Chapter 1

According to Ashford University records, I, Sienna Torres, was classified as an underprivileged student.

On the first day of school, my roommate, Natalie Parker, pulled me aside and told me how to survive on the campus.

"Sienna, listen carefully. There are two types of people at this school," she said in a hushed tone, pointing out the window at a red Ferrari roaring past.

She continued, "The first type are ordinary people like us, who got in through sheer hard work. And the others are those born with a silver spoon in their mouth, who drive supercars to campus. Especially the group led by Lucas Hartley, the student council president. You must stay far away from them."

Natalie's expression turned serious as she added, "They're a bunch of monsters who love to play this sick game called the 'Cupid Blind Box'."

I paused with the glass halfway to my lips and looked at her.

"What kind of game is that?" I asked.

She realized that I wasn't taking her seriously, and her voice trembled with urgency.

"They make a list of pretty female students from ordinary backgrounds. Then, they will write their names on cards and put them in a box.

"Whatever name the scions draw, he has to seduce her within a month and make her fall head over heels with him."

As she said that, Natalie's face twisted with disgust and fear.

"On the last day of the one-month deadline, he'll dump her in front of everyone in the most humiliating way possible. They call it 'prey taming'. Whoever makes his target cry the most bitterly during the breakup is the winner."

She clutched my arm tightly and continued, "Last semester, a senior from our department was chosen. One month later, she found out she was pregnant. Then, that scion's fiancée slapped and humiliated her in public.

"That senior couldn't take it and jumped off the academic building. In the end, she and her unborn child were killed. Sienna, you're gorgeous. Please be careful and don't get targeted by them."

I reached out and patted Natalie's tense shoulder.

"Don't worry. I'm just here to focus on my studies," I replied, giving her a reassuring smile.

She looked into my eyes, and something in my expression made her shiver.

…

At an exclusive private club that evening, Bella White giggled as she shook a box.

"Lucas, it's your turn to draw. Let's see which lucky woman gets your attention this time."

Lucas was lounging on the couch with a glass of red wine, looking languid and elegant. He glanced dismissively at the box, showing no interest.

She shoved the box right up to him and spoke sweetly, insisting, "Come on. Just pick one. I've added a top-notch entry this time. There's an underprivileged student in the art department named Sienna Torres. She's as gorgeous as a fairy. It'll be so satisfying to win her over and then dump her."

Hearing that, Lucas reached into the box and pulled out a card labeled "Sienna Torres". He stared at it for a moment, then a knowing smile spread across his face.

"Fine," he said. "I'll play with her this month."

Chapter 2

From that day on, my college life suddenly became much more exciting. Everywhere I went, I kept running into Lucas.

He'd stand behind me in the cafeteria line and insist on paying for my meal.

"Hey, fate brought us together. Let me treat you," he said.

He'd sit across from me at the library. When I frowned over a problem, he'd slide over a note filled with solutions, accompanied by a charming smile.

I went to the bubble tea shop my dad had specifically opened for me near the campus and decided to learn how to make drinks on a whim. Lucas assumed I was working a part-time job, so he bought out the entire shop's inventory and gave the drinks away to passersby just so I could leave early.

"Don't work so hard. Pretty hands like yours shouldn't be making bubble tea."

I could barely stop myself from rolling my eyes right out of my head.

Within a week, the entire Ashford University was buzzing with the news that the student council president was madly pursuing a student from a poor family.

As a result, I became the target of every female student's envy and resentment. Every time I returned to the dorm, Natalie stared at me as if I were some wayward woman.

"Sienna, didn't I tell you to stay away from him?"

I shrugged helplessly and replied, "I don't know what happened either. He just keeps showing up out of nowhere."

"Whatever you do, don't fall for him," she reminded me, stamping her foot anxiously. "They're just playing around."

I nodded and reassured her, "Don't worry. I know what I'm doing."

I really did know what I was doing. Every time Lucas performed his romantic acts for me, I'd catch glimpses of Bella and her friends holding up their phones in the distance, filming.

It didn't bother me, since my beauty was flawless from every angle anyway.

That day, Bella was throwing a birthday party at the Golden Era Club. Lucas texted me, asking me to be his date.

I deliberately replied, "That place is too expensive. I don't have anything appropriate to wear."

