It was already evening when Emily finally woke up.
She stretched lazily before heading to the bathroom. After a long bath, she stepped out and began getting dressed.
Her outfit was soft and youthful — a pink strapless knit top paired with a layered white mini skirt, the fabric light and delicate. She added a small pastel pink shoulder bag, a heart-shaped pendant necklace, and tiny flower earrings.
On her feet were white sneakers with soft pink stripes, giving her the effortless look of a rich but playful girl.
Simple.
Cute.
Yet dangerously eye-catching.
Her slender yet curvy figure moved with natural grace — straight back, narrow waist, long elegant legs.
Her heart-shaped face was flawless.
Sharp cheekbones.
Amber-brown almond eyes that looked innocent… until they didn't.
Double eyelids framed by long curled lashes.
Softly defined pink lips curved into a knowing smile.
Arched brows.
A slender nose.
Her pale skin carried warm golden undertones, with a small mole near her lip and faint freckles scattered lightly across her cheeks.
When she smiled, dimples appeared.
Her chestnut curls flowed down to her waist, shining softly under the light.
She looked like temptation itself.
The kind that could start wars between kingdoms.
Or drive men completely insane.
Before leaving, Emily, Sasha, and Thomas stopped by a luxury seafood restaurant.
They enjoyed a huge seafood buffet — lobster, king crab, grilled scallops, oysters, and sashimi laid across endless tables.
Emily ate happily while her parents simply watched her with soft smiles.
After dinner, their car finally drove toward the third branch mansion.
The mansion lights were blazing when they arrived.
The butler quickly stepped forward and announced loudly,
"Mister Thomas Hayes, Madam Sasha Hayes, and Miss Emily Hayes have arrived!"
The hall instantly went silent.
Thomas and Sasha entered first.
They looked almost unreal.
Time seemed to have forgotten them.
Their beauty had only sharpened with age — elegant, cold, and flawless. Anyone seeing them would believe they were immortal vampires who simply stopped aging.
And then—
Emily stepped in behind them.
The entire room gasped.
She was breathtaking.
Even more than they expected.
Everyone in high society knew Emily Hayes, the famous beauty of the Hayes family.
Then came her children — Ava and Prim — who inherited her legendary looks.
But this girl…
This long-lost daughter…
She was somehow even more beautiful.
The former Emily Hayes had always carried an air of majestic nobility, like a queen who stood above everyone else.
This Emily was different.
Her beauty felt mischievous, playful, proud, and dangerously charming.
Grounded.
Alive.
But what they didn't know—
The two Emilys were the same person.
And no one would ever imagine someone could turn back into their teenage self
.
When Summer saw Emily—
Her breath caught.
Suddenly she felt ugly.
Not because she actually was.
But because Emily had a natural presence that turned everyone else into background characters.
No matter how beautiful others were—
Emily simply glowed.
Every gaze drifted toward her without control.
"Mister Thomas, Madam Sasha! Please come sit," Robert quickly said, standing with his family.
Gloria smiled politely.
But inside—
Jealousy burned.
Sasha looked radiant.
If strangers saw them together, they would assume Sasha was her younger than her, not the other way around.
How is this fair… Gloria thought bitterly.
She only has one daughter and yet her family is still better than mine…
But she kept her smile.
Thomas, Sasha, and Emily sat down.
Summer, Reid, Jordan, and Noah greeted the guests politely.
Gloria suddenly stood up with emotional eyes.
"My daughter… come give mother a hug. You've grown so big. I wasn't there for your childhood. You must have suffered so much."
She opened her arms.
But before Emily could move—
Sasha calmly lifted her teacup.
"She doesn't like hugs."
Gloria froze awkwardly mid-gesture.
Her hands hung in the air before she slowly lowered them.
Sasha continued casually.
"I've taken quite a liking to your daughter. She should keep the name Emily."
She placed the cup down.
"And she's welcome to visit the first branch anytime to keep me company. I like her."
