Todos os capítulos de No Longer Your Pillar: Capítulo 1 - Capítulo 9

Across the room, everyone was crowded around Miles, looking at the picture.I opened my phone and messaged my boss.[About making me a partner, what you mentioned yesterday—is that still on the table?]The reply came instantly, and I could feel the sarcasm through the screen.[Oh? The great family pillar can leave home for a five-year overseas assignment? What, you're not worried the house will collapse without you?]Last year, my boss had already given me one shot at this. But when I told my family about the assignment, every one of them was against it.Mom said the whole family depended on me. If I left, everything would fall apart.Audrey had looked troubled too."Gavin, we're not getting any younger. I'm not asking you to support a family, but at the very least, you can't go that far away."Back then, I believed my parents needed me, and Audrey needed me. So I stayed, and I didn't mind.But now, watching the happy family of four across the room, I couldn't lie to myself a

The living room went silent.Dad frowned."Gavin, what did you just say?"Miles froze too. The considerate act he'd just been putting on disappeared, and he stared at me in surprise.Mom shot up from the couch."What kind of tantrum is this? Are you saying you're done with this family? I raised you all these years for nothing!""Then why doesn't Miles have to chip in?"I couldn't stop my voice from rising.Mom's face darkened."How is that the same? Miles has so many expenses. Why are you comparing yourself to him?""How is it not the same? You bought him a car, and I'm still supposed to keep paying for him?"Look at what he wears and what he has, and then look at me."I'm his brother, but I live like I'm his father!"Smack!The slap came out of nowhere. It was Mom.My face burned, and the tears I'd been holding back finally fell.Mom's hand was shaking. She sat back down on the couch, one hand pressed to her chest, looking more wronged than the person she'd just hit.

Gavin's POVBy then, I was already on a plane headed overseas.Next to me sat Nora Winslow, my boss, who'd been chewing me out the entire flight."Gavin! I swear you were put on this earth to drive me insane!"I thought you were going to stand me up for the third time. Let me tell you, I went to your place fully planning to strangle you!"At work you're as stubborn as a mule, and you let them lock you up at home?"I've told you a thousand times to dump her! Back in college I could already tell that girlfriend of yours was bad news!"Even as she ranted, her hands never stopped moving.She put a screen protector on a new phone, snapped a case on it, and tossed it to me with a huff."And just so you know, you're paying me back for the phone next month!"Nora had been a year ahead of me in college, and I'd joined her company right after graduation.Back then, there were only four of us, me included. I was the only one who was still a regular employee.She knew my situation. She

Gavin's POVIt wasn't until my third month overseas that I finally got used to the pace of life there.Nora gave me a raise, too.It all started one day when I was giving her a work update over video. The moment the call connected, there I was, eating a sad microwave dinner.On the other end, her eyes went wide."You did that on purpose, didn't you, Gavin? Trying to remind me I'm overworking you?"One of the other founding employees from the early days laughed in the background."Being all alone in a foreign country isn't easy. Why don't you give our Gavin a raise? Don't worry, I won't mind!"I swallowed my bite and didn't say anything.The truth was, I just hadn't gotten used to the food there yet, but I didn't feel like explaining.I'd never had any savings, so I really did need the money.Besides, I still hadn't paid Nora back for the phone.In the end, I got a small raise.After that, every time I gave an update, I'd accidentally let my miserable situation show. But fr