---- Chapter 12 After I became famous, I was still a star even at Lycanshire University. Not long after, my brothers who once kicked me out of the house suddenly showed up, hoping I'd come home with them. Mom, who'd vanished without a trace for years, also reached out to me, saying she wanted to introduce me toa suitable marriage prospect. Without thinking twice, I blocked them all. When I was struggling and desperate, they either abandoned me or trampled all over me. Now that I was doing well, it was absurd of them to think they could just slither their way back into my life. Did they really think I was some fool waiting to be used? Enraged, my brothers tried threatening me. "Send us money right now, or we'll go to the ---- reporters and tell them how you turned your back on your family after becoming famous. Let's see how you'll sell your courses if your reputation is ruined!" But I wasn't afraid of their threats. Every one of them was rotten to the core. I warned them that if I so much as sawa single insult online about me, I'd give the wife of Mom's sugar daddy Mom's exact address and phone number. And I'd make sure everyone knew my brothers were drug addicts and petty thieves, just like our ghost of a father. Finally, they quieted down. No one dared to bother me again. As for Cora, she was sentenced to prison for assault. Mr. Knightley initially tried to bribe the police to help her, but soon, the internet was flooded with news exposing his tax evasion scandal and how he covered up Cora's bullying at school. He panicked, desperate to bury the news, only to find that none of his old connections would take his calls. ---- It was the Alpha's doing. Well, Raymond actually did one good thing. He'd convinced the Alpha to investigate Cora's father. After Cora's family fell from power, the school got a new principal. And I was invited back as an outstanding alumna to give a speech. I poured my heart into preparing that speech because I knew, somewhere in front of those cameras, there might be countless kids trapped in the dark-just like Tonce was. Through my words, I wanted to show them what life could look like if they fought their way out. At the end of my speech, I raised my fist and shouted into the camera, "If you're stuck in a dark abyss right now, remember, you can cut through the thorns and build your own ladder to escape! Only you can lead yourself out of despair. "Feel what freedom is like. Go chase your dreams!" After I got off stage, one of my seniors, who was also ---- an invited guest, stopped me. "Do Ihave the honor of treating you to a cup of coffee? " Sean Whitmore asked. Just as I was about to respond, I spotted a familiar face in the distance. "Adeline..."