I had terminal cancer, but my wife, Clara Hayes, gave my treatment opportunity to Alex Stone, who only had early-stage cancer. When I signed over my company to Alex, my parents smiled with satisfaction; When I signed Clara’s divorce papers, she sighed, saying I was so mature; When I asked my daughter, Lily, to call Alex “Daddy,” she happily did; Even when I gave Alex all my properties and assets, they didn’t sense anything was wrong. Three days before I died, I finally became the son and husband my family always wanted. Would they ever remember me after I was gone? Under the doctor’s pitying gaze, I swallowed the painkiller. Only three days remained until my death. After taking the medicine, I went to Alex’s hospital room. Inside, Dad was peeling an orange for Alex, while Mom chatted happily with him. When they saw me enter, their smiles instantly froze and became distant. “Oh, what now? Can’t keep up the sick act, so you’re back to bothering Alex, are you? Liam, let me tell you, with us here, you can forget about trying to mess with him!” Dad looked at me, his voice icy. “Our family has always prided ourselves on raising our kids right. I don’t know where you picked up such bad habits, being so jealous of Alex and even snatching his chemotherapy chance,” “If only I’d known, I shouldn’t have given birth to you!” Mom pointed at me, her voice laced with accusation. In a corner where my parents couldn’t see, Alex smirked, his eyes full of provocation. I lowered my gaze. I’d heard these words from my parents countless times before. Usually, I’d argue back, expose Alex’s deception in front of them, Even though my parents never believed a single word I said. But now, I was tired. I just didn’t want to fight anymore. “Anyway, you came at a good time. I have something to discuss with you,” Dad said then. I smiled faintly. “Dad, I also have something to tell you.” “Alex, he wants my shop businesses and my company, doesn’t he? I’ve thought about it. I’ll give them all to him!” Dad froze for a moment, and Mom looked at me with some surprise. “How did you know I was going to talk to you about this today? You agreed?” I gave a slight twitch of my lips. It wasn’t surprising they were shocked and double-checking. Alex had wanted my shops and company for a long time. My parents had said every good and bad thing imaginable to make me hand over everything I’d worked so hard for to Alex. But I’d always refused. Now, though, I was a dying man. These things were meaningless. Mom saw my serious expression and finally smiled, a look of relief on her face. She stepped forward and gently touched my head. “You’ve finally come to your senses!” “Alex was always more excellent than you in school, and even though he’s sick now, he’s much better at managing finances than you are.” “We’ll feel much better if you let him manage your shops and company.” I barely managed a smile, then handed the transfer agreement to Alex. After my parents saw Alex sign it, they excitedly held my hand, repeatedly calling me their “good boy.” A faint irony bloomed in my heart. How laughable. Only when I yielded to Alex would Mom show me a smile. But I was also curious. If Mom ever discovered Alex’s true colors, and realized I was dead, Would she and Dad feel any regret? That evening, I returned home. My wife, Clara, and my daughter, Lily, were in the kitchen, cooking. Perhaps because of my late-stage cancer, my movements were softer, and the mother and daughter were laughing, seemingly oblivious to my arrival. Clara, serving a dish, turned and saw me. Her smile froze for a split second before she recomposed herself. “Liam, when did you get back? You’re so quiet.” I silently watched the dish in Clara’s hand—it was Alex’s favorite. Judging by the presentation, it looked like it came from a professional chef. It was quite ironic. I was dying, And only now did I discover that Clara, whom I’d spent five years with, could cook. She used to always complain about my cooking, and under Clara’s influence, Lily gradually started to dislike it too. I’d slaved away for this family, only to earn not a shred of respect. In the past, I might have lost control, utterly breaking down. But now, I calmly walked past them, sat on the sofa, and organized the things in my bag. Clara saw my silence and paused, then placed the dish on the table and walked over to me. “Liam, today, there’s something I want to discuss with you.” Clara touched her nose, a slight awkwardness in her gesture, then hesitated before speaking: “It’s about your brother, Alex.” My heart sank, a terrible thought suddenly surfacing. The next second, Clara’s words froze me in place: “Alex has been very depressed since his chemotherapy. So Mom and Dad want me to marry Alex, hoping this happy event will help him recover.”
