Chapter 3

To show that the Addisons treated both sons equally, Dad threw a banquet especially for me.

The funny thing was, no one told me a thing about it.

That evening, I finally got off from a long, hard day at the plant and came home.

When I pushed open the door, a living room full of glamorous socialites turned to look at me all at once, their eyes surprised, disdainful, or openly contemptuous.

Tyson's exaggerated voice rang out, "Corey! Why'd you come to the banquet dressed like that?"

I looked over at him.

He'd obviously put a lot of thought into tonight. He was styled down to the last strand of hair and wore a bespoke suit, which made him stand out among the guests.

Tyson walked up to me and asked carefully, "Why aren't you wearing a suit? Don't you like the one Mom and Dad got ready for you? How about you go to my closet and pick one you like?"

His words sounded caring, but the gloating in his eyes was practically spilling over.

Sure enough, the guests around us began to whisper.

"So this is the real heir the Addisons just brought home? He's not fit to be seen in public."

"The Addisons threw this banquet just for him. Did he dress like that on purpose to embarrass them?"

I glanced around.

Melanie pretended not to know me. She continued laughing and chatting with a few guests.

Heather stood not far away, watching the show, with no intention of coming over to put in a word for me.

Leah walked over with our parents, her expression dark.

Mom scolded me in a low voice right away, "Corey, what's wrong with you? This is such an important occasion. Look at what you're wearing!"

I looked down at myself: a plant-issued shirt and work pants. Comfortable and durable. Nothing wrong with that.

'I'm so tired and sleepy. I didn't spend all day tightening bolts just to come home and put on a show with them. Aliens are about to invade Earth. Who has time to play these rich-family power games?

'If I'd known, I would've stayed at the plant. Instead of watching them put on this production, I could've run a few more rounds of simulated launch tests.'

Dad looked grim, forcing a smile as he introduced me to the guests, "This is my son, Corey. We just brought him home from a small town. He doesn't know any better, so please forgive him."

Tyson was quick to chime in and explain for me, "It's Corey's first time at a party like this. He doesn't have much experience, so please don't hold it against him."

But the looks people gave me only grew more contemptuous.

"I heard his adoptive parents are herders, and he grew up with cattle and sheep. Now that I've seen him, he really is... not fit for polite company."

"That's not all. I heard he's just a factory hand with no education or manners. Next to him, Tyson looks a lot more like the real heir."

My parents' faces darkened more and more amid the whispers.

Tyson's lips curled slightly, but he pretended to plead kindly with our parents, "Tonight's party was thrown to introduce Corey anyway. Mom, Dad, please don't blame him."

Then he deliberately changed the subject, "Oh, Corey, I heard you've been working for a big-name company. Which one is it?"

He asked in an innocent, joking tone, as if afraid anyone here might not know I worked at a factory.

"Lots of family friends came tonight. Maybe your boss is even one of the guests!"

Laughter rippled through the crowd again.

"Since when does an electronics factory count as a big-name company? Does the real heir have some kind of misunderstanding about what that means?"

"He's from the sticks, after all. Of course he can't tell a little factory from a big company."

"My company would never hire someone without even a high school diploma. How embarrassing."

The sneering chatter around us made my parents' faces grow darker still.