In my Poli-Sci class, the resident "pick-me" girl managed to hook the CEO of Sterling Enterprises. She handed out wedding invitations to the entire class, making a point to deliberately skip me. Yet, on the day of her wedding, the grand reception was delayed for hours. Why? Because the legendary, elusive "Great-Aunt" of the Sterling family hadn't arrived. Now, she was desperately begging everyone, trying to get just one minute with this Great-Aunt. Meet me? But she was the one who made it explicitly clear she didn't want me there. 1 As soon as Poli-Sci ended, Chloe Jenkins suddenly stood at the podium and announced to the class that she was getting married. The date was just a week away, and the venue was the ultra-luxurious Plaza Hotel downtown. Honestly, rumors had been swirling for a while. People said Chloe had gotten very close to a wealthy older man, and several classmates had seen her being dropped off at campus in a Rolls-Royce. "Seriously? I heard a single table at the Plaza costs over ten grand. A wedding there has to be in the millions!" "Wow, that’s insane. Who exactly is your fiancé, Chloe?" Though the university allowed students to marry, it was still incredibly rare to see a sophomore tying the knot. Chloe smiled shyly. "You guys might have heard of him. My boyfriend's name is Liam Sterling. His family is actually pretty normal, he just thinks you only get married once, so he wants to give me a beautiful memory." "Liam Sterling? That sounds familiar." "Wait, isn't that the CEO of Sterling Enterprises, the biggest conglomerate in the city? Please tell me it's just a coincidence!" Chloe gave a subtle nod, not denying it. "No wonder!" "The Plaza is actually owned by the Sterling family, so it makes sense to host it there. We're so lucky to get a free meal out of this! I've never had five-star hotel food in my life." "Congratulations, Chloe!" As the classmates showered her with congratulations, Chloe pulled a stack of elegant wedding invitations from her brand-new Louis Vuitton bag. "Because there will be a lot of VIPs there, Liam said we need to strictly enforce the invitations to keep out any... uninvited guests. So please make sure to bring these," she said sweetly. "Don't worry, we'll keep them safe." Chloe went around handing them out. When she got to my desk, her hands were suddenly empty. I raised an eyebrow. Chloe gave me an exaggerated look of guilt. "Hazel, I'm so sorry. My boyfriend said he accidentally missed you when counting the guest list. The seating chart is already finalized, so we really can't squeeze you in. I'm so sorry." She bit her lower lip. "How about I make my boyfriend take you out to a nice dinner next time to make up for it? If I can't get your blessing, I'll honestly be devastated." I looked at her deeply, pretending I didn't see the smug triumph dancing in her eyes. "No need," I smiled genuinely. "Happy wedding." Chloe acted as if she was still overcome with guilt, tears welling up in her eyes. She put on such a show that the rest of the class immediately rushed over to comfort her, telling her it wasn't her fault and that she shouldn't let me ruin her mood. She was pretty—delicate features, fragile demeanor—and had been voted the department's sweetheart the moment she stepped on campus. That frail look made people instinctively want to protect her. My classmates began side-eyeing me, telling me not to be petty, since Chloe clearly didn't do it on purpose. I hadn't even said anything negative, yet somehow I was the villain. I stayed in the classroom to read. The others quickly cleared out. A few minutes later, Chloe suddenly strutted back into the room. "Hazel." "There was no 'headcount mistake'. I left you out on purpose," she said, her tone dripping with arrogance. "I know. So?" I asked, genuinely confused. "Are you done? If you're done, I need to get back to my reading. Who you marry has nothing to do with me. Actually, if you were marrying a pig, I might attend. That would be rare." Chloe's face drained of color. "Hazel, stop pretending! You act all high and mighty all day, but behind closed doors, you're just some rich guy's sugar baby. Yet you put on this fake 'good student' act to make everyone think you're perfect." "It's pathetic." I didn't even bother looking up from my book. "Proof?" Chloe scoffed. "Hazel, looking at your hypocritical face makes me sick. Someone like you has no right to attend my wedding. You don't