To make sure I couldn't ride his coattails, my father gave me a zero on my graduate admissions interview.

The ninety-plus scores from the other professors couldn't outweigh his say.

In the end, first place on the written exam and I still got cut.

"Those professors know you're my daughter. Even if you weren't good enough, they'd give you high marks.

"It doesn't prove anything.

"Only if I pull your score down is it fair to the other applicants."

But Dad.

This is the fourth year in a row you've given me a zero.

Four straight years of ranking first on the written exam still isn't enough to prove I'm good enough?

I held back my tears and went back to the company.

Then Jemima Gilbert's post came up on my feed:

【Only cleared the written cutoff by 0.5 points, thought it was over, but thank god Professor Gilbert gave me a perfect interview score.

【Turns out the most beautiful thing on the road to grad school isn't the acceptance letter,

【it's the unwavering support of family!】

My phone slipped out of my hand.

And I finally understood.

My father's fairness was reserved for me alone.

A message came in from my subordinate asking about the university-industry partnership project.

I paused:

【Don't route it through Professor Gilbert anymore. He's my father.

【It wouldn't be fair to the other professors.】

……

I went to see my father one more time.

He was in his office. He saw me, and his expression didn't change.

"The results are already out, aren't they? What else do you want?"

"You gave Jemima a hundred?"

At that, he paused for a moment.

"Dad, weren't you the one who said it had to be fair?"

"The fairness I meant is that everyone knows you're my daughter, so they'd go easy on you. That's why I have to balance it out.

"Jemima isn't my biological daughter. She doesn't need that."

"But she calls you Dad too!"

My voice rose.

"That's enough!"

He sighed and handed me the interview score sheet.

"Jemima started preparing for these exams half a year ago.

"And all I had to do was lift a finger to put her total half a point over the admissions cutoff.

"Even a student I'd never met, if there was still a slot open, I wouldn't stand in their way.

"Let alone Jemima, an adopted daughter of mine."

The score sheet crumpled in my grip.

I looked at him, my eyes red.

"But Dad, there were open slots when I interviewed too. You still had two of them. I remember it clearly.

"I don't need you to give me high marks. The other professors all gave me over ninety.

"You could've given me a sixty, just a passing grade, and I still would've made the cutoff, and no one would've called you unfair!

"Dad, why didn't you lift a finger then?

"When my written score was a hundred and fifty points higher than Jemima's!"

He frowned.

"Do you really not know why you scored so well?

"The written exam has two versions, A and B.

"You drew A, Jemima drew B. Yours was simply easier than hers. A high score is nothing to brag about.

"Jemima, on the other hand, cleared the written cutoff on her first attempt. That alone shows her potential."

I stared at him.

"But on my first attempt, I cleared the written cutoff by a hundred and thirty-three points."

"That was a long time ago."

He shook his head.

"Jemima may have only cleared it by 0.5 points, but this is the age when academic passion burns brightest. Before I became her adoptive father, I am first and foremost a teacher who nurtures his students' growth."

For a moment I couldn't say a single word.

I opened my mouth.

My voice came out slightly hoarse.

"Then what about me?"

Dad froze.

"Four years since I finished undergrad. Four years you've blocked me, and I never once thought of quitting.

"What exactly do I have to do to prove my passion for this field?"

Dad let out a sigh.

"Carolyn, stop putting me in a difficult spot."

"I'm not putting you anywhere. I—"

"Carolyn."

He cut me off.

"The results have already gone up to the university. The list is posted, public.

"Are you asking me to overturn the results, kick out the last student who got in, and put you in his place?"

"I—"

Now.

Nothing I said could change the outcome.

It only made me look like I was making trouble on purpose.

Face drained, I turned to go.

At that exact moment, my adopted sister Jemima came into the office.

I'd only gone a few steps.

Then I heard her coaxing, singsong voice.

"Dad, the questions you gave me were spot on! On the exam I'd seen almost every single one already!"

My steps halted.

The office door hadn't shut all the way.

By the time Dad told Jemima to keep her voice down,

I was already standing in the doorway.

"Dad… you leaked the questions to Jemima?"

Jemima clapped a hand over her mouth.

Dad frowned, displeased.

"Why are you back again?"

"Dad!"

I planted my hand on his desk.

"Did you really leak the questions to Jemima?"

"No! I only marked out the key points for her!"

"That's a lie!"

My eyes went red in an instant.

"I asked you for the key points too, and everything you gave me was wrong!"

Not long before the exam,

I was working full time while studying for the graduate exams, swamped, so I begged Dad to mark out some key points so I'd have something to aim my review at.

I knew how touchy he was about anything that smelled like pulling strings.

All I asked was that he point me to a few core textbooks.