The room went silent again.
Gloria had a bright smile.
"Oh my… that would be too much trouble for you."
Then she quickly added,
"Since you're so fond of her, Emily should visit often. She can even bring her sister Summer along so they can bond well."
Sasha scoffed softly while sipping her tea trying to push her children up.
After a moment she placed the cup down.
"Sure. She can visit."
Her gaze was calm but distant.
"But visits should be limited and arranged beforehand."
"It would be her honor," Robert said immediately.
"Thank you, Aunty Sasha," Summer said shyly.
Then suddenly—
Thomas spoke.
"Which school have you enrolled Emily in?"
The room went quiet again.
Robert hesitated.
"I… haven't chosen one yet. She just returned, so we thought we'd spend some time together first. Maybe homeschool her for a while."
Thomas frowned immediately.
"Nonsense."
"If you want family time, you can still do that after enrolling her."
Jordan quickly added,
"She grew up in the countryside. We thought regular school might be difficult for her to catch up."
Emily rolled her eyes.
"Are you me?"
Everyone turned to stare at her.
She immediately smiled innocently.
"Why are you making decisions for me?"
Then she pouted slightly.
"Are you ashamed of me?"
"I promise I won't embarrass anyone. It's just school."
Gloria's heart melted instantly.
"Of course not, dear!"
She smiled warmly.
"We'll enroll you in a good elite private school."
Thomas scoffed.
"It's one thing if you can't afford the three best schools in the world — ones my grandchildren attend."
"But choosing anything below the top five schools in this country is unacceptable."
Then Sasha spoke calmly.
"Why not send her to St. Alderwyn's Ashford Meridian Collegiate – Second Branch?"
Silence fell.
Thomas nodded slightly.
That school was one of the top three academic systems, rivaling the school Ava and Prim attended.
Each of those top three academies
sponsored several elite schools.
And Collegiate Meridian High Elite School — the second branch — ranked among the top five hardest schools to enter in the country.
Summer clenched her fists.
She attended a top private school but a second branch of the one Ava and prim attend.
But it took her years of hard work, connections, and constant competition just to enter the lowest class before climbing upward.
And now—
This girl from nowhere would enter easily.
Without effort.
"Good," Thomas said.
"A gold-tier class."
"I'll personally speak to the school board."
Sasha nodded calmly.
Robert swallowed nervously.
"Wouldn't that be too much trouble…?"
Thomas looked at him coldly.
"For you, yes , For us, no."He stood up.
"We'll take our leave."
Sasha added,
"Emily, the gifts we prepared will be delivered tomorrow."
Then the couple left.
The hall remained silent long after they were gone
Finally—
Emily spoke casually.
"So… who's showing me my room?"
Summer smiled sweetly.
"Mom and Dad prepared a lot of food for you. If you don't taste it, it would go to waste."
Hidden beneath the politeness was a subtle accusation .
Emily smiled calmly.
"I already ate."
"If it's going to waste, give it to the servants or warm it later."
Then she sighed dramatically.
"The first branch spoiled me too much."
"They even gave me their personal phone numbers."
"I should call them sometime."
Robert and Gloria's eyes flashed.
She had their personal numbers.
That meant the first branch truly liked her.
She could become their ticket to climbing higher.
"Baby," Gloria said warmly, "you must be tired. Go rest first."
"Tomorrow we'll talk more."
She waved to the butler.
"Escort Miss Emily to her room."
And the moment Emily left—
Several people in the room had already started recalculating her value.
The next morning, the servants from the first branch arrived.
More than thirty of them stepped into the Hayes mansion, each carrying gifts carefully in their hands. Some held ten gift boxes at once, stacked neatly like treasure.
Designer clothes, shoes, handbags, jewelry, accessories—item after item filled the living room. It looked less like a house and more like a luxury boutique that had suddenly opened overnight.
