What trouble could I possibly make?

Over the past year, I had been blacklisted by major companies everywhere. In the end, I drifted into courier work, food delivery, and live streaming—the confidence of the wealthy heir I once had was long gone.

Now, I was like a hedgehog with all its spikes pulled out, yet Jane still seemed afraid I might prick someone.

She even offered a rare explanation.

"Gale felt dizzy last time, so I let him lie down on the bed for a while. The cufflink probably fell off then.

"As for him being my personal secretary, that was arranged by Henry. He's just there to learn. Don't read too much into it."

The Henry she mentioned was Gale's biological father. I kept my eyes closed and gave a quiet "mm."

But she remained standing by the bed without moving.

After a long silence, when I thought she had already left, her voice came again.

"My dad's birthday is coming up—the banquet is the day after tomorrow. You'd better not make things difficult for Gale there. Otherwise, I'll divorce you."

I let out a soft sigh, my mind already racing through how many orders I would need to take tomorrow just to afford a gift.

Completely drained, I could only manage a few faint words.

"Mm. Got it."

…

I scraped together enough money just before closing time and rushed out to buy a gift.

By the time I arrived at the hotel, I realized everyone's expressions were already off.

Gale was the first to laugh.

"Alex, why are you wearing delivery clothes to a banquet like this? There are so many people here—you should at least save Jane the humiliation."

I lowered my head then, only realizing I had forgotten to change in my rush. The yellow delivery uniform felt like a slap across my face.

With frozen, reddened hands, I carefully placed the gift on the table.

"Dad, I'm sorry. I had something to take care of… I'm late. This is just a small token of my respect. I wish you a healthy and long life."

My father-in-law's expression did not soften in the slightest.

My mother-in-law picked up the gift, opened the box, gave it a single glance—and then tossed it to the floor.

"If you really wanted your father-in-law to have a long life and good health, you would have agreed to divorce Jane. Something this cheap—how dare you bring it here? It's so tacky. You're an embarrassment to our family."

She let out a soft sigh.

But that sigh landed like a heavy stone dropped straight into my already silent heart.

Henry, the man I'd called my father all these years, lifted his chin, righteous and furious.

"No matter what you do, you can't shake that poverty in your blood when you're not our real child. When Carol gave birth at the hospital, the babies were accidentally swapped. My poor Gale spent twenty-five years out in the world suffering before he finally came home… but by then, Jane had already married Alex…"

My mother-in-law couldn't hold back her tears.

"What's infuriating is that this wretched boy is still shamelessly occupying Gale's rightful place, and he doesn't feel the least bit guilty about it!"

I looked up at them—the parents who once adored me, now looking at me like I was nothing.

Then I looked at the contempt on my in-laws' faces.

And none of it seemed worth a single word.

The chilblains on my hands itched more and more. I lowered my gaze, wanting to say that I had worked nonstop from morning till night to earn the money for that gift—that I had driven too fast more than once and nearly fallen off my bike.

But in the end, I only opened my mouth slightly… and chose to stay quiet.

I forced myself to turn and walk away.

I had gone a long distance when Jane's voice drifted faintly from behind me.

"Dad, actually… that fountain pen isn't bad at all."

I didn't know why Jane spoke up for me.

Was it because humiliating me in public would be the same as humiliating her family?

At that moment, something strange and itchy seemed to sprout in my chest, like a bud breaking through frozen soil.

I slowed my steps and strained to listen as my father-in-law said, "Take it away."

Then came a crisp sound. The pen seemed to fall to the ground—but it felt as though something inside me had fallen with it.

That night, I rode my electric scooter at full speed through the streets. The cold wind cut across my face like a blade, scattering my tears into the air.

Only then did I realize a person really could die in silence.

When I finally emptied myself of all emotion and returned home, Jane was already there.

I slipped inside quietly. Gale poked his head out.

"Alex, you're back? I figured you ran out so suddenly earlier that you probably didn't eat, so I took the liberty of packing you some leftovers."

He suddenly covered his mouth.

"Sorry—I forgot you don't eat leftovers. Unlike me… when I was kidnapped to a rural village, I went hungry every day. I couldn't sleep, couldn't eat properly, and I was beaten and scolded all the time. Back then, even having leftovers to eat would've made me so happy…"

Every word he spoke hid a thorn. Each one pricked into me, reminding me that I had stolen twenty-five years of his life as a wealthy heir—that I deserved to die for it.

