QUALITY CONTROL TOOLS: 7 QC TOOLS

My mother was a veteran HR director, so she built a performance scorecard for my entire childhood. A perfect test score earned me ten minutes on my phone. Finishing first in school earned me a milkshake. Whatever I wanted, I had to earn with grades. After I entered Crestmont Institute of Technology, I spent three straight years at the top of my program. According to her rules, that was worth one thousand dollars. When I came home, she tossed a single dollar bill at me. "So what if you're still first? Your GPA has slipped by a tenth of a point every year. You have the nerve to ask for a reward?" Beside her, my brother lounged with the keys to his new Hawthorne sedan spinning around one finger. My stomach sank. "When I got into Crestmont Tech, you said I wasn't valedictorian, so all I deserved was a used scooter. "Why does he get a new car for barely making it into community college..." Mom's eyes flashed. "You and Tyler are completely different. "He went from having no chance at college to getting accepted somewhere. That's progress. You're moving backward. "Since you've chosen to coast, I'm cutting off your living expenses next semester. We only invest resources in people who improve. "Raise your GPA by finals, then come trade your grades for money." I walked outside without another word and made a call. "You really are me, ten years from now. You were right. Her performance system only applies to me." Future me answered calmly. "Tomorrow, sell the artwork Dad left you. Three of the pieces are genuine old masters. "Put every dollar into your research project. No matter what anyone says, don't abandon it. That project is your way into Crestmont's tech elite. "Let this family lose a future multimillionaire over one thousand dollars."

DetecFIVE and The Forensic Club – two detective teams who treat each other as rivals exist within the premises of Albertus Magnus University. After Hibara Cake eliminated the criminals in her former school, she transferred to AMU where she met Luke Matthew Vargas, a CAT Officer who had always yearned for adventures. As soon as Luke experienced first-hand the thrill of crime-solving, he decided to stick with Hibara for more and eventually convinced her to construct a five-member team: DetecFIVE. When a series of mind-boggling cases lead both DetecFIVE and The Forensic Club to discovering some of the criminal mastermind's Color Officers, one must unravel the curtains ahead of the other. Will their rivalry end before the criminal mastermind ends them all?

At the company's celebration dinner, the new HR guy slapped a bill on the table—$860 for A/C and venue costs from our last all-nighter. I shot a look at Sherry—my girlfriend, my boss—thinking she'd have my back. Nope. She latched onto HR's arm and said, "Quentin, this isn't your daddy's company. Quit freeloading." And just like that, nine years of busting my ass for this company, and turns out—I was the discount item on the menu.

By the time I got home from my business trip, it was already past midnight—and my husband wasn't there. A woman's blouse lay on the sofa. It wasn't mine. I called him. He said he was working late at the office. I didn't bother with pretense. "Whose blouse is on the sofa?" His tone was light and casual. "Who else would it be? It's obviously a gift for you. Try it on." Suspicious, I picked it up and held it against myself. The blouse was clearly one size too small. "Honey, this is a size S. I always wear M." My husband owns a clothing company. He handles all my clothes. He's even used my measurements to design women's wear. There's no way he doesn't know my size. On the phone, he froze for half a second, then spoke as if piecing something together. "This is a new women's line I'm launching. I ordered custom pieces for you and my sister. I must've grabbed the wrong one. I'll switch it tomorrow." A moment later, his voice softened with exhaustion. "Babe, you've been gone for days. Without you, I feel so tired… I miss you so much…" It was already late into the night. Hearing him sound vulnerable—something he rarely did—made my chest tighten. I blamed myself for overthinking. But the moment I hung up, realization struck. His sister has the same build as me. She always wears size M.

My wife, Eunice Quill's adoptive younger brother, Shawn Quill, calls himself a human lie detector. During a game of truth and dare, I answer the truth question that I've given my virginity to Eunice. But Shawn "exposes" me in front of everyone by claiming that I've bedded at least three women before Eunice. He even gives me a nickname "Cope-More" out of jest. I question Eunice on the spot, only to see her mocking me back with a chuckle. "Shawn has been detecting lies since he was a kid. His observations are often very accurate. Don't tell me you're mad at him because of the way he humiliated you!" I decide to endure the farce for the sake of my young son, Callum Riverson. But when Callum gets into a car crash and needs 20 thousand dollars for his surgical bills, I stumble over to Eunice's company, hoping to borrow money from her. However, Shawn lets out a cold huff in return. "Finn must be lying! His lips are red, meaning he's very healthy. Also, the sweat dotting on his forehead must be droplets left behind by the mineral water that he's splashed onto himself in advance! "Hmph! It's way too easy for me to detect such a shoddy lie!" The impatient Eunice kicks me out of her company immediately. "Just tell me out right if you want to buy yourself a new watch! You won't receive a single cent if you lie to me!" When I recall the way Callum keeps struggling in pain and agony, I can only call Connie Bronson, Eunice's mom, with tears streaming down my face. "Give me 20 thousand dollars, and I'll leave Eunice voluntarily."

This is my first time meeting my partner's family as their future daughter-in-law. A few minutes after taking my seat, my future mother-in-law, Joana Carrell, suddenly speaks up. "I've conducted a premarital test on you, but you've only scored 30 points. You have no right to marry into my family!" I never expect that I'll be tested, to begin with. The results leave me feeling shell-shocked. But Joana continues prattling on and on. "When you walked through the front door, the stool at the doorway was crooked, but you never readjusted it. You got ten points deducted for that. "The trash can in the living room was full, but you ignored it and never took the initiative to empty it. That'll be 20 points deducted. "When you washed the fruits in the kitchen, you saw a pile of dishes in the sink, and yet you didn't wash them. That's 40 points lost! "Altogether, you scored 30 points, which means you've failed the test. Hence, you aren't worthy of becoming a daughter-in-law of the Yarrow family!" I turn to look at my boyfriend, Anthony Yarrow, subconsciously, hoping that he'll defend me. But he keeps his head lowered and pretends to not hear anything. His reaction catches me off guard. But soon, my temper starts flaring. It turns out that the Yarrows have already plotted to put me through a trial that tests my submissiveness as soon as I walk through the front door. That's why Joana has been assessing me like I'm their future maid. Since they care about points that much, then I suppose they can kiss the million-dollar wedding gifts, the marital home located in the city center, as well as the businesses under my family goodbye.