Chapter 4

His eyes were bloodshot, and his hair was disheveled. He reeked of alcohol.

In a crushing grip, he grabbed my arm.

“The ticket is gone! My marriage is over! I’ve lost everything!”

He glared at me viciously and shouting so close that flecks of spit struck my face.

“Weren’t you diagnosed with some illness in the last timeline? You must still have it now. Go tell your stepfather about it!

“He’s loaded. Get some money out of him for me!

“Otherwise, I’ll keep hounding you. Nobody will ever have peace!”

I frowned and tried to pull my arm free.

“Let go of me.”

Enraged by my defiance, Dad raised his hand to strike me.

“You ungrateful brat, how dare you speak to me like that?!”

Before the blow could land, someone caught his wrist in midair.

Fred had appeared behind us. He shoved Dad’s hand away and stepped in front of me.

Derek came up from behind him and pushed Dad back.

“Get lost.”

Dad stumbled back and nearly fell.

Staring at Fred and Derek, all his bravado vanished.

He did not dare challenge Fred, so he could only point at me and shout, “Just you wait!”

Fred fixed him with a steely glare.

“If you ever come near this house again, I’ll make sure you spend the rest of your life penniless.”

Dad flinched, then staggered away as fast as he could.

Fred turned to me. Then, to my surprise, he took my hand.

“Let’s go home.”

Derek continued staring coldly in the direction my biological father had gone.

Once he was certain Dad would not come back, he turned and followed us.

Back in the living room, Fred was clearly irritated by the scene Dad had caused.

His face was grim. He went upstairs without a word to finish some work in his study.

Derek took Audrey by the arm and led her into the home theater.

Once Mom was sure they were out of earshot, everything she had been holding back came pouring out.

To her, having Fred deal with the trouble was so humiliating that she would never be able to hold her head up in this house again.

She rushed at me and grabbed me by the collar. Then, she broke down in tears.

“Why couldn’t you just stay quiet and make yourself invisible? Do you have any idea how hard I worked to earn a place in this family? You had to come along and ruin everything!

“I can’t believe that broke loser actually showed up here and caused a scene! What if Fred decides I’m more trouble than I’m worth?

“Why did you choose to stay with me? Couldn’t you stand to see me happy for once?”

She grew more agitated as she continued. Her nails dug deep into her palms.

Eventually, she fell silent.

She pulled a folded check from her pocket and tossed it onto the coffee table.

“Take the money and leave. Find a boarding school or rent yourself a room. Just don’t come back.”

I looked at the woman who had given birth to me, only to regard me with such revulsion.

I had long since grown accustomed to her selfishness and indifference.

A faint, weary smile touched my lips.

“Don’t worry. I won’t be around to bother you much longer.”

Mom frowned and stepped back in disgust.

“Are you playing the victim now? Who are you trying to fool with that pathetic act…”

Before she could finish, a sudden warmth flooded my nose.

A drop of blood fell onto the carpet, vivid against the pale fabric.

Fred and the twins walked in just in time to witness the scene.

Audrey covered her mouth with a gasp.

My vision began to blur.

A familiar burst of excruciating pain surged through my head.

As everyone watched in horror, I collapsed to the floor.