Chapter 3

Logan's POV

With the cameras over my head, I had to change clothes under the covers. I didn't sleep at all that night.

The next morning, Liam came to me and asked for my phone.

"Logan, I want to install a monitoring app on your phone. You were on your phone all night. I'm just worried you're hiding something from me. I can't sit still."

He reached out, looking at me like a helpless kid.

I held my phone behind my back. "No."

The living room fell silent. Everyone looked at me.

Mom frowned. "It's just a phone. What's there to hide?"

"I have the right to my privacy," I said firmly.

Dad snorted. "We're family. Why are you talking about privacy? If you weren't always trying to get away from Liam, he wouldn't be this insecure."

Aava tried to reason with me. "You're brothers. Why make such a big deal about keeping things separate? Come on, be nice. I'll make it up to you someday."

I looked at all of them and felt utterly drained. "And when exactly is 'someday'?"

She froze.

"When he gets better? When he doesn't need me anymore? Or when my life is already over?"

They all looked grim.

My voice trembled. "I already gave up my desired high school and college for him. I even had to give up my dreams because of him! And somehow, it still isn't enough for all of you!

"You want to take away my privacy and freedom, too! Am I supposed to give up my entire life for his sake?

Mom whipped around to face me. "And what about Liam's life? You're his older brother. He's sick. He can't be without you. If you won't take care of him, who will?"

I was about to answer when Liam cut me off with his intense sobbing. "Stop! If Logan doesn't want me around and thinks I ruined his life, I'll end my life and spare him from all this!"

With that, he turned and ran toward the balcony.

"Liam!" Mom shrieked and rushed after him.

Ava and Dad hurried over as well, grabbing Liam from either side and pulling him away from the balcony.

Liam's whole body trembled as he cried out, "I just wanted to be closer to Logan. Is that really so wrong?"

Mom held him in her arms, tears streaming down her face. Ava kept soothing him.

Dad's eyes were bloodshot. He strode over and slapped me so hard that I fell to the floor. "He's your brother! Are you not going to stop until you drive him to his death? How can you be so cold-blooded?"

My head spun, my ears ringing. Amid the chaos, I saw Liam glance at me and raise an eyebrow. It was quick, but I saw it clearly.

He had long figured out the rules of this family. All he had to do was cry and make a scene, and everyone else would force me to give in.

Ava walked up to me. "Give me your phone."

I looked at her. "You're doing this to me, too?"

Hesitation flickered across her eyes, but it vanished almost immediately.

"I just don't want anything else to happen to Liam."

She grabbed my wrist and snatched my phone away. I tried to take it back, but Mom and Dad pinned my arms down from either side.

Ava lowered her head and went through the permissions one by one, granting the app access to my location, microphone, photos, and contacts.

A notification chimed, confirming that the installation was complete. From then on, every move I made would be under Liam's watch.

He leaned against the couch, his face still pale. Slowly, the tension drained from his expression. "That's not enough, Mom."

He reached into the coffee table drawer and pulled out a sealed plastic bag. Inside was a syringe and a tiny chip no bigger than a grain of rice.

Mom avoided my eyes. "I had someone get this pet-tracking microchip for me. Once implanted, Liam will never have to worry about losing track of you again."