Chapter 1

Kayla Evans walked into the SAT testing room.

She filled in her name.

Then she answered only half the questions.

She left the rest blank.

Weeks later, David Miller, her biological father, threw a press event.

He wanted to show off Kayla.

His "brilliant reclaimed daughter."

ConnectSphere, his new app company, was sponsoring the event.

Lots of local news bloggers were there.

David Miller beamed.

"My daughter, Kayla, is a genius. She' s going to Yale, no question."

Kayla stood beside him, her face calm.

"Yes," Kayla said. "I'm Yale-bound."

She knew her SAT sheet was mostly empty.

She also knew she already had a Yale acceptance.

Marcus, her adoptive brother, had made a call. Her independent research was exceptional. Yale agreed.

David and Susan Miller, her biological mother, exchanged a smirk.

Tiffany, their other daughter, giggled.

They thought Kayla was playing into their hands.

They thought Tiffany would get the credit again.

Years ago, it was different.

Kayla was top of her class.

Her SAT scores were near perfect.

Her Yale application was stellar.

But the Millers, David and Susan, wanted Tiffany to go to Yale.

Tiffany' s grades were terrible. Her SAT scores were a joke.

So, they found Mr. Henderson.

He worked at the testing center. Or maybe admissions. It didn't matter. He was corrupt.

They paid him.

A lot of money.

Henderson swapped Kayla's scores with Tiffany's.

He changed Kayla' s brilliant essays, made them sound like Tiffany wrote them.

Yale accepted Tiffany.

Kayla got rejection letters. From everywhere.

The Millers told everyone Kayla faked her high school achievements.

They called her a liar.

The shame was huge.

Kayla fell into a deep depression.

She ended up at a local community college.

Her dreams felt dead.

Tiffany, meanwhile, struggled at Yale.

She cheated to stay in. More money from David and Susan.

Now, at the press event, Tiffany stepped forward.

She wore a brand-new, expensive dress.

"Kayla, darling," Tiffany said, her voice loud for the cameras. "Yale? Really? After, you know, last time?"

She smiled, a fake, sweet smile.

"I' m so proud of you for trying again. Even if it' s just for show."

The bloggers scribbled notes.

David Miller put a hand on Kayla's shoulder.

"We believe in second chances," he said, sounding noble.

"And third chances, if Tiffany needs them," Kayla thought.

Susan Miller glided over.

She adjusted Tiffany' s dress.

"Tiffany is the real Yale material in this family," Susan whispered, loud enough for Kayla to hear.

"Some people just aren't cut out for the Ivy League, dear. It's about breeding."

Kayla looked at Susan.

Her biological mother, who abandoned her, then "reclaimed" her for show.

Kayla said nothing.

She didn't need to.

Her plan was in motion.

Eleanor, her adoptive mother, always said, "Let them build their own stage. Then you take it."

Kayla held onto that.

She knew about Eleanor's power. E.V. Designs was world-renowned.

She knew about Marcus's influence. Vanguard Capital could make or break companies.

The Millers knew none of this.

They thought Kayla was still that broken girl from the Rust Belt.

They were wrong.