Chapter 1

The lawyer's complaint landed squarely on my mother, Fiona Kensington's face before floating lightly to the ground.

She was taken aback at first, but she soon looked at me with displeasure. "I'll assume you're just upset after getting out of prison. But don't ever bring this up again."

After saying that, she planted her foot on the lawyer's complaint. Then, as if nothing had happened, she brushed the snow from my shoulders.

She explained, "Walter's son got into graduate school this year. The celebration banquet is being held a week from now. It wouldn't be right for you to go, but if you go and apologize, his family will forgive you."

I stared at her in disbelief, my eyes wide.

How could she possibly say something like that?

Because of that bastard, I had spent three years in prison, suffering like hell behind bars.

However, that wasn't all. She actually wanted me to apologize to the person who had caused this.

"I would rather piss on his grave or something," I said with a mocking smile, but my eyes were cold.

Mom immediately understood what I meant. Her face twisted with rage as she raised her hand to slap me. However, I grabbed her wrist and flung her aside.

She lost her footing and fell into my father, Brett Leston's arms.

He yelled, "Louis, have you lost your mind? How dare you hit your own mother! Since you were getting out of prison today, your mother and I came here early to wait for you.

"Do you have any idea how cold it is out here? After spending three years in there, you've clearly forgotten your manners! We really raised you for nothing!"

I looked at Dad, who was seething with rage, and couldn't help but laugh.

"You? Raised me? Did you raise me just so you could make me take the fall and go to prison? Do you know what I've gone through these past three years? You don't!

"All you care about is that benefactor's son! What kind of parents are you? You're no better than animals!" I screamed hysterically, venting all the resentment I had bottled up over the last three years.

I thought they would at least feel guilty and apologize to me. Sadly, it was all wishful thinking. They just looked disappointed, unhappy, and even angry at me.

Mom said, "Your father and I thought that three years in prison would teach you some restraint and make you more mature. But you're still as selfish and heartless as ever. All you ever think about is yourself.

"Since you think we're worse than animals, don't use my name to throw your weight around. Once you've apologized to Walter and admitted that you were wrong, you can come home."

The moment Mom finished speaking, she didn't talk to me again. She simply turned and walked back to the car.

Seeing this, Dad glared at me viciously and said, "If you still want to come home, listen to your mother and apologize. Then, we can put this behind us.

"Seriously, you're an adult, but you still give your parents grief. It's just embarrassing."

After that, I watched as he got into the car as well. A moment later, he floored the accelerator and drove away from the prison gates, leaving me standing there alone.

I touched my empty pockets and laughed bitterly at myself. As if punishing myself, I stood outside the prison, letting the heavy snow fall over me.