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All Chapters of Everyone Loved Me After I Left: Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

10 Chapters

Chapter 1 No Longer Home

"You went through so much just to come home, and you're leaving now? Won't you regret it?"I typed the words "I won't." My fingers were trembling, but I couldn't bring myself to hit send."Stop being such a porcupine, Jasper. Give them a chance to get close to you. And give yourself a chance, too."Vincent held my hand tightly as he led me outside. He was afraid of losing me again.Maybe I really was being too sensitive.I instinctively reached for the back door just like I used to as a child. However, Serena got there first, climbing into the back seat with Cameron and Alina.My feet stopped moving.Serena glanced at me a moment later, her face awkward. "Jasper, you can sit in the passenger seat."When I was little, she had always said the front seat was too dangerous. As I was her precious child, she couldn't bear the thought of anything happening to me. I guess that wasn't the case anymore.I stiffly pulled my hand back and forced a smile before taking the passenger seat.

Chapter 2 No Room for Me

"Jasper, I'll take you upstairs."I froze and looked toward the room with the best sunlight on the first floor. Wasn't that… my room?Besides, the man who'd bought me had hacked through my lower leg with an ax when I tried to escape and make my way home six years ago. Ever since then, climbing stairs made my lower leg ache terribly.I tried to act spoiled like I had when I was a kid, holding on to a sliver of hope. "Dad, can I stay in my old room downstairs?"Something flickered in Vincent's eyes, and his expression turned uneasy. "The room downstairs… We turned it into Cameron's suite. It connects to his dance room, so it's more convenient that way."My throat tightened. "So, I don't have my own room anymore. What about my things? Did you… throw everything away?"Vincent said nothing, while Serena awkwardly looked away."This is all my fault. This isn't really my home. I really shouldn't be taking up Jasper's room. Mom, Dad, I think I should just go back home."Cameron started

Chapter 3 The Dance Video

Serena acted like she couldn't care less and still tried to argue her way out of it.I couldn't stop shaking.Vincent's expression darkened. "Enough, Jasper. Stop with the snide remarks. Your mother cried whenever you were mentioned during the years you went missing. You have no right to blame anyone else. Also, I've officially adopted Cameron. He's part of this family now. "Don't you dare bully him again."I looked up at him, my heart tightening with every beat. So, they'd replaced me with Cameron a long time ago.Whatever. It was just a room. I wasn't going to be alive much longer anyway."Fine. I'll stay in the guest room on the third floor."When I finally gave in, Alina, who had been silent until then, shoved the camera in her hand at me. "It's supposed to snow heavily tonight. Film Cameron's dance video. It'll help you two bond as brothers."I stared at her in disbelief. "Alina, my heart was damaged when I was a kid because I saved you. I can't be out in the cold. Did yo

Chapter 4 The Family I Came Home To

"All the parents are questioning Cameron's teaching credentials. They're saying he's a heartless teacher. They're demanding refunds and withdrawals because of it! Are you happy now?"Cameron leaned against Alina, his shoulders trembling. She wasn't annoyed that his tears were soaking her designer dress. Instead, her eyes were filled with concern."Go tell them your leg was injured in an accident. Tell them you crashed your car or fell or something. I don't care what you say. Just make it clear that Cameron had nothing to do with it!"Serena shoved me toward the parents. Someone tripped me, and I crashed to my knees.People crowded around me, their whispers growing louder.My lips trembled as my failing heart pounded weakly against my chest.What was I supposed to say?That I had no right to learn how to dance? That the man who bought me had sent me to a widow in a village who wanted a child when I was 15? That they had beaten my leg until it broke when I tried to escape?"Say

Chapter 5 Why I Was Abandoned

I sucked in a sharp breath as a burst of pain shot through my nerves. I stopped trying to defend myself and bowed my head in apology."Mom, Dad, I'm sorry. Cameron… I'm sorry. Can you please let go of me now?"Vincent looked at the blood on my forehead, his expression conflicted. "Why didn't you dodge? Does it hurt?""Yeah. Dad didn't throw it that hard. Jasper, you could've dodged it. Why didn't you? Were you trying to make Dad feel guilty on purpose?"Cameron even said it with a completely innocent look on his face.Vincent's expression darkened. "It's a good thing that Cameron pointed that out. I almost let you fool me. Give me your adoptive parents' number. I'm going to ask them how they raised my son to turn out like this."I coughed out a bitter laugh.My parents had never once asked how I'd survived all these years even after I came home. This was the first time they even bothered, and they were interrogating me."They're not my adoptive parents. They were the people who

