Chapter 3

I completely broke down, tears streaming down my face.

Lauryn was the one who was always hooking up with guys at school.

I had heard more than once that she brought a bunch of trashy guys back to that apartment to fool around.

I sobbed, my voice raw and shaky.

"Dad, am I really your daughter?"

"Why do you treat Lauryn and Aunt Evie so much better than you treat me?"

"Who exactly is Lauryn to you?"

"I saw you sneaking a bracelet to Evie before. What's up with you two?"

"She's your sister-in-law, not your wife!"

I'd suspected for a long time that something was not right between them.

I couldn't hold back anymore. I just let everything pour out.

My father's face went bright red, his neck flushed, and he was so stunned he couldn't get a single word out.

Evie panicked too.

Her eyes darted around, and she looked completely lost.

The salespeople and shoppers started gathering around, whispering and gossiping.

"Is this girl for real?"

"So that guy's her dad, and that woman's her aunt? That's seriously messed up!"

"Hard to say, maybe there's really something fishy going on."

The whispers kept getting louder, and my father looked more and more pissed.

Just then, my mother burst into the store.

Without warning, she raised her hand and slapped me hard across the face.

The slap rang out in the jewelry store, loud and harsh.

My head jerked to the side, my cheek stinging with pain.

"You little bastard! Ungrateful girl!"

Grace pointed at me, cursing me out.

"How dare you talk trash about your dad and your aunt? You really have no heart!"

"Your aunt and I are like sisters. She was the one who introduced me to your dad back then!"

"Without her, there'd be no me, and definitely no you!"

"Anyone else could be a homewrecker, but Evie would never stoop that low!"

"Apologize to your aunt right now, or you'll regret it!"

My mother was getting more and more fired up, trying to slap me again.

I took a step back, dodging her swing.

"I'm not apologizing! I'm telling the truth!"

I shot back, crying.

"It's tough for Evie raising Lauryn on her own. It's only right we look after them!"

"Why are you so petty? Why can't you be more tolerant of them?"

"How did I end up with such a heartless, ungrateful daughter?"

My mother shouted at me.

The people around us, misled by my mother, started criticizing me too.

I watched everything unfold, and my heart just went completely cold.

No one believed me. It felt like everyone was against me, taking their side.

I bit back my tears, wiped my face, and walked away.

As I walked out of the jewelry store, I swore to myself I'd never ask them for anything ever again.

I found a plasma center.

I sold 400cc of plasma and got 650 thousand dollars for it.

Adding the 200 or so I’d saved from working, I also borrowed some money from my classmates.

At last, I managed to pull together the 2 thousand tuition.

From that moment on, I pushed myself even harder.

I juggled part-time jobs and my studies, never letting up for a second.

Coincidentally, the school was about to select a student role model for perseverance.

The requirement was that the student had to come from a poor family but be a positive example of hard work and perseverance.

This honor was very important for future civil service exams and graduate school recommendations.

I compiled all my documents and submitted my application.

It included my transcripts, plus photos and certificates from my part-time jobs.

Because I was hardworking and persistent, my application breezed through the first round.

During the public announcement period, no one raised any objections. I thought it was settled.

But right at the end of the public notice period, my name got wiped off the list.

I stared at the bulletin board, a chill running through me.

I couldn't believe my eyes.

I burst into the student affairs office, my voice trembling with urgency.

"Mr. Burch, why did you remove me from the list?"

He looked up, his tone full of accusation.

"Lina, how dare you even ask? You falsified your documents!"

"Those photos and stories about your part-time jobs are all just fake."

"You're way too dishonest. You don't deserve to be a role model."

I was so angry I broke down in tears, shaking all over.

"Everything I said is real!"

"I work out there every single day, handing out flyers, doing tutoring gigs. It's not a lie! I'm not faking being poor!"

He frowned and grabbed a folder.

"We reached out to your parents to check your story."

"Your mom said she puts away a gold bar for you every year, so you guys are actually loaded."

"You're just pretending to be poor and playing the victim to scam your way into getting this honor. That's really manipulative!"

"Our school isn't going to let this kind of shady behavior slide!"

Just as I was about to defend myself, the office door swung open.

My mother barged in with Lauryn.