Chapter 2

"No way!" Sutton blurted out, her perfectly manicured mask slipping for a split second. She quickly forced a laugh to play it cool.

"The exam's only a week away. Harper, you really should stay and focus on studying. How else are you going to score high?"

I snapped back, my patience wearing thin. "Why are you so worried about my results, Sutton? Afraid I won't perform well enough for you?"

Declan frowned at me, stepping between us. "Is Sutton at fault for giving you good advice? God, you're being impossible today."

I was speechless at his blindness. "Who cares? You should worry about yourself instead, Declan."

I turned to walk away, but Sutton grabbed my hand, her eyes full of those fake, glistening tears again. "Harper, it's all my fault… Please don't be mad at Declan because of me…"

I pulled my hand back instinctively, as if her touch burned. She stumbled, falling to the ground with a dramatic cry.

Declan's temper flared instantly. In one swift motion, he shoved me.

I hit the floor hard, pain shooting through my knees. For a moment, I couldn't get up.

Declan froze for a second, realization flickering in his eyes, but he quickly composed himself, his voice cold and detached. "Consider this a lesson, Harper. You'd better think about your attitude."

He adjusted his jacket, looking down at me with disdain. "You know my mom's requirements. I'm just giving you a heads-up. If you don't pass this exam, don't even think about coming home with me for Christmas this year."

With that, he helped Sutton up and left, leaving me staring at their retreating backs.

"Go on," I whispered to the empty room. "Enjoy your victory while it lasts. The one who really needs to think this over is you."

I went home, grabbed my stuff, and signed up for a last-minute luxury tour.

Three years of intense studying had taught me the pressure of competition. I had never slacked off for a single second. I had been a machine.

Now, I finally had a chance to breathe.

I lay on a pristine beach, soaking up the sun and occasionally scrolling through my phone. Sutton was, unsurprisingly, always livestreaming.

Every time I checked, Declan was right there in the frame with her, doing silly couple challenges and having a blast in Slovia.

During the day, Sutton filmed travel videos and livestreamed their adventures. It wasn't until around 10:00 PM that she "switched" to study mode. She would sit in front of the camera, pretending to study for an hour while flipping back and forth on the same page of a book she clearly hadn't read.

I didn't return home until the day before the exam.

The next morning, at the exam site, I spotted them from a distance. They both looked like walking corpses.

Sutton was yawning in her slippers, her makeup hastily applied. Declan wasn't any better, sporting messy stubble and deep, dark circles under his eyes.

Of course, I knew why. The night before, Sutton had done a 'Study With Me' livestream about balancing work and play, which naturally turned into staying up all night gaming with Declan.

I could only wait and see what kind of miracle they would pull off this time.

After the exam—which I didn't take—I blocked Declan until the day the scores were released.

He stormed over to my apartment in a fury. "Where did you go? I almost went crazy looking for you! Why didn't you answer your phone?"

I shrugged it off casually. He didn't waste time; he quickly asked the only question he cared about: "What was your score?"

I showed him the screenshot I had already doctored, saying calmly, "I got 100."

Hearing my answer, Sutton's face, who was standing right behind him, practically glowed with an excitement she couldn't hide. It was the look of a predator spotting wounded prey.

Declan's eyes went wide, and he practically bounced over to hug me. "Wow, that's insane! That has to be the top score in the whole country, right?"

"I knew you could do it, Harper! Get ready for the interview, and by the end of the year… No! By the end of the month, you're coming home to meet my family!"

I instinctively took a step back to avoid his touch, giving the excuse that I needed to prepare for the interview.

That night, Sutton couldn't resist going live. "Guess what my score was on the written exam, guys?"

The chat exploded with guesses.

Sutton shook her head with a teasing grin, unable to hide her triumph.

"100! I got the highest score in the National Civil Service Exam!"

The audience wasn't foolish. A few die-hard fans congratulated her, but most were skeptical.

"Heh, just saying it without proof? Bold claim!"

"All the top civil service exam streamers wake up at 6:00 AM to study. But Sutton's been playing all day!"

"She's just talking crap. Zero experience, 30 days of prep, and now topping the national exam? Yeah, I'll eat my hat if that's real."

Sutton didn't bother defending herself too much. She radiated an arrogant confidence.

"I earned this score through real, solid effort. Besides, who still slaves away at boring, rigid studying these days?"

"I've got my own fun learning method. You can have fun while studying and still come out on top. In two months, watch me snag the number-one post on the exam, and we'll celebrate together!"

I raised an eyebrow at my screen. This time, I actually wanted to see how Sutton would snag the top spot without my real score to steal.