Chapter 2

The moment I stepped in, the living room was already packed with relatives.

My brother, Felix Grayson, stood in the middle, animatedly boasting, "Uncle Simon, you don't know how impossible it is to get into Beckett Group! Tons of people try every year, and most fail. But when I walked into the interview, the recruiter immediately said talent like mine was one in a million!"

Our uncle, Simon Dawson, grinned so wide that his wrinkles almost bloomed. "I always knew Felix was clever as a kid!"

Dad, dressed in a pristine jacket, couldn't stop smiling. "Exactly! Look at who his father is. Felix is destined to be someone special. His starting salary may only be three thousand dollars, but Ms. Beckett clearly sees his potential.

"She's planning to keep him close and train him as a management candidate. Who knows? Maybe Ms. Beckett might even become my daughter-in-law someday!"

I paused in the entryway, feeling nothing but bitter irony.

Felix hadn't earned his so-called dream job—it existed only because my girlfriend, Gwendolyn Beckett, had quietly spoken to HR on my behalf and secured him the position as a special favor.

The job itself was a simple logistics role. Anyone with working arms and legs could handle it.

And yet, in Felix's telling, it had magically become a testament to his brilliance and the admiration of his boss.

I kept my expression neutral as I changed my shoes and walked in. For a few seconds, the chatter in the living room died down.

Dad's smile faltered when he saw me. He pointed toward a small stool in the corner. "You're here? Sit there. Dinner's about to start."

The extra stool, which was usually reserved for the maids, was tucked far from the main table.

I strode straight up to him and held out my hand. "Dad, I'm not here to eat. I'm here for my money. For the past few years, I've been transferring 15 thousand dollars to you every month—that's about 500 thousand in total. You said you were saving it for my marriage. I need it now. Transfer it back to me."

The room froze.

Felix scowled, walking toward me with obvious annoyance. "Luther, what are you doing? We're family. What do you mean 'your money'? Once it enters this house, it belongs to all of us."

I glared at him. "Felix, you used my hard-earned money to buy a luxury villa and you expect me to smile? Half of that villa came from me. Either you return the money, or add my name to the deed."

Dad slammed his fork onto the table so hard that it rattled the dishes. He rose to his feet and shouted, "Luther! Are you out of your mind? In front of all these relatives, do you have no shame? Do you think the renovations or the furniture came free?"

My whole body shook with anger. "That's my money! Why should it be used to renovate his villa?"

Dad replied as if it were the most natural thing in the world, "Because he's your younger brother. You're supposed to give in to him and look out for him your whole life!

"As the older brother, isn't it your duty to support him? Besides, even if we gave the money back, you wouldn't keep it safe. Sooner or later, some woman would trick you out of it!"

Uncle Simon nibbled on a bowl of pretzels and mockingly said, "Luther, that's your mistake. A man should be generous. A harmonious family gives you respect in the world."

Another uncle, Vincent Grayson, added his two cents, "Exactly. We've heard you've had a girlfriend for years, but you never brought her home. What's the matter? Are you afraid to show her off? If you hand your money to an outsider, that's really like throwing it away."

Felix straightened his tie, grinning like he owned the world. "Luther, don't take this the wrong way, but your girlfriend doesn't even have a proper job, right? Unlike me—I work at Beckett Group. Just saying that out loud gives me clout. Your money's basically an investment in me. When I make it big, do you really think I'd let you go hungry?"

To protect these so-called family members, I had always hidden Gwendolyn's true identity, telling them she was just an ordinary entrepreneur.

In their eyes, that made me nothing more than a fat lamb waiting to be slaughtered, while Gwendolyn wasn't even worth a second thought.

"Felix, do you really think you got into Beckett Group on your own merit?" I asked, fixing him a cold stare.

Felix froze for a moment, then his face flushed red with anger. "Luther, stop being jealous! Why is it so hard to admit someone else is better than you? Someone like you, who's living off a fixed paycheck, wouldn't understand what a real platform looks like!"

Dad lunged forward and shoved me hard. "Out! If you're not here to eat, get out! Stop embarrassing us!"

That single shove snapped the last thread of attachment I had left for this family.