Chapter 5

"So not only has he been pretending to be someone he's not, but he stole Henry's watch and even attacked him?"

My eyes burned with fury. "Who's pretending? Henry was never part of this family! Ah!"

One of Henry's friends punched me square in the face.

"You've got some nerve! Ms. Kelly gave you a roof over your head, and Henry's always looked out for you. Instead of being grateful, you're making up lies about him?"

Accusations came from every direction.

Standing at the edge of the crowd, Sally frowned almost imperceptibly, looking at me with contempt.

Mom looked at me. "Adrian, return the watch."

I tightened my grip. "I won't… I'll never give away my father's keepsake to an illegitimate child!"

"Enough!"

The sports captain drove his fist into my face, knocking me to the floor. "I don't usually hit people, but you're asking for it!

"Henry's done nothing but care about you, and this is how you repay that? You're the illegitimate child! Your father was the homewrecker!"

The crowd swarmed me.

Blows rained down from every direction. Curled into a ball, I shielded the watch against my chest.

"That's a lie! My dad was the best father in the world! They're the homewreckers!"

Sally was the only one who didn't join in.

Watching me being beaten, she turned to Mom. "Ms. Kelly, maybe you should stop them?"

With great effort, I lifted my head and searched for Mom through the crowd.

I hated her. But in a moment like this, instinct still made me look to her for help.

"He's just an ungrateful boy," she said coldly. "He deserves it."

Her emotionless voice echoed in my ears.

"I've given him so much, yet he's never appreciated any of it. After what he did to Henry, this punishment is justified."

The kicks came harder.

I hugged the watch even tighter, biting through my lip until I tasted blood. Then I screamed with every energy I had left. "Fine! I'll pay you back!"

The beating stopped. Everyone stared at me.

"You want to repay her?" someone scoffed. "Do you even know how much Ms. Kelly has spent on you? Do you even have that kind of money?"

I struggled to my feet, blood streaming from my nose and mouth.

"She never let me spend more than 50 dollars without her approval. How much could she possibly have spent on me?"

I looked Mom in the eye. "I'll repay every cent you ever spent on me. From this day forward, we're strangers."

The villa fell silent.

Then Mom let out a scoff. "You think paying back the money settles the debt you owe me?

"Adrian, for 18 years, was money all I ever gave you? People say a child can never repay their parents. Raising a child is about far more than money. There are countless things a parent gives that can never be measured."

I froze.

The class committee members shoved me.

"Don't be so ungrateful. Ms. Kelly practically saved you. Money alone could never repay what she's done for you."

"Come on, Adrian. Know your place. Some debts can never be repaid."

"Just return the stolen watch."

"Who says I can't repay it?" I laughed.

The next second, a small hammer appeared in my hand. Everyone instinctively backed away.

What are you doing?"

I met Mom's gaze. "They say the debt of giving life and raising a child can only be repaid with a life.

"But the only person who ever raised me was my father. Other than giving birth to me, what have you ever done for me? If you gave me life but never raised me, then one finger is more than enough to repay that debt.

"Mom… No. Samantha, as of today, we're done. I want nothing more to do with you."

With that, I brought the hammer down on the index finger of my left hand.