Chapter 4

A wave of absurdity swept through me.

I broke down laughing.

So all this time, Ken had believed Victor was his biological son.

He thought I was the wealthy family’s son who had been switched at birth.

That was why he had mistreated me every chance he got.

That was why he had poured every bit of love he had into Victor.

“Victor, can you do me a favor?”

Victor froze for a second, then nodded.

“Don’t tell him the truth yet. I’ll help you prepare the DNA test results.”

I pulled myself out of the memory.

When I looked at Ken again, he had already packed his bags. His passport was sitting in the most obvious spot, as if he couldn’t wait to leave.

“Joe, come here,” he called.

“I’m going to Atelia to see Victor and tell him the truth. Before I leave, come with me to the courthouse. I’m filing the paperwork to remove you as my dependent. From now on, you have nothing to do with my family.”

I nodded without a word and followed him there.

When Ken handed over the documents, the clerk looked up in surprise.

“He just graduated high school, and you’re already cutting him off?”

Ken’s face twisted with contempt. His voice was loud enough for everyone nearby to hear.

“He’s not my biological son. The hospital mixed up the babies back then.”

People around us started whispering. When they looked at me, their eyes were full of pity.

“He’s still a student, isn’t he? How can he just abandon him like that?”

“That man is heartless. Even if you raised a dog for nineteen years, you’d still feel something.”

That was exactly what I wanted to ask him too.

But Ken didn’t care at all. To him, everything he was doing was perfectly justified.

“He’s not mine. Raising him longer won’t change that.”

“I only care about blood. I only love my real son. A father and son are connected by blood. If he isn’t mine, he’ll never truly be family.”

The clerk looked at me with sympathy.

“Do you need legal assistance?”

I shook my head lightly.

“No. Please just process it.”

A few minutes later, Ken was no longer legally responsible for me.

After we walked out, he shoved a bank card into my hand.

“There’s ten thousand dollars in here. Consider it payment for raising you. From now on, don’t even think about claiming the Jasper family’s fortune. Keep your head down, get a job, and make your own money.”

I looked into his eyes, my voice hoarse.

“After all these years, did you really never care about me at all? Even if I wasn’t your biological son, I was obedient. I was sensible. I called you Dad for nineteen years.

“Victor already has everything. Why did you have to destroy my life too?”

Ken froze.

For a moment, something complicated flashed through his eyes.

“Yes, I wronged you. But I could never love you. Victor is my real son.

“I’m just a man from the bottom. I don’t even know who Victor’s real father is. But I swore I would protect him. I was willing to risk everything to change his life. I’d risk my life for him too.

“I couldn’t take that gamble. I couldn’t raise you well and let you become a threat to him. This city is only so big. I couldn’t let anything unpredictable enter Victor’s life.”

He paused.

Then his eyes turned vicious, and he leaned close to my ear.

“Joe, hate me all you want. Blame me all you want. But Victor is innocent.

“If you dare lay a finger on him, I’ll drag you down with me.”

I looked at him for a long time.

Then I smiled faintly and left the card in his hand.

“Mr. Zimmer, since we have nothing to do with each other anymore, it’s time I got justice for myself.”

Ken snorted and called me delusional. Then he grabbed his luggage and passport and headed for the airport.

He even posted a selfie on his social feed.

“I’m finally going to reunite with my biological son. From his online uncle to his dad. My son likes me so much. He’s going to be thrilled!”

After I saw the post, I blocked him.

Then I turned around and went to the police station to file a report.

I reported him under my real name for working with organ traffickers, organ theft, and attempted murder.

The hidden camera I had placed in my bedroom became solid evidence.

After leaving the police station, I boarded a train to Frangelia.

The truth was, getting into some mediocre college had only been a rumor I’d spread on purpose.

I scored highly enough to qualify for any top university in the country. Moreover, thanks to the physics competition, I already secured a special admission offer from one of the top universities.

After the train started moving, I looked out the window and saw a white contrail cutting across the sky.

“Dad,” I whispered, “I can’t wait to see your face when you finally learn the truth.”