บททั้งหมดของ The Forgotten Son: บทที่ 1 - บทที่ 10

My daily routine from the moment I woke up was to prepare breakfast and tidy up the house before heading to school. Upon my return home, I would head straight to the field to weed the crops and gather firewood up on the mountain for cooking and heating. Meanwhile, Tanner would be glued to his second-hand gaming console while lying in bed the moment he got back from school. Jean would tell him every day how hard he worked, promising to buy him a real treat once the pigs were sold. Tanner and I were fraternal twins. Aside from our differing appearances, the physical disparity between us became more obvious with time. When Tanner hit 5’7”, I was stuck at 4’11”.Due to severe malnutrition, I developed incurable stomach issues before the age of fourteen. The constant state of hunger didn’t end until high school. At the time, the government paved roads to our village and carried out poverty relief efforts. Life became better for everyone. Snapping out of my thoughts, I saw Jean

A wave of powerlessness overwhelmed me.Jean had no idea that the healthy kidney in her body was from me. It was pointless for me to explain, as Jean operated on her own logic and never once doubted Tanner. Once, Tanner cleaned out the family’s entire savings after getting into gambling while Jean was sick. All he had to say was, “I saw Graham slipping into your room.” Jean took his word for it. Convinced that I was the thief, she locked me out of the house and reflected on my behavior in the snow. The next day, I came down with a raging fever and nearly lost my life. I blamed her for that. Even though Tanner and I were her children, she would only heed his call. Still, I couldn’t leave her to die. She gave me life, even if she played favorites. Ultimately, I resolved to donate one of my kidneys to her. As I was severely underweight, the doctor determined that I was unfit to be a donor. I stuffed myself with food to gain some pounds. Even when my stomach cramped

Jean’s breath hitched, and her hands shook violently. She looked at the doctor, her lips quivering. “What did you say? Can you repeat that?” The doctor was confused. “Don’t you know that your eldest son has a sweet potato allergy?” Ignorant of the pain and distress written all over Jean’s face, the doctor asked, “By the way, where is he now? I’ve stocked up on a new batch of allergy medication. He can just pop one of these if he mistakenly consumes sweet potatoes again.” It took a while before Jean found her voice. “He’s dead.” The doctor apologized awkwardly. “I’m really sorry. I had no idea.” To be fair, it wasn’t his fault. Fiddling with his fingers, the physician couldn’t keep his curiosity back anymore. Did he die from ingesting sweet potatoes?” Jean shook her head in a daze. Having lived through famine, she understood the brutal reality of starvation. Her knuckles went white from her tight grip, and her expression looked lost. She turned to the docto

No matter what I did for Jean, Tanner would always swoop in to steal the glory. Jean sighed, the love in her eyes clear. “Silly boy. I won’t stop loving you over a coat.” Tanner said, “Mom, I don’t feel well. Can you get me the money soon? Once I clear my debt, I need to get a medical checkup. I get this throbbing pain where my kidney was.” Jean was thrown into a panic. She said, “Is it a complication from donating a kidney to me? Don’t worry. I’ll get you out of the mess even if it kills me.” “Thank you, Mom.” I snickered to myself. The unconditional love of a mother was something I never once experienced since I was born. Casting aside her difference with Helen, Jean agreed to everything she had to say so long as the latter would produce 400 grand. Consequently, Helen took Jean to the city. She put Jean up in a vacant apartment in some neighborhood. Helen said, “You should’ve left the village a long time ago. I don’t get what you were trying to prove to him b

Jean took the documents. The color drained from her lips when she turned to the first page. The private investigator was highly skilled, documenting everything from the banks Tanner used to withdraw the family savings, the casinos he frequented, the games he played, and exactly how much he lost at the table. By the third page, Jean broke down and hurled the papers to the floor. “That’s impossible. Tanner is the most sensible boy. He won’t steal my money.” Jean was pulled back to the difficult time. It was a blizzard outside the window as she lay in the hospital bed, waiting in despair for life to slip away. Her most beloved child, at her lowest point, stole the money meant to save her life. I, on the other hand, positioned my thumb in the cutting machine just to save her. Pain shot through every nerve.Jean buried her face deep into her knees and sobbed uncontrollably. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I’m sorry.“I’m sorry, my child.” For some reason, my heart remained still