But on the exam, I realized.

Everything Dad had given me was wrong.

I'd assumed he simply didn't know the questions either.

But…

"Dad, is this the academic passion you talk about?

"She knew the questions and still cleared the cutoff by only half a point!"

"I told you I didn't leak anything!"

Dad was losing patience.

Jemima, eyes red, waved her hands in a rush too.

"Carolyn, you've got it wrong! Dad just marked some key points for me! I really didn't know the questions!"

"Liar! Do you dare show me your notes?"

"I—!"

Jemima gave a small tremble.

Dad slammed a palm on the desk.

"Enough, Carolyn! You couldn't get in because you don't have what it takes! Don't stand here throwing wild accusations!

"Get out of my office!"

"No!"

I wouldn't back down. "What is really going on here? I am not leaving today until I know!

"My own father gives me the wrong key points, and hands a daughter who isn't even his blood the exam questions!

"Why? Why would you do that!"

"You—!"

The shouting drew the other teachers.

Someone came in quickly and grabbed hold of me.

"All right now, miss, your father has it hard too."

"She is his adopted daughter, after all. If he didn't look after her, people would speak ill of your father."

"That's right, he means well for you. Try to understand him."

"I understand him. But does he ever understand me?"

Eyes red, arms pinned tight by the teachers, I looked at Dad.

"Dad! What gives you the right to do this?"

Dad pulled Jemima behind him.

"This is my research group. I take whoever I want! You just don't measure up to your sister! Any more questions?"

His voice was deafening.

Even the other teachers looked at him, a little stunned.

Professor Gilbert had always been the picture of gentle composure.

So it turned out he was capable of an anger this big too.

I looked at him.

And suddenly I laughed.

"Take whoever you want into your group…"

I nodded.

Then I turned and walked out of the office.

Fine, then.

The project in my hands.

Was mine to give to whoever I wanted too.

I'd been saving this university-industry partnership project for him.

I knew.

Dad's research group had run into some trouble lately.

They badly needed a big project to prop them up.

Dad was the great professor I'd looked up to since I was a child.

I believed he could do it well.

But now.

I didn't want to give it to him anymore.

Back at the company.

A signed contract was sitting on my desk.

The university-industry partnership project.

The partner—

Professor Alfred Gilbert.

Alfred Gilbert.

Was my father.

I called my subordinate in on the spot.

"Who authorized handing this project over to Professor Gilbert!"

She looked at me, a little frightened.

"This… didn't you agree to it, Director Gilbert?"

"Me?"

I frowned.

"Yes… yes, Deputy Manager Delgado had your seal… he said you'd agreed to it."

I stared at her, unable to believe it.

"Warren Delgado?"

She nodded.

Warren Delgado.

Was my boyfriend.

I asked around and found out where Warren had gone.

Then I raced over to the biggest restaurant in the city.

Outside the private room.

I heard the clink of glasses from inside.

My boyfriend Warren's voice came through.

"For my sister to have the honor of joining your research group, Professor Gilbert—truly, the honor is all hers."

"You're too kind. Your sister has the ability in her own right. If I get to take on a student like her next year, the honor is really mine."

I froze in the doorway.

Warren's sister was taking the grad school exams next year.

He… was pulling strings for his own sister?

"Professor Gilbert, if Carrie Delgado doesn't meet your group's standards, please don't force yourself to take her just to save my face.

"This project was always meant for people with real ability. Whether or not you take Carrie, partnering with you is an honor for our company.

"And on that, my word is final."

The door opened.

Two men looked over at me, startled.

"One moment, Professor Gilbert."

Warren stood up.

He grabbed my arm and pulled me off to where no one could hear.

"What are you doing here!"

"The question is why you're here!"

I clenched my teeth, looking at him.

"Didn't I say this project was going to someone else!"

Warren sighed.

"Carolyn, you know how badly Carrie wants to get into grad school!

"She's failed two years running. If she doesn't make it this time, she'll fall apart!

"You're going to be her sister-in-law. Can't you show a little understanding?"

Understanding.

That word again.

When Dad gave me a zero.

The teachers told me to be understanding.

When Warren overstepped and agreed to hand the project to Dad.

He told me to be understanding too.

"I keep being understanding toward all of you—who's going to be understanding toward me!

"Warren! Do you have any idea I could hold you liable for the company's losses under the rules for this!"

It was rare for me to be this hard.

Warren looked at me like he couldn't believe it.

"You…"

"Warren! Sis! So this is where you two are!"

A familiar voice rang out.

I hadn't expected it.

Jemima was here too.

I looked at Warren.

He avoided my eyes.

This dinner, the one that decided the project deal.

Jemima was here for it too.