Chapter 4

I opened my eyes just as the first light of morning touched the sky. It was the day Dad had his follow-up appointment at the hospital.

I only recently found out he was diagnosed with Parkinson's and would need to take medication long-term. When I stepped into the living room, Dad was already sitting on the couch, waiting.

"Dad, let me take you to the hospital today," I said quietly.

He glanced up at me with a cold expression. He replied stiffly, "No need. Cody's picking me up."

I hesitated. "But I scheduled the appointment with a top specialist—"

Dad let out a bitter chuckle. "You? Do you even have those kinds of connections? It was Cody's doing. Don't try to take the credit. You've been gone for years, and now you come back lying to our faces?"

He added, "Lucas, try being honest for once. Stop trying to impress people by making things up."

I stood there with my head bowed, silently swallowing his scorn.

Before long, the sound of the front door closing echoed through the quiet house. I slowly looked up, staring at the empty living room.

The sunlight streaming in was still warm, but it did nothing to melt the chill inside me. I sank into the couch and rubbed my temples, feeling the weight of it all.

Suddenly, my phone buzzed, and a new notification popped up on the screen. I tapped it open without thinking.

[Your card ending in 5587 has been charged 158,600 dollars.]

It was the secondary credit card I gave Kendra. She must have seen a recent deposit and decided to go on a shopping spree.

My heart sank, as if something cold wrapped around it and tightened. I originally planned to use this money to buy the family a bigger house, provide for my parents' retirement, spend the rest of my life with Kendra, and help Cody build his own family.

But now, those numbers on the screen felt completely meaningless.

...

I stood in a dim hallway at the local TV studio, my phone screen glowing sharply in the low light. A message from my supervisor popped up.

[I heard you signed up again for the national defense program? You've been away from home so long. Why not spend a little more time with your family?]

I immediately replied, [Thanks for your concern, sir, but I'd prefer to head back to base as soon as possible.]

At that moment, I felt more certain than I had in years.

The noise around me faded into the background. Parents bustled by, holding their kids' hands as they made their way toward the recording stage with excited chatter.

I leaned against the doorframe and watched it all from a distance. Suddenly, a familiar scent drifted through the air.

I looked up and saw Kendra and Cody walking in, just barely on time. There was still a faint flush on Kendra's face, and a dark red mark peeked out from her collar. She quickly tugged at her neckline, avoiding my gaze.

Cody, on the other hand, looked relaxed—almost smug—as he strolled in with a faint smile. Our gaze met, and I caught a flash of challenge in his eyes.

Kendra lowered her head and hurried over to me. "Sorry, I'm late. Is the rehearsal over?"

I did not respond, just staring at her with a cold, empty look.

Cody stepped in and patted my shoulder. "Lucas, don't be mad. We got held up by something, that's all."

His voice was casual, tinged with smugness. However, I was already thinking ahead, and the thought of what was about to happen warmed my frozen expression just a little.

"Let's go. The show is starting," I said as I turned toward the stage.

...

Our so-called family of three stood on stage and performed a cheerful kids' song called Counting Ducks. When Eleanor forgot the lyrics halfway through, Kendra jumped in quickly to help her finish the verse.

The performance went off without a hitch.

After the song, the host came up with a beaming smile and began introducing our family to the audience. Then, she knelt and spoke sweetly to Eleanor.

"You were amazing, sweetie! Did Mommy and Daddy teach you that song?"

Eleanor nodded shyly. "Yeah."

The host said with a smile, "That's wonderful! Can you tell everyone what Mommy's and Daddy's names are?"

My heart clenched.

Eleanor tilted her head, thinking carefully. "Mommy's name is Kendra Clarkson."

"And what about Daddy?"

"Daddy's name is Cody Baldwin."

For a split second, the entire venue fell into stunned silence. Right behind us, the big screen proudly displayed our family's names—Lucas, not Cody.

I felt countless eyes piercing me like needles. Kendra's face went deathly pale as she looked at me nervously.

Years of scientific training taught me to remain composed under pressure, but inside, I was on fire.

Yet, it was not anger- it was excitement. Right then, I knew I could not keep quiet any longer.

I raised the microphone in my hand, emotions crashing in waves—rage, disappointment, pain, and an overwhelming disgust at the lie they all built.

Just as I opened my mouth to speak, a voice barked from the back of the room.

"Lucas, what do you think you're doing?!"

I looked toward the audience and saw Dad standing, face flushed, eyes filled with both fear and warning. His neck stiffened as he stared at me, seeming to silently warn me that if I said one more word, I would no longer be his son.

I looked at him coldly, my gaze sweeping over every familiar yet strange face in the audience below. Without hesitation anymore, I spoke the truth into that cold metal microphone.