Chapter 2

"No, I'm buying Alex an apartment, no matter what!"

"If Chloe doesn't have money for her wedding, then she just won't get married!"

My mother's stance was firm, and my father's anxiety deepened.

"Why? What's gotten into you? Why are you suddenly thinking about buying our son an apartment?"

"You two weren't... weren't..."

My father stammered, unable to finish his sentence.

I knew what he wanted to say: *Weren't we enemies?*

After all, when my father found out about my mother's affair, he directly dropped eight-year-old me at his mistress's doorstep.

He looked at me with teary eyes.

"Alex, if your mom doesn't come home, Dad will have to take you with him to die."

Then, he just left.

Eight-year-old me cried hysterically outside the door, my heart-wrenching screams attracting a huge crowd, practically blocking the street around the mistress's house.

My mother had no choice but to appear.

Amidst the stares and whispers, she grabbed me by the arm and dragged me back.

Once we were home, I got a brutal beating.

From then on, my mother resented me for the public humiliation.

And I hated her for betraying my father.

Since that day, we hadn't spoken properly in twenty years.

I never called her "Mom" again.

...

Hearing this, my mother turned her gaze to me.

There was a profound meaning in her eyes that I couldn't decipher.

After a long silence, she finally spoke.

"No reason. He's my son. As his mother, it's only right for me to buy him an apartment. This matter is settled!"

"Robert, you always said I favored Chloe. Now that I'm being good to my son, why are you suddenly unhappy?"

My mother's cold tone made my father's face stiffen.

Hearing her, I put down my forks, quietly waiting for my father's reply.

After all, my father always favored me, and that favoritism only grew stronger after Chloe was born.

"Alex, girls eventually leave to start their own families, but I'll always be able to count on you, Alex. It's only right that I treat you better now."

So, I always got first pick of the good food;

Dad always bought me designer clothes while Chloe got stuff from discount stores;

Even my cash gifts during the holidays were thicker than Chloe's.

...

My mother saw my father's favoritism, which only made her resent me more and love Chloe more.

This time, I didn't understand why my mother was suddenly being kind to me.

Nor did I understand why my father reacted so strongly.

After all, Chloe's wedding apartment and her entire wedding fund were already prepared.

Even if my mother bought me an apartment now, it wouldn't affect Chloe's marriage.

My father's eyes darted around, and his voice unconsciously grew weaker.

"That's not what I meant. I... I... I just thought that once our daughter gets married, her new family will need a lot of money... shouldn't we, as parents, help them out more?"

"Besides, if our son-in-law finds out we bought Alex an apartment, it's hard to say he won't fight with Chloe. After all, you promised all the family assets would go to Chloe. What if... what if he refuses to marry Chloe because of this?"

Every single word was filled with worry for Chloe.

A heavy weight settled in my chest, making it hard to breathe.

Turns out, in my father's heart, a prospective son-in-law was more important to him than his own son.

My mother let out a cold laugh.

"If Chloe and her husband can't support their own family, then they shouldn't get married! Don't drag us down!"

"Besides, I'm spending my own money to buy my son an apartment. What's it to anyone else?!"

"If you object, then we're getting a divorce!"

With that, my mother simply stood up and walked away.