Chapter 3

A few days later, I heard a huge argument downstairs.

"You absolute disgrace! Living off my money, wearing my clothes, and you still have the nerve to cheat on me!"

Mr. Waylon backhanded Mom hard across the face.

Asher immediately jumped in to break it up.

Mr. Waylon was so mad he shoved Asher to the floor.

"And don't get me started on your precious son! Didn't we agree—one kid each?"

"Why does he keep showing up here, and every time he does, half my stuff goes missing!"

Mom shot back, "My son is taking my things. It's none of your business!"

"Yours? Look at yourself! Everything you're wearing, every piece of jewelry—I bought it all! Now I have to support your whole freeloading family?!"

"Mr. Waylon, how dare you lecture me! If you weren't sterile, would I even be in this mess?!"

Mom's words pushed Mr. Waylon over the edge.

He lost it completely, grabbing Mom's stuff and throwing it everywhere.

She tried to stop him but ended up getting pushed down too.

No one in the house dared to interfere. Asher hid in the corner, too scared to move.

Mr. Waylon had married Mom because she was beautiful and already had two kids.

After we moved in, he treated me more like a protégé—someone he could mentor and trust.

But in my past life, Mom had taken advantage of that trust, recklessly wasting Mr. Waylon's money.

Asher, good-looking as he was, had zero common sense.

That alone wouldn't have been so bad.

But these two—greedy and stupid...

Not only was Mom cheating, but Asher was going around telling everyone Mr. Waylon's entire fortune would one day be his.

Word got back to Mr. Waylon fast.

He wasn't even dead yet, and they were already eyeing his money. Anyone would be ticked off.

Mr. Waylon had no choice but to bring in his niece Rachel to train as his business assistant, and kick Mom and Asher out.

In this life, Mom still got thrown out.

But Mr. Waylon didn't kick me out.

"Leo, you're better off with me than with your short-sighted, ignorant birth mother."

All my hard work had paid off.

Mr. Waylon knew I was smart, driven, and had good judgment.

I always put his interests first, consulting him before making any big decisions.

I even casually mentioned that I saw him more like a father figure.

Of course, my shopaholic mother had no clue about any of this, and she didn't care anyway.

Mom refused to leave, saying she'd rather die than step out of the house.

She had no idea who she was dealing with.

A self-made man like Mr. Waylon was nothing like my spineless trust-fund father.

He wouldn't fall for her little games.

"Ms. Evans, go to the bedroom and pack some of her clothes."

Then he called security.

And just like that, Mom and Asher got escorted out.

As Mr. Waylon walked past my room, he patted my shoulder.

"Leo, focus on your studies. This grown-up drama isn't your problem."

I nodded.

Idiots. No matter how many chances they got, they'd always be this stupid.

My life wasn't affected at all—in fact, Mr. Waylon started trusting me even more.

Mom tried to get me to beg Mr. Waylon to take her back.

Of course I said no.

She called every day, screaming the most horrible things at me.

Ms. Evans heard her once and wondered if I was even her real kid.

In Mom's eyes, only Asher existed.

Without Mom's money, Asher's life got rough.

He flunked all his classes and hated school.

Dad just let him drop out. But Dad was drowning in debt, and their lives were a total mess.

I was focused on studying for college entrance exams. Mr. Waylon had been super busy lately, barely ever home.

Not long after, some thugs jumped me on my way to school.

Our car was in the shop that day, so I was walking home alone.

Right after school, a woman blocked my path.

"You Leo?"

Before I could answer, someone covered my mouth from behind and dragged me into an old warehouse.

As soon as they took the blindfold off, someone kicked me to the floor.

"Well, well, big brother. Enjoying life in that fancy house?"

Asher walked over, looking down at me like I was dirt.