System Error: The MMA Twin's Payback

Weeks before graduation, Daphne failed her mission. The System erased her.I packed her room and found her diary.

The pages bled the truth—years of brutal, relentless bullying.I walked into her high school taking her place.

I barely cleared the classroom door before the queen bee slapped my face."Who gave you permission to ditch school for a week, Daphne?" I pushed my tongue against my cheek.

Then I backhanded her. Twice. Hard."Done barking? My attendance is none of your damn business." Oh, I forgot to mention. I just got back from winning the MMA world championship.

Chapter 1 Daphne was the quiet, obedient one. I was the wild child, tearing through life like a hurricane. My restless energy caught the eye of an elite MMA coach.

I became his star pupil. At eighteen, I flew home, clutching a world championship trophy, ready to celebrate. Instead, I found my twin. Skin the color of ash.

A pristine white dress. Lying perfectly still on her bed. She wasn't breathing. Even in death, Daphne remained the quiet, compliant girl who never wanted to bother anyone.

The blood roared in my ears as I flipped through the pages. Three years ago, freshman year, some sick, twisted "System" bound itself to her. Its singular demand?

Make Preston—the untouchable golden boy of her class—fall for her. She followed its twisted rules. She orbited him, quiet and desperate, suffocating her own pride.

Preston strung her along. He fed her breadcrumbs of attention, only to publicly humiliate her later. He called her pathetic in front of everyone and cut her off completely.

That single rejection slapped a massive target on her back. The army of girls obsessed with him tore into my sister. Two years of relentless torment stripped her to the bone.

Still, the System held a gun to her head—finish the mission or face erasure. They treated her like dirt beneath their designer shoes. She withered away.

Until one random, quiet night, she finally said no. She refused to play the game anymore. And the System actually killed her.

Then, a violent static crackled straight through my skull. A cold, mechanical voice echoed inside my brain. "Ding! Target System bound.

Objective: Preston at Southside High, Senior Homeroom. Success Reward: Ten million dollars. Failure Penalty: Erasure." My jaw locked. This was it.

The exact parasite that murdered my twin. It had the audacity to come for me.

I had been racking my brain trying to figure out how to hunt it down, and here it was, delivering itself straight to my door. I dragged a harsh breath into my burning lungs.

A dark, breathless laugh ripped from my throat. Win over Preston? I would rip apart every single thing that broke my sister. Nobody gets a pass.

I slung Daphne’s faded backpack over my shoulder. Shaking out my hair, I marched straight into Southside High. Class One. I walked in.

My eyes immediately locked onto a desk shoved into the back corner, wedged directly against the trash cans. Crusted stains coated the surface.

Jagged red spray paint screamed words like whore, slut, and bitch across the wood. Bile surged up my throat. That was her desk. I took one step forward. A girl blocked my path.

Splitdyed red and blue hair, pigtails, a skirt barely brushing her thighs. Trixie. Before I could blink, her hand cracked across my cheek.

She shoved her chin in the air, dripping with that familiar, sickening entitlement. "Who the hell gave you permission to skip school for a week, Daphne?

Do you have any idea how much shit Gladys caught from the principal during her formal observation because your pathetic ass wasn't in your seat?" Gladys?

The same garbage teacher from my sister's diary? The one who watched Daphne bleed and blamed her for leaving a stain? My face didn't twitch. The sting of the slap barely registered.

I rolled my jaw, lifting my gaze to lock onto Trixie. My arm whipped out. I backhanded her across the jaw with everything I had. I said coldly, word by word, "Are you done barking?

My attendance is none of your damn business." The sharp, sickening crack of my hand connecting with her face—twice—echoed through the deadsilent room.

Trixie stumbled back, clutching her face, a highpitched shriek tearing from her lips. "Ahhhhh! Daphne, you crazy bitch! How dare you hit me?!

I'm going to kill you!" Chapter 2 Every head in the classroom snapped toward us. Trixie's face twisted into an ugly snarl.

She lunged, her manicured claws aiming straight for my scalp. I didn't even flinch. I snatched her wrist midair and twisted it hard behind her back. "Ah! Stop, stop!

Let me go, you psycho!" she shrieked, her voice cracking in agony. I readied to shove her into the desks.

