Living a Second Chance as the Richest Daughter

"Lucas. Lucas Park." He flashed a lopsided grin. "Your one and only best friend."

Anna blinked. Best friend? Shane had a best friend?

Lucas groaned at her silence. "Oh my god, I hate that you have amnesia right now." He crossed his arms, dramatically rolling his eyes. "The way you're looking at me—like I just told you aliens are real—offends me."

Anna's lips parted, but no words came out.

Lucas sighed, shaking his head. "Let me guess. You're wondering how you—Shane Tiu—could possibly have a friend. Especially since your whole vibe is rich, cold, and detached." He smirked. "Well, surprise! You do. Me. And before you ask—yes, I am real. Yes, we were close. But…" His expression darkened slightly. "It was our little secret."

Anna frowned. "Secret?"

Lucas shrugged. "Not by choice. Your evil stepmother found out, and, well… let's just say she really didn't approve." He scoffed. "And now, here you are, looking at me like a stranger."

He clutched his chest dramatically. "Wow. Pain."

Despite herself, Anna almost smiled. Almost.

If he was telling the truth… then Shane had a best friend. And Patricia had hated it.

Which only made Anna more curious.

"Why did Patricia hate that I had a friend?" Anna asked, her voice firm.

Lucas's playful expression faded as he met her gaze. There was a weight in his eyes, like he knew she had just cracked open a door she might not be ready to walk through.

"Not here, girl," he said in a hushed tone, glancing around as if checking for eavesdroppers. "If we're gonna talk, we need to make sure no one knows we even met here. Especially not her."

A chill ran down Anna's spine. His words only confirmed what she suspected—this wasn't just about Patricia being overprotective. It was deeper. Darker.

Her lips pressed into a thin line, frustration bubbling inside her. She wanted answers, needed them, but Lucas was right. If Patricia had been watching her that closely before, there was no telling what she was capable of now.

Anna exhaled, forcing herself to push it aside for now. One thing at a time.

"Right," she muttered. "And I came here for another reason."

Lucas raised an eyebrow. "Oh? And what's more important than catching up with your fabulous best friend?"

"Adrian Lee," she said. "I need to talk to him."

Lucas groaned, running a hand through his hair. "Ugh. Him."

Anna frowned. "What about him?"

Lucas let out an exaggerated sigh. "Nothing. Just… good luck with that one."

And somehow, that only made her more curious.

"Why? Do I know him personally? I really need his help."

"Why? Do I know him personally?" Anna asked. "I really need his help."

Lucas shook his head. "Oh, no. Your paths never crossed. You and Adrian Lee live in completely different worlds. But why him, of all people?"

"I was given a second chance to take special exams—to make up for the classes I missed last semester," Anna explained. "If I pass, I can move on to my second year."

Lucas's expression shifted from curiosity to mild disbelief. He crossed his arms, tilting his head. "Wait, wait, wait—you mean to tell me you're willingly signing up for extra exams? Who are you, and what have you done with Shane?"

Anna blinked, caught off guard. "So… Shane wasn't the studious type?"

Lucas scoffed. "Studious? Girl, you used to call exams 'a legal form of torture.' You hated studying, especially anything related to your major. You always said you'd rather set your textbooks on fire than open them."

Anna forced a small smile, though inside, a sense of unease crept up her spine. This was another reminder that she and Shane were very different. If Shane despised studying, then why was it coming so naturally to her now? Was it just muscle memory, or something else?

She shook the thought away. "Well, things change. And I need to pass those exams if I want to stay in school."

Lucas let out an exaggerated gasp. "You—Shane Tiu—are voluntarily working hard to stay in school?!" He dramatically clutched his chest. "I need a moment. This is too much."

Anna rolled her eyes. "Very funny. Are you going to help me or not?"

Lucas smirked. "Depends. What do I get in return?"

"I don't know," she shot back not really sure if Anna could give him whatever he wants. "What do you want?" 

Lucas tapped his chin, pretending to think. "Hmm. Free food. For a month."

"A month?!" Anna gaped. "Are you supposed to be rich? Why are you asking me for free food?"

Lucas grinned. "Take it or leave it."

She sighed. "Fine. But first, I really do need to find Adrian Lee. I was told he's the best when it comes to Computer Science."

Lucas wrinkled his nose. "Yeah, because he's a literal machine. The guy doesn't talk unless it's about algorithms or whatever nerdy stuff he's obsessed with."

"That's exactly why I need his help," Anna pointed out. "I've been trying to study on my own, but I can't seem to grasp anything related to programming."

