Chapter 3

Paul snapped. He jabbed a finger at my face and started shouting, "We're your parents! You wouldn't even be here without us! How dare you talk to us like that!"

"Is that so?" I asked.

I let out a cold laugh and shook my head. "You had me, but you didn't raise me. Are we even family?

"You dumped me in the countryside when I was eight, dressing it up as training. Does eating scraps and sleeping in a barn count as training? What was the point of that?

"If I hadn't been too stubborn to die, would you even be standing here now, scolding me like you actually parented me?"

My questions left them stunned. It seemed to hit them then, just how much they owed their older son.

I continued questioning them, "You said, 'No need to treat him well.' Do you have any idea how much I suffered because of that? What right do you have to stand here as my parents and lecture me?"

Paul sensed his authority being challenged, and the flicker of guilt on his face vanished in an instant. He glared at me coldly and roared, "You dare talk to me like that?"

I looked up at him calmly and replied, my smile faint, "Even in front of outsiders, I still have every right to talk to you like this.

"But would you dare—would you dare stand in front of everyone and admit how you abused me, ignored me, and cast me aside, all while spoiling your younger son rotten?"

Jenna turned livid with rage at my words.

She jabbed a furious finger at me and screamed, "Shut up, you ingrate! I never should've given birth to you!"

I sneered back and retorted, "Did I beg you to give birth to me? The two of you don't even deserve to be my parents!"

"How dare you!" Paul bellowed. He was beside himself with rage. He raised his hand furiously, about to bring it hard down across my face.

I caught his wrist with a reverse grip and shoved it away hard.

He stumbled backward, nearly falling into the broken glass.

Fortunately, Victor was quick enough to catch him.

"Well, well, well, look at you, actually raising your hand against your own father!" Victor said.

Paul was so angry that he was panting, his bloodshot eyes drilling holes into me.

It was as if, if he'd had a knife in his hand right then, he would've plunged it into me without a second thought.

I laughed coldly. "Whether you're really my father or not, that's still up for debate, isn't it? Otherwise, how could you treat your own son like this?"

Sensing the tension about to boil over, my two-faced brother stepped in again to stir things up.

He grabbed Paul's and Jenna's hands aggrievedly and said, choking up, "Forget it, Mom, Dad. Please don't fight because of me. Since Noah insists on going on the overseas exchange program, then I'll just give it up to him."

The more he spoke, the more wronged he sounded. It was as if I had genuinely snatched something away from him.

As expected, Paul's and Jenna's hearts ached for him. Seeing him act so pitiful, they immediately turned on me, cursing viciously.

"Noah, some older brother you are! You bully your own brother like this, and he still speaks up for you!

"You're nothing but a thankless piece of shit who has no respect for your parents. We never should've had you!"

I stayed unmoved by their curses.

Because I knew that they only ever believed what Victor said. They'd never believe a single word from me.

Paul's face darkened. He stared at me coldly and demanded, "Noah, I'm asking you—are you giving up the spot to Victor or not?"

I shook my head coldly and resolutely replied, "No!"