The Daughter They Overlooked Was a Golden Wolf Chapter 03
The moment I push open the door to the Beta House, I spot the trash can in the corner of the living
om, stuffed with my things.
The first–place medal from the state Physics Olympiad finals, the Academic Excellence Award from school, my Natiorial Merit Scholar certificate, and all the certificates I’ve earned from academic competitions over the years.
They’re all torn to pieces, mixed in with fruit peels and scraps of paper.
“What are you doing?!”
I rush over and yank my certificates out of the trash.
Megan rolls her eyes, completely unfazed.
“Oh, Chloe, what’s the big deal? We’re all going to college soon. What’s the point of keeping all these old awards? They just take up space. I was only trying to help you clean up.”
I’m shaking with rage, “I stayed up countless nights and worked my ass off for these! Who gave you the right to touch my things?”
“Enough!”
Mom rushes out of the kitchen and immediately shields Megan.
“What is wrong with you? It’s not that serious.”
“Megan was just trying to help clean your room. If you don’t appreciate it, fine, but don’t yell at her!”
Landon walks out of his bedroom and leans against the doorframe with a mocking smile.
“Chloe, why keep all those stupid certificates? So you can show them off and make Megan look bad?”
“We’re family. Why are you always so petty?”
I clutch the stained certificate tightly without saying a word, then turn and walk back to my room.
Ever since I was little, everyone has called me smart and talented.
But my grades don’t come from nowhere.
Every weekend, Mom takes Megan to amusement parks and nail salons while I’m left home alone, grinding through practice problems and squeezing in time to train at the field.
Mom drives Megan to all kinds of activities. I have to walk to school by myself, then walk to training
afterward.
twelve years, through rain or shine, I force myself to keep going. I build the discipline and academic record everyone else envies.
They use everything I sacrifice to spoil Megan rotten.
And now, they want to destroy my future with their own hands.
Three days later, it’s our high school graduation party.
Sophie raises her beer and shouts loudly.
“Come on! This one’s for Chloe!”
“Our school’s top STEM student, Physics Olympiad champion, and almost a perfect SAT score!”
“Getting into a top university’s Physics program should be a piece of cake for Chloe, right?”
Megan suddenly snorts beside her, “Oh, Sophie. Don’t get ahead of yourself.”
She casually twirls her straw, poking at the lemon floating in her drink.
“Getting good grades is one thing. Getting into college is another.”
The party falls silent for a moment.
Sophie blinks, “Megan, what’s that supposed to mean? With grades like Chloe’s, how could she possibly get rejected everywhere?”
Xavier sets down his drink and sighs.
“Chloe’s always been too proud. She wouldn’t even let us look over her applications.”
“If she got impulsive and applied to programs that didn’t fit her profile, or missed the final
confirmation…”
“That could be a real problem.”
Megan immediately picks up where he leaves off.
“Exactly. If Chloe really gets rejected everywhere and has to wait another year to reapply, what are
you going to do, Alpha Xavier?”
“Wouldn’t that mean you two would have to do long–distance?”
Xavier gently runs a hand through Megan’s hair.
“It’s fine. I can come back to the pack on weekends to see her.”
He pauses, then adds meaningfully, “And maybe spend a little more time looking after you, too.”
The students around us exchange awkward looks, and the atmosphere instantly turns
uncomfortable.
A few girls who are usually close to Megan start whispering among themselves.
“No way. Chloe’s one of the best Physics students in school. She really got rejected everywhere?”
“If she ends up at some college no one’s even heard of, that’d be brutal.”
I sit there watching Xavier and Megan play off each other, and instead of getting angry, I smile.
“You’re right.”
Everyone turns to look at me.
I pick up the glass of water in front of me, my voice calm.
“Which college accepts me in the end… I honestly don’t know yet.
The moment I finish speaking, my phone buzzes.
It’s a message from Logan.
[It’s done.]
[Royal Fang has confirmed the special admission.]
[The professor says the official admission package will be mailed to your house tomorrow.)
