Chapter 3

Ryan actually did take me to his place. He spoke gently, trying to comfort me. "My place is close by. Whenever you want to see your sister, it's less than a 10-minute walk."

Back then, I just thought he was so kind. I had no idea about the bad blood between him and Jonathan. He was just doing it to get under Jonathan's skin.

Elena and I were the same. No one had ever been good to us. So, even a little kindness made us so grateful. We really thought they were saints and wanted to give them our whole hearts.

Later, we got hurt again and again and saw who they really were. That was when we understood. We were just a joke they played on a whim.

I was half asleep, and my eyes felt damp. In a daze, I heard my phone ring. I fumbled around for it and answered.

Only then did I realize it was Alex's smartwatch. I had blocked Ryan, but I forgot to block this number.

On the other end, it was Alex's familiar little voice. "Why haven't you come back?"

Alex stopped calling me "Mom" once he was old enough to understand, around three. From the day he was born, everyone around him kept telling him the same thing. His mother was a mute, a bad person.

So he only ever called me "you" or "hey."

I sent him a calm text. I wrote: [I told you when I left. I'm not coming back.]

His reply came back, full of anger and blame. "You're my mom. How could you just leave me? Do you know I forgot to bring my spare clothes to kindergarten today? It's all because you weren't here to pack my bag."

Over the years, the Pierce family had spoiled Alex rotten. He had no manners at all and was used to shouting at me.

I tried to set him straight once. But from the time he turned three, he had refused to listen to me.

The Pierce family didn't think a mute like me was fit to raise a child.

Alex would talk to me with disgust. "I'm just loud, so what? My family has tons of money. Who's gonna say anything to me? You want me to be a cowardly, useless mute like you?"

I grew tired of it. The Pierce family had the means to spoil him for life, anyway. If he didn't want to listen to me, so be it. I let go.

I stopped trying to discipline him and tuned out his disrespect and harsh words. Over time, I started to feel like I didn't really love him anymore.

Alex kept pushing. "Hurry up and come back already. I haven't had mac and cheese in forever.

"No one reminds Dad to take his stomach medicine. His stomach hurts all the time. If you don't come back and take care of us, we're going to get really mad at you."

Over the years, in his eyes, I guessed I'd gradually gone from being his mom to the maid they expected to wait on them.

I couldn't speak. I was tired and didn't even feel like texting back. So I hung up and blocked that number too.

Alex was used to getting his way. He might try calling from another number to yell at me again. So I turned on unknown call blocking.

Finally, the world was quiet. I let out a soft sigh. Suddenly, I realized that what I felt for Ryan and Alex now was mostly just irritation.

My work went on as usual. My tours started on this little island, but soon I was taking groups to nearby coastal cities too.

I was also getting ready to start my own travel agency for people with disabilities. It would be tailored for the deaf, the blind, and those who couldn't walk easily.

I wanted them to be able to travel without worrying about discrimination or the hassle of daily life.

Elena's restaurant kept doing well. We saved some money. Together with what we already had, we put a down payment on a new place.

The old house Dad left us, we sold. It only reminded us of memories we'd rather leave behind.

That man had never been good to us. He had another family when he was alive. A woman and a child. He gave nearly every cent he had to them.

Elena and I managed to get by on scholarships and grants, plus help from the village. We scraped things together and barely made it.

Even on his deathbed, he made sure to transfer every last cent to his mistress and her kid. All he left us were debts and that run-down house, the one no one else wanted.

In his final moments, he glared at us and said, "Don't blame me. Blame the wicked woman who gave birth to you. You had the bad luck to come out of her."

Back when he was young, he married our mom because his parents made him. He never had the guts to say no.

After they got married, he took all his bitterness and frustration on our meek, submissive mom. After she died, he turned it all on Elena and me.

That day, Elena listened quietly until he was done. Then, she took my hand and walked out of the room without looking back.

She patted my head and said, "It's okay. I'll take care of you."

We didn't stay to see him take his last breath or arrange a funeral for him.

Five years had passed in the blink of an eye.

Our new place came fully furnished. It was small, less than 900 square feet. But it was cozy. It was the first real home Elena and I had ever owned.

On moving day, I was over the moon. Elena cooked a big meal and opened a bottle of red wine.

Even though the two of us couldn't finish it all, she said moving into a new place deserved a proper celebration. I set the table and lit some candles.

Elena gave me a helpless smile and joked, "Who has a candlelit dinner with their sister?"

I couldn't help blushing, but I left the candles burning.

She had barely finished speaking when the doorbell rang. I thought it was the neighbor I had said hello to earlier.

I opened the door and there he was, Ryan, looking straight at me. I froze.

He always had that rebellious edge to his looks. But now, he looked exhausted. Dark circles hung under his eyes.

He was even leaning on a cane in his right hand. It looked like he had hurt his leg.

He looked downright pitiful, so unlike the Ryan I remembered. For a second, I thought I had mistaken him for someone else.

Then, I saw Alex standing by his left side and Matthew, a little behind them, looking awkward and silent.