1 Robert was universally acknowledged as the brooding, untouchable golden boy of our foster home. But I was the only one who knew the truth. He was a massive phony. When the wealthy Wigfield couple arrived at the home looking to adopt, Robert stood before them in a crisp white shirt, his chin tilted up in an arrogant display of pride. "Mr. and Mrs. Wigfield, I have no intention of being bought by a rich family." "If family ties are tainted by money, they become absolutely filthy!" The room fell silent. All the kids and staff were entirely in awe of his unbending backbone. But the Wigfields looked visibly disappointed. They shared a quiet look, preparing to leave. I was standing perfectly still in the corner when a string of glowing, floating text suddenly materialized in thin air right in front of my eyes. [Oh, this is such a tragedy! The Wigfield family is actually amazing. Their eight daughters have been begging for a little brother for years!] [They would give him the best private prep school, the best resources. They even set up a massive trust fund for his future Ivy League tuition!] I stared hard at the words "best private prep school." My heart hammered violently against my ribs. Without a second thought, I raised my hand high into the air. "Ma'am! If it's possible, I want to be adopted!" The recreation room went dead silent. Every single pair of eyes snapped toward me. Including my fellow orphan, Robert. The mask of unyielding, noble pride on his face almost cracked completely. "Liam, what are you doing... I didn't think you were the type to be blinded by vanity." Ms. Higgins, the director of the foster home, looked mortified. She hurried over and grabbed my arm, trying to pull me back. "Liam, stop causing a scene! They came here to choose Robert!" I didn't budge an inch. I kept my lips pressed tight and looked directly at Mrs. Wigfield. Mrs. Wigfield was stunned. She paused her steps toward the door, turning around to look at me. "You said... you're willing?" "Yes! I want this!" My palms were sweating profusely, but I gathered every ounce of courage I had and repeated it loud and clear. The kids crowding around us immediately started whispering. "Is Liam just a massive gold digger? Why is he acting so desperate?" "Obviously! Robert literally just rejected them, and Liam is throwing himself at their feet. Have some shame!" "Look at Robert. He's so pure and noble. It just makes Liam look incredibly cheap and greedy." Hearing the whispers, Robert let out a soft, knowing smile. He walked over and gently tugged at my sleeve, playing the role of a concerned saint. "Liam, don't be impulsive." "High society isn't a place where people like us can survive." "I know you've always desperately wanted to climb the social ladder, but please don't degrade yourself like this." The moment those words left his mouth, the looks of disgust aimed at me doubled. I stared right back at him, my mind completely clear. If I didn't already know he was a try-hard fake who wanted to be adopted by a billionaire family more than anyone else in this room, I might have actually believed his garbage. I yanked my sleeve out of his grip. "No. I want to be adopted by the Wigfield family. Please consider me!" In a few months, I would have to take the crucial entrance exams for high school. The foster home had extremely limited resources. The teachers were overwhelmed, study materials were outdated, and private tutoring was a luxury we couldn't even dream of. When the Wigfield family could offer me the absolute best educational resources in the country, I wanted to study! I wanted to climb out of the mud! I didn't think fighting for my future was a sin. The floating text appeared again. [Oh my god, Robert needs to stop acting! If he keeps playing hard to get, he's actually going to lose the spot!] [Mama Wigfield absolutely hates it when people act like money and love are enemies. Robert's little speech actually really hurt her feelings.] [Liam might be a little blunt, but he's so incredibly sincere! I think he actually has a shot!] My pulse raced faster. Mrs. Wigfield studied me for a long time. Suddenly, she walked over and knelt down to my eye level. "Tell me why you want to come home with us." My throat felt tight. "Because I want to go to a good school." "And I want to know what it feels like to actually have a family." A tear slipped instantly down Mrs. Wigfield's cheek. She reached out and held my shaking hands. "Okay. I understand, sweetheart." Mr. Wigfield exchanged a deep look with his wife. He didn't agree on the spot, but he left a very clear door open. "We will head home and discuss this, and then confirm with the director." "A decision like this shouldn't be rushed." With that, they turned and left the building. Robert was still standing near the doorway. His eyes were completely red. The other kids immediately swarmed him, offering comfort. "Robert, don't be sad. The Wigfield family is definitely going to pick you in the end!" "They were just caught off guard because Liam started yelling. They definitely won't like someone so obsessed with money!" Robert shook his head gently, looking like a tragic hero. "I'm not sad for me. I'm just worried about Liam..." "He wants this so desperately. When he gets rejected, it's going to crush him." Standing a few feet away, I let out a cold, silent laugh. Crushed? Who said the Wigfield family was definitely picking him? 2 Once the billionaire couple left, the foster home erupted into absolute chaos. Almost everyone was gossiping about what just happened. But I wasn't the center of the conversation. Robert was. "Robert is