The War Hero's Daughter

"Sorry, but this file's information has already been verified and confirmed by a higher-level authority. It cannot be changed."Dad stood at the archive counter, struggling to keep his composure."Verified what? My adopted daughter's biological father is a war hero! Did you even bother checking the original records?"The clerk barely glanced at him, flipping through a couple of papers without looking up."Sir, this is what the system shows. I only have query access. You can file an appeal with the Department of Education.""Then tell me—when was this record entered? And by who?""I don't have the clearance for that."Dad slammed his fist on the counter, startling the people waiting in line behind him.The clerk finally looked up, pushing up his glasses with clear annoyance."Sir, I'll call the police if you keep this up."I rushed over and pulled Dad back."Dad, let's go to the Department of Education."Dad looked at me with red-rimmed eyes. This sixty-something-year-old ma

"Emily, are you insane?"Lily stared at me in disbelief as I knelt in front of the school gate."I'm leaving the livestream to you." I handed her my phone."But—""Lily." I took a deep breath. "My dad's in the hospital with two broken legs. My mom's been threatened multiple times because of me. Every single school has shut its doors on me. I have nothing left but myself."Lily took the phone.It was two in the afternoon. The sun was blazing.I knelt at the school gate, with five large red words laid out in front of me: "GIVE ME BACK MY HONOR."At first, only a few dozen people were watching. The comments were sparse.[Who's this?][The one who ranked 32nd in the state? Didn't she fail her security clearance?][Wait, is this for real? Even if she does this, it's not gonna help, right?]An hour later, viewership climbed to three thousand.[That's Emily Wertheimer! The one from that trending post!][Holy crap, what's she trying to do?]A security guard came over to talk to

"This is the State Police Department. Am I speaking with Emily Wertheimer?"The call came at ten o'clock the next morning. I was in the hospital room feeding Dad porridge. When he heard "State Police," he nearly dropped the bowl."Yes. This is Emily.""We've received a case referral from the State Department of Education regarding irregularities in your file. We'll need your cooperation to provide some materials. Would you be available to give a statement today?""Yes.""Good. We'll send someone to pick you up at the hospital. Also, please bring the originals of your Certificate of Martyr's Family Status and your Orphan Adoption Certificate."After hanging up, I scrolled through my phone. My name was all over the trending page.#Top 32 Statewide Female Student Is Orphan of Fallen Narcotics Officer# — 400 million views.#Who Tampered With a Martyr's Daughter's File?# — 200 million views.#Tyler Brooks' Mother Publicly Exposed at School Gate# — 180 million views.The comments s

"Robert Brooks—cross-border telecommunications fraud, bribery, forgery of official government documents…"These are the charges against you. Do you have anything to say?"This was the announcement made three days later at a joint press conference by the State Commission for Discipline Inspection and the State Police Department.I wasn't there. I watched the livestream from the hospital room, together with my adoptive parents.The press spokesperson had a stern expression as he read through the investigation findings one by one."According to the investigation, on June 23, 2024, Robert Brooks used an intermediary, Kirk Woods, to access the system through a retired employee's credentials. He then fabricated a false criminal record in Emily Wertheimer's file. The purpose was to ensure she failed her security clearance, allowing his son, Tyler Brooks, to be admitted to the National Defense Academy as the next candidate on the early admission list."Dad's hand was gripping the bed she

[Allan Carter, Deputy Captain. On March 17, 2006, he gave his life in the cross-border narcotics interdiction mission codenamed 'Broken Blade.' He was twenty-eight years old.]The cemetery caretaker—an old veteran—led me to the third row, the seventh headstone. His weathered fingers brushed the dust off the stone surface."Right here. You're his daughter?""Yes."He crouched down and pulled out the weeds growing in front of the grave."I knew your father. He wasn't tall, but he was fast—topped the physical fitness exams every single year. The day he left for the mission, he told me he was going to treat the whole team to chicken wings when he got back."He stood up and brushed the dirt off his hands."He never came back."I placed the white chrysanthemums in front of the headstone and knelt down, staring at the black-and-white photo embedded in the stone.The man in the photo was young, wearing his uniform. Handsome.I looked at it for a long time. This was the closest I'd ev