Chapter 4

By the time dinner began, I could no longer stand on my own. Lily helped me into a chair and even placed a cushion behind my back.

"See? I still care about you."

In front of everyone, she ladled soup into a bowl for me.

"Ryan just has a lot on his mind. He'll be fine after a while."

Parsley floated on the surface of the soup. I was severely allergic to parsley.

For seven years, Lily had always reminded waiters to omit parsley from my meals. Today, she forgot. Or perhaps, ever since Henry returned, she no longer cared to remember my dietary needs.

"Lily, if Ryan doesn't want it, feed me."

Lily immediately brought the bowl to Henry.

"Be careful. It's hot."

The relatives laughed.

"The brothers used to be so close. Now that the younger one is back, the older one is jealous."

"Ryan has been spoiled. He needs to learn to give in to Henry."

Sarah approached with a glass of wine.

"Did you hear that? Nobody thinks we've treated you unfairly. Now, sign the papers, raise a toast to Henry, and we'll put all of this behind us."

The agreement was placed in front of me again. A pen hovered over the signature line.

Even through my cloudy vision, I shook my head.

"That house was Grandma's gift to me."

Dad finally lost his patience and snapped, "How long are you going to keep acting like a child? If you don't sign today, you're not leaving this house."

Before I could respond, Henry spoke softly. "Dad, Ryan isn't feeling well. Let him rest for a while."

The four of them carried me into the guest room. Sarah placed the agreement on the bedside table.

"You can come out when you've come to your senses."

Lily pulled the blanket over me and pressed a hand against my forehead.

"You don't have a fever. Stop pretending to be sick just to upset Mom and Dad."

"My phone…" I said weakly.

"You'll get it back after you sign the papers."

As Lily turned away, I grabbed the sleeve of her shirt.

"My medical records are in the master bedroom. Go take a look at them."

For seven years, whenever I held onto her like that, she would always stop and comfort me. This time, Henry called her name from the hallway, and her sleeve immediately slipped from my fingers.

"Henry has had a difficult day. I'm going to stay with him. When your attitude improves, I'll come check on you."

The door closed. Then, I heard the lock click.

Pain completely erased my sense of time. When I woke up, it was already dark outside.

Laughter drifted in from the living room. Lily and Henry were opening wedding gifts together.

The emergency call function on my watch still worked. I had barely entered the second digit when the bedroom door suddenly opened. Henry walked in and snatched the watch away.

"Are you trying to call an ambulance again? The house is full of relatives. Are you trying to humiliate us?"

"Give it back."

I lifted an arm, but it fell helplessly back onto the mattress.

Henry stared at my face. For a brief second, panic flickered in his eyes. Still, he quickly fastened the watch around his own wrist.

"Ryan, this watch is pretty nice. I'll consider it your wedding gift to me."

The door locked again.

I didn't know how much time passed after that. Eventually, the living room grew quiet.

Lily entered with her arm looped through Henry's. My parents and Sarah followed.

"Ryan, you still haven't signed the agreement." Sarah patted my cheek. "Stop pretending to be asleep. The last time you went for a checkup, the doctor said you were fine. Are you trying to guilt-trip us again?"

My body no longer felt pain.

Lily sat beside the bed, her voice patient yet weary. "Look how considerate Henry is. He was the one who told me to come check on you. If you just sign your name and give him the house, we can go back to our normal lives."

Mom adjusted the shawl around Henry's shoulders.

"Your brother came home with nothing. Why can't you just let him have this? We won't abandon you."

Dad nodded coldly.

"Lying there without moving isn't going to get you out of this."

Leaning against Lily, Henry sniffled quietly.

"Ryan, do you hate me? If that's the case, I don't want the house. Lily and I will move out."

"Don't be ridiculous." Lily tightened her arm around him before turning toward me. "Ryan, will you only be satisfied if Henry ends up homeless?"

When I didn't respond, she reached out and pushed my shoulder.

"That's enough."

My arm slipped from the edge of the mattress and dangled limply in midair.

Lily frowned as she leaned closer toward my face. The next second, her entire body froze beside the bed.