Chapter 4

Logan's POV

I struggled frantically. "Are you guys insane?"

Mom held my arm down with all her strength. "Logan, for the sake of Liam, just put up with it. If he knows where you are, he won't have another attack."

Dad pinned my shoulders in place. "As long as you stay by Liam's side every day, it makes no difference whether you have this thing or not."

Ava's face was tense as she tightened her grip on me. "It'll be over soon, Logan. For Liam, just suck it up."

They had told me to suck it up when they forced me to give up my spot at my desired high school and when I had to give up my dream of attending the Wellington Institute of Fine Arts.

Now, they wanted to turn me into Liam's pet, keeping me chained to his side. Even then, they were telling me to put up with it and suck it up.

When the needle pierced my skin, I stopped struggling. Looking at Mom's and Dad's distorted faces, I recalled memories from when I was little.

Whenever I was scared of getting a shot, they would hold me in their arms and tell me it wouldn't hurt. Dad would soothe me gently while Mom stood beside us, tears welling in her eyes.

Now, they were the ones holding me down.

When the injection was done, Mom let out a long breath of relief, as if they had finally dealt with a problem that had been weighing on the whole family.

Dad took my ID, passport, and personal records, put them into a folder, and handed it to Liam. "Let Liam keep these. It'll make him feel secure."

Liam hugged the folder tightly. "Logan, wherever you go from now on, I'll be there along the way."

I lowered my head and looked at the wound on my arm, blood slowly seeping from the injection site. A chuckle escaped me. "Okay."

Mom's expression finally softened. "Good. I'm glad you understand."

Ava smiled too and gently ruffled my hair. "I'll treat you better from now on."

I said nothing. When I returned to my room, I saw the red light of the camera blinking in the corner of my eye.

From the living room, I heard Mom's voice. "Feeling better now?"

"Yeah," Liam replied, probably with a grin.

That night, I stayed with him and coaxed him to sleep, just like I always had. He showed me the footage of my bedroom and smiled at me. "Logan, I'll always be watching you."

I said nothing. I sat beside him until he fell asleep.

At 2:00 am, I quietly slipped the key out from under his pillow. I unlocked the cabinet, took my documents, and stuffed them into my bag.

Then, I went back to my room and arranged my pillows into the shape of a person. Finally, I took a small knife and cut open the wound that hadn't fully healed yet, removing the tracking chip.

I left them the obedient, sensible Logan Jackson they wanted as their last memories of me.

I slung my bag over my shoulder and walked out.

As the plane soared through the clouds, I watched the place I used to call home grow smaller beneath me until it disappeared.

For the first time in years, I could finally breathe. My life no longer had to be dictated by anyone else.