Love and Hatred

“Malik… Why are you here…”

Everyone in the private room was collectively stunned by my sudden appearance.

Juniper Carlsen’s instinctual reaction was to stand in front of Frederick Byron.

The first time I was betrayed, I was utterly crushed. This time, my response was next to minimal.

I shared the same birthday as Frederick.

Every year without fail, they would celebrate Frederick's birthday together in the same private room of the same restaurant.

Every single time, they would neglect to invite me.

“Malik, I promise you we’re going to throw a birthday party for you and you only!”

This was the same thing they had said for the past decade, but they had never fulfilled their promise.

Juniper came up to me urgently, “Honey, I can explain…

“Today, it’s just… the child… It was all an accident…

“I have not met Frederick again since you came back.

“You've always wanted a child, haven’t you? That’s why I brought a child home for you to raise as your own. If this isn’t what you want, then I’ll have them move overseas so you don’t have to deal with them anymore!”

My parents looked equally troubled by the situation. At last, my mother spoke.

“Malik, Frederick has lost everything, and little Jeremiah is all he’s got left. Have some pity on him, won’t you…”

Meanwhile, Frederick, who had been pacing, said to my mother, “Madam Brenhart, I understand why Malik would be upset. It was all my fault. I should have taken precautions!”

That was when I interrupted him. “Let’s go home.”

Everyone was taken aback. This was the last thing they expected from me.

Juniper was worried she had misheard.

“What?”

I responded with a faint smile.

“I said, let’s go home. It must be hard for Frederick to raise a child out there by himself.”

This only made Juniper grow increasingly restless.

“Malik, you can just tell me if you’re upset. Don’t try to suppress your feelings, alright?”

I looked at her.

“I’m not upset. The boy is yours too, it’s only right that I do something to help.”

Juniper’s eyes rimmed with red.

“Malik, are you really not angry?”

I gently shook my head.

With that, she heaved a sigh of relief.

That same night, my parents gladly brought Frederick into the house.

Everyone was overjoyed.

My mother, who had always been worried about scalding her skin with hot oil in the kitchen, had taken it upon herself to make something for us to eat.

Even though I had returned for a decade by now, this was the first time I had eaten something she made.

During the meal, she would not stop piling food onto Frederick's plate.

“You've been away for so long that you’ve lost weight! Make sure you eat up. The little boy should eat too! He needs to grow up healthy!”

Juniper followed suit and placed a shrimp on my plate.

“Why aren't you eating? You love shrimp!”

Having been married for five years and dated for two years before that, we had known each other for at least seven years in total.

Yet, she still forgot I was allergic to shrimp. It was Frederick who liked shrimp.

She peeled the shrimp and set it directly onto my fork, pushing it toward my mouth. I pulled back.

Just as I reacted, my father had shot up from his seat and dumped the entire plate of shrimp over me.

The hot gravy splashed all over me and burned my skin.

“Malik, what’s with your arrogance?

“What are you trying to prove here? Quit scowling!

“If you have a problem, say it instead of playing the martyr!”

I gripped the fork tightly and jabbed it into a shrimp on the table. Then, I ate it expressionlessly.

Immediately after, I was covered in rashes.

Juniper’s expression dropped. She immediately rushed back to her room to get the allergy pills, which she shoved into my mouth.

“Malik, you should have said something if you were allergic to shrimp!”

When she said so, I gave her a look and spoke flatly.

“I just didn’t want to disappoint everyone. Also, you were the one who told me I could get over my allergy if I just started eating more shrimp.”

Besides, I had stated I was allergic nearly a hundred times over the years, but nobody cared.

“I’m full. Enjoy your meal, everyone.”

Juniper reached out and grabbed my hand.

“Malik, please don’t ever do anything to hurt yourself again. Think how Madame Curie must feel!”

I stopped in my tracks. She was threatening me.

When I returned to my room, the first thing I did was to call my assistant.

“Transfer all the patents and shares to Stehnbart Corporation. Also, book a flight ticket for my mother and me for a week from now.”