Chapter 4

"Dad, I brought Casper."

Riley dragged me through the crowd and stopped in front of Joseph.

Ivy was sitting beside him, but Jack was nowhere to be seen.

Riley seemed to notice what I was thinking and explained, "Knowing you were coming today, Dad specifically sent Jack on a trip.

"Dad has missed you so much all these years."

She stared intently at me as if hoping to find some sign of emotion on my face, but I merely smirked. I found the whole thing rather amusing.

This scene was very similar to Jack's wedding five years ago.

Back then, to keep me from ruining his wedding, Joseph and Riley had locked me inside the villa.

If someone hadn't noticed something was wrong and called the ambulance, I might have died.

On the way to the hospital, I'd scrolled through Jack's Instagram account.

He was dressed in a black suit while holding Ivy tightly in his arms. Joseph and Riley stood around them.

They looked like a happy family of four.

Meanwhile, I didn't even have anyone willing to sign the consent forms for me.

Thinking about this, I couldn't be bothered to maintain even the most basic courtesy anymore. I turned around and headed straight for the entrance.

I'd decided five years ago that I was done playing along.

"Stop right there!"

Joseph called after me. His voice trembled slightly. It was perhaps from anger.

"Casper, do you really hate seeing me so badly?"

I didn't turn around, but the relatives around us couldn't stand it anymore. One after another, they got to their feet.

"Casper! What's wrong with you? It's your dad's birthday!"

"Five years without seeing him, and the first thing you do when you come back is make him this angry? He raised you all these years, and this is how you repay him?"

"You're so ungrateful!"

"Just look at him. No wonder Joseph brought Jack home."

They all chimed in one after another.

Apart from scolding me, not a single person cared where I'd been for the past five years.

They didn't care if I'd been doing well or if I'd suffered any hardship.

It was just like Mom's funeral all over again. Joseph had walked in with Jack, who was only a year younger than me, and proudly made an announcement.

"Jack is the son I've been raising outside this family. Now that Maureen is gone, I'm bringing him home and acknowledging him as my son."

My eyes had turned bloodshot with rage. I'd thrown myself at them like a madman and tried to attack them.

I'd screamed at them to get out and stop them from ruining Mom's funeral.

Riley had grabbed me and scolded me for being unreasonable.

Ivy had tried to persuade me by saying that having another younger brother was a good thing. She told me to stop throwing a tantrum.

Those relatives had also stood by coldly while making sarcastic remarks, just as they were doing now.

"What's the big deal about having another younger brother? A bigger family is a good thing. How can Casper not understand that?"

"Maureen clearly didn't raise her son properly. Just look at Jack. He's so well-behaved."

"Exactly. No wonder Joseph likes him."

Scene after scene from the past appeared in my mind. I glanced coldly at everyone present and continued toward the exit.

Frank's plane should be landing soon. I needed to go pick him and the others up.

Suddenly, a hand clamped forcefully around my wrist. It was Riley's.

"Didn't you hear Dad calling you?

"It's his birthday today. Hurry up and apologize. Tell him you were wrong, then come home with us. I'm doing this for your own good."

She dragged me to the center of the hall.

Ivy came over too and looked at me with exasperation.

"Casper, can't you just be a little more obedient?

"Hurry up and apologize to your dad!"

"I did nothing wrong," I said through clenched jaws.

Smack.

I covered my face. It burned with pain.

"Casper!"

Riley held up her left hand. Her eyes filled with a look of anguish.

"How did you turn into this kind of person after spending five years away?"

"What happened to my son?" A stern voice suddenly echoed through the hall.

My wife and my sister, Ivanna, walked in with Frank following close behind.

"Casper is my son. I'd like to see which one of you dares lay a hand on him!"

I turned around, and my eyes immediately welled with tears.

"Dad!"