Chapter 1

Logan's POV

The next morning, Mom suddenly changed her tune. "Going to Perkson isn't completely out of the question."

My hand froze around the mop. Liam Jackson had slept in my bed last night, clutching my hand and saying he could only fall asleep if he could hear me breathing.

I stayed by his side all night. As soon as dawn broke, they woke me up to do the housework.

Still, hearing Mom say that ignited a trace of excitement inside me. I held my breath and looked at her. "Really?"

"Of course. Liam can go with you," she said. "He'll live with you. You'll rent a bigger place, but your bedrooms have to be right next to each other. And you're not allowed to lock your door."

I looked at my younger brother, Liam. He was still in his pajamas, leisurely sipping his milk, his cheeks rosy and his complexion healthy.

"What can he even do in Perkson?"

Mom immediately frowned. "How can you expect him to work when he's so sick? He can't be without you. Wherever you go, he goes."

Dad finally spoke up, "I looked into it. Designers often have to work overtime and travel for business. You're not suited for that kind of job."

My girlfriend, Ava Schofield, handed me her phone. It showed her chat history with someone from HR.

"I asked around. Our company still needs a cleaner. The hours are short, and if Liam needs you, you can go be with him right away."

She wasn't even joking. Instead, she suggested it as if trying to solve my problem for me.

Ava and I had both been hired for design positions at the same company. Her future had endless possibilities, but mine, for some reason, had to take a back seat to Liam.

"I was hired as an interior designer," I said.

"Turn it down," Mom said matter-of-factly. "You can find another job later. We can't afford to risk another one of Liam's episodes."

Dad tapped the job advertisement for the restaurant downstairs. "Letting you go to Perkson is already the biggest compromise we can make. Don't be ungrateful."

I smiled bitterly. In my family, fighting for my own future was considered being ungrateful.

Liam suddenly hugged me. "Logan, I knew you were the best."

He then leaned close to my ear, his voice so soft that only I could hear. "Don't even think about getting rid of me, Logan. You'll never have a better life than I do—not in this lifetime."

I turned my head and looked at him. He quickly winked at me, his eyes gleaming with smug satisfaction.

As soon as I finished cleaning our home, Liam said he wanted to go to the mall to buy some things for our future place. Mom and Dad agreed immediately.

I was about to refuse, but Mom's expression hardened. "He can't be anywhere without you. Of course you're coming."

Ava came over and tugged at my arm. "Come on, Logan. Liam's sick. You need to give in to him."

Before I could say another word, she forcibly dragged me out of the door.

All the way there, she and Liam excitedly planned what their life in Perkson would be like. He said he wanted a big bedroom with a bay window.

She looked at him with pure affection. "Don't worry. You've got it."

Then, he said he was afraid of new surroundings and might not be able to sleep at night.

"That's okay, too," Ava said. "Logan and I can take turns staying with you."

They had everything planned down to the smallest detail without ever asking me for my opinion.

It was as though I wasn't going to Perkson for a job. Instead, I was simply moving somewhere new so I could keep taking care of Liam.

The subway station was packed. Liam clutched my hand. The moment the doors opened and the crowd pushed me toward the entrance, he suddenly shoved me from behind.

I stumbled into the carriage. He let go of my hand and stayed on the platform.

The warning chime sounded. The doors were about to close.

Liam's face went pale. He dropped to a helpless crouch on the platform and shouted after me, "Logan, don't leave me!"

I frowned and was about to step back out when I caught Ava's cold, suspicious gaze. A chill crawled up my spine. The next second, she squeezed sideways through the closing doors and rushed toward Liam.

Seven years ago, Ava had told me that she would always choose me over everyone else, no matter what happened. This time, she didn't hesitate for even a second to choose someone else over me.