Chapter 36 No More Ties

“Alright. One million it is.

Eliza agreed without hesitation. “Once I’ve paid that million, I’ll have nothing more to do with the Rivers family”

With that, she turned and walked straight bout /bof bthe /boffice.

Henry, worried, followed her out

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Naomi, for her part, was all too happy to see Eliza gone–but then she remembered the uing mathpetition. Grumbling inwardly, she chased after her.

“Elizal

soli band /bpitiful “Do you really men in

Naomi caught up and grabbed her arm, her voice You want to cut ties with us? Mom was just upset, she didn’t mean what she said.

“Don’t worry. I’ll keep my word.” Eliza replied, pulling her arm back with a calm, detached motion.

She couldn’t even be bothered to fake politeness banymore/b.

Naomi watched as Eliza walked into ss Six, and gave up trying.

Whatever. As long as Eliza was still willing to help her, she didn’t care if they were “estranged.”

It’d be better if Eliza never came home again.

Inside ss Six

Henry hesitated “Eliza, are byou /breally sure about bthis/b? You’re seriously cutting ties?”

“But that’s one million. How are you going to get that kind of money?”

That wasn’t small change.

Eliza was still a high bschool /bstudent–bhow /bcould she possibly earn that much?

“Don’t worry. I have my waysb./b”

She’d been waiting for an opening like this for a long btime/bb. /b

bAnd /bnow, she finally had it.

Across the room, bNn /bwatched the lonely but determined look in Eliza’s eyesb, /band his expression darkened.

One month passed in a sh.

It was bfinally /bthe day of the citywide mathpetition.

Eliza and Nn boarded bthe /bschool’s bus together, heading to the test venue.

The whole ride, Nn just leaned bagainst /bthe window band /bslept.

While the other students were frantically reviewing bforms /bband /bquestion types, Nn looked like he couldn’t care less–like this entirepetition was just another nap.

Up front, Naomi wore a face mask and had tied her hair into a ponytail–trying her best to look like Eliza.

After all, Eliza was supposed to take the test in her ce.

Chapter 36 No More Ties

She had to make sure no one got suspicious

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“You haven’t beening to any of the tutoring sessions.” Zayden said, handing her his notebook. “You should really go over the forms and question types. It’ll help you avoid mistakes.”

bNaomi /bnodded sweetly. “Don’t worry, Zayden. I’ll do my best on thispetition.”

With Eliza taking the test for her, winning an award was practically guaranteed.

Soon, they arrived at the testing school. Everyone received their exam number tags.

bNaomi /bwas on the lookout for a chance to swap with Eliza.

But after looking around for a while, she bstill /bcouldn’t find her.

She bstood /balone while the rest of bthe /bgroup began lining up to enter.

Zayden nced at the steadily moving line of test–takers. “It’s starting soon. Let’s head in.”

L

Naomi’s expression was strained.

If she went in now, how would she switch identities with Eliza

“Zayden, I think I ate something badb. /bMy stomach’s acting up I’m going to the bathroom real quick. I’ll be right back!”

Before he could stop her, Naomi bolted btoward /bthe school building.

With the test about to start, missing it wasn’t an option.

Zayden quickly followed her inside.

Inside the building, Naomi hurried through ssrooms, scanning every one for Eliza.

Because of the way bthe /btest numbers were assigned, Naomi and Eliza weren’t in bthe /bsame room.

Each school’s students were mixed up to avoid bcheating/b, so being ced in the same room was rare.

bFinally/b, Naomi spotted her–on the second floor, seated near the back of a ssroom.

Only five minutes remained until the test began.

Naomi stood at the doorway, coughing repeatedly, trying to catch Eliza’s battention/b.

But Eliza sat there like she bhadn’t /bheard banything/b, beyes /bdown, focused bon /bthe paper bin /bher hands.

“Student, the papers have already been handed out. Please go to your own broom /bbimmediately/b,” the proctor bwarned /bbfrom /bbehind

Naomi grew more anxious, hoping Eliza would finally look up.

But Eliza didn’t nce her way once.

“I said return to your own exam room. Now,” the proctor bsaid /bbmore /bsternly.

bWith /bno choice, Naomi gristed her teeth and walked back to her own ssroom.

Inside, Eliza bwatched /bNaomi storm off from the hallway and let a faint smile y on her lips.

Now, she was finally putting everything back where it belonged.

Chapter 36 No More Ties

The teststed a full 120 minutes.

bAnd /bfor all 120 of those minutes, Naomi squirmed in her bseat/b.

The exam questions were unorthodox–far from the standardized SAT–style problems she’d practiced..

They were tough, and she struggled through every page.

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