Chapter 2

Tiffany' s accusation dragged me back to that horrible day, a year ago, my first life' s tragedy.

I was at Northwood University, taking the Presidential Scholarship Exam, the one chance for a kid from my background to get a full ride.

The essay section was last. I poured my heart into it.

Then, chaos.

Tiffany Hayes stood up, tears streaming down her face, accusing me of cheating.

"Her essay," she sobbed, pointing at me, "it's identical to mine! She copied me!"

The proctors collected our papers. It was true. Word for word, our essays matched.

My brother, Mark, seven years older, was a TA at Northwood and one of the proctors. He looked at me, not with support, but with a strange pity.

"Sarah," he said softly, "maybe you just... saw her notes? It could be a mistake."

Kevin Johnson, my childhood best friend, also an examinee, nodded. "Yeah, Sarah, maybe it was an accident. We can ask for leniency."

Leniency for me? I hadn' t done anything.

But their words, their lack of faith, sealed my fate.

I was disqualified. My reputation shattered. The scholarship, my dream, went to Tiffany.

The scandal destroyed my family. We faced financial ruin from the lost opportunity and the shame. The stress was unbearable.

I became an outcast. Broken and alone, I saw no way out.

My first life ended in a haze of despair and pills.