Chapter 5

I looked at Dad.

"So?"

"So can't you just let this one go, pretend the money never existed?"

Dad's tone softened.

"Kevin going abroad brings honor to this family. Once he makes something of himself, he won't forget you."

Won't forget me.

I nodded.

Then I turned, grabbed Kevin's arm, and yanked him out from behind Mom.

"Nathan!" Mom shrieked.

I ignored her and looked at Kevin.

"The money. How much is left?"

His face went white.

"I—I paid for tuition, bought a plane ticket, and... sent eleven thousand five hundred to my parents..."

Eleven thousand five hundred dollars.

Sent to his parents.

Using Grandma's money.

I tightened my grip on his arm.

"Kevin, that money was my grandmother's. She left it for me."

He started crying. "Nathan, I was wrong. I'll pay it back, I swear."

Mom rushed over, trying to pry my hand off him.

"Nathan, let go of him! We're the ones who spent the money. Why are you taking it out on him?"

I shoved her off. She stumbled and hit the coffee table.

Dad's face went livid. He lunged forward and shoved me back.

"Nathan! Have you lost your mind?"

The push sent me stumbling into the wall. My back throbbed.

Kevin threw himself into Mom's arms, sobbing so hard he could barely breathe.

"Diane, it's all my fault... I don't deserve to be alive..."

Mom held him, eyes red, glaring at me over his shoulder.

"Nathan, are you trying to get somebody killed before you're satisfied?"

I looked at the three of them.

Mom, arms around Kevin, patting his back gently.

Dad, standing in front of me, his eyes full of wariness.

Like I was some kind of monster. Like I was the outsider here.

I straightened up.

"What about the rest of it? Tuition wouldn't have used all of it."

Mom looked up. "We put the rest away. For Kevin's future."

Grandma's money.

For Kevin's future.

I laughed.

I laughed until tears started running down my face.

"Fine."

I nodded.

Then I walked toward Kevin.

Mom immediately hugged him tighter. "What are you going to do?"

I didn't answer.

I grabbed a fistful of his hair, yanked him out of Mom's arms, and threw him to the floor.

Kevin sprawled there, screaming through tears.

"David, Diane, help me!"

Dad's palm cracked across my face.

The sound of it rang out.

Pain flared hot across my cheek.

The whole world went silent.

I held my cheek, staring at him.

His hand was still raised, his face flushed red, his breath coming hard.

"Nathan, you've really disappointed me."

I said nothing.

Mom rushed over to pull Kevin up, wiping his tears with one hand while cursing at me with the other.

"You ungrateful piece of trash! We raised you for eighteen years, and this is how you repay us? If I'd known you'd turn out this heartless, I never should have had you."

Dad looked at me, his expression complicated.

"Nathan, you've gone too far."

Gone too far.

Taking back money that was mine, apparently, was going too far.

Him taking everything I had—that was apparently fine.

I looked at them.

Mom, with her arms around Kevin. Dad, brow furrowed. The three of them standing together. Me, standing across from them.

Suddenly, I didn't want to say anything else.

"Fine."

I nodded.

"Then let's just say you never had me."

Mom froze. "What did you say?"

I looked her in the eye.

"Starting today, I'm not your son. You're not my parents.

"We're done. Cut off. For good."