The year I got an interview with a Fortune 500 tech giant, a new requirement was suddenly added: a perfect score on the English proficiency exam. I scored 699 out of 700. I was rejected. A year later, my adopted sister, Sophie, got the job. At her celebration dinner, Uncle Bob slapped my dad on the back and laughed. "Still the doting father, aren't you, Walter? You knew Sophie didn't have the scores, so you just scrapped the requirement entirely." I forced a smile. "No way, Uncle Bob. When I got a 699 last year, Dad didn't pull any strings. Sophie got in on her own merit." "Impossible," Bob slurred, drunk on expensive wine. "Last year, your dad was the one who demanded the requirement be added in the first place." I stared at my father in shock. He coughed awkwardly. "We're father and daughter. I had to avoid the appearance of nepotism. Sophie is adopted; if she didn't get in, people would say we treat her like an outsider. Besides, she worked hard. She deserves a good result." My smile turned bitter. Fine. If you want to avoid nepotism, Dad... Then when I audit your taxes at the end of the year, I won't show any mercy either. 1 The dinner table fell silent. Uncle Bob, realizing he'd said too much, tried to backtrack. "I'm just drunk, honey. Don't take it to heart." I pushed his hand away and stared at my father at the head of the table. "So, the new rule last year... you really added it." Dad stayed silent. Mom tugged on my sleeve. "Don't fight with your father." I shook her off. "Why?! I got a 699! You set the bar at 700 just to keep me out? Do you hate me that much?" "I told you, I had to avoid nepotism! You're my biological daughter! If you got in, what would people think?" I looked at him in disbelief. "Dad, avoiding nepotism means not using your power to give family an unfair advantage! If I wasn't good enough, fine. But I was top of the class in the written exam and the interview! What was there to avoid?" "But Sophie didn't even break 600, and you just deleted the rule for her? Who's the one benefiting from nepotism here?!" Smash! A glass shattered against my forehead. Dad stood up, furious. "You think you're so smart now, don't you?" Guests rushed to hold us back. Sophie's eyes were red. "Sis, don't make Dad angry! Apologize!" "Look at Sophie, then look at yourself!" Dad roared. "She worked hard for three months! Why shouldn't she get a break? Everyone knows she's the daughter of my old war buddy. If I don't help her, people will say the White family mistreats outsiders!" "Why can't you think about the family for once instead of your own selfish interests?" "Selfish interests?" I laughed. "Dad, I prepared for a whole year. Who gave me a break?" He froze. I smiled bitterly. "Do you know that because you blocked me, my boyfriend and I broke up?" Dad frowned. "We dated for three years. We planned to meet the parents the day I got the offer. But he got in, and I didn't. We were going to be thousands of miles apart. We broke up." "Are you happy now, Dad?" I threw my glass on the floor. Shards flew. Sophie threw herself in front of Dad. "Sis, stop it!" Mom tried to pull me away. I just stared at him with red eyes. Sophie suddenly dropped to her knees. "Sis, I won't take the job. I'll quit. Please don't blame Dad! I'm sorry! I'll beg you!" She slammed her head on the floor. Dad grabbed her. "Why should you quit?! You're taking it! You worked for it! Why should her tantrum ruin your future?" "No, Dad, I can't let this family fall apart because of me!" My parents looked at her with heartache. Then Dad turned to me. "Look how sensible Sophie is. Look at you! You don't understand even the basics of family. How can your mother and I rely on you in the future?" "Rely on me?" I laughed. "Since Sophie is so much better, why rely on me at all? From now on, let her be your daughter." I slammed the door and left. 2 I heard Mom and the relatives chasing after me. I walked fast, slipping into the elevator and hitting the button. From the private room, I heard Dad smashing plates. "Let her go! Let's see how long she can keep this up!" The elevator descended. My eyes burned. Outside the hotel, a giant LED screen broadcasted the congratulatory message: [Congrats to the White Family Heiress, Sophie, for Acing the Interview!] White Family Heiress... I zoned out for a moment. Until a waiter bumped into me. "So sorry! The guests in room 606 ordered another cake, a bigger one! They want the head chef to decorate it!" Sophie's celebration room. "Why another one?" "Heard someone ruined the mood. The father is angry and wants to throw an even bigger party to make up for it. His daughter got into a big tech company, it's a huge deal!" I laughed bitterly. I had actually taken the civil service exam and gotten into the tax bureau. But my family only cared about Sophie. No one even asked if I passed or where I was working. I went back to my apartment and spent the next day in a daze. That night, Sophie updated her social media. A video. She and my parents, surrounded by relatives, posing in front of a massive cake. She flashed a peace sign, looking blissful. Caption: [Thank you, Mom and Dad, for always having my back.] I turned off my phone. I didn't go home that weekend. Usually, I'd have dinner with them. Instead, I drove to the university district. This was where I met Mark. Three years of college. We planned everything. Where to buy a house, when to have kids, where to retire. I never expected to be rejected from the job I was perfect for. He got in. A month later, he broke up with me. He said he couldn't do long distance. I accepted it, helpless. I walked into the small restaurant we used to frequent. Just as I sat down, a couple across