All Chapters of I Thought It Was Stress—It Was Betrayal: Chapter 1 - Chapter 8

Jared's POVA cold numbness hollowed out my chest.Before I could say a word, Luca casually leaned against the doorframe while wearing the exact shirt I'd picked out for him. A circle of bite marks flared red around his exposed wrist.It was obvious just how lost in the moment Gracie had been."Is that right, Gracie? Didn't you just tell me yesterday that you planned on being child-free forever, but being with me made you feel like having a baby might not be so bad after all?"He laughed arrogantly.Then he threw a provocative glance right at me. "Jared, you're the smart one. Help me out here. Does Gracie actually like me, or does she hate me?"Looking at the younger brother I had raised with so much care acting like such a snake, I stood up in complete disbelief. My clenched fists shook violently.Gracie's face instantly darkened. She pushed a reluctant Luca out of the house. "Get out. Stop pushing Jared!""I'm just telling the truth!"His low shout was cut off as the door s

Jared's POVThe ambulance arrived in no time.Drenched to the bone, I sat all alone in the hospital hallway. Rain dripped down my pant legs onto the floor, but I couldn't feel the cold. My eyes were fixed blankly on Gracie.I watched her carefully help Luca onto the hospital bed, speak to the doctor with an uneasy look on her face, and take the thermometer with slightly trembling fingers."Don't worry, Luca. I'll stay right by your side." Gracie kissed the corner of his lips with so much gentleness.Just a few days ago, when I had a high fever, she said the exact same thing to me.That night, I had held her in my arms, muttering how cold I was through my haze. She had sprung out of bed immediately, frantically digging through the first-aid kit.Our home was always stocked with fever medicine, a thermometer, and the sugar-free ginger tea I loved.Through the hot steam rising from the mug, I had seen her anxious face and truly believed I was the happiest man alive.It turned out

Third-Person POVAaron and Isabelle took a step forward to help, but their aging feet froze in place.Yes, Jared was their biological son. He had been mature and reliable from a young age. While other kids threw tantrums for toys, he was already navigating the local grocery market by himself.He never gave them a moment's worry in school, constantly bringing home top honors. When he started working, he sent his entire first paycheck back home, keeping a mere 20 bucks for himself.So, over time, they simply grew accustomed to his selflessness. They poured all their love onto Luca instead. After all, even Jared cherished Luca more than he did himself.Only now, staring at his broken form, did it finally dawn on them. Even the reliable Jared would get tired. Even the quiet child held resentment when wronged.He just never spoke up, letting every grievance build until today's total explosion.How absolute and tragic.Amid the blaring alarms, Gracie stared at Jared's resistance, com

Jared's POVNoticing that I didn't offer a response, Gracie seemed to catch on and held her tongue. She walked over to the couch nearby, picked up her briefcase, and pulled out a stack of documents. The date stamped on the cover was months old, as if prepared long ago specifically for this moment."Jared, I know you don't want to see me, and you'll never forgive what happened. I intend to keep my promise. Once you recover, I will walk out of your life forever."These are all my remaining assets, including the proceeds from selling Luca's place next door. Please take them. At least let us ease our guilty conscience a little."I slowly turned to look at the paperwork. I didn't refuse.They owed me this much anyway. It was nothing more than returning what was rightfully mine.Seeing that I accepted the documents, Gracie quickly gathered them up and tucked them into the drawer beside my bed. Then, she grabbed the thermal food container off the nightstand, intending to fetch me a wa