Choose Your Own Family

Giselle hesitated as she looked at the cut on my forehead. Slowly, she walked over to me, but I was still pinned to the ground by the crew leader, a mess of dirt and frustration.The crew leader apologized profusely, bowing deeply, while a service staff member rushed over with a look of concern. "Mr. and Mrs. Sullivan, we're so sorry for the mistake!" she exclaimed. "How about we provide a free makeup artist for the wedding as compensation?"Of course, it wasn't for my wedding anymore.As I caught Kevin's mocking expression, my anger flared even more. I had worked tirelessly, risking my health and sanity to support them, only to find out they'd been living the high life behind my back—driving luxury cars and enjoying lavish meals, while I had been fooled into believing they were in debt. I had been nothing but a puppet, controlled and humiliated.Giselle stepped forward, reaching out to help me, but I pushed her hand away. At that moment, I couldn't hold it in anymore. I shoute

The service staff, rushing over, froze in place while staring at the Sullivans with confusion. The Sullivans exchanged looks, equally bewildered, unable to recognize who this person was. It was no surprise they didn't recognize him. Solomon had always been low-key, avoiding the media whenever possible. Though he was the wealthiest man in the country, he despised flaunting his fortune. He had raised me with the principle that one should hide their wealth and not show off. That was also why Giselle had no clue about my true identity.At first, I had assumed that, given the lavish yet understated lifestyle I'd shown her, she would have realized my status wasn't ordinary. When she had urged me to return to the Sullivans, I had naively believed she wasn't someone who only cared about wealth, but rather a kind and innocent girl. Now, everything had become clear to me.To her, those expensive clothes with no huge logos, those luxurious yet modest restaurants that weren't five-star hotels—

"We've been together for so many years, and I would never do anything to hurt you. But there's no chance for us anymore. It's over. From now on, we'll go our separate ways."Giselle's face twisted with every word I spoke. Her eyes reddened, and before long, she burst into tears. But this time, I couldn't tell if she was crying over our lost love or the life of luxury she thought she was about to get her hands on.I wasn't fooled by her tears anymore. Turning on my heel, I left without a second thought.Just then, Riley suddenly received a phone call. His face drained of color, and he screamed in frustration, "What? Why were they seized?"I couldn't hear what the person on the other end said, but Riley, furious, threw his phone against the wall. His eyes shot daggers at me, burning with so much hatred it felt like he wanted to tear me apart on the spot."Why are you doing this? What do you get out of it? Am I not your father?" Hearing this, I quickly pieced things together. It

I couldn't afford to focus on their issues anymore because Solomon had handed the company over to me. I was swamped with work, barely managing to squeeze in time for meals. It wasn't until six months later that I saw Kevin again. After handling a company acquisition abroad, I ran into him in the underground parking garage. Gone was the expensive designer suit; instead, Kevin wore the rough clothes of a worker. His once proud, rebellious face was now weathered, the sharpness gone, replaced by signs of hardship. His hair, once neat and well-groomed, hung greasy and matted over his forehead, giving him the appearance of someone who had aged ten years in the blink of an eye.For a moment, I thought I was looking at my old self.When he saw me, his dull eyes flared with resentment and jealousy. Through clenched teeth, he spat out, "Thomas, I can't believe you really tricked your foster dad into giving you the company. I never should have underestimated you."As he spoke, he reached o