Make up for it, they said. How were they supposed to make up for six years of lies and pain?

The next day at school, my homeroom teacher summoned me. "Adam, there's a guaranteed spot for studying abroad in the math program. Tuition and fees are fully covered. Would you like to take up this opportunity?"

She added, "I understand your family situation isn't easy, which is why I think you should seize this chance. It might just change your future."

The requirements were strict. To qualify, the student would need to win a major math competition at least three times and have at least a "B" in a foreign language. I was the only student in the grade who met both criteria.

Without hesitation, I nodded. "Of course, Ms. Clark. 100%."

I guess this was exactly what my parents wanted to see—the poor kid, raised tough, working harder to become more accomplished.

Ms. Clark patted my shoulder. "Good. In that case, you won't even need to take the June exams. Take this time to rest. Then, you can report to the school early."

Soon, I would escape this place, that ridiculous livestream fiasco, and my parents, who were never worthy of that title. I could live just fine on my own.

After all, it was just a game of deception. Two could play that game.

…

Today, there was a citywide event that several schools were participating in. It was a pre-exam exchange and learning conference. As a student representative of great academic achievement, I attended with a few classmates.

Before the conference officially started, a top student from an international school gave a speech. A familiar figure stepped onto the stage, and lo and behold, it was Archer. He was representing his school.

"Hey, that guy looks like Adam."

Others noticed too. They murmured among themselves. "Yeah, kinda. But that guy's obviously more handsome. You can tell he's from a rich family."

"He's rich. How can a poor kid compare? They're in totally different worlds."

Archer and I were twins. Our faces were almost identical once, but years of malnutrition changed me. My skin was darker, and my palms were rough and calloused. His skin was clear, soft, and smooth.

He grew up with love and money, while I grew up with nothing but hardship and tears.

"I heard that guy's grades are terrible, though. He's probably only up there because his family's rich and well-connected," someone whispered.

Meanwhile, Archer was confidently sharing his study tips on stage. I caught sight of Mom and Dad sitting in the second row with their phones raised. They were grinning from ear to ear as they recorded his speech.

Those who loved someone would take every chance to record key moments in their lives.

When I thought about how Mom had never attended a single parent-teacher meeting for me over the years, I couldn't help but feel bitter.

The conference went on for a long time. At one point, I went to the restroom.

When I tried to come out, I realized the door wouldn't open. No matter how hard I pushed or pulled, it wouldn't budge. It was as if someone had locked it from the outside. "Hello? Can someone help me?"

I pounded on the door, calling out for help, but no one answered. Just when I took a step back, ready to kick the door loose, it swung open.

Archer stood outside with a few students behind him, blocking the doorway so I couldn't get out. He raised a hand in signal, and one of the students stepped forward, kicking me to the ground.

I clutched my stomach and gritted my teeth in pain.

As if that wasn't enough, Archer grabbed a bucket of water nearby and poured it over my head. The dirty, slightly foul-smelling water soaked me halfway, leaving me drenched and humiliated.

They laughed at me. I wiped the water off my face and opened my dripping eyes to stare at Archer. "Why are you doing this?"

He stepped forward and kicked me into the corner. Resentment was brewing in his eyes. His tone was laced with sarcasm. "Aren't you supposed to be an excellent student? Why didn't you go up on stage and give a speech?"

He scoffed, and his voice was dripping with mockery. "Oh, Adam. Did you really think Mom and Dad were going to take you home after the exams? Not a chance."

"I'm telling you, there's no way Mom and Dad will bring you home. The livestream won't stop either! You deserve to stay in that rotten, dark rental apartment and waste your life away so everyone can laugh and make fun of you!"

Archer clutched my hair while kicking me. My face twisted in extreme agony, and I couldn't help but find him scary. In just six years, the boy who used to be gentle and kind had turned into a monster.

As if still unsatisfied, he made a gesture and signaled the students behind him to step forward and start bashing me. At one point, they even ripped off my clothes.

Archer pulled out his phone and began filming me. "After all the kicking and punching, you barely made a sound. I guess we weren't doing it hard enough. Don't blame me. I just don't want to fall behind Mom and Dad in how they treated you."

He instructed his friends, "Kick him harder and strip him naked!"

Archer laughed maniacally. I whimpered, forcing myself not to cry. The more I cried, the more excited he would become.

After what felt like forever, Archer finally seemed satisfied and left with the others. I was soaked through and crouched on the floor, shivering from the cold.

I was glad he was laughing now because who knew if he would be able to later?

…

That night, Mom surprisingly came home with a bunch of food. "Hey, Adam. I got lucky today and bought some treats for you."

She pulled snacks out of the bags, many of which were imported. I surmised they came from the villa. They were probably things Archer didn't want, so Mom gave them to me as handouts.

She stood in front of me, like she had something to say. Just as I opened my mouth, she suddenly started crying. "I'm sorry, Adam… I… I just found out I have cancer. I don't have much time left."

Cancer? Seriously?

Before I could even say a word, Mom grabbed my hand and continued, "I don't want to die, Adam. You must help me. I have some money here, and between what you've got on you and Grandma's bracelet, we can sell it and use it for my treatment!"

