Chapter 4

The moment I apologized, it felt as though the last shred of my dignity had been trampled under her heel.

Emily lowered the phone, leaving the screen facing the ceiling. Just before the call ended, I heard her gentle voice coming from the other end.

"Freddie, he apologized. Don't be mad at him. I already bought that ruby brooch you liked yesterday. Consider it your graduation gift. You'll see it when we get back from the trip."

The call ended there.

I braced myself against the desk as sadness filled my heart.

…

Ten days later, their trip to Azure Isles came to an end.

Freddie's location on social media showed that he was back downtown, while I had already moved my belongings out of the house and temporarily rented an apartment near the office.

For the next two weeks, I stayed busy wrapping up the projects.

One evening, Mom sent me a photo. On the table was the lasagna she had prepared herself, along with some pudding—the kind I loved.

"You're so stubborn when you're upset. Freddie graduates tomorrow. As his brother, you shouldn't miss it. I made all your favorite dishes. Come home for dinner tomorrow. Eating takeout all the time isn't good for you.

"You said your closet was broken. Even after coming back from Azure Isles, Dad didn't take a moment to rest. He spent two straight days fixing it for you."

My heart softened when I read that.

I remembered how Dad used to fix things for me when I was little, hammering away with his tools. Once, he had even injured his finger while doing it.

Yet everything in Freddie's room was always brand-new.

The next morning, when I opened the door, Emily was already waiting outside. She was holding my favorite coffee. Her eyes were full of affection as she hugged me and kissed the corner of my lips.

"Richard, are you still mad at me?" she asked gently. "I only said those things to make Freddie feel better. I wasn't really threatening you. I know how much you've put into those three projects, honey. I've seen it all."

She linked her arm through mine and led me to the car, her affectionate manner unchanged from before.

But then I noticed a fresh bouquet of gardenias resting on the back seat. My heart skipped a beat. I turned toward Emily, but she had already started the car and was driving toward Freddie's university.

The campus was especially lively during graduation season. Freddie, dressed in his cap and gown, was busy taking photos with his friends.

Perhaps trying to make up for everything, my parents pulled Emily and me aside for a photo. "Richard, Emily, you two should take a picture together."

We stood side by side. Emily slipped her arm through mine and smiled at me. "Richard, you look so handsome today."

Just as the camera shutter clicked, someone quickly squeezed between us.

"Happy graduation to me!"

Freddie jumped between us, draping an arm around my shoulders. The ruby brooch on his chest flashed brightly, catching my eye.

When we went into the dorm to help Freddie collect his things, his roommates kept glancing at Emily.

"That's Emily? She's gorgeous!"

Freddie immediately laughed and teased them. "I'm warning you, don't call her beautiful. My brother gets jealous and will chew you guys out!"

The others hurriedly glanced at me before scrambling away.

After we packed up Freddie's things, I instinctively handed the suitcase to Emily, but Freddie stopped me.

"How could the CEO of Carter Group possibly lower herself to carry my luggage? That wouldn't be a good look. Richard, you work out all the time anyway. Just think of it as strength training. And be careful with my suitcase."

With that, Freddie followed Emily downstairs while Mom and Dad gathered around him, carrying the smaller bags. I was left alone, dragging his nearly 40-pound suitcase down five flights of stairs.

Outside, the sky suddenly darkened. A crack of thunder sounded, followed by a torrential downpour.

I reached for Emily's car door, only to find it locked.

The window rolled down slightly, revealing Freddie's smug grin. "Richard, you lost again!

"We agreed before coming downstairs that we'd make a game out of it and see who would be the last to finish. You were the slowest, so your punishment is to make your own way home!"

He then announced, "We're leaving!"

Through the window, I saw Emily give me an apologetic smile. "Richard, Freddie is just as mischievous as usual. It's his graduation day. Let him have his way today. Just take a cab home. I'll reimburse you."

Mom sat in the passenger seat, while Dad was in the back. Their eyes held nothing but indulgent helplessness toward Freddie.

Then the window rolled shut, and the car quickly disappeared from view.

My hair was completely soaked. Standing in the rain, I felt cold all the way to my bones.

Those were the people I had once been so proud to call my loved ones.

I gripped the suitcase handle tightly, stepped beneath the dormitory awning, and called a cab home.

When the car arrived, I kicked Freddie's suitcase to the side before getting in. The expensive suitcase toppled into the flower bed, instantly covered in mud and rainwater.

After that, without hesitation, I opened the car door and got inside.

On the ride home, I finally replied to the recruiter's offer that had been sitting unanswered in my inbox. "I'll report to work next Wednesday as scheduled."

After receiving their confirmation, I immediately booked the earliest flight out of town that weekend. Then I listed my house for sale through a real estate platform.

I was done with this family.