They Made Me a Scapegoat, I Fought to Clear My Name and Won

Other classmates also pleaded with me, "Yeah, Jessica, come back from the edge!"

The voices around me grew louder and louder, my head felt like it was about to explode.

My kneeling mother, my tearful homeroom teacher, the admissions officer waiting for me…

My lips moved, "I … I did cheat." Those words came out through gritted teeth.

As soon as I said it, my mom's eyes rolled back and she fainted on the spot.

Emmet angrily questioned me, "Jessica, you're not just destroying yourself, you're going to kill your parents too!"

I clenched my fists so tightly that my nails dug into my palms. The pain kept me awake.

Ms. Travis, the admissions officer from Glasgow, shook her head and sighed, "Forget it, what's done is done. Jessica, I'm sorry, your recommendation is now revoked."

From top student to criminal, it all changed in a single moment.

A shiver ran through me. I bit my lips so hard they started bleeding, but even so, I forced down the urge to reveal the truth and nodded, "Thank you, Ms. Travis. I understand."

Everyone lost hope. They had all wanted to protect me. As long as I said I didn't cheat, they were ready to fight the inspection team.

But I wouldn't say it. I admitted to cheating without hesitation.

A siren wailed across the school grounds. Two officers pushed down on my shoulders and began escorting me out.

Just then, the inspection team leader burst in from outside. His face was cold and stern as he shouted, "Wait! Something's wrong!"

My heart sank. Had he figured out my plan?

The homeroom teacher, thought there was still hope, quickly asked, "Mr. Bass, did you find out Jessica didn't cheat?"

Mr. Bass clenched his teeth, "She didn't cheat, she's trying to throw her life away!" The whole crowd gasped in shock.

"Jessica, we've just confirmed with the Examination Office that the answers on your cheat sheet match exactly with the official answers for tomorrow's exams. We now strongly suspect that you have stolen the test questions, an act of stealing state secrets!" he said again.

The national college entrance exam is a top-secret matter. If that accusation held, I wasn't just facing three years in prison anymore.

Hearing that, Emmet's legs buckled and he collapsed to the ground.

Tears streamed down his face, "Jessica, how could you be so foolish? Even stealing the exam? Did you forget our promise?"

I turned my head away, not even looking at him.

Just then, Mr. Bass's phone rang. He answered it and suddenly shouted in disbelief, "What? The Exam Office says there was no leak?"

Everyone's eyes returned to me, they desperately wanted an answer, "Jessica, how did you get tomorrow's answers?"

I took a deep breath and said slowly, "Fine, I'll tell you. It's actually simple. All you have to do … is cast a fortune……