She Planned Her Life Around Saving Him

One day before the juniors' recommendation list for my high school is announced, a notification suddenly pops up on the shared to-do list that my girlfriend, Elena Westwood, and I have been using for the last three years. "Saving Leon Sinclair's Life." I'm stunned for a long time before I tap on the notification. "Step one: Have Leon take Rowan's place on the recommendation list. "Step two: Get into a university in the same city as Leon. Take care of him and get him a job in Westwood Group after he graduates. "Step three: Marry Rowan after Leon marries his own wife." I stare at the words in disbelief for a long time. Elena hates the other person in relationships the most because her mother ended her own life because of her father's mistress. It's why she sacrifices sleep to study with me late into the night for the last few years, why she protects me from the other students' insults, and why she uses Westwood Group's resources to support me after my stepmother, Michelle Green, kicks me out of the house even though she loathes the Westwoods. Elena supports me through countless nights when I don't think that I can stay strong anymore. "Go ahead. Have a breakdown. I dare you, Rowan Jenner. You're forbidden from failing when I'm around!" Only then do I realize that, as the days pass, Elena has already changed her mind about who to save. Chapter 1 Sleep eluded me that night. In the end, I decided to call my homeroom teacher, Edmund Hollander. The call rang for a long time before it finally connected. Edmund's voice was thick with sleep when he asked, "Rowan? Did you need something?" "Mr. Hollander," I said hoarsely. "Was the recommendation list changed?" A few seconds passed before Edmund said in a low voice, "The school planned to inform you tomorrow regarding the change in the recommendation list, Rowan." A loud buzzing filled my ears. "Why? I scored first place for both the competition and overall evaluation." "The Westwoods got involved," Edmund explained with a sigh. "Also, the list was submitted to the provincial department yesterday. We can't change it anymore." I gripped my phone and didn't say a single word for a long time. After the call ended, I sat at the edge of the bed in a daze. Just then, a voice resounded from beyond the door. "Come out and make breakfast, Rowan." The voice belonged to Dad. I didn't move an inch. My stepmother, Michelle Green's voice, dripped with sarcasm when she said, "He's on the recommendation list. He probably thinks that making breakfast is below him. On the other hand, Leon has a tough life. He wasn't born with a silver spoon in his mouth like a certain someone." My phone rang the moment the words left her lips. It was my girlfriend, Elena Westwood. I stared at her name on the screen for a long time before I finally answered the call. Elena's voice was as cheerful as ever on the other end of the line. "Are you still in bed?" she asked. "I brought breakfast for you. Come downstairs." I couldn't help but feel how absurd the entire situation was. Things had already escalated to this point, but she was still pretending that nothing was amiss. Suppressing my turbulent emotions, I asked, "Did I lose my spot on the recommendation list, Elena?" Elena fell silent for a moment on the other end of the line. "Who has been spouting nonsense to you, Rowan? I've already checked the school's system. Perhaps they're just doing a temporary adjustment," she said in a low voice. "You're not responsible?" I asked lightly. Elena fell silent for two seconds. Her voice was laced with irritation when she asked, "Are you suspecting me right now, Rowan?" I ended the call. … Elena showed up outside my house 20 minutes later. She behaved as she always did, taking my bag from me and offering me two slices of toast and a bottle of milk. She frowned when she noticed my bloodshot eyes and asked, "Why do you look so terrible?" When she reached out to touch my forehead, I stepped back. Elena froze in place. Her gaze slowly darkened as she asked, "What's wrong with you?" I stared at her and offered her my phone. The to-do list was displayed on the screen, along with the words, "Saving Leon Sinclair's Life". Elena's expression stiffened. She stared at the screen and didn't say a single word for a long time. My eyes reddened as I asked, "Was it fun, Elena? Aiming for my spot on the recommendation list while still pretending to love me?" Elena averted her gaze. She bit her lip as she glanced at me. A few moments later, she finally said in a low voice, "I didn't want you to find out so soon, Rowan, but Leon has run out of options." Tears spilled down my cheeks. "That's why you decided to ruin my future?" "You're different from him," Elena said, frowning. "You have such good results. You'll definitely do well on your college entrance exams. Leon can't." It was the same excuse again. "Why can't Leon do it?" I demanded while staring unblinkingly at her. Elena couldn't hide the sympathy in her eyes. "I caught a glimpse of him hiding in the kitchen and eating leftovers a few days ago. Your father and stepmother totally ignored him when they took you out to dinner. He didn't even dare to serve himself some food." I was stunned, then barked out an indignant laugh. "So, you feel sorry