My twin sister, Ruby Stone, and I split up after our parents' divorce. She stays with Mom, while I went with Dad.

Since the divorce, he's sunk into a deep depression, gambling away every penny we have. We move into a dark, damp apartment, and life becomes an endless struggle.

Every day, I go to school and quietly work a part-time job to keep us afloat.

Then, out of nowhere, Ruby—whom I haven't heard from in forever—sends me a link to a live stream. "Check this out, Aria. There's a surprise waiting for you."

I click it, and my jaw drops. I'm the one topping the trending live streams.

The screen splits in two. On one side, I sit in my dingy apartment, hunched over homework under the dim light. On the other side, Mom and Dad cuddle with Ruby on the fancy couch of their sprawling villa.

The comments came pouring in.

"Let's see what happens when twins are raised on opposite sides of fortune all the way to 18."

"Aria still doesn't know, right? Her parents never divorced. They're loaded and perfectly happy. Ruby's life has been like a dream too."

"Poor Aria. She's always starving and never has anything decent to wear. Isn't that basically abuse?"

"She's the more sensible one, so her parents decided to raise her poorly."

My hands trembled as I clutched my phone, unable to believe what I was seeing. It was a prank live streaming site, and most of its viewers came from wealthy or high-society backgrounds.

After my parents divorced, I grew up poor, while my twin sister, Ruby Stone, lived surrounded by luxury.

What I had thought was my life had been nothing more than a game—a six-year-long live stream, created solely for the amusement of others.

I'd always assumed Mom had taken Ruby to another city. But apparently, she'd been with Dad the whole time.

I sat at the diner's entrance, baking in the summer sun, but a chill ran straight through me.

Then Ruby sent more messages.

Ruby: "Aria, you're the one Mom and Dad never loved."

Ruby: "As your sister, I can't help feeling bad seeing you struggle like this. Living in a huge villa while you fight just to get by eats at me."

My hands felt impossibly heavy. I had no idea how to respond.

"Aria! Clean these two tables, now!" my boss barked.

This was the part-time job I had to do every day after school.

After my parents split, Dad got hooked on gambling. He never gave me an allowance, and only if he happened to win at cards would he reluctantly hand me some money.

I'd landed this diner job only after a lot of pleading.

By 9:00 pm, I finished my shift and trudged back home, completely drained.

It was the middle of summer, and our tiny apartment on the top floor had no air conditioning. Stepping inside felt like walking straight into a sauna.

Mom, Dad, and Ruby probably couldn't even picture it. They were likely relaxing in their huge villa with the AC blasting.

The light bulb flickered weakly, on the verge of burning out again.

Ever since Dad and I moved into this apartment, he hardly ever came home. I used to think he was busy, but it turned out that on the days he wasn't around, he was just spending time with Ruby.

Did Mom and Dad ever stop to think about me—their own child—trying to survive here? I'd been living like this for nearly six years.

I looked around the apartment. There were probably cameras hidden all over.

From the corner of the kitchen came the familiar rustling. I knew it was another mouse scurrying around. At first, it scared me, but I had gotten used to it.

Who could've guessed that in this apartment, mice would be my longest companions?

I clicked open the live stream link again. The live stream from my apartment was ranked first, and the view count was through the roof.

The contrast between the dim apartment and the bright, sprawling villa was sharp. On my face was pain. On the other face, which looked just like mine, was joy.

In that moment, I felt like a mouse too, sneaking around and watching someone else's happiness from the shadows.

It was my birthday. After finishing my shift, I didn't get home until almost 10:00 pm.

I walked into the apartment with a plastic bag in my hand. Inside was a classic cake, costing only a few dollars.

I flicked the light switch, but the room stayed stubbornly dark. The bulb must've gone out again. It didn't matter, for moonlight spilled through the window, bright enough to guide my eyes.

I set the cake on the table and settled by the window, letting the silver light spill over me. There weren't any candles, so I just pretended to stick one on the cake and light it.

I closed my eyes, made a wish, and blew. It was a simple wish, hoping I'd do well on the exam.

The moment I opened my eyes, someone was hammering on the door.

"Open the door! Pay up!"

"Don't make me break this door down!"

I'd seen this kind of thing before, but it still startled me.

Outside, the debt collectors had come for Dad. He'd lost a lot of money. I stayed hidden inside, biting my lip to keep from crying out.

No one answered, yet they rammed against the door. The wooden door to our rented apartment wasn't sturdy. It rattled with every hit. And then, with a loud crash, the debt collectors broke it down.

Three burly men stormed in and dragged me out of the corner where I'd been hiding.

"If your dad doesn't pay up, we'll take you as collateral."

I dropped to my knees with a thud, tears streaming down my face. "I don't have any money. My dad hasn't been home for days."

"No money? Then we'll take your stuff instead!"

They tore through the apartment, turning everything upside down. Even my backpack wasn't spared. They dug inside and pulled out 60 dollars.

That was the pay my part-time boss handed me after today's shift.

