A Decade Stolen, A Son Replaced

My parents were a couple bound purely by hatred. Their greatest pleasure was trying their best to make each other’s lives a living hell daily.

My older sister inherited their bloodthirsty genes. She was cold, gloomy, and pathologically paranoid by nature.

However, no matter how crazy or cruel they were, they treated me—innocent and naive—like treasure to be protected.

I was supposed to live a wealthy life of luxury, but when I was ten, I was abducted and taken into the mountains. My face was ruined, and I was beaten mute.

As an adult, I could only make a living delivering food.

Once, while riding over a bumpy road, I accidentally damaged a rich heir’s cake.

I knelt on the ground, holding up my disability certificate as I apologized.

The heir still smiled viciously and ground his leather shoe down on my hand.

The bones in my hand were crushed alive, and the pain was so intense that I nearly passed out.

At that moment, a woman gracefully walked into the private room.

The heir immediately let me go and ran over to hook an arm through hers.

Through my bloodied vision, I looked at that familiar silhouette and silently called out the name buried deep in my memories.

“Nicole.”

…

However, my sister, Nicole Shields, didn’t notice me lying on the ground like a mangy dog at all.

When her originally cold, sinister gaze fell on James Shields beside her, it suddenly softened. “It’s getting late. Time to go home.”

James lifted his chin arrogantly and said no, yet the corners of his eyes were filled with a sweet smile.

Nicole smiled indulgently and, like magic, produced a lollipop. “Is this enough?”

He raised an eyebrow. “I’ve told you I don’t like sweets. But you still try to bribe me with lollipops every time.”

As I lay on the ground, my tears spilled even more violently.

When we were little, every time she tried to comfort me or coax me into something, she would also pull a lollipop out from behind her like magic.

I also noticed that, amidst all the luxurious accessories she was wearing, there was an old, worn red string on her wrist.

I had braided it casually when I was a child.

Even back then, I thought it was ugly.

Yet, Nicole treasured it like a priceless heirloom, refusing to ever take it off.

I never imagined that, ten years later, she would still be wearing it.

Didn’t that mean that my sister and my parents had never truly given up on me?

I felt a surge of emotion and adrenaline as I crawled over using both hands and feet. Then, I grabbed Nicole’s pant leg with all my strength.

“Nicole!”

I struggled to open my mouth, but only incoherent, sobbing sounds came out.

Nicoel was drawn by the commotion, lowering her head to look at me.

The instant I met those familiar, beautiful eyes I’d missed so much for ten years, I broke down in an ugly mess of tears. I wished I could just vent out all the grievances of these years.

The next second, James kicked me hard again.

He’d used so much force that my one remaining functioning hand let out a crisp sound of bones shattering.

I couldn’t even cry out in pain. All I could do was convulse on the ground in agony.

James roared, “Who the hell do you think you are? How dare you touch my sister?”

Even Nicole looked at me with a gaze full of disgust. She pulled James behind her. “This man’s clearly crazy. Stay away from him.”

I froze, suddenly thinking of something as I turned my head.

In the spotless mirror of the private room, my reflection was clearly visible at that very moment.

I had a hunched posture and a face marred with vicious scars.

Years of chronic malnutrition had even made me look ten years older than my peers.

Right, I forgot. I was no longer the Shield family’s only son, once doted on so lovingly. In fact, I was no better than a homeless vagrant on the street.

As Nicole patiently persuaded James to go home, she had the bodyguards drag me out.

When I was roughly thrown out the entrance, a bodyguard tossed a few bills at my face.

They looked at me with mocking grins.

“Ms. Shields has the most unpredictable temper. If you’d provoked her on a normal day, you’d probably already be dead.”

“You should be thankful that Mr. Shields is celebrating Ms. Shields’ birthday with her today. That’s why she’s in such a good mood.”

“In the future, keep your eyes open when you’re out. Don’t offend people you shouldn’t.”

“Mr. Shields may only be an adopted son, but he’s the most favored one in the Shields family.”

Hearing this, I looked up into the distance.

It was raining outside, and James said he didn’t want to get wet.

The proud, noble Nicole immediately took off her coat and laid it over the muddy puddle ahead.

Even the umbrella in her hand tilted unconsciously toward him.

Even though the rain drenched half her body, she didn’t utter a single complaint.

In her beautiful eyes was that indulgent, gentle warmth she used to look at me with.

Bitterness and grievance crept wildly up my heart, but suddenly, the last bit of resentment inside me dissipated.

I shakily stood up, but didn’t pick up the money.

Just as I found my little scooter, the Shield family’s bodyguards suddenly came for me again.

They didn’t bother giving me an explanation as they forced me into a car.

Facing my confused and uneasy gaze, they just said, “Ms. Shields wants to see you.”