Chapter 3

Ronald put on a look of surprise.

"But... what about my brother?"

A subtle shift passed through Zoey's eyes before her expression turned cold again.

"The moment he started spreading rumors about you, he stopped being part of the Goldman family."

"On what grounds?"

My voice shook with anger as I stepped forward in my disheveled state, standing exposed before the crowd.

"Is that Henry?"

"So it really is him? I thought he'd be too ashamed to show his face."

"Please. He's already been to prison. Why would he care about embarrassing the Goldman family even more?"

"Seriously, raising a gigolo who seduces rich women? Mr. Goldman must be rolling in his grave."

I froze where I stood.

Zoey suddenly grabbed my arm and yanked me beneath her umbrella.

"You're injured. You should be resting in the hospital instead of causing trouble here!"

I violently shook off her hand and looked straight at her.

"What gives you the right to hand our old mansion to him?

"I'm the real son of the Goldman family. He's just an adopted child. What right does he have–"

Slap.

My cheek exploded with burning pain. I covered my face and stared at Zoey in disbelief.

She shielded Ronald firmly behind her.

"Before Uncle passed away, he entrusted both of you to the Sanders family. In my eyes, Ronald was never an outsider.

"You've framed him over and over again. You don't deserve to call yourself a son of the Goldman family, so what right do you have to object?"

At that moment, the whole thing felt absurd.

A memory flashed through my mind from when I was ten years old, the day Ronald first arrived at our home.

I had offered him one of my toys. He ignored it completely.

But the moment I turned around, he tumbled down the stairs.

"Henry... why did you push me? Is it because you don't like me?"

My parents believed me.

But from that day on, his tears became the sharpest weapon of all.

My mother's missing jewelry. The antiques my father found shattered on the floor. Every single time, he would stand there looking fragile and wronged while I was left unable to defend myself.

And through all of it, Zoey had always stood by my side.

"I know Henry better than anyone. He would never do something like this.

"He's a little spoiled sometimes, but that's because the Sanders family indulged him. I'm happy to spoil him."

I had foolishly believed she would stand beside me forever.

"You've disappointed me too much."

The cold figure standing before me slowly overlapped with the memory of the woman who once cried in my arms and promised to stay with me for life when I proposed to her.

For a moment, I felt dazed.

"Henry, I'll give you one last chance. Apologize to Ronald, and both the Goldman family and I will still support you."

I looked at their intertwined hands and laughed softly.

"There's no need."

"Give me one million dollars, and from this moment on, we go our separate ways."

Silence fell instantly around us.

Zoey's gaze darkened. Her jaw clenched as she stared at me.

"What did you just say?"

She looked into my stubborn eyes, momentarily stunned, as though something important had slipped beyond her grasp.

"Henry!"

Sensing things were going wrong, Ronald suddenly rushed forward and dropped to his knees in front of me.

"If you want someone to blame, blame me! I never should've come to the Goldman family in the first place! This is all my fault!

"I don't want the old mansion anymore! I'll leave Solaria today and give everything back to you!"

Crying hysterically, he turned and ran down the stairs.

Then his foot twisted.

He lost his balance and tumbled straight down.

"Ronald!"

Zoey sprinted after him in panic. The moment she saw the blood spreading beneath him, even her voice changed.

"Doctor! Call an ambulance now!"

She turned to glare at me, furious beyond reason.

"Tie him up!

"If anything happens to Ronald, he won't get away with it either!"