Lucas sighed, shaking his head. "Alright, I'll help you find him. But don't say I didn't warn you—Adrian's not exactly the friendly type."

Anna crossed her arms. "How bad could he be?"

Lucas chuckled darkly, shaking his head. "Oh, you'll see."

Something about the way he said it made Anna uneasy.

She tilted her head. "What, is he some kind of robot? A nightmare tutor? A secret mafia boss?"

Lucas snorted. "No, but I wouldn't be surprised if he were all three." He leaned in as if sharing a classified secret. "Adrian Lee is… intense. He doesn't talk unless it's absolutely necessary, and when he does, it's either in programming language or straight-up ice-cold logic. And trust me, he doesn't sugarcoat things. If you don't know something, he'll tell you you're dumb—without hesitation."

Anna raised an eyebrow. "Sounds charming."

"Oh, he's a delight," Lucas deadpanned. "But if you want to pass those exams, he's your best bet."

Anna sighed, running a hand through her hair. "Alright, so where do I find him?"

Lucas glanced at his watch. "Well, if you're looking for him here, you're out of luck. Someone called him earlier, and he left to meet them. But he's still on campus—last I heard, he's at Royal Café."

"Royal Café?" Anna repeated.

Lucas nodded. "Yeah, it's the fancy one near the library. Students go there to study, act all sophisticated, and pretend they're main characters in a drama." He smirked. "And Adrian? He basically lives there."

Anna glanced toward the hallway, then back at Lucas. "Fine. Take me there."

Lucas blinked. "Whoa, whoa. Since when do I look like your personal chauffeur?"

"Since you're the one who knows where everything is," she countered.

Lucas sighed dramatically but waved a hand. "Alright, princess. Follow me."

As they walked through the halls of Royal University, Anna couldn't shake the feeling that meeting Adrian Lee was about to be more of a challenge than she had anticipated.

Lucas and Anna walked toward the Royal Café, maintaining a deliberate distance between them. It wasn't casual—it was intentional.

"Just a reminder," Lucas muttered under his breath, hands tucked into his pockets. "People can't know we're friends. That's how it's always been."

Anna frowned but kept her eyes forward. "Why?"

Lucas glanced at her, then away. "You really don't remember anything, huh?"

She shook her head. "Nothing."

He let out a small sigh. "Look, it's complicated. You—well, you had reasons. And I had mine." His voice dipped lower. "We agreed to keep it a secret."

Anna wanted to press further, but something in his tone told her now wasn't the time. She made a mental note to get the truth out of him later—after the exam, when she wasn't already drowning in unanswered questions.

For now, she had another problem to deal with.

Adrian Lee.

As they neared Royal Café, Anna could already see students seated by the large glass windows, some buried in textbooks, others typing away on laptops. It had a sleek, modern aesthetic—black marble countertops, minimalist furniture, and soft golden lighting that made everything feel expensive.

Lucas stopped at the entrance and nodded toward a secluded corner near the window. "There. That's him."

Anna followed his gaze and spotted a young man sitting alone at a table, a cup of coffee next to an open laptop. His dark hair fell slightly over his forehead, and he was completely absorbed in whatever he was working on. His fingers moved swiftly over the keyboard, his posture relaxed but focused.

"That's Adrian Lee?" Anna asked, surprised by how… normal he looked.

Lucas snorted. "What, were you expecting him to have glowing red eyes and smoke coming out of his ears?"

"Considering how you described him? Kind of."

Lucas chuckled. "Go on, then. Disturb the genius at work. Just don't say I didn't warn you."

Anna squared her shoulders, took a deep breath, and walked toward Adrian's table.

Lucas gave her a final glance before slipping away, leaving Anna to navigate this on her own.

As she stepped into the Royal Café, the scent of freshly brewed coffee and warm pastries filled the air. The low hum of conversation surrounded her, but no one spared her a second glance.

Good. That makes this easier.

She inhaled deeply, mustering the courage to approach Adrian Lee. He was still seated at the corner table, completely immersed in his laptop.

But just as she took a step forward, a man in a sharp three-piece suit brushed past her and slid into the seat across from Adrian.

Anna froze.

The man exuded an air of authority—his tailored navy suit was crisp, his tie perfectly knotted, and the watch on his wrist looked like it cost more than her father's entire yearly salary. He leaned forward slightly, resting one arm on the table as he studied Adrian with sharp, assessing eyes.

Adrian, on the other hand, didn't react immediately. His fingers paused over the keyboard for only a fraction of a second before he resumed typing, his expression unreadable.

Anna clenched her fists. Whoever this man was, his presence had just complicated things.