Chapter 2

After seeing the videos and the injuries all over my body, Grandma was so heartbroken that she burst into tears. Without a word, she brought my uncles straight to our house.

"Get your ass out here, Dwayne!"

"Did you think we all died along with our sister? How dare you treat my nephew like this! I'll beat you to death!"

My two uncles looked ready to tear Dad apart, while Grandma came at him, swinging her cane.

Dad said nothing. He simply took Grandma by the hand and led her into the chapel. While my uncles carefully bandaged my wounds, they started discussing how to get me out of there.

The next moment, Grandma emerged from the chapel with a grim look. Without a word, she slapped me hard across the face.

I could barely react before she struck her cane against my head. Blood ran into my eyes. I clutched the wound on my head, completely at a loss.

My uncles tried to stop her, but after hearing whatever she whispered to them, their faces changed drastically. Each of them grabbed one of my arms and forced me to my knees.

"Hit him as hard as you can, Mom. You know what? Just kill him."

"Scum like him doesn't deserve to live. His mother would surely forgive us if she knew."

Grandma raised her cane. "I'll kill you and then turn myself in afterward! Let's see what they'll do to me!"

Rows of crimson, navy, and gold ribbons adorned her chest.

I didn't know how long I was beaten that day. All I remembered was eventually passing out. I woke to an excruciating tearing pain. When I opened my eyes, I realized I was still lying outside the chapel.

Stray dogs were tearing at my flesh wherever the blood had soaked through. A chunk of my scalp had already been ripped away.

I staggered to my feet and made my way home. I dared not make a sound along the way. Dad hated noise.

I had thought about leaving this backward village for good, but if I stayed away for more than three months, Dad would bring Bryan and Claude to my workplace and make a scene.

They would kneel outside my company, accusing me of abandoning them.

I had even considered cutting ties with Dad, but these days, everything was connected through the national database. All he had to do was file a missing person notice, and he would be able to find me.

When this happened with my third girlfriend, I called the police. When the police arrived, all the villagers backed up Dad and claimed I was lying.

"He's a nerd. He reads novels all day. He's somehow convinced himself he's the victim of a grand scheme."

"There are three kids in their family. The other two are perfectly fine. Why would he be the only one his father beats?"

"Officer, this kid has been a liar and a thief since he was little. You cannot believe a word he says."

I knew the villagers were only taking Dad's side because of his position, but there was nothing I could do.

After I called the police that time, Dad locked me alone in a cave up in the mountains. It was an old air-raid shelter, cold and damp, with nothing inside but water.

I was kept there for a week. By the time he let me out, I nearly collapsed.

This time, by the time I got home, Dad was already asleep.

Bryan and Claude told me to stop causing trouble and just behave. They even smashed my phone and computer, so I had no way of contacting anyone outside the village.

Something inside me suddenly snapped. I stormed into Dad's room and woke him up.

"If you don't want me to get married, just say so! Why do you keep turning my girlfriends against me and making them leave me?

"What have I ever done to you? My whole life, I've done everything you told me to. Isn't that enough? Just what do you want from me?"

Woken from his sleep, Dad was furious. He grabbed a stool and hurled it at me. I hit the floor and couldn't move. He pulled off his belt and wrapped it around my neck.

"You know what I want? I want you dead! Just die!"

I fought desperately, but there was no way to escape. All I could do was carefully reach the spare phone hidden in my pants and call the police.

When the police arrived and saw me lying on the floor, they immediately restrained Dad, Bryan, and Claude.