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Ben and Nathan were orphans like me; we grew up together like brothers, bound by the shared experiences of loss and hardship. But maybe the events of my past. life had happened for a reason, a harsh lesson in trust and betrayal.
I’d had a knack for programming ever since high school, winning more awards than I could count. Back then, I was driven, thriving on the adrenaline of creating something new, of solving complex puzzles. But that life had taken a brutal turn when Sisca Gray–Ms. “Cybersecurity Queen” herself–accused me of plagiarism, with my two closest friends backing her story in silence.
Back then, a few people on the judging panel hadn’t been entirely convinced by Sisca‘ s claims. They‘ d believed in my integrity enough to insist that Sisca provide her problem–solving process as proof. But
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by then, Sisca had already garnered a massive fanbase. The competition had been streamed live and every social media platform was flooded with her supporters praising her brilliance and tearing me down.
[ “Sisca solved everything in real–time on the webcast! Every step was identical to Ran‘ s–who else could have copied if not her?” ]
[ “Why are the judges being unfair? Can‘ t they see Sisca‘ s talent?” ]
[ “Ran‘ s friends are silent… Siscal doesn‘ t need to prove anything just because she won!” ]
And Sisca knew how to play her part perfectly. She‘ d posted her solutions across programming forums, calling it a
“discussion” with international
contestants. When the judges saw pages upon pages of evidence, they deemed me the plagiarist, crowning Sisca with the first- place title.
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My entire career had been shattered that day, all because I’d trusted the wrong people. And this time, I’d be smarter. The first thing I needed was to find those forums again, to confirm what I was up against.
“It’s already one in the morning! I’m exhausted. Let’s head back to the dorms and get some sleep,” Nathan said, sounding as though he‘ d already checked out for the night.
Ben shook his head, shooting him a warning look. “Come on, you can’t be all in one day and out the next! Ran‘ s depending on us and competition‘ s just around the corner. If we don’t wrap up these final problems, we’ll have wasted all our late nights for nothing.”
I managed a weary smile, watching their playful argument with fresh eyes.
Ben turned back to me, his gaze softening. “Ran, don’t push yourself too hard, alright? You’ll get the code done, I know
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it.” He picked up my notebook and packed it into my bag, nudging me to follow. “But first, rest is non–negotiable.”
They walked me back to my dorm, making sure I got to my room safely before they left. As I stepped inside, I could see the outlines of my roommates already fast asleep in the dimly lit room. Quietly, I climbed into bed, the night’s conversation lingering on my mind.
Once under the covers, I opened my laptop, navigating through various forums in search of Sisca‘ s profile. It didn’t take long before I stumbled upon it. Her page was swarming with followers, her latest post pinned at the top, a cascade of fans worshiping her intellect and beauty.
I stared at her profile picture, my heart pounding as resentment boiled in my chest. Sisca Gray–the “flower” of the language department, as everyone loved to call her. She was charming, had a powerful family background and was even rumored
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to be related to the school’s director. I’d never interacted with her personally; I‘ d only heard about her through Nathan and Ben, who once mentioned that they‘ d been interested in asking her out. “Fair competition,” they‘ d joked, nudging each other, teasing me about how I wasn’t
“girly” enough.
At the time, I’d laughed along, thinking it was all harmless. But now, the memories. stung with new meaning. Had there been more to their teasing than I realized? And why would Sisca, someone with every privilege and advantage, go out of her way to ruin me? What had she to gain from claiming my work as hers?
Curious, I clicked into her profile and began scrolling through her posts. Her latest update showcased a solution to a brand–new problem I’d cracked earlier that day. Her method was identical to mine, down to the precise code and cursor placement. I felt a cold chill race down my spine as I read through the comments
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below, full of praise.
[Goddess Sisca not only has beauty, but a genius–level IQ! She can solve even the most difficult cybersecurity problems!]
I clenched my fists, each word a painful reminder of the betrayal I’d faced in my last life. If Sisca had somehow copied my work, the only people with access were Nathan and Ben. They‘ d always been with me, my closest friends… and the only ones. who knew my code inside and out. Could they really have turned against me for someone they‘ d barely known?
But this time, I’d be ready. The competition was structured in three rounds: problem–solving mode, offense- defense mode and mixed mode. And if Sisca wanted to play dirty, I’d be prepared to fight back in each one. This time, I’d make sure my every move was untraceable, every line of code uniquely mine.
I closed my laptop, taking a steadying breath. I’d been granted a second chance
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and I wasn’t about to waste it. This time, I’d take back what was mine and I’d
make sure everyone knew the real face behind the code.
