Chapter 2

"Ms. Anderson, Summer's financial aid application shouldn't be approved."

My classmate Ryan stood at the podium, announcing loudly.

The entire class's eyes instantly focused on me.

I clutched the filled-out application form, my fingers tightening bit by bit.

Ryan pointed at me, his tone full of contempt.

"Her parents transfer twenty thousand dollars to her account every month. She even posted screenshots on social media. Now she's pretending to be poor to scam financial aid. It's absolutely shameless!"

Ms. Anderson frowned at me.

"Summer, what's going on here?"

I took a deep breath, my voice dry.

"Ms. Anderson, I really don't have any money in my account. I don't even have money for food today."

As soon as I finished speaking, the classroom door was shoved open.

My mom stormed in wearing high heels.

She walked straight up to me and raised her hand.

A crisp slap rang out.

I was knocked sideways, half my face instantly numb.

"How did I give birth to such an ungrateful brat!"

My mom pulled a bank card from her purse and threw it hard at my face.

"We transfer twenty thousand dollars to you every month, and you still run to the school to apply for poverty assistance. Are you deliberately trying to humiliate the Harrison family?"

The bank card fell to the ground with a clear sound.

The whole class erupted.

"Oh my God, twenty thousand a month and she's pretending to be poor?"

"This girl is so fake. She'd do anything for that aid money, even throw away her dignity."

"Disgusting. If I had parents this good, I'd be smiling in my sleep."

Hearing the surrounding discussion, a flash of smug coldness crossed my mom's face.

I stared hard at the bank card on the ground, my eyes stinging.

Yes, she did transfer twenty thousand every month.

But she never told me the password.

I bent down to pick up the card, held it in front of her, my voice trembling.

"You transfer twenty thousand every month, but did you ever tell me the password?"

My mom's expression changed, her eyes flickering, but she quickly raised her voice.

"I already told you the password! You just have a bad memory and forgot! Now you're blaming me?"

"You told me?"

I stared at her, advancing step by step.

"I tried my birthday, I tried your birthday, I tried our home phone number---all of them came up as errors! Do you dare repeat the password in front of the whole class right now!"

My mom was forced back a step. Humiliated and furious, she pointed at my nose.

"How dare you talk back! The password is your brother's birthday. I've told you that countless times!"

"Summer, you're just used to spending money like water. When you run out, you play the victim. How did I raise such a useless daughter!"

After speaking, she turned to Ms. Anderson with an expression of deep regret.

"Ms. Anderson, we've spoiled this child. Please don't approve any aid for her. We can't afford this kind of embarrassment."

Ms. Anderson's gaze turned completely cold.

"Summer, I'm very disappointed in you. Take the application back."

I stood there, watching my mom's arrogant departing figure, my chest feeling like someone had just squeezed it hard.

She was lying.

I had tried my brother Ethan Harrison's birthday.

It didn't work at all.

This card was just a leash to keep me chained.

In everyone else's eyes, I was a rich girl with twenty thousand dollars a month in allowance.

But only I knew that I couldn't touch a single cent of that twenty thousand.