Chapter 3

"I have nothing to be afraid of," I said. "Besides, you're already forcing me into a dead end. I don't mind taking some of you down with me."

I absentmindedly toyed with the box cutter as I swept my gaze over Mom, Dad, Layla, and Richard.

Dead silence descended upon the room.

Everyone was shocked by the intimidating air I exuded.

Mom shrieked as she shielded Layla behind her. "W-what do you think you're doing? You want to commit murder now?"

Meanwhile, Dad was shaking with anger. "You've lost your mind! I'm going to send you to a mental hospital!"

"A mental hospital?" I asked with a scoff. "I have to admit that it's not a bad place, but I believe that we have a score to settle before you send me there."

I pointed the box cutter at the stack of "evidence" on the desk and asked, "Mr. Hoffman, you're accusing me of copying Layla's answers because mine are the same as hers, correct?"

Richard swallowed and puffed up his chest before answering, "That's right! That's more than enough proof, no?"

"Well, I have a question of my own. Aren't the exam papers in the Provincial Department of Education right now? How do you know what my answers are? Don't tell me that you have X-ray vision? Or perhaps…"

I paused, my gaze sharpening when I continued, "You're actually working with Layla. The two of you came up with this scheme together to accuse me of cheating and drag my name through the mud."

Richard paled. His eyes flashed as he shouted, "What nonsense are you spouting? I found those cards in your desk!"

"My desk?" I repeated with a scoff. "The classrooms were cleared out and sealed the day before the exam. We're also not allowed to bring any books or papers into the exam hall. Are you saying that I magically produced those cards out of thin air?

"Also, if you're accusing me of copying Layla's answers, then her answers would have to be correct in the first place."

Layla's heart throbbed as an ominous feeling grew in her chest. She forced herself to stay calm as she asked, "What are you talking about, Talia? Everyone knows that I have outstanding results. I also performed well during this exam."

"Is that so?"

I tossed the box cutter aside and pulled my phone out of my pocket. "Since you're so adamant that I cheated, why don't we request that the exam papers be examined? I'm also curious to see what two exam papers with identical answers look like."

"Examine the papers? What gives you the right to demand something like that?" Dad roared. "Stop humiliating our family in public! How much more do you want to drag our reputation through the mud?

"I can stop this incident from spreading on the news as long as you admit your wrongdoing, leave the school, and move abroad. But if you continue to cause a fuss, I'll have no choice but to make it impossible for you to continue living in Asterville!"

Dad was using the same tricks again. He was abusing his authority just to protect Layla.

Unfortunately for him, I was no longer a doormat that anyone could trample on.

"Apologies, but I've already called the police and contacted the media."

I waved my phone, showing them that I was also livestreaming this entire incident. "Did you see that, everyone? This is how the richest family in Asterville, the Sanders family, behaves.

"Although the true heiress of the family is being framed for cheating, her own biological parents are dead set on forcing her into a dead end before they even find out what's actually going on. Everyone should keep an eye on how the rest of this drama will unfold."

The number of viewers in the live stream shot up in an instant.

A wave of comments flooded the screen.

"Oh my god! Is this drama about an elite family?"

"Aren't the parents being too biased? Why don't they want to examine the papers?"

"The true heiress is so cool. I love her!"

"The fake heiress looks so snobbish. Anyone can tell at a glance that she's bad news."

Dad nearly fainted from anger as he stared at the screen. He lunged at me and tried to snatch my phone away, screaming, "Turn it off! Turn it off right now!"

I easily dodged and continued saying, "Since you're so convinced that I cheated, Mr. Hoffman, why don't you tell everyone who's watching the live stream about the evidence you gathered that proves that I cheated?"

Richard was cornered. He looked at the screen and stubbornly said, "I didn't do anything wrong, so I'm not scared!

"Talia usually has terrible results, while Layla is at the top of her grade. What other proof do you need? If there are two exam papers with identical answers, it's obvious that the worse student copied the better student!"

Layla maintained her pitiful expression as she looked at the screen and wiped her tears. "Don't blame Talia, everyone. Maybe she only did what she did because she was acting on impulse. I don't blame her at all."

"So she's the legendary innocent beauty?"

"Passing judgment even before they get to the bottom of things? That teacher isn't doing his job."

Just then, the sounds of a commotion came from outside the office.

A few uniformed police officers and some middle-aged men in suits strode into the office. The middle-aged men also had badges pinned to their chests.

The man at the front of the group was wearing a stern expression, exuding an intimidating air.

"I'm the head inspector of the Provincial Department of Education, Ashton Peters. We received a report just now, stating that someone was being framed for cheating during SAT. I'm looking for Ms. Talia Sanders."