Then, a soft, deliberate voice floated from the front row. "Daphne, Carol warned us the district superintendent is visiting this week.

Stop causing a scene and let Trixie go." I glanced over. Big doe eyes. Flawless porcelain skin. The ultimate innocent act. A cold thrill spiked my adrenaline.

I had Trixie pinned—one of the main monsters from my sister's diary.

I locked eyes with the innocent girl and tilted my head. "Are you legally blind?" I mocked. "Trixie threw the first hit.

Where was your little speech when she was the one causing a scene? Or are you just her lapdog, barking on command?" Piper's mask of innocence slipped for a fraction of a second.

Her cheeks burned a frantic, anxious pink, and tears immediately pooled in her wide doe eyes. It was a masterclass in playing the victim.

She parted her lips to defend herself, but someone else beat her to it. A tall guy with sharp features and a permanent scowl shoved away from his desk.

His glare burned into me. "Drop it, Daphne," he snapped, his tone pure ice. "Piper was trying to do you a favor.

Stop acting like a total bitch when she's just trying to help." Pieces clicked into place. The transfer student. Piper.

Which meant the knight in shining armor defending her had to be Preston. Daphne's diary entries flashed in my mind. Preston playing her like a cheap fiddle.

Feeding off her obsession until Piper showed up.

Then, he tossed my sister aside like trash, humiliating her in front of the whole school, telling her she was pathetic for ever thinking he'd touch her.

A sudden burst of static buzzed in my skull. "Host. Target confirmed.

That is Preston," the mechanical voice droned. "I strongly advise you to leave a positive impression." A positive impression? Oh, absolutely.

I scoffed, rolling my eyes hard enough to see my own brain. "Are you deaf, or just stupid?" I fired back at Preston. "What part of her little act sounded like a favor?

Or are you just her white knight, desperate for a crumb of attention?" You could hear a pin drop in that classroom. "Holy shit," someone whispered a few desks away. "What the hell is wrong with Daphne?

She’s been obsessing over Preston for three years. She never talks to him like that." The silence turned heavy and suffocating.

Then—a sudden snort of laughter shattered the tension. Everyone whipped their heads toward the open doorway. A guy leaned casually against the doorframe. Sharp, piercing eyes.

A jawline that could cut glass. He flashed a grin, revealing slightly sharp canines. He looked like walking trouble wrapped in a deceptively harmless package.

Half the girls in the room visibly stopped breathing. Furious whispers broke out, demanding to know who the new guy was.

A second later, Carol, the homeroom teacher, stormed into view. Her eyes darted to the chokehold I still had on Trixie. She opened her mouth to scream at me.

I shoved Trixie away before Carol could get a word out. Trixie stumbled hard, her combat boots screeching against the linoleum as she fought for balance.

Her face flushed dark red with pure humiliation.

She leveled a toxic, venomous glare at me. "You are so freaking dead, Daphne," she hissed under her breath, her eyes blazing. "Just wait.

I'm going to destroy you." A dark, dangerous smile played on my lips. She better keep that promise. My knuckles were already itching for round two.

Chapter 3 The rest of the room finally snapped out of their trance to take him in. At least sixfoottwo, lean muscle, a designer crossbody bag slung lazily across his chest.

When his face was blank, his features were cold, sharp, and entirely untouchable—a walking warning sign.

But the second he grinned, that dangerous, untouchable aura completely shattered. Carol clapped her hands, shattering the tension. "This is our new transfer student.

Introduce yourself to the class." He didn't even flinch. His dark eyes dragged lazily over the room before landing right on me. "I'm Damon. I only transferred here for one reason.

I'm chasing a girl." He let the silence stretch. "Her name is Daphne." The entire room went dead silent. Every single head whipped toward the back row. Toward me.

Even Preston and Piper stared, their eyes full of shock. Damon held my gaze and flashed that blinding smile again.

The sharp canines completely erased the dangerous aura, replacing it with pure, harmless golden retriever energy. But I wasn't buying the act.

I saw the dead look in his eyes—there wasn't an ounce of obsession or love there. He was looking at a total stranger. He definitely hadn't fallen for my sister.

