Chapter 4

For as long as they ate, I sat beside them and cried.

I screamed at them, demanding to know why they had lied to me. Why, when our family was clearly rich, did they let me be crushed by the weight of money time and time again?

But they couldn't hear a single word of my protests or my tears.

I listened to the waitresses introduce the dishes as they served them—foie gras, caviar, venison, salmon.

Things I had never even heard of in my life.

When they finished their meal, Dad looked over at Mom. "How about we head back to the villa tonight? Living in the projects is suffocating. Besides, Joshua already thinks we're out working all night anyway. We can even use this tomorrow to teach him another lesson."

Mom nodded, and the three of them happily climbed into a stunning luxury car.

I sat in the very back, watching them laugh and chat. My tears completely spilled over.

The car drove for a long time before pulling up to an endless estate.

I stared blankly as they walked into the house. It was so massive and beautiful.

There were no more dingy, gray floors, no spiders, no cockroaches, and no rats. The floors were cleaner than my bed.

I looked around, and my gaze eventually landed on a family portrait hanging right in the center. There I was, just a baby.

So, this was my real home.

Several maids rushed over immediately. They took their coats, brought them slippers, poured tea, massaged Dad's feet, and helped Mom apply her skincare masks.

I smiled bitterly, tears brimming in my eyes.

So, while I was completely in the dark, this was the life they were living.

And what was I doing back then? I was curling up under my blanket, praying the spiders wouldn't crawl in, terrified out of my mind all night long.

I was such a fool.

I had actually dragged my aching body through the streets to find a job to ease their burden.

But any money I could have made would probably mean so little to them that if it fell to the ground, they'd just crush it beneath their polished shoes without a second thought.

I had even planned to give them the food Mr. Gibson had shared with me.

How could they ever appreciate that? The food they ate was beyond my wildest imagination.

Later, I followed them into the master bedroom.

The gorgeous bedding looked incredibly comfortable, and the spacious bathroom was larger than our entire apartment.

So this was the truth.

All those nights when I lay crying on my balcony mattress, consumed by guilt because I thought they were working themselves to the bone…

All those nights when I tossed and turned in agony because we couldn't afford medicine for my stomach…

They were right here, enjoying every luxury.

I sat in a corner, quietly weeping the entire night away.

The next morning, they got into the car and had the driver drop them off near the projects.

"Stop here. Any closer, and we might get spotted."

Dad stripped off his expensive attire, transforming back into the middle-aged man beaten down by life. Meanwhile, Mom tousled her hair and put on a yellowed apron.

The two of them unlocked the door and stepped inside.

"Joshua?" Dad called out, placing a piece of plain bread on the table. "I'm home from work. I brought you breakfast."

No one answered.

He frowned, and Mom chimed in from the side, "Look at the time. He has obviously left for school."

"Oh," Dad muttered, and he opened the lunchbox on the table. He cast a disgusted look at the food I hadn't been able to bring myself to eat yesterday and casually dumped it in the sink.

A phone chimed. It was a call from Mr. Gibson.

"Mr. Kirkland, the first period has already ended. I wanted to check why Joshua isn't at school yet."

Dad had the phone on speaker, and both of them froze. "He's not at school?"

Realizing something was wrong, Mr. Gibson quickly added, "Joshua has coughed up blood several times at school recently. Could he have collapsed on his way here?"

Mom and Dad exchanged a look, their faces instantly draining of color. They bolted for the door but froze the second they yanked it open.

Standing right there on the threshold were police officers.

An officer frowned at them. "We discovered a body on the outskirts of town."

He held up a photograph and asked solemnly, "Is this your son?"