Chapter 3

"Victor, you're here."

When we arrived at the hospital room, Jason was watching a movie, his complexion undeniably worse than mine. If anything, he looked like the one who was seriously ill.

Despite his warm greeting, the challenge in his eyes—that unmissable arrogance—cut sharper than any blade.

"Victor, thanks for handing the company over to me. Don't worry, I'll make it even more successful."

"With Jason managing the company, you won't have to work so hard. You'll still get your share of the profits, and it'll be so much easier for you," Mom added, grabbing my hand with a smile.

I forced a smile back. "Yeah, I agree. That's why I'm going to hand over all my assets to Jason to manage. That way, I can relax."

Everyone froze, shocked. They knew just how much that was worth.

"Victor, are you serious? Even the trust fund in the bank?" Leah’s voice was a mix of shock and confusion.

I was puzzled. Jason had always wanted everything I had, and the whole family was always there to support him. When I refused, I was called selfish, rude, and ungrateful. Now that I was finally giving it to her, they were acting strange.

Wasn't this what they had been pushing for all along?

After a long silence, it was Dad who finally spoke up. "Victor, you've really grown up. You're being kind to your brother, looking out for her now."

"Should've been like this from the start," Mom chimed in. "We're family. What's yours is ours. No need to draw a line so firmly everywhere."

"It's good to see you two getting along. Your mother and I are relieved," Dad added with a smile.

But were they really relieved? Did they honestly think Jason was capable of managing all that wealth?

At home, she fooled everyone with her fake kindness. But out in the world, no one would buy it.

I felt a tickle in my nose. When I rubbed it, my fingers came away smeared with blood.

"Why the nosebleed? The humidity in this room is perfectly fine," Mom murmured, handing me a tissue.

I wiped the blood away casually, then tested the waters. "Mom, Dad... if I died one day, would you be sad?"

There was a pause, a heavy silence in the room.

Dad looked at me with a serious expression, his voice sharp. "Victor, don't play these tricks. Don't pretend to be sick just to get sympathy."

He sighed, rubbing his forehead. "Your wolf may not be the strongest, but this is just a small problem that can be easily cured. Don't try to pull stunts like this in front of us again."

The room, which had been peaceful just moments ago, suddenly felt heavy again with Dad's words.

I smiled bitterly.

What wolf? My wolf had already died while fighting off the Silverthorn Wolfsbane. That toxin, laced with silver, had seeped into my bloodstream and eventually corroded my organs.

And in the end, it killed my wolf.

"Dad, I know Victor lied before, acted out, and pretended to be sick. But that was the old him. I believe he's better now," Jason said, looking at me with a sharp, taunting look. He sounded like she was defending me, but all I could hear was he reminding everyone of my past mistakes.

"Alright, just don't mess up again. Look at you—so full of life," Dad muttered, then turned to Jason with undisguised tenderness. "Meanwhile, Jason's the one who really needs care."

His voice dropped, heavy with concern. "This illness... he healing factor's almost nonexistent now."

"I think Uncle Jason needs more love and care," Mark said, leaning over the bed. "Please get better soon, Uncle Jason!"

I felt a sharp pain in my chest, and all the small hope I had left was crushed.

I wiped away the tears that had started to fall, then looked at Mark and said, "You said your Uncle Jason is the best, right? Do you want her to be your Daddy instead?"

I smiled and said, "I've decided. From now on, Jason will be your mommy. Are you happy?"

Mark's eyes lit up. "Really?"

"Really. Jason can stay with you from now on. He can pick you up from kindergarten and cook you better meals than I ever could. How does that sound? Aren't you happy?"

Before I could say more, Mark grabbed my hand and kissed the back of it. "I'm so happy, Daddy. You're the best!"

Then, without a second thought, he rushed to Jason's bedside and called out, "Daddy!"

The pain in my chest was unbearable.

It had been so long since my son had shown me any affection. I couldn't even remember the last time he held my hand, or kissed the back of my hand like that.

And the price for all of that was letting him call someone else "Daddy".

My parents and Leah watched the scene with smiles on their faces, pleased.