All Chapters of THE GRADUATION STAKES: Chapter 1 - Chapter 8

I glanced toward the corner of the bathroom. A mountain of laundry lay there, neglected and forgotten. Perhaps the suffocating pressure had finally pushed the simple task of washing clothes out of my mind. My apartment was a complete disaster now, looking like a shipwreck."Ugh... What am I supposed to wear?"I slumped onto the floor in utter despair. The only pair of pants I owned were the shorts I was currently wearing."Should I just cancel the session? But... what if I fail again?"I ruffled my hair, the frustration boiling over. "Aargghh... I can't let that happen. Papa will literally kill me if I don't graduate this year."Suddenly, a spark of an idea hit me. I scrambled up and rifled through what was left in my wardrobe. My eyes lit up when I found a cropped faux-leather jacket that reached just above my navel. I threw it on and quickly tied a flannel shirt around my waist. At the very least, it provided some cover for my thighs.After all, I had no intention of becoming a targ

"Dita!" I shrieked. "Have you lost your mind?" My eyes bulged as I shoved the plate of croissants toward her. "You were just jealous because I had a dream like that about Mr. Jefri. Now, why on earth are you suggesting I actually do it for real?"Dita scratched her head, looking just as frustrated as I felt. "Well... the problem is, you’re struggling so much just to submit a thesis. Compare that to when you write fiction; you can churn out thousands of words in a single day." Her face was taut, her eyes wide with urgency.I pulled both my feet up onto the chair, sitting cross-legged. "Of course that’s different." I stirred my iced coffee with a sullen expression. "I’ve never liked the business world, but Papa keeps forcing it on me. That’s why my mind just blocks up."Dita crossed her arms over her chest. She gave me a cynical look—the same kind of look I often received from my parents. "I truly wonder how your brain works, Er." She took a deep breath, as if bracing herself to deliver

I kept my head bowed, my lips sealed as if frozen, unable to find the words to respond to him. Tears escaped my eyes despite every desperate effort to hold them back. Fortunately, the area wasn't crowded, so my humiliation felt somewhat contained.I was swallowed by guilt. I realized then that Papa’s intentions were pure; he only wanted to protect everything that would one day be mine."Please forgive me, Pa." I lifted my gaze, biting my lip to stifle a sob. "I promise I will finish this thesis soon."Papa stepped toward me and pulled me into a tight embrace. I could feel the depth of his affection in the gentle stroke of his hand against my hair."Erika... I love you very much. I don't want them to push you aside just because they deem you incompetent."I wept in his arms, my heart fracturing with regret. At that time, my mind simply couldn't be forced to master a field I didn't love. Since the early semesters, I had rarely taken my classes seriously. That was why, now, I found mysel

"I’m having a bout of diarrhea, Sir!" I blurted out, a desperate attempt to deflect his suspicion. "Please forgive my tardiness. My... my stomach was in absolute knots," I added, weaving a frantic excuse.Mr. Jefri nodded, maintaining a polite distance. "In that case, please wait in the living room. I’ll prepare an oral rehydration solution so you don't grow any weaker."I gave a frantic nod and practically scurried to the living room. My breath was short, and sweat poured off me despite the cool, conditioned air of the house. It was the sheer weight of my anxiety manifesting physically.Before long, Mr. Jefri returned with a glass of the solution. He set it before me. "Drink up..." he said, reclaiming his seat.I nodded, flashing a nervous, fragile smile. "Thank you, Sir..."My hand trembled as I reached for the glass. How could it not? Mr. Jefri’s gaze was fixed on me, a constant weight that made my skin crawl with unease.I took a small sip and set the glass back on the table, shif