Chapter 3

I smiled but said nothing.

That was simply how the Parkers expressed their love— warm, direct, and completely different from the Bennetts.

"I'm not surprised Sean chose the Parkers. He's always been a bit impulsive. But you..."

Evelyn reached out and ruffled my hair.

"Sometimes, even I can't figure out what's going on in that head of yours."

I lowered my gaze and wrote another passage on the page, sketching out the beginnings of a story.

It wasn't that I was especially deep or mysterious.

I simply knew what I wanted.

Life at the Bennett household settled into a steady rhythm as I carefully mapped out my new future.

Inside my nine-year-old body lived the soul of a twenty-four-year-old.

The moment I picked up the fountain pen beside my bed, the familiar feeling came rushing back.

But I restrained myself.

I couldn't start off writing novels with the same mature style I developed in my previous life.

That would be far too unbelievable.

I had to improve gradually.

Every now and then, Hedworth would pass by my study and glance at what I was writing, a flicker of surprise crossing his face.

"Aaron, you have a real gift for writing. But your work seems to carry a melancholy that doesn't belong to someone your age."

I set down my pen and looked up at him with a bright smile.

"That's because your house is so peaceful, Mr. Bennett. I wanted to capture that feeling in my writing."

Hedworth patted my shoulder, approval evident in his eyes.

Just as I was gradually settling into life with the Bennetts, my phone vibrated.

It was a text message from Sean—sent from the new phone the Parkers bought for him.

Attached was a photo.

The bed was covered with ordinary stationery supplies, while Sean grinned brightly at the camera. Behind him was the Parker family's small but cozy living room.

"Aaron, look! Mom and Dad bought me a complete set of writing supplies!

"They said that as long as I love writing, they'll support me no matter what it takes.

"You don't get this kind of support from your whole family over there, do you?"

I stared at the screen.

Before I could reply, another message arrived.

"By the way, I signed up for a creative writing class at the youth center. The instructor said I have talent.

"Aaron, I want to be a writer someday. You think I'll succeed, right?"

I held my phone and looked at the familiar stationery brands in the photo.

They were the same brands I used most often in my previous life and considered the best value for the money.

I sent him a smiling emoji.

Good for him.

He had finally gotten the life he wanted.

I genuinely wished him well and hoped he would find the warmth he always dreamed of.

And I believed that in this life, I would carve out an even brighter path for myself.

The days passed quietly, one after another.

Eight months later, news of Laura's pregnancy caused quite a stir in the Bennett household.

The first thing to change was the atmosphere at home.

The once-quiet house saw a constant stream of nutritional supplements and baby supplies being delivered.

Linda became even more careful in everything she did, to the point where even her footsteps seemed softer.

At the same time, bits and pieces of gossip began finding their way to my ears.

One day, I got out of school early.

As I passed the conservatory, I overheard one of Hedworth's cousins chatting with his assistant.

"I said it from the start. An adopted child is never the same as your own flesh and blood.

"See? Now that Laura's pregnant, Aaron's position in this family is going to get pretty awkward."

The assistant lowered his voice and tried to smooth things over.

"Please keep your voice down. Aaron is a very good kid."

"So, what if he is? Are they really going to leave part of the family fortune to an outsider?

"Just wait until the baby is born. He'll end up getting sent back to the orphanage sooner or later, or dumped in some boarding school and forgotten about."

I stood in the shadows, my heart completely calm. Not the slightest ripple disturbed it.