Chapter 3

The next day, I went to work at the bubble tea shop as usual. My job for the day was to wear a mascot suit and hand out flyers outside the mall entrance.

By noon, the sun was brutal, and the heavy suit felt suffocatingly hot.

I couldn't take it anymore, so I pulled off the mascot head and squatted in a corner to grab a drink of water.

"Ollie?" A familiar voice came from behind me.

My hands froze, and I turned around.

Mom, Dad, Paige, Julia, and Reynold were standing just a few feet away.

Paige and Julia were loaded down with shopping bags. I didn't have to guess to know that those were for Reynold.

Seeing me drenched in sweat, Mom didn't show a hint of sympathy. There was only embarrassment and anger in her eyes.

"Ollie, did I not give you money? Why are you handing out flyers in public dressed like that? Are you doing this on purpose to make people think we mistreat you?"

I gripped my water bottle a little tighter. "You give me 1,000 dollars a month. Rent is 800 dollars. How am I supposed to survive if I don't work part-time?"

Paige frowned and gave me a hard shove. "You've got a lot of nerve! How dare you talk to Mom like that!"

Julia stood next to Reynold, her expression complicated.

Ultimately, she spoke, her tone carrying the unmistakable edge of a lecture. "Ollie, you're just being too extreme and sensitive. Reynold's monthly allowance is only 1,000 dollars, too. Whenever it's not enough, he just asks Mrs. Hunt, and she always gives it to him.

"You never say anything, so of course she thinks you have enough. You're in the wrong about this. Just apologize to Mrs. Hunt."

I opened my mouth, but no words came out.

Mom sent Reynold his 1,000 dollars every month right on time, sometimes even early.

But with my 1,000 dollars, I had to ask and ask and wait through delay after delay.

She would drag it out until the end of the month, then finally send it over like she was doing me a favor.

If I really asked for more, would I actually get it?

But I knew that there was no point in saying any of this. It would only bring more accusations. They would just call me ungrateful and immature.

So I just kept a cold expression and picked up the mascot head again. "Just leave. Don't keep me from my work."

As the heavy mascot head settled over me, my vision went instantly dark.

The next second, I felt a violent shove against my back.

"Don't you dare bully Mom!"

The mascot head was heavy, and even a slight bump inside it would hurt.

With a shove that hard, I pitched completely forward.

My forehead slammed hard against the rigid inner shell of the head, and my vision went black for a second.

I leaned against the wall, unable to catch my breath for a long time. Yet, not a single person checked on me.

Instead, Mom grabbed Reynold's hand and asked anxiously, "Reynold, does your hand hurt?"

Paige was frowning too. "He's wearing such a thick suit. Why bother pushing him? What if you hurt yourself?"

Julia cooed at him softly, "Don't worry. No one's blaming you."

While they were all crowded around Reynold, I stumbled away.

My face was completely soaked. I couldn't tell if they were sweat or tears.

By the time I clocked out that evening, my forehead had swollen into a massive lump.

Fortunately, it was payday that day.

Clutching the 3,000 dollars in cash, I headed to the night market.

I wanted to treat myself to a bowl of warm chicken soup and a shaved ice dessert.

Just thinking about it made my mouth water, and a faint smile finally slipped onto my face.

But the moment I handed over the cash, the vendor grabbed my wrist in a tight grip.

He held up the bill, his face twisting in anger. "You look like a decent young man. Why the hell are you up to no good? Where did you get this fake cash?"