the aisle caught my eye. The man's voice was familiar. "I used to come here all the time in college. The fish is amazing." "With who?" The girl teased. The man laughed. I froze. "Mark?" He stiffened. Slowly, he turned around. Sitting opposite him was Sophie. She stared at me in shock. "Sis?" 3 "Wait here, babe." Mark smiled gently at Sophie. Then he grabbed my arm and dragged me outside. "Don't misunderstand. We met after we broke up." "Bullshit!" My eyes stung. "She posted about getting a boyfriend last year! We were still together! Were you with her then?" His face went pale. "Mark, did you really break up with me because of the distance?" "I..." "Don't lie to me." He gritted his teeth and nodded. "Yes. I cheated. So what?" I didn't expect him to be so blunt. "Aurora, my parents are factory workers. Getting me through college wasn't easy. I fought tooth and nail to get where I am. If I see an opportunity, I have to take it!" I frowned. "What do you mean?" He sighed. "Actually, I missed the cutoff for the interview by a few points. Sophie talked to her dad—the regional VP—and he got me in." I thought I misheard. "Her dad? You mean Mr. White?" "Yeah." I almost collapsed. His own biological daughter gets blocked by a new rule. But for Sophie, a word is enough to get a stranger hired. I, the real daughter, was the outsider. The first casualty of success is the lover. I bit back tears. "Mark, I never thought you were this kind of person." "Don't blame me." He frowned. "You don't know how much I suffered to get here! Sure, I could have stayed with you. But if another woman can help me jump social classes and secure my future, why shouldn't I choose her?" "If you truly loved me, you wouldn't stop me." "Besides, Aurora, if you had the same chance, you would have dumped me even faster." I looked at him in disbelief. He sighed. "So don't blame me for betraying you. Blame yourself for not being good enough to get into the company. Blame yourself for not having Sophie's background or a father like Mr. White." I paused. "You don't know who my father is?" "Does it matter?" "What if... Mr. White is my father too?" He froze. Then he laughed. "If you were his daughter, why didn't you get the job?" I had no answer. "Mark?" Sophie's voice rang out. She walked up, concerned, and took his arm. "Is there a misunderstanding?" "Nothing. Just an ex from college who won't let go." Mark glanced at me, put his arm around Sophie, and walked away without looking back. As she turned, Sophie glanced at me. The corner of her mouth lifted in a smirk I couldn't decipher. My phone rang. I answered numbly. It was Mom. "Aurora, it's Sunday. Are you still refusing to come home? Dad is angry. Stop making a scene." "I'm not making a scene." I hung up. Then I dialed another number. "Hey, David. Tax audit. Is the Phoenix Corporation on our list?" "Yes, Chief." "The VP recently took on a protégé. Keep a close eye on him." "Understood." For the next few days, I buried myself in work. I ignored every call from home. Until one evening, I was blocked outside my office. Mom got out of a car. "Aurora, finally. Dad is waiting at home. Stop this. You haven't been home in a month. Just come back, we can talk it out." I wanted to refuse. But my boss's car was behind me. I didn't want a scene. I got in. At home, Sophie was pouring tea for Dad. Dad looked up from the head of the table, frowning deeply. "You finally decided to show up?" 4 "If you don't want me here, I'll go back to work." I turned to leave. Mom grabbed me. Dad was furious. "What work? That little job you found yourself, making peanuts? Is it worth acting like this?" "Without my help, what kind of job could you possibly get?" "Help?" I stared at him. "Mr. White, since when have you ever helped me?" He froze. "Other fathers might have nothing, but at least they don't actively sabotage their daughters. But you? You're different." "Even when I make it on my own, you have to strike me down. Help? Your help goes to outsiders. When did I ever see a cent of it?" "Since you never gave me anything, what right do you have to threaten me with it?" "You!" Dad stood up abruptly. Sophie rushed over and grabbed my hand. "Sis! How can you talk to Dad like that? Apologize! He's our father!" Dad clutched his chest, pointing a trembling finger at me. "See? This is why I help Sophie and not you!" Mom rubbed his back, looking at me with reproach. "Aurora, we brought you home to make peace, not to fight. Look at Sophie. Can't you be more mature? Apologize!" I shook Sophie off. "I'm not mature. Sophie is. Good for her. You never treated me like a daughter anyway." "How can you say that?!" "Am I wrong?" I stared Dad down. He smashed a cup at my feet. "Fine! Go! Let's see how far you get in this city without me! Get out!!" Sophie reached out as if to stop me, but her hand barely grazed my sleeve. "Sis, don't be stubborn! Apologize!" "Let her go, Sophie! Ungrateful brat! When she hits a wall, she'll realize how wrong she is!" Even though I had steeled myself, hearing my own family favor her so blatantly made my eyes burn. I wiped them quickly, walked out, and hailed a cab. On my desk was the file David had compiled. I flipped through it. "I knew it. Sophie isn't clean." End of year tax audit. The inspection team pulled up to the Phoenix Corporation building. We went straight to Sophie's office. "Audit me?" She laughed, leaning back in her chair. "Do you know who I am? Who authorized this?" "I did." Sophie's face went pale. The team stepped aside, clearing a path for me. I held up my badge. "Tax Bureau, Division One. Aurora White. We have evidence of tax evasion. Please cooperate."
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