6

On that day, she stood there in a white dress, her eyes slightly red, staring directly at Trevis.

"Trevis, why did you give up?" she asked. "Do you know how disappointed Mr. Peterson was when he heard the news? You clearly did so well in your exams!"

He sat with his head down against the wall, not uttering a word.

The girl persisted, "What about me? I worked so hard to get into Harvard just to be with you at the same university. Why are you giving up?"

She took out a check from her bag and approached Trevis, placing it in his hand.

"I know about Mrs. Lewis… Here's some money for your college expenses. You don't have to repay me, but..."

Trevis finally reacted. He pushed her away and handed the check back.

"Lucy, thank you for your kindness, but I can't accept this," he said.

Lucy covered her face and cried. "You're always like this."

I felt a wave of unease.

I stepped out of the room and hugged Trevis.

"Trevis, you mentioned you were going to college, right?" I looked deep into his eyes, hoping for honest reply.

It seemed like he realized that he couldn't keep it from me any longer. He gently touched my head and confessed, "Massachusetts is thousands of miles away. How could I leave you behind?"

My eyes welled up with tears.

Lucy, who had noticed my presence, quickly grasped the situation, her face registering shock.

"You... sister? Wait, where did this sister come from?" she exclaimed.

"You—this is all because of her?" Trevis's gaze shifted towards Lucy, his tone growing colder.

"Lucy, please leave. This doesn't concern you," he said.

Lucy left the room, but as she walked away, she shot me a jealous and resentful look.

I was feeling somewhat afraid, and Trevis noticed it, so he stood protectively in front of me.

After she left, Trevis brought me to the desk and began explaining the question to me. His voice was gentle and soothing, flowing naturally like a calm stream. However, as I listened, tears welled up in my eyes, and I couldn't help but cry.

Trevis, he was exceptionally intelligent, capable of tackling even the most challenging questions. If not for me, he should have been enjoying a top-tier education at a prestigious institution, continuing to be that prodigious talent.

With teary eyes, I confessed, "Trevis, I feel like I'm a burden to you."

In that moment, I wished I had never been rescued from those traffickers.

Trevis wiped away my tears and replied sincerely,

"Kathryn, that's not true.

“You're the family I have chosen for myself.

“You're all I have now."