Chapter 3

The car fell into dead silence. Every word of that phone call had reached Mom and Dad in the back seat.

"Noah, what you just said... You were just upset, right?" Mom leaned forward.

"I know you feel cheated. Your cousin and the others went too far today. But you can't do this. That's your own cousin! The only son in their family!"

When I didn't respond, she continued, "Besides, your uncle is my brother. As his sister, I can't hurt him like this.

"If you do this, how are our two families supposed to get along? How am I supposed to show my face around my family anymore?

"Noah, I'm begging you, let's not be angry about this, okay? Can't we just move past this and you keep helping him with the formula?"

I frowned and cut her off. "Mom, you saw their attitude today. They clearly just want to use my formula for free. Sure, he's my cousin, but when he went back on his word and burned his bridges, did he think about being my cousin then?

"I worked myself to the bone researching that formula. I couldn't sleep properly for months. Does he really think that with his middle school education he could land those clients?

"They only agreed to work with him because of me, because of my reputation. He just showed up to sign papers and suddenly all the credit is his. And now I'm the one who didn't do anything?

"Mom, there's a limit to how much you can favor one side."

"Noah! That's not what I meant!" Mom immediately tried to explain. "You're my son. How could I not care about you? But you're educated, you have a graduate degree, you work at a research institute, so you have a future!

"Your cousin just has that farm. He barely went to school, and this is all he'll ever have! Can't you cut him some slack?"

"Mom." I looked at her devastated expression in the rearview mirror and spoke slowly. "Have you thought about what happens if I give in this time and keep providing the formula for free, even upgrading and improving it? Jack's farm will grow bigger and bigger, making more and more money.

"And then what? Next year, when it's time to split profits, will he give me 80 thousand? 100 thousand?

"Or will he think that since I have a decent job anyway and don't need the money, he just won't give me anything at all? You need to understand that what I have in my hands, plus the connections and resources I've built up in this field, is worth far more than a measly four or five million dollars.

"I chose to give it to him because he's my cousin, because you value this family bond. But I'm not a saint. I'm not here to give him charity. This was supposed to be a partnership based on trust and promises."

"They're enjoying all the benefits Noah brings them, but they won't be grateful. They'll just think it's what they deserve," Dad added coldly from the side, cutting straight to the point. "They'll even think they're doing our son a favor by throwing him scraps."

I nodded. "Exactly. Give them an inch and they'll take a mile.

"Today, he breaks his promise of a 50-50 split and gives me forty grand. What's to stop him from screwing me over completely next time? Mom, what happens then?"

After hearing my words, Mom's face turned deathly pale. "That won't work, Noah. You worked so hard to get into graduate school... You can't let this affect your future."

Hearing this, I finally felt relieved. Dad took a deep breath and reached over to grip Mom's still-trembling hand firmly. Then he looked at me.

"Noah, what are you planning to do next? After all this, I'm afraid things with the family are going to get ugly."

"Mom, Dad." I picked up where Dad left off. "I'm pretty much done with everything here. I'm planning to go abroad. I've already taken care of all the paperwork. In a few days, once I finish up the last few loose ends here, we're leaving."

"Abroad?"

"What?" They both exclaimed at once.