Chapter 4

Mom rolled her eyes and quickly changed the subject. "Janet finished her master's this year. She already has a job lined up at a geological research institute."

Grandfather and Grandmother immediately smiled brightly.

"I knew Janet would do well. Good for her!"

"What about Harvey? Has he found a job?"

Dad quickly replied, "He's got a great job lined up, too. He's just waiting for his start date."

"They're both doing well. Unlike some shameless people who do nothing but mooch off their family."

"I found a job, too. I'm flying out in the next few days," I answered seriously.

"Sure you did. You can't even afford a plane ticket." Grandmother scoffed.

That evening, the whole family went out to dinner. We all headed out together.

There were a lot of us this time, so Harvey offered to ride with Grandmother in a cab.

That left an empty seat in the SUV.

Janet suddenly opened the front passenger door for me. "I remember you get carsick, too, right?"

"You remembered wrong." I walked past her and got into the back seat.

When we got to the restaurant, my two aunts, Minnie and Carrie Gould, stared at me for a while before they finally realized who I was.

"Liam? You've gotten this thin?" Minnie patted me on the shoulder. "You lost all that weight without telling anyone. Your parents must've been worried sick."

I gave a quiet laugh and said nothing.

Mom and Dad exchanged an awkward glance.

Suddenly, Grandmother touched her wrist and cried out. "Where's my gold bracelet?"

Grandfather frowned. "Why are you yelling? Maybe you left it at home."

"Impossible! I was wearing it when we left!" With that, she turned around and slapped me across the face. "Was it you? You've always had sticky fingers, you brat!"

My ears rang as I covered my stinging cheek.

"It wasn't me!" I shouted. "Harvey was in the same car as you. Why are you blaming me?"

Everyone turned to Harvey.

His eyes darted around before he suddenly burst into tears.

"I didn't do it! Why would I steal Grandmother's bracelet?" he said. "Liam, I know you're mad at Mom and Dad, but you can't blame me for this."

Mom looked at me, and her expression suddenly hardened. "It had to be you! You said you were going away for work, right? Where would you get the money for a plane ticket? If it wasn't you, then who else could it be?"

In an instant, I flew into a rage.

"I told you I didn't do it!" I screamed. "It was always like this when I was a kid. Janet and Harvey would mess up, and somehow I'd get blamed."

I was shaking with anger, unable to calm myself down.

All the hurt I had carried since childhood came pouring out.

"Harvey and I are twins. Why did you send me away to the countryside, then complain that I was too tanned and ugly?

"Why was I never included when you bought clothes and shoes? Why was I never allowed to ride in the family car?

"Janet and Harvey got 2000 dollars a month to spend while I had to earn my own tuition! I couldn't even take a single day off during summer or winter break.

"Why? Am I not your son, too?"

Mom's eyes were bloodshot with anger as she slapped me hard across the face.

"Look at that! We raised him all these years, only for him to turn against us. If you're so unhappy with us, then get out of this family!" Mom snapped.

Dad's expression darkened as he pointed in my face. "You're still holding onto things from when you were a kid. You're nothing but an ingrate!"

Something flickered in Harvey's eyes, and he suddenly rushed over and tried to grab my bag. The bag contained confidential documents for the Helios Program.

"Don't touch that!" I lunged forward and yanked him away with red-rimmed eyes.

Harvey hit the ground hard.

His knee was bleeding badly as he looked up and pointed at me. "You're acting guilty because you did it. It was you!"

Mom breathed a sigh of relief.

She slapped me so hard I fell to my knees.

"How dare you steal your grandmother's bracelet then try to frame Harvey?" Mom said. "Stay right there and think about what you've done.

"Did this family wrong you, or is this what you deserve?"

A crowd gathered outside the restaurant, pointing at me and whispering.

"He's old enough to know better than to steal. What a disgrace."

"No wonder his parents don't love him."

I stayed right where I was in a daze, my knees throbbing with pain.

That sting spread through my body, leaving a deep ache in my chest.

Whatever attachment I still had to them as a family was gone in an instant.

After some time, I finally pulled myself to my feet, gripping the railing for support.

I limped over to a cab and went home to get my duffel bag and fold up the bed.

One by one, I deleted every family member's contact information. Then, I closed the front door and headed straight for the airport.