for him? He has always known how to put on an act since he was a child! Can't you tell that he's just pretending to be pitiful?" "Your prejudice against him runs too deep, Rowan," Elena said, frowning. I finally understood what was going on. She saw herself in the fake persona that my stepbrother, Leon Sinclair, had created for himself. She saw the person she used to be—someone who lacked love and protection, and who did everything she could to curry favor with the people around her. It was why her heart softened, and why she became biased toward Leon. "I just want to save him, Rowan," Elena said slowly. My voice was shaking when I said, "Fine. You can continue saving him according to the plan you've created. But there's an error in the third step. We won't be getting married anymore." Chapter 2 I stopped looking at Elena, turned around, and made my way toward school. Elena trailed after me as she always did. She locked arms with me and protected me from the bicycles that sped past us just like before. She also reflexively pulled me closer to her when the red light was lit up. Her movements were so natural that it was as if nothing had changed. However, I coldly pushed her away every time. I noticed that my desk had been moved next to the trash bin in the last row when I stepped into the classroom. Leon was sitting in my original seat. He kept his head down as he organized his books. His eyes reddened as if he hadn't expected the sudden turn of events either. The female student next to me immediately explained, "Mr. Hollander's the one who changed your seat. Leon needs to prepare for his interview after landing a spot on the recommendation list. Sitting in the front will make it more convenient for him." I didn't respond. I simply bent down and picked up the books scattered across the floor, one at a time. I could still make out some footprints that hadn't been cleaned properly on my math worksheets. Leon suddenly crouched down and picked up some of the books for me. His eyes were bloodshot. "I'm sorry, Rowan. I'll give your seat back to you, okay?" he murmured in a small voice. The way that everyone looked at me changed in an instant. Just then, Elena entered the classroom from the back door. She immediately spotted Leon crouching on the floor, noticing the bloody papercut on his finger. Her expression darkened in an instant. She pulled Leon behind her, then turned her gaze on me. It was the first time that she looked at me with visible disappointment in her eyes. "Do you have to be like this, Rowan?" I wasn't bothered enough to explain myself to her. Holding the books close to my chest, I made my way toward the last row. … The mock exam results were released that afternoon. I had scored first place in my entire year. Chaos erupted in the school forum just before the evening self-study period was over. Someone had anonymously uploaded an audio recording of the words I said a few days ago in the stairwell. "He's been good at acting ever since he was a child. He's addicted to stealing other people's things." The audio recording also included a caption. "The genius of the school has been bullying his stepbrother for a long time out of jealousy that the latter was included in the recommendation list." The post was immediately pinned to the top of the page. Everyone was criticizing me in the comments, calling me a malicious person. Some of them even dug up the fact that Mom had passed away, labeling me a failed product of a mistress' attempt to win Dad's favor. My fingers slowly turned cold as I gripped my phone. Meanwhile, Leon was shedding tears at his seat. A group of people surrounded him, offering words of comfort. Elena stood next to his desk, subconsciously blocking him from my view. That evening, before classes ended for the day, Edmund informed us the parent-teacher meetings would take place the next day. My heart plummeted into my gut. As expected, tears spilled down Michelle's face the moment she stepped into the classroom the next afternoon. "Leon has always been cowardly, Mr. Hollander. He's always covered in wounds when he comes home. He tells me that Rowan hates him." Leon hung his head as he sat next to her with bloodshot eyes. The other parents began to whisper among themselves. "So what if he has good results? His personality is terrible." "Someone like him will grow up to be a dangerous man." The most absurd part of the entire situation was that Elena was there too. Edmund had said that, as the student representative, she needed to help resolve the so-called school conflict. Elena stood next to the podium. She remained silent for a long time before she finally said in a low voice, "Rowan's been emotionally unstable recently." Her single sentence shoved me into a deep abyss. I whipped my head up to look at her, but she averted her gaze. At that moment, I suddenly recalled an incident from my freshman year. Someone had accused me of stealing money, prompting all the students to rummage through my bag. Elena kicked over a desk and shielded me behind her. "Touch him again. I dare you." But in that moment, she became the one to ruin me with her own two hands. After the parent-teacher meetings, the school revoked my eligibility for the Outstanding Student Award. They also temporarily suspended my