Chapter 1

"Zak, if you stain my floor with your blood and tarnish our family's name, you'll burn in hell!" Zak's mother's voice blasted out on the rooftop, her scream piercing the air.

With one step forward, he'd plunge off the skyscraper. But if he turned back, he'd only face more humiliation. His mother treated him like trash, caring only about the family's reputation.

Chad, her adopted son, had not only taken everything from Zak but also sent him a video of his intimate moments with Zak's fiancée, Yetta.

Yetta had betrayed Zak, choosing to be with his enemy, claiming he was useless and unattractive. Even his sister treated him like a servant.

He treated everyone well, but what did he get in return?

Only the harshest betrayal.

Zak glanced down at the traffic below, feeling hopeless and utterly disappointed. He slowly spread his arms, forcing a bitter smile.

"Don't touch me, Mother. You're disgusting," he said.

Then he jumped into the darkness.

But he didn't die.

When he returned, fueled by rage, he had become Walter, a successful businessman. Would those who once trampled him underfoot be ready to face his revenge?

*****

Madeline's voice wasn't loud, but it was sharp and piercing, like needles stabbing straight into Zak's ears.

The servants standing nearby shrank their necks. They lowered their heads, not daring to glance at her.

Zak stood frozen in the shadowy corner of the living room, clutching a document tightly in his hand.

He had stayed up three nights in a row to finish the Southern District project proposal. His eyes were red from exhaustion.

He didn't even hope for Madeline's praise. All he wanted was for her to take a look. Maybe... just maybe, it would make him feel like he still mattered in this family.

But his last hope was shattered by her sharp scolding.

He slowly raised his head, like a puppet on strings, and looked at the expensive imported Itarvian leather sofa in the center of the living room.

His mother, Madeline, was sitting on it.

She was wearing the latest designer dress. Her skin was flawless, and her makeup was immaculate, making her still look radiant.

But the look she gave him was filled with undisguised disgust and irritation, like she was looking at a stray dog that had dirtied her carpet.

Right next to Madeline was her precious adopted son, Chad. He snuggled up to her with almost half his body nestled in her arms.

He was dressed in a limited-edition sportswear that perfectly matched the color of Madeline's dress. His skin was nice, and he was wearing an innocent smile on his face.

He was shamelessly nuzzling Madeline's neck, acting all cutesy. He even dared to let his hand wander, caressing her thigh that was barely visible through the slit of her dress. The intimacy of the gesture could make anyone else blush.

Madeline even picked up a strawberry and fed it to Chad. Her action looked completely natural.

"Look at you, Mom, getting all worked up again. There's no need to be mad at Zak. I can handle the business myself. Zak has been pretty tired at the company lately," Chad said with a sweet tone as he took the strawberry, looked up, and pouted.

As he spoke, he even grabbed the silk handkerchief Madeline had used and wiped his mouth, shooting Zak a quick look that was full of blatant smugness and provocation.

Madeline loved this kind of closeness. A pleased smile bloomed on her face as she pinched Chad's cheek.

"You're just too kind. All Zak does is wander around the company aimlessly. How could he possibly be tired? The company runs the same with or without him.

"But you just caught a cold from the rain the other day, and you're still recovering. You really shouldn't push yourself," she gently said.

Then her face changed, and she shot Zak a glare. Her voice suddenly rose, dripping with disgust. "Zak, are you deaf or just brain-dead? Didn't you hear Chad say he wanted water? Get over here and help him. What are you waiting for? Even a dog has more sense than you!"

Zak couldn't believe what he'd heard.

He felt like an invisible hand had grabbed his heart and crushed it.

The pain made it hard for him to breathe.

He had the Chapins' blood in his veins, but he was asked to serve Chad like a servant. Chad was just some bastard from who-knows-where who acted intimately with his mother. Zak wasn't sure what he was to Madeline anymore.

He took a deep breath, fighting the urge to vomit from disgust and shame. His steps felt heavy and numb as he walked toward the sleek marble coffee table.

He picked up the cup engraved with Chad's initials—one from a set that his father had collected when he was alive.

Zak remembered that as a kid, he wasn't even allowed to touch them, but now they belonged to Chad alone. He bent down and carefully poured hot water into the cup.

"Thanks, Zak," Chad said with a smile, taking the cup and intentionally stroking the back of Zak's hand with his thumb.

He flashed a dazzling smile at Zak's pale face, but his eyes were full of mockery and contempt. "You're always so good to me, Zak. Always putting me first," said Chad.

Zak withdrew his hand like he'd touched a hot stove, saying nothing. He turned back, trying to retreat to the corner so he could stay a little away from these disgusting people.

He looked down at the document in his hand. It was his last shred of dignity.

"Hold on!" Madeline snapped impatiently, her voice becoming even sharper. "What's that trash you're holding? Why are you skulking around all day? What are you up to now?"

"It's a proposal I made for the Southern District project," Zak replied, his tone lifeless.

