My roommate tossed her spare phone into my lap with a look of pure disgust. "This 35-year-old boomer is so annoying! Constantly making me memorize finance vocabulary, write market reports, and he even tries to control my weekend clubbing!" "It was just some online flirting. He's such a control freak, acting like he's my dad!" "But even though he's a nag, he wires five hundred bucks for living expenses right on time every month. It's perfect for a broke girl like you. The account is yours." I didn't bother responding, ready to get back to my textbook. Suddenly, a translucent floating comment appeared in front of my eyes: [Brooke is so adorably clueless! She has no idea her online fling is the multi-billionaire Wall Street legend!] [Is that control? He was literally grooming her to be the future Mrs. Billionaire!] [Just wait until the boss comes back to the States and realizes she swapped herself out. He'll crush this stand-in side character and then start his groveling 'chasing the runaway wife' arc with Brooke.] I picked up the phone and smiled at my roommate. "I'll take this burden off your hands, then." A stand-in? A groveling arc? I didn't care. I just wanted to ask the billionaire: Are there any shortcuts to getting into a top-tier business school? 1 Right in front of Brooke, I changed the phone number linked to the account and handed the spare device back to her. She took it, giving me a mocking look. "This cheap old guy might drop some coins, but his demands are psycho. He acts like a high school principal. Enjoy." True, the designer bags the frat boys and trust-fund kids gave Brooke cost upwards of ten grand. Five hundred dollars a month was nothing to her. Brooke left for a date. The dorm quieted down, and I opened the chat with the profile that had no picture. The last message was from last night. [Read this week's front page of the Wall Street Journal and send me an analysis report.] [Why aren't you replying?] [You better fix your attitude and take this seriously. I don't have time for your tantrums.] My eyelid twitched. I scrolled through their six months of chat history. It turned out they met on an elite financial forum. Brooke wanted to fish for a rich finance bro, so she played the part of a hardworking but impoverished straight-A student. This man, going by the screen name "N," answered a few of her questions, and eventually, they exchanged numbers. Their conversations had absolutely zero flirting. It wasn't "online dating" at all. It mostly revolved around: What books did you read today? How many economic models did you memorize? Are you following the latest fed rates? It was obvious he genuinely wanted to mentor her. Brooke’s English and grades were decent, so she took it seriously at first. But as time went on, she started faking sick, whining, or using ChatGPT to write garbage just to brush him off. At first, 'N' patiently corrected her mistakes. But lately, sensing her lack of effort, his tone had grown increasingly cold. Yet, he still transferred the $500 allowance right on time every month. In Brooke's eyes, $500 wasn't even enough for a nice pair of shoes. But to me—a genuinely broke student working four part-time jobs just to cover meals and textbooks—it was a godsend. The floating comments started rolling again: [N is Nathaniel Reed, the legendary titan of the venture capital world! A crumb of his insider info is enough to feed a normal person for lifetimes, and Brooke just gave him away?] [Does this cannon fodder Aria really think she struck gold? Nathaniel despises liars. When he finds out they switched, she's dead meat!] I ignored the malicious text and focused on the message demanding an analysis report. I was a regular sophomore finance major. Because my family was poor, I couldn't afford grad school prep courses. So I knew from a young age that studying was my only way out. I stayed up for five straight hours, reading last week's financial briefs, looking up historical data, and writing a comprehensive report. After checking my grammar, I sent the document over. [I'm so sorry, I had my tonsils removed the past couple of days. Sorry for the late reply.] Fifteen minutes later, he replied: [You wrote this report yourself?] My heart clenched: [Yes.] ...Another long silence. Then, a transfer notification popped up on the screen. $10,000. [Your angle is quite innovative. It's worlds better than the empty garbage you were sending before. This is your reward.] [If you're sick, rest. Goodnight.] Brooke's "cheap old guy" casually dropped ten grand?! I stared at the zeros, my fingers trembling uncontrollably. The comments immediately turned sour: [WTF, this side character has insane luck! She got ten grand for one crappy report?] [Nathaniel only gave it because he values Brooke's potential. Aria is just leeching off the female lead's aura!] [Take