Chapter 1

In my past life, a divine power gave my sister and me a choice between two paths: the "Socialite Siren" system and the "Independent Achiever" system.

My older sister, Olivia, snatched the "Socialite Siren" without a second thought. I was left with the "Independent Achiever."

The system was a curse. It demanded I build everything from scratch, with no help, no shortcuts. For ten years, I poured my blood and sweat into a tech startup. I worked until my fingers bled and my eyes burned, finally achieving a success that felt hollow and lonely.

Meanwhile, Olivia, armed with the system's manipulative perks, chased after the city's most powerful heirs. She thought she could charm her way to the top. But the system was a trap. It gave her the tools for seduction but not the substance to maintain respect. The men she pursued used her and discarded her. In the end, she was left with nothing, her body paralyzed after a brutal "accident."

The last time I saw her, I was visiting her in the hospital. I brought flowers and a check big enough to cover her medical bills for life.

She looked at me from her wheelchair, her face twisted with a hatred that was more terrifying than her physical state.

"Why you?" she hissed, her voice a raw scrape. "Why did you get to succeed while I ended up like this? It should have been me!"

Before I could react, she lunged at me, a hidden knife in her hand. She stabbed me, over and over, her resentment fueling a strength I never knew she had. The pain was immense, but the shock of her betrayal was worse. As my vision faded, the last thing I saw was her smiling, a triumphant, crazed look in her eyes.

Then, I opened my eyes again.

I was back in the familiar, sterile white space, the disembodied voice of the divine power echoing around me. Before me floated two shimmering orbs of light. One pulsed with a seductive pink glow, the other with a steady, determined blue.

"Choose your path, mortals."

I looked over at Olivia. She was staring at the orbs, her eyes wide with greed. This time, however, her gaze was fixed on the blue one.

A cruel smile touched her lips. "In our last life, I was a fool," she muttered, though I was the only one who could hear her. "Relying on men is a mistake. This time, I'll build my own empire. I'll be the one in control."

She reached out and decisively touched the blue orb. "I choose the 'Independent Achiever' system."

She turned to me, a smirk on her face. "Looks like you're stuck with the leftovers, Chloe. Good luck trying to charm your way through life. I'll be watching you fail."

I almost laughed. Stuck? I was free.

I remembered the "Independent Achiever" system. It wasn't just about hard work; it was about isolation. The system actively punished you for seeking help, for building connections. Every point I earned was through solitary struggle, every achievement came at the cost of a piece of my soul. It was designed to break you, to prove that true independence was a lonely hell.

This time, I wouldn't be its prisoner.

With a sense of profound relief, I reached out and touched the pink orb.

"I choose the 'Socialite Siren' system."

[System binding complete. Welcome, Host Chloe Miller.]

A holographic screen appeared before my eyes, shimmering with pink and gold accents.

[Host: Chloe Miller]

[System: Socialite Siren 1.0]

[Points: 0]

[Skills: None]

[Items: Newcomer Gift Package (1)]

The interface was sleek, almost playful. It was a world away from the stark, utilitarian blue screen of my previous life.

A new panel popped up.

[Main Quest: Capture the hearts of designated targets. Every increase in a target's affection level will grant points, which can be used in the system store.]

[Target 1: Liam Hayes. Student Council President, straight-A student, heir to the tech giant, Hayes Corporation. Personality: Reserved, intelligent, values integrity.]

[Target 2: Noah Riley. Star athlete, basketball team captain, heir to the real estate empire, Riley Holdings. Personality: Brash, protective, loyal.]

Liam and Noah. I remembered them from my past life. They were the two most sought-after boys at our prestigious high school, the sun and moon of the social scene. Olivia had tried and failed to capture both of them, her system-enhanced charms falling flat against their genuine personalities.

This time, I wouldn't make her mistakes. She used the system for shallow seduction. I would use it to build real connections, to understand them, to show them a side of me that wasn't just a pretty face. My past life gave me one advantage: I knew that true power didn't come from manipulation, but from understanding.

But looking at my zero points, a problem became immediately clear. I couldn't buy any skills or items. I was starting from scratch, a socialite with no social capital. My family was strictly middle-class, only able to afford the tuition for this elite school through scholarships and loans. We lived on the fringes of this wealthy world, always looking in. Olivia was the favored child, the pretty one, while I was the quiet, overlooked younger sister. I had no status, no connections.

How was I supposed to even get close to Liam and Noah?

As if reading my mind, the system chimed again.

[Newcomer Gift Package detected. Would you like to open it?]

"Yes," I murmured.

[Congratulations, Host! You have received: Dream Entry Pass (x1). This pass allows you to enter the dream of one target for a single night.]

A small, shimmering ticket appeared in my inventory.

A smile spread across my face. A dream. The perfect, untraceable way to make a first impression.