Chapter 3

The word "divorce" struck my father hard.

Even when confronted with my mother's affair and his mistress's provocations back then, my father hadn't wanted to divorce her.

This time, my mother proposed divorce to buy me an apartment, and my father clearly couldn't accept it.

His eyes teared up.

"Alex, what am I going to do? You have to talk to Eleanor for me. I only have you."

I frowned, my heart a jumble of mixed emotions.

I'd heard those same words for twenty years.

Back then, when my mother beat me raw, my father stood by silently, with no intention of stopping her.

Only after my mother had calmed down did he approach, gently applying medicine to my wounds.

"Alex, Dad's just doing this so you can have a complete family."

"You have to make me proud, kid. I only have you."

"For you, Alex, I'd go through anything! Any hardship, any pain, I'd bear it all!"

Looking at my humiliated father, little me decided then and there to study hard, make something of myself, and take my father away from all this.

Three months later, news came that my mother was pregnant again.

I thought, even if my father loved my mother, he would surely divorce her this time.

But to my surprise, my mother had an amniocentesis, confirming the baby was my father's.

My mother returned to the family, and they reconciled, both eagerly awaiting Chloe's arrival.

My resolve felt like a joke.

...

Now, my father's plea was just another demand for me to compromise.

My heart grew colder, bit by bit.

"Dad, if you just agree to Eleanor buying me an apartment, she won't divorce you."

"No!"

Seeing I wouldn't budge, my father angrily let go of my hand.

"Alex, I've really spoiled you all these years! How can you be so thoughtless about your sister?!"

"Chloe's job and education aren't as good as yours, do you know how hard it is for her?! If she goes into her marriage without enough funds, do you know how much flak she'll get from her in-laws?"

"I don't care! Go tell Eleanor you don't want her to buy you an apartment! Otherwise, I'll kill myself, I swear!"

My breath caught in my throat.

If I didn't agree to his demands, my father would threaten to die.

Seeing a flicker of hesitation on my face, my father sighed.

"Alex, please don't make your Dad's life harder, okay?"

"You're a boy, it's fine if you don't have an apartment. There are always girls willing to pay for everything."

"After Chloe gets married, they'll need money for so many things! They'll have to buy a car, pay off their mortgage, and when they have kids, raising them will cost a fortune..."

My father kept rattling on, and my heart was filled with bitterness.

"Dad, do you know how much stress I'm under right now? If I could have my own apartment, it would be a huge relief."

My father brushed it off.

"If you're stressed, just find a rich girl to marry! Being a house husband isn't so bad! When her parents pass, won't all their money be yours?"

"Don't worry, Dad will definitely find you a wealthy wife, so you can enjoy life once you're married! Just forget about Eleanor's assets, okay?"

My heart was filled with disappointment.

My father seemed to have forgotten how gravely he once warned me never to be a house husband.

To never live such a pathetic, undignified life, like him!

Seeing my prolonged silence, my father slammed the table.

"Are you seriously going to stand there and watch me die?!"

My throat felt like it was stuffed with cotton, and I could only nod helplessly.

...

That night, I tossed and turned in bed, unable to sleep.

Faint arguments drifted from my parents' bedroom next door.

Driven by an unknown urge, I crept to their door.

"Robert, you still have the nerve to bring up what happened back then?"

"All these years, haven't you done enough things to hurt Alex?"

My heart was in my throat.