Ten minutes later, he appeared downstairs at my dorm with a luxury shopping bag. Inside was a midnight blue evening dress worth six figures.

"Put this on," he said. "Tonight, you'll be a princess."

Gasps of amazement rose from the crowd below.

"Oh my god! Isn't that a haute couture piece from Devereaux? A dress costs more than our annual tuition fee," someone said.

"Sienna is so lucky," another chimed in.

I was so moved, I almost cried. The price was almost as much as my pajamas cost.

I changed into the dress and walked into the club with Lucas. The Golden Era Club was my 18th birthday gift from Dad and one of my least valuable assets.

As soon as we entered, the club's general manager spotted me. His eyes lit up, and he hurried over to greet me.

I gave him a warning glance. The shrewd manager smoothly pivoted and attended to other guests as if nothing had happened.

Bella couldn't hide the jealousy in her eyes when she saw me.

"Sienna, you look beautiful tonight. Lucas has such good taste."

She paused, lowering her voice to say, "But since the dress is rented, you should be careful. You can't afford to damage it."

I smiled but said nothing.

At the party, Lucas was incredibly attentive to me. He cut my steak and intercepted others when they tried to make me drink. When I felt cold, he draped his suit jacket over my shoulders.

Every gesture was perfect, like something out of a romantic drama. He brought me over to his friends and introduced me with a possessive tone.

"This is my girlfriend, Sienna Torres."

All his friends congratulated him, their eyes full of contempt and amusement.

I played along like a well-dressed puppet.

Midway through, I went to the restroom. Just as I reached the corner, I overheard Bella talking to her friend.

"Bella, Lucas really went all out this time, huh? He even gave her a Devereaux's haute couture piece. Is he actually serious about her?"

Bella snorted.

"Are you kidding? That dress was a gift from my brother. Lucas just borrowed it from me. Once he's done playing with her, that woman will have to strip it off and return it to me," she said.

She continued, "It's just like fishing. The more expensive the bait, the more satisfying it is when they bite, right?"

Another lady chimed in flatteringly, "You're brilliant, Bella. Letting that charity case wear the glass slipper, just to smash it to pieces yourself. It feels exhilarating just thinking about it."

Bella's voice dripped with malicious glee.

"Just wait. There are only a few days left in the month. When the time comes, I'm going to make her cry in front of the entire campus as she strips off that dress."

In the corner, I pressed the stop button on my phone's recording app.

Chapter 3

After Bella's birthday party, Lucas had turned up the heat in his pursuit. Every morning, he showed up downstairs right on time with a fancy breakfast.

He skipped his professional courses to sit through my boring general education classes with me. When I dozed off, he secretly drew a little pig in my palm.

On the fake birthday I'd casually mentioned, he presented me with a diamond necklace in front of my roommate.

Natalie's eyes nearly popped out of her head. She dragged me onto the balcony, her face full of concern.

"Sienna, tell me the truth. Are you actually falling for him?"

My fingers traced the diamond necklace at my neck as I gave her a reassuring smile.

"Of course not," I replied.

"Then why are you accepting such expensive gifts from him?" She pressed, her voice pitching higher with anxiety.

"Anything given by people like him will have to be paid back with interest eventually. What are you going to pay him back with?"

I patted her shoulder and said, "Don't worry. He's the one who's going to regret this."

The next day, Natalie and I were eating in the cafeteria when Bella and her friends walked past our table. With a deliberate flick of her wrist, Bella tipped her tray, sending a stream of scalding hot spicy soup right at me.

Even though I dodged quickly, some of the liquid still splashed onto my arm.

Natalie shrieked in alarm and frantically grabbed a few napkins to help me wipe it off.

Bella looked down at me with a condescending glare.

"Oops, sorry. My hand slipped," she said.

Her gaze swept over my T-shirt and added, "That shirt looks like something you got at a street market for 30 bucks, right? I'll give you 300. That should be enough for you to buy ten of them."

I was so furious at her words. That clueless fool had just ruined the plainest T-shirt I owned. It was the one I'd painstakingly picked from my entire wardrobe of designer pieces. This shirt cost more than what she was wearing.

Bella pulled 300 dollars from her wallet and tossed them in front of me like she was tipping a beggar.

All because of Dad's plan, I was forced to swallow my pride and take the humiliation.

Just then, a figure rushed over.

