Chapter 7
“We were all mistaken! This is a private family matter–let’s not interfere any further.”
“Actually, the injuries on this young man weren’t caused by his parents.”
“Besides, the police have already been here to investigate. If there was anything truly wrong, they wouldn’t have stood by and done nothing.”
“So please, let’s all stay rational. Until the full truth comes out, don’t participate in online mob justice so easily.”
With those words, the livestreamer gave my father a subtle nod, packed up her equipment, and walked away.
The crowd dispersed.
I stood frozen in place, staring blankly at the people before me–my own family. Once, I loved them more than life itself. Now, they were the very source of my nightmares, a weight on my soul that filled me with such despair I began to wonder why I was even still alive.
But then I remembered–I had already died once.
And if fate had granted me a second chance in life, how could I let myself fall into the same abyss again?
My mother noticed the redness in my eyes and scoffed. With a look of utter disgust, she spat at my face.
“You look pathetic. Acting like a corpse won’t win you any sympathy.”
“You’re young, but your mind is more twisted than anyone I know.”
I forced a smile, one that looked more like a grimace. My voice trembled, cracked with emotion. “The lottery ticket… that is worth five million. You can have it. I don’t want a cent.” My throat tightened. I took a deep breath and continued, “If you don’t want me as your son, then let’s end it here. Cut all ties. I’ll disappear from your lives forever.”
The three of them exchanged glances quickly, their brows furrowed. Disgust rippled across their faces.
Rosie was the first to speak, her tone was cold and sharp. “Five million? That’s not enough.”
I snapped my head up, tears finally breaking free and sliding down my cheeks.
“Then what would be enough? Do you want my life too?”
She turned away, silent.
What I didn’t expect was for my father to be the one to break the silence–the man who used to say, “My son is everything to me.”
He looked at me dead in the eye.
“You’ve been nothing but trouble since the day you were born. If you died, our lives would finally be peaceful.”
Chapter 6
3/2 60.0%
91%
I clenched my fists and forced myself to stand tall.
“The only reason you recorded those videos… was for money, wasn’t it?”
“After you claim the prize tomorrow, the money will be in your account. I’ll pack my things. and leave.”
“From that point on, consider me dead.”
My mother lunged toward me, trying to grab my arm, but I shoved her away.
“Don’t even think about dragging me off again. I called the police.”
With that, I turned and left.
The next morning, I went early to the lottery center. Just as I turned into a narrow alleyway,
I felt a sudden, violent tug on the back of my neck.
Someone yanked me into a courtyard with brute force.
Inside, a pack of wolfhounds prowled restlessly. Their grey–black bodies were smeared with bits of rotting meat, streaks of dried blood clinging to their yellowed fangs. The air was thick with a nauseating stench of decay and blood.
The dogs hunched low, growling deep in their throats. Their blood–red eyes locked onto me, their bodies tensed, ready to lunge.
My knees buckled, trembling uncontrollably. My breath came in shallow, panicked gasps. The
memory of my past life surged forward–how I’d been torn apart by hounds like these.
I was terrified of dogs to begin with. Now, with that trauma crashing over me, I was paralyzed with fear.
From inside the nearby house, I heard voices whispering, muffled but clear.
“That little bastard’s always been terrified of dogs. Throwing him in with the wolfhounds is perfect.”
“Ha! Look, he pissed herself. Quick, record it and post it online!”
“These hounds haven’t eaten in days. We’ve been starving them just for this. There’s no way he’s leaving this yard alive.”
Only those closest to you know your deepest weaknesses–and they’re the ones most likely to use them to hurt you.
From the very beginning, they never intended to let me go. No matter what I did, they were determined to take my life.
Chapter 7
