Chapter 2

"This is a photo someone took of you outside Braxton University's gates within the last six months. What you're holding is clearly Braxton's student ID!

"You never even sat for the exams. What business would you have at Braxton? Don't tell me you weren't there to buy your way in, to steal Bill's enrollment status.

"And the most laughable part is that a failing student who never even finished high school actually thinks he can attend Braxton? Do you think the professors there are blind? Do you think the rest of us are idiots?"

The guests around us started murmuring, their eyes full of contempt and mockery.

"I always heard the youngest Cyrus boy was useless, but I never expected him to be vicious enough to steal his own brother's university spot."

"What a criminal. Does he really think his family's money lets him get away with anything?"

"He's never measured up to his brother. No wonder he's bitter enough to pull something like this."

I listened to the accusations in silence, my gaze sweeping over the crowd before it settled on Bill's face. Under the restraint, I could see the satisfaction he was trying to hide.

Eighteen years. Ever since the day I was born, I'd lived in Bill's shadow.

He was smart, handsome, and top of every class, the golden child everyone adored. I was ordinary, withdrawn, and average at best, forever cast as his backdrop.

My parents' attention had always followed him. Every ounce of praise and affection went to him.

As for me, I might as well have been the family's spare part.

I reached up and wiped the blood from the corner of my mouth, my eyes as calm and still as a dead lake.

"Mom, you're saying I stole his acceptance letter. Where's your proof? A couple of photos of me outside Braxton's gates?"

Valerie faltered for a moment, clearly not expecting the son who always kept his head down to talk back. Then her anger flared even hotter.

"Proof? Mr. Stark already threw the photos down on the table, and you still have the nerve to argue?

"Bill topped the entire school. He cleared Braxton's admission score ages ago! His acceptance letter still hasn't arrived, and meanwhile you, a dropout who hasn't set foot in a classroom in a year, are out there flashing a Braxton student ID around like some kind of trophy. If you didn't steal it, then who did?"

That was when the hall doors were flung open.

My father, Rick Cyrus, chairman of Cyrus Group, strode in with a chill radiating off him. He'd been taking a call in the side room and had come running the second he heard the commotion.

He didn't so much as glance at me. He walked straight to Bill and examined his clenched fists and tense expression with obvious concern.

"Bill, what happened? Who upset you?"

Bill shook his head, his voice thick with restrained anger. "Dad, I'm fine. Don't blame Nick. He just made a mistake in a moment of confusion..."

Valerie stepped forward and repeated the story, embellishing every detail.

Hearing that, Rick spun around and raised his hand to slap me.

"You disgraceful wretch!"

I didn't let him get the satisfaction. I turned slightly and caught his wrist before it landed.

"Dad, you might want to think before you swing," I said, staring back at him coldly. "University admissions these days require identity verification at every step. Records, ID, fingerprints, facial recognition. None of it can be skipped.

"Even if I had some godlike ability, how exactly would I pass his identity verification in his place?"

Rick wrenched his hand free, shaking with fury.

"You still dare to argue! So what if there's identity verification?

"Did you go behind my back and use the Cyrus family's connections? Did you pay a hacker to alter the records?"