Many of the brands were so exclusive that even wealthy influencers had to wait years to book a shopping appointment. Some of the designs had not even been released to the public yet.
Yet now they were simply placed in the Hayes family living room.
Along with the gifts came documents.
Emily's enrollment papers for Collegiate Meridian High Elite School—the best school in the region.
Not only the best school, but also the best class placement, extra courses, private tutors, and elite club memberships.
Invitation cards followed.
High-society events.
Exclusive restaurants.
Luxury hotels.
Private clubs.
More than thirty invitations covered the table—events even if they were part of the Hayes family themselves could never attend despite their status.
When the servants finally left, silence filled the room.
Summer stood there quietly.
Her lips curved into a gentle smile, but her fingers dug deep into her palm. Her nails pressed into her skin as her face slowly turned pale with jealousy.
Jordan glanced at the mountain of gifts before suddenly speaking.
"Butler, take half of the best gifts and send them to Summer's room."
Summer immediately looked shocked.
"Brother, what are you doing? Those are not my gifts. I don't want Emily to be angry," she said softly.
"Nonsense," Jordan snorted. "She's just a girl from the countryside. What would she know about these things? Besides, you two are twins. She should learn how to share instead of being greedy."
Reid crossed his arms angrily.
"Exactly. Mom and Dad already bought her presents. She shouldn't keep everything to herself."
Gloria waved her hand impatiently.
"Enough, stop arguing."
Then she turned toward Summer with a gentle smile.
"Summer, Emily won't mind. You're sisters after all. Besides, you know how to use these things better than her."
As she spoke, Gloria picked up half of the invitation cards and handed them to Summer.
She kept several for herself and left only three invitations on the table.
"Take the rest of the gifts to Emily's room," Robert ordered the servants. "She's still asleep. I'll give her today as a day of grace."
Summer immediately hugged her mother happily.
"You guys are the best."
But inside her mind, a cold voice whispered.
Emily…
Even after you came back, I'm still the favorite.
Anything good that belongs to you… I will take it.
You don't even deserve my leftovers.
Her smile grew sweeter.
Meanwhile — In a Club
Across the city, the atmosphere was completely different.
Winter stepped into a luxurious club with the other exchange students.
They were part of a one-month academic exchange program at Crownside Prestigious High School.
From the moment she first entered the school, Winter had been amazed.
The study materials were top tier.
The laboratories looked like something from a futuristic city.
The equipment alone could make ordinary schools look primitive.
Even scholarship students were extremely rare. You could count them on one hand.
Because here, even talent alone was not enough.
You had to compete with geniuses.
Even the students in the lower ranks were capable of rivaling top academic elites.
So Winter had quickly befriended the class monitor.
After all, connections were important.
Once the exchange month ended, she would never have access to these people again.
Entering the private room, she saw several classmates from Grade 12, Class Five already seated inside.
Today was the class monitor's birthday.
Not everyone had come, but the atmosphere was lively.
"Hey Winter, come sit here!" the class monitor called, waving at her.
Everyone sat down as waitresses began serving food and drinks.
Soon they started playing games, laughing and chatting.
The mood was light and fun.
Until suddenly, one of the transfer students spoke.
"Wait," the girl said curiously. "Why isn't everyone here? I thought all classmates were invited."
The room suddenly fell silent.
"They're busy," the class monitor said lightly before clapping his hands. "Come on, everyone. Let's just play a game."
The others laughed and began setting up the game again, but Winter noticed something strange.
Just a moment ago, the room had gone completely silent.
Why?
She leaned slightly toward the girl sitting beside her—one of the real students from Crownside Prestigious High School.
"Why did everyone suddenly go quiet earlier?" Winter asked softly.
The girl glanced around first before answering.
"Well… you know what kind of school this is."
Winter tilted her head.
"No."
The girl sighed.
"Hierarchy."
"In this school, power decides everything."
She picked up her drink and continued quietly.
