Raised as a Spare in a Family of Liars

On the day my parents file for bankruptcy, my adopted brother and fake heir, Oliver Bilson, is also diagnosed with leukemia. To earn enough money to pay his medical bills, I brave the snow and winds and continue working even on New Year's Eve. When I hand over the food delivery to the scion, Charlie Jetton, he suddenly knocks the cake over. "Why weren't you more careful when making the delivery?" he demands. "Don't you know that Mr. Bilson spent a million dollars to specifically order this cake for Olly?" I'm about to make a retort when I hear three voices that I'm intimately familiar with coming from within the warm villa. "It's okay. It's the thought that counts, Mom and Dad." The voice belongs to none other than Oliver! Dad, who claims that our family has gone bankrupt and is saddled with a mountain of debt, proudly says, "You're so mature, Olly. I'm going to give you an island to reward you!" Mom, who has always been frugal, gently adds, "My one and only, precious son is so understanding. I'll give you my golf club in Masonila, so don't be angry, alright?" My phone chimes just as the cake lands next to my feet, informing me that I have received a bad review. Later, I cut ties with them and leave with my advisor, Richard Dyer. However, when Mom and Dad find out that I'm leaving, they fall to their knees and frantically beg me to stay as if they have completely lost their minds. Chapter 1 My adopted brother, Oliver Bilson, was diagnosed with leukemia right after I paid off Dad's debts from when he declared bankruptcy. To pay Dad's debts, I had to sell off the luxury items that my parents had given me as compensation for the last two years and the patents that I hadn't published yet. I worked myself to the bone to earn enough money to pay Oliver's medical bills. Even so, our family still ended up in millions of dollars in debt after he made a full recovery. Every day, after finishing my shift as a driver, I would prepare my family's meals for the next day before cleaning up and turning in for the night. I would make my way to the subway station at exactly 5:00 a.m. every morning to sell breakfast. I would then go through my daily routine until it was late at night. I received a delivery order on New Year's Eve. The client had specifically asked for me to deliver the item, which led me to assume that they had been satisfied with my service from a previous order. It was why my heart felt warm even though I had to brave the freezing winds to make the delivery. Plus, since the client had specifically asked for me to make the delivery, I would earn more than usual for their order. I pulled out my phone and sent a message to the family group chat while I was waiting for the traffic light to turn green, wanting to share the good news with them. "We'll be able to pay off the last of our debts once I complete this delivery tonight! "Didn't Olly mention that he wanted to eat steak a few days ago? Let's take him to a steakhouse once we're debt-free." As usual, no one responded to my message. But I knew that Mom, Dad, and Oliver were busy working to pay off our debts, just like me. They didn't have time to respond to me. Besides, they always kept the leftovers warm for me whenever I returned home late at night. It was why I didn't feel even a trace of dissatisfaction even though we were saddled with countless debts after Oliver made a full recovery. A biting gust of wind billowed past, stinging my face. Still, I had no intention of slowing down and taking a break. I was terrified of getting a bad review from the client if I exceeded the estimated delivery time. I didn't want the big order to fall through. It was difficult, but I managed to make it to the affluent villa area in the city. I was told that electric vehicles weren't allowed in the compound, so when I finally made it to my destination, I was freezing from head to toe. Ignoring the frostbite on my fingers, I rang the doorbell. I did my best to get my breathing back under control. The person who opened the door was a scion who looked about the same age as me. He was wearing a high-quality sweater, and there were pieces of colorful confetti in his hair. It was obvious that it was warm and lively within the villa. The man crossed his arms over his chest as he looked down at me from the tip of his nose, scoffing when he took in the thick and old-fashioned cotton coat that I was wearing. "Who gave you permission to loiter on my doorstep, you loser?" he sneered. Chapter 2 The hardships of life had already worn down the sharp edges of my pride. It was why I simply smiled when I heard the man's words. I opened my delivery bag and said, "This is the cake that you ordered. Please take a look at it and confirm that it wasn't damaged during the delivery." The man glanced at the bag. He didn't say a single word before grabbing it and shaking it wildly. Before I could react to what was happening, he pulled out the cake and hurled it next to my feet. "Why weren't you more careful when making the delivery?" he demanded. "Don't you know that Mr. Bilson spent a milliom dollars to specifically order this cake for Olly?" I was just about to retort when I heard three voices that I was intimately familiar with coming from within the warm villa. "It's okay, Charlie. Perhaps the deliveryman