1 When my adoptive sister first beat me badly enough to send me to the hospital, I was only five years old. That was the day a floating golden screen first flickered to life before my eyes: [CONGRATULATIONS, HOST. YOU ARE NOW BOUND TO THE SYSTEM. COMPLETE MISSIONS TO EARN POINTS AND EXCHANGE THEM FOR ANYTHING YOU DESIRE.] From that day on, I followed the system’s demands. I accepted the lie my family drilled into me: that we owed Tabitha our lives. I let her kick me out of my bedroom, let her tear up my school certificates, and stayed quiet. I deliberately played dumb in front of my teachers and told my relatives my grades were terrible, terrified of overshadowing her. I even pushed away my childhood friend, Stefan, watching in silence as he grew closer and closer to her. Until last week, when the system issued its final, ultimate mission: [YOUR SAT SCORE MUST NOT EXCEED YOUR ADOPTIVE SISTER’S.] I spent three grueling months calculating, studying just enough to score exactly two points lower than her. When the system flashed green with the words Mission Accomplished, I was so overwhelmed I nearly cried. I couldn’t wait to redeem my points for the ultimate reward: my freedom, a chance to escape this house forever. Instead, my older brother, Joshua, walked out of his study holding a small black remote control. He pressed a button, and the golden interface floating in my vision flickered once, then went completely dark. That was the moment I realized there was no system. There were no magic missions. It was an AR chip, a piece of high-tech cruelty Joshua had spent years perfecting, implanted in my head while I lay unconscious in the hospital at five years old. Every single “mission” was just a command he typed into his computer. All the suffering, all the years of playing the fool, was just a sick game he played to make me willingly pay back our family’s “debt” to his beloved adoptive sister. Joshua smiled, patting my shoulder. “Tomorrow is your sister’s Ivy League celebration banquet. Once that’s over, my debt to her is paid. I’ll take you to the clinic to have the chip removed.” I looked at him and smiled back. The system was a lie. But my life didn’t have to be. If they wouldn’t let me go, I would escape on my own. “Fiona, don’t you dare throw a tantrum at your sister’s dinner tomorrow.” Joshua casually tossed the black remote into a desk drawer, locked it, and pulled out the key. The movement was so smooth, so practiced, he must have done it a thousand times. The golden screen in my eyes was gone. For thirteen years, the “system” that forced me to fetch water for Tabitha, ordered me to tank my tests, and demanded I hand my achievements to her, had died inside a cheap plastic remote. I stared at him. “Joshua.” “What?” he asked, adjusting his collar in the mirror, his tone completely indifferent. “For thirteen years, you watched me talking to empty air. You watched me punish myself when I couldn’t complete those fake missions.” I paused, my voice barely a whisper. “Did you find it funny?” Joshua frowned, his brows knitting together. “Watch your mouth. Funny? If I hadn’t come up with that, would you have ever stepped aside for Tabitha? Her father died saving our dad. Our family owes her a life. You’ve been stubborn since you were a kid. If I didn’t trick you with a ‘system,’ would you have ever been this obedient?” He stepped closer, reaching out to pat my head. I flinched away. His hand froze in mid-air, and his expression hardened. “Fiona, don’t be ungrateful. I only did this to protect our family’s honor. Your sister got into Yale. We’ve done right by her father’s memory. Once the banquet is over tomorrow, I’ll take you to the clinic to get the chip out. After that, you can do whatever the hell you want. I won’t stop you.” Whatever I want. I was eighteen. The early-admission offers I had to decline, the ripped-up Math Olympiad awards, the condescending glares from teachers who thought I was a lost cause, the childhood best friend he had pushed into Tabitha’s arms… could removing a chip ever give those back to me? Tabitha walked down the stairs, wearing a freshly tailored white designer suit and holding an iced americano. Her hair was perfectly styled, and she practically glowed with the smug satisfaction of a victor. “Joshua, don’t be mad at Fiona. Her SAT scores were barely enough for a community college. It’s only natural she’s bitter.” She stopped in front of me, looking down her nose. “Fiona, I know you feel like life is unfair. But some people are just born to win. Your brain isn’t as sharp as mine, and that’s okay. If you ever struggle to make ends meet, just come to me.” She took a sip of her coffee, offering a condescending smile. “I’m going to run the family company eventually. I can always hire you as my assistant. I’ll even pay you double. I’ll make sure you’re looked after.” The girl who had stolen my resources, hijacked my life, and was now preparing to take over my family’s company, was talking about “looking after me.” Joshua looked at her, his eyes filled with pride. “Look at how mature your sister is. And then look at you, moping around like the world owes