"A proposal? You?" Madeline sneered. She gave his wrinkled shirt a once-over and then glanced at Chad's neat outfit. Her contempt grew.

"What could you possibly come up with? Stop wasting my time! With that tiny brain of yours, you're only good for being Chad's gofer at the company—serving drinks, sweeping floors, wiping tables, running errands. You hear me? The Chapin family doesn't keep freeloaders, especially some ungrateful fool who thinks he can reach for things way out of his league."

Hearing the word "ungrateful," Zak was heartbroken.

In Madeline's eyes, he wasn't just a loser. He was some greedy wolf, always eyeing things that were never meant for him.

He thought he deserved a share of everything in the Chapin family too.

"Mother, don't be so harsh on Zak," Chad said, acting concerned. His voice was gentle, but he looked like he was enjoying Zak's pain. "Zak really does work hard, always staying late at the office. It's just that... he's not cut out for this kind of thing. Making proposals takes real talent and vision. Maybe Zak's just not the thinking type. He'd probably do better with some physical work."

With just a few words, Chad described all of Zak's hard work as "pointless slogging" and made it sound like Zak was just too dumb to ever get anything right.

"Chad always knows how things are, and I love how he puts them," Madeline commented, her face softening with motherly pride as she tidied up the collar of Chad's designer shirt. Then she shot Zak a frosty glare, her voice turning harsh. "Did you hear that? Your talent can't compare to Chad's."

"From now on, you better use your head. Do as Chad says at the company. Don't you dare defy him! Ask no questions. If I ever catch you being disrespectful or badmouthing him behind his back, I'll break your legs myself and toss you out," she warned.

Zak clenched the document hard. His knuckles turned white, almost crumpling the papers.

He wanted to scream, to ask her if she really was his mother.

But he knew it was pointless. It would only bring more humiliation.

He felt like he was born to be the punching bag for this family.

Just then, Yohana, who had been sitting on a single armchair to the side, watching everything with cold detachment, suddenly spoke up.

Her voice was completely devoid of emotion. "Zak, give me your proposal."

Zak looked up, stunned, at his sister. Yohana had never liked him. She'd always mocked him, sneered at him, and made no secret of her disgust. He had no idea why she suddenly wanted to see his proposal.

"Yohana..." Zak called out hesitantly.

"Hand it over," Yohana said. Her voice was still calm, leaving no room for argument. It was more like an order than a request.

Zak hesitated for a few seconds and then handed the document over like it was his last hope. Maybe Yohana was just cold on the outside. Maybe deep down, she actually cared about him.

Yohana took the file and started flipping through it. Her face stayed focused and unreadable.

The living room went silent. The only sound was the soft rustle of turning pages.

Madeline and Chad exchanged a look, both trying to guess what Yohana was thinking.

After a few minutes, Yohana closed the file and looked up, her gaze landing on Zak's face.

"Not bad," she said. Her tone was still icy, but maybe less harsh than usual.

A flicker of hope appeared in Zak's mind.

He thought she was going to recognize his work.

However, Yohana suddenly changed her tone, her words turning mean. "But you really haven't seen the world, have you? Your vision is limited, and your idea is childish. The only place you can show off with stuff like this is in your daydreams."

The tiny spark of hope Zak had just felt was instantly snuffed out, like someone dumped a bucket of ice water over his head, leaving him shivering.

Yohana didn't care about Zak's pale face. She kept going, and her voice was full of fake generosity. "Here's the deal. I'll hand this over to Chad. He's going to fix it up for you. He's a graduate of a top university, whereas you barely graduated from high school. If he gives you some pointers, maybe this project will actually be feasible."

Zak was disappointed.

He finally got it. Yohana never wanted to help him.

She just used a different way to humiliate him.

She crushed his last bit of dignity while complimenting Chad as if he were some kind of genius.

"That's not necessary. I can manage it myself." Zak tried to refuse her.

"Shut up!" Yohana snapped, cutting him off. Her eyes were cold, like she was staring at a beggar. "Zak, let me make things clear one more time. You better remember who you are. You're still here, alive, because we showed you mercy. Understood?"

With that, she tossed all Zak's hard work to Chad like it was garbage, not even sparing Zak a glance as she headed straight upstairs.

Zak stood there, feeling hurt.

His own sister treated him like a beggar that they "kindly" took in.

"Zak, don't be upset," Chad said, walking over with the proposal in hand. He wore a fake smile as he patted Zak's shoulder. "Yohana did it for your own good. Don't worry, I'll take good care of your proposal. After all, we're a family, aren't we?"

He leaned in with a wicked grin and lowered his voice so only Zak could hear. "That goes for your proposal... and your fiancée. I'll make sure to 'take care' of them both."

With that, Chad swaggered away, humming to himself, looking smug as ever.

Zak stared at Chad as he walked away, and he clenched his fists so hard that his nails pierced his own flesh. His blood seeped out from between his fingers.

He knew Chad would just claim the proposal as his own.

But there was nothing he could do. He was at Chad's mercy.

