Anastasia's outfit today was simple, almost unremarkable: a plain white T-shirt, navy blue shorts, and her chestnut hair, softly curled, falling loosely over her shoulders.

Yet even in such ordinary clothes, she was impossible to ignore.

Her figure was the perfect balance of grace and curves, her legs long and straight, her skin so fair it seemed to glow. And her features-so striking they looked as though they'd been painted by a master's hand-drew every eye.

"Holy hell, I think I just died. Who is that? Is she a freshman?"

"She's heading into the sophomore dorm, isn't she? Since when did we have someone like her at our school? How have I never noticed?"

"Maybe because you're always staring at the ugly girls. Hey, isn't that Anastasia from your department? Doesn't she live in this building?"

"Ugh, don't even mention that name."

The guy's face twisted in disgust.

They were admiring a goddess, and someone had to bring up that disaster?

Anastasia ignored all the stares and whispers. She turned to say something to Harrison, ready to lead Logan and the others upstairs, when Logan's phone rang.

He answered, then glanced at her, a strange look in his eyes.

He stepped aside, spoke quietly to Harrison in hushed tones.

Anastasia tried to listen in, and just barely caught the name "Aaron."

She had no interest in Aaron, but Logan's expression made her curious.

She wanted to ask, but when she glanced at Harrison waiting in the car, she worried he'd get the wrong idea and be upset, so she forced herself to hold back.

Forget it. She'd ask later-discreetly.

Behind the car window, Harrison caught every flicker of emotion on her face, his lips pressing into a thin line.

Anastasia's dorm was on the fifth floor, room 517, but thankfully there was an elevator.

As soon as they stepped inside, she leaned closer and whispered, "What happened with Aaron?"

Logan hesitated, then decided to tell her, "Mr. Lancaster just got engaged."

"What?" Anastasia blinked, surprised. "To who?"

"Ms. West. She's from Riverton."

That surprised her even more.

Someone from Riverton wanted to marry Aaron? What was wrong with her taste?

But something didn't add up. Hadn't Aaron's mother always insisted she'd only pick a fiancée for him after they moved to Riverton? Why the sudden rush?

Logan looked like he wanted to say something more but kept stopping himself. Anastasia couldn't take it anymore. "What are you trying to say?"

He looked at her seriously. "Ma'am, I just hope you won't ever break Mr. Harrison Lancaster's heart."

Anastasia stared, speechless for a moment, then smirked, understanding the implication. "Do you really think I'm that clueless?"

As for her past life... well, she'd been naive and starved for affection. That's why she'd been fooled.

"My husband is perfect. Compared to him, Aaron's a nobody. How stupid would I have to be to choose Aaron?" she said bluntly.

Just thinking about Harrison made her lips curve into a soft smile, her eyes brightening with a light she couldn't hide. Even her voice changed when she spoke of him.

Only then did Logan finally relax.

They reached her dorm room.

"Anastasia?!"

Her roommate, Helen, was already inside.

Seeing Anastasia's stunning appearance, a flicker of envy crossed Helen's face before she blurted out, "Why'd you come without your makeup?"

By "makeup," she meant the heavy, garish style Anastasia used to wear.

After being egged on by Penelope, Anastasia hadn't just shown up to parties in those outrageous looks-she'd insisted on standing out at school, too. Anastasia lifted her gaze, easily catching the emotion in Helen's eyes.

After her rebirth, the old illusions had fallen away. She was sharper now, and couldn't help a trace of scorn.

See? Just one look, and she could tell Helen had never cared about her. How blind, how foolish had she been in her previous life, to treat someone like that as a true friend?

"If you like that kind of makeup, why don't you try it yourself?" she replied coolly, her tone calm and distant.