it, take it. The more she takes now, the worse she'll die later. Gold diggers never get a good ending.] I gritted my teeth and declined the transfer, sending the money back. N sent a question mark: [Not enough?] [No, no. It's just that compared to money, I want an opportunity more.] [I want to apply to a top business school. Right now, I don't have a good mentor, and I don't have access to premium industry data.] [...Could I be a little greedy and ask to borrow a premium Bloomberg Terminal account from you?] After I sent the message, it was like a stone dropping into the ocean. Half an hour passed. Nothing. I stared at the screen, my palms sweating cold. The comments started mocking me: [Looks like she crashed and burned! Playing hard to get, and now she lost the ten grand!] [What tier of a boss is Nathaniel? Did she really think he wouldn't see through this cheap trick?] [Exactly. A regular college student wanting to get into Wharton? She thinks the boss is running a charity?] Just as I thought I had overplayed my hand and ruined this path, my phone buzzed. [Send me your detailed background information.] I immediately sent over a resume I had prepared long ago. I redacted my personal identifying info, leaving only my past grades and the simulated trading competitions I had participated in. The next day, I received a call from an unknown number. "Hello, I am Mr. Reed's executive assistant. My last name is Hayes." His tone was strictly professional. "The boss instructed me to meet with you to evaluate your specific situation. Are you available this afternoon?" I suppressed my excitement and forced a calm voice. "Yes, you can set the location." 2 That afternoon, I changed into a clean, neat business suit and arrived at Mr. Hayes's office on time. He looked me up and down, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes. The comments popped up right on cue to dig at me: [This hillbilly really doesn't know her place, wearing a cheap suit to meet Assistant Hayes.] [He's Nathaniel's right-hand man. He'll see right through this fake.] My palms were slightly sweaty, terrified I'd be exposed. But to my surprise, he only flipped through my portfolio, completely unbothered by my identity. "The boss believes you have some foundation, but you are still quite far from the requirements of a top-tier Ivy League program." I agreed. "It's exactly because there is a gap that I need guidance. As long as you give me the resources, I will catch up." "The boss doesn't give out resources lightly." Mr. Hayes closed the folder. "He can provide you with the terminal account, and even arrange a team of Ivy League-level private tutors for you. "The condition is, you must absolutely obey all arrangements and meet every single performance metric." "I accept!" I answered without a second thought. He nodded. "Then starting today, your schedule and study plans will be fully taken over by us." 3 Three days later, I moved out of the dorms and into an ultra-luxury penthouse suite at a five-star hotel. There was an entire wall of books, a high-end laptop, and three private tutors on standby. Every morning at 6 AM, I woke up to listen to global financial news. At 8 AM, I underwent hellish training on relevant financial concepts. The afternoon was high-intensity oral presentations and breaking down real-world corporate case studies. And at night, without fail, I had to report my day's progress to N. His replies were always brief. Sometimes it was just a single "Read." Other times, it was a long string of razor-sharp critiques. He really was like a strict principal, using high-pressure tactics to reshape my entire way of thinking. The cold words on the screen didn't make me feel wronged; instead, a surge of excitement welled up inside me. So this is the world of the strong? No warm and fuzzy feelings, just pure competence. In the morning, N sent me a message. [You've made significant progress recently. I'm giving you half a day off today.] I got praised! I couldn't help but smile. I went back to campus to grab a few books. Just as I pushed open my dorm room door, I bumped straight into Brooke. She was decked out in designer clothes, holding a luxury bag, looking absolutely radiant. Looking at the plain white T-shirt I was wearing, she scoffed out loud. "The straight-A student finally decided to come back? What, did that old man dump you?" "No, he's been tutoring me lately," I told the truth. "Tutoring you? Hahaha..." She laughed loudly, as if she had heard the funniest joke in the world. "Aria, is your brain fried? A loser you met online who can't even afford a decent gift—what do you expect him to teach you? "Teach you how to survive on five hundred bucks a month?" She poked the English finance textbook in my hand with her freshly done acrylic nails. "Chad is becoming the VP of his family's company