"Even though he bullied me over family stuff and threatened our classmates not to rescue me... he's gone now. I forgive him."
He sighed, perfectly rehearsed. "But I have trauma around the exam now. I can't bring myself to retake it. I've decided to study abroad instead. I know I promised everyone I'd get into Stonebridge University—I'm sorry to let you down."
He'd built his whole persona on being the "genius heartthrob," the guy destined for the nation's top school.
His followers ate it up. Called him an inspiration, a survivor who rose above tragedy. He gained a million new fans overnight.
The second the stream ended, he was tangled up with his sugar mama, smirking ear to ear:
"I cheated on every single test. If I'd actually sat for finals, I'd have been exposed in a heartbeat. Lucky I came up with this scheme—and bonus, it covered up your husband finding out about us and landing me in the hospital."
He stretched lazily. "Originally, I was gonna lure Samantha to the bar that night. Get her pregnant. Marry into money. But that dog Daryl Shepherd ruined it."
A shrug. "Whatever. Samantha's so broken up about what happened, she swore she'd marry me the second I recover."
His laughter cut through me like shattered glass.
I wanted to claw his throat out.
Then—
A voice. Familiar. Dripping with contempt.
"Daryl Shepherd, what's with that face?"
"Roger's birthday wish was to celebrate with the whole class. He invited you. The least you could do is act grateful instead of standing there looking disgusted."
"Then again, Roger streams every day and still outranks Daryl. Meanwhile, Daryl grinds himself to death just to place third. Jealousy's an ugly look."
"He's been kissing up to Samantha so obviously, and she doesn't even give him the time of day. Now that she's throwing a birthday party for Roger, he's totally losing it."
I froze, the realization hitting me like a thunderbolt—this was the night before the college entrance exam.
I pinched myself. Hard.
It hurt. But I was trembling—not from pain, but from sheer, overwhelming excitement.
I've actually been reborn.
Seeing me standing there with my head down, saying nothing, a few classmates who'd always been decent to me spoke up.
"Are we being too harsh? Daryl was just looking out for us..."
Roger let out a theatrical sigh.