Chapter 327 Framed
Yunice sat dead center in the exam hall as the invigilator walked down the aisle, distributing the papers. The long exam landed on her desk. She flipped through it calmly, confident in every type of question. Three years in the asylum had not been wasted. She had kept up with her studies, prepared for this moment. She filled in her name on the answer sheet and slipped into full-focus mode. All around her, the tension in the hall was thick and quiet—only the sound of pens scratching and paper rustling broke the silence. Outside, the atmosphere was no less heated.
It was sweltering. The blazing sun beat down on a restless crowd of parents, each one more anxious than their own child. Some stood, others sat on curbs. None looked relaxed. Among them, one person stood out, overdressed for the heat, face hidden under a hat and mask, pacing as she talked excitedly on the phone. “Yes, yes, thank you again for preparing the cheat sheet! Yunice is definitely going to crush the test,” the woman gushed. “Good thing you spoke to the invigilator. With him watching out, no one will catch her. Relax—once this is over, I’ll take Yunice and treat you to dinner.” Though she kept her voice down, her excitement made it impossible not to overhear. Nearby parents exchanged stunned glances. Their faces twisted with rage and envy. The SAT was brutally competitive—every unfair advantage meant another child’s future getting squeezed out.
When the woman finally hung up, she noticed several strangers suddenly standing nearby. One of them, smiling politely, struck up a conversation. “Hi there, here for the SAT too? You look so young and well-kept; your child must be very bright.” Behind her mask, Lily’s eyes curved in a smug smile. “Grades matter, sure, but it’s really about the parents paving the way. Your kids only have one path: studying hard. Mine has options.” The others smiled stiffly. “Your kid must be listed in all the honor rolls by now, huh?” someone said casually. Lily gave a coy smile. “She doesn’t waste time going to school like the rest. She—” In her excitement, Lily gestured too wildly—smack. Her wallet dropped to the ground, popping open.
A parent swiftly scooped it up—snapped a photo of the ID inside—and handed it back with a pleasant smile. Lily snatched it back, eyes wide with panic. But it was too late. The parents had everything they needed. The image of Yunice. Minutes later, the group was gathered at the exam center’s main office, demanding a full investigation. They chanted for the test to be voided—for the cheating student to be permanently disqualified—and for her name to be…
Back outside, Wyatt and Jordan had not yet left. The noise by the school gates drew their attention. Jordan returned with an update. “Someone’s being accused of cheating. It happens every year. Nothing for us to worry about.” Yunice had scored well in mock tests. She didn’t need to cheat. They didn’t take the news seriously.
Inside, Yunice worked swiftly. She’d already completed one side of the test. As she flipped the page, she noticed something odd: the classroom’s camera, which had been rotating, suddenly focused and fixed directly on her. Yunice immediately sensed it. She glanced at the lens briefly, then lowered her eyes and kept writing. What she didn’t know was that in the monitoring room, a team of officials were huddled around the screen—staring, analyzing her every movement.
A few minutes later, four members of the inspection team entered her classroom. Two went straight to the front and pulled the invigilator aside. Whatever they said to him made his face go pale with panic. Moments later, he was removed entirely from the room. Yunice watched it happen out of the corner of her eye. Then, a replacement invigilator took over the post. They’re switching monitors? she wondered. So, the invigilator was under investigation. She lowered her eyes again and kept working. In an SAT room, anything could happen. She wasn’t about to let it throw her off.
But then she noticed something else—a shadow that didn’t leave. Someone was standing right next to her desk. She had been aware of it for several minutes now. Frowning, she slowly looked up. Four people were staring directly at her, arms behind their backs, expressions grim. They weren’t there for a routine check. They were there for her.