Chapter 3 · Trapped In A System, I Won

I'd seen Anna play queen bee at school enough times to know she meant business.

Sure enough, the next morning, the Rolls-Royce's back seat was covered in paint.

Anna sat in front, flashing me a sweet, fake smile.

"I was going to let you ride with me, but someone accidentally spilled paint on the back seat. Nobody can sit there now. Sorry."

Micael handed me an umbrella.

"Mom, Dad, and I are heading to the office, so you'll have to walk today."

Worried about the system, he quickly added, "You get the car tonight though. Fair, right?"

Fair? I snorted.

The temperature was 104 degrees now—the hottest part of the day.

By the time school ended, it would be cooler, the car would be free, and Anna still wouldn't have to walk.

Some 'fairness' this was.

Seeing Anna's smug expression, I knew what she and Michael were doing—trying to game the system.

If they succeeded, my life would get much worse.

However, the Equal Treatment System was heavily promoted by the government because it could handle any situation with absolute precision and authority.

[System scan: Anna's health index is 85, Daisy's is 71. Decision: Daisy gets the car.]

Anna's face fell instantly.

Michael started to freak out.

"How can you measure health with a number? And isn't it common sense for the older sister to let the younger one have her way?"

[Our system uses comprehensive diagnostic metrics. There is no need for doubt.]

[Legally, an older sister has no obligation to support or defer to her younger sister. Appeals to family duty are invalid here.

The system's response was perfect, backing me completely.

Watching Anna's face scrunch up like she'd bitten a lemon, I nearly burst out laughing.

"Well, since the system's spoken, Anna, better get out."

I nudged Anna aside, slid into the Rolls-Royce, and told the driver to go—I wasn't letting anything interfere with my study time.

By evening, the Hughes family's so-called warmth had evaporated. The four of them were in the middle of their biggest fight yet.

"Michael, if you hadn't come up with that stupid idea, would I have walked to school today? Do you know how much my classmates made fun of me?"

I peeked through the door at Anna.

Her makeup was destroyed—sweat had smeared everything, black eyeliner streaked down her cheeks, and her designer dress was filthy and stuck to her skin. She looked absolutely wrecked.

"Why couldn't you just give me your car?" Anna shrieked.

Michael pushed her aside, clearly fed up.

"If you took my car, how would I get to work? It's not even on my way! You begged me for a plan, and now you're blaming me? You brought this on yourself!"

Dad sat slumped on the couch, rubbing his temples, looking exhausted.

"I asked around today. There's no way to cancel this system."

Anna completely broke down, crying and screaming until the living room was in chaos.

I quietly closed the door and returned to my room.

Before, they'd be laughing and watching TV in the living room while I ate cold leftovers alone.

Just a bit of fairness, and my entire life improved overnight.

It was easy to imagine how pampered Anna used to be.

Now that she wasn't benefiting from my suffering, let's see how she maintained her lifestyle.

Anna must've finally had enough of watching me thrive, because late one night, she burst into my room, looking like she'd reached her limit.

"Daisy, your good times are over!"

Anna was practically gloating, satisfaction written all over her face, uncaring if I caught on early.

"Tomorrow, Dad's dividing family assets based on ability—completely fair! Michael and I are top of our class, but you? You're dead last, so good luck!

"You think having the system means you can do whatever you want? Without money or shares, you're nothing—you'll never get one over on us!"

I tilted my head, unfazed.

"How can you be so sure my grades are worse than yours?"

Anna doubled over laughing.

"Have you passed a single test since you showed up? Who are you trying to fool?"

She didn't know that I'd only failed because her clique made my life hell—I was so stressed I could barely study.

I looked down at my report card. A row of perfect 'A's stared back at me.

I'd always planned to use the SATs as my escape from this family, but now it looked like I was in for an even bigger surprise.

I uploaded all my past test results to the Equal Treatment System.

The real show was about to begin.

Chapter 3

I'd seen Anna play queen bee at school enough times to know she meant business.

Sure enough, the next morning, the Rolls-Royce's back seat was covered in paint.

Anna sat in front, flashing me a sweet, fake smile.

"I was going to let you ride with me, but someone accidentally spilled paint on the back seat. Nobody can sit there now. Sorry."

Micael handed me an umbrella.

"Mom, Dad, and I are heading to the office, so you'll have to walk today."

Worried about the system, he quickly added, "You get the car tonight though. Fair, right?"

Fair? I snorted.

The temperature was 104 degrees now—the hottest part of the day.

By the time school ended, it would be cooler, the car would be free, and Anna still wouldn't have to walk.

Some 'fairness' this was.

Seeing Anna's smug expression, I knew what she and Michael were doing—trying to game the system.

If they succeeded, my life would get much worse.

However, the Equal Treatment System was heavily promoted by the government because it could handle any situation with absolute precision and authority.

[System scan: Anna's health index is 85, Daisy's is 71. Decision: Daisy gets the car.]

Anna's face fell instantly.

Michael started to freak out.

"How can you measure health with a number? And isn't it common sense for the older sister to let the younger one have her way?"

[Our system uses comprehensive diagnostic metrics. There is no need for doubt.]

[Legally, an older sister has no obligation to support or defer to her younger sister. Appeals to family duty are invalid here.

The system's response was perfect, backing me completely.

Watching Anna's face scrunch up like she'd bitten a lemon, I nearly burst out laughing.

"Well, since the system's spoken, Anna, better get out."

I nudged Anna aside, slid into the Rolls-Royce, and told the driver to go—I wasn't letting anything interfere with my study time.

By evening, the Hughes family's so-called warmth had evaporated. The four of them were in the middle of their biggest fight yet.

"Michael, if you hadn't come up with that stupid idea, would I have walked to school today? Do you know how much my classmates made fun of me?"

I peeked through the door at Anna.

Her makeup was destroyed—sweat had smeared everything, black eyeliner streaked down her cheeks, and her designer dress was filthy and stuck to her skin. She looked absolutely wrecked.

"Why couldn't you just give me your car?" Anna shrieked.

Michael pushed her aside, clearly fed up.

"If you took my car, how would I get to work? It's not even on my way! You begged me for a plan, and now you're blaming me? You brought this on yourself!"

Dad sat slumped on the couch, rubbing his temples, looking exhausted.

"I asked around today. There's no way to cancel this system."

Anna completely broke down, crying and screaming until the living room was in chaos.

I quietly closed the door and returned to my room.

Before, they'd be laughing and watching TV in the living room while I ate cold leftovers alone.

Just a bit of fairness, and my entire life improved overnight.

It was easy to imagine how pampered Anna used to be.

Now that she wasn't benefiting from my suffering, let's see how she maintained her lifestyle.

Anna must've finally had enough of watching me thrive, because late one night, she burst into my room, looking like she'd reached her limit.

"Daisy, your good times are over!"

Anna was practically gloating, satisfaction written all over her face, uncaring if I caught on early.

"Tomorrow, Dad's dividing family assets based on ability—completely fair! Michael and I are top of our class, but you? You're dead last, so good luck!

"You think having the system means you can do whatever you want? Without money or shares, you're nothing—you'll never get one over on us!"

I tilted my head, unfazed.

"How can you be so sure my grades are worse than yours?"

Anna doubled over laughing.

"Have you passed a single test since you showed up? Who are you trying to fool?"

She didn't know that I'd only failed because her clique made my life hell—I was so stressed I could barely study.

I looked down at my report card. A row of perfect 'A's stared back at me.

I'd always planned to use the SATs as my escape from this family, but now it looked like I was in for an even bigger surprise.

I uploaded all my past test results to the Equal Treatment System.

The real show was about to begin.