My Family's Betrayal Sent Me to Glory

I score 700 points, while my twin, Terence Hawkins, scores 200 points when our college entrance exam results are released. A team of staff members from Laville University's admissions office appears on our doorstep that night. Enthusiasm sparkles in their eyes as they look between Terence and me and ask, "Excuse me, which one of you is Marcus Hawkins, the student who scored 700 points?" I'm just about to step forward and speak when my sister, Jillian Hawkins, grabs my hand and yanks me back. She pushes Terence forward and says, "It's him. He's Marcus Hawkins." I'm stunned. Terence steps forward and says, "Nice to meet you. I'm the one who scored 700 points." The staff members gather around him excitedly. Meanwhile, I can only watch them like an outsider even though I'm the one who actually scored 700 points. After the staff members leave, Jillian coldly barks her orders at me. "Terence will be you from today on, Marcus. He'll take your place at Laville University. We've already made our decision. As for you, you'll take Terence's place and attend the local community college." I stare at Jillian in disbelief. My hands shake as I demand, "Why?" Mom slams her hands down on the table, and a teacup rolls off and shatters into a million pieces near my feet. "Because you stole all of Terence's nutrients when I was pregnant with the two of you! You're the reason that he has a weak constitution and is constantly riddled with illnesses for so many years." The lingering feelings that I have for my family completely disappear as I watch them chat and laugh with each other, leaving me behind. I grab my phone and call Grendill University's admissions office, saying, "I'm willing to accept Grendill University's offer letter." Chapter 1 Grendill University's director of admissions, Dean Whetten, was briefly stunned before a smile broke across his face. "Really?" he exclaimed. "That's wonderful news, Marcus! We promise to give you a full scholarship, waive the school fees for four years, let you pick any major you want, and assign you to a single dorm. We'll also give you a 1,000 square feet apartment and secure a job for you after you graduate." I thanked Dean before hanging up. I was the only one left in the house. Just then, my phone vibrated. My sister, Jillian Hawkins, sent a message in the family group chat with over 100 members. "Congratulations to my dear Terence for scoring 700 points on this year's college entrance exams. He'll be enrolling in Laville University in September!" Countless messages flooded the group chat to congratulate Terence. "Terence is amazing. My kid only got into a second-rate university." "Terence is truly bringing glory to the Hawkins family!" "What about Marcus?" someone asked. "How did he do?" I typed out a message and was just about to send it when a notification popped up on my screen. "The administrator of the group, 'Jillian', has banned you from sending messages." "Marcus? He only scored 200 points," Jillian answered. "He barely got into the local community college. He's just a useless piece of trash. You don't need to waste your time on him." I barked out a self-deprecating and bitter laugh. Mom and Dad were also gloating in the group chat. "Oh, that's right. Those who are interested in visiting Laville University can tag along with us on Terence's registration day." "Me! I want to go!" "Me too. Count me in." My heart sank into my gut as I turned off my phone. Mom, Dad, and Jillian forbade me from being better than Terence ever since I was a child. They also never mentioned my results to anyone. Jillian would even tear my award certificates to shreds. "These things aren't allowed at home!" she would warn me, her words dripping with disdain. On the other hand, she framed Terence's certificate from a minor sports event and displayed it in the middle of the living room. From an outsider's perspective, I was a useless piece of trash. That was why no one questioned it when Jillian claimed that I only scored 200 points. I returned to my small and cramped room and pulled out a metal box. I had secretly collected the torn pieces of my award certificates and stored them inside. Terence had a weak constitution and was constantly riddled with illnesses since he was a child. It was why Mom and Dad always favored him. But Jillian would still secretly buy candy for me, saying, "You're really amazing too, Marcus. I'll reward you." However, everything changed when I was eight. Terence's health suddenly took a turn for the worse, and he nearly lost his life. From that moment on, I lost the only person in our family who loved me as Jillian also took Terence's side. "You owe it to him!" I had heard those words my entire life. I had to give Terence all my belongings, from my room to my college entrance exam results. Just then, a car engine roared from beyond the window. I peered through the tiny window. Mom and Dad led the way, carrying dozens of bags of different sizes. Jillian and Terence trailed behind them. She ruffled his hair with her right hand while holding his favorite basketball in her left. I pursed my lips. Wanting to stand up for myself one last time, I headed