Stranded While My Golden Brother Flew Home

My wealthy parents, Derek Miller and Veronica Wright, worry that my brother Wilbur Miller and I will abuse our power and status. To prevent this, they assign us to their aviation company, forcing us to work the longest and most exhausting flights. During one flight to Kampland, a riot breaks out in the country, and the return flight is canceled. I call Mom and Dad, begging them to send a plane to bring Wilbur and me home, but they rebuke me coldly. "William Miller, fearlessness in the face of danger is the most basic quality of a flight attendant! Stop thinking about running away from your problems! You will return only when that return flight does." Desperate, Wilbur and I pull every string we can to buy tickets back home. But on the day of departure, my phone shows that our tickets are canceled and refunded. Just as I'm about to call the airline, Mom and Dad call instead. "If everyone else is staying, then why the hell should you get special treatment? I've already refunded the tickets. Don't even think about coming back by any means other than that return flight!" With that, they hang up and block us from purchasing any more tickets. Later, everyone else stranded abroad is safely sent home except for Wilbur and me. Wilbur is accidentally killed in the riots, while I am rescued by the embassy at the very brink of death. As I numbly handle Wilbur's funeral arrangements, I see a post online from my adopted younger brother, Corbin Miller. "I have the best parents in the world! They are so worried I'll get into danger abroad that they sent ten planes to escort me home!" This time, I don't make a scene. Instead, I calmly like the post and comment, "Your parents are so good to you. I wish the three of you a lifetime of happiness as a family." Chapter 1 William's POV The cold air seeped into my bones inside the funeral home. I took the tissues offered by a staff member and robotically continued handling my elder brother Wilbur Miller's funeral arrangements. Suddenly, I heard the shrill ringing of my phone. Dad's caller ID flashed across the screen, and a barrage of insults and accusations came through the receiver the moment I answered. "William Miller! What the hell is wrong with you? Cory had a heart attack because of your stupid comment on his post, and now, he can't even eat a single thing anymore!" I laughed bitterly and replied, "I was just telling the truth. He's more like your biological son compared to Wilbur or me." There was a brief silence on the other end of the line before Mom's voice broke in. "Liam, you know that the country Cory was studying in isn't very peaceful right now. We were worried about him, so we sent a plane to bring him back to safety." After a short pause, she tried to adopt a comforting tone. "You're his older brother. You should be more magnanimous and stop targeting Cory all the time." "Targeting him?" I echoed, unable to stop laughing at the absurdity. My throat felt tightly clamped. "I'd never have the nerve." Dad's furious voice rang out again. "What's the point of explaining anything to him? We don't need his damn permission to bring our son back home! "If you don't apologize to Cory this instant, both you and Wilbur can forget about ever coming back and stay in Kampland for the rest of your lives! And since there's a riot ongoing there, you might as well just die there and never come back!" I couldn't help laughing until tears streamed down my face as I heard him cursing us. So, he actually knew there was a deadly riot in this country, yet he had deliberately stranded us here just to drive us to our deaths. Mom and Dad had always been like this. Ever since I was young, whenever Corbin Miller complained to them about some minor grievance, they would relentlessly curse and blame Wilbur and me, then coerce us into apologizing to Corbin. In their eyes, Corbin was the kind and intelligent one, whereas Wilbur and I had been painted as vicious, selfish villains throughout our entire childhood. Even though Wilbur and I graduated from pilot school and became professional pilots, they forced us to work only as flight attendants to "learn to serve others". They worried we would abuse our status at work, so they concealed the fact that we were related to them and assigned us to the most difficult flight routes, forcing us to start from the bottom. Whenever we were given the chance to fly, they consistently sent us to the most remote and dangerous places around the world. In fact, just before this flight to Kampland, news reports had already