you something. Aren’t you going to thank her?” I looked at Tabitha. Her eyes were alight with malicious triumph. Of course she was thrilled. For thirteen years, no matter how hard I worked, the “system” would force me to ruin my own success. She was used to stepping on my head to reach the stage. “No thanks,” I said, turning toward the door. “Where are you going?” Joshua yelled behind me. “To my room. To pack.” “Wake up early tomorrow! And wear that old grey coat. Don’t you dare try to steal your sister’s spotlight!” I locked my bedroom door, pulling a dusty suitcase out from under my bed. My phone buzzed. A text from Stefan. Fiona, don’t act like a mute wallflower at Tabitha’s dinner tomorrow. Smile more, try to be supportive. She doesn’t have her real parents, and this day is huge for her. You already have everything, so just let her have this. I stared at the words you already have everything. What did I have? A chip in my skull that could shock my brain at any moment? A brother who treated me like a sacrificial lamb to pay his debts? An adoptive sister who had bled me dry for over a decade? I typed back: How exactly do you want me to support her? Stefan replied instantly. There will be a lot of family friends there. If they ask about your scores, just be honest and admit you didn’t do well. Don’t look so victimized, like Tabitha stole something from you. Fiona, a girl needs to have some grace. I stared at the text, a heavy exhaustion settling over me. Thirteen years as childhood friends. Because of the fake “system missions,” I had pushed him away, driving him toward Tabitha. I used to think he would see through it, that he would ask questions. But he didn’t. He happily ran to her side and now had the nerve to lecture me on grace. I didn’t reply. I tossed the phone onto my bed and unzipped the hidden compartment of my suitcase. Lying inside was a folder: a flight confirmation from Chicago to Boston, and a full-ride scholarship admission letter to MIT. They thought I had ruined my life just to satisfy a fake SAT score cap. What they didn’t know was that the crude chip in my head could only track domestic, standardized tests. It had no access to the international science competitions, the independent research, or the private AP exams I had stayed up past midnight to complete under my covers. I ran my fingers over the gold-embossed letters of the MIT letter. Tomorrow was indeed a great day. Perfect for a celebration, and perfect for leaving them forever. 2 The next morning, Joshua pushed my door open before I had even finished brushing my teeth. He threw a pile of fabric onto my bed. “Put this on.” I looked down. It was a faded, grey coat with frayed cuffs. “This is from my freshman year of high school.” “I know,” Joshua said, checking his watch impatiently. “Today is Tabitha’s day. If you dress up, the relatives will start comparing the two of you again. You failed your exams anyway, so there’s no point in wearing anything nice. Just wear this and keep your head down.” Keep your head down. For thirteen years, those were the only words he had for me. I didn’t argue. I pulled the coat on, but as I zipped it up, the tight fabric cut painfully into my shoulders. I had grown nearly four inches since freshman year. The sleeves were laughably short, making me look like a pathetic clown. Joshua glanced at me and frowned, but he didn’t say a word. “Alright, let’s go. Stefan is downstairs.” Stefan was sitting on the sofa, wearing a pastel pink linen shirt and a delicate silver chain around his neck. That chain was a birthday gift I had saved my allowance for an entire year to buy him. Sitting right next to him was Tabitha, looking sleek in her custom white suit. On her wrist was a gleaming Rolex Submariner. I stopped at the bottom of the stairs, my eyes locking onto the watch. Stefan noticed my gaze and cleared his throat uncomfortably. “The watch…” “Stefan got it for me as a congratulatory gift,” Tabitha said, flaunting her wrist with a smirk. “Pretty, right? Fiona, you always did have great taste. This watch is absolutely perfect for me.” My taste. Just before our senior year, Stefan and I had walked past a boutique window, and I had stared at that exact watch. Stefan had laughed and said, Once you get into a top school, I’ll save up and buy it for your graduation. But the system had forced me to leave my practice exams blank. Stefan had been disgusted by my “laziness.” In the end, the watch went to Tabitha. “You bought that for her?” I asked, looking directly at Stefan. Stefan stood up, walking over to me. “Fiona, don’t look at me like that. Tabitha is the state’s top AP scholar. She worked incredibly hard for this, she earned it.” “But you promised it to me.” “With the scores you got, how could I possibly justify giving it to you?” He spoke with absolute conviction. “Besides, Tabitha grew up as an orphan. She never had anything nice. You’ve had a privileged life, Fiona. It’s just a watch. Do you really have to be this petty?” Just a watch. A privileged life. When Tabitha first came to our house at five years old, she had demanded my limited-edition Lego set. When I refused, she