Chapter 4

My mom followed my gaze to the cake, her expression a bit awkward. "Your dad is still undergoing treatment, but we still wanted to give you some sense of ceremony. The cake might be small, but it's enough to carry your wishes. Tell us what gift you want, and we'll get it for you."

Perhaps feeling guilty about giving Jack a mansion and an expensive watch yesterday, they were unusually generous to me today.

"Really?" I asked.

My parents nodded, "Of course. You're our only child. If we're not good to you, who else would we be good to?"

Looking at the old clothes they had deliberately put on, I couldn't help but laugh.

Remembering Jack's words, I looked intently at my mom and slowly opened my mouth.

"I want to eat a meal you cook yourself."

My mom was taken aback. She clearly hadn't expected that I, who had always been understanding and independent, would make such a request.

As far as I could remember, she had never cooked a meal for me.

I thought she didn't know how to cook, so from the age of seven, I took on the responsibility of cooking, never complaining even when my hands were scalded or cut.

Now I knew that her culinary skills were actually excellent; she just wasn't willing to cook for me.

She avoided my gaze and mumbled, "Son, mom wants to cook for you too, but mom has never cooked before. I'm afraid it won't taste good. Choose another gift, okay?"

"Then can you buy me a watch?" I pointed at the watch worn by someone at the next table.

With these words, my parents fell silent.

They exchanged a glance, and dad coughed a few times, covering his mouth. "Son, you have a phone, why do you need a watch? You know our current situation doesn't allow for that. Look..."

Mom immediately chimed in, "Lucy, we know you're the most obedient. We don't need to compare ourselves with others. Being together as a family is more important than anything. Such an expensive watch, we can't afford it. Your dad's illness, who knows how much more it will cost."

She wiped away a tear, her face full of sorrow.

"You work so hard delivering food, you shouldn't waste money like this."

My internal contempt reached its peak. It was just a watch worth a few hundred dollars, yet they thought it was expensive.

But when they bought gifts worth millions for Jack, they didn't hesitate at all.

Seeing my silence, my parents immediately pulled me to sit down, putting the only chicken leg on the table into my bowl.

"Son, eat up. You need to eat well to grow. You're too thin now."

I forced a smile. How could I not be thin when I only ate one meal a day?

If they really cared for me, why did they deceive me? Why did they say dad had cancer and needed treatment? Why did they say the family was so poor we could barely make ends meet?

And why did they make me give up my studies to deliver food when they knew I wanted to study?

"Mom, Dad, I want to go to college."

They instinctively exchanged a glance, their eyes revealing contempt.

"Lucy, you're not cut out for studying," Mom said hesitantly.

"Don't you remember how low your SAT score was?"

They even dared to mention the SAT.

After I finished the math section, they put on an act of a relapse of an old illness.

I had to give up the test and rush home.

But what I faced was an empty room.

They said they were already in the hospital, but when I rushed there, they said they had been transferred.

By the time I finally found them, the test was long over.

And all they said was a casual, "We've already been treated."

My dream was so easily destroyed by them.

"Lucy, eat up."

The taste of the steak in my mouth was so bitter.

Seeing my low spirits, my parents actively put food on my plate.

After just half an hour, mom's phone rang again.

A flash of guilt crossed her eyes, and she immediately hung up.

"These telemarketing calls are really frequent nowadays."

But as soon as she hung up, it rang again and again.

She laughed dryly and stepped aside to answer the phone.

A few minutes later, she returned, her face pale, and exchanged a glance with dad. "The hospital needs to do an urgent check-up. I need to take your dad there first."

I pretended to be anxious, "Mom, let me go with you."

They were startled and quickly waved their hands, "You're tired from delivering food. Just go home and rest. I'll take care of your dad. Someone in the family needs to earn money."

"This is my only day off in four years. Can't you let me stay by your side?" I finally couldn't suppress my grievance. With tears in my eyes, I looked at them stubbornly, begging them.

My humble request seemed to make them waver. "Well... let's sit for a bit longer."

But before they could sit down, their phones rang again.

Dad showed the phone to mom, and their faces grew more anxious.

"Lucy, you're an adult now. Don't be childish. You need to know what's important. Your dad's attending physician just messaged us to come over immediately."

I grabbed her hand, begging like a dog wagging its tail. "Can't you stay to finish my last birthday before leaving?"

Mom frowned, very impatient. "You have birthdays every year. What's so important about one stupid birthday? Lucy Thompson, you're being very inconsiderate."

She forcefully pulled her hand away, her nails leaving a long scratch on the back of my hand.

Am I really that annoying? They're not even willing to stay a bit longer.

I'm supposed to be their biological child.

Why can't they spare even a little love for me?

Why did they have to deceive me?

I could no longer suppress the fact that my parents didn't love me and buried my face in my hands, crying.

Just as I was about to leave, someone suddenly sat down in the chair in front of me.

"If you want to continue your studies, I can sponsor you. However, my team needs a semi-closed research period of ten years. I hope you'll think it through before making a decision."

Suddenly, my phone received a message from an unknown number.

[I just said I sprained my ankle, and your parents abandoned you to come to me. What does it matter if you're blood-related? In your parents' hearts, you'll never measure up to me!]

I tightened my grip on my phone, suddenly wanting to be willful for once.

[Mom, I've been in a car accident.]

The next second, my phone immediately rang. "Son, are you okay? Where are you? Mom and Dad will come right away."

I was about to speak when I faintly heard Jack's exclamation, "My foot hurts so much! Is it broken? How am I going to attend Harvard if it's broken?"

Mom's tone became even more urgent, but not for me. She casually brushed me off with a sentence, "If you're hurt, go to the hospital quickly. Your dad's condition is more critical, I have to go there first. I'll come see you later. Mom knows you're tough, you'll be fine."

The black screen of my phone now seemed to be mocking me for how foolish I was.

How dare I try to compete for affection with their beloved son?

I looked at the person in front of me and finally made up my mind. "Alright, I agree. I'll join your team."