Chapter 1: Unreasonable Neglect

"Emily, let's go street racing tonight!" William slipped into the classroom without Emily noticing and sat next to her, boldly patting her shoulder as if they were close friends.

As soon as Emily heard the words "street racing," her eyes lit up brighter than the stars. She exclaimed, "Sure!"

"Call Olivia, Ava, and Charlotte too!" William added.

Emily raised an okay gesture, mischievously blinked her sparkling eyes, as if they were adorned with mist, and immediately grabbed her phone. Her slender and delicate fingers swiftly tapped on the screen, sending a group message. Those lazy girls were probably still lazing around in their beds...

The adorable old professor of Political History finally finished his dry and boring lecture for the morning. He thanked the students for attending his class and gave a bow. Emily, being the good student, clapped in a decent manner, closed her empty notebook, and put it back in her bag.

The male students who came to class just to steal a glimpse of Emily and satisfy their cravings, glanced at her with a sense of disappointment, giving one last jealous look at William. But William didn't mind; in fact, he felt somewhat proud.

Emily's beauty seemed as if it belonged only in the heavens, like an angel who accidentally found herself in a small town like Cyberville. Her flawlessly smooth skin, whiter than snow, her lustrous hair black as a shining gem, slightly curled like dense seaweed swaying in water. Her eyes, as dark as a deep abyss, held an irresistible charm. Most captivating of all was her exquisitely ethereal face, pure like a maiden, emanating an otherworldly aura untainted by worldly matters. She was so stunning that even Venus herself would feel ashamed in comparison...

Before they even stepped out of the classroom, Olivia's call came in, filled with the cozy sound of her blanket. Lazily, she asked, "Who's organizing?"

"William!" Emily replied succinctly.

"Ah!" The scream on the other end of the phone startled Emily, almost causing her to drop it. She could even hear Olivia throwing off her blanket and jumping out of bed. It was easy to predict what would come next—Olivia would sprint at a hundred meters per second to freshen up, put on makeup, and dress in the most glamorous outfit to join them.

As expected, when Emily and William reached the entrance of the cafeteria, Olivia was already standing there, radiant and eagerly awaiting their arrival. She wore a strapless, blush pink mini dress, showcasing her impressive cleavage, along with a pair of high-heeled shoes that sparkled in the sunlight. She held a delicate and exquisite handbag while sporting a wide black diamond bracelet on her wrist.

Every item on Olivia seemed valuable, something that Emily, as a single-parent girl, could hardly attain. However, standing beside Olivia, Emily was not inferior at all. Her aura was powerful enough to overshadow everything around her, while Olivia appeared slightly ostentatious.

If it weren't for Emily's presence, Olivia could easily be regarded as the most beautiful girl in Cyberville College. With her black hair dyed orange, flowing down to her waist, it accentuated her fair skin. She had a high, straight nose, a pair of eyes that seemed to speak, a cherry-like mouth with a touch of classical beauty, and a perfectly oval face.

It is often said that women are highly jealous creatures. With such a beauty standing before Emily, she should be overshadowed to the point of being ignored. According to common sense, Emily should be her arch-nemesis. However, Olivia did not raise her head to the sky and let out a sigh of despair, nor did she disdain Emily's background. Instead, she became friends with her, pulled her into her circle, and introduced her to Ava and Charlotte.

"Emily!" Olivia pouted, grabbing her arm and playfully reproaching, "Why are you wearing this outfit again? Didn't I give you a dress last time?" Although Olivia's words were directed at Emily, the corner of her eye occasionally glanced at William. Despite her pouting, Emily could tell she was trying to control the curve of her lips.

"It's too ostentatious. I feel pressured when I wear it!" Emily playfully raised her eyebrows a few times, revealing a mischievous smile.

Olivia immediately blushed, glaring at Emily, but luckily William didn't notice her embarrassment at that moment.

"You two go ahead and buy food. I'll go fetch Ava and Charlotte!" Emily sneaked behind Olivia and unexpectedly gave her a push, causing her to stumble right into William's embrace. Ignoring the awkwardness between the two, Emily smirked and walked towards the direction of their dormitory.

Emily, who attracted everyone's attention wherever she went, noticed that today's atmosphere was somewhat unusual. An unfamiliar aura rudely disrupted her own aura. Almost all the students on the way slowed down their pace and looked in a certain direction. Some looked openly, while others pretended to glance casually, but their gaze wasn't focused on her. There was a faint fragrance in the air, reminiscent of a certain flower, yet it was a scent she had never smelled before. It felt refreshing, but for some reason, it made her associate it with darkness and death, causing Emily to furrow her brow in confusion.

Following the gaze of others, Emily looked towards a lush tree where a ridiculously handsome man stood under the shade, holding a large black umbrella.

Emily glanced at the sky. The sunlight today was gentle, and even someone like her who disliked the sun had no need to use an umbrella. Yet, this man incongruously held up a large black umbrella that could envelop him entirely, standing in the shade and staring at his phone with a hint of anxiety.

However, that wasn't the focal point. The real focus was that this man was incredibly handsome. Although his skin was pale, giving off a slightly sickly aura, his delicate features were perfectly proportioned on his face. Despite having an Eastern-looking face, he had a pair of faint blue eyes. A pair of black-framed glasses rested on his straight nose, which seemed to be purely for decoration, adding a touch of gentleness to his appearance.

Unbelievable! Unbelievable! How can someone be so perfect!

Emily screamed inwardly, altering her route on purpose. She deliberately passed by the tree, exhibiting a graceful and elegant stride that even she felt was somewhat contrived, unable to resist the urge to appear more perfect.

