Chapter 288: Chapter 288: The Seed Sprouts

By the time Serena Storm and Heather Frost reached high school, the rivalry—one-sided as it was—had become the defining element of Heather's life.They both attended the same elite high school within the Imperial Capital. For Heather, this was both a blessing and a curse. While the Frost name, or more like their relation to the Storm family, held enough weight to ensure her place among the school's upper echelons, she could never escape Serena's shadow.

The spotlight on Serena was no less bright at school than it was at the Storm estate. If anything it was brighter. Teachers praised her intellect and her unparalleled control over spiritual power, while the students, although conscious of her talent, mostly praised her beauty.

Rumors swirled endlessly about Serena, and one in particular made Heather's blood boil: that one of the Lysander princes, might have a crush on Serena. Heather overheard the whispers in the hallways and the giggles of her classmates. It wasn't fair. Serena didn't even seem interested in the attention, nor did she probably even know that the prince pursuing her existed. Why couldn't it have been her?

The pressure only mounted as their final year approached. The upcoming Awakening Ceremony loomed over them all. The biggest event of their lives that would set the trajectory of their futures. For Heather, the stakes couldn't have been higher. Her parents made it clear: the Frost family's continued prestige depended on her results.

Meanwhile, Serena, who had always been exceptional, seemed entirely unbothered. Her calm face almost seemed to be taunting Heather, like she was sure that even without trying she would definitely be able to obtain an affinity that left Heather in the dust.

She couldn't take it anymore!

That summer before their senior year of high school, Heather reached her breaking point.

The Frosts' neighbors, the Harringtons, were preparing for their son's Awakening Ceremony. As part of this preparation, they had secretly procured a red-grade spiritual creature—a cub of a high-level predator, at least gold-quality—brought in from beyond the city's borders.

When Heather learned of this she concocted a plan so reckless it even frightened her— She would get rid of Serena once and for all.

Using Serena's trust, Heather invited her for a "private walk" in the sprawling forest bordering the properties of several estates. However, it was a private forest in the center a prestigious gated community, with no wild spiritual creatures in it—and no danger. Therefore, it was common for members of the community to go for relaxing walks within the forest since it was a safer version of the wilderness outside of the city.

Heather guided Serena to a secluded area under the pretense of showing her a hidden stream. Then, making an excuse about fetching something she "forgot," Heather ran off, leaving Serena alone.

She had already convinced the Harrington's son to secretly release the cub—with a bit of flirting, of course. And it just so happened that its favourite food, something irresistible to it, had been left near where Serena was. The creature's senses would naturally drive it in that direction. And given its inherently vicious nature, it would definitely attack a strange girl that was seemingly standing in between it and its food.

Heather returned to the Frost mansion, her heart pounding in anticipation. Guilt and fear flickered in the back of her mind, but she pushed them aside. All she could think about was the end of the comparisons, the end of being second-best.

This was her chance to finally step out of Serena's shadow.

Hours passed. No news came. Heather paced her room, her stomach twisting with nerves. Had it worked?

Then, the report arrived—but it was nothing like she expected.

Serena had survived. Not only that, but she had

awakened independently

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Heather's jaw dropped as the details were explained. Alone in the forest, faced with the danger of the red-grade cub, Serena had instinctively awakened her affinity. This was an extraordinary feat in itself and would surely raise her value and reputation even more, but the shocks didn't stop there.

At the moment of her Awakening, Serena also activated her gift, as well—moreover it was the legendary gift that the founder of the Storm family had once wielded.

And as if fate itself conspired to elevate Serena further, apparently at the time of her awakening, a suitable contract also just happened to be in the vicinity and immediately submitted to her, allowing her to defeat the red-grade cub without any injuries. Supposedly her first contract, while its identity wasn't revealed, had an unimaginable potential.

Heather felt her world crumble.

The envy bubbling inside her erupted into a hurricane of rage. She smashed mirrors, threw vases, and tore apart her room in a hysterical frenzy. How? How had Serena turned what should have been her death sentence into yet another opportunity to get ahead of her?!

Her tantrum was interrupted by the Frost family's steward. "Miss Heather," he said, his voice grave, "the Storms have arrived and are demanding to see you."

The investigation didn't take long. The evidence of Heather's involvement was damning. The Frost family was humiliated, and Heather's parents—although ashamed and furious—still did everything in their power to protect her.

By giving up much of their family's properties and interests, they managed to reduce her punishment to what was, by all rights, a slap on the wrist: banishment to a third-tier city in the empire's southern region.

But for Heather, it felt like a death sentence.

She screamed at her parents, begging them to reconsider. "You're throwing me away!" she cried. "You're ruining my life!"

Her mother's face was pale but resolute. "We've done everything we can to help you, Sweetheart. Be should be grateful this isn't worse."

Be grateful? Grateful?!

Her hatred, once directed solely at Serena, now encompassed everyone around her. As she boarded the carriage that would take her away from the Imperial Capital, Heather vowed that one day, she would return with immense strength.

And when she did, she would make them all pay.