Chapter 2

That very night, Dad hurled the fake medical report viciously at Eric's feet.

There was no longer any hiding the truth—that Eric had faked his illness, and that Alicia had forced me to donate blood.

Tears came to Eric instantly. Choking on sobs, he could barely catch his breath.

"Mom, Dad, I'm sorry. I was just too scared. After the way Ronnie treated me before, I didn't know if he had really changed. I just… wanted to test him. I truly didn't mean to pretend to be sick."

As he spoke, he stumbled toward the wardrobe, sobbing while stuffing clothes recklessly into a suitcase.

"I know I was wrong. I'll move out right now. I won't trouble you anymore…"

Alicia immediately rushed over and pressed down on the suitcase, her voice rising sharply.

"Mom, Dad! Did you hear that? Eric's just insecure! You know better than anyone how badly Ronnie bullied him back then!"

She glanced toward my room, her tone growing even more agitated.

"Have you forgotten what Ronnie used to be like? Arrogant, overbearing, completely out of control! And after 'learning manners' for five years, he's suddenly a completely different person? Who would believe that?

"What kind of normal person slits his wrists and jumps off a building over a few words? If he can be this ruthless to himself, imagine how calculating he really is! If you ask me, he's just gotten better at acting…"

"Enough!"

Dad's furious shout cut her off cold.

My parents shot her a harsh glare, but in the end, they still let her words sink in.

From that night onward, everyone looked at me with suspicion in their eyes.

With my parents silently allowing it, Eric's "tests" gradually became more extreme.

When he deliberately dumped an entire glass of ice water over my head, I stood there without moving. I even tilted my head up and gave him a pleasing smile.

When he intentionally placed seafood into my bowl, I softly thanked him and obediently ate every bite.

As angry red rashes rapidly spread across my neck, Eric finally lost his patience completely.

Furious, he grabbed a handful of sleeping pills and violently shoved them into my mouth.

"Swallow them! Aren't you supposed to be obedient?! Let's see how long you can keep pretending!"

Dad hesitated, as though he wanted to speak.

Mother slowly lowered the hand she had instinctively reached out with and eventually turned her face away.

Alicia crossed her arms nearby, openly watching the scene like entertainment.

They were all waiting for the once arrogant and unruly Ronnie to finally explode in anger and cause a scene. Even Eric himself had unconsciously tensed up.

But I didn't resist at all. I simply opened my mouth obediently and forced myself to swallow every single pill.

Eric froze in shock for a second.

When he realized I was serious, the color drained from his face instantly. He lunged at me frantically, jamming his fingers into my mouth.

"Are you insane?! Spit them out! Hurry and spit them out! Ronnie! Those are sleeping pills! If you take too many, you'll really die! Are you trying to make me a murderer?!"

By the time the family doctor arrived, the struggle had rubbed the corners of my mouth raw, streaks of blood already seeping out.

The induced vomiting process was long and humiliating.

Curled up on the couch, I trembled uncontrollably.

Dad draped his jacket over my shoulders with shaking hands, his reddened eyes glaring viciously at Alicia and Eric.

"This is all because of your stupid idea! Are you satisfied now?!"

Mother threw herself at me and broke down sobbing in my arms.

"Ronnie… my poor Ronnie! What happened to you? What's happened to my son?!"

But I only stared blankly at the light on the ceiling above me without the slightest response.