Tous les chapitres de : Chapitre 1 - Chapitre 10

A week later, I was working overtime when I got a call from an unfamiliar Seahaven number."Hello?""Evan. It's me."It was my dad, Tom Clark.He sounded tired.I stayed silent."Are you really going this far? Won't you even answer our calls?""What do you want?" I asked."Your mom is sick. She has high blood pressure. She's in the hospital."My heart sank, but it soon grew cold. "Is it serious?""The doctor says she needs to stay for observation." He paused before adding in a commanding tone, "Go on leave. Come back for a while.""I'm busy. I can't.""Is work more important than your mother?" He raised his voice."Yes," I said calmly. "Because I can't rely on my mother. I can only rely on my job."I could hear his breathing grow heavy. I knew he was upset."Evan, you've grown wings, haven't you? Are you abandoning your parents over some money?""Dad, that's not just some money. That's 600 grand." I corrected him. "That was my chance to build a life in Seahaven, and you

To save up for the down payment as quickly as possible, my life turned into something close to self-torture.I moved out of my rental in Mirnivia to Skyren, a rundown place that required a 20-minute ride by bicycle just to reach the subway. My rent dropped from 650 bucks to 300 bucks.My daily commute stretched from an hour and a half to three hours.I woke up at half past five each morning and got home at ten in the evening.I cut out every unnecessary expense, including coffee, dining out, movies, and new clothes.Breakfast was two buns from a street stall. Lunch was the cheapest set at the company cafeteria. Dinner was usually discounted ready-made food from the supermarket after work.I started taking on freelance work like crazy. Weekends and nights were spent doing project proposals and industry reports for small companies. Each job paid a couple of hundred. It was exhausting, but money came fast.In three months, I lost 20 pounds. I looked gaunt with hollow eyes and pale

When I got home, it was three in the afternoon.The house was lively. The living room was full of guests.I saw my parents, my aunt, Logan and his pregnant wife, and even a few nosy neighbors.They were in the middle of an animated discussion about buying a house in a better neighborhood."Don't worry. My brother and sister-in-law will take care of everything for the kids' schooling! They only have Evan. Won't everything eventually go to Logan anyway?" Serena beamed at Logan's parents-in-law.Logan's mother-in-law couldn't stop smiling. "We really have to thank you both!"My dad sat in the main seat on the couch. He was smoking. His face carried a mix of pride and restraint. My mom smiled along, but her eyes flickered with unease.I pushed the door open and walked in.The laughter stopped instantly.Everyone froze and stared straight at me."Evan? W-Why are you back?" My mom was the first to react. She stood up in surprise.My dad's expression darkened immediately. He glared

After returning to Seahaven, I threw myself entirely into work and making money.With that 205 grand, I bought a 600 square feet one-bedroom apartment in Quentaris. After the down payment, I still owed the bank over 300 grand. My monthly mortgage was 1,750 bucks.The pressure was immense, but it also gave me endless motivation.I practically lived at the company, working over 16 hours a day. Due to my outstanding performance, I was promoted to sales director after six months. My salary doubled.I paid back the few grand I had borrowed from friends. Life was gradually getting on the right track.The apartment was small but clean. For one person, it was enough.Every weekend, I video-called Grandpa. He would tell me about things back home, but he never mentioned my parents.I knew they hadn't signed the affidavit, but they also never contacted me again. We became two parallel lines that never intersected.Occasionally, I heard updates from Edith."Logan's wife gave birth to twin

In the end, I went back.Christina came with me.On the train, she didn't ask a single question. She quietly booked a hotel and arranged everything."No matter what you decide, I'll support you," she said.I looked at her with mixed emotions.When we arrived at the hospital, I saw my mother for the first time in two years at the ICU entrance.She had on an old, faded jacket. Her hair had turned completely gray. Her back was hunched. Wrinkles covered her face. She looked like she had aged twenty years overnight.When she saw me, a flicker of light appeared in her clouded eyes. She stumbled toward me."Evan, you're finally back!"I held her steady. She smelled like disinfectant and old people."How's Dad?""He's still inside. The doctor says it's not looking good." She clutched my hand like it was her last lifeline. "D-Did you bring the money?"I looked at her but didn't answer.I went to speak with the attending doctor first. He said my father's condition was critical. Surg