Chapter 3

Ezra walked in holding a glass of warm water.

"Who's on the phone?" he asked, looking suspicious.

Before I could answer, Rhea suddenly screamed from upstairs. "Ah! It hurts!"

Ezra's expression changed instantly. The glass in his hand shattered on the floor, sending shards flying onto my foot.

He didn't even spare me a glance when he turned around and rushed out.

"Rhea, what happened?" he shouted.

Over the phone, Clara asked in confusion, "Piper, is everything okay?"

I closed my eyes and said softly, "It's nothing, Ms. Smith. I'll send the admission confirmation form on time."

Rhea had only nicked her finger while peeling an apple. It was barely even deep enough to draw blood.

Yet Ezra was so worried that he called the family doctor, turning the whole villa upside down in the middle of the night.

I looked at the cut on my foot from the broken glass and quietly wiped away the blood with a tissue.

…

The next day, it was my senior class graduation party.

I didn't want to go, but my homeroom teacher, Tara Boyd, had specifically texted me. She said she needed to hand me my student records and my guaranteed admission offer.

The moment I opened the private room door, the chatter stopped.

Everyone looked at me with open curiosity and mockery.

"Well, well. Look who it is. Isn't this our class's former top student, Piper Steele? Why did you disappear right before the SATs?" someone asked.

"I heard she couldn't handle the pressure and had a breakdown right before the exam," another classmate chimed in. "She was too scared to even walk into the exam room. What a joke."

"Rhea's impressive. Not only did she score well, but with that special admission opportunity, she's guaranteed a spot at Arvona University," one classmate said.

I found a corner and sat down, ignoring the harsh remarks.

Rhea sat in the middle of the group, wearing a custom-made Chanel dress. It was the same outfit Mom had originally bought for my 18th birthday.

Ezra sat beside her, taking the drinks people offered her on her behalf.

"Everyone, that's enough. Piper only missed the SATs because she was sick," Rhea said softly.

Ezra nodded. "That's right. Piper wasn't feeling well. But it's okay. I'll be right there to help her retake it next year."

The private room erupted in cheers and admiration.

"Ezra, you're so devoted!"

"Piper, you don't know how lucky you are. Having Ezra stay by your side while you retake the SAT is something you should be grateful for!"

I only felt like I was going to be sick.

I stood up and walked toward the door.

"Where are you going?" Ezra frowned and got up to stand in my way. "Everyone is worried about you, and you can't even show some gratitude?"

"Move." I stared at him.

Rhea quickly came over and grabbed Ezra's arm.

She said, "Ezra, don't push her. She's already upset."

The moment she walked over, her ankle suddenly gave out, and she fell toward me.

The cup of hot tea in her hand flew straight toward my face.

I instinctively raised my right hand to block it. The hot tea splashed onto my already swollen, infected hand. The pain made me recoil.

Ezra reacted quickly and pulled Rhea into his arms.

To keep Rhea from falling, he grabbed the wrist of the hand I used to shield myself and shoved me away.

I slammed hard against the door, and cold sweat instantly soaked my back.

"Piper, are you okay?" Rhea cried out as she trembled in Ezra's arms. "I didn't do that on purpose. I slipped because I stepped on water."

Ezra looked at me on the floor. There wasn't even a hint of guilt in his eyes.

"Piper, are you done causing trouble?" he asked. "Rhea almost fell. Instead of helping her, you tried to push her?"

I gritted my teeth and supported my limp right hand with my left.

Just then, the door to the private room opened from outside.

Tara walked in with a thick stack of folders.

"What's going on here? If you're here for a party, then act like it." She looked at the mess on the floor and sighed.

She placed the folders on the table and looked around for me. "Where's Piper? Your folder is here, and your—"

"Ms. Boyd." Yves had arrived at some point. "I'm Piper's brother. Since she didn't take the SAT, I'll just take her student records home. There's no need to trouble you."

He reached for the folder with my name on it, ready to open it.

"Why is her folder that thick? There isn't even a transcript in there. Don't tell me it's packed with disciplinary reports." Someone nearby sneered.

Yves' finger was already hooked around the string sealing the folder.

Once it was opened, the admission confirmation form from Jeston University would fall right out.

My heart started racing.