My ears buzzed loudly, the sound overwhelming everything. It took a long time before I found my voice. “So, you agreed?” Clara sighed. “Liam, even though Alex isn’t your biological brother, he’s still family since Mom and Dad adopted him.” “And it’s just to help him get back on his feet. As soon as Alex is discharged, I’ll still be your wife, and Lily’s mom.” Before I could speak, Lily chimed in: “That’s right, Daddy! Alex has been feeling really down lately, you should try to understand him!” I silently watched the mother and daughter in front of me. This was the woman I had loved for so many years. This was the child I had painstakingly raised. I asked myself if I had ever made a mistake; I truly believed I had been a good son, husband, and father. My conscience was clear. Yet, in the end, I received their betrayal. But it didn’t matter now. If Alex wanted it, I would give him everything. I didn’t want any of it anymore. I looked up at Clara. “Fine, I agree!” A flicker of surprise crossed Clara’s eyes. “Really?” With that, she quickly pulled a divorce agreement from a drawer and placed it on the table. I gave a slight, bitter smile. Clara, Clara. Your eagerness is so transparent, you’re not even trying to hide it, are you? I picked up the pen and quickly signed. After I signed, Clara’s face was filled with utter satisfaction, her expression solemn and seemingly affectionate. “Liam, we’ll remarry once Alex is discharged. Don’t worry, I’ll never betray you!” Clara finished speaking and signed the divorce agreement herself. After signing, She looked at me and sighed, “Liam, you’ve become so much more mature than before. I know I’ve had my faults too, I was wrong.” “Once Alex is well, I promise I’ll never let you worry about anything again!” “That’s right, Daddy!” Lily, trying to sound like a little adult, also spoke up. “Daddy is so good to Alex, I’m proud of you!” Watching them, a wave of despair washed over me. Before this, I had held onto a last shred of hope for Clara and Lily. And now… It’s over. I had no expectations left, except for death. I stood up, intending to walk past them and rest in my room. A powerful wave of dizziness hit me, and I couldn’t help but collapse. In that last flickering second before my world went black, I thought I saw Clara’s face, etched with a fleeting panic. I was jolted awake by a sudden chill. When I opened my eyes, I found myself still lying on the floor. Clara and Lily were both looking at me, their faces etched with disappointment. “Mom, I told you! Daddy’s just faking it again!” Lily said. “Daddy, can you stop being so childish? You’re really delaying us from going to see Alex at the hospital!” Faking it? Then Clara spoke, her voice filled with disappointment: “Liam, can you please stop this nonsense?” “Didn’t I tell you? Even though we’re divorced, you’re still the one I love. You really don’t need to use childish tricks like faking a faint to test me!” After hearing Clara’s words, I finally understood. The painkiller I took, it completely blocked out all symptoms for three days. During that time, I’d look and feel like a perfectly normal person, my complexion no different from anyone else’s. But the side effects were brutal: after those three days, my organs would fail, and I’d die. Turns out, the medication was doing its job a little too well. I forced myself to stand. “It’s probably just low blood sugar, it’s nothing. I’ll come to the hospital with you.” “There are still some transfer documents that need Alex to sign.” Clara nodded. There wasn’t a hint of surprise on her face, so my parents must have told her beforehand. At the hospital, Alex was in his room, watching TV. “Liam, you’re here!” Alex still looked pale, But his spirits were clearly much higher. I didn’t miss the smugness, the outright arrogance, glittering in his eyes. “Liam, thank you for trusting me and letting me manage your businesses. Don’t worry, I won’t let you down!” “That’s right, Liam! With your shops and company in Alex’s hands, you can just relax at home every day and collect dividends. How wonderful is that!” Mom said, smiling. I took out the remaining documents from my bag. “In that case, I’ll let him manage all my other assets too.” “That way, I won’t have to worry about anything anymore.” Everyone in the room froze.