next month. He promised to give me a cushy corporate job soon. "I suggest you get a grip on reality. It's better to marry well than to work hard. What's the point of burying your nose in these stupid books? You'll still end up working for someone else and suffering." I dodged her hand and said flatly, "Everyone has their own goals. Five hundred bucks is fine, and working is fine too." I hoped I could suffer this kind of "hardship" for the rest of my life. With the "female lead" making an appearance, the comments naturally got active again: [If Brooke knew she gave up a multi-billionaire, she'd literally die of regret!] [Is this seriously the female lead? Look at that smug, gold-digger face. She looks way worse than the side character!] [Traitor upstairs, shut up! The male lead always belongs to the female lead, okay? Learn the rules!] [Just wait. When the male lead takes back all his resources, the side character is going to be ruined!] I ignored the comments and walked away with my books. Was he going to forcibly rip the knowledge out of my brain? Over the next two months, my progress was visible to the naked eye. N's attitude toward me also underwent a subtle shift. He no longer just issued one-sided commands. Occasionally, in the early hours of the morning, he would send a few casual photos from his business trips abroad. 4 But late tonight, after reading my notes, he suddenly sent a message. [Brooke, your writing style has changed recently. It's much more rational and analytical than before.] My heart skipped a violent beat, and the comments started cheering. [The boss is getting suspicious! The identity reveal is finally happening!] [Side character, your days are numbered. Get ready for the hurricane...] I steadied my breathing and typed rapidly on the keyboard: [I'll take that as a compliment! People grow. Right now, my only focus is on improving myself!] A long time after the message was sent, N sent a voice memo. "Good. Keep up that drive and ambition." This was the first time I had ever heard his voice. Deep, magnetic, and carrying a detectable hint of amusement. "I'm flying back to the States mid-next month. I'm hosting a private business gala. You will attend as my plus-one. It will be the perfect time to evaluate you." After listening to the voice memo, my fingers tightened around my phone. This day had finally come. [Famous scene incoming! The ultimate showdown!] [Brooke is going to be there too! The real and fake online girlfriends meeting at the gala—just thinking about it is thrilling!] [Following the plot, Nathaniel is going to expose the side character on the spot, kick her out of the gala, and immediately go beg Brooke for forgiveness.] Looking at those blinding words, I secretly clenched my fists. I didn't study day and night just to be someone's stepping stone. 5 Mr. Hayes sent someone to deliver an evening gown a day in advance. Along with a fifty-page dossier on the guests. "The core assets and recent primary investment intentions of tonight's VIPs are all in here. "The boss doesn't need a trophy date for show. You need to memorize the dossiers of the top ten core figures. "Remember, all of it." I didn't dare slack off. I spent the entire night memorizing them until I could recite them backward. Not only that, but I also used the terminal account to dig up everything I could on the recent financial reports of the companies owned by those ten titans. No matter what consequences my identity reveal would bring, I had to prove I was worthy of the resources he had invested in me. That evening, the car pulled up to a sprawling estate on the outskirts of New York. The air smelled of champagne and cigars. Guests conversed in hushed tones. Behind seemingly casual chatter lay cash flows worth billions. I grabbed a glass of sparkling water and stayed in a quiet corner. I silently matched the faces in the room with the dossiers I had memorized last night. Suddenly, a familiar female voice broke my concentration. "Aria? What are you doing here?" I turned my head and, unsurprisingly, saw Brooke. She was holding onto the arm of a slicked-back, flashy young man, staring at me in shock. This guy was probably the "rich boyfriend" she had mentioned. "This is a top-tier business gala. How did a broke student like you sneak in?" Brooke stepped closer, lowering her voice, her tone dripping with malice. "Don't tell me you hooked up with some sketchy waiter and came through the back door?" The comments floated by right on time: [Brooke isn't wrong. Isn't that exactly how the side character snuck in—by scamming Nathaniel?] [Just waiting for the boss to walk in and publicly expose this vain girl's true colors!] [Rubbing my hands together in anticipation...] I gave Brooke a sideways glance, didn't respond to her, and let my gaze fall on the man beside her. "Chad, isn't