Chapter 3

Carson looked genuinely surprised. "Jason, what are you doing here?"

He hesitated, then added, voice growing quieter with each word, "This symposium is by invitation only... Don't tell me you stole someone's pass?"

There was a flicker of shame in his expression.

Our mother's face tensed the moment she saw me. Clearly, even she knew she had no right to pretend ignorance.

"Jason, don't make a scene," she said with forced calm. "We brought Carson here for business. His company needs to secure a patent."

But the moment she noticed the professor standing behind me, her entire demeanor shifted. Her eyes lit up. "Professor, we're very interested in your university's latest aerospace patent. Would you consider licensing it to our son's company?"

The professor glanced at me. "That patent was developed by Jason. You'll need his approval."

Carson's gaze darkened—vicious, even—but he masked it well. He turned to the others with a disappointed sigh. "What can I do? Jason hates me. He'd never agree to give it up."

Dad's brow knotted instantly. He grabbed my arm and pulled me aside. "Jason, change the name on that patent. Put Carson down as the inventor. You're his older brother. You've never given him a proper gift in your life. He needs that patent right now, and you don't even know how to make good use of it. It's wasted on you."

I nearly laughed. Dad's words were so absurd that they were almost comical. "This isn't charity. If he wants it, he can pay for it. I'm not handing it over for free."

Dad stood there, finger raised in fury, but the words caught in his throat. Mom looked at me, her eyes clouded with disappointment. "Jason, we're a family. Why are you treating your brother like this?"

"You crashed this event just to force us to acknowledge you as our son in public, didn't you?" she went on. "Fine. Give him the patent, and we'll give you your place in the family."

I hadn't thought they could sink any lower. But they always managed to prove me wrong.

I smirked. "You really think I want to be part of your family?"

Before they could respond, I turned and walked away.

Outside the venue, I spotted a red Ferrari parked at the curb.

I suddenly remembered how, as a child, I'd begged Dad for a model of that exact car. He had hoisted me up on his shoulders, laughing as he pointed to the real one in our garage.

"If you like it that much," he'd said, "I'll buy you one when you get your license."

I'd clapped my hands and shouted with glee, certain then that he was the best father in the world—that he would always love me more than anyone.

But eighteen years later, a boy they adopted to ease their guilt had taken everything.

I hated it. But there was nothing I could do.

Carson came up behind me, saw me lingering by the Ferrari, and deliberately ran his hand across its glossy surface.

"It's gorgeous," he said with a dreamy sigh. "I hope I get one for my birthday."

Dad didn't even pause. He pulled out his phone. "Get three Ferraris delivered to Carson," he told his assistant.

Carson gave a modest little protest. "Isn't three a bit much?"

Dad patted his head like he was the most precious thing in the world. "Not at all. Drive whichever one you like. There's no need to wait for your birthday. If it makes you happy, it's yours."

"Thanks, Dad!" Carson beamed.

Then Jessica emerged with my mother, walking right past me. She gave me a withering glare. "What are you looking at? You don't actually think your dad would buy one for you, do you? Stop dreaming. You've never been one of us. You'll never replace Carson."

They climbed into their cars and drove off, leaving me behind at the curb.

The wind had turned bitter. I tightened my coat and hailed a cab home.

When I arrived, all my belongings had been thrown outside the gate, scattered like trash.

The maid came out looking apologetic. "Sir and Madam asked me to tell you: leave, and don't ever come back."

I didn't argue. I quietly packed my things and walked away.

That night, in the early hours, I boarded a flight. I was headed to a confidential research base under the national space agency.

Just before shutting off my phone, I sent a message to everyone in my contact list: [This is Jason. I hereby sever all ties with the Wheeler family. From this day forward, we are strangers.]

I was about to turn off my phone when a notification appeared.

It was a message from Carson.

[Jason, Mom and Dad know you're leaving. They have something they want to say to you.]