downstairs. "Mom, Dad, Jillian, I want to attend Laville University. Those are my results. I refuse to let Terence have them!" They stopped mid-step at the same time. Mom's expression darkened as she said, "Say that again." I took a deep breath. "I said that I refuse to—" I was interrupted when the crisp sound of a slap echoed across the room. Pain exploded across my face in an instant. I staggered to the floor. My eyes reddened as I pressed a hand to my cheek. "How dare you?" Mom roared furiously. "You're totally out of control!" Jillian held Terence protectively as they walked past me. She shot me a disdainful look and said, "You're too immature, Marcus." "Stop it, Mom, Dad, Jillian. I just won't go to Laville University anymore. Those aren't my results. I don't want them anymore!" Jillian frowned. "What are you saying?" she asked in a softened tone. "Marcus owes you. You don't have to worry about anything and just attend Laville University. Lots of our relatives are going to show up on your registration day." I stared at them in a daze before barking out a miserable laugh. I would never yearn for their love ever again. Chapter 2 Jillian grabbed her laptop and shot a glance at me. "Give me your exam admission ticket. I'll fill in your university application form for you. Tell me your password too. I'll change it. You don't need to do anything." When I didn't budge an inch, Dad gave me a rough shove and snapped, "Stop being so stubborn. I get annoyed just looking at you!" He then stormed to my room and grabbed my exam admission ticket. Jillian logged into my account. "We'll only list Laville University on the form. The admissions director mentioned that she'll send your application to the universities that are listed." She put on a gentle expression as she looked at Terence and asked, "Which major do you want to pursue, Terence?" "An Esterion major sounds good. I like languages," Terence replied with a bright smile. I scoffed upon hearing his words. It was blatantly obvious that it was just an excuse. He was probably scared he would be exposed as a fraud on the first day if he picked a science or engineering major. Terence's eyes immediately reddened. He looked incredibly upset as he asked, "Are you looking down on me, Marcus?" Mom, Dad, and Jillian shot me dirty looks and shielded Terence from my view. My heart sank, but I didn't say a single word. Jillian swiftly comforted Terence, saying, "He wouldn't dare. An Esterion major is good. Let's go with that." "Alright. Thank you, Jillian!" I looked down to hide how the light in my eyes dimmed. It was true that I didn't dare look down on Terence. After all, they punished me every time I made him upset when we were kids. Sometimes, they would starve me for an entire day. Sometimes, they locked me in a dark room. Sometimes, they forced me to kneel in the snow, forbidding me from getting up even after my entire body was frozen stiff. Sometimes, they would strike me. I was always the one at fault whenever Terence was upset. Jillian closed her laptop, then looked at me. Her tone made it clear there would be no room for compromise as she barked her orders. "I've already taken charge of your account. You can pursue any major you want in community college. Just remember that Terence has taken your place." I clenched my fists and nodded, taking a deep breath to keep my emotions in check. It didn't matter. It was impossible for Terence to enroll in Laville University even after she sent the university application form. They seemed to be pleased by my reaction. Dad approached me and patted my shoulder, saying, "That's more like it, Marcus. I'll tell your mother to make barbecue ribs tonight to reward you." I let out a slightly mocking laugh. "Okay. Thanks, Dad." He couldn't even remember that I was severely allergic to barbecue sauce. Jillian also showed no reaction when I looked at her even though she was the one who carried me on her back to the hospital when I accidentally ate some barbecue sauce when I was five. … The next day, Mom, Dad, and Jillian threw an extravagant party to celebrate Terence's acceptance into Laville University. Mom's smile was especially bright as she raised her glass into the air and said, "Terence has always been weak and sickly since he was a child. But in the end, he's the most successful one in our family! Everyone is welcome to explore the campus once he officially enrolls in Laville University." "Thank you for watching over me, everyone," Terence added with a smile. "Please feel free to visit me at Laville University whenever you drop by Basillion in the future." My relatives cheered and clapped, their words of praise making Terence and the others float on cloud nine. Meanwhile, Jillian ordered me to stay put in a corner before the party started. She also gave me a stern warning to keep my mouth shut. Just then, my phone chimed. I had received a message from Dean. "Your academic records have been sent to Grendill University, Marcus. Which major do you want to enroll in?" "Artificial intelligence engineering," I answered without any hesitation. Grendill University's AI engineering program was better than Laville University's. "Alright. I've informed them of your decision." I