it? Your father's factory was just cited for failing environmental compliance last quarter, and the bank is threatening to pull your loans, right?" Chad had originally been eyeing me with a frivolous, sleazy gaze. Hearing my words, his face dramatically changed. I smiled slightly. "Instead of trying to help your family weather the storm, you have the leisure to bring a date here and show off. Your priorities are truly astounding." "Who... who are you? How do you know this!" His voice was already trembling. They had been keeping this a strict secret. If word got out at an event like this, he'd be finished. "If I were you, I'd immediately go over to Mr. Liu from Vanguard Holdings and have a few drinks with him. He has a pool of idle capital right now that might save you. Instead of asking me pointless questions." Chad followed the direction of my finger, his face turning pale. Finally, he glared fiercely at Brooke. "Didn't you say she was just a bookworm hillbilly? How does she know more about my industry than I do!" He threw off Brooke's hand and hurriedly walked toward Mr. Liu. "Chad! What are you doing!?" Brooke stomped her foot in anger, glaring at me through gritted teeth. "What the hell are you playing at? You think reading a few financial news articles makes you a big shot in this circle?" I couldn't be bothered with her tantrum. A commotion at the front of the hall caught my attention. The main doors were pushed open from the outside, and the banquet hall instantly fell silent. A tall man walked in, his facial features deep and sharp. He only gave a slight nod in response to everyone's greetings, but his mere presence shifted the atmosphere of the entire room. Nathaniel Reed had arrived. 6 [AHHH! The male lead is here! So handsome, save me!] [Aria's execution date has arrived. The boss will definitely realize at a glance that she's not the girlfriend he saw in videos!] [As soon as Brooke complains, Nathaniel is going to be furious and start crushing the side character.] Brooke also recognized Nathaniel. Even though she didn't know this was her "cheap old guy," almost everyone had seen that face. He was a regular on the covers of financial magazines. She smoothed her hair and instinctively straightened her posture. "Aria, you think playing a little trick to scare off Chad makes you a winner? The man up there is a true titan. You better behave yourself!" The problem was, I couldn't just "behave." I adjusted my breathing off to the side. The judgment was imminent, and it would be a lie to say I wasn't nervous. After exchanging pleasantries with a few senior figures, Nathaniel looked past the crowd and began searching the room. He finally locked onto my corner and strode directly toward me with his long legs. The crowd automatically parted to make way for him. Brooke, blushing with excitement, put on a coy smile and stepped half a pace forward to intercept him. "Mr. Re—" She barely opened her mouth to greet him. Nathaniel didn't even give her a fraction of a glance. He brushed past her and stopped squarely in front of me. He looked me up and down with sharp eyes. "Aria?" His deep voice was exactly the same as in his voice memos. The surrounding crowd broke into murmurs. Brooke froze in place, staring at us in absolute disbelief. The comments also lagged for a second before exploding into a string of question marks. [What's going on? Why did he call the side character... Aria?] [Right, shouldn't he be calling her Brooke? He actually knows her real name!] [Oh my god, did the boss know they switched a long time ago?!] Looking at the wildly scrolling comments, I was also stunned. Where did I slip up? Was it really my writing style... Brooke had clearly recognized Nathaniel's voice. Her eyes widened in disbelief. "Mr. Reed... your voice is... N? "B-babe! I'm right here! Don't you remember me?" Her pitch suddenly went shrill. She pointed at me and yelled. "You've got the wrong person! She's my roommate! I'm the Brooke you've been texting for half a year!" The room fell dead silent. Everyone's eyes darted back and forth between the three of us. Nathaniel turned his head slightly, his gaze sweeping coldly over Brooke's face. "Brooke? I don't know you. I only know her name is Aria." It wasn't until his eyes met my stunned expression that the chill in his gaze seemed to melt slightly. Brooke stood to the side, trembling with rage. "Babe! Don't let this vain woman fool you! I gave her that account! She just wanted the living expenses you were sending! "You and those five hundred dollars should have been mine! I only let her take it because she was so poor and I felt bad for her!" Nathaniel finally looked her straight in the eye, but his gaze was filled with pure disdain. "You? You aren't worth five hundred dollars." Those words were like a physical slap to Brooke's