was just a little careless. It's the thought that counts, Mom and Dad." The voice belonged to none other than Oliver! My breath hitched in my throat, and my heart nearly stopped beating for a second. Rage began to burn within my chest, but I felt like I was shoved into an icy cave the moment I heard the next person's voice. Dad, who claimed that our family had gone bankrupt and was saddled with a mountain of debt, proudly said, "You're so mature, Olly. It was just a cake. I'll buy you ten more and give you an island to reward you!" Mom, who had always been frugal, gently added, "My one and only, precious son is so understanding. I'll buy the watch that you've been eyeing for you. I'll also give you my golf club in Masonila. So, don't be angry, my little prince." Warm air drifted through the open door, but my heart felt like it had been encased in ice. At the same time, my phone chimed, informing me that I had received a bad review. Charlie Jetton was still standing before me. He shot a provoking look at me and asked, "Do you know why your parents lied to you about going bankrupt and Olly being diagnosed with leukemia? It's because Olly casually mentioned that he thinks that you don't like him. "Your parents decided to orchestrate this farce to test you. It was hilarious watching you run around and work yourself to the bone like a loyal dog every day to pay off their debts." When I remained silent, he let out a boisterous laugh and continued, "Poor unwanted thing. Although your parents took you back to the Bilson family, they still kept Olly around as their adopted son. You should have known then that you meant nothing to them!" Rage and despair snapped the last threads of my rationality. As Charlie continued to provoke me, I couldn't hold myself back anymore and aimed a punch at him. However, the door slammed shut in my face. I wasn't willing to leave in such a pathetic state. I hammered my fists on the door, hoping to attract my parents' attention. But the party was back in full swing within the villa. Not only did I fail to catch my parents' attention, but the ruckus that I was making caused the staff members from the property management team to show up. "My parents are inside!" I exclaimed. "I want to see them!" The tall and broad property manager's eyes were full of disdain as he scrutinized me. "This is an affluent villa area. Even the cheapest building has a seven-digit price tag. The clothes that you're wearing don't look like they total up to even a hundred dollars. "Go home if you want to delude yourself with your daydreams. Don't cause trouble for us by freezing to death here." The other staff members burst into laughter upon hearing his words. The property manager slowly approached me, brandishing his stun baton. "Get out of here if you know what's good for you. You can't afford to cross the people who are inside." I wasn't willing to give up yet, but the property manager stunned me with his baton until I fainted. He then dragged me to the entrance of the villa area and dumped me next to my electric scooter. The blood in my veins felt like it had turned to ice when I regained consciousness. The cream that was smeared across half of my face had also hardened, adding to my pathetic appearance. I lay on the ground as the freezing snowflakes melted on my face. They mixed with my tears and flowed down my cheeks. A familiar ringing cut through the silence. It was the ringtone that I used for my parents. I had intentionally set a special ringtone for them because I didn't want to accidentally miss their calls when I was busy. Chapter 3 "It's already so late. Why aren't you home yet, Ash?" Mom asked anxiously. "I thought something happened to you. It's all our fault for being so useless. You even have to work on New Year's Eve. We're the ones who failed you…" My throat tightened painfully, but I swallowed down the bitter feeling. I wanted to ask them why they were lying to me, but I could only make choked noises. I heard Dad coughing on the other end of the line. "You're a good kid, Ash. It's all my fault. Olly, your mom, and I dragged you down." In the past, I would definitely refute his words and tell them that I was doing everything of my own volition. However, I didn't want to waste my energy on them any longer. Dad assumed that I was tired when I remained silent. "It's New Year's Eve today, Ash. Don't push yourself too hard. Come home early and get some rest." "He's right," Mom hastily chimed in. "Let's go out tomorrow night and have a nice meal. We've also bought a lot of food for you. Also, it's your birthday tomorrow. We've prepared a surprise for you." I swallowed the lump in my throat and forced out an "Okay." The snow was getting heavier, but I didn't immediately rush home after I crawled back up to my feet. Instead, I dropped by a 24-hour self-printing shop and printed a disownment contract. I was going to prepare a surprise for them too. Since my parents were so fond of Oliver, perhaps my departure would truly be a pleasant surprise for them. … It was a little over 4:00 am by the time I made it home. I looked at the cold leftovers in plastic containers on the dining table and the dark home where no one was waiting for me. "Happy birthday," I muttered to myself. It was my 24th birthday that day. However, I had learned the cruel truth the day