Chapter 3

3

With my parents' constant care, Quentin recovered quickly and was discharged. They were beaming with joy as they packed his things, treating him like royalty.

When they arrived back at the house, I felt a wave of dizziness. Years ago, they told me that as the big brother, I had to help Quentin.

They forced me to use all my savings to buy this house for him before he even finished school. I was the one paying the mortgage and the renovation costs.

I had been stupid enough to agree. Even though I paid for it, I had only been here a handful of times.

I didn't even have a key to the front door. Until the day I died, I lived in a cramped, cheap rental.

That was the reason Lauren and I could never afford to get married. I watched them sit on the designer sofa bought with my blood and sweat.

No one even mentioned my name. They ate expensive Rainier cherries from a bowl on the coffee table.

Those were the kind of luxuries I never dared to buy for myself. They ate them like it was nothing.

I felt a sudden sense of displacement. Were these the same parents who cried poverty every month to get more money from me?

They told me to save every penny while they lived the life I dreamed of on my dime. I was too numb to even feel angry.

Quentin swallowed a cherry and looked worried. "When is Silas coming home? Is he going to make a scene?"

"It'll look so bad if the neighbors see him throwing a tantrum." My father threw his keys onto the table with a loud thud.

"What right does he have to complain?" he barked. "He made you wait on that table for hours. We should be the ones angry at him!"

"When he gets back, I'm going to make him get on his knees and apologize to you." "He's always faking being sick for sympathy. I'm sick of his drama."

It was almost funny. I was faking?

I worked overtime every single day to give them a better life. I had chronic back pain and a ruined neck because I slaved away for them.

And in the end, I got nothing but their resentment. I laughed, a sound only the shadows could hear.

Soon, my mother laid out a massive, steaming feast on the dining table. My heart sank even further.

Whenever I was home, I had to do all the cooking and cleaning. They told me they were old and Quentin didn't know how to cook.

It turns out they knew how to cook perfectly well. They just didn't want to cook for me.

As soon as Quentin sat down, they piled his plate high with food. Within seconds, he had a mountain of meat and vegetables in front of him.

"Eat up, Quentin. You need to rebuild your strength!" Quentin looked guilty, but his fork never stopped moving.

"Mom, Dad... this food is so expensive. Are you guys running low on cash?" I saw a predatory glint in his eyes.

He was already hunting for their next bit of money. My father put his fork down and smirked.

"Don't worry about the money. We'll just make Silas work more hours." "Besides, he has about fifty thousand stashed away for a wedding fund. We'll take that."

My soul erupted in fury! I couldn't believe they were being this ruthless.

They were going to take my last cent. They wouldn't be satisfied until they had sucked every drop of blood from my body.

Quentin's eyes lit up at the mention of the fifty thousand. "Mom, Dad, things are a bit tight for me lately. Can I have that money now?"

My mother pulled out her phone immediately. "Quentin, don't be silly! His money is your money!"

"I'll call him right now and tell him to bring the debit card over. He doesn't need it!" But I had been dead for days. I wasn't going to pick up.

She called over and over, getting more frustrated with each ring. Finally, she snapped.

"Ungrateful little brat! He's ignoring me? It was just one kidney!" "Doesn't he know a mother's love is the most important thing on earth?"

When I still didn't answer, she scrolled through her contacts for Lauren's number. The second Lauren picked up, my mother started screaming.

"Hey! You little bitch! Is Silas hiding at your place?" "Tell him if he doesn't pick up, his father and I are disowning him!"