face. "The resources I provide only belong to those capable of catching them. Whether it's connections or money. "Since you already traded the opportunity away, stop embarrassing yourself here." Mr. Hayes appeared right on cue, bringing two security guards to forcibly escort Brooke out. She struggled wildly, screaming. "What are you doing! Let me go! Babe, I'm your real girlfriend! Aria is a complete fraud!" But no matter how much she screamed, Nathaniel didn't spare her another glance. The guards efficiently covered her mouth and dragged her out of the venue. After a brief pause, the comments boiled over again. [The boss knew they switched the whole time?! Then what kind of roleplay has he been doing all this time?] [He pretended not to know so he could secretly play a 'grooming a protégé' game! OMG, why is this so cute?!] [What the hell is going on? Not only did the male lead not get mad at the side character, he kicked the official female lead out?!] [What happened to exposing her true colors? What happened to the groveling arc? The plot is broken, and their character arcs are completely wrong!] [Um... am I the only one who thinks the way the male lead is looking at the side character is intensely romantic?] Nathaniel shifted his gaze back to me, offering his arm, a very faint smile appearing in his eyes. "Stop spacing out, Ms. Aria. The evaluation begins now." I took a deep breath, forced down the tidal wave of shock in my heart, and took his arm. 7 For the next two hours, whenever someone threw a question our way, Nathaniel skillfully deferred to me. Relying on the dossiers I had practically memorized until the pages fell out, and the business intuition I'd built under his intense pressure, I answered flawlessly. I could feel the gazes that had initially dismissed me slowly changing their tune. By the time the gala ended, I was physically exhausted, but mentally, I was in a state of unprecedented hyper-arousal. I did it. I didn't embarrass him. That also lessened my guilt significantly. Late that night, the car drove smoothly down the highway. I turned to look at the man resting his eyes beside me and asked the question I'd been holding back all night. "When... when did you know I wasn't Brooke?" Nathaniel answered with a question of his own. "You too. You didn't seem surprised by my identity at all?" I coughed dryly. I couldn't exactly tell him I had a cheat code. Nathaniel slowly opened his eyes. "After reading your very first analysis report, I knew." "Huh? Just from one report?" He chuckled deeply. "The stuff Brooke sent was always very colloquial, filled with translation software junk and rambling. "Your logic was rigorous, filled with professional terminology. It was obvious you did the research and possessed independent critical thinking. "You can fake your appearance, but you can't fake your brain." I sighed. A titan is a titan. My little tricks were nothing in his eyes. No wonder Mr. Hayes never brought up my identity from the very beginning. "Since you knew it was someone else early on, why did you still provide me with such incredible study resources?" Nathaniel leaned slightly toward me. "I don't run a charity, but I do know how to invest." His tone was relaxed, revealing a very straightforward admiration. "I had Mr. Hayes run a background check on your real identity. "A girl from a poor background, working four jobs a day, yet still maintaining the top GPA in her major. Faced with the temptation of ten thousand dollars, not only did you not take it, but you used the opportunity to negotiate for a much bigger chance. "Your ambition and execution showed me a very high ROI. My firm needs talent like you." My heart beat uncontrollably faster. He didn't blame me; instead, he gave me incredibly high praise. I forced myself to stay calm. "So, did I pass the evaluation? How do you plan to arrange things for me next?" Nathaniel suddenly leaned close and unbuckled my seatbelt for me. His warm breath brushed past my ear, and I was so nervous I held my breath. "Move into one of my penthouses temporarily tomorrow. Before you get into business school, you'll join my firm as an executive assistant." He pulled back half an inch. "Aria, don't fall behind. I'm very much looking forward to the day you truly stand shoulder-to-shoulder with me." [Lifting you up to become a better version of yourself! Who can resist this kind of elite mentor boss?! Answer me!] [As expected, the adult world relies on value exchange. That's the only way to maintain an absolutely stable relationship.] [Hey? Did you guys notice? Nathaniel's gaze is so intense. He's absolutely fallen for the side character!] I didn't see that last comment. At that moment, I couldn't stop my lips from curving upward. I had never felt so lucky in my entire life.
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