Born To Fall, Reborn To Conquer

Yes … yes,” Lucas muttered with a gentle smile teasing at the corners of his lips, as his name appeared “First Place" in the competitive medical licensing examination. He lingered for a moment, eyes locked on the screen with his name at the top of the list. Those sleepless nights, the dull pain in his eyes from staring at diagrams for hours, even the silence on the walk back from late-night shifts — every single cup of caffeine-fueled energy expended led to this single joyful moment. He glanced at his watch. Without hesitation, Lucas took off the examination gloves and threw them into the disposal bin. He unclipped his identification badge and slipped it into his coat pocket, then strode out of the room. From there, he headed to the home of Mr. Thomas — his ex-girlfriend’s father. The drive to the Thomas house felt chillingly familiar. Approaching the front of the gate, he made an intentional stop, holding his bag tighter, his eyes gazing on a familiar, worn pattern of the stone in front of his shoes. He knew this place. Knew it far too well. The smell of rosemary coming in from the garden, the way the light hit the front windows at this specific angle. “I have seen this place before. This isn’t just familiar. “It’s the same,” Lucas muttered to himself as he walked through the front gate. He was not just recalling the past — he was experiencing it again. He had died and been reborn. Everyone showed disdain towards Lucas in his previous life because he came from a poor background. He faced harsh treatment and regular humiliation from people, especially his ex-girlfriend's family members. His low social status led him to suffer through continuous humiliation and disrespect. The accumulated pain and shame eventually drove him into a severe depression. Eventually the anguish became unbearable and this resulted in his death. Now, he had been reborn with the memories of his past life— not to suffer, but to take revenge on all of the people who disrespected him, humiliated him, and looked down on him. A servant let Lucas in and led him down the broad hallway toward the study. Lucas entered, the sound of his shoes clicking against the marble floor. Inside, Scarlett’s father, Thomas, sat behind a polished mahogany desk, his eyes going through the pages of a newspaper. Lucas closed the door with a slight click behind him and approached the desk. He then nodded in Thomas's direction and smiled, saying, “Hey, Thomas.” Lucas moved the chair toward the desk and took his seat without waiting for Thomas's permission. He leaned back a little and folded his arms. Thomas finally put down the newspaper at a slow pace while his gaze focused on Lucas who was sitting across from him with confidence. " Getting first place in a competitive medical licensing exam." Thomas started, his fingers playing around the mahogany desk. But you must understand, it’s not enough. The prestige of your exam score remains insignificant against the backdrop of real-world circumstances. The achievements you’ve made in academia mean nothing when placed next to my family's status”. “In certain areas your achievements gain recognition but the real power lies in our name and connections. Your efforts will never grant you entry into exclusive spaces or access to influential people”. He leaned forward, removing his fingers from the polished mahogany surface. “So, don’t think for a moment that a single exam result makes you my equal, or Scarlett’s equal, for that matter. Our family’s status is what defines us, not fleeting achievements. You’re still a lowly boy from a family with no name, no roots, and no place in our world. So tell me—what exactly do you think you’ve become? What illusion are you clinging to, thinking that one exam score suddenly places you above who you really are?” Lucas titled his head slightly, a gentle smile forming on his lips. Through the narrow opening in the doorway at the rear of the room, he noticed Scarlett standing next to her mother, both partially obscured by shadow, clearly listening in. Lucas briefly locked eyes with Scarlett, while her mother appeared tense, her arms tightly crossed. Lucas allowed a faint smile to escape from the corner of his lips before redirecting his focus to Thomas, who was seated across from him, visibly agitated. 'Well,' he remarked, readjusting his seat without moving his gaze from Thomas, 'I do not harbor any animosity towards your family. Nor do I dispute your position and influence.' He paused intentionally before adding, 'However, I am on the verge of achieving success.' Thomas moved forward a little, directing a finger towards Lucas . 'You must apologize immediately. For your tone, for your misconceptions, and for presuming you can address us as if you are our equal. What do you believe you have become?'. Lucas gradually stood up and exited from the room. Before he could reach the door, Eleanor, Scarlett's mother, appeared from hiding. 'Do you think that getting a high score on a competitive exam gives you the right to challenge this family?' she remarked coldly, her tone laced with anger. 'What do......' Before Eleanor could complete her statement, Thomas seized his sleek black cellphone, swiftly dialing a number. He pressed it firmly to his left ear, while his right hand formed a fist at his side. “Hello. This is Mr. Thomas and I demand for an investigation into the examination qualifications of an individual named Lucas, his voice laced with anger as he pointed decisively at him. Lucas gazed at Thomas for a moment, his eyes scanning him from head to toe. Subsequently, he silently turned and approached the door. Upon reaching for the handle,he opened the door and got out of the place. "You will come to regret this," Thomas shouted, his voice quaking with fury as he fixed his gaze on Lucas through the window.