breathed a sigh of relief. A few seconds later, I received a call from Laville University's director of admissions. Only then did I remember that I had left my number on the university application form. "I see that you've been accepted into Grendill University, Marcus. Congratulations. Are you sure that you won't reconsider enrolling with us instead?" I glanced at the rest of the Hawkins family who were having a great time celebrating Terence's "success". "No. But please keep it a secret that I'm enrolling in Grendill University." The director was briefly stunned before he said, "Of course. We won't reveal your decision without your consent." I turned around, scoffing as I stared at the banner with the words "Congratulations on Getting Accepted into Laville University" printed on it. My life was my own. Terence and the others no longer had a right to interfere. Chapter 3 Two weeks later, the mailman's voice disrupted the peace of our meal. "Two acceptance letters for the Hawkins family!" Dad hastily brought the two envelopes into the house, looking like he was going to tear them open on the spot. I tightened my grip on my fork. The acceptance letter from Grendill University was in one of the envelopes. However, I didn't expect Terence to suddenly dart forward and grab the two envelopes, tossing them into a corner of his suitcase. "No need to look at them, Dad!" he exclaimed. "Marcus' name is on the letter. I'll get upset if I see it, so I don't want to look at it!" His intentions were so obvious, but none of them found anything amiss with his behavior. Jillian shot an affectionate smile at him and said, "Alright then. We won't look at them. You can just complete your registration when you're at Laville University. It doesn't make a difference whether we look at the letter beforehand." She then looked at me and asked, "Am I right?" The corners of my lips curled up into a smile. "Yes, you're right." Jillian was briefly stunned and looked a little suspicious. After all, I always retaliated in the past, making my displeasure clear even when I knew it was futile. It was odd that I wasn't making a scene even though Laville University was involved. I stared into her eyes. Jillian mulled it over before averting her gaze, unable to figure out what was going on. … Terence showed up shortly after I returned to my room. He pinched his nose as he entered, making his disdain clear. "Your room is so tiny, Marcus. It looks nothing like mine. It gets the most sunlight in the entire house." I didn't respond, not wanting to get into an argument with him. "It's fine. I can give you a hand after I attend Laville University and make it big." "I don't need your help," I said, taking a deep breath. "Leave." Terence pursed his lips. He caught a glimpse of the metal box under my desk and grabbed it when I was distracted. "What's this?" My chest tightened as my eyes went wide. "You kept your torn award certificates, Marcus?" Terence asked as he opened the box. "Don't tell me that you're collecting these to expose me in the family group chat in the future?" "Terence Hawkins! Give that back to me. Do you really think that I'm as despicable as you?" Terence pulled out a lighter. "I don't care. I can't allow these things to exist." He brought the lighter closer to the box, making it obvious that he was going to burn the torn pieces of paper. "Give it back!" I shouted as I lunged forward to snatch the box out of his hands. The torn award certificates had been my pillars of emotional support for years. Terence screamed as he staggered to the floor. His pained cries attracted Mom's, Dad's, and Jillian's attention. "Terence!" Jillian hastily rushed over to Terence's side and helped him back to his feet when she burst into my room. She then slapped me hard across the face even before she found out what was going on. "How dare you raise your hand against him, Marcus?" she roared. I turned my head to the side and kept my eyes on the floor. My cheek stung terribly. "I did no such thing." However, Jillian refused to listen to me, choosing to only believe in Terence's words. "What happened, Terence?" Terence aired his grievances, his eyes bloodshot. "I noticed that Marcus had a metal box and realized that he was keeping his award certificates in it when I opened it. I just wanted to take a look at them, but he shoved me to the floor." Dad looked like he recalled something as he picked up the overturned box on the floor. His expression darkened as he snapped, "Why are you keeping these, Marcus? Are you waiting for an opportunity to expose Terence in front of the rest of the family?" I barked out a mocking laugh. Expose? The first award certificate that I kept was from elementary school. How would I use it to prove that Terence was a fraud now? Although it was utterly ludicrous, they still stubbornly thought of me that way. Jillian immediately snatched the box out of Dad's hand upon hearing his words. She glared at me and hissed, "You're such a wicked person." My eyes went wide with shock as she pulled out a lighter and set the pieces of paper aflame. "No!" I shouted. "Don't burn them!" Jillian shoved me aside so that I could only watch as the pillars of emotional support