Chapter 4

“We are family. Why must you be petty with me?

“Besides, Cass is expecting. She’s the pride of the family now. You shouldn’t upset her. Hurry up and apologize to her now.”

My parents stood there, not finding anything wrong with what Alexander had said.

Taking a deep breath, I couldn’t shake off the sheer absurdity of the matter.

The years of hurt and anger I held against my family reached a boiling point.

I smirked. “You want me to apologize to her?

“Dream on.”

I turned to my parents.

“Alexander has always been your favorite.

“He would always have the best while I was stuck with his hand-me-downs.

“You’d scrimp and save for his dreams to be an artist, but you told me it was a waste of money for me to learn the piano when I expressed interest.

“You threw him a party for getting into a community college, but you made me take out a student loan for an Ivy League acceptance.”

My voice cracked.

Still, I didn’t stop there.

“Even when he started working, you felt bad enough to fund his lifestyle because his monthly wages of three grand weren’t enough.

“You demanded that I pay for his wedding.

“I worked myself to the bone in Port Coastal, too terrified to get sick or quit just to provide for you. I just wanted a home to come back to, and this is what I get in return?”

My voice shook.

I wasn’t naïve to overlook their favoritism.

The fear simply held me back. By calling them out on their behavior, I wouldn’t have a home to return to.

I stuck my head in the sand and plugged my ears, thinking that by feigning ignorance, we could still play one happy family.

That way, I would have a place to belong to.

Yet, they cared nothing about my sacrifices.

“I spent every penny of my savings on this apartment, and it became a gift to Alexander and Cass. I can’t even have a room to myself. Why do I have to stay in a hotel when I come back?

“Mom, Dad, you had never planned to let me through the door, right?

Bombarded by my grilling, Teresa turned pale, and her lips quivered.

“H-How can you say that about us? We raised you—”

“Raised you?”

I laughed as tears streamed down my face.

“Sure, you raised me.

“In return, I deserved to be bled dry to help Alexander. I’m not worthy to even have a room to tuck myself in, right?”

“That’s enough!” Thomas slammed the table.

“You’ve gone too far! A few years of school and some money sure got to your head. What makes you think you can talk down to your parents?

“You don’t make the rules in this house. If you’re going to keep up with that attitude, you can leave right now.”

With the family on her side, Cass grew a spine and folded her arms with a smirk.

“Hear that? Why don’t you just start your own family and get your own place?

“Don’t try to act like you’re all that here. It’s pathetic.”

Alexander shot me a look of disappointment and disgust.

“When have you become so petty, Miles? You weren’t like this when you were a child.

“Just say that you’re sorry and head to your hotel. We can then move on, and you’ll still be my brother.”

The family of four stood as one, on a united front against me.

Their unity was perfect yet stinging.

The one last spark of hope and love I had for the family was gone.

It was all for the best.

With everything out in the open, I felt lighter than ever.

Wiping the tears off my face, I didn’t look at either of them. I whipped out my phone and dialed a number.

“Mr. Froot? How are you? I’m the owner of a unit in Azure Heights. I want to put my apartment on the market.

“That’s right. It’s an urgent sale. The sooner, the better.”