The System Glitch Chapter 1

My sister and I both bound with a "Life Upgrade System" on the same day.

She poured all her skill points into "Beauty," becoming a stunning, brainless bombshell who dominated Hollywood.

I, on the other hand, dumped all my points into "Intellect."

By twenty, I was recruited by the government for a top-secret research project, cutting off all contact with the outside world.

When the project ended and I finally reconnected with civilization, I found my sister had become public enemy number one.

She was blacklisted, slandered, and labeled a homewrecker.

Meanwhile, her boyfriend, the billionaire heir of the Sterling family, posted a single tweet: [Don't know her. Stop associating me with trash.]

Me: "???"

If you don't know her, then who was the idiot standing under our balcony in high school, begging for just one look?

* * *

My sister, Bella, and I bound with the System on the same day.

The System's original intent was to make us compete. A classic sibling rivalry arc.

But Bella and I looked at each other and silently agreed to pick different lanes.

She loved makeup and fashion, so she exchanged all her hard-earned points for Beauty. She became the school's unrivaled beauty queen—stunning, but academically average.

I loved reading, so I maxed out Intellect. From then on, I absorbed knowledge like a sponge, becoming a legendary academic prodigy.

The System wasn't having it.

It issued a joint mission: [Capture the heart of Campus King, Julian Sterling. Reward: Massive points + 10 attribute points from the loser.]

I forfeited immediately.

"Dating affects my GPA. I'm out. Good luck, sis!"

To my surprise, Bella forfeited too.

"I don't like dating strangers. I'm out too."

The System crashed.

[Are you two crazy?! That's Julian Sterling! The heir to the Sterling Empire! Marry him and you're set for life! I'm giving you a golden opportunity, and you refuse?!]

It was furious.

Bella and I just smiled. She went back to her acting classes; I went back to my calculus.

If the System knew us at all, it would know we were inseparable since the womb.

When Bella got the umbilical cord wrapped around her neck, I kicked and punched until mom went to the hospital, saving her life.

When I choked on a grape, Bella screamed and heimliched me until I coughed it up.

When Bella was cornered by bullies, I sensed the danger from blocks away and led a rescue team to save her.

And when I got a leg cramp in the deep end of the pool, Bella jumped in to save me, nearly drowning herself in the process.

On the pool deck, I cried and called her an idiot.

She laughed, "If we die, we die together. Same birthday, same death day. Romantic, right?"

I laughed through my tears. "Romantic my ass. Living is better."

If the System knew this, it would know we'd never turn on each other.

It wasted its time binding us.

But we didn't say that. Occasionally, to keep the System from unbinding us (and taking away our perks), we'd stage a little drama to feed its ego.

But actually seducing a man? Forget it.

I chase who I like. I won't let a computer tell me who to love. Bella felt the same.

So, the System just stewed in its anger. Since we had "Perfect Performance" immunity cards from previous tasks, it couldn't punish us.

However, Julian Sterling made a move.

He took an interest in Bella.

He started strutting in front of her with his entourage of rich kids, looking like a peacock. Julian was admittedly handsome—deep features, a gaze that looked affectionate even when he was bored. Very deceptive.

But Bella took one look and walked away.

She whispered to me, "Looks a bit dim. I'm not smart, so I need a guy with brains to balance the gene pool."

Understood. Supply and demand.

Just like me—I like pretty people. I have infinite patience for beauty. I can explain a math problem five times to the handsome class monitor, but twice to anyone else makes me want to scream.

Bella's comment somehow reached Julian's ears.

He blocked Bella in the hallway. "Bella Vance, how smart do you want?"