Chapter 4

My days settled into a strange rhythm. Mornings were spent in online SAT prep courses, hidden behind the guise of "exploring new interests." The Waltons paid for the most expensive package, complete with one-on-one virtual tutoring.

`>> She's using their money to get smarter. ICONIC. #UnoReverseCard`

Afternoons were for "fun" with Blake. This usually meant him driving me to the public library, where he'd sit miserably scrolling through his phone while I "browsed fashion magazines." In reality, I was devouring practice tests and AP study guides I'd hidden in oversized totes.

`>> Blake is officially her chauffeur to academic excellence. He has no idea. #Clueless`

"You really like these magazines, huh?" he'd grumble.

"They're inspiring," I'd say, not looking up from a particularly dense calculus problem set disguised within the glossy pages of Vogue.

`>> Inspiring her to crush the SATs and his fragile ego. #GirlBoss`

Evenings were family dinners with the Waltons. I'd perfected the art of the vapid smile and non-committal answers.

"How was your day, sweetie?" Marian would ask.

"Oh, you know. Shopped a little online. Blake took me to look at some... pretty things."

`>> "Pretty things" = quadratic equations. #StealthMode`

Jessica Walton, the real daughter, was a ghost in the house. She was supposedly swamped with her own SAT prep and extracurriculars, the ones meant to shine now that I was "out of the picture."

The subtitles kept me updated on her progress, often with a heavy dose of sarcasm.

`>> Jessica just aced her practice essay on "Overcoming Adversity." The irony is thicker than her foundation. #PrivilegeDefined`

`>> Meanwhile, Emily is actually overcoming adversity by pretending to be an airhead. #RealStruggle`

Sometimes, Jessica would emerge, usually to throw a passive-aggressive barb my way.

"Still haven't cracked open a book, Emily?" she sneered one evening, finding me by the pool again. "Some of us are actually trying to get into Yale."

`>> Ooooh, shots fired! Jessica's feeling threatened by Emily's... relaxation? #InsecureMuch`

I gave her a blank look. "Yale? Is that, like, a new brand?"

Blake, ever the dutiful actor, chuckled and pulled me closer. "Don't worry about Yale, babe. You've got me."

`>> He's so smooth, he's practically a walking oil slick. #CringeKing`

Jessica stormed off. The subtitles were gleeful.

`>> Triggered! Jessica can't handle the fake-dumb act. It's too effective! #PsychologicalWarfare`

The Waltons, meanwhile, seemed pleased with my "progress." My apparent lack of ambition, my reliance on Blake, my frivolous spending (all on study materials and tech, of course) – it was exactly what they wanted.

They started dropping hints about me officially withdrawing from Northwood Community College.

"Just some paperwork, sweetie," Charles said one dinner. "To make it official. Then you can truly relax."

`>> The trap is closing. They think she's hooked. #FinalCountdown`

I smiled sweetly. "Okay, Daddy."

The subtitles went wild.

`>> DADDY?! She called him DADDY! She's committed to the bit! #Dedication`

`>> This is either genius or she's completely lost it. My money's on genius. #HighStakes`

They had no idea. The real countdown was to SAT scores. And I was more than ready.