that I had safekept for more than a decade were reduced to a pile of ashes at that moment. She looked at me coldly and said, "Don't get any funny ideas, Marcus. I already told you that you owe Terence." I sat on the floor and stared at the pile of ashes in a daze even after they left. I scooped them up little by little and carefully placed them back into the box. I didn't stop even when my hands turned red from the heat. Hatred and disgust raged within me. I had planned to come clean to them about how I hadn't enrolled in Laville University at the start of the semester, but I swiftly discarded that idea after what just happened. They could travel all the way to the university for all I cared. In fact, the more people they brought with them to show off, the better. I was also curious to see what they were going to do once the truth came to light. Chapter 4 Dad suddenly summoned me to the living room days before the semester began. "You're going to a local community college, Marcus," he said. "So, you're not going to be spending a lot of money. I'll give you 700 dollars for your monthly allowance." I clenched my fists but didn't say a word. Dad then looked at Terence. "You're going to be spending a lot more money since you'll be staying in Basillion, Terence. The cost of living in the capital is much higher. After some discussion, your mother and I agreed to give you 5,000 dollars for your monthly allowance for now. Let us know if it's not enough." Jillian, who was sitting on the couch and working, also chimed in. "I'll also give you another 2,000 dollars every month, Terence. Just spend it whenever you need to. No need to be frugal." "Thank you, Mom, Dad, Jillian," Terence said while sniffling. I stood to the side, feeling like an outsider as I took in the harmonious air surrounding the four of them. Fortunately, Grendill University had waived my school fees. On top of that, they awarded me a full scholarship. I could still live comfortably even without their help. Jillian glanced at me and asked, "Do you agree?" "I do," I answered, nodding. It wasn't as if I had a right to disagree. The corners of her mouth curled into a satisfied smile at my obedience. She approached me and ruffled my hair, saying, "That's more like it." … Several relatives showed up the day before the semester started. Terence had ten suitcases, while I had only a small bag. My ID and the metal box were the only things that I took with me. "Well, if it isn't our little genius," Aunt Penelope exclaimed as she pressed a stack of bills into Terence's palm. She then turned to my cousin, Ethan Blythe, and said, "You should follow Terence's example. We're tagging along with him this time so you can experience what Laville University is like." Jillian looked deeply proud as she stepped aside. "Terence is just that outstanding." Uncle Axel ushered his daughter, Fiona Blythe, to the front and said, "Fiona was also accepted into a university in Basillion. The two of you can look out for each other. Well, to be honest, I'll have to trouble you to give her more advice." Terence nodded, acting uncharacteristically well-behaved. "Don't worry, Uncle Axel. I'll take Fiona around Laville University often. I'll also organize a set of my study notes for Ethan, Aunt Penelope." "That's great! You really are the pride of the Hawkins family!" Just then, my phone chimed. I had just received a message from Terence. "Did you hear that? Compile your notes for me as soon as possible. I'll tell Jillian if you don't!" I deleted the message and pretended that I didn't see it. I used to care about them in the past, but I stopped yearning for their love long ago. Thus, Terence's threats were useless against me. Everyone chatted happily among themselves as they slipped into the car. Jillian seemed to recall something. She turned to look at me as I stood by the door by myself. Her words were laced with warning when she said, "Go to the community college and complete your registration by yourself while we send Terence to Laville University. Behave yourself, got it?" I looked at her and said, "The truth is, I wasn't accepted into Laville University." Jillian was briefly stunned before a furious expression crossed her face. She yanked me to the side and hissed, "What the hell are you talking about?" She lowered her voice before continuing, "Get over here!" She narrowed her eyes as she sifted through her memories. "I personally filled in the university application form. I was nearly tricked by you! You can forget about coming home again if you don't behave yourself!" Jillian didn't bother waiting for my response, ushering everyone into the car before they disappeared into the distance. I scoffed. I already told her the truth. She couldn't blame me since she was the one who chose not to believe me. I also stopped wanting to return to this so-called home long ago. Just then, Dean called me. "I've sent the flight details to you, Marcus. Be sure to look over it." I glanced at it and said, "Alright. Thank you, Mr. Whetten." After hailing a cab, I hoisted the bag with the metal box inside over my shoulder. I then headed to the airport, starting my journey to the university of my dreams, Grendill University.