Chapter 3

I put on my cleanest, least worn-out hoodie and arrived outside the mall.

Just as I was about to cross the street, a sleek sports car screeched to a halt right in front of me.

Austin lowered his designer sunglasses and gave me a smug grin. "Well, well. If it isn't yesterday's stray."

He tapped the leather steering wheel. "My birthday gift from Mom. Sick ride, right?"

He flashed his wrist, the diamond-encrusted bezel gleaming under the sun. "Didn't your mom buy you a watch? Oh, right, I forgot—your parents don't love you. This costs seven figures. You couldn't afford a single link if you delivered food for three lifetimes."

He leaned closer, his voice dripping with venom. "Mom and Dad stayed up until midnight with me. Mom cooked a gourmet feast with her own hands. Isn't it crazy we share the exact same birthday? Wonder what your folks got you."

Austin slammed on the gas, spitting exhaust fumes straight into my face as he sped off.

Watching his taillights, my heart turned to lead.

On my eighteenth birthday, my parents handed me a delivery helmet and an insulated bag.

"You're an adult now, son. Time to help support the family."

Inside McDonald's, my parents sat in a corner booth, looking at me with tearful, adoring eyes. They seemed eager to see joy on my face.

After all, in twenty-two years, this was my very first time sitting down for a fast-food meal.

"Happy birthday, son! Make a wish and blow out the candle!"

On the plastic tray sat half a cake.

The exact half Austin hadn't finished yesterday.

Mom noticed my stare and shifted uncomfortably. "Your dad’s treatments are expensive, but we still wanted you to have a proper birthday. It’s small, but your wish will still come true. Tell us, what do you want? We'll get it for you."

Perhaps giving Austin a mansion and a million-dollar watch yesterday had triggered a flicker of guilt.

"Really?" I asked quietly.

They both nodded vigorously. "Of course! You're our only boy. Who else would we spoil?"

Looking at their faded, threadbare jackets—clearly dug out from the back of a closet—I felt a wave of nausea.

Remembering Austin’s words, I looked straight into my mother's eyes.

"I want a home-cooked meal made by you, Mom."

Mom froze.

Ever since I was little, she had never cooked a single meal for me. I always thought she didn't know how, so I started cooking at seven, burning and cutting my hands without ever uttering a complaint.

Now I knew she was a master cook. She just never cared to cook for me.

Mom looked away, her lips trembling. "Leo... I'd love to, but you know I’m terrible in the kitchen. What if it tastes awful? Pick something else, okay?"

"Then buy me a watch," I said, pointing to a cheap digital watch worn by a teenager in the booth next to us.

Dead silence dropped over the table.

Dad cleared his throat, covering his mouth. "Son, you have a phone to check the time. Why waste money on a watch? You know our medical situation right now..."

Mom chimed in immediately, wiping a fake tear. "Leo, you've always been such a sensible boy. Don't start comparing yourself to others. As long as our family is together, nothing else matters. A watch like that is way too expensive for us. We still don't know how much your dad's next chemo round will cost."

She touched my hand, looking heartbroken. "You work so hard on your deliveries. You shouldn't throw money away like that."

Disgust choked me. That watch was barely thirty dollars.

Yet they had handed Austin millions without blinking an eye.