Chapter 4

Over the next few days, I wrapped up every last detail of my legal existence, waiting only for the medical transport team to escort me to the cryo-facility.

After hours of contemplation, I went back to the house one last time. I walked up to my father and laid an embossed business card on the coffee table.

"Dad. This is the personal contact for a world-renowned pulmonary specialist I arranged through my overseas network. He's an authority on severe respiratory diseases."

"He happens to be in town for a medical conference this week. I gave him a heads-up about your condition. If you go see him, there’s a real chance he can treat your asthma permanently..."

Before I could finish, my father scoffed and snatched the card, tearing it into tiny shreds.

"You? Knowing a world-class specialist? You don't even blush when you lie, do you?"

"Derek spent nights pulling strings and paying thousands under the table just to secure an appointment with a top hospital chief for me.”

“Who the hell knows what back-alley quack you dragged up? Get out of my face and let me watch TV!"

I stared at the shredded paper resting in the trash bin, a faint, bitter smile tugging at my lips.

If Derek’s high-priced doctors were so competent, my father's condition wouldn't have deteriorated to this point.

In his eyes, everything I did was an offense.

If they hated me this much, why did they ever bring me into this world?

Just then, my father's phone rang. It was Derek. Whatever Derek said on the other end, my father lit up like a Christmas tree.

"Derek, we’re all one family now! Stop calling me Uncle. From now on, just call me Dad, like Linda does!"

I said nothing. I gently placed my house keys on the entryway table and walked out of the door without making a sound.

I would never set foot in this house again.

Soon came the day of Linda and Derek’s grand wedding.

I sat staring at the invitation card for a long time, deciding I wanted one last look at them before I disappeared.

I coordinated with the medical transport van to pick me up right outside the country club venue, then hailed a cab to the reception hall.

When Linda and I got married years ago, my maternal grandmother had just passed away. Out of respect, we didn't hold a lavish reception; we simply registered our marriage at city hall.

Aside from a handful of close relatives, almost none of our extended circle knew Linda was legally my wife.

The moment I stepped into the grand ballroom, distant relatives spotted me and pulled me into conversations.

"Austin! We heard you've been working overseas all these years! Did you fly all the way back just for Derek's big day? Derek stayed single for so long, and now he finally settled down—even had a baby boy already!"

"By the way, Austin, where’s your wife? You two need to hurry up and start a family of your own!"

I kept my mouth shut, letting my eyes wander to my parents standing near the stage, their faces beaming with pride.

In all my memories, my father had always been a stern, joyless man.

Now, he looked like he had won the lottery, chuckling heartily as my mother flaunted diamond jewelry to her church friends.

Derek’s parents had passed away when he was young, and my parents had practically raised him. No one found it odd that my parents were presiding over the ceremony as the honored elders.

Suddenly, my aunt, who had witnessed my civil ceremony with Linda years ago, pushed through the crowd toward me.

Her face was drawn in shock. "Austin, what on earth is happening here?"

I lowered my gaze, fighting back the metallic tang of blood rising in my throat.

"Exactly what it looks like."

"This is insane! Do they think you're dead?!"

Before she could say more, my father tapped the microphone on stage, his voice booming over the speakers.

"Friends and family, thank you all for gathering here to celebrate the union of Derek and Linda! Our family has been blessed with double happiness recently, and we hope the future only gets brighter!"

The crowd cheered, clapping and chanting for the bride and groom to kiss.

Derek, standing tall in his tuxedo, caught my eye in the crowd. He raised an eyebrow, a clear, smug provocation in his smirk.

"Today, I want to give a special shoutout to my younger cousin, Austin. If it weren't for him, I never would have crossed paths with Linda."

"Austin, you give us your blessing, don't you?"

All eyes instantly shifted toward me.

I held my head high, stepped out of the crowd, and walked steadily up the stairs to the stage. I reached out and took the microphone from his hand.

"Of course. As the groom's cousin, I actually brought a special wedding gift for the happy couple."

Behind him, Linda, clad in a lavish white ballgown, offered a practiced, graceful smile.

In the next second, I reached into my inner jacket pocket and slapped a laminated marriage certificate under the projector camera.

"This is the official marriage license Linda and I signed three years ago."

I turned to Derek with a calm smile. "Once your vows wrap up, should I take her down to the courthouse for a divorce first, or do you prefer being married to my wife?"