scholarship that was meant to help impoverished students, citing that I showed tendencies to engage in bullying. I sat alone in the empty classroom and tore the scholarship application form to shreds, little by little. Elena pushed the door open, stood there, and watched me for a long time. She finally seemed to realize the situation had escalated. A few moments later, she slowly approached me and placed a new competition registration form on my desk. Her voice was hoarse when she said, "I'll help restore your eligibility to participate in the competition as long as you stop targeting Leon, Rowan." I slowly pushed the form back to her. "Did you think that I would fall at your feet in gratitude and continue waiting for you in the same spot if you gave me some handouts? The recommendation list, the scholarships, my reputation… You hope to silence me with these things even though you're responsible for ruining them in the first place." I stared at her. "However, you're the one who disgusts me the most right now." Elena didn't seem to expect me to be so harsh. She gritted her teeth. Her voice had taken on a resolute and stubborn edge when she said, "Fine! Let's see the extent of your stubbornness." Chapter 3 Three days after my scholarship was canceled, Edmund pushed a competition registration form in front of me. He sounded a little troubled when he said, "The registration fee for the provincial competition is 280 dollars this year. You need to pay as soon as possible." My throat tightened as I looked down at the form. In the past, I could pay these fees even when my family refused to give me any money. However, I couldn't even produce a single penny at that moment. … Michelle was snacking on the couch when I returned home that night. Leon's recommendation interview was playing on the TV. "You're amazing, Leon. You'll definitely make it big in the future." Michelle's expression soured when she noticed me. "Why are you still bothering to attend classes when your reputation is ruined, and you've lost your scholarship? You should just start working. At least you can help reduce the family's financial burdens." Leon padded out of his room the moment the words left her lips. He bit his lip lightly and said, "The truth is, you don't have to work so hard, Rowan. Elena said that even if you don't get into a university, she'll still let you marry into her family." For the first time, I realized that a person could be so naturally wicked. I scoffed. "You must be very pleased with yourself right now." Leon's eyes reddened. I didn't say another word, turning around to head back to my room. But I froze when the door swung open. My room was in utter chaos. All the closets had been opened. The things that Mom left behind after she passed away that I stashed in a cardboard box under the bed had disappeared. The color drained from my face in an instant. I whirled around and dashed out of my room, shouting, "Where are Mom's things?" "Oh, that pile of junk?" Michelle asked languidly. "Some people dropped by the house to interview Leon today. It would look so bad if they actually captured that pile of junk in their footage, so I threw everything away." I rushed out of the house and began rummaging through the trash like a lunatic. Unfortunately, I couldn't find any of Mom's things. I left the house that same night, dragging my luggage behind me. … I attended classes during the day and worked part-time jobs at night starting the next day. I gave out flyers, washed dishes, and worked the night shift at a convenience store. In the end, I made enough money to rent a basement in a back alley behind the school. I piled my textbooks next to my bed and slept only four hours a day. I spent the rest of my time studying. Two weeks later, Elena blocked me at the convenience store's entrance. It was the first time that I had seen her since our argument. Apparently, she had left the country to take her mind off things. She had lost a lot of weight, and her eyes were bloodshot. Her eyes widened when she spotted me. She probably hadn't expected to see me dressed in a cheap uniform with chilblains all over my fingers. Her voice was hoarse when she called out, "Rowan." I brushed past her and tried to leave, but she grabbed my wrist. Her face twisted in the next second because my hand was as cold as ice. "Where are you living now?" Elena demanded as she stared at me. When I didn't answer her question, her eyes slowly reddened. "Why aren't you going home?" I finally looked up at her. "Are you sure that's my home?" Elena's breath hitched in her throat. A few moments later, she said in a low voice, "I've already paid the competition's registration fee for you. Stop living in that basement. I'll rent another place for you." She pressed a bank card into my hand before she continued, "There's 100,000 dollars inside. Stop making things difficult for yourself, Rowan." As I looked down at the bank card, I couldn't help but feel how absurd the entire situation was. I threw the card back at her and sneered, "Do you think that I'll follow you around like before just because you spent some money on me, Elena?" The color drained from Elena's face. "That wasn't my intention." "What is your intention then?" I asked as I stared at her. "You stole my spot from the recommendation