Chapter 1

On the day the school district posted the disciplinary notices for the AP exams, my mildly autistic younger sister, Chloe, took a three-hour bus ride to my house.

She stood outside my study door for a long time, clutching the notification stamped with "Cheating Investigation Pending" in red ink, before she finally found the courage to walk in.

"Julian... I was the only one in that testing room. I swear I didn’t cheat."

Her voice was barely a whisper, as if she was terrified of bothering anyone.

My husband, Julian Carter, was the Head of the Academic Integrity Board. Nobody knew the rules of single-student testing rooms better than him. Yet, he didn’t even look up from his laptop.

"Being alone in the room doesn’t prove your innocence, Chloe. If you have a grievance, take it up with the Ethics Committee."

Chloe froze.

Her hand, which had been reaching out to show him the paper, hovered in the air. She didn’t know what to do with herself.

Slowly, she folded the letter and stuffed it back into the pocket of her faded denim jacket.

It was a clean jacket. She had ironed it herself just to look presentable for Julian.

My throat tightened.

But as I turned my head, my eyes caught the document open on Julian’s laptop screen.

*Application for the 'Academic Integrity Star' and Early Decision Ivy League Recommendation for Scarlett Vance.*

Scarlett Vance. She was the younger sister of Serena Vance—Julian’s first love, his "one that got away." She was also the sole witness who had reported my sister for cheating.

There was zero security footage, zero physical evidence. It was just Scarlett's word against Chloe's.

As Chloe bent down to tie her sneakers at the entryway, her knee hit the shoe cabinet with a dull thud.

She quickly waved her hand at me, trying to smile.

"I’m fine, Nina. Julian is busy. Don't let me get in the way of his important work."

I stood by the door, my fingernails digging deep into my palms.

This neglected, emotionally exhausting marriage—I was completely done with it.