before—my parents were showering all their money and love on Oliver, my adopted brother and fake heir who had stolen my time with them when I was a child. I shivered as I took a shower. I then curled up under the thin blanket that failed dismally to keep me warm. In the past, I believed that Mom and Dad didn't pay for heating to save money. I thought that everyone wanted to pay off our debts as soon as possible. Oliver always fell ill during winter. My parents would always leave to accompany him to the hospital. He also constantly needed someone to watch over him since his body had grown weak after recovering from leukemia. Only then did I realize that my parents were actually scared of the cold. They made up an excuse that they needed to stay by Oliver's side, when in reality, they were hiding in a luxurious home and enjoying a lavish lifestyle. I pressed the back of my hand to my eyes before suddenly bursting into laughter. It was laughable that I had even thought about buying a home with proper heating for them after paying off our debts. Only then did I understand that I had overestimated myself. The three of them could afford to host a party in a villa in an affluent area in the heart of the city. What right did I have to buy a house for them when I couldn't even afford to pay the property management fee? Sunlight streamed through the old glass window and fell across my face. The sounds of footsteps echoed from beyond the door. I grabbed my phone and glanced at the time. It was 8:00 am. It was the first time I had slept in after Dad went bankrupt. It was too cold under the blanket. I was shivering when I got out of bed. Before I left my room, I changed my phone's wallpaper. It was a note that I had personally written. "I'm willing to give up everything that I have in exchange for Mom's, Dad's, and Olly's health." Mom looked a little surprised when she saw me coming out of my room. "Why did you get up so late today? Did something happen? Did you get sick? Is it serious?" Although she was fussing over me, I couldn't feel a single trace of warmth in my heart. In fact, I couldn't even tell if her concern for me was genuine or just an act that she was putting on to fool me into believing that she loved me. "Ash? Why aren't you saying anything?" Chapter 4 I shook my head as my parents continued fussing over me, saying, "I'm fine. I'm just feeling a little tired." A few moments later, Dad said remorsefully, "It's my fault for being so useless. I dragged you down. Don't push yourself too hard. It'll break our hearts." "He's right," Mom added quickly. "It's New Year's Day and your birthday today. Didn't you mention that you wanted to have a meal with us? Let's do that today! We've also prepared a cake for you." I was completely unaffected by their happy tone, but I still nodded. I wanted to know how far they were willing to go to keep up the farce, and how genuine their acting could be. I changed into a fresh set of clothes and followed them to a high-end shopping mall in the heart of the city. It was a little pathetic, but it was my first time setting foot into the mall, even though they had brought me back to the Bilson family when I was 16. I had been too busy studying before our supposed bankruptcy. On top of that, my parents never thought of taking me out to experience the world. I totally lost the right to visit the mall after our family filed for bankruptcy. It was why, although Oliver had explored the mall like it was his backyard since he was a child, it was my first time entering the building. My parents entered the restaurant first to place their orders, asking me to stay outside to wait for Oliver, who was coming from the "hospital". A sports car skidded to a stop in front of me. Oliver took off his sunglasses and smirked at me, asking, "Doesn't my car look great? Mom and Dad gave it to me as my New Year present." He then grabbed the cake box that was sitting on the passenger seat and threw it at me. "Your birthday present. There was no way that I could finish the ten cakes that Dad bought for me. I specifically told the maids not to throw them out in the morning so I could give one to you. "Go inside. Don't make Mom and Dad wait too long for you," he said before winding up the window and preparing to leave. "Although you don't have the right to enjoy a feast of Mom's home-cooked food like me, at least you get to eat the dishes that they ordered." I placed the cake box on top of the trash can after I walked into the restaurant. The waiter led me to a private booth. My parents were holding up a cake, looking at me with expectant eyes. It was obvious that they hoped that I would be pleased by their surprise. After all, it was their first time celebrating my birthday with me even though I had already lived for 24 years. "Happy birthday, Ash! Make a wish and blow out the candles!" I stared at the restaurant's logo on the cake. An uneasy expression crossed Mom's face when she saw where I was looking. "We didn't have enough time to prepare since this was a last-minute decision. But we still wanted to give you a proper birthday celebration, so we had no choice but to use the cake that the restaurant gave us. "I hope you don't mind. We'll definitely make the necessary arrangements beforehand next year." "Is that so?" I asked. My parents nodded vigorously. As I