The Bride Who Said No: Escaping the Shadows of Yesterday

After taking a break for several months, with her heart set on marrying into wealth, it was a long shot for Freya, the heiress with more dreams than sense, to pass the entrance exams for Summit University. "So, Mr. Sutton, won't we give Ms. Dawson a hand?"

"School is a place for learning, not cutting corners," Kieran replied coldly. "She's asking for it if she doesn't have the chops and still insists on trying."

"Yes, Mr. Sutton."

"Let the school know they shouldn't give Freya any special treatment just because of the Sutton family." "Yes."

Meanwhile, inside Summit University, the class was buzzing with gossip about Kieran and Flavia's fallout.

"Have you guys heard? Mr. Sutton's latest fiancée is out of the picture!"

"What? Already? I thought they hadn't even made it official?"

"Yeah, my mom works for the company. She told me the Miss from the Miller family got the boot!"

"So, you're saying there's a chance for us?"

"Are you kidding? We're talking about Mr. Sutton here. It wouldn't be our turn even if he ran out of options in his usual circles!"

...

Hearing about Flavia's dismissal,

Kara couldn't help feeling a bit of schadenfreude. In this class, filled with kids from affluent families, they were still a step away from the elite circles. Yet, the parents of these students boasted annual salaries in the millions.

On the other hand, Kara was the only one who had entered Summit University through a relative's connections.

"Kara, Mr. Sutton is your former brother-in-law, right? Come on, spill the beans. Why did he call off the engagement with Freya?"

"Yeah, was it because of the affair, like the rumors say?"

"An affair? Please, Mr. Sutton was way out of Freya's league. Everyone knows how hard Freya was chasing after Mr. Sutton. He never took her seriously."

Since Kieran broke things off with

Freya, Kara started feeling more isolated in class. Despite Freya being the one at fault, Kara was the one who got shunned. Feeling unjustly treated, Kara just bit her lip and stayed quiet.

Someone in the class couldn't resist taunting her further. "Didn't Kara try to get a word in with Mr. Sutton? Come on, Kara, tell us what happened between Mr. Sutton and Freya."

"How would she know? She's a distant relative of the Dawson family and got in here through connections. With her grades, she should've been content with a local college in some small town."

The mocking was relentless. In their world, social hierarchy was an unspoken rule. Those with solid family backgrounds were at the top of the food chain. And those who didn't fit the bill became the butt of their jokes.

Accustomed to a simpler life in the

countryside, Kara found the city overwhelming. She'd avoid high-end salons and fancy spas and even felt out of place in upscale stores, fearing she might soil the expensive clothes just by trying them on.

These habits soon made her the subject of ridicule among the female students, who could afford anything in the mall without a second thought.

Even though they were initially friendly toward Kara, their disdain for the "country girl" eventually showed.

Kara clenched her teeth, unable to respond. In this class, she was at the bottom of the social hierarchy.

Now that Freya and Kieran had broken up, she had even less standing to confront her classmates. With these thoughts, Kara's resentment toward Freya grew deeper.