Chapter 6 The Call

Serena pointed at me, her eyes red with panic. "Don't hurt my son! He's Cameron!"Alina pulled Cameron behind her and shoved me forward. "Cameron developed a heart condition when he was little because he saved me. He can't handle stress. Jasper, you take his place."Vincent blurted urgently, "Jasper, you'll be fine. I'll come back for you in a little while. Just wait for me…"As they hurried away, shielding Cameron, the man grabbed me and slammed me face-first into the snow.A lone tear slipped from my eye as my face hit the snowbank.The knife came down again and again, slicing through my clothes and cutting into my flesh.I didn't scream. I didn't even bother struggling.If sacrificing me to protect Cameron was what they wanted, then I would give them exactly what they wanted.However, I saw the madness in the poor father's eyes just before I lost consciousness.The pain, the grievance, the fury, and the relief.'So, this is what it looks like when someone loves their child

Chapter 7 Too Late

Vincent and Serena arrived at the police station soon after and sat anxiously on the bench in the reception area."Officer, please don't lie to us. How could my son be dead?""I understand how you feel, but I'm sorry. Jasper Kingsley has been found and confirmed dead." The officer spoke slowly, emphasizing every word."You must be mistaken!" Vincent's voice cracked. "Maybe you mistook the victim for someone else! Jasper was very thin and small. He had a slight limp in his right leg, and he had scars on his face…"He couldn't finish.The officer looked at them in silence for a few seconds before pulling up the photographs and case records."This is the crime scene from last night. The victim who was hacked to death was indeed one Jasper Kingsley."One photograph after another was pushed toward them—blood, clothing, and finally, my face.Then, the officer brought out a photograph of the killer. It was the parent.Serena collapsed into the chair with a thud, covering her mouth. "

Chapter 8 The Truth

Alina chimed in, "I know a few facilities that specialize in treating people with issues like his."Serena slapped the glass of milk right out of Cameron's hand as soon as Alina's words fell, causing the scalding milk to splash all over his face.Cameron screamed in fright, and Alina hurried to wipe his face for him."Shut up!" Serena hissed, utterly incensed."Mom… What's wrong? Jasper's the one who made you angry! You shouldn't take it out on me." Cameron looked like he was about to cry."If you ever insult Jasper again, I swear to God I'll make you regret it." Vincent's expression darkened. He pulled a stack of documents from his bag and flung them at Cameron's face.Cameron looked down at them, and his face instantly went pale."You thought the police wouldn't be able to track you just because you disguised yourself and went to an internet cafe to message that parent?" Vincent snarled.Cameron's body started shaking uncontrollably.The confused Alina picked up the document

Chapter 9 You Lost Me Long Ago

"It really is you. You're alive. Thank God." Vincent looked me over carefully, tears streaming down his face.Alina looked utterly worn down. She stood there staring at me without looking away for even a second, as though I might disappear the moment she did.Serena rushed over too, reaching out to hug me. "Jasper, I finally found you…"I instinctively took a step back and avoided her hands.She froze, her hands hanging in midair."You… You're still angry with us, aren't you?" Vincent whispered tremulously."How did you find me?" I was confused, and rightfully so.I was told that the police had told them over and over again that I'd already been cremated. Apparently, that was the problem as the authorities couldn't cremate me so hastily without a family member's consent.So, they'd started searching for me, spending a fortune and hiring several private detective agencies just to find a trace of my whereabouts."We already lost you once. How could you make us lose you a second

Chapter 10 A Clean Road Ahead

My parents and Alina acted like lunatics for the next few days.The mountain roads were rough, so they had truck after truck haul in all kinds of supplies—clothes, textbooks, toys. They even had a piano flown up by helicopter.I didn't keep a single thing for myself.Instead, I gave everything to the children in the mountains.They jumped for joy and threw their arms around me, their smiles as bright as the summer sun.My parents and Alina stood off to the side, their eyes filled with despondency and sorrow."I don't want your guilty compensation," I said calmly. "But I thank you on behalf of the children for helping them."…Two days ago, I was helping the villagers work in the fields when Serena insisted on lending a hand.She stepped on a rock, fell, and fractured a bone in her hand.She looked anxious as she cradled her injured hand, her voice trembling. "Jasper, I didn't mean to cause trouble. I just wanted to help. Please don't be mad at me."How odd. She was terrified

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