Chapter 2

The hardships of life had already worn down the sharp edges of my pride. It was why I simply smiled when I heard the man's words.

I opened my delivery bag and said, "This is the cake that you ordered. Please take a look at it and confirm that it wasn't damaged during the delivery."

The man glanced at the bag. He didn't say a single word before grabbing it and shaking it wildly.

Before I could react to what was happening, he pulled out the cake and hurled it next to my feet.

"Why weren't you more careful when making the delivery?" he demanded. "Don't you know that Mr. Bilson spent a milliom dollars to specifically order this cake for Olly?"

I was just about to retort when I heard three voices that I was intimately familiar with coming from within the warm villa.

"It's okay, Charlie. Perhaps the deliveryman was just a little careless. It's the thought that counts, Mom and Dad."

The voice belonged to none other than Oliver!

My breath hitched in my throat, and my heart nearly stopped beating for a second. Rage began to burn within my chest, but I felt like I was shoved into an icy cave the moment I heard the next person's voice.

Dad, who claimed that our family had gone bankrupt and was saddled with a mountain of debt, proudly said, "You're so mature, Olly. It was just a cake. I'll buy you ten more and give you an island to reward you!"

Mom, who had always been frugal, gently added, "My one and only, precious son is so understanding. I'll buy the watch that you've been eyeing for you. I'll also give you my golf club in Masonila. So, don't be angry, my little prince."

Warm air drifted through the open door, but my heart felt like it had been encased in ice. At the same time, my phone chimed, informing me that I had received a bad review.

Charlie Jetton was still standing before me. He shot a provoking look at me and asked, "Do you know why your parents lied to you about going bankrupt and Olly being diagnosed with leukemia? It's because Olly casually mentioned that he thinks that you don't like him.

"Your parents decided to orchestrate this farce to test you. It was hilarious watching you run around and work yourself to the bone like a loyal dog every day to pay off their debts."

When I remained silent, he let out a boisterous laugh and continued, "Poor unwanted thing. Although your parents took you back to the Bilson family, they still kept Olly around as their adopted son. You should have known then that you meant nothing to them!"

Rage and despair snapped the last threads of my rationality. As Charlie continued to provoke me, I couldn't hold myself back anymore and aimed a punch at him.

However, the door slammed shut in my face.

I wasn't willing to leave in such a pathetic state. I hammered my fists on the door, hoping to attract my parents' attention.

But the party was back in full swing within the villa. Not only did I fail to catch my parents' attention, but the ruckus that I was making caused the staff members from the property management team to show up.

"My parents are inside!" I exclaimed. "I want to see them!"

The tall and broad property manager's eyes were full of disdain as he scrutinized me. "This is an affluent villa area. Even the cheapest building has a seven-digit price tag. The clothes that you're wearing don't look like they total up to even a hundred dollars.

"Go home if you want to delude yourself with your daydreams. Don't cause trouble for us by freezing to death here."

The other staff members burst into laughter upon hearing his words.

The property manager slowly approached me, brandishing his stun baton. "Get out of here if you know what's good for you. You can't afford to cross the people who are inside."

I wasn't willing to give up yet, but the property manager stunned me with his baton until I fainted. He then dragged me to the entrance of the villa area and dumped me next to my electric scooter.

The blood in my veins felt like it had turned to ice when I regained consciousness. The cream that was smeared across half of my face had also hardened, adding to my pathetic appearance.

I lay on the ground as the freezing snowflakes melted on my face. They mixed with my tears and flowed down my cheeks.

A familiar ringing cut through the silence. It was the ringtone that I used for my parents. I had intentionally set a special ringtone for them because I didn't want to accidentally miss their calls when I was busy.