He shut his eyes in agony. Suddenly, his phone buzzed in his pocket. It was an MMS from Chad.

He tapped it to play the video.

It showed a dim hotel room with a messy bed. Two naked bodies entwined with each other. The woman's face flashed by, and it was Yetta.

The man on top was Chad.

In the end, Chad even turned to the camera and gave a taunting, wicked grin.

Zak was stunned. His blood rushed to his head, and then, he felt as if it instantly turned ice-cold. He could barely hold onto his phone.

Chad and Yetta actually filmed this and sent it to him. Such humiliation was cruel. Zak felt like his chest was being crushed by a boulder, making it impossible to breathe.

"What are you standing there for? Can't you see the floor's dirty? Hurry up and mop it! Useless fool." Madeline's shrill voice rang out again, each word hitting Zak like a whip across his back.

Zak took a deep breath, shoved his phone back in his pocket, and held back all the pain, anger, and hatred boiling inside him. He trudged to the storage room, grabbed a mop, and started cleaning the floor like a lifeless puppet.

He mopped with extra force, scrubbing every inch until it gleamed, as if he could somehow scrub away all the humiliation.

Just then, his phone rang again.

It was an unknown number.

He trembled. He knew this call could be the final straw. After hesitating for a long time, he finally picked it up.

"Hello," Zak said, his voice as flat as ever.

"Zak, it's me." Yetta's voice dripped with fake sweetness, making him want to vomit.

"What is it?" Zak replied coldly.

"Zak, I know you're feeling down. Did Chad steal your project again?" Yetta cooed, her voice oozing with that phony concern.

"It has nothing to do with you," Zak said.

"Why? We're engaged, aren't we?" Yetta paused for a moment. "Zak, I know you've always been good to me, giving me so many gifts. It's not that I don't appreciate it..."

Zak knew what was coming.

Yetta's voice suddenly turned cold. "But people always want to change for the better. Zak, you're a good guy, but you're not good enough for me."

"What do you mean?" Zak's voice trembled.

"It means we're done. The engagement is off. I've always loved Chad. He's better than you, and he gets me. Your mother and sister both like him. He'll be the future head of the Chapin family. If I stayed with you, I'd just be some broke loser. But with Chad, I'll be the queen of the Chapin family," Yetta said.

"You were with him not long ago, right?" Zak asked, thinking about the video.

Yetta giggled. "How did you know? Did Chad tell you? He just loves to play around. Yeah, we just left the hotel. He was incredible. It's way more exciting than being with you. You're so dull."

Zak's mind went completely blank. He'd pinched every penny to buy her gifts, thinking it would win her heart. He never imagined she'd been sleeping with Chad all along, and now she was rubbing it right in his face.

"Why are you telling me this?" Zak's voice was full of despair.

"Because Chad told me to," Yetta said, her voice full of smugness and cruelty. "He wanted you to give up for good. He also wanted to see just how much of a loser you could be. Your parents never cared about you. Your sister despises you. And now even your fiancée chose your brother. How miserable can you be?"

Her words echoed in Zak's mind as his heart was completely shattered.

"I see," Zak said, using the last bit of his strength.

"Zak, don't be too sad. Just marry a woman at your level someday, and remember to send me an invitation. Though honestly, I doubt anyone would even want you. Anyway, bye!" Yetta finished and hung up.

Zak gripped his phone and suddenly smashed it to the floor, the screen shattering into pieces.

He felt helpless.

His family betrayed him, and love was pure poison.

His whole life was nothing but a joke.

He walked over to the window and stared out at the city lights below.

There were so many lights, but not a single one was shining for him.

He was worn out.

Maybe only death could set him free.

He made his way up to the rooftop. The night wind cut him like knives. Standing at the edge, he looked down. Everything below looked so tiny. The dizzy feeling in his head almost felt like a release.

He shut his eyes, ready to throw himself into the darkness.

"Zak! What the heck do you think you're doing?" Madeline screamed behind him.

Zak didn't turn around. He spoke in a flat, exhausted voice. "Mom, I'm tired. I want to rest."

"Tired? More like you just want to die, you worthless piece of trash," Madeline shrieked, storming over. "You want to die, huh? Fine. At least I won't have to see your pathetic face anymore. But let me warn you. If you stain my floor with your blood and tarnish our family's name, you'll burn in hell!"

Zak was utterly disappointed.

Even at the end, all Madeline cared about was the family's reputation, her interests, and her image. Whether her own son lived or died, she couldn't care less.

Maybe she was even hoping he'd die sooner.

"Zak, get your ass down here. Do you hear me?" Madeline reached out to grab him.

Zak stepped back to avoid her. "Don't touch me, Mom," he said softly, his voice cold. "You're disgusting."

"W-What did you just say?" Madeline couldn't believe it.

"I said, I'm ready to be free from all this," Zak replied with a faint, bitter smile. He was miserable yet calm.

With that, he spread his arms wide, like a caged bird finally set free, and leapt backward, plunging into the darkness.