Chapter 1

To finally buy that panoramic ocean-view condo, I activated a "Get Paid If Rejected" system.

My target: Ethan, the brilliant but unapproachable law student, the ultimate campus heartthrob.

Every time he rejected me, the system deposited ten thousand dollars into my account.

For two whole years, come rain or shine, I confessed my feelings to him 99 times.

For the 100th time, I stood under the guys' dorm building with a megaphone, ready to claim my final ten thousand dollars.

"Ethan, I like you! Be my boyfriend!"

I'd even opened up SnapChat to message the real estate agent for the beachfront condo.

Then, the door to the second-floor balcony opened. Ethan stood there in loose loungewear, looking down at me.

"Okay."

His voice wasn't loud, but it echoed across the entire dorm area.

"Grab your ID. We're going to City Hall to make it official right now."

My hand shook, and the megaphone clattered onto my foot.

Wait, what?! Dude, where did my ocean-view condo go?!

The early autumn breeze whistled through the sycamores under the dorm building, making the megaphone in my hand feel chilly.

I cleared my throat and pressed the switch.

"Ethan! I like you! Be my boyfriend!"

A massive echo reverberated between the buildings.

A crowd of guys had gathered around, some even holding cups of instant soup, watching the show.

"Lily's here again. Is this the 100th time?"

"She actually dares to go for the ice prince. She's really determined to hit that brick wall."

"If Ethan says yes, I'll eat this instant soup---cup, soup, and all---right here, right now."

I lowered my head, feigning shyness and nervousness.

But inside, fireworks were exploding.

Reject me.

Just tell me to get lost, quickly.

Ethan, please, be merciless and just turn me down!

I chanted in my head.

If he just said "not interested" one more time, the system would transfer my final ten thousand dollars.

A whole million dollars!

I'd even opened up SnapChat to message the real estate agent for the panoramic ocean-view condo. The down payment was happening today!

For two years, come rain or shine, I'd confessed to him in every creative way imaginable.

He was handsome, brilliant, top of his class in law school, and famously unapproachable to women.

He was basically my personal ATM, tailor-made by fate.

For the first 99 times, he was a true professional.

The first time, he said, "Excuse me, coming through."

The tenth time, he said, "I'm busy."

The fiftieth time, he said, "Lily, are you that bored?"

The ninety-ninth time, he frowned at me and said, "Stop coming here."

I'd heard it as, "Stop coming here to collect money."

No way! I was still short ten thousand!

So today, I brought the megaphone.

The second-floor balcony door suddenly opened.

Ethan, in loose loungewear, his fair skin almost glowed under the streetlights, his jawline sharp enough to cut glass.

He leaned on the railing with one hand, looking down at me.

The entire scene went silent.

I took a deep breath, ready for the sweet sound of "get lost."

But then, he suddenly chuckled.

"Okay."

I froze.

The guys around me froze too.

He straightened up, his voice not loud, but it clearly reached my ears.

"Grab your ID. We're going to City Hall to make it official."

*Clatter.*

The megaphone slipped from my hand and hit my foot.

The system in my head let out a piercing scream.

[Warning! Target has not rejected!]

[100th confession mission failed, ten thousand dollar reward canceled!]

My vision went black. I almost passed out right there.