Chapter 2

My parents had treated me with the same indifference for ten years. Even the amount of money they gave me had never changed. I crumpled the bill into a tight ball and tossed it into the trash.

After last night ended badly, they stopped pretending altogether.

I heard Mom talking on the phone in her room. Her voice was brimming with excitement. "The venue is already set up. It looks just like a fairy tale!"

Dad was giving instructions on the balcony. "Bring the bottle of '82 Lafite. We have to make sure Ben enjoys himself today."

All the while, I drifted through the house like a ghost.

Suzy left early that morning. Before she went, she glanced at me with a complicated look. "Christopher, no matter what you see, trust me."

Trust her? Trust that she was part of this deception too? I let out a cold laugh and said nothing.

Around noon, a delivery truck stopped downstairs. Two workers unloaded an enormous gift box tied with an exaggerated blue bow.

I stood by the window and watched. It turned out that, to them, I didn't even deserve a gift.

Mom hurried downstairs, smiling from ear to ear as she signed for the delivery. She directed the workers with extreme care, afraid it might get damaged.

I recognized the logo. It was a limited edition piano released just last month, priced well into six figures. Meanwhile, my old piano, which I had used for ten years, had yellowed keys and was out of tune.

I had hinted at it to Mom before, but she always replied, "If it still works, keep using it. The household expenses are heavy."

It turned out that the expenses were not the problem. I simply wasn't worth it. The last trace of hope in my heart was completely extinguished.

That afternoon, I changed into a black suit.

I neatly styled my hair and adjusted my appearance to conceal the exhaustion in my eyes. I couldn't let them see me in such a disheveled state. I would draw a clear line between us with my head held high.

I had overheard the address for the party during Mom's phone call the night before. They had reserved the most prestigious banquet hall in the city.

I took a cab there. Along the way, the driver kept marveling at the impending event. "Young man, what big occasion is it today? The road ahead is blocked. I heard that some rich family is throwing a birthday party for their son, and it's incredibly extravagant."

I forced a faint smile and said nothing. Yes, the party was grand—so grand that it was built on ten years of my grievances.

A long red carpet stretched across the entrance of the hall, flanked by rows of blue rose arrangements.

On the welcome sign at the entrance, elegant cursive letters read, "Happy Birthday to My Sweetheart."

It was signed, "With love, your Mom and Dad."

I stared at those words, finding them painfully glaring. I took out my phone and sent Suzy a message. "I'm here to see your so-called surprise."

Then I took a deep breath and stepped inside in my leather shoes.

Inside the banquet hall, glasses clinked, and laughter filled the air. My parents stood in the middle of the crowd, smiling warmly as they entertained the guests. Beside them stood a boy dressed in a blue formal suit.

That was Benjamin. He looked like a proud peacock, basking in everyone's attention and well-wishes.

Mom personally placed an exquisite diamond crown on his head and said gently, "Ben, today you're our most precious little prince."

Dad handed him a velvet box containing a dazzling diamond necklace. "Do you like it? I had it custom-made just for you."

Benjamin smiled sweetly. "Thank you, Mr. Blake and Mrs. Blake. You are so good to me."

The guests around them gasped in admiration.

"Oliver, I can't believe how well you're treating your godson. You're doting on him more than your own son!"

"Exactly. With generosity like this, we can't even compare."

"Oliver, he's only a godson, and you're already treating him like this. If it were your own son's birthday, you'd probably pluck the stars from the sky!"

My parents laughed heartily. They waved their hands repeatedly and said, "It's the least we could do."

No one noticed me standing in the corner. I held up my phone and recorded the scene clearly. Then, I straightened my suit, picked up a glass of champagne, and slowly walked toward them.

The surrounding noise seemed to fade away. All I could see was that harmonious "family of three".

Mom raised her glass and announced to the guests, "Thank you all for coming to celebrate our sweetheart's birthday today—"

"Your sweetheart?" I asked.