"60 bucks? That's not even enough to fill me up!" one of them grumbled, but still shoved my hard-earned money into their pocket.

Then he kicked the table. The cake I hadn't even gotten a bite of went flying, crushed on the floor. They ransacked the house, then left unsatisfied, leaving me with nothing but a home swallowed in chaos.

And that was how I spent my birthday, surrounded by this ridiculous mess.

I crouched on the floor, shaking with fear and sobbing. My hands fumbled for my phone, and I opened the live stream, replaying Ruby's birthday.

In the bright, spacious villa, Mom and Dad had thrown her a lavish party. Ruby wore a gorgeous dress, and Mom had even hired a stylist to do her hair and makeup.

"My sweet Ruby, you're so beautiful and adorable, just like a little princess," Mom said, holding her close with warm affection.

Happiness shone in Ruby's eyes, so bright it felt like it could overflow.

A five-tier birthday cake towered on the dining table, adorned with pink roses and lilies. In the living room corner, birthday presents were stacked to the brim.

It was a beautiful, joy-filled celebration, but the contrast hurt. We were both celebrating our birthdays, yet Ruby had Mom and Dad beside her, and I was always alone.

The comments rolled in.

"Aria still has no idea those debt collectors were actually sent by her dad."

"They show up three times a month, like NPCs respawning in a game."

"Why don't the debt collectors just make Aria work it off?"

"Aria's being tormented this badly, and her parents don't even feel a shred of pity?"

Then, the streamer posted a comment.

"This is part of the test too. To toughen Aria up, I paid people to put on an act. She should be grateful. Once she finishes the SATs, we'll bring her back. By then, we'll make up for everything we've owed her these past six years."

My hands shook as I held the phone, a bitter smile tugging at my lips while sorrow and confusion rose inside me.

Make it up? How could they make up for six years of pain built on lies?

The next morning at school, my homeroom teacher, Ms. Langley, came looking for me.

"Aria, there's one spot in your grade for studying abroad as a math major. The tuition and fees would be fully covered. Do you want it? I know your family's situation isn't easy. This opportunity could change your life."

The requirements, though, were daunting—three first-place awards in math competitions and a high score on Elarish language.

My grades were excellent. I was the only one in my grade who met both requirements.

I nodded right away. "Of course, Ms. Langley. I'd be honored."

This had to be what my parents had wanted all along—a child forged by hardship, who grew up faster, worked harder, and shone brighter.

Ms. Langley patted my shoulder. "Alright. You don't need to take the June exam. Just rest for now, and when the time comes, head to college a bit early."

Soon I'd finally be free—free from this place, free from this ridiculous live stream game, free from those so-called parents who never deserved the title. I'd be fine on my own.

So what if it had all been lies? Anyone could lie.

…

There was an event in the city today, a student learning conference put together by several schools ahead of the SATs. I'd been invited as one of the top students, representing my school.

Before the conference began, a student from the private school was supposed to give a speech.

A familiar figure stepped onto the stage. It was Ruby. She was the representative from the private school.

A few students noticed we looked alike and started whispering.

"Hey, doesn't that girl look a little like Aria from our class?"

"She kind of does, but honestly, that girl's prettier."

"Well, she's rich. How could a poor kid ever compare? It's a whole different world."

Ruby and I were twins. Our faces had once been nearly identical, but years of malnutrition had left their mark on me, creating subtle differences between us.

She'd grown up cradled in love and wealth, while I had grown up alone in hardship and tears.

I caught someone whispering, "I heard her grades are terrible. She's only up there because her family's rich and connected."

Ruby stood at the podium, speaking with an ease that came naturally as she shared her study experiences.

In the second row, I spotted Mom and Dad. Their faces lit up with pride as they held their phones high, recording every second of Ruby's speech.

Loving someone meant wanting to hold on to every trace of them.

I thought about how Dad had never once shown up for a parent-teacher conference, and bitterness rose in me.

The conference dragged on endlessly, and halfway through, I headed to the restroom.

When I was ready to leave, I realized the stall door wouldn't open. No matter how hard I pushed or pulled, it wouldn't budge, as though someone had locked it from the outside.

"Hello? Is anyone out there? Can you help me?" I shouted, pounding on the door.

Only silence answered.

The door wasn't that high. I was about to climb over when a bucket of water fell on me, soaking me from head to toe.

I screamed.

Laughter rang out from outside the stall, and the door swung open.

I wiped my face and blinked, trying to clear the water. Finally, I saw who it was.

Ruby.

A few girls were behind her, and together they blocked the stall, trapping me inside.

Ruby stepped forward, shoving me into the corner. Her eyes blazed with barely contained hatred as she spoke, her words dripping with sarcasm.

"Aren't you supposed to be a top student? Your grades are great. So why can't you get up on stage and give a speech? Aria, did you really think Mom and Dad would come for you after the SATs?

"Not a chance. I'd never let them take you back! And the live stream isn't ending, either. You're stuck in that dark, filthy apartment forever, rotting while everyone laughs at you!"