pushed me down the stairs. My head slammed into the coffee table, requiring six stitches. When I woke up in the hospital, Joshua was crying, begging me to forgive her. And then, the golden screen flashed in my eyes: [MISSION: GIVE THE LEGO SET TO TABITHA AND APOLOGIZE TO HER.] When I fought back, the chip in my skull released a sharp electrical current, making me convulse in pain on the hospital bed. Joshua had stood by, watching me shiver with a cold, detached gaze, until I screamed that I would do it. That was the day I learned what my “privileged life” actually meant. It meant having no basic human rights. “You’re right,” I said, my voice dead calm. “It’s just a watch. It suits her perfectly.” Stefan blinked, clearly surprised by my lack of an argument. Usually, I would plead or cry, only to be branded as a spoiled brat. “I’m glad you see it that way,” he sighed, his posture relaxing. “Today is a happy day. Don’t ruin it for everyone.” The doorbell rang. A courier stood outside. “Delivery for Fiona. International express, needs a signature.” I walked over and signed the screen, taking a thin cardboard document envelope. Tabitha sauntered over, peering at the label. “International express? Fiona, don’t tell me you applied to some sketchy, unaccredited offshore college because you couldn’t get in anywhere else?” She snickered. “Joshua, don’t waste your money funding her. Those online degrees are worthless anyway. She’d be better off working in our family warehouse.” Joshua didn’t even glance at the envelope. “Fiona, stop wasting your time with nonsense. If you failed, you failed. Our family can afford to feed you, but don’t embarrass me today. Put that trash in your room and get in the car.” I gripped the cardboard envelope, my knuckles turning white. “Alright.” I walked back to my room, slid the envelope into the deepest pocket of my suitcase, and zipped it shut. I didn’t tell them it was my official scholarship confirmation. The tight grey coat dug painfully into my shoulders. But it didn’t matter. It was the last time I would ever wear it. The ride to the restaurant was lively. Joshua sat in the passenger seat while Tabitha and Stefan sat in the back, laughing together. I was squeezed against the far right door, forgotten. “Stefan, the local newspapers are going to be there today. Do you have your speech ready?” Tabitha handed him a bottle of water, her voice dripping with sweetness. “Just a few words,” Stefan replied, opening the bottle for her. “We really need to thank Joshua for everything he did to help you get here.” Joshua chuckled from the front. “Tabitha is a good kid. Not like some people who only know how to pout after eighteen years of being taken care of.” Everyone in the car knew exactly who he was talking about. I kept my face pressed against the window, watching the city lights blur in the rain. Stefan nudged my arm. “Fiona, why are you so quiet?” “What is there to say?” “Congratulate your sister. She did amazing. It brings honor to your family.” I turned to look at his handsome face. “Stefan.” “Yeah?” “When did you find out about the chip in my head?” I whispered, my voice barely audible over the hum of the engine. Stefan’s body went completely rigid. The plastic water bottle in his hand crinkled sharply. “What… what are you talking about? What chip?” His eyes darted away, refusing to meet mine. Watching his reaction, the very last shred of hope I had for him withered away. “Joshua used to adjust the settings on his computer in the study. You saw him do it, didn’t you?” I asked quietly. “In fact, those times the ‘system’ ordered me to stay away from you… it was because you complained to Joshua that I was being annoying, and he changed the program.” Stefan’s face drained of color. He bit his lip, staring at his knees for a long time. In the front, Joshua and Tabitha were still arguing over the dinner menu, completely oblivious to us. “Yes, I knew,” Stefan whispered. “But I didn’t mean any harm.” He looked at me, a defensive, almost victimized expression in his eyes. “Fiona, you have to understand Joshua. You were always so competitive, always trying to overshadow Tabitha. But she was an orphan, she had nothing but her pride. Joshua only used the system to help you learn some humility.” I stared at him, unable to comprehend his cruelty. “To teach me humility? So it was perfectly fine to shock my brain with electric currents? It was fine to force me to play the idiot while the entire school mocked me?” “It was just a mild current! Joshua swore it wouldn’t cause any permanent brain damage!” Stefan hissed desperately. “And honestly, even without the chip, do you really think you could have beaten Tabitha? She’s smarter than you, Fiona. The chip actually gave you an excuse. It let you blame your failures on ‘system missions’ instead of your own lack of talent. It saved your pride.” It saved my pride. I looked at the face of the boy I had loved for ten years, feeling a sudden, violent wave of nausea. He knew about the physical agony. He just believed Tabitha’s fragile ego was worth more than my entire life.
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