“Liam, are you serious? You’re giving Alex all your assets?” Clara grabbed my arm, her eyes wide with surprise. This time, I was the one confused. They used to always side with Alex, giving him whatever he wanted. If I refused, they would scold me endlessly. But now that I was giving Alex everything, They were confused? Dad was the first to snap back, his eyes beaming with satisfaction. “Our son has finally come to his senses! Our affection for him wasn’t wasted!” “Liam, it’s a good thing you’ve finally accepted your brother!” “From now on, you two live good lives together, and we’ll be at peace, even in our old age!” At peace? Mom and Dad, you’ve been fooled by Alex’s fake kindness for too many years. Do you really believe Alex will manage everything of mine properly? My head spun again, and my nose felt itchy. I touched it and found my fingers slick with blood. “Liam, why are you bleeding from the nose? The weather hasn’t been dry lately, has it?” Mom asked then. My hand, wiping my nose, paused. I couldn’t hold back anymore and looked at them, speaking: “Dad, Mom, if I really die of illness one day, will you regret it?” But Mom’s expression didn’t even flicker. She just smiled and glanced at me. “Your face is so flushed, how could you be that sick? Stop talking such nonsense, it’s bad luck!” “Exactly! Alex is different. Once he recovers, we must make sure to help him recuperate properly!” Dad said, looking at Alex with concern. “I think so too!” Lily chimed in quickly. “Daddy is quite healthy, Godfather Alex is the one we should worry about the most!” The last shred of hope in my heart vanished. I had nothing left to hope for… I looked down at Lily and smiled. “Lily, haven’t you always wanted Godfather Alex to be your real daddy?” “I’ve agreed. Alex is your daddy now. Won’t you call him Daddy?” Lily’s eyes lit up with surprise. “Really?!” I smiled faintly. “Once you call him Daddy, you can always eat the food he makes and he can always spend time with you!” “Isn’t that what you’ve always wanted? Aren’t you happy?” Lily jumped up excitedly. “Yay! Daddy is the best in the world! Thank you, Daddy!” With that, Lily pulled her hand from mine and hugged Alex. My parents and Clara watched the scene with satisfied smiles. I turned to leave, taking one last look at them. My parents were laughing and playing with Lily alongside Alex, and Clara watched with a soft smile. No one noticed me. I closed the hospital room door and left the hospital. Only one day remained until my death. I had nowhere to go. My life had been busy and rushed, I’d never truly let go and enjoyed myself. I booked a ticket to a coastal city, went to see the sea at night, and wanted to climb a mountain. But I couldn’t hold on anymore. Just before I passed out, I dialed a number I hadn’t called in almost five years. Then, my vision went black, and I lost consciousness.
When I woke up, I was already in a hospital. I slowly moved my eyes to check the time. Only six hours remained until my death. Beside me was my friend,Mark Miller, his eyes red-rimmed. Years ago, Mark had strongly opposed me getting together with Clara, saying she wasn’t worth marrying. But I hadn’t listened. We had a huge fight, so much so that he didn’t even come to my wedding. I knew I shouldn’t bother him now, But besides him, in this world, I truly couldn’t find anyone else. “What the hell happened to you? Weren’t you so smug after marrying Clara?” “Weren’t you three living happily ever after? How did it come to this? Why did the doctor say your organs are failing?” Mark’s voice was choked with tears. I wore a breathing mask, smiling at him. When we were kids, we made a pact: if one of us reached the end of their life, The other would, no matter what, take care of things afterward. I couldn’t speak anymore, so I forced myself to raise my hand and point to my bag. Mark pulled out several agreements from the bag. He looked at the papers for a moment, then nodded slightly and put them into his own bag. Thankfully, our privity hadn’t changed over the years. We didn’t need words to understand each other’s thoughts. Only three hours remained until my death. I gave up on resuscitation. After another bout of unconsciousness, I woke up. Mark showed me his phone. It was a message from Alex: [Liam Davis, I won! I got everything of yours.] [You thought you could compete with me? Blame your own incompetence. Who asked your parents to love me so much?] [Just quietly leave the Davis family! I’ll take good care of your parents, and your wife and daughter.] After Mark read it, he cursed loudly in the hospital room. I sighed, a self-deprecating laugh in my heart. In my entire life, I had never regretted anything, except for asking my father to sponsor Alex. I saw Alex in a dilapidated orphanage. I was volunteering with my teacher there, That day, it was snowing heavily, and all the other children were huddled inside for warmth. Only Alex was in the backyard, scrounging for scraps in a dumpster, picking at discarded bones. I couldn’t bear to watch, so I begged my father to sponsor Alex. After that, Alex and I became inseparable friends. The next year, Alex joined my class. As soon as he arrived, he charmed both teachers and students with his supposed brilliance. Whenever someone praised him, I felt incredibly proud; Until later, things started to go wrong. My friends inexplicably began to drift away, suddenly treating Alex as their best buddy; Girls who used to like me grew cold, showering Alex with declarations of affection instead; Even my parents constantly pushed me to bring Alex home for dinner, to stay over. They even split my own room, turning half of it into Alex’s. I blame my own naiveté and dullness back then. I never realized that Alex’s greatest talent was to, amidst others’ praise, Steal everything that belonged to me. By the time I came to my senses, My room was gone. My family was gone. Everything I had was occupied by Alex. I actually once asked Alex why, but his answer sent chills down my spine: “Liam, did you actually think I’d be grateful for your help? Grateful? How could I be?” “I hated seeing you so smug, so proud in front of me. I swore I’d take everything from you.” “All I wanted was to see the look of pure despair on your face when I stripped you of it all!” … I once thought I could drive Alex away. I also thought I could make my parents and Clara see his true face. But I was too naive. I underestimated Alex’s tactics, and even more, I overlooked the affection my parents, Clara, and Lily had for him. I had utterly lost. Only nine minutes remained until my death. My consciousness began to fade, my vision blurred. But I still saw a message from Mom on Mark’s phone: [Liam, could you get someone to paint the walls in your old room blue these next few days? Your brother likes blue!] [Also, Alex will be discharged in about two weeks. Once he’s out, you’ll need to move some of your things out; he’ll need space for his stuff!] Even at the last moment of my life, Mom was still concerned about Alex. It seemed I truly wasn’t important in her heart. Then, so be it… Mark seemed to be crying and screaming something in my ear, but I couldn’t hear it anymore. After so many years of fighting, I was truly exhausted. Finally, I could get some good sleep… On November 24th, Liam passed away at a hospital in Coast City, aged only 29.