"In normal society, people usually think there are only three levels: poor, middle class, and rich."
"But here?" She smiled faintly.
"That's only the beginning."
Winter listened carefully.
The girl began counting on her fingers.
"First, we have the ordinary ranks."
"Poor families."
"Average families."
"Middle-class families."
"Then the rich—but not the real powerful ones. These are people who built businesses on their own. They may have money, but they have no strong connections or backing."
Winter nodded slowly.
Then the girl continued.
"Next comes the Upper Class."
"These are the families most normal people see as extremely powerful."
"But here… they're considered almost poor."
Winter blinked in shock.
The girl laughed quietly at her reaction.
"Yes. That's how ridiculous the difference is."
She continued.
"After that come the Big Families. These families control entire cities or multiple cities. Their wealth is massive."
"In ancient times they would be called merchant dynasties."
"They have billions—but sometimes they still lack real status."
Winter leaned closer now.
Then the girl lowered her voice.
"Next are the Highborn Families."
"Families with powerful status—political names, influential bloodlines. Some may not be as rich as the merchant families, but their status is higher."
"Then come the Top Families."
"These families hold power across the entire country."
Winter's eyes widened slightly.
But the girl wasn't finished.
"After that… the Five Grand Families."
"The five most powerful and wealthy families in the world."
Winter almost dropped her glass.
The girl continued calmly.
"Then we have what we call the Gray Families."
"These are people with royal bloodlines, children of presidents, high-level political leaders…"
"And the Legion Families—military dynasties and… well… certain families involved in underground organizations."
Winter slowly leaned back.
She had always believed society was simple.
Poor.
Middle class.
Rich.
But now she realized how shallow that thinking had been.
There were layers… far deeper than she imagined.
"That's the ranking system," the girl said quietly.
"Your family background decides whether people respect you… or use you like a pawn."
Winter thought about it.
"Is that why the school feels so strange?" she asked. "I noticed something… the uniforms."
The girl froze.
"The colored bands on the sleeves," Winter continued. "Near the elbow area."
"I've seen different colors."
The girl immediately grabbed Winter's wrist.
She looked around nervously before whispering.
"I shouldn't be telling you this…"
Then she sighed.
"But you're my friend. And I don't want you getting into trouble."
She leaned closer.
"The colors are ranking markers."
"Yellow is the lowest rank within this school."
"Students from Vast Wealthy Families up to Legion Families usually wear yellow bands."
Winter's eyes widened.
"Those are the lowest?"
"Yes."
"They're already far beyond normal society… but in Crownside, they're still considered the bottom."
The girl continued.
"Red bands belong to Elite Families.
Families whose power spans generations—politics, military, major business empires."
"Green bands represent Apex Families."
"Blue bands are for Aristocratic Families."
"Violet bands belong to Prestigious Families."
"And then…"
Her voice dropped even lower.
"Golden bands."
"Those are Old Money Noble Families."
"Families with centuries of power and influence."
Winter felt a chill run down her spine.
But then she remembered something.
"Wait… some students don't wear bands at all."
The girl's face became even more serious.
"Yes."
"That's the most dangerous group."
"Popular students like Ava, Prim, Daniel, Milo, Daisy , Michael… sometimes they wear the bands. Sometimes they don't."
"Some of their friends do the same."
Winter frowned.
"What does that mean?"
The girl leaned even closer and whispered in her ear.
"My parents told me something when I first entered this school."
"If you ever see someone in Ava or Prim Carter's inner circle…"
"Someone close enough to stay at their house…"
"Respect them."
"Even if they look poor."
Winter blinked..
"Why?"
The girl's voice became almost inaudible.
"Because those people are either powerful individuals…"
"Or they belong to low-key families."
"Families so hidden… that their connections could shake the entire world."
Winter slowly looked around the room.
For the first time since arriving at Crownside High School—
She realized something.
This school…
was not a place for ordinary students.
It was a battlefield of power.