Chapter 4

Since I'd decided to go to Northshore, I started sorting through everything the Judds had given me.

All in all, there were three sets of ill-fitting clothes, a watch still in its casing, an unused debit card, and the suit from the family dinner.

I'd already returned the suit. I left everything else in their respective packaging as well. I was putting everything into a box when Mom came in.

"Why are you packing all this stuff out of the blue?"

"I'm returning them."

She rummaged through the box, her expression darkening.

"Here you go again. We're your parents! Do you seriously think we need you to sign an IOU just because we bought you a few clothes?"

"No need. I haven't worn any of them, so I can just return everything to you untouched," I said.

"Must you insist on being so formal with us and acting like we're strangers?" Mom snapped.

I paused and looked at her. "You're the one who said that you guys are free to spend your money on whomever you want and that I had no right to ask questions. Well, I'm not questioning your spending, and I'm not spending your money either, so what's wrong with that?"

Mom's lips parted, but in the end, all she said was, "I didn't mean to say that. It only came out in the heat of the moment."

"Right." I continued packing the things.

Mom stood there for a while, probably waiting for me to back down and accept the olive branch. It was probably what most people would do, but not me.

Ever since I was little, many people constantly told me that orphans were forever indebted to others because they lived off the generosity of other people.

Being forced to accept that your dignity was less than others was an unbearable feeling.

When that lunch lady declared that we should be grateful for whatever little food we received, I made sure to find out just how much we truly ate.

When the school board chairman's daughter told me that I was indebted to her family for the scholarship I received, I withdrew from the school right away.

Since my parents were now claiming that I was indebted to them for looking for me, I had no choice but to repay them for that as well.

Before Mom turned to leave, she said, "Colby is taking his piano teacher out to dinner this evening. Are you joining us?"

"No."

"He specifically told me he wants to mend his relationship with you."

"Convey my thanks to him for me."

Once the door closed, I transferred the 310,000 dollars I had saved up to Dad. The transaction remark read, "Repayment for the expenses incurred while looking for me. The remaining 170,000 dollars will be repaid in installments."

Less than a minute later, Dad opened the door. "Why did you transfer the money to me?"

"Didn't you show me the breakdown of expenses so that I could pay you back?"

"I was just teaching you to be grateful!"

"I'm very grateful. That's why I'm paying you back."

Dad looked livid. "Being a family isn't a business transaction, Bryan! Do you think you can act like we never gave birth to you once you return the money to us?"

"Nope." I looked at him. "But you guys didn't raise me either. That's also a fact."

A heavy silence fell over the room. My words seemed to have struck a nerve with Dad. His voice was low as he said, "We spent years looking for you."

"I know. That's why I'll pay you back."

He stared at me for a few more seconds before storming out of the room, slamming the door behind him.

For the next few days, no one in the family spoke to me. Macy put together a photo wall for Colby right in the living room. Mom hired a team to redecorate his piano room, and Dad promised to get him a new piano.

The night before I left for Northshore, Macy finally remembered my existence. She sent me an invoice and said, "Collect Colby's suit from the mall for him, and stop throwing this tantrum of yours. We're a family."

My reply was brief. "I'm busy."

She immediately called me. "How can you be busy? The only thing you do all day is act petty and start fights."

"I'm going to Northshore."

"For how many days?"

"I'm continuing my education there. I won't be back for some time."

There was a short silence on the other end, followed by a frosty sneer. "Who are you trying to scare by pretending to run away, huh? Mom and Dad have only just welcomed you back into the family. I doubt you'd bear to leave."

"Why wouldn't I?"

I ended the call and removed her number from my emergency contacts.

The next morning, I left my room with only a backpack. Inside it was my laptop, my ID, and a photo I'd taken with Jane Nelson, the orphanage director.

I didn't take a single thing the Judd family had bought.

When I reached the bottom of the stairs, the family was busy helping Colby choose a piano.

Mom glanced at me and asked indifferently, "Where are you off to so early in the morning?"

"Northshore."

She continued to look through the catalog without lifting her head. "Get home earlier this evening. Colby wants to have the cake you brought home the other day."

"Right."

I didn't tell her that my response wasn't a promise to be back home earlier today. It was a reminder to myself that I would never have to explain myself to anyone in this house anymore.

Just as the cab pulled away from the Judd residence, I got a message from Professor Lakewood.

"Where are you? I just collected the key to your dorm."

I replied, "I'm on my way."

My admission letter lay quietly in my backpack.

There was a dorm room waiting for me with my name on it, a research team ready for me to join, and people who understood exactly why I was worth keeping.

I left the Judd family group chat and removed my biological parents from my emergency contacts list as well.

22 years ago, they lost me. But after bringing me back 22 years later, they still expected me to step aside for someone else.

Well, I no longer cared about being their son. I was returning them to Colby. I didn't want them anymore.

From now on, they were no longer my parents and my sister. They were just Franklin Judd, Tammy Quentin, and Macy Judd, Colby's family.