list. You ruined my scholarship. Do you intend to decide how I live my life now too? What gives you the right to do such a thing?" Elena's eyes reddened, but she couldn't say a single thing. Chapter 4 Elena received a video that was secretly filmed the next day. In the video, I was standing in front of a hotel. A middle-aged woman handed me a thick stack of bills. I lowered my head before taking the money from her. The angle from which the video was shot made the scene look rather flirtatious. It was as if we were involved in a clandestine deal. Leon sat opposite Elena and carefully said, "I didn't want to tell you about this, Elena, but Rowan has been acting very strange recently. Is he… For the sake of money… Is he doing something bad?" Elena refused to believe him at first. However, her expression gradually darkened as the video reached its end, showing how I had slipped the stack of bills into my bag. That night, she showed up at the hotel where I was working part-time like a lunatic. I had just finished tutoring my student when she suddenly yanked me into a stairwell. Her eyes were bloodshot. Her voice was incredibly hoarse as she demanded, "Do you need money that badly, Rowan?" I frowned and pulled free of her grip. "What the hell is wrong with you?" I snapped. Elena thrust her phone in my face—a video played on the screen. In the video, a woman offered me a stack of money. The air around us seemed blatantly flirtatious. A deathly silence descended upon us. I barked out an indignant laugh when I snapped back to my senses. "So, you think that I'm selling myself." Elena stared unblinkingly at me. A storm of turbulent emotions raged in her eyes. "Tell me what's happening in the video then. I fucking traveled abroad to look at different schools to secure a good future for both of us. Meanwhile, you're ruining yourself?" I suddenly felt incredibly exhausted as I looked at her. A few moments passed before I slowly said, "The woman is my student's mother. The money that she gave me is the tutoring fee. You can just focus on saving your prince, Elena. Don't interfere with my life, alright?" I swatted her hand away and left without any hesitation. … Leon sought Elena out a week later. "Did I do something wrong, Elena?" he asked. Elena had been in low spirits for some time. Besides, a long time had passed since she last saw me. I had quit my job at the convenience store, and I had also moved out of the basement. I was also intentionally avoiding her at school. She massaged her brow and asked hoarsely, "What are you trying to say?" Leon bit his lip. "Rowan hates you now," he said in a small voice. "Because he still has options. He can still rely on his results, the competition, and working to keep himself alive. But what if he loses all of that?" Elena's frown deepened. However, Leon seemed to be oblivious to her reaction. He continued softly, "Don't you understand Rowan better than anyone else, Elena? He's had a stubborn streak since he was a child. He'll only turn back once he's out of options." He seemed to realize something after he was done speaking and shook his head wildly. "I'm not asking you to hurt him. I just… I just want to help the two of you make up." Elena fell silent for a long time. In the end, she grabbed her phone and called her father's secretary. … The head of discipline summoned me to the office the next day. A withdrawal application form sat on her desk. She sounded troubled when she said, "Public opinion about you has left a big impact on the school, Rowan. The school has received countless complaints from the parents. On top of that, there's an issue with your competition qualification. The school suggests that you withdraw for now." I stood rooted to the spot and didn't say a single word for a long time. I had desperately tried to protect my future ever since they stole my spot on the recommendation list. But in the end, they managed to ruin everything, little by little. I stayed silent for a long time before finally looking down and signing my name on the dotted line. I passed by the juniors' building after I left the office. The classroom lights were still on. Some students had their heads buried in their worksheets as they worked on the questions. Some students were sprawled across their desks, fast asleep. Someone else was already occupying the seat that used to be mine. I stood at the end of the hallway and stared for a long time. In the end, I turned around and left. … Three days later, I traveled to the south by myself, dragging my luggage bag with me. A new city. A new school. No one knew me or my terrible past. I changed my number and deleted all possible ways to contact me. I vanished from their world. Meanwhile, Elena only noticed that something was amiss one week later. She went to school as she usually did that day, wanting to give me the information that she had collected about the overseas universities. However, she only noticed that my seat was empty when she walked to the last row. My desk had also been moved. She was briefly stunned before she reflexively asked the students next to her, "Where's Rowan?" None of them answered her. Edmund walked out of the office. He sighed when he looked at her, asking, "Don't you know, Elena? Rowan has transferred to another school."