Chapter 2

When I was ten years old, my parents passed away in a car accident, leaving my younger sister, Brianna Larson, and me with no one except each other to rely on.

Without my parents around, my sister and I became a burden. The relatives whom we'd seen often in the past suddenly avoided us like the plague. They even took the assets that my parents had left behind and divided them among themselves.

To keep my sister alive, I had no choice but to go scavenging through the trash, but I still couldn't find enough food. Brianna and I became gaunt with hunger, and she became severely ill due to malnutrition.

Afraid that she would die, I carried her on my back and knelt at the entrance to an orphanage. I wanted to beg the orphanage director to take her in.

However, things became even worse for us when we were at the orphanage. Not only were we hungry, but we were also bullied by the older children. I was always covered with bruises from attempting to protect Brianna.

One day, I was fighting with an older child over a cookie that belonged to Brianna. He used the advantage of his height and weight to pin me to the ground while he pummeled me. Just as I thought that I was going to be beaten to death, Callum and his wife, Rhiannon, arrived and stopped him.

Rhiannon pressed a warm hand to my forehead and asked me softly, "Will you come home with me?"

It was the only ray of light in the darkness that my life had become after my parents' death.

"But I also have a younger sister…"

I was afraid that they wouldn't want her, and I held Brianna's thin body in my arms as we huddled in a corner.

I decided that I wouldn't go with them if they didn't want Brianna, but they showed no contempt at all. Instead, their hearts ached so much that they shed tears for us.

That was how Brianna and I were adopted by the Larsons.

…

At the Larsons', Rhiannon carefully treated Brianna's wounds. She prepared the food that we liked, made sure we had clothes that fit, and read us fairy tales at night when we went to bed.

Even little Vivian treated me very well. Not only did she chase off my bullies, she even stood up for me in front of everyone, saying that anyone who tried to cause trouble for me would be going against her as well.

That was how Brianna and I officially became part of the Larson family. The days when we had gone hungry in the past seemed like a dream.

After everyone saw those memories, there was an uproar on the Internet.

"What a despicable man! The Larsons treated him so well, and yet he repaid them in such a vile manner!"

"People like him deserve to be sentenced to death!"

Vivian could no longer endure it. She strode over and grabbed my throat. Her hot tears splattered on my face, feeling like they burned.

"Damon, why did you do this? What has my family ever done to you? Why did you repay us like this?"

Her tears stung, and my lips moved slightly. However, before I could say a word, a pale and slender hand suddenly took Vivian's arm.

"Viv, why are you wasting your time talking to him?

"Even if he admits to the crime, he'll die once all his memories have been played. Don't worry, I'll stay by your side forever."

The speaker was Levi Stone, a doctor who worked at the hospital, and Vivian's first love. He was the one who had told Vivian about using brain waves to extract memories.

The pair seemed very intimate, and Vivian didn't push him away. Instead, she fixed a tender gaze on him.

"Why are you here?"

Levi held up the syringe of serum he was holding. "I came to inject the second dose, of course."

The sharp needle plunged into my skin once more, and I began sweating from the pain. The second part of my memories was extracted.

…

When I was 20 years old, Callum and Rhiannon officially announced the news of my engagement to Vivian.

That night, we sat in the living room, and Rhiannon took out stacks of documents for me to sign. I glanced at them and saw that they were all contracts of funds and shares. My name was listed on all of them as the beneficiary.

I didn't dare to accept them, but Rhiannon looked lovingly at me. "This is the wedding gift that I prepared for you. Vivian will prepare one as well."

She instructed Vivian to treat me well in the future and never betray me, or she would disown her as her daughter.

Vivian smiled and made an oath. "I will treat Damon well, wholeheartedly."

After that, Vivian chose a renowned designer from Meria to design my suit. It came with an intricate lapel pin, which sparkled brilliantly.

I was immersed in the joy of my imminent marriage to Vivian, but just two days later, Callum suddenly had a stroke and collapsed.

Rhiannon couldn't endure the shock and fainted as well. Brianna was still at school and couldn't come home, while Vivian was under investigation by the tax office for issues with the company's taxes.

The once-distinguished Larson family was in trouble, and all their business partners began avoiding them.

I went to a lawyer with the funds and shares that the Larsons had given me and asked if I could liquidate them.