So what the hell was his game? Whatever. I shoved the thought away. As long as he stayed out of my crosshairs, I didn't care. Carol looked like she was going to be sick.

She nervously mumbled some generic warning about graduation and focusing on our studies. Then she tried to assign him a seat.

Damon didn't even blink. "I'm sitting with Daphne." Perfect timing. I shot my hand up. "Carol, my desk is covered in dried paint and trash.

I need a replacement." Carol's mouth pulled into a tight frown. Damon leaned casually against the whiteboard. "Don't stress, teach. I'll just give her my new one.

Love ya, babe." He actually winked and blew me a dramatic kiss. A collective, physical shudder ripped through the classroom. My knuckles instantly twitched.

God, I wanted to punch him. Carol massaged her temples and waved a hand, instantly approving the swap just to end the headache.

Ten minutes later, two spotless desks sat in the back corner. Damon hovered right next to me the whole time. I was fivefootsix, but he completely towered over me.

I dropped into my seat. He slid into the chair beside me, leaning in close enough for me to smell his expensive cologne. "Take care of me, partner," he murmured. I ignored him.

He just shrugged, pulled out a notebook, and suddenly morphed into the perfect, attentive student. Half the class spent the period staring at him. Especially Piper.

The second the bell rang, Damon stood up. He bumped my shoulder. "Hitting the vending machines.

You want anything?" I’d dealt with enough psychos in the fighting ring to recognize a master manipulator. The best strategy? Complete blackout.

Damon strolled out the door, and the room instantly exploded into chaotic whispers. "Graduation is literally a month away. Why transfer now? That’s sketchy as hell." "Who cares?

Did you see his jawline? He looks like a literal runway model." "You guys are blind. Did you look at his clothes? Pure designer. And that watch? That was a custom Patek.

My dad's boss has one. It’s worth a quarter of a million, easy." Sharp gasps filled the room. It was obvious. Damon wasn't just rich.

He was trustfund, dirty money, untouchable rich. I snapped my head up. Piper stood over my desk, gripping her textbook tight against her chest. "Daphne, can we trade seats?

You can sit next to Preston." I sat in the trash row. The infected zone. Nobody voluntarily came back here. Piper wasn't acting out of the goodness of her pure, innocent heart.

She was dangling Preston like prime bait. I didn't even have to guess her game. She was locking onto Damon.

Chapter 4 Right on cue, the System buzzed in my skull. "I highly recommend you agree to the swap. Proximity breeds attachment.

This is your most strategic opportunity." I filed that away. The parasite was running a live feed on my entire life.

I leaned back, resting my boots on the desk rail. "In your dreams, Piper. Keep your hands off my real estate.

I'm not trading this spot to sit next to an ugly loser like Preston." Preston’s head whipped around. His face darkened to the color of a bruised plum.

Piper frowned, a perfect picture of disappointed virtue. "Daphne, just because Preston rejected you doesn't mean you need to intentionally tear him down." Half the class snorted in agreement, throwing me dirty looks. "Oh?" I tilted my head. "Chasing him used to be a hobby.

That doesn't make him any less ugly. I just didn't know what a real catch looked like until Damon walked in.

But hey, if Preston’s so gorgeous, why are you begging for my seat?" Snickers erupted from the front row.

Preston squeezed the word out through gritted teeth. "Daphne!" he snarled, his fists clenched tight on his desk.

Then, a low, distinctly pleased voice slid over Piper's shoulder. "Daphne, babe. Glad my face passed inspection.

Looks like I’ve got a real shot here." Damon sauntered up, barely sparing Piper a glance. "Excuse me.

You're blocking my view." Piper instinctively flinched out of his way, her eyes wide with poorly concealed hurt. "Damon," she murmured, her voice a soft, broken whisper. "Do we really have to be like this?" Oh, jackpot.

My ears practically twitched. History. Deep history. The entire class collectively held their breath, dying for the tea.

Damon dropped into his chair, hooking one arm lazily over the backrest. He tilted his chin up, staring blankly at Piper. "Piper, we don't know each other.

We had a class together once. We barely spoke. Watch what you say, before you give my Daphne the wrong idea." His Daphne?

