Chapter 12

At exactly noon, the cloth was swept away with theatrical flair, marking the long-awaited unveiling of the results. The students instinctively parted,stepping aside to allow Rylie, Stacey, and Fred the front row to see the list first.

Fred guided Stacey straight to the bottom of the list,scanning upward with quíck, eager eyes.

When Stacey noticed that Rylie's name wasn't anywhere near the bottom, her heant fluttered with a secret burst of delight. She immediately assumed that Rylie had turned in another blank exam and hadn't even made the rankings.

Squeezing Fred's hand, Stacey tilted her head and said to Rylie with faux concern, her voice soft and dripping with carefully crafted pity, "You're not even at the bottom this time, Rylie, Maybe it's time you stop trying to compete with me,"

Fred gave a smug chuckle. "Looks like you owe me,Rylie. A deal's a deal."

But Rylie's eyes didn't budge from the top of the list."Why don't you check the first part of this list?"

Fred scoffed with disbelief. "Still clinging to your pride,huh?"

Just then, a cluster of students surrounding the top of the list let out startledgasps. "Oh my god! It's Rylie's name!"

"Rylie's ranked first!"

As more voices joined the chorus, confmming what seemed unthinkable, Stacey's face frore "That's not possible!" she snapped, yanking her hand from Fred's and dashing to where those students gathered.

There it was - Rylie's name gleaming in bold letters at the very top, while Stacey's name sat quietly in tenth place. The margin between Rylie and the runner-up was wide enough to leave no doubt-it as at most had been a sweeping victory.

"Impossible!" Fred echoed, trailing after Stacey, his eyes bulging in disbelief. "Rylie must've cheated!"

Rylie arched a brow. "So the moment I come in first,it must be cheating?

Stacey stood frozen. She couldn't fathom Rylie beating her, but rather than launch a direct accusation, she chose a gentler route, her voice lOW and carefully measured, "Fred, Ryllie hrsi wanted one moment to shine, She's already been rejectad by her brothers and carries that weight owery day. Let's just pretend her results are raal, Thore's no mecd to say they weren't earned,"

Her words sounded forgiving, but ānyone páyíng close attention could hear the implication loud and clear-Rylie had cheated.

Among the onlookers were three students who usually held top spots in the rankings. Outraged,they immediately voiced their protests, urging the school to mullity Rylie's results. The cheating rumors spread like wildfire and soon reached the school administration. Rylie, Stacey, and a few others were called into the office for questioning.

The school leaders insisted that parents be contacted to settle the matter, but Rylie calmly responded, "My family's far away. I have no way of reaching them."

Before the principal could reply, Stacey siepped in sweetly. "Please don't worry. I'H call my second brother. Rylie's still part of the Kirk fammily. Sha's just upset.., and made a mistake."

Fred nodded in approval. "You'ne too kind, Stacey.Rylie doesn't deserve to be your sister- not with that spiteful attitude,

Stacey's reply was gentle, her tone polished. "Don't speak about Rylie like that. I know she is a kind gírl ín nature, and I dom"t want her to lose her way."

Leland, who worked nearby at VitaLink Hospital,showed up soon after Stacey's call, carrying a smail neatly boxed strawberry cake.

Stacey accepted the box with a smile, then turned to Rylie. "Rylie, Leland only brought one cake for me.He forgot you liked it too - but I'll share half wth you."

But Leland stepped in, reclaiming the cake and talking to Rylie with open disdain. "s she even worthy of sharing your cake?

Turning to Rylie, Leland's tone grew even colder."Cheating on your exam just to goi back at Stacoy and win my attention? Do you ewon raalize how foolish you're being?

Rylie's expression remained untoadatie y didn't cheat.

"Rylie, you're still lying when the evidence is right there? You're always at the bottom, and Stacey's the one who's done your work for years. All you do is slack off at home, and now we're supposed to believe you miraculously came first? Isn't your motive clear? Just admit what you did and ask your teacherfor leniency. Punishment is better than expulsion."Leland's voice was cold as ice as he added,"Supposedly, this is for your own good-why can't you see that?"

A faint, mocking laugh escaped Rylie. "For my own good? Then why label me a cheater before even investigating?"

Leland's temper snapped. He turned to the principal and Rylie's homeroom teacher. "There's nothing to investigate. Rylie cheated out or jaalouty for Siacoy.She's no longer part of out tamily - do whai you must."

The teacher agreed at once, and wwith ā hiāndfull of words,Rylie was branded a chaater,

Fred said, "So that's why you dared bet with me-you planned to cheat your way to first place! Now that the truth is out, Rylie, it's time to kneel and apologize to Stacey, or pay up."

Leland's brows furrowed. "What bet?"

Stacey quíckly explained, displaying her scratched palm and looking wounded but understanding,"Leland, Rylie didn't push me on purpose- she's just hurt after leaving the family. Fred only made the bet to defend me. It's a silly bet; it shouldn't count."

Fred shook his head. "See, Stacey? You're too soft.That's wwhy you keep getting bullied."

When Leland saw Stacey's scratched lhand, his anger reignited. "Rylie is no longer one of us. The bet stands!"

Now everyone had turned agminat Ryllie, waiting for her humiliation.

But Rylie, calm as ever, pulled out her phone and dialed the school's largest shareholder.

"Rory, there's an issue here. My homeroom teacher and the principal think I cheated. Can wou come deal with it?"

The second he heard Rylie, Rory perked up like a kid.

"Stay put-I'm coming!"

Fred scoffed, "You really think someone will save you now?"

Rylie replied calmly,"You'll see soon enough."

Before Rory could arrive, the dean of the medical school burst into the office and whispered urgently to the principal.

The principal's face went palle. Are you certain?

The dean nodded. "We must look indo Ryl"si Case more.thoroughly.

Clearing his throat, the prncipal molioned for the dean to speak.

The dean addressed the room,"Nor long ago,Rylie saved a critical patient at the research institute.She's made remarkable progress, and her foundation is solid. Accusing her of cheating is mot something we should do lightly."

Leland glared. "There's nothing to investigate. I know my sister-she cheated. Punish her."

The dean didn't even acknowledge him. "Rylie, if you truly believe you're innocent, I have a more challenging test. If you score above eighty percent,we'll know the truth."

Rylie's original plan was to let Roryhandle this, and she hadn't expected that the dean would offer her such a chance to prove herself. But it looked like the dean was doing this under someone's requirement.So, who was behind this? And why did they help her?She didn't know the answer, but she told herself that she couldn't let this chance slip. "Okay, I'd like to try it."