so incredibly principled! He's literally a god! If Mrs. Wigfield asked me, I would have nodded so fast my neck would snap!" "That's exactly why he's different from us. He's not basic and greedy like Liam." I walked past them carrying my breakfast tray, hearing every single word. Someone saw me coming and intentionally raised their voice. "Some people really think raising their hand is enough to turn them into a prince. Does he even know how powerful the Wigfields are?" "A boring nerd who only knows how to study. Who would want that? Robert is handsome and has an amazing personality. The rich family is definitely going to pick him!" "Exactly! I can't wait to see someone cry his eyes out when reality hits!" I didn't stop walking, but my heart wasn't completely bulletproof. It was true that I wasn't as naturally charming or good-looking as Robert. But I really, really wanted this chance to go to a real school. I had to fight for it. At noon, Robert came looking for me. He sat across from me at the battered cafeteria table and let out a heavy sigh. "Liam, I heard what the others were saying this morning. Please don't take it to heart." "They aren't trying to laugh at you on purpose. They just think you acted way too desperate." I didn't answer. I just kept solving my math equations. He glanced down at my worn-out workbook and offered a pitying smile. "You always do this. You think studying until your eyes bleed will actually change your destiny." "But some boundaries can't be crossed just by working hard." "If something isn't meant for you, you can't force it." I looked up. His eyes were dripping with fake sympathy. "A powerful family like the Wigfields wants a boy with natural elegance and artistic flair." "You're too practical. You're so practical it's actually incredibly boring." I pressed my lips together and stayed completely silent, though my emotions were boiling over. Suddenly, the glowing chat box popped up in the air between us. [Oh my god! Boy, you need to shut up! The Wigfield parents already went back and held a family meeting. All eight daughters voted unanimously to take Liam!] [Mama Wigfield told them that when Liam said he wanted to go to school, it broke her heart into pieces! They are officially switching their target!] I stared at those two lines of text. My pen froze. Unanimous vote? I dug my nails into my palm to suppress the violent wave of shock and joy rising in my chest. Robert was still talking. "If they come back begging in a few days, I might actually consider giving them a chance." "It would be rude to reject them twice, after all." He looked at me like a king tossing a coin to a beggar. "Liam, please don't be too devastated when it happens." "I'll talk to Mrs. Wigfield and ask her to sponsor your education as a charity case." That afternoon, Ms. Higgins called Robert into her office. Very quickly, the news spread like wildfire through the entire foster home. "The director just said it! The Wigfield family is still aiming for Robert!" "Wow! I knew it! Robert is the only one fit to be a rich heir!" I stood near the stairwell, listening to their absolute certainty. Meanwhile, the floating text drifted lazily across my vision. [Lmao. The Wigfield family's executive assistant is literally drafting Liam's preliminary adoption paperwork right now.] [Yikes! Robert is really living in a delusion. The eight Wigfield sisters are currently Googling 'how to bond with a fifteen-year-old brother who loves studying'!] I lowered my head and went back to memorizing my vocabulary flashcards. Stay calm. The less people believed in me, the more I needed to keep my cool. 3 Three days later, the Wigfield family's executive assistant arrived with a stack of documents. Ms. Higgins took the file and immediately called for Robert. Robert showed up wearing that exact same crisp white shirt, a look of mild, burdened reluctance plastered across his face. "Ms. Higgins, I already told you, I might not actually go." Ms. Higgins looked at him with fond exasperation. "Oh, stop it. The Wigfields went through all the trouble to send the paperwork. Stop being so stubborn." "They are incredibly sincere. Don't break their hearts." The kids gathered around immediately started cheering. "Woo! Robert is going to the Wigfield mansion!" "You're going to be a billionaire heir! Don't forget us little people!" Robert looked down, twisting his fingers together as a shy flush crept up his neck. "Stop talking nonsense, guys!" "I just... I just don't want to make Mrs. Wigfield sad. Honestly, I really don't care about marrying into wealth..." I stood at the back of the crowd. I noticed the assistant frowning slightly. He flipped open the expensive leather folder. "Ms. Higgins, excuse me, but is Liam here?" Ms. Higgins froze entirely. "Liam?" "Yes. This supplemental background form needs to be filled out by Liam personally." The air in the room felt like it had been sucked into a vacuum. The bashful smile on Robert's face turned to stone. Ms. Higgins quickly forced a laugh, trying to smooth things over. "Oh dear, is there a mix-up? Mrs. Wigfield definitely chose Robert the other day, didn't she?" The assistant's tone was flawlessly polite. "There is no mix-up." "Mr. and Mrs. Wigfield wish to understand Liam better." "Of course, this is just a preliminary background check and does not guarantee a final adoption decision." He phrased it very carefully. But for me, that was more than enough. My heart did a tiny, joyful flip as I stepped forward and took the paperwork. "Thank you, sir." The way the other kids looked at me shifted instantly. "It's just some paperwork. It's