even deserve the last name Sterling." I hadn't planned on engaging with her, but everyone has their limits. I snapped my book shut. "Whether I deserve the last name Sterling or not is none of your business." "But tell me... you really, truly don't want me at your wedding?" Chloe froze, unable to guess what I was getting at. After a moment, she let out a loud sneer. "What do you think? Why would I ever want you there?" "You won't regret this?" I stared straight into her eyes. "Why would I? Because of you? Hazel, you're not just a hypocrite, you're a narcissist." I packed my book into my backpack and said softly, "Understood, Chloe. In that case... I hope you don't regret this." 2 When I got back to the dorm from the library, my roommates immediately surrounded me, telling me not to let Chloe get to me. There were six of us in the suite. Chloe had moved out at the beginning of the semester, leaving just the five of us: Harper, Mia, Zoe, Lily, and me. They used to be close to Chloe, but after a few incidents, they saw right through her manipulative tactics. When Harper first started dating her boyfriend, she treated the dorm to dinner. We all agreed not to add her boyfriend on social media out of respect, except Chloe. Chloe added his Snapchat. It started with her "innocently" sharing funny stories about Harper, then evolved into her calling him late at night, constantly dropping hints that Harper didn't actually love him that much. When Harper and her boyfriend eventually broke up, Chloe acted incredibly supportive, which made Harper deeply grateful. It wasn't until Harper's ex accidentally revealed that Chloe had been badmouthing her that the truth came out. That was when everyone saw the real Chloe. She used her fragile, innocent act to manipulate people's sympathies and gain their trust. "I'm not mad. I don't have the time to be as bored as her, using a marriage just to flex on other people," I said, choosing my words carefully. "It's just stupid." Speak of the devil. Chloe walked in, a smirk playing on her lips. She looked thrilled, probably thinking her little stunt had genuinely upset me. I didn't bother explaining. There was no point. The other girls ignored her, turning back to their own desks. Noticing the cold reception, Chloe placed several designer gift bags on the center table. "Mia, Zoe, my fiancé just got back from a business trip to Paris and brought these gifts. See if you like them. If there aren't enough, I can have my driver bring more." Harper was in the middle of a video game and snapped, "What, you think we've never seen imported goods before? You think we can't afford anything?" Chloe immediately played defense, saying she didn't mean it like that. She just felt that these items were very expensive, and as "besties," she wanted to share them. "I just think friends should share," Chloe said, looking down. "But if you don't want them because you hate me, that's fine. I... I understand." She looked like she was about to cry. Her acting wasn't quite up to par today—all thunder, no rain. But if we didn't take the stuff, she'd probably make enough noise to draw the whole floor into our room to see us "bullying" her. I casually reached out and grabbed one of the boxes. "If it's for everyone, then there's one for me, right? Perfect. I'll flip it on Poshmark. Should cover my groceries for the week." "It's hard to find a sucker giving away free money these days. Why say no?" Chloe looked shocked, but seemed pleased that her ultimate goal of showing off was achieved. Zoe put away her laundry and grabbed a box too. "Yeah, free stuff is free stuff. Thanks, Chloe. We really wouldn't be able to afford this otherwise." The other girls laughed and took the remaining boxes, turning to me. "Hazel, what's that app you use? Help us sell these too! We'll buy you boba with the profits." Chloe: "..." Ignoring our attitude, Chloe pivoted to her real announcement: "I'll be moving back into the dorm starting tomorrow until the wedding. I hope we can all get along for these next few days." None of us wanted her back. We knew exactly why she was doing it—if she didn't stay in the dorm, how else could she make sure the entire student body saw the fleet of luxury cars picking her up? Honestly, the girl knew how to put on a show. She brought back a ton of extra gifts, handing them out to girls in other dorms whether she knew them or not. Naturally, this won her a ton of envious