indicated widespread riots and unrest in the country—making it clear that anyone flying there might never return. Chapter 2 Mom and Dad knew that the trip was a very dangerous one, and yet, they still insisted that Wilbur and I went. We didn't want to go, but they berated us relentlessly, calling us spoiled and calling our hesitation a childish tantrum. They constantly used the fact that they'd raised us and that we owed them our lives to belittle us, until eventually, Wilbur and I caved. However, when the riots broke out, Mom and Dad didn't just refuse to listen to our pleas for help. They even canceled the plane tickets we'd worked so hard to secure, leaving us stranded and desperately fighting for survival in a country torn apart by violence. Meanwhile, Corbin had been studying abroad in Euroca, nearly half a globe away from the riots, where it was completely safe. Yet Mom and Dad, panicked over the slightest potential threat, went to extreme lengths to send ten planes and professional bodyguards to escort him home. Wilbur and I were their biological sons, but they treated us with such cold-blooded indifference that Corbin might as well have been their real son, given how thoroughly they spoiled and pampered him. And yet, even in his final moments, poor Wilbur was still making excuses for them. "I'm sure Mom and Dad just didn't understand how bad things were here… That's why they wouldn't let us come home… Don't hate them… Live well in my place…" Anger surged through me as I recalled Wilbur's body being blown to pieces. "Apologize? Over my dead body! I'll never apologize as long as I'm alive! Wilbur is dead because of you! Are you happy now? "Parents like you will definitely get your comeuppance one day!" I ended the call angrily, cutting off Dad's furious roar over the line. … I was soon escorted back home by the embassy. The moment I stepped out of the arrival gate, Corbin's face flashed across massive electronic screens everywhere. "Congratulations on the safe return of the Miller Aviation Group's only son!" The words looped endlessly in prime advertising spaces across the terminal. Several flight attendants whispered in the waiting hall. They weren't speaking loudly, but every word pierced straight through me. "Is that the tycoon's only son? I heard there was some slight unrest in the Yolkland borders over in Euroca, and Mr. Miller got so worried he sent ten private jets and specially trained bodyguards overnight just to bring him back!" "Exactly. The streets are lined with welcome banners. Mr. and Mrs. Miller even commissioned a limited-edition luxury jet for him, equipped with an advanced flight control system and a professional medical team!" My blood ran cold. It dawned on me that Mom and Dad hadn't simply sent private jets to bring Corbin home; they'd orchestrated a massive public spectacle, praying for his safe return as if they wanted the entire world to know how much they cherished their "son". Shakily, I pulled out my phone and went online. The news was dominated by headlines like, "Aviation Tycoon Spends Millions Praying For Only Son's Safe Return." The comment sections were flooded with envy. "Oh God, I wish I were an heir to the Miller family! What an amazing life!" "Mr. Miller only has one precious son. Of course he'd be doting on him like that! I can't even imagine how happy I'd be in his shoes!" "Just look at their extravagant lifestyle! It's so infuriating!" "I'd be smiling in my sleep if I had parents like that!" I numbly scrolled through the screen, a suffocating weight pressing down on my chest and making it difficult to breathe. For years, Mom and Dad had publicly acknowledged only Corbin as their son. Wilbur and I were like shadows hidden in a dark corner, barred from ever seeing the light of day. During the most precarious days of their early business venture, Corbin's father handed them their first major contract, saving them from ruin. So Mom and Dad were always extremely grateful to him. Later, when Corbin's parents passed away unexpectedly, Mom and Dad took him in. When he first arrived, Wilbur and I felt deeply sorry for him and eagerly shared everything we owned to make sure he never felt left out. Then, one day, after some classmates mocked Corbin's unfashionable clothes in elementary school, he went home crying and told Mom and Dad that Wilbur and I had instigated the whole class to bully him. Without ever hearing our side of the story, Mom and Dad flew into a blind rage and berated us severely. No matter how much Wilbur and I tried to explain ourselves, our words fell