Chapter 4

Madison stiffened, panic flashing in her eyes. Instinctively, she grabbed Clyde’s hand, stopping him from saying another word.

I stood frozen. My mind went completely blank, images of that fully formed child flashing in my head as a sharp pain shot through my body.

Looking at their fake, pathetic faces, I couldn't hold it back anymore. I raised my hand to slap Clyde across the face.

"Clyde!"

Before I could react, a heavy blow cracked across my own face. My cheek swelled up instantly, and blood leaked from the corner of my mouth.

Madison stepped in front of Clyde, glaring at me. "Are you insane?!"

She caught sight of the blood on my mouth and paused for a second. In the end, she looked away.

"You shouldn't have put your hands on your brother. I'm the one who fell for him first. If you want to blame someone, blame me."

With that, she took Clyde's arm and walked out without looking back once.

I collapsed onto the floor, completely drained. I reached up to touch my face, only to find my cheeks soaked with tears.

Maybe driven by a thin thread of guilt, my mother came over later and looked down at me.

"You and Clyde grew up together. I was always busy back then and couldn't take good care of you boys. Remember the big earthquake when you were eight? The whole building collapsed, trapping you and Clyde under a support beam. The rescue team said they could only save one of you.

"I didn't know what to do. But Clyde heard them from under the rubble, and he said, 'Save my brother first.'

"Dean, he's your brother..."

We used to be the brothers everyone envied. How on earth did we end up like this?

The next day, I ignored a text my mother had sent asking me to come home for dinner so we could all reunite. So Andy showed up at my door and dragged me there by force.

It was only when I walked in that I realized today was Clyde's and my birthday.

Seeing me arrive, Clyde came over enthusiastically to greet me while I just stood there, completely numb.

Until an oblivious guest suddenly spoke up. "Wait, wasn't Madison with Dean? How did she end up marrying Clyde?"

The room went silent.

Another guest immediately snapped back, "You've got it wrong. Madison's husband has always been Clyde. As for Dean, I heard he was desperate to marry into her wealthy family for years..."

"He actually dared to show up today? Don't tell me he's trying to be a homewrecker..."

Before I could even process the words, Clyde jumped to his feet. "My brother is not a homewrecker!"

The next second, the crowd shifted their gazes to me, now filled with pure contempt.

Looking at his saintly, fake face, days of suppressed rage finally boiled over. I grabbed his arm and demanded, "You're my brother! Even if you loved her, why couldn't you just tell me to my face?!"

I didn't even use that much force. Yet Clyde let out a sharp cry of pain and fell backward, crashing straight into the ground.

My mother shoved me hard. My head slammed into the concrete wall behind me, sending a blinding wave of pain through my skull.

Warm blood ran down my neck, soaking into my collar.

Madison rushed over, shielding Clyde with her body. The way she looked at me this time was as cold as ice.

"Clyde and I are legally married," she said, her voice dripping with venom, laying out every word. "Dean is the one with sick intentions. He's been stalking and harassing me nonstop."

Her words hit like a blade to the heart.

Andy glared at me with pure hatred. "Clyde is my best friend. Anyone who touches him has to go through me first!"

Faced with their accusations and insults, I didn't even have the energy left to argue. I just felt tired.

Numbly, I turned around, preparing to leave, only for Clyde to reach out and pull me back, tears streaming down his face.

The very next second, screams echoed through the room as the heavy crystal chandelier directly overhead snapped and crashed down.

"Clyde!"

Madison ran toward him without a second thought. My mother and Andy shrieked Clyde's name in pure horror, while I could only cover my head by instinct.

The shattering sound was deafening.

Madison held Clyde tightly, frantically checking every inch of him to see if he was hurt. Then, as if a sudden realization hit her, her stomach dropped. She whipped her head around, and her face turned deathly pale.