admirers. Upperclassmen even started coming by our room to network with her, asking if she could hook them up with jobs at Sterling Enterprises. Our dorm usually had a great study environment, but for three days straight, it was packed like a crowded fish market. We couldn't even breathe. Zoe tried to reason with Chloe, but Chloe just gave her signature helpless look. "I don't want this either! But they're our classmates. How can I say no? Just because I'm marrying the CEO of Sterling Enterprises doesn't mean I should act like a snob. That would hurt their feelings." Zoe was so mad she chugged an entire bottle of orange juice in one go. "How about we talk to the RA? This is ruining our lives," Harper sighed heavily. "I can't even take a nap in here anymore. And Lily is a total introvert—she's having panic attacks seeing a dozen strangers in our room every day." "I'll go talk to her," Mia volunteered. Less than a minute later, Mia returned, frowning at her phone. "The RA said we just need to endure it. The university is apparently trying to secure a partnership with Sterling Enterprises right now. She told us to 'be understanding roommates' and avoid causing unnecessary drama." "Blatant favoritism." "At least it's only a few more days. Once she's married, there's no way the Sterling family will let her live in a crusty college dorm." I had just finished a brutal practice test for my Advanced French exam. I took a sip of water. "Not necessarily. Who knows if something will go wrong at the wedding? She might be forced to keep living here." Harper laughed and called me a jinx, though she admitted she was torn on whether she wanted Chloe's wedding to go smoothly or not. Then she paused. "Hazel, your last name is Sterling too. Are you secretly related to Liam Sterling? Don't tell me you're actually a secret heiress." I waved my hand dismissively. "I don't know Liam Sterling." Harper groaned. "Ugh! I was hoping you were a secret billionaire who would take us on luxury vacations so we could flex on Chloe. Wait, did she not invite you because she hates us, or does she just hate you?" Chloe returned to the dorm surrounded by her new entourage. We immediately stopped talking and dispersed, either going for a walk or hanging out in other rooms. I put my noise-canceling headphones on and started another practice test, trying to block out the endless fawning over Chloe. This was just obstacle training, I told myself. I absolutely had to pass my Advanced French exam this time! 3 The week flew by. Within that time, practically every student and professor knew about Chloe's wedding to Liam Sterling. Because she had to attend endless dress fittings and makeup trials, her professors gave her a free pass to skip lectures. Yet, she would purposely show up to class in full bridal makeup and designer gowns, stepping out of a chauffeur-driven car just to "listen to a lecture." People took photos and posted them to the campus confession page, praising her for being beautiful, rich, and still so dedicated to her studies. A true role model. It was under this circus-like atmosphere that Chloe's wedding day finally arrived. That morning, a motorcade of over twenty luxury cars—Porsches, Bentleys, Maseratis—pulled onto campus and parked right outside our dorm building. Chloe, accompanied by a flock of bridesmaids, stepped into the lead car like royalty. The students who had caught wind of the spectacle were already crowded outside. They finally got a look at Liam Sterling. He was in his early thirties, looking sharp and professional, maintaining a polished smile while his assistant pulled stacks of red envelopes from the trunk. Three or four boxes of cash envelopes were tossed into the cheering crowd. Some students ripped them open on the spot—the minimum amount inside was two hundred dollars. Occasionally, someone would scream that they got an eight-hundred-dollar envelope. Chloe looked like a princess soaking in the adoration of her subjects. The students who got the cash cheered even louder. The noise was deafening. Chloe was getting married. Today. My classmates had all headed to the hotel reception. I, however, pushed against the crowd and walked back into the empty dorm. From the hallway window, I watched the motorcade slowly inch its way off campus. Harper asked in our dorm group chat if I wanted her to bring me anything back. "If we don't pack up the leftovers from these rich snobs, it's a