Chapter 2

Raucous laughter exploded through the room, accompanied by clapping and wolf-whistling. They jeered at me, goading me to quickly pick a woman and take her home.

I let out a long sigh, the dull throbbing in my heart gradually turning numb.

"No need. From now on, you can do whatever you want. I won't stop you anymore."

In an instant, the atmosphere in the room grew tense, likely because this was the first time they had seen me display such an attitude.

In the past, I had been willing to cast aside all dignity to beg Natania to come home. I had even licked her lovers' shoes and personally cleaned up after them following a night of pleasure.

This was the first time I had ever stood up to her.

Natania was momentarily stunned, and then she frowned. "What are you up to this time—"

Before she could finish, the urgent ringing of my phone interrupted her.

I glanced at the caller ID, fell silent, and then turned to step out, shutting the private room's door behind me and cutting off Natania's curious gaze.

"Leon, tomorrow is your brother's death anniversary. It's been three years, yet Nat still hasn't forgiven you, nor have you completed what we agreed upon. I'll be returning to the country in a week. I hope you will have handled everything properly by then."

My head hung low, and even through the door, the sounds of Natania and Samuel's amorous kissing still reached my ears.

"Alright, I promise."

…

The death anniversary of my older twin brother, Jonathan Sander, was February 8th.

Ever since our parents cut ties with me three years ago, they had forbidden me from visiting Jonathan's grave. Every year, I had to wait until Mom, Dad, and Natania had left before I could pay my respects.

"Dad, Mom, this is Samuel Greene. He looks a lot like Jon, doesn't he?"

Natania's words caused me to freeze in my tracks. Raising my head, I saw my parents staring at Samuel with red-rimmed eyes. Right there in front of Jonathan's grave, they pulled Samuel into a tight hug.

"He does. He looks so much like Jon! It's almost like he's alive again…"

Tears welled in my eyes, and I instinctively touched my own face. Technically, the person who looked the most like Jonathan was me, his twin brother. However, everyone seemed adamant about pretending I didn't exist.

At the sight of my parents, whom I hadn't seen in a long time, I subconsciously moved forward.

"Dad, Mom…"

That single utterance was enough to shatter the warm and peaceful atmosphere.

Natania glared at me with visible disgust, while Dad strode forward and struck me with a hard smack across the face.

Mom, who had always been a gentle woman, shrieked heartbrokenly when she saw me. "What right do you have to come here? If it weren't for you, your brother wouldn't be dead! You animal!"

Although three years had passed, their hatred for me hadn't lessened; if anything, it had grown.

My ears rang from the force of the slap, and the coppery taste of blood spread in my mouth.

"Jon died in that car crash, yet you lived. Isn't that what you wanted so you could inherit the family business? Let me tell you right now—I don't have a son like you! You were kicked out of the Sander family long ago. You have no right to visit Jon!"

Dad glared at me viciously, his harsh words piercing my chest like daggers.

All color drained from my face, but I took a deep breath and pulled my shirt up, revealing the four-inch jagged scar that ran across my abdomen.

My voice shook as I said, "I was in the car at the time too. I couldn't possibly have had the time to tamper with it. Jon's death truly had nothing to do with me…"

"Then why weren't you the one who died? Why did it have to be Jon?" Mom screamed.

I felt as though a bucket of ice water had been dumped over me, the cold seeping through my veins.

For a moment, I could only stare at my mother, whose eyes were bloodshot with rage. Then, I hung my head dejectedly.

As it turned out, all this time, they had been wishing that I was the one who had died instead.