The moment she mentioned Grandma's bracelet, I snapped to attention. "I can give you the money, but not the bracelet."

The bracelet was the last thing Grandma left me. I had lived in this apartment for six years, and for three of them, she was there with me.

Indeed, even she had been deceived into believing that her daughter's life after the divorce had spiraled out of control. Mom was so ruthless that she even lied to her mother. The thought of Grandma suffering alongside me despite her age made my heart break.

I furrowed my brows and glared at Mom. "Are you actually sick, though? Or is this just another trick to take my money and Grandma's bracelet to gamble?"

Mom's eyes flickered nervously for a moment before she pulled out a stack of medical reports from her bag. "It's true. Look at these results. Why would I lie about something like this?"

I gave her the chance to confess, but she chose to be dishonest and continued deceiving me. The moment I glanced at those medical reports, I knew they were fake. She didn't even bother to make them look real.

Honestly, I was extremely disappointed.

Faced with my hard stance and realizing she couldn't get the bracelet from me, she finally gave up and resorted to a pitiful act. "Fine. I'll figure out something else. I made you a cup of warm milk, so drink it while it's hot. You've been studying hard."

I drank the milk and went to sleep, carefully putting the bracelet back on my wrist so she couldn't steal it. That night, I slept like a log.

The next morning, I woke up to find my wrist bare. The bracelet was gone.

Panicked, I pulled up the livestream and replayed last night's footage. Mom had slipped a sleeping pill into my milk while I wasn't paying attention. Once I was asleep, she stole the bracelet from my wrist and returned to the villa.

No wonder I hadn't noticed a thing. I had been drugged.

On the livestream chat, someone wrote, "This is insane. That bracelet was a gift from his grandmother. She just stole it like that."

Mom even fired back on the livestream. "That bracelet was meant for me, her daughter, anyway. Why should he wear it? I'm only doing it to train Adam, to build his resilience under pressure."

I watched her on the livestream, belittling me and twisting her lies into some self-righteous excuse. I felt my heart shatter.

Since I realized that every word and move I made in the apartment was being broadcast, I started staying away from home. I went to school during the day and clocked in for my part-time job after class.

I would rather sit under the dim streetlights outside the building and read than return to that apartment full of surveillance cameras. I pulled out my phone and tuned into the livestream.

The streamer had posted a notice. "On the exam day, we'll livestream bringing our poor Adam back to the villa. Everyone, get ready to flood the screen with gifts!"

Many left their comments.

"I can't wait to see Adam's face when he realizes his family is actually rich."

"He has to be thrilled. I mean, he'll be rich, too."

"Not necessarily. He might even be sad for a long time. I mean, why should he endure six years of hardship for nothing?"

I couldn't help but let out a cold laugh. I wasn't going to let their plan succeed.

On the day of the exam, I would already be on a plane to Genevia. By then, they would become the players in their very own game.

…

I didn't need to study for the exam, so I had been busy preparing my documents to go abroad. I called Mom, hoping she would come home and spend a few days with me before the exam.

That day, I deliberately asked, "Mom, can I see Archer after the exam?"

She immediately agreed, patting my shoulder. "Of course. Once it's over, I'll take you to see your dad and your brother."

I forced a smile, pretending to be happy and excited. Then, I carried a bowl of soup I had made from the kitchen. "You need extra nourishment, Mom. Here, I made this for you."

Mom was visibly touched. She drank the soup while I pulled out a stack of documents and set them in front of her.

"Now that you're sick, having debt collectors constantly coming after you won't do you any good. What if it affects your recovery? As your son, I don't want you to suffer. So, I'm going to take all your debts upon myself while I earn the money and pay them off.

"But first, we need to terminate our mother-son relationship. Sign here, and all the debt will be legally transferred to me."

Mom didn't read the papers carefully. The moment she heard what I said, she signed her name without hesitation. "You're so good to me, son. Once I make enough money in the future, I'll surely make it up to you."

I smiled and nodded, telling her to focus on her recovery. What she didn't know was that she had not only signed a form terminating our relationship, but also a high-interest loan I had taken out in her name.

Early on the morning of the exam, I left the rental with my backpack like usual. From the livestream feed, everything seemed normal.

But I wasn't going to the school to take the exam. I was heading to the airport. There was nothing in that place worth taking with me anyway.

I snapped my SIM card in half and tossed it into a trash can, then switched to a new one. My brand-new life was about to begin.

The money I had earned from my part-time job, the scholarships from school, and the ten-million-dollar loan I had taken out under Mom's name were enough for me to live in Genevia for a while.

Once I landed, I would immediately find a decent apartment and settle in.

Just two days ago, Mom asked me which exam center I would be at. I casually gave her the name of a school. I knew exactly what my parents had planned. They were going to wait outside the school gate for me after my last exam.

My parents and all their loyal livestream viewers had been looking forward to this day. They wanted to see the look on my face—the surprise, shock, and eventually the tears of relief.

Unfortunately, they were in for a disappointment because they would never get to see it.