crime against food!" Mia chimed in: "Maybe we shouldn't even go. Let's not give Chloe the satisfaction." My heart warmed, but I texted back: "It's a five-star hotel, don't skip a good meal just out of spite. Besides, the Sterling family is paying for it. You have every right to eat it. It has nothing to do with Chloe." Lily: "What do you mean by that?" "Nothing. I'm going back to my practice tests. I must pass this French exam! If I fail again, I'm doing frog leaps around the track for ten minutes straight!" The others: "Okay, okay, you poor 79-scoring tragic hero." Ugh! Stop bullying me! Why was French grammar so abusive?! Liam and Chloe's wedding was excessively lavish. They even had a live stream going. Students back at the dorms who snagged the cash envelopes were watching it online, occasionally screaming about the crystal chandeliers, the dreamy floral arrangements, or the massive diamond necklace around Chloe's neck. Harper and the girls were bored waiting, so they FaceTimed me, panning the camera around to plan their takeout strategy. They were seated at a table with all the girls from our class, so they didn't have to be formal. I glanced at the screen. "Skip the king crab, it's dry. Grab the sliced sea bass over there, the sauce is incredible. Leave the wine, none of us drink that stuff anyway." "No way, we can sell the wine online," Lily said seriously. We all burst out laughing. "Lily is out for blood today. The resentment is real." There were over a hundred tables. The guests included top corporate executives and city officials. Many of my classmates were actively networking, handing out resumes. "Why is this taking so long? If they don't serve the food soon, it's gonna get cold." Mia agreed. "Yeah, I see CEO Sterling talking to his family over there. Shouldn't the ceremony have started by now?" A giant poster at the entrance said the ceremony would begin at 12:30 PM. It was now past 1:00 PM, and nothing was happening. The MC had been on stage stretching his opening monologue for twenty minutes. Sweating profusely, he finally called up a magician to stall, running over to Liam to ask when they could start. Chloe was standing next to Liam, looking nervously at Eleanor, Liam's mother. Chloe had gone through all the trouble of setting up a livestream. Making her friends, family, and half the university wait for a delayed wedding was a massive blow to her ego. Her smile was practically twitching. "Absolutely not!" Eleanor Sterling's voice carried sharply. "Aunt Hazel hasn't arrived. Serve the food? What are you thinking?" Eleanor wasn't bothering to keep her voice down, so quite a few people heard her. The Sterling family had a Great-Aunt? People looked around in confusion but saw nothing. Harper whispered into the phone, "Hazel, did you hear that? The Sterling family's Great-Aunt isn't here. Chloe's wedding might literally be stalled." Mia frowned. "That can't be right. It's their wedding. Even if an elder can't make it, they wouldn't just cancel the whole thing, right?" A guest at the next table leaned over to gossip. "You don't understand. The Sterlings are a centuries-old dynasty. They take hierarchy incredibly seriously. I've never heard of this Matriarch before, but if she exists, this wedding is on thin ice." "Oh damn. I guess when you're that senior, you get to throw your weight around," Zoe said, worried. "But if the wedding is canceled... does that mean the food is canceled? Are we gonna have to split the bill?!" Our classmates laughed. I looked at the screen, watching Chloe stand awkwardly by the extravagant stage, and said casually, "Maybe it's not that the Matriarch is throwing her weight around. Maybe she was never invited?" Harper gasped. "Are you insane? Who would dare not invite an elder like that? Honestly, I'm super curious how old this Great-Aunt is. She's gotta be like, ninety or a hundred, right? If I get a chance, I'm gonna ask her for longevity tips. I wanna live to be a hundred and terrorize six generations of my descendants." I let out a cold snort. "What are you snorting at?" Harper asked. "I just got three questions wrong on this practice test. Can't I snort in frustration?" Just then, Liam spoke up on the screen. "Mom, why don't we just proceed without Aunt Hazel today? We'll personally visit the estate tomorrow to pay our respects." Eleanor, a woman with an elegant but imposing aura, sneered. "Have you forgotten the family rules? You