on deaf ears. Convinced we had abused our power to torment Corbin, they decided to conceal our family relationship from the public. From then on, fueled by Corbin's continuous stream of lies, Mom and Dad grew increasingly disgusted with Wilbur and me, subjecting us to endless suppression and hardship as we grew up. I had once begged Wilbur to run away from home with me, but he had refused. Chapter 3 Wilbur stubbornly believed that Mom and Dad still loved us and that they were only temporarily deceived by Corbin. He thought that if we just worked harder to be better, they would eventually see our worth and welcome us back into the family. But this trip to Kampland had ultimately cost Wilbur his life. It wasn't until then that I finally saw how foolish his yearning for their affection truly was. I blamed myself for not being stronger, for not dragging Wilbur away with me when I had the chance. If I had, he might still be alive. But it was all too late. Mom and Dad had known that both their biological sons were trapped in a violent foreign riot with our lives hanging by a thread, yet they had cruelly and heartlessly canceled our flights home. Meanwhile, they had panicked over their adopted son being in an entirely safe country, going so far as to dispatch ten planes just to escort him back. I wanted nothing more to do with this family. … When I finally reached home, the facial recognition lock didn't recognize me. I had to pound loudly on the door, the wound on my arm aching and throbbing with every beat, but nobody answered. After what felt like an eternity, Mom, Dad, and Corbin pulled up in their luxury car, dressed to the nines and looking radiant. They were a stark contrast to my dusty, disheveled appearance. Nobody said anything when they saw me. I trailed after them, but the moment the door slammed shut inside, a hot cup of coffee was thrown directly into my face. I instinctively tried to duck, but it still hit me squarely on the forehead. The scalding liquid splashed across my face and dripped down my hair. With the outside world shut out, Dad finally unleashed his fury. "You're really something, aren't you? To think that even my explicit orders couldn't stop you and Wilbur from sneaking back! You abused your power and connections again, didn't you? "When will the two of you learn to behave like Corbin and stop constantly causing trouble for me?" I held a hand to my throbbing forehead and burst out laughing. If I had the kind of power and connections he accused me of, I would have thrown the three of them straight into the chaotic riots of Kampland so they could finally experience the desperation Wilbur and I felt. And if I had truly been as powerful as they claimed, Wilbur would never have died in the first place. They had known Corbin was entirely safe, yet they pulled every string to bring him home via the VIP channel and spent a fortune "praying" for his safe return. As for Wilbur and me, all we wanted were two flight tickets to escape the warzone in Kampland, and they had actively sabotaged us at every turn. Now that Wilbur was gone, I had no reason left to harbor any hope for Mom and Dad. "Are you alright, William?" Corbin asked, stepping forward with a worried expression. Yet, as he got close, he "accidentally" brushed his hand against my raw arm wound and pressed down hard. The sharp agony made me shove him away immediately. He staggered backward and hit the floor, his eyes instantly welling with tears. "I was just worried about you, William. I know I'm worth less than you or Wilbur. I know you hate me and find me repulsive, but I was only trying to care. I just want us to be a real family… "I… I can't breathe…" He clutched his chest, putting on a convincing show of medical emergency. Yet, I clearly caught the corners of his lips curling upward. Mom, who'd initially picked up a rag to clean up the spilled coffee, dropped it immediately and rushed to Corbin's side. She stroked his back to steady his breathing while glaring daggers at me. "Cory was only worried about you! How dare you treat him like this, you ungrateful little brat! Take your things and go to your room to reflect on yourself right now!" Exhausted from my injuries and the harrowing journey, I had no energy left to argue. I just wanted to go to my room and rest. However, the moment I pushed my bedroom door open, a chill ran down my spine. The room was in shambles, and Wilbur's belongings were scattered everywhere. On the floor lay a shattered photo frame—the smiling faces of our family of four now broken into jagged shards. Even