Chapter 2

I touched my face and looked up at Mom in shock.

She seethed. "Weren't you determined to fly off and chase your dreams? Weren't you so set on becoming a war correspondent? Why did you bother coming back?"

I took a deep breath. "Mom, Gina married Beckett, and they even had a child. Did you know about that?"

Mom's expression remained indifferent. "Of course I knew. Both of our families hosted the wedding together."

"What did you just say?" My eyes widened in disbelief. "I'm Gina's husband. I'm your son. How could you…"

"You've got some nerve saying that!" Mom shot back.

Hearing the commotion, Dad, Dorian Mendel, stormed out with a livid expression on his face.

He fumed, "We told you not to go overseas, but you insisted! You could've had a comfortable life here, but you just had to throw your life away in a war zone. When you disappeared two years ago, we all thought you were dead. Your mother cried every single day.

"And you? You were alive but never made a single phone call back home. Then, the first thing you did after coming back was to march in here accusing us."

I had just opened my mouth to explain when the doorbell rang.

Gina and Beckett walked in with Jamie.

Beckett called out affectionately, "Mom, Dad."

Mom greeted him with a smile. "Beckett, you're here! Come on in."

She immediately scooped Jamie into her arms. "Are you hungry? Grandma's going to make you something delicious…"

Grandma?

Watching the scene before me, my heart felt as though it were being sliced apart.

When Beckett saw me, he gave me an awkward smile. "Hey, Joseph. You're here too?"

"Don't talk to me. You're not my friend. You stole my wife and my family. You must be feeling pretty proud of yourself," I retorted.

Mom turned around and glared at me, her eyes red with anger. "Joseph, stop talking nonsense! Are you determined to tear this family apart? We watched Beckett grow up. He's far more sensible than you and much more considerate.

"He's the one who's been taking care of your father and me all these years. Unlike you, you ungrateful brat. You disappeared for two years and never even came home!"

I looked at Gina, but she guiltily looked away.

Back when I was about to accept the overseas assignment, both of our families had strongly opposed it. Gina had been the only one who supported me.

On the day I left, we had embraced at the airport for a long time.

She kissed my cheek and said, "Joseph, go do what you want to do. I'll always stand behind you."

But now, faced with my parents' accusations against me, she didn't say a single word.

In the end, it was Beckett who stepped in to smooth things over. "Mom, don't be upset. Joseph finally made it back. Let's all have dinner together."

At the dinner table, the five of them sat together like one family. I was squeezed into a corner. No one even bothered to set out a plate and cutlery for me.

Mom kept piling food onto Beckett's plate, worried he wouldn't have enough to eat. Dad spent the whole time making Jamie laugh and even slipped a thick envelope filled with cash into his little hands.

They chatted about family matters, company projects, and everything Jamie would need before starting kindergarten.

Meanwhile, I sat there like I was invisible. The food in my mouth suddenly became tasteless—it was like chewing wax.

I set down my fork and stood up. "I'm full."

Their attention remained fixed on Jamie. No one responded.

As I walked out of Mendel Manor, the night wind was so cold that chill seeped into my bones.

Just then, I suddenly thought of my old job.

I immediately rushed back home and dug out my old laptop. It still contained all the interview footage I'd filmed in the war zone over the years, along with the rest of my reporting materials.

I logged into my work account, intending to upload the videos. Only then did I discover that my account had already been deactivated.

Early the next morning, I went to the TV station.

The young woman at the front desk stopped me. "You can't come in without an employee badge."

I said, "My name is Joseph Mendel. I was the station's correspondent assigned to Denbrov. I'm here to apply to return to my position."

She searched the system on her computer. Then, she froze in surprise.

"Joseph Mendel, you say… That name has already been removed from our records. Someone else has already filled that position."

"Someone else? Who?"

The receptionist smiled and replied, "Mr. Beckett Jobling. He's now the youngest senior correspondent at our station. He even won an international journalism award not long ago."