want the board of elders to kick you out of the family trust?" "Mom... I mean, Mrs. Sterling, it's getting so late. Won't this look bad for the guests?" Chloe said softly, clinging to Liam's arm. "Stop. Do not call me Mom. If Aunt Hazel doesn't show, this wedding doesn't count. If you want to call someone Mom, go out to the street and pick a stranger," Eleanor glared at Chloe, then turned to the older man beside her. "Uncle Richard, Aunt Hazel still isn't answering her phone?" Richard sighed heavily. "You know how she is, Eleanor. She never lets us bother her unless it's an emergency, and she only checks her phone when she feels like it. Should we just drive to the university and look for her?" "The university?" Chloe murmured. "Mrs. Sterling... I'm ranked third in my major, and I'm very close with a lot of the professors," Chloe offered eagerly. "Should I go ask them to help locate her?" Hearing about her good grades, Eleanor's expression softened slightly. "I appreciate the thought, but this is a senior family member. We shouldn't trouble you." "It's no trouble at all!" Chloe looked like she was about to cry. Understandably. If this wedding didn't start soon, she would be a laughingstock. Harper kept the camera pointed at the drama. "Wait, an old professor at our school? Do you guys know any who fit the bill?" After sneezing loudly, I hung up the FaceTime call. A moment later, I pulled out my burner phone from my drawer. I scrolled through dozens of missed calls and finally selected one to call back. I don't know what Chloe said to Eleanor, but Chloe was the one who answered the phone. Her voice was pitiful and sweet, constantly repeating her name, her major, how good her grades were, and how much she wanted to meet the "Great-Aunt." "Really?" I said flatly. She paused. "Great-Aunt... your voice sounds so young! Please, if you could just come to my wedding, everything would be perfect. We're all waiting for you." After the pleasantries, I got straight to the point. "Is that so?" Chloe said firmly, "Of course! Great-Aunt, should we send a car to pick you up at the university? The hotel is a bit far, we don't want you to get tired." I didn't reply. I changed my shoes, walked downstairs, and called an Uber to the Plaza. I have one major flaw: I'm very easily persuaded. If you don't invite me, I don't go. If you beg me to come, I go. I listen to people. Whoever ended up with me was a lucky person. 4 On the way, Harper was giving live updates in our group chat. She said the "Great-Aunt" had agreed to come, and Chloe was acting incredibly smug, taking full credit for saving the day. All traces of her previous panic were gone. "I hope this ancient ancestor has good eyesight and sees right through her 'pick-me' act." "I'm worried the Matriarch is so old she won't even be able to see straight." Ugh. Disrespectful. "Hazel, what are you doing? Why aren't you replying? The MC is doing his opening speech again! I think the wedding is actually starting!" It wasn't that I didn't want to reply; I just didn't want to say anything un-ladylike and ruin our friendship. Thirty minutes later, I arrived at the hotel. The entire ballroom had been rented out by Liam and Chloe. Because I didn't have an invitation, security stopped me at the door. From fifty feet away, Harper spotted me. "Hazel! Over here!" she yelled, waving wildly. Hearing the noise, Chloe, holding a glass of champagne and looking the picture of elegance, strolled over to the entrance and stopped in front of me. "Hazel, what are you doing here?" I shrugged, feigning helplessness. "I didn't have a choice. Someone begged me to come." "Begged you?" Chloe burst out laughing. "Who? Why wasn't I informed?" Mr. and Mrs. Jenkins, dressed in stiff, rented designer clothes, noticed the commotion and came over, looking annoyed. "Classmate of mine," Chloe explained. "A classmate?" Mr. Jenkins gave me a dismissive once-over. "A freeloader? Just find a seat and sit down. Welcoming the Great-Aunt is the only thing that matters right now. Don't waste time on useless people." Mrs. Jenkins nodded vigorously in agreement. Chloe smiled. "Well, Hazel, come on in. Why don't you sit at that table right by the door? It's quiet, and no one will notice when you start packing up the leftovers." "Really? Good thing I brought Tupperware," I said nonchalantly, pulling a plastic grocery bag out of my purse and giving her a thumbs up. "You're so