Chapter 1

"This isn't punishment. It's love—the deep, unwavering love of a father!"

My father, Daniel Jacobson, stood before the memorial plaques with his hands pinned behind his back. Below the raised platform sat our relatives, all of them silent.

The Family app's scoreboard was shown on the large screen. My name had been circled.

I'd scored the lowest on the board. Pointing at my name, Dad exclaimed loudly, "A complacent, unambitious person like this is not worthy of being my child! I know you all think I'm being cruel."

He raised his voice so that it reverberated through the chapel. "But a diamond in the rough demands to be mercilessly shaped and polished until it shines! I'm crushing her pride today so she can survive!"

The antique clock in the corner of the chapel struck nine. It was judgment time.

His words cut off. Dad frowned and glanced at the door. No one stood there.

"Where is she?"

The relatives' whispers grew to a clamor.

"Erik." Dad turned to my older brother, Erik Jacobson, the model child with charm and brains. "Have her come down."

Erik immediately rose to his feet and gave an obedient nod.

I watched as he took the steps up the wooden staircase beside the chapel, the familiar lines of his silhouette bringing back memories from three mornings ago.

As the member with the lowest score on the Family app scoreboard, I'd been the only one standing that day while the rest of the family ate breakfast. On the dining table was a spread of warm milk, scrambled eggs, and golden-brown toast.

Dad had been slowly slicing through the scrambled eggs on his plate. He didn't even spare me a glance.

"Rules are rules."

No sooner had he said this than the phone in my pocket sounded—not with a call, but with the app's mechanical voice that rang loud and clear.

"User: Andrea Jacobson. Total score: -78. Ranking: Last place. Breakfast privileges for the day are revoked. Initiating punishment protocol: Memorize an excerpt from the 'Florilegia of the Filial.'"

Erik had met my eyes, which shone with a silent plea for help, and thoughtfully suggested, "Dad, perhaps Andrea could sit and memorize the excerpt instead of remaining standing."

Dad had glanced at him and said nothing.

A second later, Erik's phone buzzed as well. It had been a warning from Dad.

Erik held his tongue at once, lowering his head numbly.

Unsatisfied, Dad added to my punishment, forbidding me to sit until I'd memorized the excerpt from the Florilegia of the Filial 300 times.

Erik's footsteps came from the staircase, and he stopped before my tightly shut bedroom door.