In the past, I would always snap back, insisting I was innocent too. That even if I wasn't my parents' biological son, we had lived together for over twenty years, and they had loved me just the same.

But that had always been my wishful thinking.

They did not love me.

My in-laws did not love me.

And Jane did not love me either.

I stood by the entryway and politely thanked him.

"It'd be a waste to throw it away. Just put it in the fridge. I can reheat it tomorrow."

Gale froze in place, mouth half-open, so stunned he forgot to blink.

I turned and went back to the guest room. From the drawer, I took out cotton swabs and alcohol, then carefully rolled up my pant leg.

The wound was horrifying—flesh turned outward, still bleeding whenever I touched it.

At that moment, Jane opened the door and walked in.

I assumed she had come to question me, so I spoke first without thinking.

"Sorry, I forgot to change clothes today."

But she did the opposite of what I expected. She took the cotton swab from my hand and personally began cleaning the wound.

I froze.

In the past, I had desperately tried to get even a single glance from her.

But now, my leg muscles tensed tightly, my whole body rigid with discomfort.

"Does it hurt?"

I blinked, about to shake my head.

But she answered for me.

"It must hurt. I remember in middle school, you got a tiny scratch from some punks and complained for ages."

I didn't understand what was wrong with her.

She looked at me. "I had alcohol today. Gale drove me home. Nothing is going on between him and me."

I pulled my pant leg down and nodded casually. "He's your secretary at work. It's normal to have more contact. It's all for work."

Her gaze grew complicated.

I couldn't tell what emotions were hidden in her eyes anymore, and I no longer had the energy to try.

She looked at me for a long time, then finally took out a black card from her pocket and placed it on my bedside table.

"Stop doing those low-end jobs. From now on, I'll transfer your monthly allowance to this card. And don't eat those leftovers. I'll make you a bowl of noodles."

It felt as though I had won a silent war between Jane and me.

Once, she had said, "Gale has suffered so much. How can you live so comfortably without any guilt?"

My parents had also raged, "Why—why is the son we raised for over twenty years not even ours?"

They resented me, pouring all their bitterness and anger onto me alone.

Now, Jane was in the kitchen, busying herself.

I leaned against the doorframe and watched her whisk eggs and prepare soup.

The last time something like this happened was when she celebrated Gale's birthday at home.

He had said he wanted to try her cooking, and she had agreed without hesitation.

In the past, I would have fought and argued over it, only to end up making everyone despise me.

It was a pity, though—I still never got to taste the noodle soup she made.

Gale called, saying through tears that he had fallen and injured his hand.

Jane immediately dropped the spatula. "Gale—"

Before she could finish, I had already handed her her coat.

"Go," I said.

She placed her hand on my head like a reward and patted it lightly.

"You've really become obedient. I'll make the noodles for you next time."

I smiled faintly.

There was no such thing as "next time."

I didn't tell her that I had already applied to study abroad in Mustralia, and my flight was set for tomorrow.

Over the past year, I had sold off everything I could, and combined with my meager savings, I had finally scraped together enough for tuition and living expenses.

Just as I was lost in thought, I suddenly received a call from Jane.

"Alex, come to the hospital right now!"

…

Gale had fallen and injured his hand badly. He had lost a lot of blood.

With red eyes, he looked at me and said, "Alex, the doctor says I need a blood transfusion. I remember from the last time we were tested that we have the same blood type. Can you…?"

My mother panicked immediately. "Why wouldn't he? He's lived off our family for over twenty years. Giving a little blood is nothing."

My father impatiently waved the doctor over. "Why are we even discussing this? Just set up the transfusion."

I stood there in silence, which only made Jane tense up as well.

"Alex, this isn't the time for your attitude. Saving a life comes first."

Without changing my expression, I called the nurse over.

After signing the blood donation consent form, the needle went in. I watched my blood slowly travel through the thin tube.

And little by little, it flowed into Gale's body.

In that moment, I suddenly felt light, as if everything I had once been given was now being returned to its rightful owner in another form.

Maybe this counted as atonement.

The blood draw finished, and the medical staff moved to remove the needle—but my mother stopped them.

"Doctor, take a little more. Put some in storage."

"We'll pay for the blood bags. If we don't use them, we'll just throw them out later."

I looked at her face and suddenly laughed.

There was nothing left for me to hold on to anymore.

And thankfully, I was leaving too.