After Rebirth, My Brother Chose Our Broke Dad

Mark was nothing like the way Mom and Ian had described him in my previous life. He wasn't temperamental, domineering, or violent.If anything, I thought he was incredibly smart. He was simply proud and egotistical. The cracks in his relationship with Mom showed up soon after we moved in.Mom was nothing more than a pretty face, all looks and no brains. To be honest, she and Dad were a match made in heaven.Dad was a scion with more muscle than brains. He could only marry Mom because of his recklessness and his family's wealth.When Grandma and Grandpa were still around, they shielded him from the consequences of his recklessness. However, after they passed away, Dad let his friends talk him into all kinds of investments, and he lost everything—his own savings and the inheritance that Grandma and Grandpa had left him.That was why Mom immediately found someone new and divorced him.…My plans to study abroad were put on hold because of Mom's constant opposition. Still, with my

Ian slapped me hard across the face. He said, "I seriously underestimated you, you piece of trash! I can't believe that the old man actually treats you like his own son. He kicked Mom out, yet you still get to live under his roof."You're just an average Joe who can't even hold a candle to me. So why do you get to enjoy all the good things?" Right after that, he pulled out a pocketknife and started tracing circles near my face, as if he was deciding where to cut me.Realizing that he was holding a knife, the young women around him panicked. "That's not what we agreed on, Scarlett. We were just supposed to drag him here, rough him up, and let him go. Why did you take off his blindfold and pull out a knife?"Scarlett Hayes was Ian's girlfriend, a young woman who ran with gangsters. They all talked a big game about loyalty, but when knives or guns came into play, they wanted nothing to do with it.Scarlett stepped forward to stop him. "Knock it off, Ian. He's still your older brothe

Mark returned from overseas after successfully securing the deal he had been working on. Meanwhile, Mae and I had managed to stabilize things on our end. Yet, the hard part was far from over. The company was in the middle of a major transition, and if we couldn't get through it, everything we had worked for would fall apart.That evening, Mark came to see me. "I'm back, Ethan. Mae is handling things at the office. I want you to focus on your studies for now. If you want to study abroad, I can arrange it."I was touched that he still remembered my dream of studying overseas. However, I no longer wanted to go. "The company is struggling, and we don't have the money for me to study abroad, Mark. I'd rather stay here, go to university, and help you after I graduate."Mark didn't push further. He reminded me once more that he had no children of his own and that, from that moment on, he considered me his son.I threw myself into exam prep. I had six months to catch up on every subjec

"I'm still your older brother, Ian!" I roared."Yeah, right. I've always had more charm and more luck than you ever did. So, why do you get all the good things in the end while I'm barely scraping by? Worry not, Ethan. So long as you cooperate, I'll give you an easy death."He wanted to kill me to start his life all over again. However, Scarlett didn't have the guts because this was a crime that could land them both in jail."We agreed that we would grab the ransom money and leave. I'm not sticking around for murder." Right after saying that, she reached out to snatch the knife from him. Just then, police sirens blared outside. "You're surrounded. Let the hostage go!"I had known all along how jealous he was and that he would never give up. So, Mae and I had planned ahead. The moment I was taken, she would call the cops.Yesterday, Mom's sudden kindness set off alarm bells in my head. I didn't drink that cup of milk until after I'd sent Mae a message.The police had the whole