Chapter 3

The cold handle of the knife rested against my palm.

"Dad, you keep saying that if I don't stay here, I'll be driving you to your death. However, have you ever stopped to think about me?"

He opened his mouth. Not a single word came out.

"My grades are good enough to get into one of the best colleges in the country. They're good enough for me to study out of state and major in something I actually love.

"But you insist on making me stay here and attend an ordinary local college I never wanted. Dad, that's not what's best for me, that's destroying my future. The person who's really cornering me...is you."

The moment those words left my mouth, the expression on Dad's face went blank. It was as if, for the first time, he was really seeing me. For the first time, he realized that the son who had always obeyed him had been carrying that much resentment all along.

Then he exploded.

"I'm cornering you? Maverick, do you even have a conscience? I fed you, clothed you, and sacrificed everything for you! And now, you're saying I'm the one ruining your life? Fine! I'll die right now! Maybe then you'll finally be happy!"

He shouted as he charged toward the balcony in an exaggerated panic.

However, I knew he was not going to jump. This was simply the most effective way he knew to force me into giving in.

When he saw that I did not move, he started yelling even louder.

A few moments later, someone next door pounded on the wall. Then the neighbor across the hall threw open a window and shouted, "Would you keep it down? It's the middle of the night! Some of us are trying to sleep! If you don't stop, I'm calling the police!"

Dad's voice caught in his throat. He stood frozen by the balcony, unable to move forward or back. His face shifted between red and pale with embarrassment.

Finally, he shot me a vicious glare, stormed back to his room, and slammed the door so hard the whole apartment shook.

At last... the apartment was quiet.

However, I knew it was not over.

The next morning, Dad was already gone when I woke up.

I barely gave it a second thought. After getting dressed, I headed out to look for a part-time job.

College was expensive. Although my scholarship covered my tuition, I refused to keep relying on him for my living expenses. More importantly, if I wanted to change my future, I had to start building a safety net of my own.

By the time I got home after spending the entire afternoon job hunting, it was already 5:30 pm.

I walked to my bedroom, grabbed the doorknob, and pushed the door open. My laptop was gone.

"Where's my laptop?"

"Oh, that?" Dad casually dropped some vegetables onto a plate without even looking up.

"I accidentally knocked over a cup of water this morning. It spilled all over your laptop. So, I took it to a repair shop. The technician said they need to inspect it first. It'll probably be a few days."

A knot formed in my stomach. Something felt very wrong.

I did not argue with him. Instead, I turned around and went straight back to my room. I immediately pulled out my phone and logged into the college application portal.

I entered my password. A bright red message flashed across the screen: [Incorrect password. Please try again.]

I entered the password three more times. Every attempt came back wrong. My hands started to tremble.

Doing my best to stay calm, I walked back out of my room. Holding my phone, I stopped in front of Dad and held the screen up for him to see.

Fighting to keep my anger under control, I asked, "What's going on? What did you really do with my laptop today?"

He turned off the faucet. After shaking the water from his hands, he wiped them on his apron and looked at me as if everything he had done was perfectly reasonable.

"Applying to college is a huge decision. Of course, I had to make sure you chose wisely. You're still young. What do you know? A college's reputation isn't what matters, the important thing is your major and the career you'll have afterward.

"I even paid for an admissions counselor to evaluate your options today. They helped me pick the best college and the best major for you. They're all local colleges with medical programs. You'll become a doctor. It's a stable career with great pay.

"I've already accepted an offer for you, so you don't have to worry about it anymore."

I could hardly believe what I was hearing. He had actually made the decision for me.

My voice trembled with rage. "What gives you the right to decide which college I attend? Who told you that you could accept an offer on my behalf? Give me the account and password. Right now."