Will he come up to talk? Will he ask for her phone number? If he asks for her number, should she be reserved or give it to him immediately? Or perhaps, be a bit aloof and approach him to ask for his number... Emily struggled in her mind, but she had already walked past him.

Emily felt an indescribable sense of defeat. This man—damn it! He didn't even bother to look at her! A suffocating feeling washed over Emily's heart, as if a huge stone had been placed upon her, making her feel stifled. He was the only man who remained indifferent to her! Normally, with just a casual gesture, she would have a line of men queuing up for her attention. But today, she was completely ignored...

At 10 PM, Emily arrived on the outer ring road in Olivia's sports car. Ava and Charlotte each drove their own sports cars as well. Emily was the only one without a car, but she had an intense fascination with the high-risk game of street racing. She couldn't even distinguish whether she enjoyed the thrill of street racing or the heaps of money she won afterwards. Every time she won, she sent half of the money to James. Although James, with his indifferent nature, didn't really need the money, Emily, influenced by city people, believed that it was a form of filial piety to earn money and spend it on her mother.

The outer ring road was lined with various cars, most of them modified. William drove a seemingly unremarkable Accord, but his car was the most expensive. Aside from its outward appearance, the car had almost all its parts replaced. He said it was to appear low-key, although he himself was not a low-key person.

"Emily, drive my car!"

As soon as she got out of the car, William tossed the car keys to Emily. She greeted everyone else one by one, but the warmth they showed made her feel distant. She then sat in William's car.

Cyberville City was a small city, and even at a speed of 80 miles per hour, it took a little over an hour to complete a lap on the outer ring road. With fewer cars and people here, it had become a holy land for street racing enthusiasts.

The cars were neatly lined up on the starting line, and Emily chose three male opponents. Onlookers on the sidelines began placing bets, secretly betting against Emily's success. The other three men's names were shamefully betted against, each with a few hundred dollars. Perhaps it was because her own support team couldn't bear to see them lose too badly, and the results of each street race were more or less the same. People no longer had high expectations, but they still eagerly bet against Emily, simply because they had no other opportunities to interact with her.

Olivia stood in the center of the four cars, wearing dazzling high heels and holding a small flag. As she waved the flag, the four cars shot forward like arrows...

William's car had excellent performance, accelerating to 100 meters in under 3 seconds. From the start, he quickly pulled ahead of his opponents, and the speedometer needle on the dashboard continued to climb higher.

Emily was leading the pack, the first to reach the finish line, which was the starting point. However, her eyes caught sight of a figure that made her freeze. It was the man who was unbelievably handsome and had completely ignored her. His pale skin looked eerie in the darkness, like a ghost. His intelligent eyes stared intensely at her through the car window, causing her car to almost lose control.

William pressed the stopwatch in his hand, a smile spreading across his face. His eyes were filled with tenderness as he said, "Emily, you've broken another record!"

Emily opened the car door and was greeted by a refreshing fragrance, identical to the scent she had encountered when she first saw the man at noon. However, in the night breeze, the scent was even stronger and more intense. At the same time, there was a heavier sense of death in the air, as if it was a dangerous signal. Unconsciously, she furrowed her brow, feeling uncomfortable.

"It's just a car!" Before Emily could say anything, the man raised an eyebrow, showing a face full of disdain.

"Emily's skills have nothing to do with the car!" William interjected, sounding slightly displeased. He was not only dissatisfied with what the man said but also with the man himself. The presence of such an exceptional man standing next to Emily gave him an indescribable sense of crisis.

Ignoring William, the man confidently climbed into the modified Accord's passenger seat. Before closing the door, he left a decree like a king looking down from his throne: "Let's go for another lap!"

Emily despised it when people spoke to her in a commanding tone, but this time, she didn't get angry. Instead, she obediently got into the car. It had been a long time since someone had challenged her, and she felt a surge of fiery excitement.

Sitting beside the man, Emily couldn't help but discreetly glance at his stern profile using her peripheral vision. The curve of his nose made her involuntarily flustered. He appeared to be around the same age as her but exuded a maturity that didn't quite match his years. His eyes were filled with a wild and arrogant recklessness, yet they also seemed to carry a hint of disdain for the world.

"I'm Benjamin," Benjamin suddenly turned his head and greeted Emily with a wide smile, interrupting her thoughts.

Emily avoided Benjamin's trap-like smile and his vigilant gaze. His eyes, like a hungry beast that had been deprived for a long time, had found its long-lost prey. A strange image flashed through her mind—a scene of Benjamin sitting at a dining table, holding cutlery, while she herself was the dish on the table, roasted to a crispy exterior with a tender interior, waiting for him to indulge...

Sensing Benjamin's puzzled gaze, Emily made an effort to shake off her inexplicable thoughts. She started the car and casually remarked, "Your perfume smells nice," her eyes focused on the road ahead, unaware of Benjamin's astonished expression.

Benjamin's presence made the air feel thick and heavy, and the atmosphere in the car suddenly intensified. It became difficult for her to breathe, and her once agile movements turned clumsy. As she glanced at the speedometer, seeing it reach 200 mph, a large truck ahead recklessly made a U-turn on the one-way road, occupying half of the lane...

Emily instinctively went to step on the brakes but, as if possessed, she mistakenly stepped on the accelerator instead. There was a loud crash, and a searing pain engulfed her body. In the split second before closing her eyes, she felt herself falling into a cold embrace, and then consciousness slipped away...