not like they picked him. Why is he looking so smug? They probably just want to compare options." "Exactly. Robert rejected them, so they had to find a backup tire." Robert forced a smile and walked over to my side. "Liam, the higher the hope, the harder the fall..." "Billionaire families are extremely careful. Looking at one extra person doesn't mean anything." I uncapped a pen and started filling out the form, completely ignoring him. He kept going. "But it's good that you got this chance." "Even if you're just being used as a comparison, at least someone like you gets to see how the other half operates." The floating text drifted by. [Compare? The eldest Wigfield sister just ordered her team to research the transfer policies for the most elite prep school in the state.] [The second sister is consulting corporate lawyers about minor adoption laws!] [The fifth sister secretly bought a mountain of boy's clothes and toys. Her manager couldn't even stop her! The eight sisters are losing their minds!] I bit the inside of my cheek to stop myself from laughing out loud. Seeing my silence, Robert assumed he had struck a nerve. His eyes grew even more pitiful. "I'm not looking down on you." "I'm just terrified your expectations are too high. I'm looking out for you." I looked up from the paper and capped my pen. "Keep it to yourself." I turned and walked away. Behind me, the toxic whispers and mocking laughter flared up again. "Look at that attitude! I can't wait to see how swollen his face gets when reality slaps him!" "Seriously! Robert, when you move into the Wigfield estate, you have to put him in his place!" 4 For the next week, the floating chat became my personal secret weapon. Every time they popped up, they gave me an anchor of confidence. [The Wigfields are officially finalizing the adoption papers!] [Mama Wigfield is setting up Liam's room. She spent three hours just picking the wall color.] [Lmao! The eighth sister is secretly texting her classmates asking what kind of stationery teenage boys like!] I read the text while quietly balancing chemical equations in my notebook. Everyone thought I was desperately pretending to be calm, but only I knew that I was feeling more secure by the second. Robert, on the other hand, was growing visibly frantic. He started volunteering to help out in the director's office every single day. When people praised him for being humble and said he wouldn't forget his roots once he was rich, he would lower his head and smile. "Of course not. The Wigfield estate isn't that far away. I'll come back and visit you all the time." He even pulled his battered suitcase out from under his bed, wiped off the dust, and packed all his clothes perfectly. When I came back from brushing my teeth and saw him doing it, a small laugh escaped my lips. His face stiffened. His calm facade shattered instantly. "What the hell are you laughing at, Liam?! Do you honestly think just because you filled out a piece of paper, you actually have a shot?" "You are so pathetic!" "Do you want to know why the Wigfield family will definitely pick me?" "Because I actually look like a son they can parade around in high society. And what about you?" He looked me up and down with absolute disgust. "You look like a desperate beggar clawing for pennies. You don't belong in their world!" It was an incredibly ugly thing to say, but I wasn't angry at all. Because right above his head, the floating text was going absolutely crazy. [Someone save this boy! He has no idea the Wigfields literally locked in Liam days ago!] [They are literally coming to pick him up tomorrow! He polished that suitcase for absolutely nothing! Aaaaah!] [Wake up, buddy! You literally handed your spot to Liam on a silver platter!] I raised an eyebrow at him. "Then let's wait for the results." The next afternoon, the foster home exploded into chaos. "Mr. and Mrs. Wigfield are here!" The moment the news broke, every single kid sprinted out to the courtyard. "They definitely came to get Robert!" "Robert, go change your clothes!" Robert played coy, but his body moved faster than anyone else's. He changed into a pale blue button-down shirt, meticulously combed his hair, and even sprayed a tiny bit of hairspray. Ms. Higgins personally wheeled his packed suitcase out to the front hall. "You stubborn boy, stop fighting this." "When you get to the Wigfield estate, be good. Be polite, but don't let anyone walk all over you." Robert's eyes filled with bright tears. "Ms. Higgins, I'm going to miss you all so much." A few of the younger kids cried and hugged him. "Robert, you have to come back and visit." I stood on the landing of the stairs, watching the scene like an outsider. Nobody called for me. Nobody thought I had any right to be there. A massive, sleek black SUV pulled up to the front gates. Ms. Higgins immediately pushed Robert to the very front of the crowd. "Mr. and Mrs. Wigfield, Robert has his bags packed and ready." "He just has a tough exterior. Deep down, he is incredibly grateful to you both." Robert kept his head bowed, perfect, crystalline tears resting on his eyelashes. He looked exactly like a tragic prince being forced by destiny to accept a life of billionaire luxury. Mrs. Wigfield stopped in her tracks, completely bewildered. She looked at Robert. Then she looked at the packed suitcase. Slowly, she shook her head. "Ms. Higgins, I believe there's been a massive misunderstanding." "We are not here to pick up Robert." Every single person in the courtyard went wide-eyed with shock. "Then who are you here to pick up?!"
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