On move-in day, I was the last to arrive at the dorm. I'd gotten filthy after rescuing a stray dog that darted into traffic.

The lively chatter died instantly when I stepped through the door.


All five roommates turned to stare, their eyes sizing me up like I'd crashed a private party.

I caught their less-than-welcoming glances and gave a simple nod before stepping further inside.

They resumed their conversation in hushed tones while I located the bed labeled with my name. My brow furrowed instantly.


The dorm had six beds total. My assigned spot was the upper bunk in the middle row, but someone had already claimed it, complete with designer bedding.

"Looks like there's been a mix-up with the bed assignments,"


I said, keeping my voice deliberately neutral as I interrupted their gossip session.

The room went dead silent. Again.

After an awkward pause, a girl in a pristine white dress—Cecilia Sinclair—flashed me a practiced smile. "That was me," she said with honeyed softness. "My assigned bed is below yours, but I have this thing about people sleeping above me. I was hoping to switch, and since you weren't here yet..." She gestured to the made-up bed with a delicate shrug.

"Well, that's unfortunate," I said with an equally sweet smile. "I'm not comfortable with it either. Let's switch back."

Cecilia's smile vanished like it had been slapped off her face. "But I... I have dust mite allergies..."

My eyes widened in mock surprise. "Damn, what are the odds? I have dust mite allergies too."

Cecilia's eyes instantly welled with tears. Her friend—a tall brunette standing nearby—stepped forward. "How dare you compare yourself to Cece?" she snapped. "Do you even know who she is? Look at yourself—all dirty and gross. What does your mom do, collect trash for a living?"

Another girl—this one with perfectly highlighted hair—rolled her eyes dramatically. "Why are you being such a drama queen? It's just a bed. You showed up late anyway..."

"Wow, you're really eager to defend her," I said, meeting her gaze directly. "If it's just a bed, why don't you switch with her instead?"

"You little—"

She sputtered, her face flushing crimson. Words failed her as she exchanged outraged glances with Cecilia.

In an instant, I found myself facing a united front of hostility, three pairs of eyes branding me the villain of their little drama.

I'd turned down an acceptance to an elite university to attend University A, all to be closer to my online boyfriend.

Who would have thought that on day one, I'd stumble into a nest of mean girls straight out of a teen movie?

Fine. If they wanted a villain, I'd give them one. I tapped the bed frame sharply with my knuckles. "Time's up. Either move out and rent yourself a fancy apartment, or find someone else willing to switch. Either way, clear out my bed. Now."

In the end, Cecilia moved to the lower bunk, her face a portrait of wounded dignity.

As I unpacked my things, the others began their elaborate nighttime routines.

Suddenly, the tall brunette—Zoe—let out a theatrical gasp. "Cece! Are you seriously using La Mer as hand cream?!"

Roommate Wendy Walker also gasped, "As expected of the Legrand Group heiress! I've already seen you use an LV scarf as a cleaning cloth, but watching you do this still breaks my heart."

At the mention of Legrand Group, my hands froze mid-motion. I slowly turned to look.

Legrand Group? That was my mother's company. Wait—did my mom have a secret daughter I didn't know about?!

Cecilia waved away their awe with practiced nonchalance. "It's nothing, really. If you want some, I'll give you each a jar later. I have unopened boxes in my luggage."

Both roommates let out piercing squeals of excitement.

Zoe threw her arms around Cecilia. "Cece, I sleep on the top bunk across the room. Why don't you switch with me instead? Then you won't have to deal with... certain attitudes." She shot me a venomous look.

"Totally," the other girl nodded vigorously. "Or we could just ask the counselor to have her moved out. I heard your mom is like, a major shareholder of University A and donates millions every year. Getting someone reassigned should be nothing for you."

Well, she wasn't wrong about the donations. My mother did contribute to University A annually—she was an alumna with a soft spot for her alma mater.

But even if this girl were somehow my mother's secret daughter, that didn't give her the right to throw her weight around. Mom donated to support education, not to buy special treatment!

Cecilia pressed her lips together in a modest pout. "Actually," she said in a stage whisper, "Mom bought me a villa near campus, but she insisted I keep a low profile while I'm away from home. Besides, I wanted the authentic college experience with you guys."

I nodded to myself. Right. A secret daughter would need to keep a low profile.

"See that?" Zoe smirked in my direction. "That's what real class looks like—so different from... certain others."

She didn't even try to hide her contempt as she looked me up and down. Cecilia followed with a smug little smile.

I rolled my eyes and hurried to the bathroom to call my mom and find out what was going on.

When I blurted out my question about a secret daughter, Mom laughed so hard she snorted, then promptly docked half my monthly allowance for "ridiculous conspiracy theories."

I pouted at my phone screen. Whatever—I never spent all my allowance anyway.