Reborn from Betrayal, I Cut Every Tie

...Their gazes swept over my emaciated frame and tattered clothes.Flavia Grady's brow creased. Without a word, she reached into a box and offered me another chocolate.A sharp voice interrupted, "One per person. That's the rule."Ambrose Grady came up, snatching the extra chocolate from my grasp. His tone was icy, his words deliberate. "Taking two isn't fair to the other children, is it?"Flavia glanced at him, her fleeting hesitation fading into indifference. The words she seemed to hold back dwindled to a single, curt directive. "Take your share and go."I clutched my chocolate, my chest tightening as if struck by a heavy blow.A bitter ache surged within me. I'd known this outcome was inevitable. Yet receiving their cold dismissal and seeing my faint hope snuffed out still broke my heart.My eyes stung with unshed tears, but the messages kept coming.[Lawrence, call them Mom and Dad! They're here to take you home!][You're their true son, and that girl is your fiancée.]

The night before our engagement, Catherine arrived at the banquet with Erik.In front of the elders, she flung the engagement ring at my feet. "My engagement to Lawrence is null. This marriage was your decision, not mine. Why should I honor it?"Furious, my parents slapped her and ordered bodyguards to drag Erik out, vowing to banish him from the city.Yet within a month, they brought him back, calling him pitiable and adopting him as their foster son. They even pressed me to end my engagement with Catherine and seek a new match.Erik's triumphant smirk mirrored my humiliated grimace. Watching my family and fiancée unconditionally side with him, I couldn't contain my rage.I punched him and declared that if he stayed, I'd leave.That night, Erik disappeared, leaving a tear-stained letter claiming he didn't want to burden my parents or Catherine and would end the drama with his death.My parents severed ties with me. When they passed, their will barred me from their funeral. Cath

Ambrose frowned at the sight of the bloody welts on my back, and I hoped for a flicker of concern.Instead, he snapped, "Didn't I say to keep him out of sight? Why is he at the entrance? Hood him. What a disgrace!"I gave a hollow laugh. They cared only that my Grady-like features might shame them.Seeing me pale and on the verge of collapse, Flavia waved at a servant. "Take him away and feed him. If he dies here, people will talk."The servants dragged me to the backyard, forced me to kneel, and tossed a rusty basin of rancid leftovers. Starved, I reached for it, pride cast aside."Hold it!" a servant barked, stomping on my hand. "Young Master says you're the guard dog. Eat like one on the ground."Laughter erupted around me. I closed my eyes, swallowed my humiliation, and licked the sour, spoiled food from the basin, tears mixing with the filth as I choked it down.With some strength restored, I crept along the wall toward the back gate, searching for an escape, but guards blo

Jordan's gaze swept over Catherine like a hawk locking onto its prey. His voice wasn't loud, yet it echoed through the hall."Take back my words?" he snorted. "Even Ambrose, the mighty president of Grady Group, wouldn't dare make that demand. Who are you to try?"...His words struck Catherine like an invisible slap, draining her face of color. Her lips trembled, unable to form a response, and she shrank back.Erik stepped forward, wearing an expression of wounded innocence. He tugged at my parents' arms, his voice quivering with feigned guilt. "It's all my fault. I must have upset Lawrence, making him feel neglected. That's why he is acting out."The rims of his eyes reddened, teardrops glimmering on his lashes. "Lawrence, I know you envy their love for me, but I'm their son. They kindly took you in and sheltered you. Isn't that enough? Do you want them to treat you as their own and me to give up everything?"His manipulative words reignited my parents' anger. They compared his

"Let's be honest. You're all reborn too, aren't you?" I said....The corridor fell into a deathly silence.My parents' expressions froze in disbelief. Catherine took a step back and covered her mouth.I continued, my voice cold, "From the beginning, I never thought about recognizing you or returning to this house. If not for Erik, would you have dragged me back like a stray? In our last life, you despised me, wishing we'd never meet again. Why, in this second chance, can't you let me go? Does chaining me, tormenting me, and letting Erik trample me delight you so much?"Footsteps echoed from the end of the corridor. Erik ran into our standoff, quickly donning his innocent mask. "Guys, what is going on here? Did Lawrence upset you?"Turning to me, he continued, "Apologize, Lawrence, before they punish you."I locked eyes with him, snapping, "Drop the act, Erik! You're reborn too, aren't you?"His fake smile cracked, shock flashing across his face, but he quickly recovered, his v