worse, the clay sculpture of the four of us sitting happily around a dinner table had been smashed to pieces and dumped in the corner. Wilbur had cherished that sculpture, holding it so often that the edges had worn smooth over the years. Chapter 4 Corbin's voice suddenly piped up from behind me. "Oh, by the way, I didn't have anywhere to put my drum set, so I had no choice but to use Wilbur's room. I know it's going to be hard for you and Wilbur to squeeze into one room, but you won't get mad at me for that, will you?" He stepped closer, a smug grin plastered across his face as he whispered maliciously in my ear. "Mom and Dad love me the most. If you know what's good for you, get out of this house immediately. Otherwise, you won't even get to keep any of this junk anymore." Seeing Wilbur's belongings completely desecrated pushed me past my breaking point. Blinded by rage, I threw a hard punch straight into his stomach. Corbin collapsed to the floor with a thud, clutching his abdomen as his face drained of color. "William! Mom and Dad saw that I didn't have a place for my drum set, so they offered to let me use Wilbur's room instead! But if you mind, I'll move it right out! "I know you're closer to Mom and Dad than I am, and I don't deserve their love or to make any demands, but you can't just abuse your power and beat me up like this…" His hypocritical act made my stomach churn. I raised my fist to hit him again, but Dad suddenly materialized behind me, yanking me backward before a heavy slap landed squarely on my face. My vision blurred with flashing stars, and my ears rang deafeningly. "How dare you hit your brother!" Mom shrieked, rushing forward to help Corbin up with a look of profound heartbreak. She pointed a trembling finger at my face and yelled, "Cory was just being considerate, and you treat him like this in return? "It's not like you and Will spend much time at home anyway! What's wrong with sharing a smaller bedroom? It's not like we're forcing you to sleep on the floor! "Wilbur really corrupted you! You've always been so spoiled and arrogant!" She turned back to coddle Corbin. "It's okay, Cory. Don't be afraid. Just tell me whatever you want, and I'll buy you something even better." Even though I'd already lost all hope in them, watching them shower Corbin with such blind favoritism still twisted a knife in my chest. Trembling, I picked up the shattered pieces of the clay figurine. My voice cracked into a hoarse scream. "You've only ever had eyes for Corbin all these years! You never bothered asking what actually happened before pinning the blame on Wilbur and me! "This clay figurine is all we have left of Wilbur! It was his final memento!" Mom didn't miss a beat, waving away my grief as she continued stroking Corbin's back. "It's just made of dirt. Tell Wilbur to make another one when he gets back. What's the point of throwing a tantrum over something so worthless?" As if suddenly remembering Wilbur existed, she frowned and looked around. "Where is Wilbur anyway? Why isn't he back with you?" She pulled out her phone and dialed his number, but the call failed to connect. Annoyed, she scoffed. "All we did was block you from abusing your connections to buy tickets back home! It was to teach you humility and stop you from misusing your authority! We did it for your own good! "How dare he throw a fit and refuse to come home just because of that? Tell Wilbur to get back here immediately!" I broke down completely. "Wilbur is dead! He died in the riots! You'll never see him again!" Another brutal slap cracked across my cheek. Dad grabbed me by the collar, shoving his furious face right into mine. "What nonsense are you spewing? What do you mean he's dead? This is all his fault for corrupting you! "If he doesn't want to come back, fine! We'll lock him out of the house for good and see how long he lasts on his own! You and Wilbur completely ruined our good mood after Corbin's safe return!" Ignoring their demands that I apologize to Corbin, I spat out, "I hate you! I'll never, ever forgive you!" I bolted back into my room and slammed the door shut, locking out their toxic noise. I spent the entire night packing up Wilbur's belongings. By the time I finished, it was already noon the next day. Mom knocked on my door, announcing that she had prepared lunch especially for me and instructed me to act like a magnanimous big brother and apologize to Corbin for yesterday. I walked out to the dining table loaded with Corbin's favorite dishes—including a massive platter of shrimp scampi pasta, a dish that both