7
Suddenly, my mom became anxious over the phone.
“Don’t blame your brother. I was the one who suggested using your name. If anyone’s at fault, it’s me.”
“You don’t come home often anyway, so what does it matter if it’s your name? We raised you, and instead of understanding us as parents, you’re questioning us?”
“Don’t even think about taking his money or the house. As a daughter, you should understand your parents. The money and house are for your brother since he’s getting married…”
My parents went on without giving me a chance to breathe.
“You raised a maid for Logan, not a daughter! You tricked me out of all my savings when you bought the house… Fhave no parents like you!”
Tears stubbornly welled in my eyes as Liam silently handed me a tissue.
10:00 AM
<
“How can you say that? Don’t be so selfish!” my dad’s voice boomed, but they were the selfish ones.
“Dad, Mom, from today on, I won’t be involved in Logan’s or any of your affairs. Consider the money you took from me as repayment for bringing me into this world. Don’t come looking for me again!”
With that, I hung up, tears finally streaming down uncontrollably.
“Sorry for the scene,” I said, taking Liam’s tissue and rushing out of the coffee shop, not wanting a stranger to see me like this.
I immersed myself in work, taking on overtime to earn more money, feeling that financial security was my only refuge.
One night at 3 a.m., the phone rang ominously.
I squinted at the call button.
“Where’s the money?” a rough, unfamiliar voice jolted me awake.
“What are you saying? I don’t know. You must have the wrong number,” I replied, fumbling to hang up.
“A woman?” he muttered, his voice grating.
“I warn you, stay away from that house.”
He paused, making the night even quieter.
“Also, take care of yourself.”
Then he hung up.
I quickly informed Liam about it.
Despite the late hour, he was online, assuring me to leave it to him.
A few days passed uneventfully until I received calls from the hospital and police.
“Hello, are you Logan’s sister? We’re from City General Hospital. Your brother is injured and unconscious. Please come to the hospital.”
Injured? I bit my lip.
“Sorry, you should contact my parents. I’m busy.”
“We already did. They asked us to contact you. About the hospitalization fee…”
The nurse sounded troubled.
“Can’t they even afford the fee? They’re just trying to bleed me dry. Let them sell the car and house, but don’t come to me!”
I hung up coldly. Whatever happened to Logan was his own doing.
I called Liam back.
“We tracked the serial killer, but he attacked your brother and fled.”
So Logan’s misfortune was tied to the killer.
“He didn’t kill your brother, but was brutal with previous victims. We suspect your brother is hiding something. If you have any clues, please tell me.”
“A secret? Yeah, there is one.”