stared at the free cake that the restaurant had provided, I couldn't help but think about how ridiculous the entire situation was. Oliver had so many cakes that he couldn't finish them all. On top of that, each cake cost a million dollars. Recalling Oliver's words, I looked at Mom and slowly said, "I want to eat your home-cooked food. Anything's fine." Mom was stunned. It was clear that she hadn't expected me to make such a request when I had always been so accommodating toward her. Although we had gone "bankrupt", I never allowed her to set foot in the kitchen. I was also the one who did the dishes. They would leave their used plates and cutlery on the dining table, leaving them for me to wash despite how late I came home every night. Mom averted her gaze and said, "You know that I don't know how to cook, Ash. Change your wish. I'll definitely fulfill it." "Then, I want to return to school to pursue my doctorate since the family's debts have been paid off," I said. My parents immediately fell silent upon hearing my words. They exchanged glances before Dad let out a deep sigh and said, "You know our circumstances, Ash. We've paid off our debts, but we don't have any savings. You won't be able to work if you continue your studies. We'll also have to pay your school fees…" Chapter 5 Mom hastily added, "I know that you're very well-behaved, Ash. Olly's not very good at studying. He's going to be in low spirits if you pursue your doctorate. Also, who knows when we're going to be able to afford to buy a house without you working too?" She hung her head and pretended to wipe her nonexistent tears. Meanwhile, the disdain in my heart had reached its peak. Dad placed a piece of sliced steak on my plate and tried to change the topic. "Eat up. You've lost too much weight over the last two years." The corners of my lips curled up into a self-deprecating smile. How could I not lose weight when I only ate a single meal every day since I was always buried to the elbows in work? A shrill ringing shattered the awkward and tense air in the private booth. A hint of guilt flickered in Mom's eyes when she glanced at her phone screen. She hastily turned the phone over and said, "The telemarketers are getting so annoying these days." The phone started ringing again a few seconds after it fell silent. Mom let out a dry laugh before heading outside to answer the call. 30 seconds later, she reentered the booth, looking as white as a sheet. She pulled Dad up to his feet and said, "The boss just called. An urgent matter just came up. Take your time eating, Ash. We'll be taking our leave first." I fixed a faux-worried expression on my face and said, "Let's go together, Mom. I can lend a hand too." Mom immediately waved her hands and said, "No need! You've already worked yourself to the bone. You should rest up today." "I'm 24 this year, but this is the first and only time you've celebrated my birthday with me. Do you have to go?" I asked, unable to hold back my overflowing reluctance and despair. I turned my head to the side and did my best to hold back my tears. Mom hesitated for a moment before saying, "Well… Maybe we can eat some cake first before leaving—" However, her phone started ringing again before she could finish her sentence. Dad also showed her a message on his phone. Mom's hesitance disappeared. She frowned and snapped impatiently, "We can celebrate your birthday every year. You know that you're already 24, so can you stop being so immature?" She then shoved me aside. She didn't slow down even when my waist collided against the sharp and hard corner of the marble table. "Wait." I stopped trying to figure out why I was always inferior to Oliver in their hearts. I also stopped having any expectations of them. As I stared into Mom's eyes that were full of irritation, I calmly handed the disownment contract to her. "I've already registered for my doctorate. I'll have to submit an application if I want to drop out. I'm going to need your signatures." The lighting in the private booth was dim. On top of that, my parents were in a rush to go to Oliver's side. As I expected, they didn't even bother looking at the contract before penning their signatures on the dotted lines. However, just as I was about to retrieve the disownment contract, Mom suddenly grabbed my hand and said, "We'll celebrate your birthday again when we're free, Ash." I nodded as I retracted my hand, saying, "Alright. Go do what you need to do." I watched them leave without a trace of hesitation. I didn't look forward to the birthday party that I knew wouldn't happen. I also didn't continue eating. Instead, I immediately rushed home to pack my belongings after I paid the bill. I placed an order to deliver one copy of the disownment contract to them while keeping one copy for myself. I then got into my advisor, Richard Dyer's car. My phone started ringing nonstop just before I boarded the plane. Mom's name was flashing on the screen. Having no desire to talk to her, I set my phone on silent mode. Moments before I boarded the plane, I sent a message to them. "You've got what you wanted. Never bother me again." After sending the message, I took out the SIM card, snapped it in half, and threw the broken pieces into the trash. Ignoring the two figures who had rushed the boarding gate, I picked up my suitcase and left.