Wilbur and I were deathly allergic to. I smiled bitterly. "Wilbur and I spent three days hospitalized after eating shrimp just once. You've forgotten, haven't you?" Mom looked momentarily flustered before quickly hardening her expression and scolding me. Chapter 5 Mom said, "Stop making a big deal out of everything. Just don't eat it." "Forget it," I said flatly. "I'm not eating. And I'm not apologizing either." Then, I left without another backward glance. They always said you couldn't choose your family, but I dearly wished I had never been born to them. … I checked into a nearby hotel and bought a train ticket to Sun City for two days later. The next day, I decided to head down to the company headquarters to finalize my resignation. Over the past years, I had come to believe that Wilbur and I had more than repaid Mom and Dad's "kindness" in raising us. We owed them nothing. I wanted nothing more to do with any of them. I'd just reached the building's lobby when I ran into Corbin's best friend, Bruno Ryans, flanked by a group of his lackeys. Before I could react, Bruno slammed a heavy punch directly into my face. "You don't know who you're messing with, do you, William Miller?" he sneered. "Do you have any idea how powerful the Miller family is? How dare you bully Corbin? Who gave you the guts?" The blow doubled me over in pain, and I tasted the copper tang of blood trickling down from my lip. Catching my breath, I straightened up and threw a sharp punch right back at him. "First of all, I haven't done a damn thing to any of you, and I certainly never bullied Corbin! Stop trying to frame me for things I didn't do! "Secondly, wanna repeat my name again? Did you even get my last name? "Corbin's real name is Corbin Grimshaw. My parents only took him in out of pity after his parents passed away when he was young. He's just an outsider! "And lastly, you'd better not push me. You have no idea what I'm capable of." Bruno clutched his bruised stomach, ignoring the pain as he burst into howling laughter. "That's hilarious! I've seen some shameless people, but none quite like you! Did you actually convince yourself you're the heir to a rich tycoon just because you happen to share the same last name? Do you even know how common 'Miller' is? "I bet you've never looked in a mirror. Are you even worthy of breathing their name? The whole world knows the Millers have only one son, and his name is Corbin Miller!" Bruno's lackeys erupted into mocking laughter, pointing fingers at me. "Yeah! What kind of tycoon's son has to work the lowest, most grueling jobs in his own family's company?" "Does this guy have zero self-awareness?" When they still didn't believe me, I pulled out my old family photos with Mom and Dad along with my digital birth certificate to prove my identity. But they didn't even look past the first image before writing me off as a delusional gold digger with ulterior motives. Bruno snatched my phone and slammed it onto the tile floor, shattering the screen completely. "It's one thing to be arrogant, but you're completely delusional! How dare you edit yourself into their family photos just to climb the social ladder! "It's obvious you and your brother were up to no good all along. No wonder you were stuck at the bottom! "Let's teach this loser a proper lesson and beat some sense into him. Some people just never learn unless you break them!" At Bruno's command, his lackeys swarmed me like rabid dogs. The harder I fought back, the more viciously they rained blows down on me. Within minutes, I was covered in bloody cuts and bruises. Seeing that I could barely stand, Bruno crouched down, grabbed a handful of my hair, and yanked my head back forcefully. He pulled out a switchblade, tracing the cold metal along my cheek. "Say, if I ruin this face of yours, will you still be able to work as a flight attendant?" Terror gripped my chest, but I forced my voice to remain steady. "You wouldn't dare! My parents will never forgive you!" Bruno cackled as if he'd just heard the funniest joke in the world. "What? You still think you're some tycoon's long-lost son or something? Let's see what happens when I destroy this disgusting face of yours." He pressed the blade against my skin. Instantly, a searing wave of agony stole the breath from my lungs. My vision darkened, and my consciousness began to slip away. Right on the brink of blacking out, a frantic voice cut through the ringing in my ears. "Mr. and Mrs. Miller are coming!" I forced my heavy eyelids open and saw two familiar figures rushing toward me in absolute panic.