Alex was in his hospital bed, watching TV, when the door suddenly burst open. He looked up and saw a man enter. The man was Alex’s biological father, Frank Wallace. “What do you want?” A flicker of disgust, mixed with a hint of fear, crossed Alex’s eyes. Frank sneered. “What, if I hadn’t thrown you in that orphanage back then, would you have ever met such rich people?” “I’m broke. Transfer me money. I need a hundred grand!” Alex shot up in bed, staring at Frank. “Why should I? Have you supported me for a single day since I was born?!” Frank made himself comfortable on the sofa in the room. “Cut the crap, Alex. I know all about your dirty little secrets, every single one of them.” “You transfer the money quietly, and we won’t have to make a scene. Otherwise, you know what I’m capable of!” Alex clenched his fist tightly, then slowly released it after a moment. “Fine. Give me some time. I need to be discharged to earn money.” Frank scoffed. “You don’t have the fate to be rich, but you got a rich man’s disease. Early-stage cancer, that’s it? What a waste of money!” “I’m giving you two days. If I don’t see the money by then, I’m going straight to the Davis family!” Frank stood up, kicked the hospital room door open, and left. Alex violently smashed the glass cup on the nightstand, sending shards flying. He gasped for breath, his eyes filled with burning hatred. Why… Why did everyone else get to have such happy lives? Why was he only destined to be thrown into an orphanage by a scumbag father like that? Why did he have to live such a despised existence? He had finally managed to usurp Liam’s place in the Davis family, to push Liam out. He absolutely refused to go back to those days of having no security! Alex got out of bed. After tricking Liam into giving him the chemotherapy chance, his body was recovering faster each day. He’d be discharged soon. But right now, he just wanted to quickly sell all the assets, shop businesses, and the company he’d snatched from Liam. Then, he’d transfer all the money in batches overseas and use the excuse of moving abroad. That way, his scumbag father would never find him. Even the gullible Davis family wouldn’t find him. Yes, he had to handle this as quickly as possible! He told the nurse at the station that he was going out for a walk to clear his head. Downstairs, he hailed a taxi and went to the bank. Alex arrived at the bank, handed his card to the teller, his heart trembling with excitement. Soon, Liam’s money would be his, and he would finally be free. But then, the teller looked up, giving him a strange glance. “Sir, the name and identity associated with this card do not match your identity.” “Sir, did you pick up the wrong card?” Alex froze. “How could that be? My family already transferred ownership of this card to me when we did the paperwork!” “Could you have made a mistake?” The teller shook her head. “Sir, the owner of this card is still Mr. Liam. Furthermore, this card has an asset protection freeze applied to it by our bank!” Alex was stunned. Asset protection freeze? How was that possible? How could this be? He had watched Liam sign the transfer agreement! He had checked that transfer agreement again and again before signing to confirm. Had Liam pulled some trick afterward? Right, and the shops and the company! Alex left the bank and called a friend he knew. He sat anxiously on a bench outside the bank. A few minutes later, his friend called him back. “Alex, the shops and company you’re talking about, their ownership belongs to someone named Liam.” “Two days ago, this Liam had his lawyer, representing him fully, apply for an ownership protection order!” Boom! A deafening explosion echoed in Alex’s mind.
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