Before I could even roll my eyes, Piper let out a choked sob. She shot me a look of pure, tearsoaked martyrdom before fleeing back to the front row.

Trixie slammed into the classroom right after the bell, her wrist wrapped in an ace bandage. She shot me a venomous, cold glare as soon as she walked in. I smirked. Good.

She felt that twist.

For the rest of the day, Damon kept sliding torn pieces of notebook paper onto my desk. "Lunch?" "What's your favorite food?" "Blink twice if you want me to beat up Trixie." I ignored every single one.

No one else bothered me. But the next morning, a folded piece of paper sat dead center on my desk. I snapped it open.

A single line of jagged handwriting. "If you don't want those things leaked to the whole school, be at the abandoned gym behind the bleachers after the final bell.

Don't be late." Those things? The temperature in the room plummeted. What kind of sick leverage did they still have on Daphne? I couldn't wait for the final bell to ring.

I killed time walking to the abandoned gym, the gravel crunching loud under my boots. I shoved the heavy metal door open. It groaned on rusted hinges.

The absolute last person I expected stood in the center of the dusty floor. Right next to Trixie stood Piper. The doeeyed innocence was gone. Ripped denim skirt.

A cropped tank top. Fake tattoos plastered over her arms, smacking a wad of gum loud enough to echo. A crew of unfamiliar girls flanked them.

The leader was tall—at least fivefootnine—thickly built, with jagged grayblue hair.

She crossed her arms over her chest, clicking her tongue at me like I was a stray mutt. "So, you put your hands on my little sister, Trixie?" She jerked her chin toward the dirt floor. "Get over here.

On your knees. Apologize." Piper and Trixie mirrored her posture, their chins tilted up, waiting for me to hit the floor. Chapter 5 My gaze swept the circle.

The power dynamic clicked into place. Piper wasn't a follower. She was the queen pulling the strings. I locked my eyes dead on hers. "Whatever you're holding over me, hand it over.

Or I take it." Piper let out a sharp, grating sneer. "Daphne, you disappeared for a week and suddenly grew a spine? You really want to see your little feature film?

Funny, I remember you screaming and begging us to delete it." The other girls erupted into cruel, piercing laughter. "If you miss it that much, Daphne, maybe we should just drop it in the group chat.

Put it on blast. You'd go viral. Oh, absolutely. Tons of guys online would go completely feral for your type." The realization hit me like a physical blow. This was it.

The dark, unspeakable horror Daphne couldn't even force onto the pages of her diary. The ultimate humiliation. I gritted my teeth and clenched my fists.

I plastered a cold, careless smirk on my face. "Oh? You watch it that much? Sounds like an obsession.

Maybe I do want a screening." Trixie’s face twisted into a vicious snarl. "You want to relive it that badly? You really are a sick bitch. Fine.

Get a good look." She yanked out her phone. Tapped the screen. Shoved it inches from my face. The volume maxed out. The screen flickered. The same dusty, rotting gym. Daphne.

Curled into a tight, trembling ball on the filthy floor. Arms wrapped desperately around her chest.

Piper stood over her, arms crossed, eyes dripping with absolute disgust. "Instead of studying, all you do is throw yourself at Preston! Look at you.

You aren't worthy of him breathing your air. Grab her." The girls descended like vultures. Raucous, echoing laughter. Hands ruthlessly tearing at Daphne's uniform.

My sister's raw, shredded screams tore through the tinny phone speaker. "Stop. Please stop." They only laughed harder.

Three different camera flashes strobed over Daphne’s exposed, bruised skin. Her struggling slowed. Her movements went limp.

A look of numb pain and despair took over her eyes. "Once this leaks, half the guys in school will be begging for your number," Trixie mocked, pulling the phone back. "You should be thanking me." I lunged.

My heavy combat boot connected with Trixie’s stomach with a sickening thud. She folded instantly, a breathless shriek tearing from her throat as she hit the dirt. I spun around.

Grabbed the heavy metal door. Click. The deadbolt slid into place. I turned back to face them.

I felt my lips peel back into a slow, feral smile. "So this is your favorite game?" My voice didn't even sound human. "Perfect. Let's play." Piper's mask of arrogance shattered.

She frantically pointed at me, her voice pitching up in panic. "Take her down