I clenched my teeth and lifted my head to meet their eyes.
"I really don't know..."
My homeroom teacher let out a long sigh and patted Mrs. Jordan on the shoulder.
"Melissa is an honest child. Maybe she truly doesn't know. Let's think of another way to find him..."
But I knew—they wouldn't find him.
Annika never intended to let Blake take the college entrance exam.
Right now, he was probably unconscious on some hotel bed, completely unaware of what was happening to his life.
Sure enough, even when the exam began, Blake never appeared.
His parents were just ordinary working-class people.
To help him focus on studying, his mother had quit her job to take care of him full time.
His father took three jobs alone, sleeping barely three hours a night.
They had sacrificed more than ten years for this one moment.
And yet the obedient, sensible son they raised... vanished right before the exam.
The moment the testing gates locked, Mrs. Jordan completely broke down. She collapsed to the ground, wailing hysterically.
"My son..."
Just before the first subject ended, Blake finally staggered into view at the gates—face ashen, steps unsteady.
Mrs. Jordan shot up from the ground, rushing toward him. Her hand swung across his face in a sharp, loud slap.
"You little bastard! Where in the world did you go?!"
I was resting in the shade with my parents, just about to stand up, when Blake suddenly spoke.
"Mom... it was Melissa. Yesterday at school, she confessed to me, and when I rejected her, she held a grudge. She drugged me and dragged me to a hotel. I just woke up. She... she ruined my whole life..."
I froze.
Before I could even react, Mr. and Mrs. Jordan were already charging toward us.
Blake clearly hadn't expected me to be there.
The moment he saw me, he quickly lowered his head.
The memory of my parents' tragic deaths in my previous life flashed violently in my mind.
Instinctively, I stepped in front of them.
And that was when Mr. Jordan's fist slammed into my face.
"You little animal! Just because he rejected you, you ruin his future?! Do you know what our family sacrificed for this day?!"
I wanted to explain, but he was too far gone in rage.
Before I could utter a word, he kicked me to the ground.
That punch—it felt like he put his entire life's strength into it.
A sharp burst of pain shot through my nose.
Warm blood poured down instantly, coating my eyes, nose, and mouth in a sticky mess.
My father saw me fall and rushed toward me, nearly crazed. But the moment he reached me, Mr. Jordan kicked him aside as well.
Years of hard labor had given Mr. Jordan a terrifying strength.
"A pair of filthy father–daughter trash! You ruined Blake's future—don't you dare think you'll live comfortably after this!"
More and more parents gathered around.
Many of them knew about Blake's academic performance.
Hearing that he missed the exam because of my supposed "revenge," their anger exploded.
They surged forward all at once.
Fists and kicks rained down on my father and me.
"When a child does wrong, the father is to blame! Let's teach you two a lesson!"
"So young and already causing trouble! You'll be a menace to society when you grow up!"
"Mr. Jordan, hit them! If anything happens, we'll testify for you!"
Through the haze of pain, I forced my eyes open, searching the crowd.
There, behind everyone was Blake.
His face, moments ago twisted in false misery, now carried a faint, triumphant smile.
The last lingering thread of hope I had for Blake snapped completely.
At last, I was fully awake. The boy standing before me was no longer the Blake who used to chase after me day and night, begging me to explain exam questions. Since he wasn't that person anymore, there was no reason to spare him any dignity.
Using the last of my strength, I fumbled through my bag, pulled out my phone, found the video Annika sent me last night, and pressed play—turning the volume up to its highest setting.