Lucas shoved Bella aside so hard that she stumbled backward several steps. His face was filled with concern as he scanned me from head to toe.

"Are you okay? Did you get burned? How bad is it?" he asked.

He turned to Bella and snapped, "Are you insane? Apologize to Sienna now."

Tears immediately welled up in Bella's eyes.

"Lucas, I didn't mean to."

"I said, apologize now," he repeated.

Intimidated by his tone, Bella reluctantly muttered, "I'm sorry."

No sooner had the word left her mouth than Lucas scooped me up into a princess carry. Under the stares of the entire cafeteria, he strode toward the campus clinic.

"I'm sorry, Sienna. I failed to protect you."

I lowered my eyes, and my shoulders shook as I tried to hold back my emotions.

"It's not your fault," I replied.

My voice came out choked with tears.

Lucas held me tighter.

"Trust me. No one will ever dare bully you again," he reassured me.

I leaned against his chest. The strong cologne mixed with the smell of spicy soup was absolutely nauseating.

I'd actually gotten hurt today playing their game. I wondered what Dad would say if he found out about it. Fortunately, the evaluation period was almost over.

Chapter 4

The month-long deadline had finally arrived, and I received a text message from Lucas.

"Tomorrow at 7:00 pm, I'll be waiting for you at Lover's Lake. There's something important I need to tell you."

"Sure. I'll bring a gift for you too. It's a special surprise I prepared just for you," I replied.

Natalie saw my reply and started pacing frantically.

"Sienna, are you crazy? You're actually going? He's definitely going to dump you tomorrow, and you're still preparing a gift for him?" she asked.

"I know," I responded calmly. "That's exactly why I'm preparing a special gift for him."

I would give him a gift that he'd remember for the rest of his life.

The next evening, I arrived at Lover's Lake as planned.

Lucas was already waiting there. He looked like a prince from a fairy tale, but beneath that familiar gentle smile lurked the thrill of a hunter.

Hidden in the shadows of the trees, Bella and her other wealthy friends who participated in "Cupid Blind Box" had their phones raised and ready to record.

Lucas said, "Sienna, I've thought about this for a long time, and we should break up. Our backgrounds are too different. My mother would never approve. I care about you, but it's better to end this now rather than drag it out.

"Breaking up sooner is better for you. You're a good person, so I hope you'll find someone who can marry you someday."

He delivered his lines with such conviction that he could land a role as the tragic second male lead in a soap opera.

If this were an acting contest, I bet my skills would easily outshine his.

"So, everything that happened this month—all your kindness and affection—was just a game, huh?" I asked, looking at him with tears in my eyes.

Lucas laughed, his smirk dripping with undisguised mockery.

"Since you've already figured it out, I won't pretend anymore. That's right. It was all a game. Did you actually think I could fall for a student from a poor family?"

He pointed at the dress I was wearing, then at the necklace around my neck. He sneered.

"Do you even deserve these things? Now that the game's over, give back everything that doesn't belong to you, especially that diamond necklace. I was planning to give that to Bella."

Bella and her little entourage stepped forward behind Lucas, ready to strip the clothes off my back.

I raised my hand and removed the diamond necklace he'd given me. Then, in front of everyone, I swung my arm back and threw it.

The diamond necklace traced a sparkling arc through the air before splashing into the lake with a plop and sinking to the bottom.

Bella shrieked, "My diamond necklace! Sienna, are you out of your mind?"

Her followers stood there with their jaws dropped, too stunned to speak.

I responded, "Lucas, you're absolutely right. A diamond necklace of this quality really doesn't suit me. I've never seen diamonds of such poor quality before.

"As for this dress, Bella, open your eyes and look carefully. Is this really the same dress your brother gave me?"

One of the more observant followers whispered to her, "That doesn't look like your brother's haute couture piece. It looks more like the Starlit Galaxy evening dress designed by that international master for the Torres family's heiress."

Bella glared at the follower.

"Have you also lost your mind? Just because Sienna's last name is Torres doesn't make her the Torres family's heiress! As if a poor student could afford to wear something like that," she snapped.

It was almost time for my beauty sleep, so I'd better wrap this up.

"Lucas, I'm tired of playing along with you people. The evaluation period is over. Congratulations, my fiancé. You've been eliminated," I said.