generous, Chloe. No wonder you get to marry a CEO." Mr. Jenkins's frown deepened. He stood at the door, nervously checking his watch, discussing with his wife if they should go down to the lobby to wait. I sat at the very back table with people I didn't know and started eating. Twenty minutes passed. Chloe used Eleanor's phone to call the number again. "Great-Aunt, where are you? Should I come out to meet you?" I stood up from my chair, looked across the massive ballroom at Chloe, and said calmly into my phone, "I'm already here." Chloe whipped her head around. When she realized it was me, she marched over, her face a mix of shock and rage. "Hazel! Where did you find that phone?! Where is the owner? What did you do to her?!" Wow. The way she was screaming, you'd think I'd kidnapped someone. "This is my phone. Am I not allowed to have a burner?" Chloe looked like she had just heard the funniest joke in the world. "Hazel, I know you're jealous. I know you're mad that I'm marrying into wealth and you're not. But you don't have to resort to this. Tell me where the real owner of this phone is right now, and I'll write you a check for five thousand dollars." "Five thousand just to open your mouth? You really have struck it rich, Chloe. Big talk." Hearing that the phone belonged to the Matriarch, Mr. Jenkins let out a furious roar. "Give me that phone!" He lunged at me, trying to physically rip the phone from my hand. I had trained in Krav Maga; if he wanted a fight, he wasn't guaranteed to win. But wait. Wasn't this a wedding? I had to be polite. I let him snatch the phone. But he wasn't satisfied. "Spit it out! Where is the old lady?! Tell us right now or we're calling the cops!" Calling the cops on a pre-law student (who was definitely going to pass her French exam)? Trying to talk law with me? I glanced at Chloe and said flatly, "Chloe, do you know what the legal penalty is for strong-arm robbery?" Mr. Jenkins wasn't deterred at all. Looking at my casual clothes and the plastic grocery bag on the table, he sneered. "You're trying to talk law to us? Do you even know who my daughter's husband is?" "I heard your last name is Sterling too? Hah! Good name, wasted on trash. I don't know how your parents raised you, but today, I'm going to teach you a lesson on their behalf." ... "You think you're fit to mention my parents?" If I had found this amusing before, now I was just disgusted. Mr. Jenkins sneered. "Why wouldn't I be? Look at yourself." He clearly wasn't in the mood to talk anymore. He reached out to grab my collar to drag me outside. I swiftly blocked his arm, used his momentum against him, and sent him sprawling onto the floor. "You little bitch, you dare hit me?!" Mr. Jenkins cursed as he scrambled up. Harper and the girls, tired of waiting, had walked over. Seeing Mr. Jenkins try to hit me, they immediately exploded. "Who the hell do you think you're hitting?!" The commotion drew the attention of the entire ballroom. Just as Mr. Jenkins lunged at me again, a loud, panicked voice echoed across the hall. "Aunt Hazel!" Eleanor was practically jogging over from the main stage, looking incredibly distressed. "Aunt Hazel, you're here! Why didn't you come straight to me? Are you mad at me?" Her booming voice made my head ring. I covered one ear and sighed. "Eleanor, your voice is still as piercing as ever." Chloe's eyes went wide with pure disbelief. "Hazel... you're the Sterling family's Great-Aunt?! Holy shit!" Harper screamed, prompting even more guests to stand up in shock. Mr. Jenkins froze entirely, collapsing back onto the floor, his legs trembling. "G-G-Great-Aunt?" I winked at Eleanor, then turned to Chloe. "Great-nephew's wife... you were asking who invited me earlier. Do you know now?" Chloe's lips were pressed tight, her face pale and lost. "Great-Aunt... I..." I held up a hand to silence her. I walked toward the front of the stage, Eleanor trailing half a step behind me like an obedient puppy. Along the way, members of the Sterling family looked on in shock or bowed respectfully, murmuring "Aunt Hazel," "Great-Aunt," "Matriarch." To be honest, I hated this. It made me feel ancient. I was a vibrant, beautiful college student! I reached the center of the stage. Someone had already brought out a luxurious high-backed chair. I sat down and said mildly, "Come here, great-nephew's wife. Let me get a good look at you."
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