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!"

Ruby yanked my hair. Pain shot through me as I stared at her twisted face, a shiver of fear running down my spine.

She was terrifying. How had the sweet, gentle girl from six years ago become this?

Not satisfied, she raised her hand. The girls behind her surged into the stall, tearing at my clothes.

Ruby lifted her phone, recording every second. "Look at your body. What a waste if no one sees it. With Mom and Dad treating you like that, as your sister, I definitely can't fall behind."

She laughed, loud and unrestrained.

I swallowed my sobs, forcing myself not to cry. Any tear would only fuel her excitement.

After what felt like forever, she finally seemed satisfied and left, her group trailing behind her.

I crouched on the floor, soaked and shivering from the cold. She might still be laughing now, but who knew how long that would last.

…

That night, Dad came home, which didn't happen often, carrying a bag full of food.

"Aria, I won some money playing cards, so I got you a few treats."

He pulled the snacks out of the bag, mostly imported. They were probably leftovers from the villa that Ruby didn't want, handed down to me like charity.

Dad stood before me, looking like he had something to say. Just as I opened my mouth, he suddenly started crying.

"I'm sorry, Aria. I have cancer. I don't have much time left."

Cancer? Really?

Before I could say anything, he grabbed my hand and poured out his plea. "I don't want to die, Aria. You have to save me. I've got some money with me. How much do you have? We can sell your grandma's bracelet to pay for my treatment."

The moment he mentioned Grandma's bracelet, my guard went up. "I can give you money, but not the bracelet."

It was something Grandma had left me before she passed. In the six years I'd lived in this apartment, she'd been with me for half that time.

Even Grandma had been fooled. Like me, she thought that after the divorce, Dad had spiraled into ruin. He was cruel enough to lie even to his own mother.

Thinking about Grandma, who had been so old and had endured hardship with me, made my chest ache unbearably.

I frowned. "Dad, are you really sick, or are you trying to trick me out of my money and Grandma's bracelet for gambling?"

His eyes darted away for a moment before he pulled a stack of medical reports from his bag. "I'm really sick. Look at these results. How could I lie about something like this?"

I had given him the chance to be honest, yet he still wouldn't tell the truth, stubbornly trying to deceive me.

Glancing at the reports, I immediately noticed they were fake. He hadn't even bothered to make them look convincing.

A deep, sinking disappointment settled over me.

Seeing that I wouldn't give him the bracelet, Dad had no choice but to back down. He even put on a look of grievance.

"Fine, I'll figure something out myself. I poured you a glass of milk. Don't forget to drink it. You've been putting a lot of effort into your studies."

I drank the milk and went to bed, carefully sliding the bracelet I had hidden onto my wrist, worried he might try to take it.

That night, I slept soundly.

But when I woke the next morning, my wrist was bare. The bracelet was gone. I quickly opened the live stream to see what had been recorded the night before.

I realized that Dad had slipped sleeping pills into my milk while I wasn't looking. While I was out cold, he had quietly taken the bracelet from my wrist and gone back to the villa.

No wonder I hadn't noticed a thing last night. He had drugged me.

People in the comments were talking about it.

"This is too cruel! That bracelet was the heirloom Aria's Grandma left her, and he just took it like that."

Dad actually fired back in the comments. "She doesn't deserve my mother's bracelet. It was meant for me. Taking it is just a way to toughen Aria up."