Chapter 3 The Home I No Longer Had

It would have taken less than half an hour, but my mother shot me a fierce glare and reproached me, "You're a grown man now. Can't you be a little more understanding? Your brother has always been emotionally unstable. What if something happened to him?"

My father nodded in agreement, his expression stern. "It's just a wedding ceremony. Does it even matter whether we're there? Your mother and I will check on your brother. You can just get us once the ceremony's over. He's in a bad state right now.

"You're his older brother. You should be more accommodating."

They had abandoned me on the most important day of my life… and told me to be more accommodating to my younger brother.

I didn't want to lose my temper and make a spectacle of myself in front of all the guests, so I endured their biased treatment.

However, Eugene just had to push his luck further.

It wasn't enough that he called our parents away. Oh, no. He had to keep calling Bianca as well. Finally, he crashed my wedding. Yet, not a single person blamed him.

How ridiculous.

An endless wave of grief and heartache washed over me. Eventually, I could no longer resist the siren call of letting it all go. If this was going to be, then so be it. I didn't need them in my life.

"Don't just stand there. Get in here and call the relatives yourself to apologize. You're a grown man. Don't make me clean up your mess." My father glared at me impatiently before tossing me the guest list with everyone's phone numbers.

My mother stood as well, immediately criticizing me. "And what was that today? Why did you hit your brother? You know exactly what he's like. Couldn't you have just let him have his way? Look how hard you hit him. You even split his lip."

Bianca didn't move.

She didn't even look at me.

On the other hand, Eugene looked at me triumphantly while absentmindedly twirling a strand of Bianca's hair between his fingers.

My heart kept sinking as I looked at this so-called family before finally hitting rock bottom.

It took me way too long, but I could finally see past the rose-tinted glasses I insisted on wearing.

The obstacle keeping Bianca and me from getting married had never been Eugene. The truth was, we should have broken up long ago. I just hadn't been willing to accept it. I had stubbornly refused to give up until I crashed headfirst against the wall.

Maybe this was for the best. It was time to end everything with Bianca and with my family.

"Jace, where are your manners? Your parents are talking to you." Bianca frowned at me in obvious displeasure.

My wonderful younger brother immediately tugged at her sleeve and whispered, "It's okay, Bianca. Don't blame him. He's just in a bad mood."

I rolled my eyes.

What a manipulative piece of work.

"Jace, don't be angry. I just had another episode. I couldn't control myself," he simpered.

I walked straight over, picked up a glass of water, and threw it right at his face. "So you know you can't control yourself?" I sneered. "Then, why don't you check yourself into a psychiatric hospital?"

The three of them immediately rushed to Eugene's side, anxiously checking whether he was hurt.

"Get out! Just get out!" My father roared at me in fury.

My mother looked at me with utter disappointment.

Bianca blew her top, pointing at me as she shouted, "Jace Ashford, there's a limit to our patience! Don't take this too far. Whatever happened between us has nothing to do with Eugene."

Meanwhile, Eugene, who was shielded behind the backs of his gallant knights, regarded me with a gaze full of mockery and pity.

I laughed.

Then, I pointed straight at him, speaking each word with absolute clarity, "You'd better pray I never see you again. Because I swear to God I'll beat the hell out of you if I do."

I let out a scoff and continued, "Since this family treasures Eugene so much, you can count me out. I'll never set foot in this house again. As for you, Bianca… we're done. Whatever we had between us is over, permanently."

I walked toward the front door, ignoring the stunned faces behind me.

"Jace—" my stepmother called after me in disbelief.

My father was quick to cut her off, saying, "Leave him. Let him go. He's all talk. Give it a few days, and he'll come crawling back on his own."

A bitter smile tugged at my lips. With those heartless words, the last flicker of warmth I had held for this family was snuffed out.

I quickened my pace, resolutely leaving the house I had lived in for more than 20 years. Then again, perhaps it had stopped being my home a long time ago.