Changed Destiny

Georgetown University!

By the time Lake drove from Quantico to the university, it was almost noon.

Parked.

Engine off.

Lake got out of the car. While waiting for Betty to emerge from a nearby teaching building, he lit a cigarette and looked at the university landscape, known as the playground of politicians.

Georgetown is one of the top private elite universities in the United States, and it's also a top institution known as the playground of politicians. Basically, those who do well are either Yale politicians or Georgetown politicians.

However, General Ross must be cursing in his heart.

Lake went to Yale, one of the top universities, but instead of choosing to be a politician, he chose to be a small agent at the NYPD.

In General Ross's mind, federal agents are already small agents, let alone the locally-based NYPD.

And his daughter, Betty?

Betty also went to Georgetown, one of the top universities, but... she was also not interested in politics, instead becoming interested in science.

If you were to define "going against the grain."

Undoubtedly.

Lake and Betty fit that description. They attended universities that cultivated politicians, yet neither of them developed an interest in politics.

If Ross were also a politician, he would probably be crying himself to sleep in the restroom right now. Fortunately, Ross is a soldier. Although he might be cursing internally, he wouldn't go so far as to cry himself to sleep.

Lake hadn't expected that even though the timeline had changed, Betty still chose science.

In the original timeline, Betty had to attend boarding school for most of her school years because her mother passed away early. Then, she started dating Banner, who was at least ten years older than her and might have filled the void of fatherly love. This infuriated General Ross, who wanted to kill Banner with one blow.

But things were different now.

Karen was fine, and although Betty loved science, she was still at Georgetown University. It was likely that in this timeline, Betty and Banner wouldn't have had a chance.

Betty in this life certainly didn't lack fatherly love.

After a while.

Betty, walking out of the teaching building with a few classmates, her eyes lit up. She saw Lake parked on the lawn and a look of pleasant surprise appeared on her face. She said something to her classmates, then dashed straight towards Lake.

"Bang!"

"Ah!"

"...Sorry, Lake."

"It's fine."

Lake rubbed his lower back, which had hit the car, and shook his head with a helpless smile at Betty, who was acting like a wild child, completely lacking any goddess-like demeanor. "My dear sister, I need to remind you that your weight is not on the same level as it was when you were a child."

Betty, who had been feeling a bit guilty, rolled her eyes when she heard that. "When I was little, you could still lift me up. Can you do it now?"

Could her childhood weight be compared to her current weight?

Lake raised an eyebrow. "I still can. Want to try?"

Saying that.

Lake prepared to lift Betty, who was now almost 1.7 meters tall.

People could lift cars in extreme anger. Lake, in a state of extreme anger, could activate his adrenaline. Forget lifting someone up; throwing a person a hundred meters away like a grenade wouldn't be difficult.

Seeing this, Betty's face flushed. She dodged and said angrily, "Brother!"

Lake burst out laughing.

Betty glanced around and, seeing that no one was paying attention, breathed a sigh of relief. If any acquaintances were present and Lake actually lifted her up, Betty felt she would experience social death.

They got into the car.

The car started and drove towards their home in Arlington County, situated between Quantico and the District.

In the passenger seat.

Betty kept glancing at Lake.

Lake pretended not to notice.

But his peripheral vision continued to catch her.

Lake sighed. "Yes, I've been dumped again. Happy now?"

Betty grinned, then quickly covered her mouth, shook her head, and took a deep breath. "Which one is that?"

Lake shot Betty a speechless look.

Which one?

What kind of question is that? What do you mean, "which one"? I, Lake, have always dated with sincerity and never acted like a scumbag under the guise of true feelings.

Could he be blamed for the relationship falling apart?

Besides.

Not to mention the previous ones, just this one. Was this breakup because of him? It had already been half a year. Lake had thought it was time to settle down, but then this happened.

Lake sighed, "I think I'm going to die alone."

With the title "Looking for love, the deadly kind" on his back, could he still find his other half?

Lake was already considering giving up on the idea and just relying on phone sex workers to satisfy his needs.

Speaking of which...

How did other transmigrators find their other halves?

Betty shrugged, "I think Emma and Hermione are pretty good."

She hadn't met Maureen, but during the summer vacations of the past two years, Betty had met Emma and Hermione. Of course, she had met a few others in previous years, but it was clear that only these two left a deep impression on Betty.

But.

What good is it if you think they're good? I'm the one looking for a wife, not you.

Lake rolled his eyes, "A good horse doesn't go back to the same pasture!"

Betty blinked, "Is it because you think getting back together is too difficult, or do you think they've already found someone else?"

Lake glanced at Betty, "These are adult matters, kids should stay out of it."

Laugh.

Laugh all you want.

What if, in the future, you go crazy like before and get involved with Banner? See who I side with. If I don't beat Banner black and blue, I'll take your last name.

...Wait.

Lake blinked, feeling like there was something wrong with that sentence.

Betty said speechlessly, "I'm twenty-five, only five years younger than you, I'm not a child anymore. Besides, even if I don't ask, your mom will."

Lake: "..."

Karen Ross!

A very gentle blonde woman, at least, that was how Lake remembered her.

Foster homes here were a mixed bag. In good foster homes, you'd be raised as if you were their own child. Lake was one of the lucky ones.

But there were bad ones too.

Take those foster families who specifically wanted to live off the monthly foster care payments from City Hall. Their strategy was to adopt as many children as they could and then use that foster care money for their own food and entertainment. As for the foster children, well, it was a case of sink or swim, their development entirely up to fate.

Although there were child protection organizations, they weren't proactive. They only acted when a report was filed or information was provided. In the dilapidated communities of Queens, this was almost always the case. Foster children didn't understand what protection was, and besides, children are naturally timid. After being beaten, they wouldn't think of seeking protection.

So...

In a way, Lake was very fortunate. And although Lake never changed his address, Karen never complained. That was also why Lake had chosen to save Karen back then.

It's just...

Thinking about Karen's nagging.

Lake couldn't help but get a headache.