Chapter 4

I had absolutely nothing left.

To escape other creditors and enemies, I fled to another city.

Because of the brain injury, I couldn't hold down a normal job. My vision would blur, and the migraines were blinding.

Slowly, I became a beggar, fighting stray dogs for scraps of food.

In this, the final year of my life, I returned to this city. I wanted to die where I was born.

And deep down, I wanted to see her one last time before I closed my eyes forever.

After all, the only reasons I had dragged this broken body along for five years were:

First, to find out the truth about my parents' deaths. Second, to understand why Sera had betrayed us.

After my parents died, the Sterling family sponsored her college education.

And the moment she graduated, they made her the CEO of the Sterling Group.

She became the ultimate icon of success for every young woman in the country.

Just a few days ago, the Sterlings announced that Sera and Julian were getting engaged.

That night, fireworks lit up the entire city skyline.

The streets were filled with celebratory candy. I picked one up and ate it, but it tasted incredibly bitter.

I had thought about going straight to her to demand answers.

But looking at my filthy, mangled reflection in a shop window, I could only laugh at myself.

As I thought about this, my head began to throb violently. The cheap painkillers weren't working anymore. The only relief was to close my eyes and try to sleep.

In my semi-conscious state, I was shaken awake by a group of loud, obnoxious drunks.

"Hey, look at this little hobo sleeping so peacefully!"

"I can't even get a good night's sleep, why does this piece of trash get to sleep so well? Wake him up!"

Before my brain could fully register what was happening, the drunks began to kick me, pouring cheap beer all over my head.

I tried to stand up and push them away, but a wave of intense dizziness hit me. I crashed to the ground, shattering a glass bottle.

This angered the drunks even more. They kicked me brutally several times before finally laughing and walking away.

My torn skin burned fiercely from the alcohol. I tried to crawl forward, but my palm pressed hard into the shattered glass, blood instantly pooling on the pavement.

I guess this is it. I'm finally going to die.

I lay flat on the cold ground, accepting my fate.

Suddenly, Sera appeared in front of me.

Tears were pooling in her eyes as she stared at me, frozen.

My heart shattered. I buried my face into the dirty pavement, curling my body into a tight ball.

I didn't want her to recognize me. I scrambled desperately to crawl toward a dark alley.

One hand covered in blood, the other in mud.

But she stepped in front of me, blocking my path.

"Go away! Get lost!"

I forced my voice to sound raspy and wild, playing the part of a terrified, crazed beggar.

The air went dead silent. I thought I heard the sound of quiet sobbing, but I didn’t dare look up to confirm it.

After a long time, she spoke, her voice trembling but cold:

"Ethan Gray, how long are you going to pretend you don't know me?"