, my trainer asks me to take off the weighted vest and protective gear for the first time.

“Emily.”

She looks at me with genuine pride.

“You did it.”

I stare at myself in the mirror.

Under the oversized hoodie, the bulky, awkward shape I’ve been hiding for months is finally gone.

“Yes,” I think. “I finally did it.”

Chapter 5

The day we are supposed to meet finally arrives.

I put on the dress I pick out days ago, fasten the Van Cleef & Arpels necklace Richard sends me around my neck, and get my hair trimmed into the style that suits me best.

As I cross the campus quad, a guy I don’t recognize suddenly stops me.

His ears turn red as he asks if he can have my Instagram.

For a second, I don’t even process what he is asking.

It isn’t until he awkwardly repeats himself that I realize he is actually asking for my contact information.

I politely turn him down and hurry toward the student center.

The delay makes me a little late.

From a distance, I spot a sleek black Porsche parked along the curb.

Richard is already there.

I take a deep breath and start walking toward him. Then I see Sophie step in front of him first.

“Hi, Richard.”

She smiles naturally, warmly.

“I’m Sophie. You’ve seen my pictures.”

She has clearly dressed up for this.

Everything is carefully chosen, from her dress to her hair, as if she has rehearsed this moment in advance.

Richard looks at her with a calm, unreadable expression.

I stop walking.

The translucent messages appear again after being silent for so long.

【Our girl finally makes her move! Who wouldn’t fall for that face?】

【But did Emily actually lose the weight?】

【Who cares? Even if she shows up now, she’ll only make Sophie look even better.】

Sophie pulls up my old photos on her phone and holds them out to Richard.

“I really didn’t want to tell you any of this.”

She lightly bites her lip, looking genuinely troubled.

“But I can’t stand by and watch you keep getting lied to.”

“This is what Emily looks like. She keeps sending you edited pictures. I’ve told her not to do this, but she only wants to get something out of you.”

Her voice is soft, but loud enough for the people nearby to hear.

Several students turn to look.

Their whispers quickly follow.

“No way. Is this some kind of catfishing scam? Is she just after his money?”

“That’s messed up.”

“Poor guy. He really showed up for a catfish?”

For a moment, the attention makes me want to turn around and leave.

But I stop myself.

I’m not the girl I used to be anymore.

The eyes fixed on me from every direction, along with the guy who just blushed while asking for my Instagram, remind me of something.

I have every right to walk toward Richard with my head held high.

I take a deep breath.

Then I walk toward him, one step at a time.

Richard looks down at the photo in his hand.

He doesn’t ask something.

He doesn’t look disappointed, either.

Instead, he simply hands the phone back to Sophie.

“The person I’m here to meet today isn’t you.”

His voice is calm, almost cold.

“If Emily has something to tell me, I’ll wait for her to tell me herself.”

The smile on Sophie’s face freezes for a second.

But she quickly replaces it with a wounded expression.

“Richard, I’m just afraid you’re going to get hurt.”

“If she really has nothing to hide, then why hasn’t she shown up yet?”

The translucent messages start urging her on.

【Just a little more! If Sophie keeps trying, he’ll add her soon.】

【Men all like girls who are gentle and beautiful. Emily doesn’t stand a chance.】

Sophie opens her mouth to say something else.

I cut her off.

“Hi.”

She doesn’t recognize me.

Her eyes move over my face and dress.

For a split second, I see surprise in them.

Then comes a flash of resentment.

But she quickly puts the polite smile back on her face.

“Hi. Can I help you? Who are you looking for?”

I ignore her.

I look up and meet Richard’s confused gaze.

Then I lift my hand, letting the Van Cleef & Arpels necklace he gives me catch the light just below my collarbone.

I smile at him.

“Richard.”

“I’m here.”