Chapter 5

Cruz was genuinely generous this time, leaving most of the good food for me.

In the past, even the food she disliked wasn't for me to smell.

After I finished everything, Cruz gently wiped my mouth with a tissue, expecting praise.

"Navas, I'm the one who's good to you, right!"

"You should know, those scraps you just ate? I promised them to Mary's dog."

"If I hadn't stopped them, Mom and Dad would've surely beaten you up."

I gasped. My status in this house was lower than the neighbor's dog.

No, I had to make something of myself, fast.

But I still put on a wronged expression, my eyes tearing up.

"Cruz, all these years, thank goodness you protected me."

Cruz's smile deepened. She leaned in, whispering in my ear:

"Navas, just tell me what secret our family is hiding, and I'll protect you from now on."

I lowered my head, fiddling with my fingers, my face a mix of hesitation and fear.

"No, I can't. Mom and Dad will kill me."

I met Cruz's gaze, very, very seriously saying, "It's the kind you can't protect me from."

Seeing the fear unconsciously showing in my eyes, Cruz's interest grew even stronger.

She patted my back, comforting me.

"Don't be afraid, Navas. You know how much Mom and Dad love me, right?"

"With me here, how could I not protect you?"

"Even if they blame someone, just put it on me. Say I forced you, that you had no choice but to listen."

Seeing me waver, Cruz upped the ante.

She pulled several bills from her school uniform pocket and counted out two.

Then, seeing me staring at them unblinkingly, she gritted her teeth.

She crumpled them all up and shoved them into my hand.

"This is all the allowance Mom and Dad just gave me. It's all yours. Now, can you tell me?"

I fumbled with the bills—there were ten of them.

It was more than half a year of my allowance. They really had secretly doubled Cruz's money.

When I kept stammering, unwilling to talk, Cruz got angry.

"If you still don't tell me, I'll tell Mom and Dad you stole my money."

"And if Mom and Dad get mad and decide to stop sending you to school, you'll just have to get married!"

I grabbed Cruz's hand as she pulled away, looking anxious.

"I'll tell you, I'll tell you, okay?"